The Teaching Pastors Forum is an opportunity for a pastor or minister in the region to share her/his passion project in dialogue with colleagues in ministry. Participants share a simple lunch, followed by a presentation and the opportunity for extended conversation. This year we will again be using a “hybrid” format for the Teaching Pastors Forum, so even if you can’t join us for lunch, you can tune in through Zoom.
The Region is blessed to have pastors and ministers with a wide variety of helpful gifts and interests. Below you’ll find descriptions of our upcoming offerings. Please register at least 1 week prior.
Teaching Pastors Forums – 2026
UPCOMING TPF Sessions
Thursday – October 22, 2026
“Global Christianity and Mission Challenges: A Shifting Paradigm?”
TOPIC: Rev. Chakravarthy Zadda, Ph.D. is pastor of First Baptist Church of Waukesha. He is trained as a Missiologist to look at the work of the church through the lens of its mission. He comes from India, the mission field of William Carey, the “Father of Modern Missions.” He has a compelling background, a profound interest, and considerable training in the field of Missions.
He also had the good fortune to be able to travel during a recent sabbatical in the summer of 2024. Not only did he travel in the “footsteps of Paul.” He was also able to experience the Church’s sense of mission on three different continents. His time provided fertile ground for reflecting deeply on the Church’s mission in a changing world. In a shifting paradigm for faith, what are the challenges to the mission of the Church for Global Christianity?
SPEAKER: Rev. Chakravarthy Zadda, Ph.D. is a “Baptist Missiologist” from India. He has both academic and ministerial experience in multi-cultural settings. He has served as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Waukesha since 2017. He has served in leadership for ABCWI, ABCUSA, as well as the National Council of Churches of India, and the Baptist World Alliance.
LOCATION: This will be a HYBRID offering. We will meet for a simple lunch at the ABCWI offices (1011 N. Mayfair Rd., Suite 205, Wauwatosa) at 12:00 pm. We will open the Zoom room a little before 12:30 pm when the presentation will begin. Come enjoy food and fellowship if you’re able, but if you’re not, join online to enjoy the conversation.
REGISTER: Sign up HERE to RSVP and receive the Zoom link. Please register no later than Tuesday, October 20.
PREVIOUS TPF Sessions
Thursday – September 17, 2026
“Conflict Transformation in SE Asia: Global Servant Kyle Williams”
TOPIC: Katrina and Kyle Williams serve in Southeast Asia and partner with multiple groups to work towards building peace, educating, and mobilizing the church. Kyle leads conflict transformation workshops in churches and extended communities. He also teaches classes at Kawthoolei Hope Theological Seminary as part of their peace studies program. Katrina teaches at Chiang Rai International Christian School in their science department and student success program, giving children with various learning differences the extra help needed to be successful.
Kyle shared about the ministry of walking alongside the persecuted church in SE Asia. The discussion dug into difficult questions about following a peace-making Jesus in a violent world.
Thursday – April 16, 2026
“How Learning about Islam Can Make You a Better Christian Leader”
TOPIC: Learning about Islam can make Christian pastors more theologically astute and more faithful partners in their communities. In this Teaching Pastors Forum, Rev. Dr. Michael Woolf, co-author of Confronting Islamophobia in the Church: Liturgical Tools for Justice, shared how a basic understanding of Islam and Muslim lived experience can deepen Christian leadership while equipping pastors to respond to Islamophobia with wisdom and courage. The session offers practical insights for preaching, teaching, and building stronger relationships with Muslim neighbors.
SPEAKER: Rev. Dr. Michael Woolf holds a Doctor of Theology (ThD) degree from Harvard Divinity School. He serves as the Senior Minister at Lake Street Church of Evanston in Evanston, IL. He also serves as Co-Associate Regional Minister for White and Multicultural Churches with the American Baptist Churches of Metro Chicago region.
His second book, Confronting Islamophobia in the Church: Liturgical Tools for Justice, is available from Judson Press in January 2026.
We recorded this session.
See the recording HERE.
Thursday – February 19, 2026
“EcoTheology: Creation Justice and Ministry”
TOPIC: How does our view of creation fit into our theology and practice of ministry? During 2024-25, Rev. Carolyn Dugan participated in an Ecopreaching cohort through BTS Center, Lexington Theological Seminary, and Creation Justice Ministries. During this Teaching Pastors Forum she shared a bit on several of the topics that were covered. She talked about how they have affected her own view of creation including the opportunity to speak on the EcoChristian podcast. Carolyn’s time in this Kinship also influenced decisions at camp such as a land acknowledgement and focus on Earth Day.
SPEAKER: Rev. Carolyn Dugan is Associate Regional Minister-Outdoor Ministries for the American Baptist Churches of Wisconsin. She has provided leadership at Camp Tamarack for nearly 15 years, having been present/involved at Camp even prior to her birth! She received the M.Div. degree from Central Seminary in 2016 and has her B.S. in Zoology. She also works at LabCorp as a Training Development Specialist for Toxicology.
We recorded this session.
See the recording HERE.
See prior topics and speakers from previous years – including some session recordings.
