For Agam Iheanyi-Igwe, who has a PhD in Educational and Leadership Studies, coming to Bushnell University was more than a career move — it was a continuation of his calling to form, guide, and equip the next generation of ministry leaders. “I came here to teach theology,” he recalls. “In a previous life, I had been a pastor. I went from serving as a pastor to helping equip the next generation of pastors.”
Since joining Bushnell in 2016, Iheanyi-Igwe has served the university in multiple roles, including as associate dean of Bible, theology, and ministry; professor of Bible, theology, and ministry; and now director of the newly launched Center for Calling and Community.
The center, opening in fall 2025, is designed to unify and expand Bushnell’s work in ministry training, spiritual formation, and community engagement. Under Iheanyi-Igwe’s leadership, the center will oversee initiatives such as enhanced chapel programming, mission trips, strengthened church partnerships, and innovative collaborations between music and ministry programs. These initiatives are aimed at helping students discern their calling and grow in service to the church and the wider world.
Iheanyi-Igwe holds a doctorate and a master’s degree from Biola University and a bachelor’s in engineering from Federal University of Technology in Nigeria. His teaching and scholarship are shaped by more than 15 years of pastoral ministry in Nigeria and the United States, with contributions to the Christian Education Journal and the encyclopedias of Christian Education and Christianity in the Global South.
We caught up with Iheanyi-Igwe to learn more about his approach to teaching, his understanding of theological formation, and his encouragement for students stepping into this season of learning and calling.
Teaching for Transformation
Ask what drives his work, and the answer comes quickly: transformation. “Teaching is about transformation,” he explains. “It’s not just about transmitting information. Learning should lead to transformation — personal transformation — as students have these learning encounters.”
For him, theology is never a purely intellectual exercise. “Theology is in service of the church,” he says. “We don’t do theology just for the sake of theology.” This conviction shapes his emphasis on integration, which he describes as involving the whole person: “Your mind: because this is a university. Your hands: what you do. And at the core of that is the heart: your passions, your affections, what you love.”
His enthusiasm for the field is unmistakable. “Why wouldn’t anybody want to study theology?” he asks with a smile. “Everybody does theology. Whatever it is you’re doing, there is some theological thinking behind how and why you do what you do, especially if you are a follower of Jesus.” Even for those who are not yet following Christ, he offers a warm invitation: “Come take theology classes so that you become one.”
Faith is not meant to be compartmentalized, he explains. “I know many followers of Jesus who feel like they have to lock up their Christian identity in certain environments,” he says. “It’s not like that here. We are a Christian university. We say, ‘Bring your Christian self.’ Not only bring it — thrive with it.” His pastoral background draws him naturally toward service as well. “In academia you have teaching, scholarship, and service,” he reflects. “I try to have a finger on each, but the service piece is just a natural bend for me.”
Ultimately, his desire is simple and sincere: “I want to help students consider issues of faith because they’re real. I would want everybody to be a follower of Jesus. Will everybody be one? Probably not. But it won’t stop me from wanting it.”
Advice for Students
When offering guidance to students at Bushnell, Iheanyi-Igwe encourages them to embrace the moment fully. “Jump in with both feet. You may never have an opportunity like this again, where your full-time job is to learn.” He hopes students recognize just how many people are invested in their development. “Sometimes people think, ‘When I graduate and get a real job…’ But you’re in the real world right now. It begins now.”
His encouragement is to be present, intentional, and open to how God may shape their vocation during this season. “That’s what God has called us to do: To be. To grow. To serve.”
Through his teaching, leadership, scholarship, and mentoring, Iheanyi-Igwe continues to equip students for thoughtful, faithful service in the global Church. He and his wife, Oge, are raising four children — yet another place where calling and formation take root every day.
Visit our website to learn more about Bushnell University’s School of Bible, Theology, & Ministry, where students are formed into biblically faithful, culturally engaged, and spiritually mature leaders. Through meaningful coursework, hands-on experiences, and mentorship from faculty who combine scholarship with real-world ministry, students learn to think theologically, grow in their faith, and serve in churches, nonprofits, missions, and other ministry settings.
Whether you feel called to vocational ministry or want to deepen your understanding of the Christian faith, our programs provide the preparation and support you need to follow God’s calling with clarity and purpose.