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Hello friends,
We’re thrilled to share a variety of course offerings designed to meet both the practical and spiritual needs of ministry. Upcoming topics will provide valuable insights into Biblical Scripture, world religions, ethics, boundaries, and more. Plus, we’re excited to introduce a brand-new course on Crisis Communication, led by our own Kurt Gwartney—an essential resource to strengthen your communication skills before you need them.
Beyond the classroom, we invite you to join us for Phillips Chapel on Tuesdays—a time for worship, reflection, and renewal. We also encourage you to connect with us through the Center for Ministry and Lay Training site on Phillips' Mighty Networks, our new space for learning, conversation, and community building.
Ministry is a journey. Whether you’re just beginning or have been on this path for years, we’re here to walk alongside you. Through courses, events, and resources, we’re cultivating a space where you can grow, connect, and make a difference.
Are you ready to take the next step? We’re excited to journey with you!
Blessings,
Leslie LeSieur
Senior Director, Phillips Center for Ministry and Lay Training
leslie.lesieur@ptstulsa.edu
918.270.6471
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New Continuing Education Course Opportunity
Crisis Communication: The First Hours
Kurt Gwartney, MDiv, APR
When a crisis comes to your congregation or ministry, it’s important to know how to respond within the first hour. How you communicate in that initial 60 minutes can make things better or worse and have lasting effects. The Center for Ministry and Lay Training at Phillips Theological Seminary is offering an introductory course for crisis communication with Kurt Gwartney, instructor in the CMLT program and senior director of communications at Phillips. The online course is Feb. 17 from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Central). The course includes time for participants to practice what they’ve learned.
Register online: https://bit.ly/463Gppj.
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Stay Connected with the CMLT Connection Site!
Have you joined our Center for Ministry and Lay Training connection site yet? If not, now’s the time! This space is your best spot for student resources, updates, and community connection through CMLT on Mighty Networks.
Here’s what you’ll find:
Resources: Ministry resources, open pulpits, upcoming events & more
Social Feed: Stay connected with your peers.
Events Section: Keep up-to-date with upcoming activities and gatherings.
Joys and Prayers: Share news and lift up prayers within our community.
Click the button below to join and explore!
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Black History and African American Heritage Month at Phillips
Black Church Traditions and African American Faith-Life (BCTAF) at Phillips Theological Seminary hosts a series of events to honor and celebrate the history, scholarship, and continuing legacy of African-descended peoples, their cultures and traditions. These events are free and open to the public. We welcome all to celebrate with us, either in person or virtually.
All videos are online for viewing, so you catch up on the amazing preachers in chapel this month, visit our YouTube channel.
Following is the list of these special scholar-preachers:
February 4, 11:15 am CST - Rev. Melanie Jones Quarles, PhD
February 11, 11:15 am CST - Rev. Herbert R. Marbury, PhD
February 18, 11:15 am CST - Rev. Chelsea Brooke Yarborough, PhD
February 25, 11:15 am CST - Rev. F. Douglas Powe Jr., PhD, President
February 20, 6:00 pm CST - 4th Annual Black Histories in Native (American) Lands Lecture - Kyle T. Mays, PhD
February 25, 6:30 pm CST - A Community Lecture - Rev. Melanie Jones Quarles, PhD
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24/25 Session 5 Course Offerings
March 3 - April 27, 2025
Registration Deadline: February 19, 2025
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Introduction to the New Testament
Instructor: Rev. Dr. Kris Tenny-Brittian
This course will enhance the students' appreciation for the New Testament and its possibilities for ways that will enrich and transform their lives, as well as the lives of others. Students will build on their learnings from Overview of the Bible to focus on the contexts and themes of the New Testament canon; to become increasingly familiar with its major themes, literary forms, and textual issues; and to gain tools and experience in applying it in their life and to their work with their respective congregations, the Church, and the Kingdom.
The online course is from March 3 - April 27, 2025. The price of the course is $100. Click here to register.
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Disciples History and Polity
Instructor: Rev. Jeff Gill
This course will present an overview of the history and practices of the Stone-Campbell movement as foundational to its current forms of Disciples worship, missions, and ministry: denominationally, ecumenically, and culturally.
*Please note this course week runs from Sunday-Thursday. The start date for class will be March 2.
The online course is from March 3 - April 27, 2025. The price of the course is $100. Click here to register.
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Overview of the Bible
Instructor: Rev. Dr. Alex Ruth
This course is an introduction to the content of the Bible and the methods of study that scholars use to understand it. Students will learn about the history of the periods in which various biblical books were written, and about how the individual writings came together into a single book. They will attempt to discover what the biblical writers were seeking to accomplish through their writings. This search will present students with understandings of the world and the place of humanity that can help illuminate alternative ways humans have experienced the world and attempted to make sense of it.
The online course is from March 3 - April 27, 2025. The price of the course is $100. Click here to register.
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Christian Ethics
Instructor: Rev. Dr. George Flanagan
This is an introduction and exploration of the basic concerns and issues involved in ethical reflection, the Biblical and theological foundations of Christian ethics, and the response of the Christian to perennial and contemporary social and moral issues, with a view to equipping the student for ethical reflection in preaching, teaching, and pastoral leadership.
The online course is from March 3 - April 27, 2025. The price of the course is $100. Click here to register.
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World Religions
Instructor: Rev. Clement Graham
Students survey and compare the great world religions emphasizing concepts of God, creation, humanity, scripture, ethics and salvation. Emphasis is placed on the relationship between religious beliefs and other elements of society and culture. This rational and historical analysis concentrates on Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shinto, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Baha'i. It also includes an introduction to some basic indigenous religions of Native America and Africa.
The online course is from March 3 - April 27, 2025. The price of the course is $100. Click here to register.
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24/25 Session 6 Course Offerings
April 28 - June 22, 2025
NOTE ***Registration Deadline: April 14, 2025***
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Ecumenism
Instructor: Rev. Dr. Jack Sullivan, Jr.
Christian unity is a gift of God to the whole church. The ecumenical movement is the vehicle through which diverse church bodies live out their unity in spiritual, biblical, and practical manners. In this course, we will probe the biblical urgency behind ecumenism, discuss its theological and historical meanings and implications, and consider the links between the ecumenical movement, Christian faithfulness, and movements for social justice and inclusion. Education and Leader Development
The online course is from April 28-June 22, 2025. The price of the course is $100. Click here to register.
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Overcoming Conflict
Instructor: Rev. Dr. Kris Tenny-Brittian
The purpose of this course is to explore congregational conflict: how to recognize, identify, and analyze it so that students will be able to develop strategies that will allow them to relevantly and practically intervene, confront, neutralize or negate, and use it.
The online course is from April 28-June 22, 2025. The price of the course is $100. Click here to register.
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Church History
Instructor: Dr. Lisa Barnett
This is a history class with one major exception - there is little emphasis on remembering dates except as “markers” in Christian History. By markers I mean paradigm shifts and movements in the transformation of the church from age to age. It is more important to grasp the movements in Christian History and just use dates as general “markers” or benchmarks during which the church was in transition or reformation. The course will include the use of "primary sources," historical documents from church history.
The online course is from April 28-June 22, 2025. The price of the course is $100. Click here to register.
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Worship
Instructor: Rev. Geoff Mitchell
This course is designed to help participants meet the Worship criteria of the Sixteen Areas of
Ministerial Practice for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) including the formulation of a
theology for worship in the local congregation, overview of the history and present trends in
Christian worship, development of practical skills in planning and implementing weekly and special services of worship, introduction to the rich use of the arts and sacred music in the worship setting, and the development of resources which can be used for worship.
The online course is from April 28-June 22, 2025. The price of the course is $100. Click here to register.
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See You at Both events
Thanks for sharing your plans for the UCC General Synod on July 11-15, 2025, and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) General Assembly on July 12-15, 2025! I will be splitting time at both events so let's plan to connect. You will find me July 11-12 in Kansas City, Missouri, at the UCC Synod. I will arrive in Memphis, Tennesee, on July 13-15 to spend the rest of the time visiting with our DOC friends.
Let’s celebrate the ways we’re connected, inspired, and sent out to serve—together! We can’t wait to hear about your plans and look forward to journeying alongside you at these transformative gatherings.
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Share your news with us!
Have some news that you would like to share about yourself or your colleagues? If so, please send that information so we may share your news with the wider CMLT community! Send an email to Leslie LeSieur at leslie.lesieur@ptstulsa.edu. You can always reach us by phone at 918.270.6471. We love to hear from you!
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Upcoming Ministry Training Course Offerings
Schedule is subject to change based on registration and faculty availibility.
24/25 Session 5: March 3 -April 27, 2025
Overview of the Bible
Rev. Dr. Alex Ruth
Introduction to the New Testament
Dr. Kris Tenny-Brittian
Christian Ethics
Dr. George Flanagan
World Religions
Rev. Clement Graham
Disciples History and Polity
Rev. Jeff Gill
24/25 Session 6: April 28-June 22, 2025
Ecumenism
Rev. Dr. Jack Sullivan, Jr.
Church History
Dr. Lisa Barnett
Overcoming Conflict
Rev. Dr. Kris Tenny-Brittian
Worship
Rev. Geoff Mitchell
25/26 Session 1: June 23-August 17, 2025
Stewardship
Rev. Dr. Bruce Barkhauer
Education and Leader Development
Rev. Dr. Kris Tenny-Brittian
Mission of the Church in the World
Rev. David Avery
Disciples History and Polity
Rev. Jeff Gill
UCC History, Polity and Identity
Rev. Margot Pickett
25/26 Session 2: August 18-October 12, 2025
Theology
Rev. Dr. Andy Mangum
Overview of the Bible
Rev. Dr. Alex Ruth
Evangelism
Rev. Dr. Bill Tenny-Brittian
Spiritual Development
Rev. Dr. Kris Tenny-Brittian
25/26 Session 3: October 13-December 7, 2025
Introduction to the Hebrew Bible
TBA
Proclamation of the Word
Rev. Dr. Bill Tenny-Brittian
Communications
Kurt Gwartney, MDiv/APR
Disciples History and Polity
Rev. Jeff Gill
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