Levi Baker

Assistant Professor of New Testament

 Levi grew up in rural Pennsylvania, and felt called to vocational ministry at an early age. During his teenage and college years, he served on several international mission trips. Through these trips and a discipleship relationship with his college professor, God began to clarify Levi’s vocation to what he calls “academic discipleship.” Levi is passionate about helping students to understand the story of Scripture and God’s purposes for the world so that they can know him, enjoy him, and join him in his mission. Having been shaped by the godly professors the Lord has placed in his life, Levi’s greatest joy is to mentor students.

Levi holds an MA in Old Testament, an MDiv in Christian Ministry, and a PhD in Biblical Studies (New Testament emphasis) from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. In his dissertation, “New Covenant Documents for a New Covenant Community: Covenant as an Impetus for New Scripture in the First Century,” Levi traces the connection between Scripture and covenant in early Judaism and early Christianity to help explain the rapid rise of Christian Scripture within the first century. His research interests include biblical theology, the New Testament canon, early Christianity within its second temple Jewish context, and the Gospel of Matthew.

Levi met his wife Ruthanne on a mission trip in 2007, and they have been married since 2010. As his better half, she keeps life fun and Levi grounded. Together they have three boys—Josiah, Sammy, and Micah—and they live a life of beautiful chaos! In his free time Levi enjoys coffee, wrestling on the trampoline with his boys, completing random internet challenges with his wife, trail running, and hiking as a family.