MC Christian Studies chair Lenow named MC’s 2026 MHC Teacher of the Year
Evan Lenow, associate professor and chair of Christian Studies and director of the Institute for Christian Leadership at Mississippi College, has been named the Mississippi Humanities Council’s 2026 MC Teacher of the Year.
As MC’s recipient, Lenow will deliver a lecture titled “Retrieving Virtue, Moral Character Development as an Act of Worship,” at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, March 2, in Anderson Hall East in the B.C. Rogers Student Center.
Lenow will describe how, by recovering virtue, lives can be reshaped in a way that will bring them in accordance with God’s expectations.
“Ethics is about character – who we are, not merely what we do,” Lenow said. “God’s concern is primarily about the type of person that I’m becoming. Our focus should not simply be on following rules, but on becoming virtuous people.
“From a Christian standpoint, Augustine identified the theological virtues of faith, hope and love that we see in 1 Corinthians 13. The idea is that, as we develop these character traits, they shape who we are and what we do, and they help us create habits that continue throughout our lives.”
Each year, the Mississippi Humanities Council honors scholars, educators, and organizations who have made significant contributions to the public humanities in Mississippi. MHC also recognizes recipients of the Humanities Teacher Awards, which pay tribute to outstanding faculty in traditional humanities fields at each of the state’s institutions of higher learning.
Stephanie Busbea, dean of the School of Christian Studies, Humanities and the Arts at MC, said Lenow was selected for the honor because of his excellent reputation in the classroom, scholarship in his field, service to the University, and leadership in the Christian Studies department.
“Evan Lenow is well respected in the field of Christian ethics,” Busbea said. “His book, ‘Ethics as Worship: The Pursuit of Moral Discipleship,’ is an important contribution to the field of Christian ethics and discipleship.
“We have benefited greatly from having Dr. Lenow teach in the Christian Studies department. He is an excellent speaker, and I am looking forward to his lecture.”
After receiving his undergraduate degree from MC, Lenow obtained his M.Div. and his Ph.D. in Christian ethics from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Before joining the MC faculty, he served as associate professor of ethics, director of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement, director of the Center for Biblical Stewardship, and held the Bobby L. and Janis Eklund Chair of Stewardship at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Lenow is a research fellow in Christian ethics for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. In addition to “Ethics as Worship,” coauthored with Mark D. Liederbach, Lenow has authored two other books: “Biblically Correct: Engaging Culture with Truth” and “Biblically Sound: Embracing Doctrine for Life.”
He serves as director of the Clinton extension of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary on MC’s campus.
Lenow said he is honored to have been chosen by the Mississippi Humanities Council for the award.
“I hope my presentation will be something that gets people at MC – who are already concerned about the things of God – to focus their attention away from rote obedience to God and instead, focus their attention on the subject of our worship, which is God,” he said. “In our pursuit to become more Christ-like – taking on the mind of Christ and being conformed into Christ’s image – we can develop these virtues.”
Lenow will be recognized by the MHC during the 2026 Public Humanities Awards ceremony and reception, scheduled for Friday, March 20, at the Two Mississippi Museums in Jackson. Tickets for the event are $50 each and may be purchased through the MHC website.
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