Edmund (Eddie) Gibbs is professor emeritus of church growth in the School of Intercultural Studies and has been on the faculty since 1984, after graduating with his DMin from Fuller in 1982.

Gibbs came to Fuller from England with extensive interest and experience in mission, both at home and overseas.  Gibbs and his wife Renee spent five years in Santiago and Quilpue, Chile, and in the following years, Gibbs served as home secretary of his mission, the South American Missionary Society.  He later worked with the British and Foreign Bible Society for seven years, and during that time served as the training director for Mission England, culminating in six Billy Graham crusades in various English cities. 
 

While actively teaching at Fuller, Gibbs occupied the Robert Munger Chair of Evangelism and the Donald A. McGavran Chair of Church Growth.  Now partially retired as a senior professor, Gibbs continues to research emerging trends with young leaders.  He also contributes to the Study of Emerging Churches, in the Brehm Center for Worship, Theology, and the Arts.  Currently, his academic interests include evangelizing nominal Christians, assisting local churches in becoming evangelizing churches, and developing the Church’s response to modernity and post-modernity in becoming a missionary presence.  The author of popular church growth text Church Next (2000), Gibbs speaks about evangelism, church growth, and leadership around the world.  In the last few years, his teaching has taken him around the U.S. and to such countries as Singapore, Korea, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Norway, and South Africa.

Gibbs has authored 13 books in total, with some of his other publications including ChurchMorph (2009), LeadershipNext: Changing Leaders in a Changing Culture (2005), Emerging Churches: Creating Christian Community in Postmodern Cultures (2005) with co-author Ryan Bolger, Way to Serve (2003), Way to Go (2003), In Name Only (1994), Good News Is for Sharing (1993), and I Believe in Church Growth (1981, revised 1985, 1989).

Church growth, renewal, nominal church membership, revitalizing traditional denominations, empowering people for ministry and mission