A Day with Craig Barnes and Jonathan “Cat” Tran

Thursday, November 5, 2026 | 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Preston Road Church of Christ (map)

Questions? Contact David Kneip

We are excited to invite you to a free event in Dallas on Thursday, November 5, at the Preston Road Church of Christ, from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. We will welcome Dr. Craig Barnes and Dr. Jonathan “Cat” Tran for a time of learning, sharing and fellowship. Lunch will be provided. We hope you will join us!

WHO SHOULD COME?

This day is for you if ANY of the following apply:

  • You are a minister with responsibility to preach to and lead your people, whether you are “solo” or work with a staff.

  • You are not currently a preaching/lead minister, but you think you might become one at some point in the future.

  • You enjoy getting to think theologically about matters of ministry.

  • You got into ministry not because you hoped to a run a non-profit organization, but because you wanted to faithfully proclaim and embody the good news of Christ.

  • You are in early adulthood, considering the possibility of entering into ministry in a fuller way.

So, what will we do together? Is it just listening to speakers speak? There will be some presentations, but there will be more dialogue and conversation. Thanks to a grant from the Lilly Endowment and the Association of Theological Schools, Dr. Barnes is currently leading a speaking and writing project called “Theologies for Pastoral Ministry.” This project rises out of the recognition that there are many practical resources available for ministers and church leaders today, but not many of these resources have much theological depth. As a result, Craig and his colleagues are working to develop theologically sound resources for church leaders, and the grant includes the opportunity to speak with leaders while they are writing the books! In other words, you don’t have to wait until the books come out to engage them – you get to think with the authors on the front end, and your thoughts will influence the ways the books turn out! We are thrilled to be able to partner with Dr. Barnes in this project, first by welcoming Dr. Willie James Jennings to Summit in October, and then at Preston Road in November.

WHAT WILL YOU GET OUT OF IT?

You’re going to gain a variety of things, besides just a free lunch and good fellowship. For some of you, you have missed getting to dig deeply and think deeply with ministry colleagues and scholars, and this day will offer that in spades. For some of you, your days are spent reacting to one challenge or crisis after another, and this event will allow you to step back, take a breath, and remind yourself of why you got into ministry in the first place! For others of you, you’re considering the possibility of stepping out of ministry, or of stepping into it more fully – or you’re working with colleagues and volunteers questioning the same. We know that burnout and exhaustion are real, and this time together will allow you to reflect on the life of ministry, hopefully energizing you for the new or continued work ahead.

SPECIAL GUESTS

Dr. Craig Barnes may already be familiar to you. He is the former president of Princeton Theological Seminary and the author of such books as The Pastor as Minor Poet (Eerdmans, 2008), Diary of a Pastor’s Soul (Brazos, 2020), and Searching for Home: Spirituality for Restless Souls (Brazos, 2003). His work in the Theologies for Pastoral Ministry project focuses on facing the fears that we encounter in pastoral ministry, and finding ways to let the love that casts out fear lead us in our ministries. In addition to his academic and writing work, Craig has a pastoral background, serving currently as the pastor emeritus of the Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in addition to prior work in Madison, Wisconsin, and Washington, D.C.

Dr. Jonathan “Cat” Tran is also part of the Theologies for Pastoral Ministry project. He recently moved to Duke Divinity School from Baylor University, where he served as professor of religion and with Baylor’s Honors College. Cat has written dozens of articles and multiple books on Christian ethics, with particular emphases in bioethics, political theory and ecclesiology. He even co-edited a book with our own GST professor, Dr. Myles Werntz! Dr. Tran’s project focuses on calling Christians into pastoral work, both those not yet in that field and also those already in leadership but struggling with its demands and challenges. This dovetails well with our work in the Siburt Institute, where we support both ministers already in ministry and churches who are inviting volunteers into ministerial positions.

On November 5, we will gather in the morning and share lunch together at midday; during that time, Dr. Barnes and Dr. Tran will each make presentations about the current state of their work, but we will also have extended time for Q&A with each author and will close the day by getting both speakers together for more conversation in a panel-discussion format. I’m particularly excited about the nature of this project, because the ATS grant allows us to gather with these theologians while they are writing their books—not merely afterward. In other words, you get to both hear from these thinkers and also help shape the work they are doing!

Make plans now to join us on November 5!

Registration

Registration is free for all attendees. Watch this space for a registration link to come.

Questions?

Contact david.kneip@acu.edu.