24 A New Season at MBI

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August 24, 2026

A New Season at MBI

On this edition of Equipped with Chris Brooks, we welcome Dr. Rick Melson, the new president of Moody Bible Institute. With the fall semester beginning Monday, Dr. Melson will share his vision for Moody—and his passion for preparing the next generation to go into ministry. What does the future hold for Moody Bible Institute? Join us for Equipped.

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IN THIS EPISODE

Rick Melson

Dr. Rick Melson is the 11th President of Moody Bible Institute, effective August 17, 2026, succeeding Dr. Mark Jobe.

Prior to coming to Moody, Dr. Melson served as president of Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri. Previously, he served as Vice President for Advancement at Cedarville University and also held executive leadership roles at Houghton College. His career spans more than three decades in Christian higher education, ministry, fundraising, enrollment management, and organizational leadership.

He earned a Ph.D. in Leadership from Dallas Baptist University, a master's degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a bachelor's degree from Murray State University. He also completed executive studies through Harvard University's Institute for Educational Management.

Rick and his wife Tammy have been married for more than three decades and are blessed with three children, a daughter-in-law, and a new grandson. They look forward to joining the Moody community and making Chicago their new home.

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Chris Brooks

Chris Brooks is the senior pastor of Woodside Bible Church, a multisite congregation across the Detroit metropolitan area. Chris served for 20 years as the senior pastor of Evangel Ministries, a thriving 1,600-member church in the heart of Detroit. He also served as the campus dean of Moody Theological Seminary in Plymouth, Michigan. A popular Detroit radio host since 2005, Chris is the author of Kingdom Dreaming and Urban Apologetics. He graduated from Michigan State University with a BA in Finance, completed his MA in Christian Apologetics at Biola University, and graduated from the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree at Asbury Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Yodit, are the proud parents of six children: Christopher, Zewditu, Cameron, Judah, Sophia, and Christyana.

Equipped with Chris Brooks

Equipped with Chris Brooks encourages you to grow spiritually, think critically, and live compassionately in your community. Interact with Chris as he empowers you to live out the gospel in a rapidly changing culture. This live, one-hour program, airing weekdays at noon CT, features special guests and welcomes your participation by calling in and by plugging in through social media.