Pastors and Ministry Leaders Invited to OBU’s Annual Winter Bible Study Clinic Nov. 10

Oklahoma Baptist University’s annual Winter Bible Study Clinic will be held Friday, Nov. 10, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the upstairs of the Geiger Center. Dr. Bobby Kelly, Ruth Dickinson professor of religion; Dr. Alan Bandy, Rowena R. Strickland associate professor of New Testament; and Dr. Scott Pace, Reverend A.E. and Dora Johnson Hughes Chair of Christian ministry and associate professor of applied ministry, will be teaching the event.

The clinic is designed to encourage and instruct pastors and ministry leaders as they follow their calling. The topic for this year’s clinic will be, “1 Peter: Living as Strangers in a Secular World.”

The event is free of charge but attendees are asked to register to accommodate meal count for lunch.

“We are excited to host Winter Bible Study training at OBU,” said Dr. Heath Thomas, dean of the Hobbs College of Theology and Ministry. “This is a great tradition at OBU to equip pastors and leaders in both the content and preaching of the scriptures. You will not want to miss it.”

Dr. Bobby Kelly joined the Herschel H. Hobbs College of Theology and Ministry faculty in 1997. Kelly earned a bachelor’s degree from Clear Creek Baptist College in 1988 and a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1992. He later earned a Ph.D. in New Testament studies, also from Southwestern, where he also served as a teaching fellow. Kelly has been recognized for excellence in teaching. He received the Promising Teacher Award in May 2000, and in May 2011, OBU awarded him the Distinguished Teaching Award, the highest honor for OBU faculty members.

Dr. Alan Bandy joined the Hobbs College faculty in 2009. He is the Rowena R. Strickland Professor in New Testament and assistant professor of New Testament. Before arriving at OBU, Bandy served as assistant director of Ph.D. studies for Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Prior to that he was an assistant professor of Christian Studies at Louisiana College. His areas of expertise include the New Testament and Greek with a specialization in The Apocalypse of John. He completed a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in May 2007.

Dr. Scott Pace joined the Hobbs College faculty in 2009. He is the Jewell and Joe L. Huitt Assistant Professor of Applied Ministry. In the fall of 2011, he was named the Reverend A.E. and Dora Johnson Hughes Chair of Christian Ministry. In 2014, he was awarded the “Promising Teacher Award” for excellence and demonstrated potential. In 2015, he received promotion to associate professor and was granted senior faculty status as well. Pace also serves as the chair of the Christian and Cross-Cultural Ministry Department.

Thomas believes the clinic will be of extreme value to those who attend.

“Pastors and ministry leaders will want to be a part of this,” he said. “Why? Led by the world-class faculty of the Hobbs College at OBU, leaders will receive an overview of a biblical book, teaching and preaching help, and enough content to build toward preaching an entire biblical book in a sermon series. It is an invaluable experience.

“More than that, pastors and ministry leaders will have the opportunity to connect and grow together so that we would be more effective in reaching the lost with the gospel and equipping our churches for mission.”