ACADEMIC DEGREES & EDUCATION

• London School of Theology/Middlesex University, London, England

  Ph.D. in Systematic Theology

• Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, KY

  D.Min. in Christian Leadership

• Church of God Theological Seminary, Cleveland, TN

  M.Div.

• Carson-Newman College, Jefferson City, TN

  B.A. in Philosophy-Religion (Minor in Biblical Languages)

ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS & EXPERIENCE

• Kairos University

  Adjunct Professor of Theology

• Church of God

  Ordained Bishop, Pastoral roles since 1983 (Indian Creek: 7 years, Murfreesboro: 6 years, Greeneville: 1 year, New Harvest: 19+ years)

• Murfreesboro, TN District

  District Overseer, Member of the Middle Tennessee Ministerial Marriage Screening Committee

• Tennessee State Board of Ministerial Development

  Member, 1996-98

• Tennessee World Missions Board

  Member since 2014; Committee Chair since 2017

• Society for Pentecostal Studies

  Liaison to the Interfaith Relations Commission of the National Council of Churches (USA), 2003-present

  Pentecostal Representative on Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation, World Council of Churches (Geneva), 2005-present

  Pentecostal Representative on the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs (NGO to the United Nations), 2007-present

• National Council of Churches

  Member, Theological Task Groups on Christian Zionism and “A Common Word” response to Islam

• Editorial Roles

  Book Reviewer for Pneuma Review, Pneuma Informer, Pneuma: Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies, Religious Studies Review, and Evangelical Review of Theology, 2005-present

• Leadership Roles

  Co-Chair, Church of God/Mennonite Church USA Dialogue, 2007-2016

  Elected Leader, Society for Pentecostal Studies Ecumenical Studies Group, 2008-2014

  Executive Council Member, Day of Prayer and Action for Children with Arigatou International, 2010-present

  Board of Directors, Appalachian Ministries Education Resource Center (AMERC), 2010-present

  Facilitator, Pastoral Covenant Group, 2012-present

  Committee Member, Religious Leadership, Civil Discourse, and Democracy Project (Ford Foundation Freedom of Expression Grant), 2013-present

AWARDS

• Carson-Newman College

  Dean’s List (1985-88), Presidential Scholarship (1985-88), Who’s Who in American Colleges (1988), Graduated cum laude

• Church of God Ministerial Internship Program

  Five-Year Excellence Award (2007)

AFFILIATIONS

• Philosophy Honors Society (Phi Sigma Tau)

• Society for Pentecostal Studies

• American Academy of Religion

• American Association of Christian Counselors

PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS

• “Church of God Hosts Executive Director of Mennonite Church USA,” Faith News Network, August 12, 2012.

• “Pastor Presents in Historic China Meeting,” Faith News Network, August 13, 2012.

• “Pastor Presents to National Council of Churches,” Faith News Network, November 23, 2010.

• “Is it Full Partnership or Partial? The Church of God Struggles with the Role of Women,” The Pneuma Informer, July-August 2010.

• “Pentecostal Presence at National Council of Churches of Christ General Assembly a Historic Occasion,” The Pneuma Informer, January-February 2010.

• “Pentecostals Needed: New NCC Director Partners with Pentecostals,” The Pneuma Review 11:4 (Fall, 2008), pp. 14-19.

• “Special Report: False Accusation Made against National Council of Churches,” Pneuma Foundation, October 2007.

BOOKS

• Essentials of Pentecostal Theology: An Eternal and Unchanging Lord Powerfully Present & Active by the Holy Spirit (Wipf & Stock, 2020).

• Pentecostal Theology and Ecumenical Theology: Interpretations and Intersections, ed. Peter Hocken, Tony Richie, and Christopher A. Stephenson (Brill, 2019).

• Pentecostal Explorations of Holiness Today: Words from Wesley, co-authored with Randall Howard (CPT, 2017).

• Encountering Cornelius Today: Toward a Pentecostal Theology of Religions (CPT Press, 2013).

• Speaking by the Spirit: A Pentecostal Theology of Testimony for Interreligious Dialogue (Emeth Press, 2011).

• Contributed Chapters in Routledge Handbook of Pentecostal Theology (Routledge, 2020), From Northampton to Azusa (Indiana University Press, 2019), and others.

TEACHING

• Pentecostal Theological Seminary

  Lecturer in Theology, Historical & Doctrinal Theology

• Regent University Divinity School

  Systematic Theology

• Lee University/Church of God Theological Seminary

  Pastoral Leadership and Theology

• Church of God Seminary of South America

  Pastoral Leadership

• Church of God

  Christian Mission and Evangelism, Contemporary Religious Pluralism, Pentecostal Worship