Office of the President
Paul J. Maurer brings a wealth of experience as the eighth president of Montreat College. As a visionary and results-driven Christian leader, he believes deeply in the value of Christ-centered higher education. Drawing from more than 25 years of leadership in nonprofit and higher education administration, Dr. Maurer has led efforts in governance, organizational development, marketing and communications, adult and graduate studies, and government relations. Prior to Montreat College, Dr. Maurer served as senior vice president for external relations at Gordon College, and prior to Gordon, he served as president of Sterling College – both sister institutions to Montreat College within the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. He has spent nearly two decades in higher education leadership. He is a published author and frequent speaker. Dr. Maurer earned his Ph.D. in political science from Claremont Graduate University, where he was an H. B. Earhart Fellow and a John M. Olin Fellow. He earned his B.A. from the University of Cincinnati and his M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Dr. Maurer is a scholar of the American presidency, with specific expertise in the moral and religious rhetoric of U.S. presidents. He enjoys biking, golf, and almost anything outdoors. He has the special talent of cutting his own hair. Dr. Maurer and his wife, Joellen, have been married since 1989, and have four children: Jon, Liz, Daniel and Sarah.
Speaking Topics
President Maurer speaks on a wide range of topics including leadership, culture, parenting, and higher education. He travels frequently, speaking at leadership conferences, high school commencements, homeschool conventions, church retreats, chapel services, and other events in the Southeast and beyond. If you are interested in having Dr. Maurer speak at your event, contact Sara Baughman at sara.baughman@montreat.edu, or call 828.669.8012 x3778. Here is a list of speaking topics and descriptions:
Cybersecurity: A Response to the Security Threat of our Age
Suggested audience: Business owners and C-suite executives; parents of high school students; high school students; educators, high school administrators and/or guidance counselors; homeschool conferences; civic groups.
Raising Kids in a Post-Christian Culture
Suggested audience: Parent groups; Christian leadership gatherings; Sunday morning sermon; church leadership gatherings; men’s groups.
A Suite of Values for Leadership
Suggested audience: Any audience of leaders or those aspiring to leadership.
The Call to Humility in a World Focused on Power
Suggested audience: Christian leadership gatherings, Sunday morning sermon, church leadership gatherings, men’s groups.
Engaging Culture as the Ground Shifts Beneath the Church
Suggested audience: Christian leadership gatherings; Sunday morning sermon; church leadership gatherings; men’s groups.
Our Promise
Suggested audience: Parents of teenagers; groups of pastors, youth pastors, or leaders in Christian high schools; educators; homeschool conventions; men’s and women’s groups; any group of leaders; civic groups.
Living by Faith in a Post-Christian Era
Suggested audience: Sunday morning service; any group of leaders; high school students; parents; men’s or women’s gatherings or retreats; homeschool conferences.
Making the Most of Your Twenties
Suggested audience: High school commencements; twenty-somethings; parent of teens and twenty-somethings; high school juniors and seniors; homeschool conferences; men’s or women’s gatherings or retreats.
Love God with Your Mind
Suggested audience: Students of all ages; high school guidance counselors; parents of teenagers; educators; homeschool groups/conventions.
Our Core Identity
Our identity as humans is at the core of who we are. There are many components to our identity, but none should rank higher than our identity as a Christ-follower. It should be #1, higher than the identity we draw from our human family, racial and ethnic heritage, achievements, politics, or sexuality. In this talk, we explore the biblical basis for prioritizing the components of our identity.
Suggested audience: High school chapel; staff retreat for Christian workers in any setting; women’s or men’s groups; Christian business leaders.
The Moral Leadership of the President of the United States
Suggested audience: Civic groups; men’s groups; any group interested in leadership or politics.
Living Life Through a Biblical Worldview
Suggested audience: Any group of leaders; high school students/chapel/commencements; parent groups or gatherings; homeschool conferences; Sunday morning service; men’s or women’s gatherings or retreats.
Power of Habit
Suggested audience: Parents of teenagers; groups of pastors, youth pastors, or leaders in Christian high schools; educators; homeschool conventions; men’s and women’s groups; any group of leaders; civic groups.
Being a Big Fish in a Small Pond
Suggested audience: Parents of teenagers; teenagers; groups of pastors, youth pastors, or leaders in Christian high schools; educators; homeschool conventions; men’s and women’s groups; any group of leaders; civic groups.
The Crisis of American Higher Education
Suggested audience: Parents of teenagers; groups of pastors, youth pastors, or leaders in Christian high schools; educators; homeschool conventions; men’s and women’s groups; any group of leaders; civic groups.
Esse Quam Videri
Suggested audience: Christian high school chapel; Christian high school commencement address; homeschool convention; any audience of Millennials.
Lessons of the Wilderness
Suggested audience: Civic groups; men’s groups; Sunday morning sermon.
This is a Football
Stewardship: A Christian View of Wealth and Poverty
Suggested audience: Any group of leaders; men’s or women’s gatherings or retreats; high school students/chapel; homeschool conferences; Sunday morning service; parents of teens.