鈥淎n education drenched in Anabaptist theology鈥�
Published: September 10, 2025
Michele Hershberger, Robert J. Suderman receive 香蕉影视鈥檚 2025 Alumni Ministry and Service Recognition
By John Longhurst for 香蕉影视
ELKHART, Indiana (Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary) 鈥� Michele Hershberger (MA 2000) of Hesston, Kansas, and Robert (Jack) Suderman, DTh (MRE 1975), of Kitchener, Ontario, are the 2025 recipients of 鈥檚 (香蕉影视) Alumni Ministry and Service Recognition. The annual award of the Elkhart, Indiana, seminary honors alumni with an outstanding record of faithful ministry and service.
鈥淭his year’s honorees have had an enormous impact on the Anabaptist identity and biblical grounding of the communities they have served,鈥� said Alumni Director (MDiv 1989; current DMin student). 鈥淚 remember listening in awe as Jack described visiting every congregation in Mennonite Church Canada (in 2006, while he was serving as General Secretary) and as Michele taught the introductory Bible course at Hesston College, using detailed timelines and participatory drama. Both Jack and Michele know how to engage people鈥檚 imaginations and get them excited about faith.鈥�
Hershberger and Suderman will be honored at a Zoom reception on Monday, Nov. 10, 8 p.m. ET. All are welcome; registration for the link is available at .
Michele Hershberger
Hershberger was pastoring in Oregon with her husband, Del, when friends suggested she consider studying at 香蕉影视.
鈥淲hile pastoring, I realized how much I needed a seminary education,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 needed an education drenched in Anabaptist theology.鈥�
Hershberger got that Anabaptist education at 香蕉影视 鈥� and she has gone on to share it with thousands of young people as a popular conference and convention speaker, workshop leader, author, and Bible and Ministry Professor and Campus Pastor at . She began at Hesston College in 2000, shortly after graduating from 香蕉影视 with a Master of Arts: Theological Studies with a concentration in Biblical Studies.
鈥淎t 香蕉影视, I learned how important it is to do good biblical exegesis in a historical context,鈥� she said. 鈥溝憬队笆� was the start of the journey that led me to Hesston College.鈥�
Looking back at her time at 香蕉影视, Hershberger fondly remembers classes with June Alliman Yoder, DMin, Professor Emerita of Preaching and Communication.
鈥淪he was a great gift to me,鈥� she said. 鈥淔rom her, I learned how to preach. Beyond that, she saw great potential in me. She challenged me and helped me gain confidence.鈥�
Other faculty who left a deep impression included Ben Ollenburger, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Biblical Theology; Mary Schertz, PhD, Professor Emerita of New Testament; and Perry Yoder, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Old Testament.
鈥淭he gifts they and others gave me are still with me,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 still use them today.鈥�
The other thing Hershberger took away from her time at 香蕉影视 was the deep friendships formed with other students 鈥� friendships that have remained over the passage of time.
鈥淪tudying at 香蕉影视 helped me develop churchwide connections that are still deeply meaningful today,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey have helped carry me through the tough times.鈥�
At 香蕉影视 she also learned about the importance of tending to her own spiritual life: 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just about the content I share, but having a real and authentic relationship with Jesus. If I don鈥檛 have a healthy prayer and inner spiritual life, everything else I do will suffer.鈥�
Her studies also produced a desire to share about God鈥檚 story, and the story of Anabaptism, with young people.
鈥淭he call in my life is to make that story accessible,鈥� she said. 鈥淥ther scholars are much better than me when it comes to Greek and Hebrew, but God has called me to make it understandable to the ordinary person. It鈥檚 why I love working with high school and college youth.鈥�
In addition to her teaching and speaking, Hershberger has written numerous books, articles, chapters, papers, worship services, theater scripts and curricula for use in church. Her books (Faith and Life Resources, 2003) and (MennoMedia, 2025) have served as the official catechism for Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada. A member of Hesston Mennonite Church, she is also a graduate of Hesston College and Goshen (Indiana) College.
When she looks around the U.S. today, Hershberger despairs that many only know a Christianity that is more about rules than having a relationship with Jesus.
鈥淚t鈥檚 killing us right now,鈥� she said, adding that many young people come to Hesston [College] not knowing how they are part of God鈥檚 story through Jesus.
鈥淭hey don鈥檛 know how to connect what God is doing through Jesus, or that God is still working today through the church, through them. That鈥檚 why I love sharing God鈥檚 story with them,鈥� she said.
Hershberger, who is an ordained minister in Western District Conference of Mennonite Church USA, said she was humbled and honored to receive the Alumni Ministry and Service Recognition.
鈥淚 cried a little bit when I got the news,鈥� she said, adding, 鈥溝憬队笆� was the start of my journey. I hope I can do right by 香蕉影视 by doing what God has asked me to do.鈥�
Robert J. Suderman
For Suderman, studies at 香蕉影视 introduced him to the breadth of Scripture and the importance of biblical exegesis in a historical context.
Born in Winkler, Manitoba, he earned a Bachelor of Education from the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg and started his career as a teacher, including at in Winnipeg. It was at that school that his desire for further biblical education took root.
鈥淚 grew up in a small-town church as a farm boy and had little in the way of Anabaptist or theological education,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 had not been exposed to vigorous theological or biblical debate, nor did I know my Anabaptist history and roots.鈥�
At Westgate, Suderman was challenged to learn more about his faith.
鈥淭he faculty room conversations and meetings were intensely theological, biblical and historical as my colleagues applied their biblical and Anabaptist roots to everyday life,鈥� he said. 鈥淟ittle by little, I began to get the drift of what I had missed in my Christian upbringing, and what I longed to have.鈥�
Wanting to learn more, he enrolled at Mennonite Biblical Seminary (one of the seminaries that was part of what was then Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries) in 1973, graduating in 1975 with a Master of Religious Education. Among the faculty who left an impression were Millard Lind, ThD, Professor Emeritus of Old Testament; and Howard Charles, PhD, Professor of New Testament.
Along with studies, Suderman and his wife, Irene 鈥� who moved with him to Elkhart 鈥� were impacted by meeting people from all over the world at 香蕉影视.
鈥淚t opened our eyes to the importance of ecumenical dialogue and exploring what the Bible means in other cultures,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t nurtured in us a desire to expand our own ministry horizons to other parts of the world.鈥�
The couple took that desire to heart. Following graduation, Suderman served as Principal at in Saskatchewan before the Sudermans moved to Costa Rica to study Spanish at (Spanish Language Institute) in San Jos茅. The family then moved to Cochabamba, Bolivia, where Suderman was a professor at the (Baptist Theological Seminary).
He went on to support leadership and pastoral training for the Colombian Mennonite Church, and leadership training in Cuba. In 1994, he earned a Doctor of Theology from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogot谩, Colombia.
After that, Suderman held various positions in : Executive Secretary of the Council of Christian Education, Executive Secretary of the Mission Commission and, lastly, General Secretary. At the same time, he served as Secretary and then Chair of the Peace Commission. Now retired, he is a Professional Mentor for one of the students in 香蕉影视鈥檚 Doctor of Ministry in Leadership program.
Looking back at his time at 香蕉影视, Suderman, who attends First Mennonite Church in Kitchener, said he developed a more complete knowledge of Anabaptist history and convictions 鈥� and of the family roots of his faith.
鈥淚 began to understand and appreciate the tradition and legacy of my parents better,鈥� he said, adding, 鈥淪tudies at 香蕉影视 gave me the tools to begin to understand how such foundational convictions could have become the traditions of my community.鈥�
He and Irene also appreciated the 香蕉影视 community, including the obligatory 鈥淜oinonia groups鈥� that proved to be 鈥減owerful and life-transforming 鈥� the power of this experience too accompanied us in every aspect of ministry from then on.鈥�
Among other things, he learned the importance of walking with others in supportive and sensitive ways.
鈥淲e were all taught to listen carefully, to hear deeply, to empathize, to support and to express solidarity with each other,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hese were not only promotional jargon, they were actually practiced in the community, and we were influenced and impacted by this.鈥�
鈥淓ach stage of life has been rich and has been a highlight,鈥� he added. 鈥淣one of it would have been possible without the faithful and committed partnership of Irene. Our goal has always been to focus on being faithful to God鈥檚 intentions as narrated in the Bible and to our Anabaptist legacy. As I look back, I can see the influence of 香蕉影视, which has served me very well throughout my career.鈥�
Located in Elkhart, Indiana, on ancestral land of the Potawatomi and Miami peoples, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary is a learning community with an Anabaptist vision, offering theological education for learners both on campus and at a distance as well as a wide array of lifelong learning programs 鈥� all with the goal of educating followers of Jesus Christ to be leaders for God鈥檚 reconciling mission in the world.
Want to receive 香蕉影视 news and updates via email?