BICTE VIII Speakers & Presenters

Presenters

Deji Isaac Ayegboyin (Nigeria)

Dr. Deji Isaac Ayegboyin has been a Professor of Church History and African Christianity at the Department of Religious Studies, University of Ibadan, Ibadan since 2006. He has also served as President of Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary in Ogbomoso, Nigeria. He holds a PhD in Church History from the University of Ibadan and his M.Div in Theology from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.

Dr. Ayegboyin’s most recent published works include Globalization, Technology, HIV & AIDS and Theological Education in Africa (Jos & Kumasi: WAATI Publications) (2009); Pedagogy: The Church, Leadership and Theological Education in Africa (2009); Papers in Honour of Prof. Osadolor Imasogie; and The Reformation and the response of the Church in Africa, Course Material for Post-Graduate Diploma in Christian Theology (National Open University of Nigeria, 2008).

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William Brackney (Canada)

Rev. Dr. William Brackney currently holds the Millard R. Cherry Distinguished Chair in Christian Thought and Ethics on the Faculty of Theology at Acadia University and teaches in Acadia Divinity College. The author of over 40 books in Christian Thought, Ethics, and Baptist Studies, Dr. Brackney currently teaches in Historical Theology, Ethics and Baptist Studies. His particular interests are in human rights and religious traditions and developing a congregational model for interpreting theological and ethics in context. His recent published works include Human Rights and the World’s Major Religions (2013), Baptists in Early North America (2013), a 13 volume series he is editing, Historical Dictional of Radical Christianity (2012), and Studying Christianity: The Critical Issues (2009). He is much involved in ecumenical and interfaith conversations at the national and international levels.

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Neville G. Callam (Jamaica)

Rev. Dr. Neville G. Callam is General Secretary of the Baptist World Alliance. A graduate of the United Theological College of the West Indies, the University of the West Indies and Harvard Divinity School, he assumed leadership within the BWA in September 2007. He taught at the United Theological College of the West Indies and at the Jamaica Theological Seminary.

He is the author or editor of seven books, the most recent being Pursuing Unity and Defending Rights: The Baptist World Alliance at Work (2010), Dr. Callam has made presentations at fora, symposia, seminars, workshops and services of worship in more than 70 countries.

Graham Hill (Australia)

Rev. Dr. Graham Hill (DipMinHons, BTheol, PGCertTESOL, CertIV.TAA, MTheol, PhD ) joined the Morling faculty in 2007 as Lecturer in Pastoral and Practical Studies, the Director of the Centre for Leadership Studies, and the Coordinator of Postgraduate Coursework degrees. Before coming to Morling, Graham lectured in Culture, Mission, and Leadership at Burleigh College in South Australia, and has also served as the Director of Baptist Youth Ministries in Western Australia. Graham has been in Christian ministry since 1988, and has significant experience in local church leadership, including church planting, youth ministry, associate pastor of a large growing congregation, and coaching pastors and planters of missional experiments.

Burchell K. Taylor (Jamaica)

Rev. Dr. Burchell K. Taylor is Pastor of Bethel Baptist Church, Half Way Tree, Kingston, Jamaica. He is involved in leading seminars, addressing conferences, presenting papers and leading Studies in Bible and related subjects, both locally and internationally. He has served as Baptist chaplain to the University of the West Indies, Member of the Baptist World Alliance Commission on Ethics and Communication and member of the Jamaica Council of Churches executive.

A part time lecturer at the United Theological College of the West Indies and St. Michael’s Seminary (Roman Catholic), he holds a Bachelor of Divinity from London University, Master of Arts (Theology) from Oxford University and a Ph D – Theology from the University of Leeds.

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Doug Weaver (USA)

Rev. Dr. Doug Weaver has been at Baylor University since 2003 and was recently promoted to full professor in the Department of Religion.  He is a member of the Department’s “Historical Studies” area and teaches at the PhD, Masters, and undergraduate levels.  He received his PhD from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Rev. Dr. Weaver’s current research and teaching focus are on Baptist history and Pentecostalism. In other recent studies, he has explored the importance of freedom of conscience and the relationship of personal voluntary faith and ecclesiology in Baptist life in Exploring Christian Heritage: A Reader in History and Theology.

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Respondents

Otneil Ioan Bunaciu (Romania)

Currently serving as the Pastor for Biserica Providenta, Bucuresti, Romania, Dr. Otneil Ioan Bunaciu also serves as the Vice president for the European Baptist Federation, President of the Baptist Union of Romania and the National Director of TCMI, Heiligenkreuz, Austria. He serves as the Dean of Facultatea de Teologie Baptista, Universitatea din Bucuresti.

A known theological scholar, he currently holds a Ph.D. from Institutul Protestant, Cluj, Romania (Theology), B.A. from Regent’s Park College, Oxford University, UK (Theology / MA by cumulation) and a M.Sci.Institutul de Constructii, Bucuresti, Romania (Mechanical Engineering).

Some of his main publications include: Istoria crestinismului (Editura  Universitatii Bucuresti);Istoria crestinismului (Editura Universitatii Bucuresti)and Istoria crestinismului (Editura Universitatii Burcuresti).

Ademola Solomon Ishola (Nigeria)

Rev. Dr. Ademola Solomon Ishola currently supervises Master’s and PhD students at the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary; B. H. Caroll Theological Institute, Arlington, Texas and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (Students based in Nigeria and Republic of Benin).

The holder of a PhD and MDiv. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he is actively involved in publishing, submitting scholarly articles and writing for other book reviews over a wide range of topics including his most recent work in (2009) Pedagogy: The Church, Leadership and Theological Education in Africa;  in Honour of Professor Osadolor Imasogie.

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Bill Tillman (USA)

Rev. Dr. William Morris Tillman, Jr. is currently the Director of Theological Education of the Baptist General Convention of Texas in Dallas Texas, USA.  He is also presently a member of the BWA Christian Ethics Commission, and has been since 2001.  Prior to this, he was a member of the BWA Evangelism and Missions Workgroup, and the BWA Theological Education Workgroup.  He has earned a certificate in Conflict Resolution and Mediation in compliance with Texas Mediation Trainer Roundtable Standards, as well as his M.Div and Ph.D from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.  Previously, he was a professor of Christian Ethics at Logsdon School of Theology of Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, USA from the year 2000 until 2012.  Rev. Dr. Tillman has worked as a pastor since 1965, in places such as Oklahoma and Tennessee, USA.  He has published or assisted in the publication of several books, most recently of which he took on the role as editor on Both-And: A Maston Reader, Selected Readings from the Writings of T. B. Maston, published in 2011.  He is also the recipient of several distinguished awards, such as the Christian Live Commission, BGCT, Distinguished Service Award, which was presented in 2008.  He currently lives with his wife Leta Ruth Meek Tillman, and they have two grown children, William Andrew and Glenn Michael.

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Phyllis Rodgerson Pleasants Tessieri (USA)

Dr. Phyllis Rodgerson Pleasants Tessieri, who from a young age resided in Richmond, VA; has two degrees from the University of Virginia, her BA from Mary Washington when it was the women’s college of the University and later her MEd from the University in Charlottesville.  In mid-life she earned her MDiv and PhD degrees from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY.  She has taught Church History at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Lombard, IL; Baptist Theological Seminary at Rüschlikon, Switzerland; International Baptist Theological Seminary, Prague, Czech Republic; and ended her faculty career as the John F. Loftis Professor of Church History at the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, VA.

After interesting and varied careers, Tessieri has launched out on her own as a consultant/educator for local congregations and businesses.  Her focus is thinking historically in order to participate in creating the future.

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Panelists

Lina Andronoviene (Prague)

Dr. Lina Andronoviene serves as the Course Leader in Applied Theology at the International Baptist Theological Seminary (IBTS) in Prague, Czech Republic. She is also the Director of the Non-residential Bible School of her home union, the Baptist Union of Lithuania. She holds BAs in English and Theology from the LCC International University, Klaipeda, Lithuania, and an MTh and a PhD from IBTS. An author of many articles, she has also published Involuntarily Free or Voluntarily Bound: Singleness in the Baptistic Communities of Post-communist Europe. IBTS Occasional Publications Series, Vol. II (Prague: International Baptist Theological Seminary, 2003).

Miyon Chung (Korea)

Dr. Miyon Chung is currently an Associate Professor of Theology at Torch Trinity Graduate University in Seoul, Korea.  She holds a BA in Government/Pre-Law from the University of Texas at Austin, MA’s in Church Social Work and Theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, as well as a PhD in Theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.  Some of her publications include Cambridge Companion of Evangelical Theology, Chapter 8 “Conversation and Sanctification”; Learning to Lead: Lessons in Leadership for People of Faith, Chapter 23, “Working with Asian’s”; and various articles in Korean academic journals.  She is currently working on two collaborative projects: selected passages on ESV Women’s Devotional Bible Crossway Publishing Ministries and Evangelical Theological Dictionary, “Assurance” by Baker Books.

Glenroy Lalor (Jamaica)

Rev. Dr. Glenroy Lalor is currently Baptist Senior Warden and Lecturer in Church History and Pastoral Studies at The United Theological College of the West Indies in Jamaica. He currently teaches courses in History of the Early Church to A.D. 451, The Reformation, History of the Christian Churches in the Caribbean: 1492-1834, History of the Christian Churches in the Post-Emancipation Caribbean, Caribbean Church History, and Congregation in Community.

Rev. Dr. Lalor earned two BA’s and a PhD in Theology from the University of the West Indies, and his Dip.Min. from the United Theological College of the West Indies.

Charlemagne M. Nditemeh (Cameroon)

Rev. Dr. Charlemagne Nditemeh is currently the Academic Dean of the International Leadership University (ILU) Cameroon and a visiting adjunct faculty member in three African seminaries: West Africa Theological Seminary (WATS) Lagos-Nigeria, the Faculté de Théologie Evangélique de Bangui (FATEB) in the Central African Republic, and the Cameroon Baptist Theological Seminary Ndu.

Nditemeh has authored two books: “He or She Who Has an Ear: Sermons on the Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia Minor” (April 2011) and “Towards An African Christian Premarital Counselling” (November 2011).

Richard J. Serrano (Venezuela)

Richard J. Serrano P. is a Venezuelan pastor, theologian and musician.  Currently he is the senior pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista de San Antonio de Los Altos and president of the Seminario Teológico Bautista de Venezuela.  He wrote the notes on Proverbs for the Biblia de Estudio Mundo Hispano, published by Editorial Mundo Hispano.  He has been a lecturer in several countries and has written several articles and essays.  He is the author of “Frente al altar con corazón de muchacho” (In Front of the Altar with a Boy´s heart), in Enrique Pinedo, ed., Niñez, adolescencia y misión integral (Buenos Aires, Argentina: Ediciones Kairós, 2012).  He is a student of the doctoral program in Philosophy of Theological Education, a doctoral program sponsored by SETECA, Guatemala, especially prepared for seminary presidents and deans.  Serrano is the president of the Asociación Latinoamericana de Instituciones de Educación Teológica (ALIET), director of the Theological Education Commission of the Unión Bautista Latino Americana (UBLA) and a member of the directory of the network Red de Instituciones Bautistas de Educación Teológica (RIBET). With his family, he lives in Los Teques, Venezuela.

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Meredith Stone (USA)

Rev. Meredith Stone currently serves as Women in Ministry Specialist for the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

She received her B.A. and also her M.A. in Religion from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas.  She is currently working toward the completion of a PhD in Biblical Interpretation at Brite Divinity School, Texas Christian University.  She has previously served as an adjunct instructor of Bible and Hebrew at Hardin-Simmons University, Teaching Pastor of a local church, and Admissions Coordinator for Logsdon Seminary. She regularly contributes to Bible studies from BaptistWay press and has also written articles, a book chapter, and other curriculum.

Regional Meeting Chairs

Trevor Raymond Edwards (Jamaica)

Rev. Trevor Raymond Edwards is a graduate of the University of the West Indies; UTCWI and the University of Edinburgh.  He is currently a Baptist Tutor and Lecturer at the United Theological College of the West Indies, in the area of Pastoral Theology.  He is also Coordinator of the UTCWI Counselling Centre, Moderator of the Barbican Baptist Church, and Director and Co-founder of FRESH START-a divorce recovery Ministry associated with the Family Life Ministries.  He is the former General Secretary of the Jamaica Baptist Union, former Deputy President of the United Theological of the West Indies, and Director and former Chair of the Caribbean Christian Publication (CCP).  He is currently married to Sharon Earle, both parents of four adult children; Grace-Ann, Ade, Raymond, and Francois.

Paul S. Fiddes (UK)

Dr. Paul S. Fiddes has the title of Professor of Systematic Theology in the University of Oxford, and holds the degrees of D.Phil. and D.D. from the University. He is a minister ordained in the Baptist Union of Great Britain. He was Principal of Regent’s Park College, University of Oxford for 18 years, and is now Director of Research in the College and Acting Director of the Oxford Centre for Baptist History and Heritage. He was Chairperson of the Doctrine and Inter-Church Commission of the Baptist World Alliance between 2005 and 2010, and the Baptist Chair of International Theological Conversations with both the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church. Dr. Fiddes has written or edited 17 books and more than 90 articles in the areas of Christian doctrine, ecumenical theology and the theology of culture, and has a particular interest in the interface between theology and creative literature. His most recent book is Seeing the World and Knowing God: Hebrew Wisdom and Christian Doctrine in a Late-Modern Context (Oxford University Press, 2013).

 A. K. Lama (India)

Rev. Dr. A. K. Lama is the General Secretary of the Council of Baptist Churches in Northeast India (CBCNEI), a family of 7000 Baptist Churches in India. He is also a member of the BWA Commission on Theological Education and Leadership Development, an Executive Member of National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), and the Executive Director of Transforming Leaders in Asia, AL. Earlier, he served as the Regional Secretary of the Union of Evangelical Students of India (the InterVarsity chapter of India) for 8 years.

He earned a Master of Divinity in 1996, a Doctor of Ministry in 2002 from Samford University (Birmingham, AL), and a Doctor of Philosophy in the Old Testament from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Deerfield, IL) in 2007. He and his wife Dr. Asangla has been in the ministry for 23 years. They are blessed with three children, Sonam, Neema, and Joshua.

His publications include an article in Journal of Asian Evangelical Theology (Vol.17/1, 2013): Interpreting Scripture in Northeast India; Two chapters in ATA Publications Light for Our Path: The authority, inspiration, meaning, and mission of the Scripture, Manila, 2013: (1) Preaching God’s Word n Northeast India; (2) How Can We Rebuild, Restore, and Renew?; and the recent published monograph: Reading Psalm 145 with Sages by Langham Publications. He is the Editor of the Baptist News, a magazine of the Council of Baptist Churches in Northeast India.

Dinorah B. Méndez (Mexico)

Dr. Dinorah B. Méndez , a native of  Durango, Mexico, holds degrees in Informatics from the Technological Institute of Durango and in Theology from the Mexican Baptist Theological Seminary. She studied for her Master of Divinity at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas and gained her doctorate from Wales Univeristy through the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies. She has worked as missionary in Mexico City and has been professor of theology and Christian heritage at Mexican Baptist Seminary (STBM) since 1989. Currently she is serving as visiting professor at the Baptist University of the Americas and as adjunct professor at Logsdon Seminary extension program both in San Antonio, Texas.

Among her latest publications are her biblical commentaries on 1 Timothy and Titus in the Comentario Bíblico Mundo Hispano, Volúmen 22, Editorial Mundo Hispano, 2008. Her doctoral dissertation Evangelicals in Mexico: Their Hymnody and Its Theology, Peter Lang, 2008;“Key Characteristics of Mexican Spirituality” in Transformation. Journal of Holistic Mission, Oxford Centre for Mission Studies, October 2010; and the notes and commentaries on 1 and 2 Timothy in the Nueva Biblia de Estudio Mundo Hispano, Editorial Mundo Hispano, 2012.

Elizabeth Newman (USA)

Dr. Elizabeth Newman holds the Eula Mae and John Baugh Professor of Theology and Ethics Chair at the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond (Virginia, USA). She received her B.A. from Wake Forest University, the M.Div. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. from Duke University. She is the author of Untamed Hospitality: Welcoming God and Other Strangers (Brazos Press, 2007), and Attending the Wounds on Christ’s Body: Teresa’s Scriptural Vision (Cascade Books, 2012). Beth was appointed a Henry Luce III Fellow in Theology in 2009.

Harrison Olan’g (Tanzania)

Dr. Harrison Olan’g received a BA in Religion and Business Management from the University of Mary Hardin Baylor in 1988, a Masters of Divinity and Theology from Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology in 1991, and a Doctor of Philosophy and Theology from Brunel University/London School of Theology in 2003.  He studied Clinical Pastoral Education in 1976, African Studies in 2001, Energy Technology Assessment sponsored by Royal Netherlands Government and conducted by ESAMI in 2002, and a workshop in Church and Modern Communication presented by the BWA in 2004.  His publications include a book review of “The City of God, City of Satan: A Biblical Theology of the Urban Church” by Abraham Linthcum in the African Journal of Theology Vol. 11.2, 1992 and “What the Gospel Means to Us in Africa” presented at the Baptist World Congress in Buenos Aires in August of 1995, later published as “The Gospel of Endiyanga” in The Contemporary Gospel Accents, EDS. Daniel Carro and Richard F. Wilson, Mercer University Press, Macon, Georgia, 1977, pp. 35-39.  “A Case for Holistic Education in Higher Learning Institutions in Tanzania” Mount Meru University General Education Journal will be published in April, 2013.  His area of teaching has been in African Traditional Religions, Contemporary Theology in Africa, and Theology of Development.

Greetings, Devotions, & Session Chairs

Johnathan Hemmings (Jamaica)

Rev. Johnathan Hemmings has been in pastoral ministry for the past twenty six years. He is a past  president of the Jamaica Baptist Union, which he currently serves as a member of various committees and commissions. He is the chairman of the Jamaica Baptist Union superintendent council and serves as the  superintendent minister for the parishes of St. Ann, St. Mary, and Portland. He is the pastor of the Ocho Rios circuit of Baptist Churches for the past sixteen years. He is also married to wife, Lois, with two grown children, Jon and Gabrielle.

Louise Kretzschmar (South Africa)

Louise Kretzschmar is Professor of Theological Ethics at the University of South Africa in Pretoria. It is one of the largest distance education universities in the world and currently has over 350,000 students. Her main areas of teaching and research are in Christian Ethics, Spirituality, and Leadership. She also has a strong interest in Applied Ethics. She is a member of the Baptist Convention of South Africa, an elder in her church, and serves on the Board of the Baptist Convention College in Soweto.

Parush Parushev (Bulgaria)

The Rev. Dr. Parush Raykov Parushev is a native of Sofia, Bulgaria. He is currently the Pro-Rector and the incoming Rector of the International Baptist Theological Seminary in Prague, Czech Republic. He lectures and publishes extensively in Applied Theology, Missiology, Christian Ethics, and Moral Philosophy in Europe and North America.

Luke Shaw (Jamaica)

Rev. Luke Shaw is Pastor of the Linstead/Buxton Town Circuit of Baptist Churches, St. Catherine Jamaica and currently serves as President of the Jamaica Baptist Union (JBU). He holds a Diploma in Ministerial Studies from the United Theological College of the West Indies, Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts (Theology) from the University of the West Indies). Rev. Shaw has served the Jamaica Baptist Union in various capacities both locally and internationally, including serving as missioner to Panama from 2000-2006. He also serves on the BWA METR Commission on Evangelism. He is married with two children.

John V. Upton, Jr. (USA)

Rev. Dr. John V. Upton, Jr. is currently serving a five-year term as President of the Baptist World Alliance that began July 31, 2010, with his election at the 20th Baptist World Congress in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.  As President of the BWA, John travels the world representing over 41 million Baptists and sharing the message of the redeeming love of Christ.  He was also elected Executive Director of the Baptist General Association of Virginia in the United States and the Virginia Baptist Mission Board during the annual meeting of the General Association in November 2001.  He had been group leader of the Mission Mobilization Group since 1995. Earlier, he was pastor of Urbanna Baptist Church in Urbanna, VA, and him and his wife, Deborah, served as missionaries in Taiwan through the Southern Baptist Convention’s Foreign Mission Board (now International Mission Board).

Rev. Dr. John V. Upton, Jr., a Norfolk-born Virginia native, is a graduate of Averett College (now University) in Danville, VA and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY, USA.  The Upton’s have two sons, Christopher and Richard, a daughter, Emily, and six grandchildren.

Fausto A. Vasconcelos (Brazil/USA)

Rev. Dr. Fausto Aguiar de Vasconcelos is Director of the Division on Mission, Evangelism, and Theological Education at the Baptist World Alliance in Falls Church, Virginia, in the United States. Rev. Dr. Vasconcelos is a former pastor of First Baptist Church, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (1985-2006); was president of the Latin American Baptist Pastors’ Conference (1992-1995); an eight time president of the Brazilian Baptist Convention (1992-2006); and is a former  president of the Union of Baptists in Latin America (2001-2004). He is married to Dione and has two daughters, Diane and Denise (married to Mario), and a grandson named Theodoro.