Dr. Dennis Phelps
Dr. Dennis PhelpsProfessor of Preaching
Director of Church Relations and Alumni
Occupying the J.D. Grey Chair of Preaching

Office: Frost 202
Office Phone: (504) 282-4455 ext. 3332
Fax: (504) 816-8456
Home Phone:
E-Mail: dphelps@nobts.edu

Education

  • Ph.D. - Preaching; Biblical Studies minor - Southwestern Baptist Theo. Seminary; Ft. Worth, TX (December 1990)
  • M.Div. - triple major: Pastoral Ministries, Theology, Biblical Studies - New Orleans Baptist Theo. Seminary; New Orleans, LA (May 1981)
  • B.A. cum laude - Communication Arts / Public Speaking - Louisiana College; Pineville, LA (May 1978)

Teaching Experience

  • Associate Professor of Preaching; Bethel Theological Seminary (Baptist Gen. Conf.); St. Paul, MN (1988–1998)
  • Guest Lecturer on "Expository Preaching and the Old Testament"; D.Min. in Expository Preaching seminar; The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; Louisville, KY; Dr. Daniel I. Block, convenor (June 14-18, 2005)
  • Guest Lecturer on "Expository Preaching and the Old Testament"; D.Min. in Expository Preaching seminar; The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; Louisville, KY; Dr. Daniel I. Block, convenor (January 5-9, 2004)
  • Guest Lecturer on “The Proclamation Ministry of Pastoral Leadership”; The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; M.Div. satellite center; Union University; Jackson, TN; Dr. Mike Duduit (April 7, 1997)
  • Guest Lecturer on “Multi-generational Effects of Chemical Dependency in Nuclear Family Systems”; Union University; Jackson, TN; MaryAnne Poe, M.S.W. (April 7, 1997)
  • Guest Lecturer on “An Emerging Identity Crisis Within American Evangelicalism and the Challenges of New Denominational Alliances Among Northern and Southern Evangelicals”; D.Min. Seminar; The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary satellite center; Union University; Jackson, TN; Dr. Harry L. Poe and Dr. Joey Rosas, convenors (April 7, 1997)
  • Guest Lecturer on “The Use of N.T. Greek in Preaching”; Williams Baptist College; Walnut Ridge, AK; Dr. E. Randolph Richards (April 4, 1997)
  • Guest Lecturer in Oral Communication; People’s University of Beijing, Beijing Institute of Technology, Northern Transportation University, and University of Foreign Languages (all in People’s Republic of China); Mr. Mike Sutton, coordinator (March 2-11, 1997)
  • Teaching Fellow and Grader; Preaching Department; Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Ft. Worth, TX (1982–1987)

Teaching Specializations

  • Expository Preaching

Ministry Experience

  • Sr. Pastor; First Baptist Church; Cabot, AR (May 2004 - April 2006)
  • Executive Pastor; Severns Valley Baptist Church; Elizabethtown,KY (September 1998-April 2004)
  • Assoc. Prof. of Preaching; Bethel Theological Seminary; St. Paul, MN (August 1988-August 1998)
  • Pastor; St. Francis Village Protestant Chapel; Crowley, TX (August 1986-August 1988)
  • Sr. Pastor; Brownfields Baptist Church; Baton Rouge, LA (March 1981-July 1982)
  • Itinerant Evangelist; Dennis Phelps Evangelistic Ministries, Inc. (1979-1990)
  • Tour Member, Evangelist, Coordinator of Church Ministries Division; "The Foundation Singers" and "The Foundation 3"; Louisiana Moral and Civic Foundation, Inc.; Baton Rouge, LA (1973-1979)

Publications

Articles:

  • "Preaching" magazine; May - June 2006; Vol. 21, No. 6; (3 sermon outlines from Ephesians 2:11-4:16)
  • "The Abingdon Preaching Annual 2005"; David Mosser, ed; (Nashville, 2004; 4 sermon contributions)
  • “In the Word”; quarterly articles dealing with hermeneutics and homiletics in Proclaim magazine, published by LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention; Ed Rowell, editor (winter 1998 - winter 1999)
  • Editor, "Journal of the American Academy of Ministry," published by the American Academy of Ministry; Dr. Michael Duduit, executive director (fall 1995 - fall 1998)
  • “Changes and Choices: Becoming a Cross-over People,” Bible-study outlines on Joshua for pastors of the Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention (fall 1996)
  • “Preaching and Church Growth,” for the Twin Cities Metro Baptist Association (fall 1996)
  • “Advent Readings”; Preaching Magazine, Vol. 10, No. 3 (responsive readings useable by local congregations to prepare for and celebrate the coming of Jesus; Nov-Dec 1994)
  • "Millennial Musings"; Journal of the American Academy of Ministry, Vol. 2, No. 2 (article on the changes occurring in effective homiletics and the influence of television as a communication paradigm; fall 1993)
  • "Overcoming Procrastination"; Christian Single, October 1992; Vol. 14, No. 7 (article on the dynamics of procrastination and strategies to overcome it)
  • "Home Alone"; The Standard; December 1991; Vol. 81, No. 11 (a fictional narration regarding the true meaning of Christmas)
  • Consultant to "Prepared to Proclaim" - a documentary video on the establishment of the Bethel Theological Seminary Preaching Center (spring 1991)
  • "Close Encounters of the Best Kind"; Heart and Mind; spring 1991; Vol. 5, No. 2 (popular article on hindrances to true worship and how to overcome them)
  • "Annotated Selected Bibliography for Preaching"; (an extensive 19-page, single-spaced bibliography on contemporary print, video and computer resources for preaching; distributed as a part of RENEW '91: An Institute on Preaching; Bethel Theological Seminary, St. Paul, MN; April 1991)
  • "Implications of Lucan-Peter's Pentecost Homily for Christian Preaching of the Old Testament"; Ph.D. dissertation; Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; Ft. Worth, TX (winter 1990)

Misc:

  • President, Arkansas Chapter, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Alumni (2005-06)
  • Vice-president, Arkansas Chapter, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Alumni (2004-05)
  • Board of Directors, Cabot Chamber of Commerce; Cabot, AR (2006)
  • Little Rock Air Force Base Community Council (2005-06)
  • Guest presenter; Preaching Magazine regional conference, “Preaching Truth in a Whatever World” (Dr.Michael Duduit, convenor); Parkway Place Baptist Church; Little Rock, AR (fall 2005)
  • Rotary Club; Elizabethtown, KY (1998-2003) and Cabot, AR (2004-06)
  • Chaplain; Chamber of Commerce; Elizabethtown, KY (2002-04)
  • President, Elizabethtown-Hardin County (KY) Ministerial Association (2002-04)
  • Spiritual Director, Chrysalis Youth Retreat for the Elizabethtown area Emmaus Community (spring 2003)
  • Board of Directors, Helping Hand, a benevolence outreach ministry; Hardin County, KY (2002–04)
  • Board of Directors, American Heart Association; Hardin County, KY (2003-04)
  • Committee on Resolutions; Kentucky Baptist Convention (fall 2000-02; reelected chair 2003)
  • Board of Directors, Global Horizons, Inc.; an agency engaged in theological education, racial reconciliation, church planting, social justice, and evangelism in Ghana, Nigeria, Peking, Moscow, Cameroon, and the Ukraine; passed $1,000,000 in private contributions in 2004; Dr.Herb Klem, executive-director (1996-present)
  • President, Kentucky Chapter, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Alumni (1999-2000)
  • Board of Directors, Youth Connection, Inc.; a co-operative approach for offering collaborative strategies for professional staffing and Christian ministry among teenagers in rural communities and small congregations; Forest Lake, MN; Rev. Wayne Casey, executive-director (1997-98)
  • Ministerial Guidance/Examination Committee; Minnesota Baptist Conference (Aug 1997- Sept 1998)
  • Strategy Council; A.D. 2000: Mission Twin Cities (local arm of the international A.D. 2000 Missions effort in cooperative evangelism; Aug 1994 - Sept 1998)
  • Guest Bible Study Teacher, Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention Annual Meeting; Rochester, MN (Oct 31 - Nov 2, 1996)
  • Host and guest speaker, Upper Midwest Promise Keepers “Training the Trainers” Key Man workshop (March 1996)
  • Supervisor for personal counselors, Greater Twin Cities Billy Graham Crusade (June 19-23, 1996)
  • Judge for 1995 “Biblical Exposition” category of the Evang. Press Association’s Higher Goals Competition
  • Director, Preaching Institutes (joint continuing education effort of Minnesota Baptist Conference and Bethel Theological Seminary; 1991-94)
  • Outside examiner to the School for Officer's Training, Salvation Army; Chicago, IL; Institutional Self-Study Project (Oct 1991)
  • Local host committee for Academy of Homiletics National Meeting (Preaching and the Arts; December 6-9, 1989)
  • Lent Planning Workshop for Preaching Pastors; Bethel Theological Seminary; St. Paul, MN (1989)
  • Advent Planning Workshop for Preaching Pastors; Bethel Theological Seminary; St. Paul, MN (1988, 1989)
  • Homiletics Professors of MN Consortium of Theo. Schools; Publicity Task Force (1988-89)
  • Baptist General Conference Annual Meeting Workshop: Contemporary Approaches to Preaching (1988)
  • Member of the Executive Committee and the Louisiana College Scholarship Committee of Judson Baptist Association, Baton Rouge, LA (1981-82)
  • Member of the Southern Baptist Conference of Evangelists (1979 81)
  • Numerous interim pastorates; spoken in over 400 school assemblies; lead over 225 revival meetings and 100 retreats; articles published in professional, academic, and popular publications, including Abingdon, LifeWay, Christian Single, and Preaching Magazine; member of several professional organizations; former editor of Journal of the American Academy of Ministry; service to associations, state conventions in Minnesota/Wisconsin and Kentucky; professional travels to Greece and Israel; preached crusade to 60,000 in India; guest lecturer at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Union University (TN), Williams Baptist College (AR), and several universities in Beijing, China
  • Addressed local church bodies, state denominational conventions, F.H.A., 4 H Clubs (district and state), D.E.C.A.
  • Graduate of Dale Carnegie Course in Effective Speaking and Human Relations (March 1972)
  • Spoken extensively throughout all 64 parishes in LA

Affirmations:

  • Lonoke County Arkansas Pastor of the Year (2005)
  • International Who’s Who of Professionals (2002-03)
  • Marquis’ Who’s Who in the World; 18th - 19th Editions (2001-02)
  • Marquis’ Who’s Who in America; 53rd - 56th Editions (1999-2002)
  • Marquis’ Who’s Who in the South and Southwest; 27th Edition (2000-01)
  • Marquis’ Who’s Who in the Midwest; 26th -27th Editions (1998-2000)
  • Bethel Theological Seminary Faculty Grant for cross-cultural teaching in India (1998)
  • Bethel Theological Seminary Faculty Grant for cross-cultural teaching in China (1997)
  • Bethel Theological Seminary Alumni Grant for professional retreat and personal development (1996)
  • Southwesterner of the Year Award, conferred by the MN-WISC Alumni Chapter, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (1994)
  • Bethel Theological Seminary Alumni Grant; professional study of biblical geography in Israel/Greece (1993)
  • Marquis’ Who's Who in American Religion; 4th Edition (1992-93)
  • Recipient of Ronald E. Pitkin Graduate Scholarship, Bethel Theological Seminary (1989)
  • Outstanding Young Men of America; sponsored by U.S. Jaycees (1983, 1984, 1985, 1989)
  • New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Chapel Student Speaker (May 1980)
  • Alpha Chi National Honor Society (Louisiana College chapter)
  • Ordained: College Place Baptist Church; Monroe, LA (May 1978)
  • Licensed: College Place Baptist Church; Monroe, LA (December 1973)
He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.

Proverbs 10:18 (NIV)