Editor: Mark E. Simpson, 4050 Lee Vance View, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
Living and Teaching in a Pluralistic World (Part II)
Wanted: Current Research Presentations
Book
Reviews
Research Grants Available
News Briefs
Annual Conference Update
NAPCE Online!
NAPCE
Board Nominations
Youth Ministry Educators Forum
Living and Teaching in a Pluralistic World–NAPCE 1998 Annual
Conference Schedule
Why is the North American Professors of Christian Education conference in Nashville the highlight of the seminars I attend? Why should you plan to attend? I propose four reasons.
Fresh Ideas
Participating in the conference will give you new ideas. The core of evangelical belief
and the growing diversity among us will present ways of thinking that you will seldom find
so accessible elsewhere. Consider our theme: Living and Teaching in a Pluralistic World.
"Nothing in our past prepared us for the present. We live in a time unlike any other
time that any living person has known. Change itself has changed, thereby changing the
rules by which we live." (Easum, William. 1995. Sacred Cows Make Gourmet Hamburgers,
Abingdon.)
D. A. Carson, Research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, will sharpen our focus on postmodern thinking. In the Gagging of God, Carson states, "For any number of reasons, many Christians similarly feel that they can participate in this little corner or that, but that in the face of the extraordinary complexities cast up by the new pluralisms they find it difficult to articulate a more comprehensive vision" (pg. 405). Need a fresh vision for Christian education? I believe you will find Carson's lectures and the educational responses to his, "Deck Chairs on the Titanic: Living in a Pluralistic World," and "And the Band Played On: How Should We Then Teach?" clarifying, practical, prioritizing, and thought-provoking.
Carolyn Tennant, Vice President of Academic Affairs at North Central Bible College, is an insightful and innovative leader in the area of multi-cultural Christian education. She will use the historical backdrop of Celtic culture to provide an analysis of the weaknesses and lacks of our present system ofChristian education. Robert Pazmiņo will lead our response to her first lecture, "Viewing Christian Education Through the Eyes of a Different Culture." "A Paradigm of Accomplishing Mission in a Culture of Diversity" will address practical ideas on how to address those weaknesses. Successfully addressing those trends in a Bible College, Carolyn is sure to stimulate crisp thinking for our own ministries.
Refreshing Fellowship
It only took the first attendance at a NAPCE Conference in 1983 and I was hooked. The
friendships made over the years have acted like a gyroscope on my professional
development. (The free-time basketball games and late night debates were not bad either!)
NAPCE folks are the kind of people you want to spend time with!
Nashville is a fantastic place for relaxing
and/or having fun. World famous "Music Row," scrumptious dining, Southern
hospitality, and everything from Opryland Hotel to Hermitage Museum await you. Plenty of
time has been built into the conference to relax and converse, explore and enjoy. The
Clubhouse Inn is a pleasant and convenient downtown location right across the street from
the host of our convention, LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention
(formerly known as the Sunday School Board).
Useable Resources
When you think of Nashville, you have to think of prominent publishers! Along with the
regular supporters of NAPCE, local area publishers have been invited to participate with
us. Optional tours of the LifeWay facilities also have been scheduled. If you have been at
a NAPCE conference before, you already know that valuable publications and resources are
provided for us from the numerous publishers, companies, and resource groups sponsoring
booths at the meeting. (Be sure to leave room in your suitcase!)
But that is not all the resources you will take home! The Current Research Sessions, coordinated by Kevin Lawson, will highlight the best and most recent discoveries from our academy.
Professional Development
Nowhere else will you find specific helps for the Christian education professor so geared
to personal vocational maturation as in the Professional Development Workshops. J. E.
Harvey Martin organizes the presenters and topics for these key parts of our conference.
You will have a hard time choosing from workshops on "Writing for Publication,"
"Multi-Cultural Religious Education," "Youth Ministry Trends and
Ideas," "Teaching Effectively," "Computer Presentations for the
Classroom," and "Web site Development for the Classroom." The networking
and learning that goes on in these workshops alone makes the conference worth the money
and effort.
The Season of Life Workshops being put together by Denise Muir Kjesbo will focus on the aspects of development in our profession such as, "Student Perspective," "Beginning Professor," "Middle Professional," and "Finishing Well." We will even hold caucus for "Faculty Gone Administration!" These "mentor modes" may well be the highlight of the conference for you.
Getting Ready
Well, there you have it. Now, how do you prepare for a seminar that will challenge you,
refresh you, and sharpen you?
1. Pray. Let God mold your thinking and heart. Ask Him for an alert mind, a ready spirit, a hungry heart. Will you pray at least once a week for the conference?
2. Read. Get acquainted with Carson's and Tennant's work. Read in the area of pluralism and multi-cultural understandings. Come ready to ask questions.
3. Register. The conference will not profit you if you do not attend! Do one thing today to get yourself to Nashville. Write the budget request. If costs in attending the conference are prohibitive for you, call Dennis Williams to ask about the David C. Cook Church Ministries Professional Growth and Development Grant. Fill out the registration form and send it in. Call the Club House Inn and make reservations. Book your flight.
4. Call or Email. If you have any questions about the conference, feel free to contact any member of the NAPCE Board. What I really am thinking about, however, is for you to call or email a friend and invite them to come. The last several years, I have tried to bring at least one new member of the academy to this conference. We will be the richer for it! You will be appreciated for it!
See you in Nashville!
Wanted: Current Research Presentations
Kevin Lawson, Talbot School of Theology
We are still looking for faculty and students interested in sharing their research at the upcoming NAPCE annual conference. The research can be empirical in nature, or fit more of an historical, philosophical, or theological model. A high quality of research workmanship is expected. Research presentations are set for Friday, October 16, during the conference in Nashville.
If you are interested in making a presentation, send a one-to-two page abstract of your research to:
Kevin E. Lawson
Talbot School of Theology
13800 Biola Avenue
La Mirada, CA 90639
Phone: (562) 903-6000
The deadline for submissions is September 1. However, if space is limited, those who apply early and are accepted will be given preference. This is a great opportunity to share what you have been working on, receive feedback from others, and stimulate others to extend your work into new arenas. Join us for a great conference, and share your work with us!
Book Reviews
Mark Lamport, Huntington College
Each issue of the NAPCE Newsletter features two book reviews by our membership. These new reviews, in addition to reviews from previous newsletters, are available online at the NAPCE web site.
Bass, Dorothy C., ed. 1997. Practicing our faith: A way of life for a searching people. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers. 232 pages. ISBN: 0780787903367. Reviewed by Gary Parrett, Assistant Professor of Youth Ministries, Gordon College.
Dorothy Bass’ edited volume, Practicing Our Faith, offers a needed reminder that the Christian life is not a merely cerebral exercise: a faith not only to be believed, but to be obeyed, lived and shared. Ten Christian practices (described as "things Christian people do together over time in response to and in the light of God’s active presence for the life of the world") are discussed by the various authors. Topics include "Honoring the Body," "Hospitality," "Household Economics," "Keeping Sabbath" and "Dying Well."
As important as its message is, however, the book is not as helpful as one might hope. Like many edited works, this collection suffers from uneven treatments of the various topics. Some chapters are well-grounded biblically and theologically, yet in others such grounding seems peripheral at best. There is an unevenness in the choice of the "practices" themselves. Not all seem to fit the definition of "things Christians do together."
The book is not helped by the fact that the first two practices, "Honoring the Body" and "Hospitality," are the weakest chapters in the book, perhaps discouraging one not to read on. That would be unfortunate, however. There are some insightful elements in the chapters that follow, especially the editor’s chapter on "Keeping Sabbath."
In spite of its shortcomings, the book may prove helpful for use in courses that deal with the educational implications of the entire life of the church, the family, and the faith community. There are enough challenging stories and good chapters to make this book worth the read.
Stonehouse, Catherine. 1998. Joining children on the spiritual journey. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. 237 pgs. ISBN: 0801058074. Reviewed by Susan Schriver, Director of Supervised Ministry Experience and Doctoral Programs Coordinator, School of Christian Education and Leadership, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
In this new text, Catherine Stonehouse explores a broad array of theorists who have contributed to our understanding of the development of the child. Her primary assertions are ones which are commonly shared by those involved in ministry to and with children: faith development begins in childhood, and effective spiritual education must be grounded in an understanding of the human developmental process.
A large portion of the book is given to an exploration of the theories of Erickson, Piaget, Kohlberg, Fowler and Rizzuto. Jerome Berryman's work in the area of "godly play" is used as a methodological framework for an exploration of how one can effectively facilitate the nurture of faith among children. The work is full of interesting illustrations, anecdotes and life stories which compliment the emphasis on the roles the parent and the faith community play in fostering a child's spiritual journey.
The last two chapters of the book especially caught my attention and left me wanting more. In these chapters the author explores methods for putting theory into practice in such a way that children are assisted in their personal "meeting with God." I found myself wishing at the end of the chapters that the author had addressed how "having the faith of a child" as an adult could be moved from theory into practice as well.
The thoroughness with which the author explores the various developmental theories is both its strength and weakness. The content of much of the text is not "new" material, but rather a re-presentation of popular developmental theories. At the same time, those who are unfamiliar with the material may find this helpful; it will certainly work well in the classroom as an introductory text on childhood development.
Research Grants Available
James Davies, Simpson College
NAPCE, through the generosity of David C. Cook Church Ministries, has funds available to assist members with research projects related to the field of Christian education. David C. Cook Church Ministries has the option of publishing the research in cooperation with the NAPCE Board. The results will be made available to all NAPCE members and their schools biennially. Agreement to publication is a condition for funding.
The applicant should submit a current curriculum vitae and a proposal outline (1,000 word maximum). Details on the design of the proposal appeared in the last issues of the NAPCE Newsletter (Spring 1998), are available from Jim Davies at the address below, or can be found online at the NAPCE web site.
Please send questions and/or research proposals to:
James Davies
Simpson College
2211 Collegeview Drive • Redding, CA 96003
Phone: (916) 224-5600 • Fax: (916) 224-5608
News Briefs
Retiring or Recently Retired?
Members who are retiring this year or who retired recently are asked to let the
newsletter editor know so this milestone may be announced in a future issue. Members who
know of retirements in our membership should let the editor know as well so that we will
not miss anyone.
In memory of Dr. Kathryn N. Chapman
Dr. Kathryn N. Chapman, Gaines S. Dobbins Professor of Childhood Education at The
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, died suddenly on Wednesday, April 22, after a short
illness. Kathryn taught childhood education at Southern Seminary for 20 years and was a
new member in NAPCE. She frequently commented after attending her first conference last
year that she was excited about the collegial nature of our organization.
PACE to Create a CE Database Online
The Professional Association of Christian Educators (PACE) has "linked up"
with NAPCE through our web pages. PACE will be further expanding their web site to include
a Christian education database online. For further information about this project, contact
Jay Sedwick at Dallas Theological Seminary (214) 874-4499 or at jsedwick@flash.net, or visit them online at http://www.paceinc.org.
Web Resources on Marriage and Family Ministry
Donald Ratcliff is compiling a list of resources on marriage and family and family
ministry that are available via the Internet. The resources listed represent a
conservative perspective, and are more oriented toward research and scholarship rather
than just opinion or advice. Suggestions for additional Internet resources and reactions
to resources listed would be appreciated.
http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Campus/1719/mafresources.html.
David C. Cook Article Service and Techno-Methods
David C. Cook Church Ministries has a free Christian Education Article Service
that provides magazines with excerpts from significant writings across a variety of
vocations in Christian education ministry. The Church Ministries division also offers free
telephone and video conferencing for the Christian education classroom. For additional
information on either service contact:
Lee Cook
David C. Cook Church Ministries
4050 Lee Vance View • Colorado Springs, CO
80918-9952 • Phone: (800) 708-5550, x3983
What’s News with You?
If you would like to update your mailing profile, or share information about yourself
or another Christian educator for publication in the NAPCE Newsletter, please send
information to:
Mark Simpson
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
2825 Lexington Road • Louisville, KY 40280
Phone: (502) 897-4813 • Fax: (502) 897-4004
E-mail: msimpson@sbts.edu.
Annual Conference Update
If you have not already done so, now is the time to make reservations for the 1998 Nashville conference, particularly for hotel accommodations and airline travel. You will especially want to renew your membership using the form on the conference brochure.
Hotel Reservations
Your hotel reservations should be made directly with: Club House Inn, 920 Broadway,
Nashville, TN 37203, phone (615) 244-0150. Please indicate that you are with NAPCE to
receive the rate of $75 for single or double occupancy. The cut-off date is October
1st–thereafter reservations will be accepted on a space available basis and also at
the prevailing rate of the hotel. You must make your reservations prior to October 1st
to secure the NAPCE room rate.
Airline Special Rates
Southwest Airlines is offering NAPCE members a 10% discount on most of its already low
fares for travel to and from the conference in Nashville. You or your travel agent may
call the Southwest Airlines Group and Meeting desk at (800) 433-5368, Monday through
Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. or Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. To receive the
discount, you must refer to the following code: L.D. Code S4478. Reservations must
be made by October 8 to receive the discount. Fares and seating are subject to
availability.
Airport Transportation
Grayline Airport Express will provide round-trip transportation from the Nashville
airport for $10. In the baggage area, look for their counter and they will provide
instructions on where to meet their bus.
Need a Roommate?
If you would like us to help you find a roommate to share the cost of the hotel,
contact Dennis Williams at (502) 897-4813 and leave your name, phone number, fax number,
and e-mail address with the secretary or voice mail. You may also contact Dennis by fax at
(502) 897-4004 or by e-mail at celead@sbts.edu. You will be given either the name of
someone to contact, or your name will be put on a waiting list. The earlier you make your
request, the greater the chance you can share a room. When requesting a roommate, it is
assumed that you both will be staying at the hotel Thursday through Saturday night.
Financial Assistance
Through the David C. Cook Church Ministries Professional Growth and Development Grant,
the NAPCE Board is able to provide some financial assistance to professors who must pay
all or part of their expenses to the Annual Conference in October. Persons requesting
assistance should be members of NAPCE for the current year. Canadian members may deduct
$35 from their registration fee as long as the check is payable in U.S. dollars.
Scholarship funds are limited–if you need assistance, contact Dennis Williams as soon
as possible.
San Diego 1999
The 1999 Annual Conference will be held in San Diego, California. Due to the
popularity of the region and the resulting prices of accommodations, our conference will
meet later in the month–October 28th through the 30th. Our conference dates have
usually been later in October than in recent years, so this move to the end of the month
is precedented.
NAPCE Online!
NAPCE now has its own online discussion groups thanks to the School of Christian Education and Leadership of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. All NAPCE members have guest access to these discussion groups. To access the discussions, please go to:
http://webclass.sbts.edu/scripts/webclass.cgi
Discussion Group Protocol
Instructions for participating in and making the most of online discussions can be
found in the **Please Read Before Posting** group. You are strongly encouraged to start
here before reading or posting messages.
All discussion groups are moderated, which means that when you submit a message to be posted, it will not appear immediately. The discussion group host will first review the message for content, and then post the message–this prevents objectionable language and material from appearing in our discussions.
You do not need to register to participate in discussions. However, for a message to be posted, you will be required to give your full name and email address at the beginning of your message. Failure to do so will result in the message not being posted by the host. We request that netspeak (abbreviated language common on the Internet) be avoided, and that emoticons (facial expressions from text :) like the smiley face) be limited.
Request for Discussion Group Topics and Hosts
Our online discussion groups can be as varied as the interests of the NAPCE
membership, and run as long or short as necessary. If you have a suggestion for a
discussion group topic or would like to host a group, please e-mail Mark Simpson at msimpson@sbts.edu.
Access Problems
Occasionally the web server will go down, but it is reset daily weekdays and on
Saturdays. If you cannot access the discussion groups and have been able to do so
previously, please be patient and try again later before contacting the sysop (Mark
Simpson).
NAPCE News Page Moves to the Discussion Groups
The NAPCE web page with news updates will become one of the NAPCE discussion groups.
This move will allow members of the NAPCE Board to post messages immediately, without
having to wait for a web page to be updated.
NAPCE Board Nominations
Nominations are still being taken to fill upcoming vacancies on the NAPCE Board. Nominations can be in the form of recommendations of persons you would like to see on the board, or in the form of volunteering to serve on the board.
Nominations will be taken up to October 1. The NAPCE Board will then discuss the slate of nominees and contact the prospective board members to confirm interest in serving on the board. The slate of new officers will then be presented during the annual meeting luncheon on Friday, October 16. Please send your list of nominees to:
David Rahn
Huntington College • Huntington, IN 46570
Phone: (219) 359-4291
E-mail: drahn@huntington.edu
The NAPCE Board is configured to represent the diversity of our membership. The Board uses eight factors in forming the slate of nominees:
• Geographical distribution
• Balance between college and seminary professors
• Ratio of Male and Female board members
• No more than one Board member from a school
• Minimum three year previous involvement in NAPCE
• Able to attend board meetings & the annual conference
• Willing & able to be an officer (a time commitment)
• Professional contribution to the field
Youth Ministry Educators Forum
Mark Lamport, Huntington College
You are invited to attend the 5th Annual Youth Ministry Educators Forum to be held Saturday through Monday, October 17-19, 1998 at the ClubHouse Inn in downtown Nashville, Tennessee immediately following the NAPCE Annual Conference. Last year more than 70 youth ministry professors or researchers attended our last gathering near Charlotte, North Carolina.
The theme of this year's forum is Choosing a Future for YME. As we are still in the embryonic phase of our organizational development, we have secured Dr. Ted Ward, long-time professor at Michigan State University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, to guide our thinking in the plenary sessions. He is truly one of the most thought-provoking, category-altering speakers I have heard.
As if that were not enough, we will also enjoy Professional Roundtables related to topics of significance for professors in our discipline. An added feature of this year's meetings is Research Presentations. To afford more time for personal interaction with colleagues Small Group Breakout Teams will interact regarding various topics.
Room reservations can be made at the ClubHouse Inn, the same hotel accommodating the NAPCE conference participants. The cost of registration is $75 and includes all meals. To register for the 1998 YME Forum, please contact:
Mark Lamport
Huntington College • Huntington, IN 46570
Phone: (219) 359-4291
E-mail: mlamport@huntington.edu
Saturday, October 17
5:00-6:00 P.M. Forum Registration
6:00-6:30 P.M. Opening Reception
6:30-7:30 P.M. Forum Banquet
7:45-9:15 P.M. Plenary Session: "Choosing a Future for YME" – Ted Ward
Sunday, October 18
8:30-9:30 A.M. Morning Worship – Ed Trimmer, Kenda Creasy Dean
10:00-11:30 A.M. Plenary Session: "Toward a Renewable Future" – Ted Ward
11:30 A.M.-Noon Small Group Breakout Teams
12:00-1:30 P.M. Forum Lunch
1:30-2:30 P.M. Professional Roundtables
2:30-3:00 P.M. Break
3:00-4:30 P.M. Plenary Session: "The Important Balances" – Ted Ward
4:30-5:00 P.M. Small Group Breakout Teams
6:00 P.M. Nashville Dinner and Excursion
Monday, October 19
8:30-9:00 A.M. Morning Devotions
9:15-10:15 A.M. Research Presentations
10:15-10:30 A.M. Break
10:30-Noon Plenary Session: "Putting Insight to Work" – Ted Ward
12:00-1:00 P.M. Closing Lunch
| Thursday, October 15th 1:00-5:00 P.M. Registration 2:00 P.M. Tours of LifeWay Christian Resources (also 3:00 & 3:30 P.M.) 5:30 P.M. Reception 6:30 P.M. Dinner 7:45 P.M. General Session—D. A. Carson "Deck Chairs on the Titanic: Living in a Pluralistic World" Friday, October 16 |
 Flag Room - LifeWay Christian Resources |
| 3:30-6:30 P.M. Leisure Time or Tour LifeWay (3:00 & 3:30
P.M.) 6:30-7:15 P.M. Dinner 7:30 P.M. General Session—Carolyn Tennant "Viewing Christian Education through the Eyes of a Different Culture" Saturday, October 17 |
 ClubHouse Inn Accommodations |
Please note that the Youth Ministry Educators Forum Begins Saturday P.M. and requires separate registration and room reservations.