Updates, Events, and Publications

ALUMNUS CHARLES MALLORY PUBLISHES NEW CHILDREN’S BOOK

ALUMNUS REV. DR. STEVE TUNGATE ANNOUNCED AS DIRECTOR AT GREENVILLE UNIVERSITY

Alumnus Rev. Dr. Steven Tungate, MDiv class of ’98, has been selected as the director of the newly formed Center for Pastoral Formation in Greenville, Illinois. Here is the full article.

We want to congratulate Steve on his success and want to thank him for many years of service! Blessings to him and his family as they make this transition and move.

ALUMNUS AND FORMER ASSISTANT PROFESSOR  DR. WILLIAM B. COKER, SR. PUBLISHES HIS FIRST BOOK: WORDS OF ENDEARMENT: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AS A REVELATION OF GOD’S LOVE

ALUMNUS PUBLISHES NEW BOOK ENCOURAGING CHURCHES TO LIVE INTO THEIR PURPOSE

Craig D. Taylor (D.Min. — Asbury Theological Seminary) has served in pastoral ministry in Maryland, Maine, and Delaware. He currently teaches Apologetics, Current Events, Crossing Cultures, and Senior Thesis at Delmarva Christian High School and is a dissertation coach for Asbury Theological Seminary.

Greenhouses have a rich history. They have a noble beginning as well. According to Pliny the Elder, when royal physicians informed the emperor Tiberius in first century Rome that he should eat a cucumber a day, construction began on a special house for plants. The material for the roof allowed sunlight to enter and the walls of stone permitted heat from fires outside to warm the air inside. This early greenhouse assured a continual supply of cucumbers, which in turn preserved the health of the ruler of the Roman Empire.

Since the first century, greenhouses have continued to evolve. Materials such as glass, fiberglass, and plastic have replaced the stone walls and early roof made from mica or selenite. Contemporary heating systems, fans, and computers are now available to maintain the correct air temperature for a plethora of crops. The physical materials, construction methods, and techniques have changed over the years; however, the purpose has remained the same.

We still need greenhouses to ensure a continual supply of certain crops. With the aid of a greenhouse, a gardener can determine the temperature and humidity that the plants need. The greenhouse offers a place of protection. Although careful maintenance is still required, a greenhouse aids in the development of desired outcomes.

The local church has significant correlations to a greenhouse. The local church was born to be a place where God’s people grow. The King of Kings ushered in the church to not only protect his children from false teachers, but also to feed his sheep. Over the years, the physical shape of the church building has changed. Bricks, mortar, and steel have replaced the open fields and tents where people used to gather to hear the Word. Contemporary sound and lighting systems have replaced the simple amenities of house churches. The purpose of the local church, however, remains unchanged. The local church is still the place where God’s people grow to become spiritual leaders.

The book is published through Parson’s Porch Books, which functions as a ministry that uses profits to help the poor. The book costs $19.95 and may be purchased in the bookstore at parsonsporch.com. It is also available at amazon.com here.

PROFESSOR DR. JASON VICKERS CONTRIBUTES ESSAY TO HANDBOOK ON PNEUMATOLOGY

We recently learned that Dr. Jason Vickers, Professor of Theology, has contributed an essay to a recent handbook entitled T & T Clark Handbook of Pneumatology which was published in the fall of 2020. One of Dr. Vickers’ expertise is Wesleyan and Methodist Studies. The essay he submitted for this book is chapter 22 entitled “The Holy Spirit in Wesleyan Perspectives.”

Here is an overview:

“This handbook provides an interdisciplinary and diverse reference work to the Holy Spirit. Daniel Castelo and Kenneth M. Loyer gathered together a wide range of voices that are religiously, geographically, and ethnically diverse, bringing theology into conversation with biblical studies, ethics and morality, and global Christian studies.

The T&T Clark Handbook of Pneumatology examines the Holy Spirit in a variety of sources, such as the Synoptic Gospels, the Catholic Epistles, the Old Testament, and the Hebrew Scriptures. It also includes chapters on key concepts in the field, such as mediation and sacramentality, ecology, and creation. This broad scope enables readers to appreciate how nuanced the field of Pneumatology is, and how it can be relevant for other Christian discourses.”

T&T Clark Handbook of Pneumatology is a publication of Bloombury publishing. To learn more about this publication and how to purchase, visit their website here.

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