Joel Wood, senior pastor of New Life Presbyterian Church in La Mesa, Calif., will be the speaker for the 2026 Sterling College Commencement ceremony. The ceremony will honor the Class of 2026 and will take place on Saturday, May 9, at 9:45 a.m. in the Gleason Physical Education Center on the Sterling College campus. 

“It’s such a great honor to come home to Sterling College to honor this year’s graduating class. I’m thankful that Sterling, the ‘Queen of the Kansas Plain,’ continues to honor Christ and produce faithful, effective alumni to serve him in their world. I look forward to celebrating with them and their families and friends,” said Wood. 

Wood serves as senior pastor of New Life Presbyterian Church, where his ministry is focused on equipping and empowering believers for faithfulness and fruitfulness through preaching, counseling, and teaching. He is a Fellow with the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors and a member of the Association of Biblical Counselors.

In addition to his pastoral ministry, Wood serves as a professor at City Seminary in Sacramento, Calif., and as an adjunct professor at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Mich., Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia, and BC Worldwide. He is also a co-host of the Jerusalem Chamber podcast.

Wood holds a Bachelor of Arts in Educational Ministries and Music from Moody Bible Institute, a certificate from the Congregational Foundation for Theological Studies, and a Master of Divinity from Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary. He also earned a Doctor of Ministry in Counseling from Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary and a Master of Theology from Erskine Theological Seminary. He has completed additional graduate work at Dallas Theological Seminary and Mid-America Reformed Seminary.

Wood and his wife, Emily, have been married for 24 years and enjoy spending time exploring the world with their family.

Sterling College is a Christ-centered, four-year college located in Sterling, Kansas, with a mission to develop creative and thoughtful leaders who understand a maturing Christian faith. For more information, visit www.sterling.edu.