Dr. Michael Wilkin's Bio

Dr. Michael J. Wilkins was born in Glendale, California and was raised in Orange County in the Southern California area. Upon graduation from high school in 1967 he spent three years in the U.S. Army, one year of which he was a squad leader in combat in Viet Nam with the 173 rd Airborne Infantry Brigade. On December 31, 1970, not long after returning from Viet Nam, he received Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior.

Dr. Wilkins attended Cuesta College and later graduated from Biola College with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and social science (1974). He graduated from Talbot Theological Seminary with a Masters of Divinity in New Testament Language and Literature (1977). He received his Doctor of Philosophy degree in New Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary (1986). Dr. Wilkins did Post-Doctoral Study in New Testament Theology at the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of California, San Diego (1993).

Dr. Wilkins helped start a new Evangelical Free Church in Carlsbad, California, and was the senior pastor of the church for three years (1977-1980). He was also a senior pastor for three years (1981-1983) of the Cayucos Community Evangelical Free Church in Cayucos, California.

In 1983 Dr. Wilkins accepted an appointment as a professor of Biblical Studies at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, La Mirada, California. Dr. Wilkins served as Director of the department of undergraduate Biblical Studies and Theology and later Chair of the graduate department of New Testament Language and Literature. He currently serves as Dean of the Faculty and Professor of New Testament Language and Literature at Talbot School of Theology.

Dr. Wilkins married Lynne (Melia) Wilkins in 1971. They live in San Clemente, CA. They have two daughters, Michelle (married to Dan Lorch and mother to daughter Melia Noël) and Wendy (pursuing a Doctorate in Physical Therapy). Family activities (surfing, snow boarding/skiing, camping) are a major source of enjoyment.