J.P. Sanders Sermons

Joel Pliant (J.P.) Sanders was born in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1906. He received a bachelor of science from Texas Christian University in 1927, a bachelor of divinity from Vanderbilt University in 1931, and a PhD from the University of Southern California.

Upon completion of his doctoral program, Sanders took a part-time teaching position at David Lipscomb College. During this time, he also served as a minister for various churches in the area including the Hillsboro Church of Christ in Nashville, Tennessee, and the Walnut Street Church of Christ in Sherman, Texas.

In 1938, Sanders and M. Norvel Young started the publication 20th Century Christian. Sanders served as founding editor of the publication. Today, the publication is called 21st Century Christian.

In 1939, Sanders accepted the position of chairman of the religion department at Pepperdine College. While at Pepperdine, Sanders met and married Gloria Millay in 1941. In 1942, the couple moved to Nashville, where Sanders assumed the role of academic dean at David Lipscomb College. In 1957, Sanders' longtime friend, M. Norvel Young, became the president of Pepperdine College and asked Sanders to return to Pepperdine to serve as dean, which Sanders accepted.

In 1970, Sanders left Pepperdine for the chance to serve as executive vice president of Columbia Christian College (now Cascade College) in Portland, Oregon. After four years, he moved to the role of president of the college. In 1982, Sanders left his position to return to Pepperdine to serve as a professor in the religion division. Sanders also resumed his role as a minister preaching at Conejo Valley Church of Christ in Thousand Oaks, California.

At the age of 81, Sanders retired from his duties and settled in Nevada. On October 30, 2002, Sanders passed away at the age of 96 in Reno, Nevada.