Editor: Mark Edward Simpson, 4050 Lee Vance View, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
Living and Teaching in a Pluralistic World
Wanted: Current Research Presentations
NAPCE Membership Report
Help NAPCE Promote the 1998 Annual Conference
Book Reviews
Research Grant Proposal Guidelines
News Briefs
Discussion Groups Are Coming to the NAPCE Web Site!
Youth Ministry Educators Forum
Conference Reservation Information
Nominations to the Board
Living and Teaching in a Pluralistic WorldNAPCE Annual Conference 1998 Schedule
Change is inevitable, growth is not. So said one of my mentors a number of years ago. I think he was right! Are you having trouble living and teaching (catching your breath?) in your world? Does it seem like a culture war swirls around your ministry? Or perhaps you wonder what the confabulation is all about! Well, let's plan to meet! For what purpose? To cultivate the personal and professional development of the Christian educator. Review and research. Relax and relate. Rethink and refer. Read (as in discern) and reach out. Retool and revive. We need the restoration; we need the refreshment; we need the relationship with other members of our academy.
Where? Nashville. Music City USA. "Athens of the South" (think Centennial Park and the Parthenon). Music Row (think Country Music Hall of Fame, Wax Museum, and Car Collectors Hall of Fame). Historic Market Street (think good restaurants). Tennessee State Capitol and State Museum. The Hermitage and other historical mansions. The Grand Ole Opry. Publishing houses, academic institutions and education centers. The Sunday School Board. Where? The Club House Inn and Conference Center at 920 Broadway in downtown Nashville!
Our conference sessions will be held in the facilities of The Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention across the street from the Club House Inn. You will have the opportunity to tour there tremendous facilities as well as meet the president of the Sunday School Board, Dr. James Draper. Other members of the Sunday School Board may also drop in from time to time to join our general sessions and workshops.
This year our conference will feature two keynote speakers: Dr. D. A. Carson (think The Gagging of God and Christianity Confronts Pluralism), and Dr. Carolyn Tennant (think an astute implementer in the multicultural arena and a student of cultures applying what she has learned to help Bible colleges and seminaries address pluralism).
Donald A. Carson is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. Donald has a Ph.D. in New Testament from Cambridge University, and has written or edited over 40 books. He will be the featured speaker during the first two general sessions on Thursday and Friday.
Carolyn Tennant is the Vice President of Academic Affairs at North Central Bible College in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. Carolyn has a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Colorado, and has served in the field of education for 30 years. She will be the featured speaker during the final two general sessions on Friday and Saturday.
After each general session, a reaction team moderated by a NAPCE member will lead conference participants in dialogue with the guest speakers. No passive listening hereeach session will challenge us to wrestle with the ideas and issues presented by our conference speakers.
In addition to the general sessions, the conference will also feature Professional Development Workshops (think challenging presentations to equip you for teaching); Current Research sessions (think the latest and best, maybe you sharing yours!); Seasons of Life Workshops (think "mentor modes" according to where you find yourself in your career); publisher displays (think new resources, expert advice, and free materials!); and dialogue with NAPCE colleagues (think informally and during the general sessions). As always, fellowship, relaxation, and recreation will be present as well (remember: we are in Nashvilleif you cant find something to do here, a restaurant to check out, or some time to relax . . .).
I want to encourage you to come to Nashville for this years annual conference. Together lets learn to live and teach in a pluralistic world!
We are 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 16th, 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 1st. 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!
The membership of the association has reached 247 for the 1997-1998 year (October 1-September 30). This is the highest membership we have had in several years and indicates the growing strength of the association.
Members receive the NAPCE Newsletter, the Christian Education Journal and, from time to time, free books provided by publishers.
Many who receive this newsletter have not renewed their membership. We invite you to do so for the coming year.
Membership is open to persons who teach Christian education in institutions of higher learning, persons who teach in related areas, persons who formerly taught Christian education in colleges or seminaries, and leaders of related Christian education organizations. Full membership is $40 per year and student membership is $25 per year. Checks should be made to NAPCE and payable in U.S. funds. Memberships received between now and October 1st will be counted for the 1998-1999 membership year. Please send your membership fee payable in U.S. funds along with your name and title, address (indicate home or work), home phone, work phone, fax line, e-mail address, and school/organization to NAPCE:
c/o Dennis E. Williams
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
2825 Lexington Road
Louisville, KY 40280
Phone: (502) 897-4813
Fax: (502) 897-4004
E-mail:
Please indicate if we have permission to post your membership on our web pages (excluding home address and/or home phone of course).
Enclosed with this newsletter is our annual conference brochure. We hope you will use it to register for the conference as soon as possible. If you have already registered, please pass the brochure to a colleague and encourage him or her to attend. If necessary, feel free to duplicate the brochure as needed. We would like to have a large attendance at the conference again this year.
Each issue of the NAPCE Newsletter features two book reviews by our membership. These new reviews, plus reviews from previous newsletters, are available online at the NAPCE home page.
Rogers, William B. 1996. Being a Christian educator: Discovering your identity, heritage, and vision. Macon, GA: Smith & Helwys Pub. 100 pgs. ISBN: 1-57312-092-8. Reviewed by Kevin Lawson, Associate Professor of Educational Ministries, Talbot Theological Seminary.
This book is the first in the "Faith Growth" series by Smith & Helwys, overviewing the work of Christian education. In it, Rogers develops a philosophical perspective built on his understanding of the dynamic synergism of various components that are foundational to educational ministry (faith growth): the curricular tasks (worship, community, Bible study, discipleship), church functions (administration, witness, teaching), and the groupings (family, children, youth, adult), that are utilized in its accomplishment. He also addresses issues and raises questions regarding the locus of authority for faith growth and the roles of discipline and historical and personal experience in the spiritual growth process.
Rogers provides a helpful basic structure for examining foundational issues, and responds to the issues raised with positions that are at times simple and profound, and at other times vague or not well developed. His evaluation of other positions and historical