Through the help of In Trust Center for Theological Schools, Harding’s Center for Church and City Engagement will be hosting a series of listening sessions with church leaders in urban areas. These sessions are for the purpose of hearing the dreams, visions, and challenges of doing ministry in the city. The data gathered will then be shared with church leaders and used for future programs and resources created by the Center for Church and City Engagement.
The six cities are:
Memphis, Little Rock, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Atlanta, and Chicago
October 15th: Stop #1 — Memphis, TN; Hosted by Midtown Church of Christ
November 12th: Stop #2 — Little Rock, AR; Hosted by Central Church of Christ
December 19th: Stop #3 — Dallas-Fort Worth, TX; Hosted by North Davis Church of Christ
January 21st: Stop #4 — Houston, TX; Hosted by Impact Houston Church of Christ
February 20th: Stop #5 — Atlanta, GA; Hosted by Camp Creek Church of Christ
April 1st: Stop #6 — Chicago, IL; Hosted by Sheldon Heights Church of Christ
Time will be 11:30-1:30
Sign up or request more information here
This prayer initiative is a call to bring church leaders together for encouragement, food, and prayer. We gather in one part of the city, hosted by a local church, to share food together and pray for God’s will to be done in the city of Memphis on February 4th.
Sign up here.
We will offer apprenticeships and internships in partnership with city churches and other ministries.
We are currently partnering with Christ Community Health Services to provide chaplaincy internships for our students. The internship focuses on pastoral care, multicultural ministry, engaging in intentional spiritual conversations, and grant writing. CCHS serves 60,000 people each year in underserved communities in Memphis, and the internship is made possible by a grant from the Butterfield Memorial Foundation.
Request more information here
Steve Cloer
Director
Raye Otieno
Administrative Assistant
Victor Black
Graduate Assistant
Bob Turner is the senior minister for White Station Church of Christ-Iglesia de Cristo in Memphis, Tennessee. He holds degrees from Harding University, Harding School of Theology and the University of Illinois. He is currently enrolled at Fuller Theological Seminary. In his free time, he enjoys visiting Memphis’s great parks, baking pizza, tackling challenging crossword puzzles and searching for the best cup of coffee. He and his wife, Andrea, have two daughters, Julia and Kathryn.
Che’ Smith is a native of Los Angeles, California. He is a U.S. military veteran, health care professional and community leader in the Memphis metropolitan area, where he serves as an associate minister at Quince Church of Christ. He holds degrees in science and health care administration and leadership. He and his wife have five adult children. Smith’s favorite Scripture is Psalm 23:6 — “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
David Mohundro serves as a deacon at Oliver Creek Church of Christ where he works closely with the children’s ministry. He also assists with the racial reconciliation ministry, the 30s and 40s family ministry and the church website. He is a software architect and technical leader with Clear Function in the Memphis, Tennessee, area where he has worked for nine years guiding and consulting clients through various technical issues. He has more than 20 years of experience in the software industry.
Debbie White is a graduate of Lipscomb University and holds an MBA from the University of Memphis. She has served on advisory boards for Hope Works and Harding School of Theology and is a member of the Park Avenue Church of Christ and helps lead the women's ministry.
Jim Hinkle is the executive minister at the Sycamore View Church of Christ. He spent 25 years in youth ministry in Tennessee and Texas. He and his family have lived in Memphis, Tennessee, since 2005 and have called the Binghampton neighborhood home since 2011.
Matthew Mitchell, a lifelong Memphian, graduated from Freed-Hardeman University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts in Bible, and from Harding School of Theology in 2024 with a Master of Divinity. He currently serves as the pulpit minister at Woodland Hills Church of Christ, having held multiple ministry positions there since 2013.
Russell Joy is a retired middle school principal and human resource supervisor for Legacy Shelby County Schools. Currently, he volunteers with Literacy Mid-South, teaching ESL students. He now serves as an elder at Holmes Road Church of Christ.
Guided by the principles of Proverbs 31:8-9 (NIV), Zechariah Smith is a dedicated evangelist and volunteer. He serves in leadership roles in churches of Christ, coaches at A. Maceo Walker Middle School and supports organizations such as the Mid-South Food Bank, Memphis Urban League of Young Professionals and Manhood365, a mentoring initiative he founded in 2012. Smith holds a Bachelor of Science in biological engineering and a Master of Business Administration and also serves as global engineering program manager for Integra Life Sciences.
Jim Harbin Jr. is the senior minister of Raleigh Community Church of Christ and president of the National Urban Ministry Association. He also serves as the project director of Becoming ONE, a nationally recognized marriage ministry. As senior minister at Raleigh Community Church of Christ, he has helped create a variety of partnerships and collaborations, enabling the church to serve as a hub for ministry to the communities of Raleigh, Frayser, north Memphis and parts of Bartlett in Tennessee.
Judy Conway was born and raised in the deep delta of Mississippi, but Memphis has become her home. She is a firm believer in Jesus Christ and the importance of community outreach. Conway has served as ambassador for the Tillman Station Police Department and a volunteer for Hope Works. She grows a community garden and helps improve the Mitchell Heights community through involvement in various projects and initiatives. She is a member of the North Eastside Church of Christ.
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