Affirming The Faith Seminar - Speakers

Kent Allen graduated from Oklahoma Christian University with a B.S. in Bible and served the Memorial Road Church of Christ for 25 years as one of its’ ministers. During that time, the congregation grew to over 2,200 members. He has led campaigns to England, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Guatemala, Brazil and the Bahamas. Kent currently serves as Senior Gifts Officer at OC and is an Elder for the Memorial Road Church of Christ. Kent is a former Trustee of Oklahoma Christian University and has been married to his wife Phyllis for 33 years. They have two sons, Kelly (wife Kristen), and Kory.

Leon Dennis is currently in his 35th year as a minister for the Westside church of Christ in Norman, Oklahoma. He began regular preaching at the age of 16 and has served churches in Lawton, Weatherford, and Norman, Oklahoma. He worked for 6 years as the Bible Chair director for S.W.O.S.U. He has held over 250 gospel meetings plus numerous family seminars. Leon is a National Certified Counselor and has devoted much of his life to marriage and family counseling.

David Duncan has served as the Pulpit Minister of the Memorial Church of Christ in Houston since 2006. Before moving to Houston, he served as the Outreach Minister at the Edmond Church of Christ in Edmond, OK and as an adjunct instructor at Oklahoma Christian University for seven years. Prior to his work in Oklahoma, David and his wife, Barbara, worked with three other couples in Vitoria, Brazil from 1992 to 1999 to plant a church. David graduated from Oklahoma Christian with a BA and a MA in Bible and Ministry and is currently a candidate for the Doctorate of Ministry at Houston Graduate School of Theology. David and his wife, Barbara, have two girls, Anna Beth (14) and Emma (10).

Terri Fanning is a Christian Counselor and past a Director for the Metropolitan Christian Community School in Mexico City as well as the Dean of Women and an instructor for Sunset International Bible Institute. A native of Clinton, Oklahoma, Terri received her education from Oklahoma Christian College and Southwestern Oklahoma State University as a nursing major. She is also a 1996 graduate of the Sunset School of Preaching and Biblical Studies. Terri and her husband of 33 years, Terry, served with a team in Los Quijotes para Mexico for 8 years establishing congregations. She is a frequent speaker at women’s retreats and conferences dealing with life’s questions and struggles.

Virgil Fry serves as Executive Director for Lifeline Chaplaincy, a ministry of Churches of Christ in Houston, Dallas, Austin and Ft. Worth hospitals. He has served in this capacity for 25 years and is an associate member of the Association of Professional Chaplains. Virgil is a graduate of Abilene Christian University and Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and serves as an adjunct professor for Pepperdine and ACU with the course entitled Ministry in Times of Crisis. He is a frequent presenter at lectureships and seminars, and is the author of two books: Disrupted: Finding God in Illness and Loss, and Rekindled: Warmed by Fires of Hope. He also is a contributing writer for Good Shepherds: More Guidance for the Gentle Art of Pastoring. A member of the First Colony Church of Christ, Virgil lost his wife, Caryl, to death two years ago, and has two adult children and two granddaughters.

Brad Harrub serves as the Director and co-founder of Focus Press and as co-editor of Think magazine, a monthly magazine on Christian evidences. He serves as a faculty member of the Bear Valley Bible Institute in Denver and has authored several tracts and articles for various journals. Brad has written the books Convicted: A Scientist Examines the Evidence for Christianity, Dissecting the Truth, and co-authored the books, The Truth About Human Origins, Investigating Christian Evidences, Matters of Life and Death, and Diamonds in the Rough: Nuggets of Truth from God’s Word. Brad holds a B.S. in biology from Kentucky Wesleyan College, and a doctorate degree in anatomy and neurobiology from the College of Medicine at the University of Tennessee in Memphis. He is a popular speaker on Christian evidences at lectureships, and youth rallies, speaking in over 46 states and five different continents. He and his wife Melinda attend the Woodson Chapel Church of Christ in Nashville, TN. They have four children: Will (9), Reese (7), Claire (4), and Luke (1).

Jerry Houston is a native of Shreveport, Louisiana and holds a Doctorate of Theology degree from Buxton University, a Masters of Divinity in counseling and Biblical studies from Harding Graduate School of Religion, a B.A. from Harding University A.A., and a 3rd year Bible Certificate from Northeastern Christian College. He is a certified Chaplin having served in the armed forces and in hospitals in the Memphis area. Jerry currently serves the East Henrietta Road Church of Christ. Jerry and his wife Deborah have two children, Amber Symone and Janae Lindsey, and they make their home in Rochester, NY.

Evertt Huffard serves as Vice President/Dean and Professor of Missiology at Harding University Graduate School of Religion where he has taught church growth, leadership and missions for 24 years. After graduating from Harding University Graduate School of Religion (M.A. and M.Th.) he served the church in Nazareth, Israel and taught Bible at the Galilee Christian High School. He completed a Ph.D. in Inter-Cultural Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary in 1985 with a focus on the “Muslim-Christian Encounter.” He has ten years of urban ministry experience in Los Angeles and Memphis. Evertt is an elder of the Church of Christ at White Station in Memphis. He and his wife, Ileene, have three children and six grandsons.

Dan Jenkins currently serves as minister for the Palm Beach Church of Christ in West Palm Beach, Florida. He has completed degrees from Freed-Hardeman College (A.A.) and David Lipscomb College (B.A.). Dan is active in mission work, having served in New Zealand, Fiji, Western Samoa and India. He is coauthor of the Engraving Heavenly Truths Bible class material. He has also authored correspondence course material used in various mission fields. Dan and his wife Judie have four children: Debbie (married to Mark Nicholas, former missionary to Kenya where they served as missionaries for nineteen years), David (a deacon at the Avondale church in Atlanta), Gary (a deacon in West Palm Beach, FL), and Jonathan (preaching in Katy, TX).

Phillip Johnson began full-time ministry after serving as a public school teacher and administrator for 4 years. His ministry began in Mannford, Oklahoma where he served for 3 years before moving to the Westside Church of Christ in Norman, Oklahoma to serve as the University Minister. In January of last year, Philip began serving as the full-time pulpit minister at Westside. He holds a B.A. in education from the University of Oklahoma and an M.A. in education from Oklahoma State University.

Chuck Monan preaches for the Pleasant Valley church of Christ in Little Rock, Arkansas where he has served since 2001. Chuck has served churches in Michigan and Oklahoma and is a contributing writer to The Gospel Advocate. Chuck is a graduate of Oklahoma Christian University with a B.A. in History and an M.A. in Ministry and has done graduate work at Michigan State University.

Howard Norton and his family served as missionaries in Sao Paulo, Brazil for 16 years before returning to Oklahoma where he served as professor of Bible and Missions and Dean of the College of Bible at Oklahoma Christian University. In 1997 he joined the faculty of Harding University and served as Lectureship Director for 12 years. He has served churches in Texas, Oklahoma, and Brazil. Howard has also served as editor for the Christian Chronicle, Arkansas Christian Harold, and Church and Family magazine. He has authored and co-authored several books and articles on missions. He is a graduate of Abilene Christian University (B.A.), the University of Houston (M.A.) and the University of Sao Paulo (PhD). Howard and his wife now live in Tegucigalpa, Honduras where he serves as president for the Association Amicus, which includes the Baxter Institute of Biblical and Cultural Studies and the James Moody Adam Clinic.

Dan Owen holds a B.A. in Bible and Biblical Languages from Oklahoma Christian University, an M.A. in Greek New Testament from Harding Graduate School of Religion, and a Ph.D. in curriculum, instruction, and program evaluation from Southern Illinois University. Dan has preached full time for churches in Mississippi, Texas, and Kentucky. He has taught at the Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver and for the Appalachian Bible Institute in Pikeville, Kentucky. Since 1987 he has served as the pulpit minister for the Broadway Church of Christ in Paducah, KY. Dan has published numerous articles on biblical studies in various publications and is the author of a book on John’s gospel entitled That You May Believe. He has preached meetings, held seminars, and done training sessions in many states and several nations around the world. He serves as an adjunct instructor for the Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver, Colorado. Dan has been married for 33 years to Cynthia Diane Phillips Owen. They have three faithful Christian children: Carrie, Ryan, and Lorie (who are all married to faithful Christian spouses). They have four grandchildren.

Neal Pollard preaches for the Bear Valley church of Christ in Denver, Colorado and serves as director for the “Future Preachers Training Camp” as well as the Bear Valley Lectures. He has studied at Faulkner University, Freed-Hardeman University and the Bear Valley Bible Institute. He is the author of Rise Up and Build and has preached in twenty-three states and six foreign countries. Neal and his wife, Kathleen, have three sons.

Bill Watkins has served with the Crieve Hall church of Christ since 2005. He has studied at Freed-Hardeman University, David Lipscomb University, Southern Christian University, and Florida International University. Bill has worked with churches in Florida, Tennessee, Alabama and Texas. He and his wife, Beverly, have five children, and 15 grandchildren.

Joe Wells has worked with young people as a youth minister and has spoken at various youth events. Joe has traveled extensively on mission trips and has also served as a pulpit minister and education minister. He holds a BS from Middle Tennessee State University and has done Master‘s level work at Bear Valley Bible Institute and completed a Masters of New Testament from Freed Hardeman University. Joe and his wife Erin live in Spring Hill, Tennessee and have two children.

Charles Williams, a native Texan, began preaching in 1953 while a student at Abilene Christian University. He is married to the former Joyce Sheerer. They have served with churches in Texas, New York, and Oklahoma. His home is in Oklahoma City, where he has served for the past 33 years.