Preaching

What does it mean to preach from a place of genuine love? This question sits at the center of this year’s preaching community, shaped by Romans 12 and our Call to Genuine Love. We invite anyone with a love for preaching to join us for an exploration of what it means to be shaped by God's love in every dimension of our vocation. We will examine how God's love forms us: as preachers standing before a congregation, as individuals navigating our own interior lives, and as craftspeople handling the sacred text. We will weave together spiritual practice, teaching, and discussion within our community. Whether you have preached for decades or are just beginning, you are invited to return to the source of our love, and to rediscover that love is not just our message – it is our identity.

SESSION INFORMATION

We are incredibly excited to welcome Cynthia Ownby and David Ayres as they shape the preaching community at Summit this fall in conversation with other gifted voices in preaching. They enter this conversation from multiple perspectives—that of practitioner, pastor, and scholar—and their varied experiences will certainly foster a rich experience for all who attend.

THURSDAY MORNING SESSIONS | Topic: Preacher + God/Self

  • Speaker: Jerry Taylor

  • Practice and Discussion

THURSDAY AFTERNOON SESSIONS | Topic: Preacher + Congregation

  • Speaker: Kevin Huddleston

  • Practice and Discussion

FRIDAY MORNING SESSIONS | Topic: Preacher + Text/Craft

  • Speaker: Tiffany Dahlman

  • Practice and Discussion

 

Facilitators

Cynthia Ownby

CYNTHIA OWNBY

Cynthia Ownby has worked in congregational ministry for 18 years. She is the Lead Minister at Stamford Church of Christ (Stamford, CT). Cynthia is an alumnus of Abilene Christian University and Portland Seminary. She loves ministry with her church family, finding great joy in pastoral care and creating space to foster intergenerational community and shared spiritual experiences. Cynthia loves to travel with her husband Cale, try new foods, and spend an afternoon with a good book and a cup of tea.

 

David Ayres

DAVID AYRES

David Ayres is the Minister of the Word for Bammel Church of Christ in Houston, Texas. He attended ACU where he completed both undergraduate and graduate degrees in theology and ministry (’10, ’13). In his more than 15 years of ministry experience, David has served churches throughout West Texas as well as in Northwest Arkansas. David and his wife, Kristen (ACU ’08,) have been married for 18 years, and they have three children—Ava (16), Jacob, (14), Matthew (9).

 

ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS

DR. TIFFANY DAHLMAN

Lead Minister, Courtyard Church of Christ (Fayetteville, NC)
Program Director for Bible and Ministry, ACU Dallas

DR. KEVIN HUDDLESTON

Lead Minister, The Church at 1548 Heights (Houston, TX)

DR. JERRY TAYLOR

Associate Professor Emeritus of Bible, Abilene Christian University