welcome! - Resurrection Church

WELCOME!
Greetings Retreat Registrant,
As the Resident Host, I would like to welcome each of you to an exciting
weekend in Hampton Roads, Virginia. The next two days promises to be
challenging and clarifying. By registering for the EDGE conference, you have
partnered with 50 other young Pastors, Preachers, and Leaders that are serious
about the call and craft of Christian service in the Lords’ Church. It is our hopes
that you will rekindle old relationships, build new ones, and enjoy the
exchange that will take place. Please take time to time to review the Retreat
Schedule, Bio’s of Presenters, and other important details that will be
informative to you during your time at the EDGE conference. We will use
social media outlets during our Retreat, so please use the hashtag #EDGE14
when updating Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. If there is anything you need
while here, please let me or one of the other capable retreat host know, and
we will attempt to exceed your request in any way we can. Finally, this retreat
is not your typical retreat, our hopes it that you will leave here better than when
you arrived…
Yours in Progress,
Pastor Akeem Z. Walker, M.A., M.Div.,
SEPTEMBER 12TH AND 13TH, 2014
Sessions hosted at GETHSEMANE BAPTIST CHURCH
5405 Roanoke Avenue | Newport News, VA 23605 | Dr. Dwight Riddick, Host
Friday, September 12th, 2014
11:00AM–11:55AM
Check-in/Registration
12:00PM–1:20PM
Life After Yes
1:30PM–2:50PM
So You Want to be a Pastor: Preparing Your Profile
Dr. Martha Simmons
3:00PM–4:30PM
Creative Ministry Development
4:30PM
Recreational Time
7:00PM
WORSHIP SERVICE
Dr. Marcus D. Cosby, Guest Preacher
Shekinah Glory Outreach Ministries
149 Business Park Drive • Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Pastor Cedric Rouson, Host Pastor
Saturday, September 13th, 2014
7:00AM
Breakfast
8:00AM–9:20AM
Understanding Church Culture
Dr. Dwight Riddick
9:30AM–11:00AM
“Tradition in Transition”
Pastor John Faison
11:10AM–12:30PM
Women In Ministry
Pastor Brianna Parker, Dr. Danielle Brown, Rev.
Debra Haggins and Dr. Martha Simmons
12:30PM–1:30PM
Lunch
1:45PM–3:00PM
Spiritual Health of the Preacher
Rev. Debra Haggins
Reverend Dr. Marcus D. Cosby | Friday Night Preacher
The Reverend Dr. Marcus D. Cosby, the third child born to the late Mr. Rogers
Cosby and Mrs. Bobbie J. Cosby, serves as the Senior Pastor of Wheeler Avenue
Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. A proud native of Chicago, Illinois and a product of
Emmanuel Baptist Church where Dr. L.K. Curry served as pastor, Cosby received the
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religion and English from Fisk University in Nashville,
Tennessee, the Master of Divinity Degree in Homiletics and Christian Education from
the Morehouse School of Religion at the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC)
in Atlanta, Georgia and the Doctor of Ministry Degree in Homiletics from Northern
Baptist Theological Seminary in Lombard, Illinois.
Dr. Cosby is married to his high school sweetheart, Mrs. Audrey Marie Cosby,
and they have been blessed with three beautiful daughters, Adrienne Marie, Ashley
Marie and Aliyah Marie and two sons, Marcus D., II and Matthew D. Cosby.
As the successor to the Founding Pastor of Wheeler Avenue, Dr. William A.
Lawson, Pastor Cosby has been blessed to continue the ministry of this intentionally
intergenerational congregation in the inner city of Houston, Texas since 2004, having
served as Associate Pastor since 1998. With four Sunday worship services and a
membership of nearly 13,000, he has led the congregation to ensure its impact both
on and far beyond the church campus with the inception of the Wheeler Avenue
Christian Academy, serving children from 6 weeks old through the fifth grade; by
opening a transitional housing facility for homeless single mothers in the Third Ward
community of Houston; through cultivating a missional outreach in multiple villages in
South Africa; and maintaining a passion for creatively impacting the lives of the
forsaken and forgotten wherever they may be found.
Dr. Cosby serves as a member of the Board of the Samuel Dewitt Proctor
Conference, the Home Mission Board of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.,
the Fisk University Board of Trustees and the General Alumni Association of Fisk
University, Inc. He has served on the Board of Directors of the African American Pulpit;
the Houston Area Urban League, Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, the Texas
Commission for Community Service and Volunteerism, and as an Advisory Board
Member of The Gardner C. Taylor Preaching Archives and Listening Room in Atlanta,
Georgia. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity
and a Life Member of the NAACP.
Among the gifts and talents with which God has blessed Pastor Cosby, none
are more meaningful and fulfilling to him than preaching and teaching. Finally, Dr.
Cosby seeks to encourage and empower all humanity through the timeless and
transformative truths found in the Word of God.
Reverend Dr. Dwight Riddick | Presenter
Reverend Dr. Dwight Riddick, Sr. is a native of Chesapeake, Virginia. He’s the
son of Mr. Willie Riddick and the late Mrs. Gertie Riddick. He is married to Vera E.
Riddick, also of Chesapeake. They are the proud parents of a son, Rev. Dwight
Shawrod Riddick, Jr., a daughter Mrs. Tiffany M. Foreman. The family has been
blessed to welcome and expand to include an awesome daughter in law, Rev Jenell
Riddick, and a wonderful son in law, Mitchell Foreman. In 1982, Pastor Riddick
graduated from Norfolk State University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in
Political Science. In 1991, he received a Master of Divinity from The Samuel DeWitt
Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia. In 2005,
he earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Regent University. He currently serves as
President of the Hampton University Ministers’ Conference and is the former President
of the Baptist General Convention of Virginia. Dr. Riddick serves as an evangelist and
a facilitator of workshops and seminars in church leadership and stewardship. He has
also contributed to the development of published materials for the Baptist General
Convention of Virginia’s “Heritage Series.” In May 1985, God called him to lead the
Gethsemane Baptist Church, where he has served for 28 years. He formerly served as
pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dendron, Virginia. Under his leadership,
Gethsemane has grown tremendously.
He has successfully led Gethsemane Baptist Church in the starting of, and
maintaining of the Bright Beginnings Learning and Child Care Center as well as the
establishment of a Christian Academy. Under his leadership, Gethsemane Baptist
Church has successfully completed phase 1 of a new sanctuary. Our current location is
known as The Transformation Place where we work diligently with God leading us, to
transform the lives of all the people that God has blessed us to meet. We are building
disciples for the future so they will minister to the masses about the goodness of Jesus
Christ. Through the word of God, our Pastor delivers with conviction, power and
clarity. We have already began to experience the transformation of the lives, broken
pieces are being replaced by wholeness, and the sick are being healed as God shows
himself mightily through this visionary Pastor. There is more work for us to do, and we
look forward to more souls being gained for the Kingdom of God. Our Pastor has a
true heart for his people and is 100% about Kingdom Business. Our current complex
will facilitate our ministries and community outreach programs throughout Hampton
Roads and beyond.
So on Sunday morning if you are a visitor please feel free after any one of our
services 8:30 and 10:30, to take a minute and meet this wonderful man of God that
will help you fully understand who you are in Christ and exactly just how important
knowledge is to your present and future.
Through Pastor Riddick, we at GBC Transformation Place have “Learned to
know the bible for ourselves and we know that God’s love was always there. He will
never leave me nor forsake me; just turn it over to him and leave it all at the altar.” We
walk in Victory…
Pastor John Faison | Presenter
Pastor John R. Faison, Sr. is the Senior Pastor of Watson Grove Missionary
Baptist Church in Nashville, TN, affectionately known as “The Grove,” where they
endeavor to be “A GROWING church for GROWING people whom Christ will use in
GROWING His Kingdom.”
A native of Boykins, Virginia, Pastor Faison earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political
Science from Virginia State University and a Master of Arts in Practical Theology from
Regent University. Upon completion of undergraduate studies, he was commissioned
an officer in the US Army. Pastor Faison served in the areas of Field Artillery and
Military Intelligence, including tours in South Korea and Iraq. Sensing a new call upon
his life, Pastor Faison resigned from a bright career as a Captain in 2008 in order to
pursue God's call in full-time ministry. That step of faith took him to Good Shepherd
Baptist Church in Petersburg, VA, where he served as Pastor of Youth & Young Adults
until his call to the pastorate at The Grove.
Pastor Faison is a highly sought-after communicator of the Gospel who has
been preaching since the age of 17. Since then, young and seasoned alike have been
blessed by his message of allegiance and authenticity, as well as his willingness to
deal with relevant issues. Pastor Faison is a frequent guest lecturer/preacher at
conferences throughout the country, and his work has been published in The African
American Lectionary. Furthermore, he is a passionate advocate for community
transformation and leadership development, seen in his work nationally with the
NAACP, school systems, community organizations, and the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity,
Incorporated.
Pastor Faison is married to his lovely partner in life and ministry, Min. Alethia
Faison. They are the proud parents of three amazing children: John Ryan, Jr., Ajah
Jeanette, and Jaden Reshard.
Reverend Debra Haggins | Presenter
The Reverend Debra L. Haggins was named university chaplain and pastor of
the historic Memorial Church at Hampton University in 2008, the first female to hold
this position in the history of the university.
Haggins previously served as the interim pastor of the historic Queen Street
Baptist Church in Norfolk, Va. Prior to that, she served as assistant to the chaplain and
faculty advisor to the Student Christian Association at Hampton University. She also
had a successful professional career with the Virginia Beach City Public School System
and the Norfolk Public School System.
Haggins earned a bachelor's degree in early childhood from Paine College in
Augusta, Ga., and a Master of Science degree in secondary school administration and
the certificate of advanced graduate studies in higher education administration from
Old Dominion University. She earned a Master of Divinity in theology from the Samuel
DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University. Currently, Rev.
Haggins is pursuing the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Leadership and
Management at Hampton University.
She is the mother of Brian, Steven and Bradley Haggins and grandmother to
Isaiah, Kyle, Kayla, Jaden and Bria Haggins.
Reverend Dr. Martha Simmons | Presenter
In 1999, after having been named as one of the outstanding African American
women preachers in America, Martha Simmons became an advisory board member of
The African American Pulpit. Less than a year later, she was asked to become one of
the coexecutive editors for the journal. Under her tenure the journal enjoyed
phenomenal growth, which continued when she became the sole editor. In 2001, she
asked Frank Thomas to join her as coexecutive editor. Since winter 2003 she has
guided the journal as its president and publisher and helped to make it one of the
most respected homiletics journals in the country.
In 2007, desiring to create new national conversations concerning the use of
Scripture in preaching and worship, Reverend Simmons commissioned worldrenowned scholars to assist in the creation of The African American Online Lectionary.
The lectionary went online in December 2007 and in eight months received more than
a half million visitors. The African American Lectionary is a resource tool that not only
highlights the African American ecclesial traditions and moments that creatively
express the joy, freedom, and the challenges of being both African American and
Christian (e.g., Watch Night, African Heritage Sunday, Usher's Day, and Women's
Day), but also recognizes the liturgical calendar celebrated across a variety of ecclesial
traditions (e.g., Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost). It is designed to assist
preachers in proclamation of the primary days of liturgical celebration by African
Americans and to provide liturgist and worship leaders with assistance in preparing
worship designs for the 21st century.
Martha received her M.Div. from Emory University (Candler School of
Theology) in Atlanta, Georgia and her J.D. from New College of California, School of
Law. She is one of two general editors for Preaching with Sacred Fire: African
American Sermons 1750 to the Present (W.W. Norton Publishers, summer 2009). This
historic 1,300-plus pages offering will be the first NortonAnthology of African
American Preaching. She is the co-editor of 9.11.01: African American Leaders
Respond to an American Tragedy, the editor of Preaching on the Brink, and the coauthor of A Study Guide to Accompany Celebration and Experience in Preaching.