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Bridging Divides Across Christians for the Flourishing of the City

Dean’s Forum: When Weakness Wins – Reading 2 Corinthians for a Church Chasing Power

2 Corinthians has been called the sleeping giant of Paul’s theology. At its heart lies a paradox that both comforts and unsettles: “My grace is sufficient for you,” the risen Jesus tells Paul, “for my power is perfected in weakness.” Few churches, ancient or modern, know what to do with that claim. In celebration of B. G. White’s new book, Pain and Paradox in 2 Corinthians: The Transformative Function of Strength in Weakness (IVP Academic, 2026), this lecture explores how to interpret one of Paul’s richest letters and why its vision of Christ’s upside-down power might be exactly what the church today needs to hear.

The Dean’s Forum discussion is free and is open to the public. No RSVP required for those joining online.

Registration is only required for those planning to attend in person at Gordon-Conwell—Hamilton. Lunch will be provided for those attending in person.

Register by Wednesday, October 28

The Dean’s Forum is hosted by the Academic Dean’s office. The event will take place in Alumni Hall in Kerr Building at the Hamilton campus of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. It will be streamed live through Facebook and at www.gcts.edu/live.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Dr. B.G. White is a faculty member in New Testament at Boston College. He has been a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard Divinity School and has taught at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Reformed Theological Seminary. He is the author of Pain and Paradox in 2 Corinthians: The Transformative Function of Strength in Weakness (IVP Academic, 2026 / Mohr Siebeck, 2021) and has published peer-reviewed articles in a variety of journals, including Journal for the Study of the New Testament and Journal of Theological Studies. He has been a guest editor at the Journal of Theological Interpretation and his commentary on issues at the intersection of faith and culture has appeared in major outlets including Christianity Today and The Boston Globe. He has previously served in pastoral ministry and is a Senior Fellow of The Center for Pastor Theologians.

Dr. Patricia Batten is assistant professor of preaching and director of chapel at Gordon-Conwell. She pastored a small church in Kennebunkport, Maine after receiving her MDiv from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She later pursued her passion for teaching after earning her DMin in preaching. Pat finds great pleasure in teaching soon-to-be pastors how to preach expository sermons, and is delighted to be involved in academia and in ministry. She’s convinced that her preaching makes her teaching more effective and her teaching makes her a better preacher. She is co-editor of Models for Biblical Preaching: Expository Sermons from the Old Testament (Baker Academic, 2014) and author of Parenting by Faith: What Jesus Said to Parents (Hendrickson Publishing Group, 2019).

Dr. Sean McDonough is the Mary French Rockefeller Distinguished Professor of New Testament. He came to Gordon-Conwell in 2000 from Pacific Theological College in Suva, Fiji, where he had served as the Chair of the Biblical Studies Department and as a lecturer in New Testament. His research interests include creation/cosmology in the Bible and the Ancient Near East, Hellenistic Judaism, Greek philosophy and religion, and the Book of Revelation. Dr. McDonough is the author of Truth’s Consuming Ecstasy: Literary and Philosophical Investigations of the Apocalypse of John (Baylor University Press, 2025). He is a Sunday School teacher and occasional preacher at First Congregational Church in Hamilton.

Dean’s Forum: How to Choose Life in the Midst of a Suicide Crisis

Navigating a suicide crisis requires a blend of spiritual grounding, community support, and concrete action. Join us for this Dean’s Forum to explore the key strategies for choosing life:

  • Spiritual Grounding: Normalize suffering as part of the human and Christian experience, and anchor yourself in God’s unconditional love.
  • Relational Support: Identify safe, trusted individuals and actively reach out for help.
  • Actionable Hope: Cultivate hope and focus on building a life worth living.
  • Practical Safety: Demonstrate your intention to choose life by creating concrete tools, such as a Hope Kit and a personal Safety Plan.

The Dean’s Forum discussion is free and is open to the public. No RSVP required for those joining online.

Registration is only required for those planning to attend in person at Gordon-Conwell—Hamilton. Lunch will be provided for those attending in person.

Register by Wednesday, October 14

The Dean’s Forum is hosted by the Academic Dean’s office. The event will take place in Alumni Hall in Kerr Building at the Hamilton campus of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. It will be streamed live through Facebook and at www.gcts.edu/live.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Karen Mason is a professor of counseling and psychology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where she has prepared students to be licensed mental health counselors since 2006. She is a native of Colorado (and loves to ski and hike). She learned French while growing up in France, some German while living in Austria, and some Haitian Creole while living in Haiti, teaching at Hope Academy. She has also lived in Pakistan, teaching at Murree Christian School. She completed an MA in Old Testament at Denver Seminary and an MA and PhD in counseling psychology at the University of Denver with a minor in industrial/organizational psychology.

In addition to being a licensed professional counselor and a licensed psychologist, she has managed teams and several high-impact projects at the Mental Health Center of Denver. Before moving to Massachusetts, she managed the Office of Suicide Prevention at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. She has worked in the mental health field since 1990 with clients across the age-span and in a variety of settings, including Lahey Behavioral Health. She is currently in private practice. Her research is focused on the clergy’s and faith community’s role in suicide prevention. She is a member of the American Counseling Association and the American Psychological Association.

Scott M. Gibson taught at Gordon-Conwell for 27 years, serving as the Haddon W. Robinson Professor of Preaching, before moving to Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary, where he held the David E. Garland Endowed Chair in Preaching and founded the PhD in Preaching program. After retiring from Truett in 2025, he continues to lecture there and, in 2026, returned to Gordon-Conwell as the Haddon W. Robinson Chair of Preaching. He remains active in teaching, lecturing, and preaching in churches, conferences, and seminaries.

An ordained Baptist minister, Dr. Gibson is co-founder and past president of the Evangelical Homiletics Society. His interests include contemporary issues in preaching, discipleship, pastoral ministry, and the history of preaching and evangelicalism.

Hamilton Explore Seminary

You’re invited! Join us Wednesday, October 7 to Thursday, October 8 for our Fall Explore Seminary at our South Hamilton, MA residential campus. During this two-day event you will experience Life Together Wednesdays, mingle with Gordon-Conwell students and faculty, and enjoy our beautiful North Shore campus in the fall.

Come and learn about our different programs and our residential model of theological education; we’d love to have you in our community.

We will provide complimentary campus housing for two nights and meals during your time here. Housing reservations are limited so sign up today to secure your spot!

Creativity in the Wilderness — Hamilton, MA

Dialogue with cellist, composer, and artist-in-context Kendall Ramseur.

Kendall Ramseur, an award-winning cellist, composer, vocalist, and musical storyteller, is the artist in context at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary for the 2026-2027 academic year. During this time, he will be composing Songs from the Wilderness, a new cello concerto inspired by the Exodus narrative that invites audiences to reflect on God’s presence and faithfulness in seasons of wilderness.

As part of the creative process of composing, Kendall will spend time in dialogue with students, faculty, and community members about wilderness experiences, identity, and the role of creativity within the journey of faith. Moderated by Dr. Wes Vander Lugt, director of the Leighton Ford Inititive in Theology, the Arts, and Gospel Witness at Gordon-Conwell, this informal gathering provides a unique opportunity to participate in honest dialogue and to influence and learn about a major musical composition.

Anyone is welcome to register for this free event, which will take place on the first floor of the Retreat House. Students are welcome to bring lunches. If you are coming from off campus, there is parking available by the Retreat House, which is the first building up the hill once you take a left at the fork. Registration is limited to 20, so please be sure to sign up in advance.

Register Today

Kendall-RamseurMore about Kendall: A founding member of Sons of Serendip, Kendall now performs and creates as a solo artist, with performances and original works presented on stages around the world and featured across film, television, and other media, including large-scale orchestral commissions that bring together music, narrative, and cultural reflection. Born in Charlotte, NC, Kendall now resides in Boston with his wife and two sons.

Explore DMin Webinar: Women in Leadership Track

Join us for a webinar on the Doctor of Ministry track in Women in Leadership led by Dr. Jana Holiday and Dr. Emily Gierer on Thursday, September 17, at 12 p.m. (ET).

In a time when female ministry leaders often face loneliness and isolation in their professional lives, this program is designed to equip women serving in church, parachurch, and educational contexts to lead with spiritual depth, theological clarity, and practical skill.

Rooted in Scripture and shaped by the global church, this track draws on a rich biblical heritage of women who led with courage and faithfulness—from Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah in the Old Testament to Mary, Phoebe, Priscilla, and Junia in the New.

During the webinar, Dr. Holiday and Dr. Gierer will provide an introduction to the DMin program and application process and a presentation of this track. You will have an opportunity to get to know and engage them. Visit the DMin page to read about admissions requirements, and register below.


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