Newsletter for the College of Biblical Studies
Volume 1, Number 5
October, 2003

Deep Calls to Deep: The Quest for God in the Psalms

Dr. Mark Hamilton, assistant professor of Old Testament, wrote the ACU chapel curriculum for 2003-2004. The series focuses on the book of Psalms in the fall semester and Proverbs in the spring. The entire curriculum can be seen in the Preaching Resources of the College of Biblical Studies web site.

Dr. Hamilton also spoke at chapel, Monday, September 15, 2003. His lesson came from Psalm 8, entitled, Out of the Mouth of Infants. "O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is your name in all the earth." The Bible is a very surprising book. The more you read it, the more surprising it is. And few texts are more surprising than today's psalm celebrating the stunning beauty and dignity of humankind. Consider the surprising line "out of the mouth of babes and infants you have established strength." What does it mean? [ See the full text.]

Visiting Professor Hanan Eshel Speaks on Dead Sea Scrolls

Professor Hanan Eshel of Bar-Ilan University in Tel Aviv, Israel spoke in ACU's Hart Auditorium on September 8. His first lecture examined past and current work on the Dead Sea Scrolls, and his second lecture looked at some of his own discoveries related to the revolt of Bar-Kokhba in A.D. 132-135. Eshel, a world-class expert on both topics and the author of five books and more than 100 articles on the texts and archaeology of Second Temple Judaism, entertained and informed students and faculty alike with his knowledge and sense of humor.

Eshel's visit to ACU was made possible when the sponsors of a traveling exhibit on the history of the Bible in Dallas, led by Dr. William Noah, contacted ACU President Royce Money. GST faculty members Mark Hamilton and Jeff Childers coordinated the visit by Dr. Eshel and his wife, Dr. Esther Eshel, also a Dead Sea Scrolls scholar teaching at Bar-Ilan. Says Hamilton, "Having a scholar of the caliber of Dr. Eshel on our campus talking about an important era in the developing of the Bible and the Jewish and Christian faiths is precisely the sort of vigorous pursuit of truth for which ACU has always stood."

Eshel is best known for excavating a series of caves around the Dead Sea, from which coins, weapons, textiles, and texts, dating to the first and second centuries A.D., have come. He continues to explore other caves and to find in them artifacts passed over by other scholars. He and his wife recently announced the discovery of a thumbnail-sized fragment of a Herodian period commentary on Genesis 22, which appears to identify Isaac as God's son, an interpretation of that text current in the first century that might explain some elements of early Christian theology. The manuscript fragment is currently on exhibit at Dallas's Bible Arts Center. The exhibit also includes the eighth-century B.C. "Marzeah Papyrus," fragments of manuscripts from the Septuagint and Coptic translations of the Old Testament, medieval Bibles, a Lollard (Wycliffite New Testament), and the Greek Bible of Erasmus, among other fascinating artifacts revealing the history of Scripture. For more information, see www.deadseaexhibit.com.

Exciting Times in Missions

"Exciting times" is one of the ways to describe what is happening in the missions community at ACU. At last count there were sixty-seven students studying missions at the undergraduate level. Fifty students are pursuing a degree in missions and seventeen are seeking either a minor or certificate in missions. In addition to those studying undergraduate missions, twenty-three students are studying missions in the Graduate School of Theology. These numbers are good but they do not begin to represent the interest the student body has in missions. Many who work on degrees in other disciplines are also passionate about God's mission.

Weekly Gatherings

Each Thursday the graduate students gather for thursday.community (thurdsay.com) at the home of Dr. Sonny and Eunice Guild. These gatherings are important for building relationships and sharing dreams of how God can use us in His mission. A meal is shared and resource people come and help shape our awareness of important issues related to missions. During the last two Thursday meetings Dan McVey, visiting missionary from Ghana, sharpened our understanding about spiritual warfare.

Each Sunday evening missions meetings draw both graduate and undergraduate students. These meetings focus either generally on missions or they focus on specific continental regions. The missions coordinators and faculty host these meetings and challenge students with the needs of people groups around the world. Thursday chapels are small group chapels. This year students have the opportunity to worship together each week as they gather for Prayer for the World. This worship experience will not only provide opportunity to pray for the world but students from various mission points will come and share the needs of their nation.

Challenging Times

Considering the number of students who are interested in missions, this year is not only exciting but also challenging. God has brought many students to us and his expectation is that they will receive what they need to equip them for missions. The faculty and staff of the Institute for Missions and Evangelism receive these students as a trust from the Lord. Our challenge is to meet the needs of these exciting days.

The Heart of the Class: MFT for 2003

Nineteen students have come from a variety of places to study Marriage and Family Therapy at Abilene Christian University. Demographically, seven of the nineteen are married, three have children (two have grown children), twelve are women and seven are men, eighteen are graduates of Christian universities, eight have undergraduate degrees from ACU, and fifteen are members of the Churches of Christ. Eleven states and two countries are represented by this class. Academically, the faculty has observed that they are gifted people, curious, creative, and able to make the jump in scholarship required of a rigorous training program.

While they are different in a number of ways, they have remarkably similar motivations and interests for coming to Abilene. They assert that the program, its reputation, as well as its faculty, facilities, scholarships, and the welcoming spirit of the people in the program encouraged them to apply. Beyond the program's basic orientation of preparing them for working with people, the over-riding variable is its Christian orientation. They are passionate about their walk with the Lord, and they are deeply interested in spirituality, integration of faith in the curriculum, the weaving together of counseling and theology, and Christian values. They value the program's reputation for having a life changing focus.

When asked, "How do you think the program will prepare you for your life's work?" they replied that it would give them the clinical skills necessary for their pursuits. While their directions are varied, the spiritual orientation they will develop in the midst of their training will equip them to address spiritual concerns of people as well as the more obvious issues of shattered lives and relationships. The "change the world" emphasis, counseling as ministry to the broken, and the orientation toward restoring relationships, and harmony with God emerge as themes.

The career and ministry goals of this class are similarly varied. They envision themselves as Christian therapists, regardless of whether they are serving in private practice or church-based settings. They intend to work in public and private therapy settings, campus ministry, the mission field, ministries to children and families, training for lay counselors, Air Force chaplaincy, and therapies with children with emphasis in art or play. One student said it this way, "Upon graduation, I will rely on God's call to be my guiding light. This professional degree will allow me to contribute in a variety of settings. I am open to all options and am confident that the Lord will put me where He would have me serve."

The staff and faculty in the Department of Marriage and Family Therapy and the Marriage and Family Institute resonate with the goals of this class. We see ourselves as shaping their lives as they influence the lives of those who seek out their services in the Clinic. We are energized by the fact that these people will go into places where we are not able to go, and that they will take with them skills of healing and the heart of the Healer.

Eating Disorders Workshop

The workshop will be sponsored by the Marriage and Family Institute, the University Counseling Center, and Remuda Ranch.

Eating disorders continue to plague countless women and men, young and old, in our culture. The Marriage and Family Institute, the University Counseling Center, and Remuda Ranch, located in Wickenburg, Arizona, are collaborating in a workshop on the ACU campus. Scheduled for Friday, October 10, the workshop will be held in Hart Auditorium, College of Biblical Studies, from 9:00 am to 4:15 pm. Helping professionals, ministers, families, and friends are invited to attend. The presenters will be Jim Schettler, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and graduate of ACU's MFT program, and Janet Carr, registered dietician. Both are employed by Remuda Ranch.

Information is available at the Counseling Workshop page. Interested persons may also call the University Counseling Center at 325-674-2626 or the Marriage and Family Institute at 325-674-3778.

Doctor of Ministry Program Features
Revised Curriculum and Increased Enrollment

The Doctor of Ministry Program, an advanced ministerial leadership degree program for ministers, is now featuring a revised curriculum and an increased enrollment. The revised curriculum focuses on the Missional Church.

A missional church focuses all of its activities around its participation in God's mission in the world. "Missional," an adjective that has been around for about 100 years, is a word that describes the way in which we do all of our activities, rather then identifying any one particular activity. Within the last few years, it has come into more common use. To be missional is to align all of the program, function and activities of the church around the mission of God in the world.

Many missional congregations are growing in numbers. But the missional church vision is not a church growth technique or a way of increasing market share; it is a way of understanding the true calling of the church. It is a way of life for the church. Rather than merely focusing on a congregation's size, the missional church vision calls us to focus on the reign of God. For a congregation, that means to be a living sign and foretaste of God's new creation. It also means inviting people to become a part of God's new community.

This curriculum equips ministers to provide leadership for Missional churches.

The current enrollment of 34 students in the D.Min. Program is the highest in its sixteen year history, and another strong pool of applicants for admission to the program is currently in process as the application deadline of January 15 approaches. If you have completed a Master of Divinity or its educational equivalency, are engaged full-time in some form of ministry, and are interested in advancing your ministerial leadership competence, contact the Doctor of Ministry office at 325-674-3732 or the Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program, Dr. Charles Siburt, at Siburt@bible.acu.edu.

The Department of Bible, Missions and Ministry
Introducing Our Freshmen

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. If you speak, you should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If you serve, you should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:10-11 TNIV).

Our fall semester is off to a strong start at ACU. President Money announced this week that there are 4,675 students enrolled this fall. That number is the fourth highest enrollment in our ninety-seven year history. In the Department of Bible, Missions and Ministry, we are thankful to have 278 primary majors this semester. Included in that number are 73 freshmen, 66 sophomores, 66 juniors, and 73 seniors. It is especially exciting that the number of students in DBMM newest major, Ministry to Children and Families, doubled since last year.

The 62 entering freshmen in the department are required to take "University Seminar (U100)." Drs. David Wray, David Wallace, Jeanene Reese, and Jerry Taylor conduct those sections geared for Bible majors. U100 is a "Roadmap to Success" and "is designed to help students with the transition to college and to integrate students fully into the academic, spiritual and social realms of the university.... University Seminars help build community, provide academic and personal advice, introduce students to the campus and local culture, explore ACU's Christian mission and heritage, teach study and interpersonal skills, and help students confirm or decide on a major." (For more information about U100 see http://www.acu.edu/academics/fyp/univ100.html.)

The entering class of freshmen include some outstanding young adults. For example, Mitch Halstead from The Woodlands, Texas (Youth and Family Ministry) and Brent Hines from Belton, Texas (Missions) are honored as Presidential Scholars. Laura Clark from Jackson, Tennessee (Ministry to Children and Families), Spencer Jackson from Dallas, Texas (Christian Ministry) and Kara Wilson from San Antonio, Texas (Vocational Missions) participate in the LYNAY ("Love You Neighbor As Yourself") leadership program and are all scholarship recipients of that program. Additionally, Kara Wilson sings in "The Light," a campus a cappella group.

Brent Hines, Kara Wilson, and Jordan Swim

Three of our majors are serving the freshmen class at ACU as chaplains for 2003-2004. The students are Brent Hines, Kara Wilson and Jordan Swim. What are their goals for the future? All three say that they want to follow God's leading, serving people as doors of opportunity are opened.

Brent sees himself working as a missionary either to Central America or to Western Europe.

Kara looks forward to serving God by planting a church in Latin America. She yearns to work in children's and worship ministries among Spanish-speaking peoples.

Jordan envisions his work as a traveling preacher, both domestically and internationally. He longs to bless people with hope and joy for the future.

Will you help us add to this exemplary group of Christian young people?

New Faculty and Staff

Dr. Edward J. Robinson - Department of Bible, Missions and Ministry

Edward J. Robinson

Edward's academic career includes undergraduate studies (A.A. & B.A.) Southwestern Christian College, Terrell, Texas, graduate studies (M.A.R. & M.Div.) Harding University Graduate School of Religion, Memphis, Tennessee, (M.A.) University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, and (Ph.D.) Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi. He has served and preached for churches in Texas, Mississippi, and Illinois. His family includes his wife Toni and three daughters Clarice, Ashley, and Erika.

Dan McVey - Institute for Missions and Evangelism

Dan McVey

After graduating from Freed-Hardeman University in 1979, Dan and his wife Brenda ministered with the Church of Christ in Bernie, MO, for 3 years. From Missouri, they moved to Ghana to work in church planting and leadership training, both urban and rural settings, for 21 years. Dan also spent much time working in French speaking countries in West Africa in seminars, church planting, and leadership development. Dan and Brenda's work involved community development and relief projects as well as spiritual ministry. Their experience has been primarily with Islamic and animistic people groups. Dan is finishing a Master's degree in Islamic Studies from Columbia International University.

New Administrative Assistants for the College of Biblical Studies

Tina Fleet (MFI) Kathy Hogan (Dean's office) Roberta Bender (DMin) Ginny Bolin (Missions)

Lectures on Preaching

Over 200 attended this year's Lectures on Preaching (Sept. 18) which included a tribute luncheon honoring the ministries of Joe Baisden (Belton, TX) and G. B. Shelburne, III (Houston, TX).  As one of the day's featured speakers, John York (Nashville, TN) called preachers to explore the God-centered environment of the Kingdom of God.  Dwight Robarts (Dallas, TX), inspired the Lectures on Preaching crowd with his presentation on preaching the Kingdom from Luke's gospel. Both Dwight and John's presentations are available by tape or CD (http://www.acu.edu/events/lectures.html).

Dr. Jack Reese delivered words of tribute for the ministry of Joe Baisden. Most notable of all the ministry accomplishments mentioned by Dr. Reese stands Joe's 33 tenure as the minister for the Belton Church of Christ. Many members of the Belton congregation were present to help honor Joe and his wife and partner in ministry, Janelle (Davis). Dr. Jeff Childers delivered the tribute for B. Shelburne, and his wife Helen Ruth, mentioning particularly their impact on countless lives through their leadership with the South Houston Bible Institute. Many family members and long-time supporters of the Shelburnes were present for the luncheon.

Lectureship 2004

The program is set for the 86th Annual Bible Lectureship, February 22-25, 2004. The theme for this year's lectureship is "Come to the Waters: Messages of Renewal from Isaiah." Theme lecturers include Mark Henderson (Oklahoma City, OK), Tim Woodroof (Nashville, TN), Jerry Taylor (Abilene, TX), Ralph Draper (Longview, TX), Eddie Sharp (Abilene, Texas), Monte Cox (Searcy, AR), and Stuart Love (Malibu, CA). Over 120 presenters from all over the country will make presentations on everything from Isaiah to the importance of church planting. As always, worship will be a focus of the lectureship including special times of praise led by Hallal and the Zoe Group.

This year's forum will include a conversation between representatives of both the International Churches of Christ and "mainline" Churches of Christ. Each afternoon during lectureship, forum participants will explore our common story, both its painful past and hopeful future.  You will want to be a part of these historic conversations.

For more information on lectureship, see our website http://www.acu.edu/events/lectureship.html. The entire lectureship program will be available on the website by the end of October.

ElderLink Dallas 2003 Scheduled for November 8, 2003

ElderLink Dallas 2003 for elders (past, present, and future), spouses, ministers, and other interested church leaders will be held beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 8, 2003, in the Cox Event Center at Dallas Christian School in Mesquite, TX. A ministry offered by ACU, ElderLink was developed to meet the serious need to equip, encourage and link those who lead and serve as elders in Churches of Christ through collaborative relationships, informative resources and shared learning experiences.

This year's program features seven experienced church leaders who will share their understandings of the challenges elders face and offer practical resources and strategies for responding to them. Special topics include spiritual formation, trust, pastoral prayer and leadership. A special session for women will also be offered. All participants will receive valuable resources to assist them in leading.

Speakers include Dr. David Wray, an elder and associate professor of missions and ministry at ACU; Dr. Kenneth Cukrowski, associate professor of Bible at ACU; Dr. Randy Lowry, an elder and staff member at Pepperdine University; Rhonda Lowry, elder's wife and adjunct professor at Fuller Theological Seminary; Wilson "Dub" Orr, retired elder and church leadership consultant; Dr. Mark Love, assistant professor of ministry at ACU; and Dr. Charles Siburt, an elder and professor of ministry at ACU.

Sessions will include talks on providing loving "soul care" to church members, guarding against complacency in growing spiritually, being a model of spiritual growth for church members, and giving members permission to minister and supporting them in their ministry.

For brochures call Roberta Bender at 325.674.3732 or e-mail at bender@bible.acu.edu. For lodging and registration information, call Melea Edwards at 903.561.4693 or e-mail her at meleaedwar@aol.com. You also may register online at www.bible.acu.edu/ministry/ElderLink.

ElderLink Forum 2003 Northwest October 10-11, 2003

The third annual ElderLink Forum 2003 Northwest is coming to Portland, OR, October 10-11. Elders (past, present, and future), spouses, ministers and other interested church leaders are invited to this outstanding forum to be equipped and encouraged and to form links with others who lead and serve as elders in Churches of Christ. Beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, October 10, on the campus of Cascade College in Portland, the forum will feature six experienced church leaders who will share their understandings of the challenges elders face and offer practical resources and strategies for responding to them. Special topics include worship, spiritual formation, vocation, leadership and pastoral care.  A special session for women will be conducted by D'Esta Love, chaplain of Seaver College at Pepperdine University. All participants will receive valuable resources to assist them in leading.

Speakers include Dr. Mark Love, assistant professor of ministry at Abilene Christian University; Dr. Jack Reese, dean of the College of Biblical Studies and professor of ministry at ACU; Dr. Charles Siburt, an elder and an ACU professor of ministry; John Wolfgang, elder of East County Church of Christ in Gresham, OR; and Dr. David Wray, an elder and an ACU associate professor of missions and ministry.

A ministry from Abilene Christian University in partnership with Cascade College in the northwestern United States, ElderLink Forum Northwest addresses the serious need for providing assistance to church leaders through collaborative relationships, informative resources and shared learning experiences. For elders and their spouses desiring to enhance their effectiveness as Christian leaders, ElderLink Forum Northwest is a must-do event!

For brochures or lodging and registration information, call Cindy Wilson at Cascade College at 503.257.1207 or e-mail her at cwilson@cascade.edu. You also may register online at www.bible.acu.edu/ministry/ElderLink.

Books Available at ACU Press

The first three books in the Heart of the Restoration Series are being made available to congregations at a special group discount, according to Thom Lemmons, director of ACU Press. "The books in this series were conceived and written in order to take an important place in the current discussions among Churches of Christ," Lemmons said, "and we want to do everything we can to help that discussion continue." Congregations across the country are using the books, Lemmons says, both for individual and group studies of the issues presented.

Congregations wishing to make a group purchase of one or more of the books in the Heart of the Restoration Series may send a message to lemmonst@acu.edu. For purchases of twenty or more books in the series, buyers will receive a 10% discount from the retail price. Shipping charges and sales tax for Texas residents will be added to the order.

In The Crux of the Matter: Crisis, Tradition, and the Future of Churches of Christ, Jeff Childers, Doug Foster, and Jack Reese give voice to several crucial decisions now facing Churches of Christ, placing those decisions in a comprehensive historical, cultural, and biblical context. God's Holy Fire: The Nature and Function of Scripture (Ken Cukrowski, Mark Hamilton, and James Thompson) focuses on hermeneutics, or the way members of Churches of Christ read, understand, and interpret Scripture. Future volumes in the series, all written by members of ACU's College of Biblical Studies faculty, will deal with christology, the church, and worship.

Unveiling Glory by Frederick Aquino and Jeff Childers is the third book in the Heart of the Restoration series and is now available.

Why did Jesus come to earth in the flesh and live among us? In what sense did he both embrace this world and reject it? How should our view of Christ form the way we live and act as Christians in our families, neighborhoods, nations, and churches? Unveiling Glory seeks to address these topics and others, boldly considering many of the problems facing Churches of Christ today and insisting that the key to their resolution lies in a deeper commitment to Jesus.

The introduction establishes the premise for the book when it declares that "approaching Christ with transformation in mind has not always been a key element in…our heritage. Yet we are convinced that whenever scripture is allowed to speak with its full voice, the notion of Christianity as transformation into the image of Christ becomes inescapable." The book seeks to deliver on this promise, leading the reader through the important events in Jesus' life and unveiling their significance for the Christian today.

Unveiling Glory will be an invaluable aid for churches and individuals as they seek to embody Christ and to bring his story to a needy world.