By Joan C. McKinney, director of university communications
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – Campbellsville University presents Dr. Michael Duduit, president of American Ministry Resources LLC, and Dr. Robert Smith, associate professor of divinity at Beeson Divinity School at Samford University, discussing “Effective Biblical Preaching in the 21st Century” for the sixth annual Pastors and Church Leaders Conference Sept. 20-21.
The Pastors and Church Leaders Conference is for both pastors, full and part time, and anyone in the church who wants to attend.
“The 2007 Pastors and Church Leaders Conference brings two of America’s finest pulpiteers to the campus of Campbellsville University,” said John Chowning, vice president for church and external relations at CU and executive assistant to the president.
“Both Michael Duduit and Robert Smith will bring outstanding teaching and preaching to the conference.
“We encourage pastors and church staff, along with lay members of area churches, to register and attend this two-day session.”Chowning said breakout sessions are designed to benefit all of those involved in the work of the church including those who serve in lay and volunteer church leadership.“The conference is very reasonably priced, and we look forward to this time of renewal and learning,” Chowning said.
Registration is $30 if done by Sept. 1. The regular price is $35.
Duduit is the founding publisher and editor of Preaching magazine. He is the author and editor of several books, including the Handbook of Contemporary Preaching Joy in Ministry and Communicate with Power.
From 1996 until 2000, Duduit served as editor of the Abingdon Preaching Annual series. His e-mail newsletter, PreachingNow, is read each week by more than 11,000 pastors and church leaders in the United States and around the world.
Duduit is founder and director of the National Conference on Preaching and the International Congress on Preaching, which was last held at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. He has been a pastor and associate pastor, has served a number of churches as interim pastor, and speaks regularly for churches, colleges and conferences.
Duduit has taught and served on the administrative staff of several institutions, including Samford University, Southern Baptist Seminary, Palm Beach Atlantic University and Union University, where he served from 1996 until 2002 as executive vice president and associate professor of communication arts and Christian studies. A graduate of Stetson University (B.A., 1975) and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div., 1979), he earned the Ph.D. in Humanities at Florida State University (1983).
He has served as director of public relations, church relations and communications at several institutions including The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Samford University and Union University.
Duduit is a former president of the Baptist Communicators Association, and is listed in Who’s Who in Religion and in the most recent issue of Who’s Who in America. He and his wife, Laura, have two sons, James and Stephen.
Smith joined the faculty at Beeson in 1997. At Beeson, Smith teaches Christian preaching and other electives in homiletics. He is an associate professor of divinity.
Prior to his arrival at Beeson, he was the Carl E. Bates Associate Professor of Christian Preaching at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. He received Southern’s 1996 Findley B. Edge Award for Teaching Excellence.
An ordained Baptist minister, Smith served as pastor of the New Mission Missionary Baptist Church for 20 years before returning to complete his Ph.D. degree. His Ph.D. dissertation was on the Christological preaching of Helmut Thielicke.
He is also the author of a study of Christian ministry in the African American church, Preparing for Christian Ministry (published in 1996), and co-editor of A Mighty Long Journey (published in 2000). His research interests include the place of passion in preaching, the literary history of African American preaching, Christological preaching and theologies of preaching.
Smith received an associate of science degree from God’s Bible College, a bachelor of science degree from Cincinnati Bible College and his master of divinity and Ph.D. from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
He and his wife, Wanda, are the parents of four adult children.
For more information on the conference, contact Chowning at jechowning@campbellsville.edu or (270) 789-5520.
Campbellsville University is a private, comprehensive institution located in South Central Kentucky. Founded in 1906, Campbellsville University is affiliated with the Kentucky Baptist Convention and has an enrollment of 2,310 students who represent 100 Kentucky counties, 32 states and 28 foreign nations. Listed in U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” 15 consecutive years, CU was listed 22nd in the “Best Baccalaureate Colleges” this fall. Campbellsville University is located 82 miles southwest of Lexington, Ky., and 80 miles southeast of Louisville, Ky. Dr. Michael V. Carter is in his ninth year as president.