Dr. Joseph M. Stowell serves as the 11th President of Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He loves students and desires to provide an educational experience in which they are intellectually and spiritually stimulated to engage their world with the love of Christ.
An internationally recognized conference speaker, Joe has also written numerous books, including The Trouble with Jesus, Following Christ, Simply Jesus and You, and The Upside of Down. His life is marked by a deep love for Jesus, which is reflected in his desire to value people regardless of gender, race, or class; to aid the poor and marginalized; to build a strong and vibrant community where the presence of Christ is evident; and to govern and lead in ways that engender mutual confidence and trust.
Joe also works with RBC Ministries in Grand Rapids, partnering in media productions, including a web ministry, Strength for the Journey, which features daily devotionals and weekly video messages. Recently, he traveled to Rome with RBC’s Day of Discovery crew to film a documentary entitled The Dawning: Christianity in the Roman Empire, which offers insights into the similarities between the oppression of Christians then and now.
Joe has a distinguished career in higher education and church leadership. He served as senior pastor of Southgate Baptist Church (Southgate, OH, 1970-76), Bible Baptist Church (Kokomo, IN, 1976-81), and Highland Park Baptist Church (Southfield, MI, 1981-87). From 1987-2005, he served as President of Moody Bible Institute, with oversight over the Undergraduate and Graduate Schools, Moody Publishers, and the Moody Broadcasting Network. Following his time at MBI, he served as Teaching Pastor at Harvest Bible Chapel in suburban Chicago, prior to assuming the presidency at Cornerstone in early 2008.
Joe also serves on the Board of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Wheaton College. He is a graduate of Cedarville University and Dallas Theological Seminary and was honored with a doctor of divinity degree from The Master’s College in 1987 and from Huntington University in 2011. He and his wife Martie are the parents of three adult children and ten grandchildren.
“This is where my heart is,” Stowell said of Cornerstone. “I’m most excited about being around students in this generation. I want to continue the tradition of this university being a community where students are encouraged and nurtured by the environment and culture. I want students to thrive here. It excites me that God’s hand is in it.”
Watch devotional videos from Dr. Stowell:
Contact Dr. Joe Stowell at joe.stowell@cornerstone.edu
Cornerstone University is an interdenominational university located in Grand Rapids, Mich. Founded in 1941, the university has more than 1,800 undergraduate students and 800 graduate students.
