Before becoming the E. Stanley Jones Professor of Evangelism, Sweet had been Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the Theological School at Drew from 1995 to 2000. Prior to his appointments at Drew University, he served as President and Professor of Church History at United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio. His first academic administration position was as Provost and Associate Professor of Church History at Colgate Rochester Divinity School/Bexley Hall/Crozer Theological Seminary.
Sweet is founder and President of SpiritVenture Ministries. His writings focus on the study of Semiotics.
He is the author of more than forty books, hundreds of articles (many of a scholarly and technical nature), and over 50 prefaces/forewords to others' books. He has over 1000 published sermons, and currently is the chief weekly contributor to the lectionary-based sermons.com. Sweet has weekly podcasting on iTunes entitled Napkin Scribbles.
Sweet has served a term on the council of the American Society of Church History and was an associate editor of the Journal of the American Academy of Religion for ten years. An honors and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Richmond, he earned his Master of Divinity degree from Colgate/Rochester/Bexley Hall/Crozer and Ph.D from the University of Rochester. Sweet is the recipient of honorary Doctorates of Divinity from University of Richmond, Baker University, Lebanon Valley College, and Otterbein College.
Sweet lectures around the world and has spoken in various locations including China, Indonesia, Taiwan and Hong Kong; Australia, New Zealand; Canada, Brazil, South Africa, South Korea, Russia, Latvia, Iceland, and Scotland.