Realizing Hope: Texas Baptist Women in Ministry Conference Coming in February

This year will be the sixth time Hardin-Simmons University has hosted the Texas Baptist Women in Ministry Conference. The conference is hosted at Logsdon every other year, and it is coming back to the HSU campus February 10-11 at Logsdon Seminary.

The 2017 conference theme is “Realizing Hope.” The goal is to encourage women to realize hope for ministry opportunities and encourage people to take an active role in the realization of that hope.

The conference works to provide encouragement for all who are called to serving in the ministry, and to facilitate conversations advocating for women in leadership in the church.  

“We live in an exciting day of new opportunities for women to hear and live out God’s calling to ministry leadership in the church,” said Dr. Bob Ellis, associate dean at Logsdon.

This year’s guest speaker is Rev. Dr. Renita Weems, who is a biblical scholar, academic administrator, writer, and ordained minister. She serves as the Vice-President, Academic Dean, and Professor of Biblical Studies at American Baptist College. Dr. Ellis said the conference is excited to host Dr. Weems, whose insights inspire and challenge the church. 

Ordained an elder in the AME Church since 1984, Dr. Weems is the first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in Old Testament (Princeton Theological Seminary, 1989).  She received her M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary (1983) and B.A. from Wellesley College (1976).  She was the first African-American woman to deliver the prestigious Lyman Beecher Lecture at Yale University (2008).  Dr. Weems is featured in “Black Stars: African American Religious Leaders” (2008), a collection of biographies of some of the most important black religious leaders over the last 200 hundred years, including such impressive figures as Adam Clayton Powell, Elijah Muhammad, Sojourner Truth, Howard Thurman, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. Weems has also published several books; among these are “Just A Sister Away” (1987 & 2005); “What Matters Most: Ten Passionate Lessons from the Song of Solomon” (2004); “Song of Songs: A Commentary”, and Interpreter’s Bible Series, Vol. 5 (Abingdon, 1997).   

The conference preacher will be HSU’s Rev. Dr. Meredith Stone. Dr. Stone teaches scripture and ministry at Logsdon and serves as the Director of Ministry Guidance. She received her Ph.D. in Biblical Interpretation from Brite Divinity School of Texas Christian University. 

Dr. Stone has served as Women in Ministry Specialist for Texas Baptist, Teaching Pastor at Crosspoint Fellowship, and Admissions Coordinator for Logsdon.  

Dr. Ellis said, “Dr. Stone is a dynamic speaker who exemplifies the best in preaching and service to the church.” 

The conference provides sessions, panel discussions, breakouts on topics to women in ministry and ministry equipping, and networking opportunities    

The conference is open to women, men, students, ministry professionals, and lay persons. Registration information is available here: http://www.logsdonseminary.org/women-in-ministry/