When Deborah (Deb) Spink arrived on campus as a student at Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary over 30 years ago, she had no idea the plans the Lord had for her! Over the years, Dr. Winters has been a student, Teaching Assistant, Adjunct/Affiliate/Full Faculty (Hebrew Bible/Old Testament), and Program Director of the Doctor of Ministry in Contextual Leadership for EBTS/Palmer. She has taught both in Pennsylvania (Wynnewood, King of Prussia, St. Davids) and West Virginia (at Parchment Valley), and served as a Pastor in the United Church of Christ, and as Co-Founder (with her husband, Gary) of God’s Precious Children (in Liberia, West Africa) designed to give children an education in the name of Jesus and a chance at a better future.

Wherever she has found herself, whatever her circumstances, Dr. Winters has lived to lift up the Lord Jesus, and share God’s love in every way possible, in every setting of her life. Everyone who has met, worked with, and learned from Deb has been blessed by the excellence of her scholarship, teaching, and mentoring, her insightful, biblically-grounded preaching and leading, and her faithful friendship, heartfelt prayer, and tangible deeds of kindness and love. Now, in Dr. Winters’ retirement, we pray with deep gratitude the all-encompassing blessing of shalom – for her, Gary, and their family – in their home, and in their hearts, in all the days to come, until we meet again!