Meet the Graduates:
Promise Lee
More than 700 students complete their degrees at Fuller this year, with plans that will take them into a range of ministries and vocations. This series highlights just a few of these graduates.
Before coming to Fuller, Promise Lee was already a seasoned pastor, having planted his church, Relevant Word Ministries, 11 years ago. Lee came to faith at age 26 after a deeply troubled youth—one that included addiction, theft, and even imprisonment for a murder conviction. Finding transformation and new life in the Lord in 1983, he used his “street smarts” to become a community organizer for the Colorado governor’s office. Lee’s multiethnic church began as his own community outreach organization, and today the Relevant Word congregation remains deeply involved in ministry to the economic and social, as well as spiritual needs of Colorado Springs.
Already recognized for his vision and service by former Vice President Al Gore and the National Civic League, Lee decided to pursue an MAT to further enhance his ministry. “I was drawn to Fuller by a dear friend, Cliff Anderson,” says Lee. “He recognized my leadership in the community and encouraged me to ‘add polish to my shoes.’”
Fuller’s regional campus in Colorado Springs made it easy for Lee to attend Fuller while continuing his pastoral duties. “The Colorado Springs campus and its wonderful staff are a tremendous gift to El Paso County and the surrounding area,” notes Lee. “Without such accessibility to a Fuller extension campus, this community would suffer great loss.”
As he completes his MAT this year, Lee hopes to increase others’ accessibility to education by sharing what he learned at Fuller. “While pursuing this degree, my lifelong passion for teaching has grown, and I would like to provide similar learning opportunities for others who are not as fortunate as I have been,” Lee explains. “I think my hands-on experience as a community organizer, bridge builder, and pastor of an ethnically and economically diverse ministry, coupled with what I learned at Fuller, will empower me to do so.”
Learn more about Fuller’s MAT program.
Read more stories about Fuller’s 2009 graduates.