Robert G. den Dulk Professor of Practical Theology
Dr. Troxel has taught at Westminster Seminary California since 2019. In addition, he is currently a part-time associate pastor at Harvest Orthodox Presbyterian Church in nearby San Marcos. Formerly, he served as pastor of Bethel Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Wheaton, Illinois (2007–19) and as pastor of Calvary Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Glenside, Pennsylvania (1995–2007). His introduction to the ministry was by itinerating in congregations of the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana) in Wasilla and Fairbanks, Alaska. He taught systematic theology as an adjunct at Westminster Theological Seminary and ministerial studies at Mid-America Reformed Seminary. He has also served as a faculty member for the Ministerial Training Institute of the OPC since 2002 and is presently a member of the OPC’s Committee on Christian Education. He is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society.
Dr. Troxel has published numerous articles in publications such as Westminster Theological Journal, Presbyterion, Fides et Historia, Calvin Theological Journal, Trinity Journal, Didaktikos, Unio cum Christo as well as New Horizons, Ordained Servant, Tabletalk, and Modern Reformation. He is the author of With All Your Heart: Orienting Your Mind, Desires, and Will Toward Christ (Crossway, 2020); What is Man? (P&R, 2010); and What is the Priesthood of Believers? (P&R, 2019). His research interests include pastoral theology, Reformed spirituality, the doctrine of the church, and biblical teaching on the heart.
Dr. Troxel and his wife, Carol, have five children and five grandchildren.
Education BA Anderson University; MATS Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; PhD Westminster Theological Seminary
Other Affiliations Evangelical Theological Society
What do you want to instill in your students? First and foremost, I hope that everything I do encourages the students in their love for the one who bought them, Jesus Christ the Lord, and the father who sent him and the Spirit who applies him. And that they would know that Christ truly is our “all in all” and is sufficient for whatever we need and do—whether for ourselves or in our service for his name. Secondly, I wish to inflame in them a love for what Christ loves—particularly his church. For any Christian, but especially for pastors, this needs to be a love that rises above the temptation to become cynical on the one hand and yet avoids the fragile thoughts of idealism on the other. We minister to fellow sinners, but those who are being transformed from glory to glory. Thirdly, As for preaching, I want to do my part to instill in them a vision to be faithful and effective ambassadors for Christ; which is no small feat in our day. But Christ’s ambassadors never have been and never will be sufficient in themselves for this task—our sufficiency for this is in God. Fourthly, the above list can only but lead us to one, obvious important conclusion: the indispensable role of prayer.
