Volume 4, Number 3 May 2006
New Faculty Appointments
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| Dr. Doug Foster |
Doug Foster is the new Associate Dean for the Graduate School of Theology. His appointment will begin June 1. Doug brings to the table a great vision for the GST, outstanding management skills, a considerable reputation as a scholar, an extensive network of colleagues around the world, and a great pastoral heart.
James Thompson's impact on the GST and the college has been substantial. It is hard to imagine the GST without him as associate dean. He will transition to a full-time role as the Onstead Chair of Biblical Studies.
David Wray is the new Associate Dean for Spiritual Life and the Co-Curriculum. His responsibilities will be college wide. His primary teaching appointment will remain in the Department of Bible, Missions, and Ministry. David's gifts include his pastor's heart, encouraging spirit, inspiring example, and friendship to all. His responsibilities will be integral to the mission and purposes of the college. His appointment will allow the dean to focus more specifically on CBS academic programs.
Several received awards at the Faculty/Staff Appreciation Dinner. Brad Bennett was honored as a recipient of one of the two university staff awards. Jack Reese recently stated, "We all know how deserving Brad is of that award! I don't know anyone who works harder, who has a greater commitment to service, or is more loved than Brad."
Also receiving recognition was Rodney Ashlock, who was announced as Faculty Advisor of the Year. This is no surprise to those who know how hard Rodney works to mentor and advise the sophomore majors. Congratulations.
Last month, ACU received a visit from a Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) group SoulForce. ACU was the 7th school on their nation wide tour. ACU was the first school to allow them to come on campus and make presentations to students. Check out Matali Perkins' post on crosswalk.com. Jack Reese's response to the visit is posted at http://www.lynnanderson.org/content.asp?CID=89561.
New Masters Degree in Conflict Resolution
Conflict is inevitable. It happens at work, at family dinner tables, and is an unwelcome guest in community gatherings. Conflict pushes its way into every nook and crevice of life. Sadly, it even pursues churches.
Not all conflict is unhealthy. As with the rest of life experiences, it is one's response to conflict that decides whether something is constructive or destructive. Jesus teaching is filled with loving ways to deal with people even in the midst of conflict.
Since 1999, Abilene Christian University has been helping people learn how to more effectively deal with conflict through its graduate certificate program in conflict resolution. And now, ACU has expanded its outreach in this vital area by offering the Master of Arts in conflict resolution and reconciliation.
The Center for Conflict Resolution has helped many churches directly through the years. Now these new on-line courses make the development of peacemakers for your community more convenient. On-line courses will be offered beginning this fall with the short, required residence sessions scheduled during the summer.
If you want to know more about how on-line graduate courses at ACU can help you bring peace to your homes, workplaces, communities and churches, please contact us at www.worldwide.acu.edu.
Theology in the Christian University
In the spirit of ACUs centennial celebration, the College of Biblical Studies recently hosted a conference on Theology in the Christian University: Prospects for the 21st Century (March 23-25, 2006). The following keynoters helped guide our conversation: Stanley Hauerwas (Duke pinity School), Ellen Charry (Princeton Theological Seminary), William Abraham (Southern Methodist University), and Darryl Tippens (Pepperdine University). The conference provided an occasion for greater understanding of the task of integrating disciplines within the setting of a Christian university. It modeled broad-based dialogue about serious issues and explored concrete strategies for making our reflections on the nature of theological education a reality. Most of the participants concurred that the need for connecting theological reflection with other areas of knowledge is nowhere more keenly felt than in the Christian university. In this regard, the conference met its primary goal of raising awareness about the need for serious interdisciplinary theological education and research. It also allowed ACU to exercise significant leadership in Christian higher education, a noble aspiration for our centennial year.
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| Dr. Laura Mae Gardner |
This summer provides a unique opportunity for service to missionaries and church leaders. The great challenge related to sending out missionaries is the care of missionaries. Dr. Laura Mae Gardner will direct Missions Focus this year. She is a specialist in missionary care, having worked with Wycliffe Bible Translators for many years. Information regarding registration for this event is on the missions website. See webpage. During Missions Focus other missions leaders will address topics such as "Building Strong Missionary Families," "Health and Safety Issues on the Field," and "Missionary Care in Times of Spiritual and Physical Danger." This event will equip churches for better care of their missionaries and increase their quality of life as well as their longevity on the field.
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| Dr. Edward Robinson |
Congratulations to Dr. Edward Robinson who teaches church history in the Department of Bible, Missions, and Ministry at ACU. Dr. Robinson was recently awarded a prestigious academic grant by the Louisville Institute enabling him to complete the writing of a new book next year. The First Book Grant Program exists to encourage young minority scholars to complete a major research project on an issue in American Christianity. Dr. Robinson's book is to be entitled Show Us How You Do It: Marshall Keeble and the Rise of African-American Churches of Christ in the South, 1914-1968.
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Five May graduates in the Department of Bible, Missions, and Ministry were recently recognized as University Scholars at ACU. The five seniors were chosen by the faculty as students who excelled in academics and scholarship during their four years at ACU, while also serving as outstanding servant leaders on campus. The five award recipients as pictured here are Kevin Porter from Dallas, TX, Karissa Herchenroeder from Duncanville, TX, Seth Shaver from Hawkins, TX, Clint Askins from College Station, TX, and Mitchell Halstead from Odessa, TX.
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Sixty graduating seniors in the Department of Bible, Missions, and Ministry were honored at the annual Senior Blessing this month. The seniors gathered with faculty in a retreat setting to enjoy good fun and fellowship, but more importantly, to share times of affirmation and blessing for the graduates. Seasons of prayer and words of love, blessing, and encouragement were shared with these outstanding graduates as they bring closure to their undergraduate experience as majors in the department. This gifted graduating class of 2006 will be a great blessing in Gods kingdom.
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Summer Workshop 2006, hosted at Abilene Christian University, will be conducted this year on July 27-29, 2006. For many years, the ACU Summer Workshop has been instrumental in encouraging and equipping great servants in the church. Bible class teachers, ministry leaders, and servants in a variety of ministries find strength for joyful service in the kingdom at Summer Workshop.
Featured speaker this year, Eddie Sharp, will join other exceptional presenters to share powerful and practical classes on faith formation. The Workshop features classes for Bible teachers in all age groups from preschool, children, youth, and adults. Other special classes within the program this year include workshops in Older Adult Ministry, Small-Church Ministry, Womens Ministry, and the Prepare/Enrich workshop for mentoring engaged couples.
Please come for Summer Workshop 2006 and bring a group from your church. The Workshop brochure, schedule, and registration information are on-line at www.acu.edu/events/summerworkshop.html
April 21-22, faculty, students, and those serving churches in a variety of leadership roles gathered to hear Dr. Phil Kenneson talk about cultural engagement. Kenneson teaches theology at Milligan College, Johnson City, TN. Kenneson is well known among the ACU community through his writings, including the book Life on the Vine, which is used in both graduate and undergraduate classes.
Kenneson presented two lectures and responded to questions from the audience. His first presentation made the case for the continual need for Christians to read the various cultures in which they find themselves. The need to read culture comes not so much from a desire to connect with the culture, but comes from the very nature of God's way of working in the world. Theological topics like soteriology and Christology require an understanding of local cultures. In his second presentation, Kenneson focused on culture's shaping force in people's lives. The various cultures in which people live shape our beliefs, convictions and virtues through processes like story-telling, practices, and involvement in institutions.
In addition to Kennesons presentations, breakout classes dealt with topics like dwelling in the word, spiritual formation, preaching, and adult formation study series. All presentations are available on CD and can be ordered through the ACU website (http://www.acu.edu/events/summit.html).
Next years Ministry Summit is scheduled for April 19-20. Richard Hays will present material on Reading Scripture in Community.
2006 Ministers Salary Survey Still In Progress
Approximately 400 ministers and other church leaders have completed the 2006 Ministers Salary Survey. This year's survey is revised and improved because the improved software will allow us to transfer the data into a spreadsheet that can be cross-tabulated according to role, geographical region, congregational size, experience, education, etc. If you have not yet completed the survey but would like to do so, go to this link.
Please pass the link for the survey on to others who may want to participate. The results will be helpful to other ministers and church leaders.
Second Church Administrators Forum
A new network called the Church Administrators Forum was formed last November after an initial gathering of Church Administrative Leaders (Church Administrators, Administrative Ministers, Administrative Elders, etc.) at the Highland Oaks Church of Christ in Dallas, TX. The CAL group has formed its own listserve to facilitate communications among themselves, and they will have their second gathering on May 9-10, also at Highland Oaks in Dallas.
Some areas to be probed are as follows: Facility & Finance (Resource Management/Stewardship), Technology & Administration (Software, Policies, Procedures, HR, etc.), Leadership & Staff Development (Inpidual/Team Development, training, mentoring, etc.), Planning & Personal Development (Strategic Planning, Self development, etc.).
Click here Click here for details and registration information.
Atlanta ElderLink Forum 2006 Goes Well
The Atlanta ElderLink Forum 2006 on Saturday, March 25 went extremely well. About 225 church leaders from eight different states participated in the event at the North Atlanta Church of Christ. Randy Lowry, President of Lipscomb University, was the plenary speaker. Audio recordings of all sessions may be purchased at www.gayloronline.com.
Houston ElderLink Forum 2006 Is Near
The 2006 Houston ElderLink Forum is set for Saturday, April 29 at the Bammel Church of Christ. The keynote speaker for the plenary sessions will be Jack Reese, Dean of the College of Biblical Studies at ACU. Other presenters for the day will include David Wray (ACU), Glenn Pemberton (ACU), Robert Oglesby, Jr. (ACU), C. D. Pruett (ACU), Roland Orr (Abilene), Ed Bonneau (Farmers Branch), Emily Lemley (Pepperdine), and a panel of six elders' wives from six Houston area churches. All participants will receive a copy of Like a Shepherd Lead Us, a new practical resource for church leaders. Audio recordings of all sessions may be purchased at www.gayloronline.com<.
Discounts on Books, Resources, and Supplies Now Available
All churches and church leaders may now purchase books, office supplies, and other resources, including Bibles, Bible School curricula, car rentals, and hotel reservations through AES (Abilene Educational Supply). Ministers and elders will receive a 20% discount on all Bibles, books, and other resources, and churches can receive discounts on office supplies from Staples up to 65%. Just go to www.aes.acu.edu.
Eight Ministers to Graduate from Doctor of Ministry Program
Eight outstanding ministers will graduate with Doctor of Ministry degrees at ACU's Spring Commencement on May 13. The DMin graduates will include the following: Allen Burris (Mitchell, IN), Michael Harbour (Houston, TX), Kelvin Kelly (Abilene, TX), Grady King (Irving, TX), Doug Peters (Arlington, TX), Bert Reynolds (Little Rock, AR), Terry Seufferlein (Cedar Rapids, IA), and John Wade (Knox City, TX). All have completed 24 hours of doctoral courses and a six-hour project/thesis. All deserve our warmest congratulations.
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James Thompson has recently authored, Pastoral Ministry according to Paul: A Biblical Vision, Grand Rapids, Baker Academic, 2006. Chapters include Discovering a Pauline Pastoral Theology, Blameless at His Coming: Paul's Vision in Philippians and 1 Thessalonians, Living between the Times: Pauline Anthropology and the Problem of Transformation in Galatians, Romans as Pastoral Theology, Building the Community: Pastoral Theology as Community Formation in the Corinthian Letters, and Transformation and Pastoral Theology.
Abraham Malherbe, Yale Divinity School, stated, "In his splendid new book, James Thompson, convinced that Paul's letters are pastoral intruments, examines them exegetically in order to discover Paul's pastoral theology. He discovers a stress on community formation as Paul's pastoral goal--the minister participating with God's transforming purpose, which includes a new ethical vision. Thompson's focus on the coummunity is a welcome balance to contemporary emphasis on individual self-realization, and the attention drawn to the congregation's participation in pastoral care, reciprocity being the key concept, is to be applauded." For more information see Baker Academic.
Like A Shepherd Lead Us: Guidance for the Gentle Art of Pastoring
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David Fleer and Charles Siburt, Editors
ISBN 0-9767790-4-8, 164 ppg, $12.99
Church elders today sacrifice and serve often without training or resources. The result can be discouragement, a sense of failure, or burnout. When crises come how do elders find nurture for their own spirits? In the midst of trouble, how do elders shepherd the flock, as did the Compassionate One, with tender mercies?
With theological clarity, practical wisdom, and the authority of extensive experience, the writers in this volume speak directly to church leaders and the many challenges they face.
Essay contributors include Mark Love, Rubel Shelly Randy Harris, Randy Lowry, David Wray, Greg Stevenson and Jeff Childers.
www.leafwoodpublishers.com
