Pastor/Deacon Conference: Session Descriptions and Leaders' Biographies

Conference Title: "Compassion Fatigue"

Conference Write-Up: What do caregivers in general—and ministers and deacons in particular—need to watch for in the constant and stressful practice of caring for others? This workshop will help folks identify some of the signals that tell us when we’re “wearing out or wearing thin” in our capacity to respond to the needs of persons—and how to find rest and renewal when we are tired.

Conference Leader: Dr. Dan Bagby

Leader Credentials:

Dan Bagby is the Ted F. Adams Professor of Pastoral Care & Counseling at the Baptist Theological Seminary in Richmond. Born in Brazil, son and grandson of missionary parents. Undergraduate work in Psychology, Religion, English (Baylor U), a Master's in Clinical Psychology, an MDiv. at Baptist Seminary in Louisville, Ky. and a PhD. in Marriage & Family Counseling. Post-Doc study at Univ. Of Edinburgh, Scotland. Pastored for twenty six years (Virginia, Indiana, and Texas), was chaplain to a Juvenile Detention Ctr., CPE in general and mental hospitals, and chaplain to a Women's Prison (Ky), a pastoral Counselor in two Pastoral Counseling Centers (Indiana and Texas), and taught Pastoral Care at two seminaries (Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville and BTSR). Married to a 9th grade teacher Chair of English Dept., father to a 37 yr. old son(in Fla.), and a 30 yr. old daughter (MDiv.). Teaches Pastoral Care, Marriage & Family Counseling, Crisis Care, Complicated Losses, Difficult Deaths (Grief Seminar), Counseling & Difficult Relationships, Ethics and Pastoral Care, etc. (teaches in Brazil at seminary every two years). Consultant to Hospice Programs and United Way agencies. Clinical member of American Assoc. of Marriage & Family Therapists, and American Association of Pastoral Counselors, and the American Orthopsychiatric Association.

Dr. Bagby has authored 7 books and edited 3:

Understanding Anger in the Church, Transition and Newness (on Loss), Before You Marry, The Church: The Power to Help and to Hurt, Seeing Through Our Tears, To Minister in a Crisis: First Response, and Beyond the Myths: The Journey to Adulthood. Edited three books in series for Abingdon ( The Church and Addiction (fall 2002), Pastoral Responses to Sexual Abuse (2003), and Pastoral Responses to Suicide (2005).

Contact Information: Daniel G. Bagby, BTSR, 3400 Brook Road, Richmond, VA  23227, 204-1204, dbagby@btsr.edu. 

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Conference Title: “ Muslim Influences on Your Church"

Conference Write-Up:   Some Muslims, without any terroristic tendencies, have goals to influence your church members.  Masjids (mosques) leaders plan open houses, joint projects and fellowships to gain acceptability.  As leaders of Christ’s people, we owe it to our Lord and His people to equip churches to learn, grow and witness.  Are you preaching and teaching others to recognize Islam’s attack upon our beliefs?

 Conference Leader: Dr. Charles Beckett

Leader Credentials:

Birth place – Sanford, NC

Baptism and ordination for the Gospel ministry – First Baptist Church, Chase City, VA

Education:

            Chase City, VA – elementary and high school

            St. Christopher’s School, Richmond, VA – post-graduate year

            University of Richmond – B.A. degree in Religion (Bible)

            Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

                        B.D. degree followed by a seminary-led study tour of Middle East &   Europe (1955)

                        Th.M. degree with a thesis: “Sin and Salvation in Islam”

                        D.Min. degree with a project and thesis: “Christian Response to Contemporary Ethical Issues” Duncan Macdonald Center of Islamic Studies, Hartford Seminary, Hartford, CT

                        M.A. degree in Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations with a  Thesis: “Responses to Muslim Resurgence from Christians in the United States between 1979 and 1993.”

Family:

            Married Jeanne Marie Plunkett, M.D. of Richmond, VA

                        B.A. degree, Westhampton College, University of Richmond

                        M.D. degree, Medical College of Virginia, School of Medicine

            Children – each born in East Pakistan prior to the formation of Bangladesh: Julia (resides in Midlothian, VA with her husband, Lewwy Marsh) Craig (resides in Murrieta, CA with his wife, Marianne, and their son, Austin)  Rachel (resides in Henrico, VA with her husband, Steve Perky)

Careers in ministry

 Jeanne and I were under appointment by the Foreign Mission Board for  

 missionary service in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) for 13 years.  Later   we both served on the FMB’s (now International Mission Board) staff.

            Pastorates:

             Three in Virginia and one in Maryland

            Founders and directors of the Foundation for Advanced Study and Training (FAST), an incorporated (1994) educational non-profit 501(c)(3) entity

            Charles retired September 1, 2009 as executive director of FAST and as director of the Center for Christian Understanding of Islam.            

Travel and research projects have focused on:

            Muslim countries from Senegal to Indonesia

            Muslims of North America with a focus on Muslims of DC and Virginia

            Interpretation of Islam and Muslims                                                       

            Christian and church responses to Muslim resurgence

            Development of the Center’s museum, library, other resources and programs

Contact Information: Charles Beckett, 8207 Westdale Lane, Henrico, VA  23229 . Email: FASTTrack9@aol.com

Suggested Reading:

Bible – Genesis 16, 17, 21; Acts 1:1-3, 2:11; I Corinthians 15:1-8; Galatians 4:21-31

 Qur’an – 4:155-157

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Conference Title: "Reaching Multiple Generations in Worship"

Conference Write-Up:  In this seminar you will hear about and have the opportunity to discuss various approaches to worship that enable audiences across multiple generations to become involved.  Particular attention will be given to crafting relevant content, utilizing a variety of presentation methods (both high and low tech) and music.

Conference Leader: David Benjamin

Leader Credentials:

David Benjamin is the Pastor of Winfree Church in Midlothian.  Previously he served at King's Cross Church in Tullahoma, TN, for over 10 years.  He has served as an international missionary and worked at Lifeway.  A native of Texas, he has attended Golden Gate, Fuller, Vanderbilt and Southern seminaries.  He holds a Ph.D. in New Testament from Southwestern.

Contact Information: winfreedavid@winfreechurch.com

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Conference Title:  "Navigating Change in  Today's Church"

Conference Write-Up: Big changes await the American Church down the road.  Travis will talk about how to remain effective as a church in our rapidly changing world.  This will mean navigating the waters of change while avoiding debilitating conflict in the congregation.  

Conference Leader:  Dr. Travis Collins

Leader Credentials:

Travis began his ministry as Bon Air's fourth pastor on June 1, 2002. He is a graduate of Samford University and earned the Master of Divinity and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Travis' twenty-five plus years of ministry have included missionary service in Nigeria. He is the author of Directionally Challenged (2007) and Tough Calls (2008). You might even see Travis on the sidelines of a football game this fall, for his favorite hobby is football officiating.  Travis and his wife, Keri, have three children and a wonderful daughter-in-law.

Contact Information: tcollins@bonairbaptist.org

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Conference Title:  “Reaching Youth and Building Meaningful Relationships"

Conference Write-Up:  This course will offer methods for (1) Reaching out to unchurched and churched youth, (2) Building relationships with today's youth, and (3) Through meaningful relationships leading youth to Christ. We will discuss today's youth culture and how we need to reach out to today’s youth and incorporate them into relationship. We will also address our youth who do attend church and their need for adult relationships and mentorship. We will be discussing today's trends and effective methods for leading youth into meaningful, lifelong relationship with Christ.

Conference Leader: Spencer Dillard

Leader Credentials:  Spencer Dillard is the Sr. Pastor at Parham Road Baptist Church, Richmond, Virginia. He previously served 20 years as Minister of Youth in three area Richmond Churches.

Contact Information: kfckidsforchrist@verizon.net

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Conference Title: "How to Deal with Difficult People in a Ministry Context"

Conference Write-Up:

This conference will deal with how we as ministers and leaders of the church can best deal with difficult people in our congregations by managing our own anxiety in the situation.  This seminar will look at the various types of people we may find in our congregations and help us to identify who "gets us".  By being able to identify 'who gets us" and "why", we are able to handle the situation with more dignity and grace...and sanity. 

Conference Leader:  Jennifer Dockum

Leader Credentials:

Rev. Jennifer Dockum is a graduate of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and is currently a D.Min candidate at BTSR.  She served for 8 years as the Director of Missions for the Hermon Baptist Association, and has worked at Remuda Ranch (an eating disorder clinic) as chaplain.  She currently is at home with her four children- and enjoys supply preaching and doing contract work for churches. 

Contact Information:jjadockum@aol.com; cell- (804) 994-4718.  

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Conference Title: "Ministering to Those in Grief"

Conference Write-Up: The purpose of Dr. Flamming's session will be to assist both pastors and deacons as they deal with the constant challenge of helping those who are struggling with the loss of a loved one.

Conference Leader: James Flamming

Leader Credentials:

Dr. Flamming served as Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church, Richmond, from 1983 to 2007. He is now a Visiting Professor at Baptist Theological Seminary of Richmond.

His book, Healing the Heartbreak of Grief, has recently been published by Abingdon Press.

Contact Information:

pjflamming@aol.com

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Conference Title: "Small to Large Churches: Growing God's Church "

Conference Write-Up: The goal of the conference will be to encourage pastors and church leaders to believe that every church can experience growth. In a down-to-earth way, we will  seek to discuss the following topics: (1  Defining Growth;  (2   Desiring Growth;  (3  Preparing for Growth;   (4   Developing a Plan for Growth;  (5   Sticking to the Plan;    (6  Trusting God for the Journey.

Conference Leader: Larry Frakes 

Leader Credentials:

 Larry Frakes is a native of Illinois but grew up in Arlington, Virginia. He attended Washington-Lee High School, Mars Hill Junior College, Wake Forest University, and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Barbara have two daughters, four grand-daughters, and one great grandson.

Since 1963, he has served four churches - open country, small town, downtown, and suburban settings - all in Virginia. He recently retired as Senior Pastor of Cool Spring Baptist Church in Mechanicsville, where he served for the last twenty-five years. He served two terms on the Virginia Baptist Mission Board in the Courageous Church division. In 2008 he completed his certification as an Interim and Intentional Interim minister through the Center for Congregatioal Health in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  He is currently serving as the Intentional Interim of Bowling Green Baptist Church in Bowling Green, Va. 

Contact Information: Telephone (804) 746-0644  Cell Phone  (804)840-6070  Email  larryfrakes@comcast.net  

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Conference Title: Rapid Response: Assisting Deacons/Pastors with Social Ministry

Conference Write-Up: How does your church handle requests for help?  Would you like information on what resources are available and where to refer folks?

Rev. Kenney will share how St. Paul's Baptist Church/South Campus works with needs in the community and allow time for deacons/pastors to share how their church handles emergency requests.

Conference Leader: Rev. John F. Kenney

Leader Credentials:

Having been a member of St. Paul’s Baptist Church since 1995, John has served in various ministries throughout the church and while under the pastorate of Rev. Dr. Lance D. Watson, John was licensed to preach on February 7, 2001 and Ordained into the Christian Ministry on November 21, 2004.

As a graduate from the Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology with a Master of Divinity degree, John currently serves as the Campus Pastor at The Saint Paul’s Baptist Church Belt Blvd Campus where he is responsible for the overall expansion of the Church’s mission and vision in a multi-site dynamic.  In addition to ministry development within Saint Paul’s Baptist Church, John also serves on the Executive Board of the MICAH Initiative and the National Coalition for Gun Control.

John has been blessed by God to be married to Lorraine Harmon Kenney, and through their 18-year union, God has blessed them with three children, Trevor, Kristin, and Caleb Kenney and John gives God all the Praise & Glory for what He has done in his life, because without God, there would be no life.

Contact Information:

Email Address: jkenneyfam@aol.com

Telephone: 643-6170, Ext. 6510

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Conference Title: "After 400 Years, What Do We Know? What Deacons Need to Know About Baptist History and Polity"

Conference Write-Up: This session will focus on characteristics of Baptists developed over the past 400 years that enable us to continue communicating the Gospel in our 21st century world.

Conference Leader: Dr. Phyllis RodgersonPleasants

Leader Credentials:

Dr. RodgersonPleasants is the current John F. Loftis Professor of Church History at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond.

B.A., Mary Washington College; M.Ed., University of Virginia; M.Div., Ph.D., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Professor RodgersonPleasants joined the BTSR faculty after two years as Visiting Associate Professor of Religion at Wake Forest University. She also was Associate Professor of Church History and Director of the Institute for Baptist and Anabaptist Studies at the International Baptist Theological Seminary in Rüschlikon, Switzerland, and Prague, Czech Republic; and Assistant Professor of Church History and Registrar at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Contact Information:

Phyllis RodgersonPleasants
John F. Loftis Professor of Church History
Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond
3400 Brook Rd.
Richmond, VA  23227
(804) 355-8135
prpleasants@btsr.edu

Suggested Reading:

Freedom for the Journey, by Phyllis RodgersonPleasants, available from the Virginia Baptist Historical Society

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Conference Title: "How to Preach a Story and Tell a Sermon"

Conference Write-Up:  A (very) brief introduction to storytelling as a way of making lessons and sermons come alive.  Topics will include the structure of the story and the effective use of technique.

Conference Leader:  The Reverend Doctor Jim Somerville

Leader Credentials: 

The Reverend Doctor James Green Somerville (prefers to be called Jim) has been Pastor of Richmond’s First Baptist Church since May 2008. He holds a Master of Divinity in preaching and teaching and a Ph.D. in New Testament studies from Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He graduated from Georgetown College, Kentucky, with a degree in Fine Art and before that from the Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. Before coming to First Baptist, he was pastor of the First Baptist Church of the City of Washington, DC, for nearly eight years. 

Dr. Somerville is married to Christy Treadwell Somerville, who is currently enjoying a sabbatical from her work as a Pre-K teacher.  His daughter Ellie is a senior at the College of Charleston (SC). His daughter Catherine is a senior at St. Catherine’s School here in Richmond.

Jim’s articles and sermons have been published in a number of different journals including Christian Century, Leadership, Preaching, Lectionary Homiletics, Preaching Great Texts, and The Upper Room.  The sermon he preached on the Sunday following September 11, 2001, was published in an anthology called Restoring Faith: America’s Religious Leaders Answer Terror with Hope (Walker & Company, New York).             Jim was a Boy Scout, earning Eagle Scout at the age of 13. At age 15 he began his studies at the Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. In college he was an All-Conference distance runner and was editor of the Georgetown College campus newspaper. He was recognized as the Outstanding Senior in Art and graduated Summa Cum Laude from Georgetown.

Born in Alabama, his family later moved to Southwest Virginia and then to West Virginia. Jim is a lover of the outdoors and enjoys hiking, camping and canoeing.

Contact Information:

 Pastor, First Baptist Church, 2709 Monument Avenue, Richmond, VA 23220; Phone: 358-5458 ext 126; email: Somerville@fbcrichmond.com

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Conference Title:  "Setting Deacons Free"

Conference Write-Up:  Come and hear the story of how one fellowship of deacons failed miserably using the Family Ministry Plan and the success and excitement (church-wide) that followed after implementing the DEACON TEAM MINISTRY MODEL incorporating spiritual gifts and passion. This is an energetic and humorous presentation that tells it like it is!

Conference Leader:  Tom Stocks 

Leader Credentials:

MINISTRY POSITIONS:

• 2008 – present - Field Strategist for the Ridge Valley Region, Deacon Training Specialist, Virginia Baptist Mission Board, Richmond VA

(Job Description: trains and assists local church search committees in filling staff positions. Helps church leaders develop strategies for church growth and church health. Serves as a resource person in networking churches with other needed resources).

• 1989 – 2008 Sr. Pastor of Rosalind Hills Baptist Church of Roanoke VA
• 1986 – 1989 Consultant / Baptist Men’s Department of the Baptist State Convention of NC
• 1984 – 1986 Journeyman Missionary with Foreign Mission Board to St. Lucia (West Indies)

EDUCATION:

• Doctor of Ministry – Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond (2001)
• Master of Divinity – Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (1986)
• Master of Sociology – Appalachian state University (1982)
• Bachelor of Arts – Mars Hill College (1980)

FAMILY:

• Married 1982 to Paula Hagaman of Boone, NC. She is a third grade school teacher for Roanoke County
  schools
• Daughters – Lindsey Rachel born 1989 (attending Radford university)

          Ashley Margaret born 1992 (attending Cave Spring High)

HOBBIES / INTERESTS:

• Police Chaplain Roanoke County Police Department
• Counseling
• Golf and handball

Resources for Developing Deacon Ministry Teams:                      Shurden, Walter (1987). The Doctrine of the Priesthood of Believers. Nashville, Tennessee: Convention Press.

Edge, Finley (1985). The Doctrine of the Laity. Nashville, Tennessee: Convention Press.

Sheffield, Robert (1990). The Ministry of Baptist Deacons. Nashville, Tennessee: Convention Press.

Galloway, Dale (2000). Building Teams in Ministry. Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press.

Wagner, C. Peter (1994). Your Spiritual gifts can Help Your Church Grow. Ventura, California: Regal Books.

Bugbee, Bruce (1995). What You Do Best in the Body of Christ. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan.

Gilbert, Larry & Stan Toler (2000). The Pastor’s Playbook – Coaching Your Team for Ministry. Kansas, Missouri:               Beacon Hill Press.

Temple, John (2004). Unleashing the Power of Deacon-led Ministry Teams. Nashville, Tennessee: LifeWay             Press.

Garner, Larry, John Temple & Keith Wilkinson (1997). Developing Deacon Ministry Teams. Deacon Ministry             Dynamics: Nelson Puckett

Bugbee, Bruce, Don Cousins & Bill Hybels (1994). Network, The Right People…In the Right Places…For the Right Reasons. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan.

Contact Information:

• Telephone: home (540) 772-4573,  cell (804) 921-2937,  office (804) 915-5011,  toll free (800) 255-2428 ext. 5364
• E mail address: tom.stocks@vbmb.org

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Conference Title: "Developing Spiritual Leadership within Your Church"