10 Christian ministry leaders, influencers who died in 2019

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Monday, December 30, 2019

Norman Geisler – July 1, 2019

Norman Geisler, then senior professor of Theology and Apologetics at Southern Evangelical Seminary, is featured in the 2018 documentary 'The God Who Speaks.' — Norman Geisler, then senior professor of Theology and Apologetics at Southern Evangelical Seminary, is featured in the 2018 documentary "The God Who Speaks." | (Screenshot: Vimeo/American Family Studios)

Norman Geisler, a prolific author and theology professor who co-founded Southern Evangelical Seminary in 1992, died at age 86 shortly after retiring from a teaching position.

Born in Warren, Michigan, Geisler was active in apologetics, often debating others on topics such as creation and evolution, humanistic ethics, sexual morality, and the existence of God.

He wrote or contributed to more than 100 books and hundreds of articles. He also served as a professor for more than a half century.

“We are all aware that a spiritual giant walked among us, and he will be missed,” wrote SES President Dr. Richard Land in a column published by The Christian Post.

“We can take comfort in the fact that the prodigious work product he left behind will continue to inform us and to equip us more ably to fulfill God’s purposes for our ministries.”