Don Whitney

Don Whitney has been Professor of Biblical Spirituality and Associate Dean at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY since 2005.  Before that, he held a similar position (the first such position in the six Southern Baptist seminaries) at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, MO, for ten years.  He is the founder and president of The Center for Biblical Spirituality.

Don grew up in Osceola, Arkansas where he came to believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. He was active in sports throughout high school and college, and worked in the radio station his dad managed.

After graduating from Arkansas State University, Don planned to finish law school and pursue a career in sportscasting. While at the University of Arkansas School of Law, he sensed God’s call to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He then enrolled at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, graduating with a Master of Divinity degree in 1979. In 1987, Don completed a Doctor of Ministry degree at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, and later a Ph.D. in theology at the University of the Free State in South Africa.

Prior to his ministry as a seminary professor, Don was pastor of Glenfield Baptist Church in Glen Ellyn, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago), for almost fifteen years.  Altogether, he has served local churches in pastoral ministry for twenty-four years.

He is the author of Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (NavPress, 1991; 2014), which has a companion discussion guide. He has also written How Can I Be Sure I’m a Christian? (NavPress, 1994), Spiritual Disciplines within the Church (Moody Press, 1996), Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health (NavPress, 2001), Simplify Your Spiritual Life (NavPress, 2003), Praying the Bible (Crossway 2015), and Family Worship (2006; and Crossway 2016).  His hobby is restoring and using old fountain pens.

Don lives with his wife Caffy in their home near Louisville. She regularly teaches a class for seminary wives, works from their home as an artist, muralist, and illustrator and enjoys gardening and beekeeping. The Whitneys are parents of a daughter, Laurelen Christiana.

Don’s website address is www.BiblicalSpirituality.org.

He is on Twitter @DonWhitney and on Facebook as Don Whitney (look for the “Public Figure” page).

Episodes appearing in

Family Worship: How to Make It Happen

with Don Whitney, Lauren Chandler
January 8, 2022
Are spiritual disciplines really helpful, or just busy work? Justin Earley, author of "The Common Rule," says we all have habits we do without thinking. What would happen if we built habits into our lives that aligned our hearts with our Creator? View Show Notes →

Make a Joyful Noise

with Don Whitney, Ginny Owens, Ja...more
May 1, 2021
Throughout the Bible, we are strongly encouraged to sing a song to the Lord. Don Whitney, Jason Houser, Kristyn Getty, and Ginny Owens explain the importance and the power of singing as worship. View Show Notes →

Spiritual Resolutions for the New Year

with Barbara Rainey, Bob Lepine, ...more
January 3, 2021
New Year's resolution: Read through the Bible in a year. Dennis Rainey, Bob Lepine, Jen Wilkin, Barbara Rainey, and Don Whitney offer some coaching on effective ways to dig into God's word. View Show Notes →

Worshipping as a Family

with Don Whitney, Lauren Chandler
January 12, 2019
If the only time your kids see you worshipping God is at church, then your kids are missing out on a rich experience. Don Whitney and Lauren Chandler talk about worshiping together with their families. View Show Notes →

Passing on the Truth of God

with Don Whitney
January 3, 2018
Don Whitney coaches moms and dads on the lost art of family worship. Whitney reminds parents that they don't have to prepare a devotional in order to worship. View Show Notes →

Is Your Teen Walking With Christ?

with Don Whitney, Elyse Fitzpatri...more
April 18, 2017
Even parents who do everything right to bring their kids to faith have no guarantee it will "stick." Dennis Rainey, Ken Hemphill, Jessica Thompson, Elyse Fitzpatrick and Don Whitney share wisdom learned from experience. View Show Notes →

Seeking God’s Will

with Don Whitney
January 4, 2017
Don Whitney tells believers how to put some spark back into their prayer life. When we pray the Scriptures back to God we find ourselves praying with fervor. View Show Notes →

The Discipline of Praying the Scriptures

with Don Whitney
January 3, 2017
Don Whitney coaches Christians not to forget to pray the words of Scripture as they seek the Lord, and then shows us how using Ephesians 5:21: "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." View Show Notes →

Family Worship–Then and Now, Part 2

with Don Whitney
January 17, 2006
Don Whitney talks with Dennis Rainey about the need for family worship. View Show Notes →

Family Worship–Then and Now, Part 1

with Don Whitney
January 16, 2006
Don Whitney illustrates the need for family worship by telling stories of how family worship changed lives. View Show Notes →

Yearning for Heaven

with Don Whitney
January 9, 2004
Don Whitney urges Christians to seek their fulfillment in Christ and anticipate the day they'll see him face to face in Heaven. View Show Notes →

Will to Forgive

with Don Whitney
January 8, 2004
Don Whitney talks about why it is absolutely necessary to extend forgiveness to others. View Show Notes →

Rediscovering the Spiritual Disciplines

with Don Whitney
January 7, 2004
Don Whitney talks about fanning the flames of our faith through the spiritual disciplines. View Show Notes →

Governed by God’s Word

with Don Whitney
January 6, 2004
Don Whitney talks about the importance and preference we must give to God's Word in our lives. View Show Notes →

Thirsting for God

with Don Whitney
January 5, 2004
Don Whitney tells what you can do to diagnose your spiritual health. View Show Notes →