New Faculty and Assignments for Fall 2016

“Good morning! Welcome to the 2016 Faculty Workshop.”

With those words, Dr. Mark Yarbrough, vice president of academic affairs, opened the 56th annual faculty workshop in the ninety-two-year history of Dallas Theological Seminary held at Pine Cove in Tyler, Texas.

Close to a hundred faculty and staff attended this year’s event, “to enjoy this time together as a faculty and reaffirm our responsibility to develop and equip the next generation of servant leaders.”

“The overall purpose of our annual workshop is to prepare ourselves in heart and mind for the coming school year,” Dr. Yarbrough announced. “We plan to do this by renewing our commitment to our mission, setting direction, sharing information, enjoying good fellowship with one another, and spending time in worship and prayer.” In discussing the faculty and staff, Dr. Yarbrough reported:

New Faculty Members

Two faculty members began full-time faculty service in Dallas this year:

• Dr. Michael Ortiz, Associate Professor of World Missions and Intercultural Studies, and Director of DTS en Español. 
• Dr. Richard Hon, Assistant Professor of Bible Exposition, Chinese Studies. 

Thirteen adjunct members began part-time faculty service:

• Dr. Brian Bain, Adjunct Professor of World Missions and Intercultural Studies
• Dr. Linda Montgomery Buell, Adjunct Professor in Educational Ministries and Leadership and in Doctor of Educational Ministry Studies
• Dr. Bernie Cueto, Adjunct Professor in New Testament Studies (DTS en Español)
• Dr. Hans Finzel, Adjunct Professor for Doctor of Ministry Studies
• Dr. Kent Freedman, Adjunct Professor in Bible Exposition
• Dr. Scott Harris, Adjunct Professor in Educational Ministries and Leadership
• Dr. Walter Heidenreich, Adjunct Professor for Doctor of Ministry Studies (SETECA)
• Dr. Michael Makidon, Adjunct Professor for Doctor of Ministry Studies (DTS en Español)
• Dr. Vladimir Pikman, Visiting Professor in World Missions and Intercultural Studies
• Dr. Francis Schmidt, Adjunct Professor for Doctor of Ministry Studies (SETECA)
• Dr. Daniel Steffen, Adjunct Professor in New Testament Studies (DTS en Español)
• Dr. Carmen Tsui, Adjunct Professor for Online Chinese Studies
• Dr. Ekpedeme Wade, Adjunct Professor in Biblical Counseling

Faculty Sabbaticals

Five faculty members are on sabbatical for the 2016-2017 academic year:

• Dr. Robert Chisholm, Chair and Senior Professor of Old Testament Studies
• Dr. Chip Dickens, Chair and Professor of Biblical Counseling
• Dr. Joseph Fantin, Associate Professor of New Testament Studies
• Dr. Lin McLaughlin, Professor of Educational Ministries and Leadership 
• Dr. Richard Taylor, Senior Professor of Old Testament Studies, and Director of the PhD Program

One faculty member is starting a two-year, half time sabbatical:

• Dr. Stephen Bramer, Chair and Professor of Bible Exposition 

One faculty member is continuing a two-year, half time sabbatical:

• Dr. Mark Heinemann, Professor of Educational Ministries and Leadership and Assist to the Academic Dean for Online Faculty Development 

One faculty member is returning from a two-year, half time sabbatical: 

• Dr. Mike Lawson, Senior Professor and Coordinator of the Doctor of Educational Ministries Program 

Three faculty members are returning from sabbaticals:

• Dr. Jay Smith, Chair and Professor of New Testament Studies
• Dr. Scott Barfoot, Director of Doctor of Ministry program
• Dr. Ron Allen, Senior Professor of Bible Exposition

One Faculty member returned from a study leave this past spring:

• Dr. Tim Ralston, Professor of Pastoral Ministries

New Faculty Assignments and Promotions

Two new appointments apply to the 2016-17 school year:

• Dr. Gary Barnes, Professor of Biblical Counseling, will serve as interim chair of the Biblical Counseling department during Chip Dicken’s sabbatical.
• Dr. Gordon Johnston, Professor of Old Testament Studies, will serve as interim chair of the Old Testament Studies department during Bob Chisholm’s sabbatical.

Two new re-assignments were effective July 1, 2016:

• Dr. Ben Simpson, Assistant Professor of New Testament Studies and Director of Resource Development (DTS-Washington DC)
• Dr. Michelle Woody, Assistant Professor of Biblical (DTS-Washington DC)

Four new appointments/promotions went into effect July 1, 2016.

• Dr. Barry Jones, was promoted from Associate Professor to Professor in the Pastoral Ministries department.  
• Dr. Abe Kuruvilla, Professor of Pastoral Ministries, was also appointed as Research Professor of Pastoral Ministries
• Dr. Gene Pond, former Associate Professor of Bible Exposition, Dean of Assessment, and Director of Institutional Research, has accepted the appointment (by his choosing) as Associate Professor of Bible Exposition (serving in a half-time teaching faculty role) and Dean of Academic Assessment. 
• Mr. David Hionides has accepted the appointment as the Director of Institutional Research and Effectiveness
• Dr. Jay Smith, Professor of New Testament Studies, was appointed Department Chair, following the retirement of Buist Fanning
• Mr. Bill Hendricks, Executive Director for Christian Leadership at the Hendricks Center. 

One faculty member retired from full-time service:

• Dr. Buist Fanning, who served as Chair and Senior Professor of New Testament Studies retired June 30, 2016. Dr. Fanning will continue to teach in an adjunct capacity this fall. 

And that was just the introduction. The rest of their time together included a time of worship, fellowship and prayer time.

After showing a few of his favorite Olympic and family pictures from the summer, near the opening of his annual address to the faculty, president Mark Bailey issued the following challenge:

“In order to remain faithful to God and his Word, there are a few mission-critical questions that must be answered by those of us involved in theological education. What does it look like for a Biblically consistent theology to be fleshed out in the educational endeavor of a seminary or graduate school of theology? How will men and women be equipped to have both the character and capability to serve the church of Jesus Christ? If Christianity could be birthed and flourish in the first century in a Roman dominated culture where emperors demanded worship and slavery was massive, cruel, and extreme, it can still be birthed in the hearts of people and flourish worldwide.”