Fred Prinzing 1992-1994

Dean in St. Paul and San Diego 

During the 1990s Bethel Seminary was going through a time of growing pains and tensions. The school experienced major shifts in its programs and priorities. Enrollment had declined from the mid-1980s, and difficult decisions needed to be made to put the seminary on a strong path for the future. Fred Prinzing was called on to provide leadership during this transition period.

Prinzing was raised in a Christian home in Elmhurst, Ill., and committed his life to Christ and to ministry. He received his undergraduate training at Wheaton College and Taylor University. His seminary work was taken at Gordon-Conwell Seminary (B.D., 1958) and Northern Baptist Seminary (Th.M., 1960). During seminary, Prinzing was ordained at Central Avenue Baptist Church where Gordon Johnson was pastor. Prinzing pastored the Robinson Baptist Church in Grand Haven, Mich., and then was called to be executive secretary for the Mid-Atlantic Conference of the Baptist General Conference. He left that role to become director of church extension of the Southwest Baptist Conference (BGC). In 1970, he returned to the East Coast and to his alma mater to become the dean of students at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. While serving in that role, he completed his doctor of ministry degree (1972).

In 1975, Prinzing returned to the West Coast to take the senior pastor role at Temple Baptist Church in Portland, Ore. He served there for 11 years, building a strong staff and a ministry recognized throughout the Portland area. During his ministry there, he was chairman of the Baptist General Conference Home Missions Board and moderator of the BGC Annual Meeting. He also was a part-time teacher at Western Conservative Baptist Seminary, mentored numerous students as interns at Temple Baptist Church, and published Handling Church Tensions Creatively.

Bethel Seminary called Prinzing to become professor of preaching and pastoral ministry in 1986. He became a respected encourager within the faculty and a popular preacher in area churches. Shortly after coming to Bethel, he published Mixed Messages: Responding to Interracial Marriage, which he co-authored with his wife Anita.

In 1992, Dean Millard Erickson resigned as dean of Bethel Seminary, and Prinzing was appointed as acting dean. In October, his title was changed to executive vice president and dean of Bethel Seminary. He served in this role while the search for a new dean for the seminary was pursued. During these years, the faculty was downsized and the seminary budget was trimmed to increase productivity and viability. Though these were difficult decisions, Prinzing was able to strengthen the climate of cooperation between administrators and faculty of the college and seminary. Efforts were made for a greater multicultural emphasis, and new delivery systems including SemPM and InMinistry were instituted.

When Leland Eliason was chosen as dean of the seminary in 1994, Prinzing stepped down from his role as dean and returned to his teaching responsibilities. However, when Clifford Anderson resigned as dean at Bethel Seminary San Diego, Prinzing was asked to step into a transition role on that campus. For the school year 1995-1996, he was acting executive officer and dean of Bethel Seminary San Diego. He then returned to Bethel Seminary St. Paul and retired from his teaching career in 1998.

Prinzing moved easily among many roles at Bethel Seminary. He got along with everyone and modeled a pastoral relationship with students, constituents, and fellow faculty. He was respected for his preaching and his sound advice to pastors and students alike. Prinzing served at Bethel during a time of transition and helped the seminary move forward with grace and stability.