Living on Mission: Allen McWhite’s lifelong call to faithfulness
Treasure Hardwick, News and Feature Editor
Photo Courtesy of Allen McWhite
From pastor to missionary, military chaplain to law enforcement, Allen McWhite, department chair of Intercultural Studies and professor at North Greenville University, has worn many hats in his life. Yet in every role, his goal has remained the same: to glorify God through obedience and faithfulness in whatever he does or wherever he goes.
McWhite was born in Roanoke, N.C., but he grew up in Greenville. He explained that his childhood was simple. His close-knit family loved the Lord and loved him.
He attended Greenville High School, where he admitted that his academics were not always the top priority. Rather, he spent most of his time at church with his family and friends. During his junior year of high school, McWhite sensed a call to ministry that he would lean into many years later.
He also spent every summer on staff at a small Baptist camp where he helped with the grounds, cut grass and eventually worked his way up into a leadership position. His time at camp introduced him to a couple speakers from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary who would influence his life more than he realized at the time.
After high school, McWhite enrolled in The Citadel where he pursued a degree in Pre-med. He completed internships at the Medical University of South Carolina and even planned to apply to Duke Medical School.
But, after slowing down and really thinking about his life and career, McWhite began to wrestle with what he wanted to do. He explained that he wrestled with his own desire and God’s plan for his life. He eventually decided to step away from a medical career and apply to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.
At seminary, he earned his Master of Divinity and his Doctor of Ministry.
Not only did he earn a degree and grow in his relationship with God, but he also met his now wife, Ruth McWhite, who also happened to grow up in the Greenville area.
After seminary, McWhite began his pastoral career, serving at his first church while also exploring mission opportunities. He and his wife eventually joined the International Mission Board and served as missionaries in Ecuador.
During this time, McWhite also became heavily involved in chaplaincy work and fire work. He started as a volunteer firefighter and worked his way up to the fire department chaplain. He explained that his time fighting fires deepened his appreciation for the gift of life.
“God used that to impress on me the brevity of life because I wasn’t sure I was getting out of that alive,” he said.
After going back and forth on the mission field for some time, McWhite came to NGU in 2002 when an opportunity to teach arose.
He eventually founded the Center for Global Missions, as well as the annual Global Impact Conference and began looking for opportunities to send students out internationally. Under his direction, the Center for Global Missions morphed into the Center for Cross-Cultural Engagement, which then morphed into the institute of Global Leadership.
Over the last few years, McWhite has stepped into the role of department chair, as well as redesigned the Intercultural Studies program.
Throughout all his work with missions, students and directing the Intercultural program, McWhite’s philosophy on missions has remained the same. He aims to equip students to serve the Lord wherever their feet are.
“One of the things we try to help our students who are in our degree program understand is that we ought to be consistently living lives that are on mission. In other words, know God places us in the places where we are today for a reason. I firmly believe I’m on this campus and I live in Traveler Rest and do the things I do and move in the arenas of life that I move in because God needs a witness in those places,” McWhite said.
McWhite explained that we are all on mission. Whether we are called to an unreached country, or we share the gospel in the grocery store, we must be actively looking for opportunities to proclaim the name of Christ.
In all these roles and changes, McWhite has also served as pastor and interim pastor in around 20 churches. He also has served as a chaplain for the military state guard.
Most recently, he has been working as a reserve officer with the Travelers Rest Police Department.
He explained that his time as a police officer has been beneficial because it has taken him out of his Christian bubble and given him opportunities to share the gospel with people around him who may not believe the same thing. In whatever he is doing as an officer, McWhite said he wants to reflect Christ.
“I hope I can exert a Christian influence on their lives and hopefully change their view of law enforcement as well,” McWhite said. “A more positive view of law enforcement and what it’s all about.”
When he is not teaching classes, running the Intercultural program or doing police work, McWhite is spending time with his family.
He has five children, David, Jonothan, Elizabeth, Miriam and Tolli. He also has sixteen grandchildren who come over to his house and play in the pool whenever they get a chance.
“They all live within fifteen minutes of us so we’re always getting together,” he said. “It’s a madhouse, it’s a mob, it’s a zoo. Anyway, you could describe it. And I am so grateful for it.”
McWhite recently received the Faculty/Staff Heritage Award as recognition for his long-term commitment and service among faculty and staff.
The award recognizes the distinguished service of both a faculty and staff member. McWhite did not attend the gala where the award was presented and chose not to display it in his office. For him, the recognition is a reminder to continue remaining faithful where God has placed him.
