Our Staff

Dr. Samuel Youngs

Dean

Samuel Youngs has been a part of The Mission Chattanooga community since 2012. As the Dean he is primarily responsible for shepherding the academic vision of the MSM. He also serves as the lead Lecturer in Theology & History for the MSM. Sam is a professor in the Christian Studies department at Bryan College in Dayton, TN. He has taught at Bryan since 2011. He earned his Ph.D. in Theology & Religious Studies at King’s College (London); his M.A. in Religion is from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. His teaching and research interests span philosophical theology, history of doctrine, world religion, and hermeneutics. He served as the Book Review Editor for American Theological Inquiry from 2013 to 2015 and has published reviews and/or articles in Reviews in Religion & Theology, Swiss American Historical Review, The Asbury Journal, Trinity Journal, American Theological Inquiry, The Journal of Religious History, Philosophia Christi, and The Journal of Comparative Theology. His first book is under contract, entitled: The Way of the Kenotic Christ: The Christology of Jürgen Moltmann.

Fr. Chris Sorenson

President

Chris Sorensen serves as the leader for the pastoral staff and oversees the operations of The Mission Abbey, the organizational “hub” of The Mission Chattanooga’s church plants and diverse ministries. He also served as the first Dean of the MSM. Chris’s vision and wisdom established the MSM and created its basis as a truly unique church-based education program.

Micah Macaulay

Spiritual Formation Director

An MSM alumni, Micah graduated in the summer of 2019. As the Spiritual Formation Director, she serves as a friend to the students, providing pastoral care and assisting the Dean in facilitating the Spiritual Formation aspect of the program. Micah is a licensed pastor, and has served in ministry for over 20 years, in both pastoral ministry as well as worship in the arts. Her intention for entering the MSM as a student, was to continue to be challenged to think better and bigger thoughts of God, and for that to form her life and leadership. “The ultimate goal of theology isn’t knowledge, but worship… We learn only that we might laud…” (Sam Storms).