Analysis: Scott Strobel observes how Christian views impact intelligence

Scott Strobel planned to go into full-time ministry, but his life took unexpected turns that led him to enlist in the Air Force. He eventually found himself working as a professor in Liberty’s Helms School of Government.

Strobel attended The King’s College in 1990 for the first three years of his undergraduate degree before transferring to the University of Maryland where he received a degree in sociology. 

During his time at college, his plan was to use this degree for a career in ministry. 

“Because I became a believer through a Campus Crusade ministry — they call it Cru now — I just naturally wanted to be a part of that for a career,” Strobel said. “So, I went to school thinking that I was going to go into full time youth ministry.”

Strobel pursued different ministry opportunities throughout his college career, but nothing opened. While working a student job as a recent graduate, Strobel continued his job hunt. 

After a friend in the military suggested it as an option, Strobel went to an Air Force recruiter in hopes of getting an officer job. With no experience and little knowledge of the military, he was not accepted into Officer Training School. His recruiter suggested enlisting, which at the time, felt like a step backward in his career. 

Despite this feeling, Strobel decided to enlist. He randomly selected his first enlisted job as an Air Force signal intelligence analyst. 

Six years later, he was accepted into Officer Training School, where he became an intelligence officer specializing in intelligence collection and analysis. For example, he would collect intel on enemy military capabilities and conduct an analysis of enemy plans and intentions.

After another six years spent in the Air Force, Strobel made the decision to get out of active duty in 2007. He continued working in the field as a civilian intelligence analyst and continues to work in that capacity to this day. 

During his time in the field, he observed the benefits a Christian framework had on individuals working on intelligence problems. According to Strobel, Christian views impact one’s perception of people and behavior and lead to better analysis. This introduced what would later become his next career move. 

“I thought to myself, ‘Is there a way that I can replicate this into a larger effort that teaches more people?’” Strobel said. “That’s where I got the idea, (I thought), ‘Well maybe I can teach national security studies at a Christian school,’ because as far as I knew, at the time there were almost no programs of Christian schools that did this or took it very seriously.” 

Strobel earned his master’s degree from American Military University in 2013, giving him the credentials to teach. At the time, his intention was to teach part-time later in his career. 

After contacting several Christian schools, his wife suggested he look at Liberty. After learning how the national security program at Liberty had grown significantly in recent years, he reached out with the goal of making a connection for when he decided to teach years down the line. He discovered a position was opening the following year and he is now filling that role. 

The changes in direction and uncertainty of the future allowed him to gain experiences that are now valuable tools in teaching his students. With his specialized knowledge in intelligence collection and analysis, Strobel believes he can offer an in-depth perspective on these specific topics instead of approaching the content from a broad standpoint. 

Norman is a feature reporter for the Liberty Champion