Reverend Steve Scott’s earliest memory of the Point Loma campus location is when he was in high school. A small group of buses took him and his fellow students to tour the new San Diego campus during the high school preview days being held at Pasadena College in the fall of 1972.
“They dropped us off right in the middle of the Greek Amphitheatre,” said Scott. “We took in that awesome view and then we all looked at each other and said ‘Yeah alright, this is where we’re going to college!’”
From then on, Scott had his sights set on Point Loma for his college education. He would go on to graduate with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biblical studies and theology in 1977 and 1980 respectively. “We like to fondly call ourselves the ‘original class,’” said Scott, “since we were the first to start and graduate from the Point Loma campus after it was moved from Pasadena College.”
As a student, Scott was highly involved. He spent time in a variety of spaces on campus from the student newspaper to campus recreation and student ministry. He also worked as a resident assistant in Hendricks and was voted senior class president.
His love for people, connection, and Point Loma led to a position as resident director for Hendricks following his graduation. While he was hesitant at first, Scott soon found that he loved sharing life with the students in Hendricks.
“I refer to that time as my lab for practical ministry,” said Scott. “It felt odd at first giving advice to these young guys, but then it was so rewarding to be walking through life with them and to be there for them. It was very impactful to be there as a companion in some of the hard moments.”
During his time as a resident director, he found himself having a lot of conversations with students experiencing grief. “College is such a unique time in life,” said Scott. “A lot of people experience loss for the first time when they’re in college. I saw it with people losing their grandparents.”
Scott spent his time providing support to his residents and coming alongside them with prayer to offer comfort. When he finished his term as resident director, he found a strong calling to go into full-time ministry for the Church of the Nazarene.
Eventually he and his wife, Debbie, moved to Stockton, California, where they’ve been for 32 years. Scott held positions in the Nazarene church as a youth ministry leader and pastor before most recently serving the last 18 years before his retirement in 2024 as the Sacramento District Superintendent for the Church of the Nazarene. He remains an ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene. He believes deeply in responding to the Lord and trusting him with the future.
“There is a two-fold response to the calling of the Lord in your life,” said Scott. “You’re honoring God, and you’re honoring people. For me, it wasn’t about whether I had all the attributes and qualities of answering this call as much as ‘Here’s my hands and feet God; do what you want to do.’”
“He’s the shepherd; we’re the sheep,” continued Scott. “He leads and we follow; God is ultimately glorified through this.”
Entering this next stage of life, Scott is still very much an active member of the church community in his hometown. He continues to advise in churches when he’s needed.
He leads two men’s Bible studies and has been leaving time in his schedule for mentorship opportunities as he seeks the Lord’s direction for his next steps.
“He knows how to teach us in whatever season we are in in life,” said Scott. “At the moment, my wife and I are connecting more with our neighbors. We live in a fascinating microcosm of seven or eight different ethnic groups where [the Lord is] teaching me to listen and take opportunities to learn.”
“I’m figuring out how to make myself available while also being intentional in understanding what the Lord still has to teach me,” said Scott.
PLNU congratulates Steve Scott for being honored as a 2025 Distinguished Achievement award recipient.
Learn more about Steve in a video honoring him as a 2025 DA awardee.
