James Dobson Announces Tim Clinton to Join Family Talk Leadership as ‘Key Part’ of Future Expansion of Ministry
Dr. James Dobson is pleased to announce the addition of an esteemed colleague to the executive leadership team at Family Talk, the ministry he founded and has led since 2010. Dr. Tim Clinton, a licensed professional counselor, marriage and family therapist and a professor for over 30 years at Liberty University, has agreed to join Dr. Dobson as co-host on his signature radio program in addition to other responsibilities within the ministry.
Specifically, Dr. Clinton will serve as the executive director and dean of education for the new James Dobson Family Institute (JDFI). The institute is dedicated to the preservation of the family for future generations—a calling Dr. Dobson took up over 40 years ago. The new JDFI will consist of four dimensions:
- Family Talk, a nationally syndicated radio broadcast and all associated communication channels
- The Dobson Digital Library, an innovative online database that houses, organizes and preserves Dr. Dobson’s lifetime of writings, lectures, film series and radio broadcasts
- The Dobson Education Center
- The Dobson Public Policy Center
Dr. Clinton will oversee the new JDFI and also speak publicly and write for the ministry. Dr. Dobson and Dr. Clinton will work side by side to provide programs and teaching materials for marriages and parenting. They are close friends and have known each other for more than 25 years. Together, they have devoted over 75 years to the institution of the family.
Dr. Dobson made the announcement during the Tuesday, May 8, 2018, Family Talk broadcast, heard nationally across more than 1,200 syndicated radio and digital outlets. During the program, Dobson described Clinton, the president of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), as a key part of Family Talk’s executive leadership and expansion.
During the broadcast, Dobson spoke directly about his vision for the future of Family Talk. “The more we succeed and the more we grow, the more important it is to think about the possibility of a ‘suddenly,’ and to prepare for it. It’s going to happen to all of us someday. My doctors tell me I am in excellent health, but our time here is finite, and only God knows what the plan is. As faithful servants and good stewards, we must prepare by developing strong leadership and a clear plan so that those who are left behind and those who continue to have this responsibility are prepared to ensure measured expansion and linear integration for a more effective and sustainable ministry.”
“You’ve heard Dr. Clinton; he has done radio programs with us. What pleases me the most is that Dr. Clinton and I see eye-to-eye on the family … on everything. We get our information, our love for family and the younger generation from the Scripture. It’s rare to find a professional in this field who is in sync with me on these issues, and we have found one.”
Dobson added, “I find great comfort in having another colleague here to strategize with and work with to help me articulate the needs of families and their children.”
Dr. Clinton explained why he feels called to join Family Talk and help lead the ministry’s future expansion. “For years, I’ve watched Dr. Dobson standing strong for what he believes. What I appreciate most is his strength in response to criticism from the secular and liberal culture. He is unmovable. For Dr. Dobson, it has always been more about addressing the pace, the pain and the pressures of modern-day life and lifting up the family with psychologically sound, biblically-based teaching.”
When asked on air by Dobson if he has hope for the future of the American family, Dr. Clinton’s response was impassioned: “I’m deeply encouraged, Dr. Dobson, because I’ve had the experience of teaching thousands of college students each year, and I see a hunger to get relationships right like never before.”
Dr. Clinton asks that everyone join him as he stands with Dr. Dobson in support of Family Talk and the new James Dobson Family Institute, which will continue Dr. Dobson’s vision to serve the family with materials and programs that encourage, inform, and inspire.
Dr. Clinton is the president of the nearly 50,000-member American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), the largest and most diverse Christian counseling association in the world. He is professor of counseling and pastoral care and executive director of the James C. Dobson Center for Child Development, Marriage and Family Studies at Liberty University. Dr. Clinton is licensed in Virginia as both a professional counselor and marriage and family therapist and spends much of his time working with Christian leaders and professional athletes. Recognized as a world leader in faith and mental health issues, Dr. Clinton has authored and edited nearly 30 books. He is founder of the national Extraordinary Women Conferences, Ignite Men’s Impact Weekend and the biennial AACC World Conference. Dr. Clinton is also founder of Light University—a global leader in certificate, diploma and mental health continuing education—enrolling nearly 300,000 students since its inception. Additionally, Dr. Clinton hosts Life, Love and Family, a daily, nationally syndicated radio program. Dr. Clinton currently serves on the president’s faith advisory board, alongside Dr. Dobson, and is also on the leadership committee for the president’s National Prayer Breakfast. He has been married 37 years to his wife, Julie, and together they have two children, Megan and Zach.
To listen to the full Family Talk broadcast, click here.
