Q&A
with Dr. Heath Lewis, DCE
By Amy Bird
Dr. Heath Lewis is a director of Christian education (DCE)
serving at Concordia University, St. Paul, as assistant professor
of Christian education and leadership. In his role, he teaches
courses in Christian ministry, theology, and leadership, while
leading the integration of Lutheran theology into a new online
campus, CSP Global. St. Paul, Minnesota, has been home for
Heath, his wife, Jessica, and their daughter, Kennedy, since 2015.
Q: Briefly share your journey of becoming a
director of Christian education. Is this something
you've always wanted to do? Are you where you
thought you'd be when you first started out?
A: I never considered church work as a career
option until spending time on a service trip in
Los Angeles, California, between my junior and
senior years of high school. It was there that the
Holy Spirit first placed the idea in my mind that
working in the church could be a great way to
serve others through my career. I returned home
and talked with my parents and my pastor, who
introduced me to DCE ministry. After prayer
and consideration, I enrolled in the DCE pro-
gram at Concordia University, Nebraska, and
the rest is history, as they say! God continues
to surprise me; if you had ever told me growing
up that I would teach at a university as an adult,
I'd have laughed—a lot. But here we are!
Q: What is a DCE and in what various ministry
settings can a DCE serve?
A: At the 1999 DCE summit, the following
definition was crafted to help explain the office
and work of the DCE: "A director of Christian
12 Lutheran Life
