Career Profile

Keelan Cook is the George Liele Director for the Center for Great Commission studies. He also serves as Instructor of Missiology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Keelan’s areas of focus cover both North American and International missions. He teaches and writes on church renewal and replanting as well as developing healthy sending culture in churches. He has a passion for mobilizing the church to the nations, and a love for missions history. In previous years, he spent time as a church planter in West Africa with the IMB and doing ethnographic research in Washington, DC with NAMB.

Experiences

George Liele Director, Center for Great Commission Studies

2022 - Present
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

The Lewis A. Drummond Center for Great Commission Studies is the hub of missionary mobilization at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. The CGCS exists to mobilize and equip students, faculty, and staff in the fulfillment of the Great Commission. We accomplish this in the classroom, in our community, and among the nations in partnership with local churches, state conventions, NAMB, and the IMB.

Associate Director, Center for Great Commission Studies

2021 - 2022
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Provided leadership, direction, and oversight of key mobilization and student initiatives. This includes aiding in the pathways initiative and facilitating SEBTS mission trip strategy.

Associate Director

2017 - 2021
Union Baptist Association, Houston, TX

UBA is an association of over 560 affiliated congregations from the greater Houston area, cooperating for the purposes of missions, evangelism, leadership development, church planting & discipleship. The Houston metropolitan area is the 5th largest in the U.S. and the most ethnically and culturally diverse population center in the country.

Elder

2014 - 2017
Imago Dei Church, Raleigh, NC

Served as a lay elder with responsibilities pertaining to small group pastoral oversight and missions and evangelism. Coordinated missionary development and sending.

Urban Resource Coordinator

2013 - 2017
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

The Urban Resource Initiative at Southeastern provided students, churches, and other Great Commission partners with equipping and resources designed to engage lostness and plant churches in our urban centers domestically and around the globe.

Journeyman - West Africa

2009 - 2011
International Mission Board

Served as an international church planter in rural West Africa.

Courses Taught

Intro to Great Commission Studies

2021 - Present
MIS5000

An introduction to the biblical, theological, and practical aspects related to the practice and fulfillment of the Great Commission. Special attention is given to contemporary methods of doing missions and evangelism.

Christian Missions

2021 - Present
MIS5100

A course designed to introduce the student to the biblical, theological, historical, and practical bases for Christian missions. Special attention is given to contemporary issues in missions as well as current ways to do missions.

Judaism, Islam and Contexts

2022 - Present
MIS6820

An introduction to Judaism and Islam, in their varied manifestation, for prospective workers. The course will feature missional approaches which communicate the gospel effectively, to individuals and groups, in such contexts.

History of Christian Missions

2023 - Present
MIS6800

An interpretive history of the expansion of Christianity from apostolic times to the present.

Projects

Him We Proclaim - This is my personal website, which houses my writing and collection of resources I've created.
Peoples Next Door Project - An initiative to equip local churches in North America to engage in cross-cultural missions among the least-reached peoples that now live in our communities.
Sending Pathways - Sending Pathways is a multi-church iniative to identify, equip, send, and support sent out ones for an array of Great Commission tasks.
Diaspora Missions Collective - The Diaspora Missions Collective equips Southern Baptist churches in their awareness, understanding, and engagement of diaspora peoples as they embrace their responsibility to fulfill the Great Commission both locally and globally.
NAMB Replant Team - I periodically work with the North American Mission Board's Replanting team on various training events and resources. The Replant Collective equips leaders with the best resources to help lead dying churches to regain health and vitality for the glory of God and the good of their communities.

Publications

Papers & Chapters

Unreached People Groups
Patterned: Sharing and Imitating Christ Together, NC Baptists (2017)
Keelan Cook

Selected Essays & Articles

Cross-Cultural Missions: Crossing Streets and Crossing Oceans
imb.org (February 14, 2019)
Keelan Cook
Contextualization as Gospel Incarnation
Billy Graham Center, Wheaton College (June 26, 2019)
Keelan Cook
The de-Europeanization of American Christianity
Billy Graham Center, Wheaton College (April 3, 2018)
Keelan Cook
Demographics that Speak
Billy Graham Center, Wheaton College (January 30, 2018)
Keelan Cook

Skills & Proficiency

Good looking

Sense of humor

International man of mystery

Dad jokes

Talking too much

Funny dad jokes