Articles
LTA Course: Extraordinary Mission through Ordinary Administration
Extraordinary Mission through Ordinary Administration: The Church’s Relationship to Laws, Neighbors, Committees, and Money
4 Saturdays: September 12 & 26 and November 7 & 14 – 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
HYBRID: Both in person at the region office (1011 N. Mayfair Rd., Suite 205) and on Zoom
Cost = $100
Instructor: Rev. Dr. Stephen Hawkins – pastor, First Baptist Church of West Allis
Instructor: Rev. Dr. Stephen Hawkins, Ph.D. (Sociology), M.B.A., M.Div.
Stephen is the Pastor of the First Baptist Church of West Allis and an instructor at Bexley Seabury Seminary (Chicago). As a sociologist of religion and organizational behavior, his research focuses on promoting healthy structures within congregations. His recent works have been published in the Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion, Nonprofit Management & Leadership, and Foundations (a journal of the American Baptist Historical Society).
Recommended Reading List for “Extraordinary Mission though Ordinary
Administration”
Dean, J. (2024). Managing the ministry: A practice guide to church administration. B&H
Publishing Group.
Powers, B. P. (Ed.). (2008). Church administration handbook. B&H Publishing Group.
Rooted Good series, Helping churches navigate their economic future:
o “How to develop well: A guide to help churches work with a property developer”
o “How to end well: A guide to help congregations navigate endings well”
o “How to partner well: A guide to help congregation create and enhance
partnerships”
o “How to rent well”
o “How to sell well: A guide to help churches sell property well”
o “Money &mission: Helping you align money and mission”
o “What about taxes?!!! A guide for churches starting to generate revenue”
Welch, R. H. & Dean, J. (2025). Church administration: Creating efficiency for effective
ministry (3rd edition). B&H Publishing Group.
“Baptist History and Polity” – LTA Course = Coming in April/May
Leadership Training Academy
Baptist History and Polity
Tuesdays – April 7, 14, & 28, May 5, 12, & 26 (6:30-8:30 p.m.)
Instructor: Rev. Mindi Welton-Mitchell, Regional Executive Minister
HYBRID: Both online (Zoom) and in-person at the Region offices and some of our churches
Schedule:
- April 7 – Region office (1011 N. Mayfair Rd., Wauwatosa)
- April 14 – Community Baptist Church of Greater Milwaukee (2249 N. Sherman Blvd., Milwaukee)
- April 28 – First Baptist Church of West Allis (1576 S. 78th St., West Allis)
- May 5 – First Baptist Church, Waukesha (247 Wisconsin Ave., Waukesha)
- May 12 – Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Madison (2019 Fisher St., Madison)
- May 26 – Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, Milwaukee (3456 N. 38th St., Milwaukee)
Instructor: Rev. Mindi Welton-Mitchell has served as Regional Executive Minister for the American Baptist Churches of Wisconsin since March of 2022. A fifth-generation American Baptist Minister, she was born in Oregon and was raised in Alaska. She lives in Brookfield with her husband Rev. JC Mitchell and their son AJ. She enjoys reading and writing science fiction. She has also written for Judson’s Journeys Bible Study Curriculum, the American Baptist Quarterly, The Christian Citizen, and other publications.
TEXTS: The following texts are recommended for this class.
A History of the Black Baptist Church: I Don’t Feel No Ways Tired by Wayne E. Croft, Sr. (Judson Press, 2020)
A Baptist Manual of Polity and Practice, Second Revised Edition by Norman H. Maring and Winthrop S. Hudson; ed. by David Gregg (Judson Press, 2012)
The Baptist Identity: Four Fragile Freedoms by Walter B. Shurden (Smyth & Helwys, 1993)
VIDEOS:
Rev. Mindi recently recorded several brief videos about Baptist Principles that serve as an excellent introduction to the materials for this course. They are linked below:
We also recorded church histories at each host church. Here’s a compilation:
New Testament – Leadership Training Academy
Leadership Training Academy
“New Testament”
The next course in the Leadership Training Academy will be “New Testament,” taught by Rev. Dr. John Jones.
Saturdays (8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.) – April 12 & 26 & May 10
Instructor: Rev. Dr. John A. Jones IV, Associate Regional Minister-Education of American Baptist Churches of Wisconsin
Location: The new ABC-Wisconsin offices (1011 N. Mayfair Rd., Wauwatosa, WI)
The New Testament serves as sacred text, moral guide, source of identity, and revelation of God’s character through Jesus Christ. As disciples of Jesus, we read the text together as our primary guide for revelation. Students will examine the historical, cultural, and theological contexts in which the New Testament was written. The course will cover key topics such as the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, the formation of early Christian communities, and the writings of influential figures like Paul and John. Participants will engage in close readings of selected passages, uncovering central themes such as salvation, the Kingdom of God, and Christian faith. The course also introduces the process by which the New Testament canon was formed and examines the relationship between the Old and New Testaments. Whether for personal enrichment or deeper study, this course provides learners with a solid foundation for understanding the New Testament and its role in shaping Christian beliefs and practices.
Instructor: Rev. Dr. John A. Jones IV has served as Associate Regional Minister-Education for the American Baptist Churches of Wisconsin since 2017. He received the Ph.D. degree from Marquette University in 2006. He has also been teaching at various schools in the area for more than 20 years. He’s taught Religion, Theology, Church History, and Christian Ethics among many other courses. He finds joy in opening up subjects he cares about to students who can bring their own perspectives and experiences.
Register by clicking HERE.
Job Position Opening: Associate Regional Minister – Next Generation Ministries
The American Baptist Churches of Wisconsin are pleased to announce the opening for our Associate Regional Minister of Next Generation Ministries. This is a part-time exempt position focusing primarily on the next generation of ministry in our churches and among our leaders.
ABC/WI seeks an Associate Regional Minister-Next Generation Ministries to support ministers and churches who are in transition: either pastoral transitions, congregational mission transitions, or beginning the process of revitalizing or closing. Additionally, the ARM – N will also focus on youth and young adult ministries and leadership development within our region. ABC/WI seeks a candidate to be part of a team that is called and committed to the mission and vision of ABC/WI, who additionally affirm and strive for the values of integrity, diligence, accountability, and humility before God, and who are fulfilled with joy from the service to our constituency.
The Associate Regional Minister-Next Generation Ministries reports to the Regional Executive Minister.
The full job description can be found here. The position will be ½ to ¾ time depending upon the applicant’s desire and salary will be commensurate with experience.
Please submit letter of interest, resume and/or MinistrElife profile along with references to Rev. Mindi Welton-Mitchell, Executive Minister, mindi.wm@abcofwi.org.
Spiritual Formation – Leadership Training Academy
Leadership Training Academy
“Spiritual Formation”
September 5-6 (DEADLINE for registration: August 22!)
CANCELED
Check back at a later date
We will be offering this course in retreat format September 5-6 at Camp Tamarack. 
Instructor: Rev. Karen Gygax-Rodriguez, pastor Federated Church, Green Lake, Wisconsin
Location: This course will take place at Camp Tamarack with pre- and post- sessions ONLINE through Zoom (August 28 and TBD).
Cost: $150
We are both physical and spiritual beings. We are well-acquainted with ways to care for our physical selves, but are we as well acquainted with spiritual care? As followers of Christ, we have said “yes” to Christ with us and within us. We have invited Christ into our lives. But just as we need food, exercise and sleep to care for the formation of our physical bodies, we need practices which help form the presence of Christ in our spirits.
Spiritual formation looks at the process by which Christ is formed in us, for the glory of God, for the abundance of our lives and for the sake of others. When we “work out” this formation, we allow ourselves to grow in Christ likeness and to be transformed into God’s people of ‘heaven on earth’, the body of Christ.
The environment of Camp Tamarack will provide us with the opportunity to practice these practices in the setting of God’s beautiful creation.
The course will follow the general structure of our Leadership Training Academy approach: What, Why, & How.
WHAT is spiritual formation?
WHY is it important to be intentional about spiritual practices?
HOW do we invite Christ’s transforming presence to be at work within us, and then how are we then called to action? How do we act in service and partnership with Christ in the world, in our churches, and in our communities?
The course will take place at Camp Tamarack (Friday evening to Saturday afternoon). It will be preceded by a brief weeknight Zoom session (August 28) and followed by another Zoom session (TBD).
Instructor: Rev. Karen Gygax-Rodriguez (aka “Pastor Karen”) is pastor of Federated Church in Green Lake, Wisconsin, having been called to that position in 1996. Raised in the First Baptist Church of Waukesha, Karen remembers the power of God’s presence warming her soul in the Sunday morning worship, preaching, praying and music. After teaching at a bi-lingual Catholic Middle/High School in Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico for her first years after college, Karen responded to the call to go seminary. Karen attended Colgate Rochester Divinity School as its first Rauschenbusch Scholar. Throughout her ministry, Karen has embraced continuing education, particularly in the area of spirituality. She has trained with Pete & Jeri Scazzero’s Emotionally Healthy Spirituality; Parker Palmer’s Center for Courage and Renewal and Dr. Ruth Haley Barton’s Transforming Communities (both TC-13 and TC-16).
DEADLINE for registration: August 22!
“Preaching” – Next LTA Course = October 5, 19 & November 16
Leadership Training Academy
“Preaching”
October 5, 19 & November 16 (8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)
Instructor: Rev. Dr. Martin Childs, Jr., pastor Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, Milwaukee
Location: Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church (3456 N. 38th St., Milwaukee) and ONLINE through Zoom.
Cost: $100
The preaching of the gospel is the means that God established for humanity to receive salvation, grow in the knowledge of Jesus and pursue transformation. In Romans Chapter 10, Paul asked, “How can anyone preach unless they are sent?” In addition to being sent, it is equally important to ask, “How can anyone preach unless they are equipped?” This course will assist in equipping those who preach by both examining sermon preparation using a Sermon Worksheet to aid in developing sermons that are theologically sound and Biblically accurate, and exploring sermon presentation to assist students in discovering their preaching voice and experimenting with preaching methods.
The course will follow the general structure of our Leadership Training Academy approach: What, Why, & How.
WHAT is preaching and what is an effective method to prepare and present a sermon?
WHY is it important for the sermon to be prepared and presented in a structured and organized way?
HOW does one bring their genuine self to the preaching moment?
This will be a “hybrid” course. Students will have the option of taking the course in person (at Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church) or online using Zoom.
Instructor: Rev. Dr. Martin Childs, Jr. has been pastor of Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church for more than 20 years. He received the Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee in Elementary Education, the Master of Divinity Degree and the Doctor of Ministry from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois. Before entering the ministry, he was an Elementary School Teacher in the Milwaukee Public School System.
Rev. Childs is active in the church and community through his teaching and preaching ministry. He has experience teaching in several different denominational forums. He has also facilitated and hosted a number of workshops, conferences, and candidate forums.
Register for this “Preaching” course by completing our application. Click on the button below.
TEACHING PASTORS FORUM – 2024 Sessions
Teaching Pastors Forums – 2024
Thursday, July 18, 2024
“The Evangelical Christian Baptist Church of (the Republic of) Georgia: Who are the Georgian Baptists?”
SPEAKER: A long-term Wisconsinite, Rev. Sean Cornell (who grew up in Brookfield) has earned two master’s degrees: the first (MA-TS) from Asbury Theological Seminary just outside Lexington Kentucky, and the second (STM) from Nashotah House Theological Seminary near Delafield, Wisconsin. An ABC-WI/ABC-USA pastor, Sean has served (in addition to their previous work here at ABC-WI) in pastoral and community care ministries; most recently as the Director of Senior Community Care in Emmanuel Community United Methodist Church in Menomonee Falls. Sean is currently a member of Underwood Memorial Baptist Church in Wauwatosa.
TOPIC: Rev. Cornell had the privilege of traveling to the Republic of Georgia during their Holy Week. They share from their experience and travels. As Baptists, we value both individual faith (personal & in local Churches) as well as mutual support and association; this is a great virtue. Therefore, it behooves us to know and learn from our Baptist cousins – especially those who are different from us – so that we can live into our faith more fully.
This Teaching Pastor’s Forum on the Evangelical Christian Baptist Church of the Republic of Georgia will both inform and (God willing) inspire you to new horizons and new depths of spiritual and social ministry as we learn from one of our more unique cousins in the Baptist faith family.
Thursday, August 22, 2024
“Power and Powerlessness in the Pastorate”
SPEAKER: An ordained American Baptist Minister, Stephen Hawkins is also a sociology PhD candidate at UW – Milwaukee. His research interests include religion, nonprofit management, and environmentalism. He received his MDiv from Princeton and his MBA from Marquette University. Since moving to Wisconsin, Stephen has served churches locally as pastor and as moderator, as well regionally as a member of the Board of Managers and the Commission on Missions. Stephen has represented ABC-WI on the Wisconsin Council of Churches and the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee.
TOPIC: There are many theoretical models of the operation of authority in the church. But responding to challenges or crises reveals the actual power pastors possess in relation to their congregations. Rev. Stephen Hawkins is a pastor, MBA, and Ph.D. student in sociology. His research has revealed interesting observations about power dynamics in the pastorate in the U.S. context. Stephen’s research has implications for responding to external crises such as a pandemic and mitigating internal crises such as clergy abuse and misconduct. He shared some of his work and asked us to reflect on its implications for our own understanding of our own contexts.
Thursday, September 19, 2024
“The Inclusion of Disabled People in the Church”
SPEAKER: A minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). J.C. Mitchell received his M.Div degree from Andover Newton Theological School in 2008, shortly before his son A.J. was born. Besides being the father of a developmentally disabled child, he began Open Gathering, a church inclusive of people with disabilities in Bellevue, WA. He has also served churches in Massachusetts and Oklahoma and is currently the Program Coordinator for the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee. He is married to Rev. Mindi Welton-Mitchell
TOPIC: Rev. J.C. Mitchell led us in a discussion about the theology of disability and the inclusion of those with disabilities.
This has been at the core of Mitchell’s ministry, and he is eager to share how Christianity embraces the disabled in Jesus’ teachings and Resurrected body. Rev. Mitchell desires to have a frank conversation about how we have or have not included people with disabilities in church. We looked specifically at the two ordinances to discover best practices of inclusion for specific church settings.
Thursday, October 31, 2024
“Camino de Santiago”
SPEAKERS:
Rev. Karen Gygax-Rodriguez has been pastor of Federated Church in Green Lake for more than 27 years. She has done extensive training and continuing ed in both personal and communal spirituality.
Rev. Carolyn Dugan is Associate Regional Minister of Outdoor Ministries for ABC of Wisconsin. She directs Camp Tamarack. She also works at Covance by LabCorp where she is able to focus on a passion, leadership development.
TOPIC: In April of 2024, Karen and Carolyn traveled together to Spain to walk the “Camino de Santiago,” or “The Way of St. James” in English. The Camino is a pilgrimage with more than a millennium of history. It is a journey traveled by countless pilgrims over time. Karen and Carolyn shared about their experiences from their unique perspectives.
TEACHING PASTORS FORUM – 2023 Sessions
Teaching Pastors Forum #1 — Tuesday – February 14, 2023
12:00 pm at Greater Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Milwaukee.
“The Influence of Hindu Nationalism in the U.S.: Lessons for Christians”
SPEAKER: Rev. Chakravarthy Zadda, Ph.D. has served as Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church in Waukesha since 2017. He currently serves on the Board of Managers for ABC of Wisconsin, provides leadership for Asian Churches at the national level as the moderator/administration coordinator for the Alliance of Asian American Baptist Churches, and is part of American Baptist Churches USA’s Emerging Theologians Task Force. Rev. Zadda received his PhD in World Christianity and Missions from Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago in 2015. He served as the Associate Regional Minister of American Baptist Churches of Metro Chicago. Rev. Zadda also worked six years for the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago as the Director for International Student Affairs Office. He has lectured in the area of missiology at both Baptist and Lutheran seminaries in United States and in India. His research interests include missiology, history of evangelical & ecumenical movements, world religions and interfaith witnessing, modern history of India.
Before he moved to United States in 2005, served his home church, Stanton Memorial Baptist Church as its Associate Pastor. Along with his ministry with the local Church, he was actively involved in the denominational life of Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches (STBC), mission church of ABC-USA. He has provided leadership both at regional and national levels for the Church in India. Rev.Zadda served The National Council of Churches of India (NCCI) on the Dalit and Adivasi Commission, actively advocating for their rights.
TOPIC: Pastor Zadda spoke about the troubling movement of Hindu nationalism and the support offered in some parts of the United States. This topic opens up important questions of religious freedom as well as Christian nationalism. The discussion informed our understanding of the experience of brothers and sisters in India and how religion is used for nefarious purposes in the United States.
LOCATION: Greater Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church – 2479 N. Sherman Blvd., Milwaukee, WI
Teaching Pastors Forum #2 — Thursday – March 2, 2023
12:00 pm at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Milwaukee.
“Paul and Barnabus: Clergy, Colleagues, and Conflict”
SPEAKER: A native of Milwaukee, Dr. Williams just celebrated 40 years of ministerial experience and 30 years of pastoral and teaching ministry. He served as senior pastor of the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Dorchester, MA from 1992-1996 and as interim pastor at the Beecher Memorial UCC church, New Orleans, LA from 2000-03. He has also served as a supply preacher for several churches in the New Orleans area. In his pursuit of higher education Dr. Williams received a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in Comparative Religion in 1986, a Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.) in 1988 and a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) in 1990, both from Harvard Divinity School. He completed in 1997 a Doctor of Theology degree (Th.D.) also from Harvard Divinity School. Formerly an Associate Professor in the Department of Classical Studies and Director of the Religious Studies Program at Tulane University, New Orleans, he has also served as an Adjunct Professor in theology at Marquette University and at the Central Baptist Theological Seminary (Shawnee, KS) at its Wisconsin site. He currently teaches at UW-Milwaukee in the Comparative Literature department and in the Religious Studies program. He has published several books.
Dr. Williams has been pastor of Community Baptist Church of Greater Milwaukee since January of 2009.
TOPIC: Pastor Williams again shared his stellar biblical scholarship, drawing on the story of Paul and Barnabus for lessons in ministry. A careful reading of Paul’s story reveals common experiences in the pursuit of ministry, particularly in working together with fellow ministers.
LOCATION: New Hope Missionary Baptist Church – 2433 W. Roosevelt Dr., Milwaukee, WI
Teaching Pastors Forum #3 — Tuesday – April 18, 2023
12:00 pm at the ABC/WI Region Office in Elm Grove.
“Spiritual Resources to Sustain Ministry”
SPEAKER: Rev. Karen Gygax-Rodriguez (aka “Pastor Karen”) is pastor of Federated Church in Green Lake, Wisconsin, having been called to that position in 1996. Raised in the First Baptist Church of Waukesha, Karen remembers the power God’s presence warming her soul in the Sunday morning worship, preaching, praying and music. After teaching at a bi-lingual Catholic Middle/High School in Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico for her first years after college, Karen responded to the call to go seminary. Karen attended Colgate Rochester Divinity School as its first Rauchschenbush Scholar. Throughout her ministry, Karen has embraced continuing education, particularly in the area of spirituality. She has trained with Pete & Jeri Scazzero’s Emotionally Healthy Spirituality; Parker Palmer’s Center for Courage and Renewal and Dr. Ruth Haley Barton’s Transforming Communities (both TC-13 and TC-16).
TOPIC: Pastor Karen presented on “Spiritual Resources to Sustain Ministry.” A guiding question for the session was “How do you listen to your soul to sustain your ministry during challenging times?”
Some items for consideration:
- Finding and/or cultivating spiritual resources
- Listening to what your soul is saying (and getting permission to do so)
- Spiritual resources for longevity in ministry
Teaching Pastors Forum #4 — Wednesday – May 10, 2023
12:00 pm at First Baptist Church of West Allis
“Design Thinking and the Church”
SPEAKER: Rev. Jason Mack has 20 years of pastoral experience as a church planter, a part of the emerging church movement, and an associate at First Baptist, Madison. He is currently pastor at Underwood Memorial Baptist Church in Wauwatosa and will receive a doctorate in Creative Leadership from Central Seminary in the Spring of 23. Rev. Mack wrote his dissertation on applying design thinking tools to church leadership, specifically to the challenges facing small churches in historical buildings that no longer fit their needs.
TOPIC: At this Teaching Pastors Forum, Rev. Jason Mack introduced tools and ideas used by Silicon Valley start-ups and Fortune 500 companies. Sometimes called “Design Thinking” and sometimes called “Human Centered Design,” these tools have solved problems as diverse as navigating a computer screen (the mouse) to keeping premature infants warm in impoverished areas. Recently, a small but growing movement of pastors and church leaders has been wondering how these powerful ideas might be applied to the life of the church. Come be part of that movement.
Are you wrestling with a particularly troublesome problem in your leadership?
Has your church been stuck in this one area that you just can’t figure out?
LOCATION: First Baptist Church of West Allis, 1576 S. 78th St., West Allis, WI 53214
Teaching Pastors Forum #5 — Tuesday – September 12, 2023
See the recorded session HERE.
“Ministry Ethics: a new Covenant and Code of Ethics from the Ministers Council”
SPEAKER: Rev. Jacki Belile is the Founder and Director of Living Well Ministries, a nationwide spiritual coaching and consulting ministry. Ordained in 1999, she has served four congregations: Phoenix Community Church, Kalamazoo, MI (Sabbatical Pastor); Grace Baptist Church, Chicago, IL ; South Church, Mt. Prospect, IL (Sabbatical Pastor); and Eden United Church of Christ, Chicago, IL. Jacki has been a part of the Ministers Council of ABC-USA since seminary days in 1994 and has served on the Metro-Chicago Ministers Council Cabinet since 2013. She has also served in the Leadership Team for the national Ministers Council Leadership. She is a member of Lake Street Church of Evanston and lives in Chicago with her partner of 30 years. Her “living well” commitments include yoga, gardening, reading and- increasingly – a passion for dialogue encounters across political and religious difference.
TOPIC: The Ministers Council of ABCUSA has gone through a multi-year process in revising the Covenant and Code of Ethics that all ABC pastors are asked to sign. This session gave us the opportunity to consider “Ministry Ethics” from new perspectives and with new tools. Rev. Jacki Belile has been involved with the revision process and has experience in drawing out conversation around ministerial ethics. See the recorded session HERE.
LOCATION: Progressive Baptist Church – 8324 W. Keefe Ave., Milwaukee
“Biblical Interpretation” – July 20, August 3, & August 24 = Next LTA Course
Leadership Training Academy
“Biblical Interpretation”
July 20, August 3 & 24 (8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)
Instructor: Rev. Dr. Demetrius Williams, pastor Community Baptist Church of Greater Milwaukee
Location: Community Baptist Church of Greater Milwaukee (2249 N. Sherman Blvd., Milwaukee, WI) and ONLINE through Zoom.
Christians embrace the Bible as the word of God. Interpreting scripture is a sacred responsibility of all Christians and Christian leaders. This course will introduce students to principles and strategies of interpretation to assist in this sacred responsibility. All texts have context. This course will help students develop strategies for considering the important contexts to help interpret the Bible in ways that assist the community in its efforts toward faithfulness.
The course will follow the general structure of our Leadership Training Academy approach: What, Why, & How.
WHAT is Biblical Interpretation, and what plays a role in doing it?
WHY is it particularly important in the life of the church?
HOW does one do it faithfully, effectively, and with integrity?
This will be a “hybrid” course. Students will have the option of taking the course in person (at Community Baptist Church) or online using Zoom.
Rev. Dr. Demetrius Williams is a native of Milwaukee and comes from a tradition of Baptist ministers. He has served as pastor of Churches in Dorchester, MA and New Orleans, LA. He is currently the pastor of the Community Baptist Church of Greater Milwaukee since 2009. As a bi-vocational pastor, he is also an Associate professor in the Global Studies Department at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, offering instruction in the Comparative Literature program (and serves as its coordinator) and Religious Studies. His most recent publication is The Cross of Christ in African American Christian Religious Experience: Piety, Politics, and Protest (Rowman & Littlefield, 2023).