May 2001
Back Issues

Contents

• Dr. Robert Owens resigns
• 27 receive degrees at Emmanuel commencement
• Emmanuel at the NACC
• Meditation: Finding the Courage to Suffer
• Book Review: The Holy Spirit: Primary Change Agent in Pastoral Care and Counseling and in all Psychotherapy
• Clipnotes (alumni news)
• 2001–2002 DMin Course Schedule 
• Faculty Notes
• Development & Recruitment on the Road

Dr. Robert Owens resigns

Dr. Robert Owens, Toyozo W. Nakarai Professor of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, has announced his resignation from the Emmanuel faculty at the end of the current academic semester.

Owens has served as a member of Emmanuel’s faculty since 1980.

Owens will be taking a tenured position as Professor of Old Testament at The General Theological Seminary in New York City. He and his family will move to New York this summer.

We wish Dr. Owens the very best! n

27 receive degrees at Emmanuel commencement

Twenty-seven students received masters and doctoral degrees at Emmanuel School of Religion’s 35th Commencement on Sunday, May 27.

Master of Divinity degrees were conferred upon 20 students, and 6 students received the Master of Arts in Religion degree. One student earned the Doctor of Ministry degree.

Students in the graduating class were from Oregon, Minnesota, Kansas, Idaho, Nebraska, Indiana, Tennessee, California, Arizona, North Carolina, Illinois, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington and Missouri, as well as from Australia, Brazil, and Canada.

Dr. James C. Donovan, minister of Southwest Christian Church in East Point, Ga., and former president of Atlanta Christian College, brought the commencement address. n

Emmanuel at the NACC

• The Emmanuel Breakfast: Wednesday, June 27, at 7:30 a.m., at the Marriott Waterside Hotel in Tampa in the Grand Ballroom Salon. Cost: $15 per person.

• The Emmanuel Booth: During the convention, visit Emmanuel staff and alumni at booth 701–703 in the Main Exhibit Hall. Here you can catch up on the latest news and talk to a recruiter about earning a masters or doctoral degree from Emmanuel. n

Meditation:
Finding the Courage to Suffer

by Glen Miles (MDiv ’88)

When suffering comes from out of nowhere, many of us want to do the macho thing and handle it on our own. Robert Fulghum tells a story about a man who was diagnosed with cancer and decided to keep it to himself, telling no one in his family. A few months after he had passed away, there were those who were saying how brave he was. A member of his family disagreed. “He wasn’t brave, he was selfish. All he cared about in his final months was himself and not his family.”

A Presbyterian pastor recently told his congregation, “One suffers well not by acting brave or by pretending it doesn’t hurt.” He said, “One suffers well by suffering honestly.” Those are the words of a good pastor. This minister knows that the primary way to healing and wholeness is one that is willing to follow the truth even when the truth is very difficult to comprehend and swallow. The truth shall make you free, but it will be really hard to get to freedom if we are not willing to be honest with our selves first.

If we are able to be truthful in our suffering, we can find new hope in ways we never knew possible. Think of all the things that we experience in our lives: marriages, families, careers, communities. Now think of the time in each of those when you grew the most. I’ll bet that most of you are thinking about times when things were really tough. In those experiences you discovered something new. In that low time, that valley, you found that there is a way to live that transcends the pain and the suffering.

G.K. Chesterton, the great preacher, reminds us that “one sees great things from the valley; only small things from the peak.”

More often than not we discover in these valleys not only how to live, but also how to love.

There are many places in the Bible we could go to for help, but for my money there is no greater word in times of trial then these lines from the Apostle Paul: “We also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, character produces hope and hope does not disappoint…” n

Book Review:
The Holy Spirit: Primary Change Agent in Pastoral Care and Counseling and in all Psychotherapy

By Bruce R. Parmenter
Lincoln, Illinois: Self-Published, 2001

Reviewed by Dr. Eleanor A. Daniel

This little book, a collection of the lectures presented by Dr. Parmenter for the Hiller Lectures at North American Baptist Seminary in Sioux Falls, S.D., in April 2001, consists of three lectures. The chapter titles are: “The Holy Spirit: Primary Change Agent in All Psychotherapy,” “Good Counsel and Good Counselors: The Holy Spirit in the Person-hood of Pastoral and Psychotherapeutic Care-givers,” and “The Paraclete in the Clinic.” These lectures are a rich collection from Parmenter’s fifty years in Christian ministry — much of it in local congregational leadership, some years in a professional pastoral counseling practice, and several years as a professor at Lincoln Christian Seminary and Friends University. The subject matter, rarely considered in pastoral counseling, and the rich background of the author makes this a must read for ministers and other congregational leaders.

Parmenter states at the outset, “The thesis of this booklet is that the Holy Spirit is the primary change agent in all psychotherapy. When therapists of goodwill, integrity, skill and compassion meet and talk with persons suffering from ‘the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,’ God’s healing Spirit comes alongside those in need of care and those who give care” (p. 2). He bases this claim on the doctrine of the sovereignty of God and the witness of the church fathers. His primary case study in this regard is Augustine.

The author explores in his second lecture how the Holy Spirit is present in the counseling act. He enumerates nine ways in which he believes the Spirit operates. He (1) helps the counselor to provide counsel both “alongside” and “over against,” (2) increases the counselor’s confidence, (3) reduces the anxiety of the counselor, (4) deepens the therapeutic presence of the therapist by generating the fruit of the Spirit in his/her personality/behavior, (5) makes the counselor aware of the power of the demonic and gives the counselor and client assurance of Christ’s victory over evil, (6) teaches the counselor that there is no Christian pastoral care or counseling without a discerning use of Scripture, (7) makes the counselor aware that therapy transcends problem solving, (8) molds the heart and mind of the counselor, and (9) shows the counselor and counselee that the goodness of a good life and good counsel are grounded in grace. Each is well illustrated with biblical and current examples.

The final chapter explores how the Holy Spirit is involved in the clinic to repair damaged personalities, family power struggles, grief and loss, marriage and family dynamics, and reconciliation of estranged individuals. Again, practical and biblical illustrations provide illumination for each point.

In short, this book should be read by the busy pastor who is called upon to provide counsel, as well as by the professional pastoral counselor. You can obtain a copy from Dr. Parmenter at Lincoln Christian Seminary, 100 Campus View Drive, Lincoln, IL 62656. n

Clipnotes

ANDY BAKER (MDiv’ 98) serves as Executive Director for Remember the Children, a mission organization that provides assistance to abandoned children in Eastern Europe. Andy and his wife, Gerri, reside in Noblesville, Ind.

BOB BRUCE (MDiv ’97) and his wife, Karen, celebrated the birth of a daughter, Madison Lenee, March 7. Bob is in his fifth year as associate minister with Northwest Christian Church in Phoenix, Ariz. He and his family reside in Peoria, Ariz.

BEN CACHIARAS (MDiv ’92) wrote an article for the April 15 issue of Christian Standard titled, “Death and Taxes (and Resurrection).” Ben ministers with Mountain Christian Church in Joppa, Md., where he and his wife, Karla, reside.

AL COVELL (’65–’68) will begin his 33rd year as senior minister to Frankton Christian Church in Frankton, Ind., where he and his wife, Marylyn, reside.

DWAYNE CURRY (MAR ’00) and his wife, Tia, celebrated the birth of a son, Philip Braden, February 27. Dwayne resides in Holly Springs, N.C., and serves as Youth Minister with Capital City Christian Church in Raleigh.

VALMIR DELGADO (MDiv ’99) and his wife, Ivoneide Lima, celebrated the birth of a daughter, Ashley, April 13. Valmir and his family reside in Flushing, N.Y., where Valmir continues his ministry to Portuguese-speaking people.

DENNY EDENS (MDiv ’95) will begin teaching in July at Philippine College of Ministry in Baguio City, Philippines, where he and his wife, Jamie, will reside. 

RANDY EKSTROM (MDiv ’97) now serves in the United States Navy as a Chaplain. He and his wife, Melody, and their two sons are stationed in Norfolk, Va. Randy will be serving with 900 men aboard the U.S.S. Austin.

TOM (MDiv ’88) and SALLY (MAR ’87) HOWARD currently reside in Temple, Ga., where Tom ministers with Liberty Christian Church.

NEIL JOHNSTON (’92–’96) and his wife, Alisa, celebrated the birth of their third child, Isaac, January 11. Neil serves as senior minister with Norkenzie Church in Eugene, Ore., where he and his family live.

AARON T. JONES (MDiv ’97) wrote an article for the April 15 issue of Christian Standard titled, “Being Left Behind.” Aaron serves as minister at Huron Christian Church in Huron, S.D., where he and his wife, Debra, reside.

PETE LAUGHREN (MDiv ’84) and his wife, Fran, serve as missionaries with Outreach International in George, South Africa.

BRETT MILLER (MDiv ’98) and his wife, Jill, celebrated the birth of a son, Maxwell Kosta, January 23. Brett and his family currently reside in Minneapolis, Minn., where he ministers with Southeast Christian Church.

MARY SWEARINGIN LYTCH (MDiv ’96) married Robert Lytch on June 10, 2000. They reside in Miami, Okla.

TIMOTHY F. PHILLIPPE (MAR ’80) has been appointed president of Christian Homes, Inc., in Lincoln, Ill., where he and his wife, Mary, reside.

CAROL PIERSON (MAR ’97) began serving a three-year term on the Preparation for  Ministry Committee of Holston Presbytery. She serves as program director at Rogersville, Tenn., Presbyterian Church, where she also resides.

ROB RIGSBEE (MDiv ’97) and his wife, Carol Ann, announce the birth of a second son, Graham Nicholas, January 23. The family resides in Columbus, Ind., where Rob is the Associate Minister with New Hope Christian Church.

ART SPHAR (MDiv ’74) acted as Washington State Representative for the International Conference of Police Chaplains, and led the Northwest Regional Training Seminar in Longview, Wash. Art and his wife, Sandra, currently reside in Sumner, Wash., where Art ministers with Lake Tapps Christian Church.

DAVID VAN WORMER (MDiv ’85) wrote an article for the April 15 issue of Christian Standard titled, “Film Contrary to Experience.” David and his wife reside in Lacey, Wash., where David is the Senior Minister with College Street Christian Church. n

2001–2002 DMin Course Schedule

Registration for Doctor of Ministry degree classes must be completed three months prior to the beginning of the class in order to prepare reading assignments. All classes meet at Emmanuel School of Religion except Northwest Courses.

Call 1-800-933-3771 or email DMinOffice@esr.edu for Doctor of Ministry admissions information.

DMin Quote of the Month

By Gary W. Buffington, Lt. Col. USAF, DMin student

“Among the many aspects of the Emmanuel School of Religion Doctor of Ministry program that I truly appreciate is the school’s passionate commitment to academic excellence coupled with the professors’ willingness to engage in freewheeling discussions in pursuit of this excellence. The wide range of selected authors, readings, and source documents utilized in the seminars reflect the church’s vast heritage of which we are current stewards.”

For information about Emmanuel’s Doctor of Ministry degree program contact Melissa Noble at 1-800-933-3771. n

ELEANOR A. DANIEL recently published an article titled, “Confronting the Myths of Singles in the Church,” in the First Quarter 2001 issue of Leaven. In the same issue, Dr. Daniel also wrote a review of the book Family Ministry. On May 19, Dr. Daniel spoke for a teacher’s appreciation dinner at Southside Christian Church in Elizabethton, Tenn. May 31 through June 16 she will be teaching at TCM International near Vienna, Austria, and in Belgium.

JACK B. HOLLAND recently published a review of the book Authentic Human Sexuality: An Integrated Christian Approach in the First Quarter 2001 issue of Leaven. Dr. Holland will teach an eight-week course on caregiving at Grandview Christian Church, Johnson City, Tenn., in May and June. May 26, Dr. Holland will be at the family retreat for Bethel Church of Christ in Jonesborough, Tenn. He will speak at the Emmanuel Breakfast during the North American Christian Convention on June 27.

ROBERT F. HULL Jr. recently published an article in the First Quarter 2001 issue of Leaven titled, “The Family of Flesh and the Family of Faith: Reflections on the New Testament Household Codes.” In the same issue of Leaven, Dr. Hull also wrote a book review of, “Families in the New Testament World.”

THOMAS F. JONES Jr. recently taught a church planting seminar at Restoration House in Manchester, N.H. On May 1, he spoke at SunCrest Christian Church in St. John, Ind., for Emmanuel alumnus, John Wasem. In June, Dr. Jones will provide coaching for new church planters in New Orleans, La., Charlotte, N.C., and Greenville, S.C.

FREDERICK W. NORRIS will be at the Heritage Conference at Winema Camp in Oregon, May 25 through May 28. He will also attend the Bible and Theological Education Conference at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minn., June 2 through June 8.

BRUCE E. SHIELDS will be on a mission site visit in Tübingen, Germany, May 30 through June 1. He will teach Eastern European church leaders at TCM in Austria June 4–15. Dr. Shields also was volunteer chaplain for Johnson City Medical Center May 1 and May 2. n

DAVID FULKS to the Campus Minister’s Retreat in May, and to the North American Christian Convention June 25–30.

DAN LAWSON to Colorado in May; to Houston in June; to the North American Christian Convention June 25–30.

JEFF MCNABB to the Chicago area in May; to East Tennessee, and Richmond, Va., in June; and to the North American Christian Convention June 25–30.

JERRY RUDBERG to Boise, Meridian, and Buhl, Idaho, to Imbler, Enterprise, Redmond, Canby, Sisters, and Portland, Ore., and to Pomeroy and Dayton, Wash., in May; to Bend and Harrisburg, Ore., and to Kelso and Vancouver, Wash., in June; to the Oregon Christian Convention in June 26 through July 1.

C. ROBERT WETZEL was in Korea May 1–5. He will preach at First Christian Church in Bluff City, Tenn., June 3, and then attend the North American Christian Convention in Tampa, Fla., June 26 through June 29. n