Steve Cloer, assistant professor of ministry, teaches courses in congregational ministry, mission, and leadership. He also directs the Doctor of Ministry program. His research and writing interests include missional theology, church leadership, ministry in urban contexts, and racial reconciliation. Steve has served in youth ministry, campus ministry, and preaching ministry. Most recently, Steve was the preacher for Southside Church of Christ in Fort Worth, TX for 15 years. This historic congregation was located two miles south of downtown. For most of his time there, Steve and his family lived in an urban neighborhood near the Southside church building. Steve and his wife, Lindsay, have three children, Joshua, Lydia, and Bethany. Steve enjoys sports, outdoor adventures, spending time with family, and cheering for the Arkansas Razorbacks. Credentials:

• DMin, Luther Seminary, 2010-2015
• MDiv, Harding School of Theology, 2002-2006
• B.A., Harding University, 1998-2002

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Lance Hawley is an Assistant Professor of Old Testament and biblical Hebrew. His research focuses on the book of Job and Hebrew poetry. He also has a major interest in biblical law and biblical canon as essential topics of study for followers of Jesus. These topics are especially integrated into his classes on the Pentateuch and the Prophets.

Before joining the HST faculty, Lance served as a church planter in Madison, WI for ten years. He has a passion for the spiritual formation of missional communities.

Lance and his wife, Laura, have three children, Sage, Clay, and Lydia. The whole family enjoys hospitality, reading, and sports (basketball, ultimate Frisbee, cross country, and soccer). Lance loves backpacking and endurance/travel narratives. He has a goal of hiking the Appalachian Trail (in sections).

Credentials:

• Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, 2016
• M.A., University of Wisconsin, 2012
• M.Div., Harding University, 2003
• B.A., York College, 1999

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Jessica Holland serves as the library director at HST and teaches the Advanced Theological Research course.

She has worked in various roles in academic libraries. Her library journey, beginning as a student worker in the Brown Library at Abilene Christian University in 2004 to her current position as director of the HST library, has given her a love of the many and varied functions of a library. She is especially convinced that the excellence of a library hinges largely on its ability to provide hospitality as well as knowledge to its community.

Jessica and her husband, Cameron, attend the Holmes Road Church of Christ where Cameron serves as minister. While neither were born in Memphis, both consider it to be home and quite possibly the best place on earth.

Credentials:

• MSIS, The University of Texas at Austin, 2008 – 2010

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Steve McLeod serves as our Associate Dean. His work includes that of registrar, academic advisor, and director of institutional research. He assists international students with visa issues, and military veterans and dependents with VA benefits. He has served as president of SACRAO, the Southern Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, which has 3000 members in 500 institutions across 14 southeastern states and Puerto Rico.

Steve has served as a youth minister and has worked in single’s ministry and small group ministry. He serves as the ministry team leader with the Life Group Ministry at Sycamore View Church of Christ in Memphis.

Steve enjoys cheering on his beloved Georgia Bulldogs with his fellow Bulldog fans, Mark Powell and Matt Carter. He began his college career at UGA in the days of Herschel Walker. He was in the Redcoat Band and was present in the Superdome in New Orleans when UGA won the national championship in 1980.

He is a NASCAR fan and has been in a Fantasy NASCAR league since 2010, winning the league championship three times. He has hiked the Appalachian Trail twice. The width, not the length.

Credentials:

• D.Min., Harding School of Theology, 2002
• M.Div., Harding School of Theology, 1989
• B.A., Lipscomb University, 1985

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Richard Oster teaches New Testament with particular emphasis on Acts, the writings of Paul, and the book of Revelation.

Known as the campus Mac computer expert, Rick combines a passion for the ancient with a love for modern technology. He brings this combination into his classes, involving students in multimedia projects that bring the biblical texts to life.

Credentials:

• Ph.D., Princeton Theological Seminary, 1971-1974
• M.A., Rice University, 1971
• B.A., Texas Tech University, 1969

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Sheila serves as the Associate Librarian at HST, primarily responsible for the cataloging of 1500-2000 volumes added to the library collection each year. She assists with other library services as needed, and loves the scavenger hunt of searching for dependable information resources on the Internet.

She is an active member of the Park Avenue Church of Christ, working with the Neighborhood Involvement Committee and children’s Bible classes.

Sheila finds it hard to answer the question “Where are you from?” but credits her love of exploring new places to having grown up in Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and California.

Credentials:

• M.A. in Library Science, University of Missouri, Columbia, 1994
• B.A. in English, Pepperdine University, 1989

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Mark E. Powell, Dean and Professor of Theology, teaches courses in Christian theology, ethics, and philosophy of religion. His research and writing interests include the doctrine of the Trinity, religious epistemology, and theology in the Stone-Campbell Movement.

Mark has served in preaching ministry, urban ministry, and adult education, and he is currently a shepherd at a church in Memphis. He is deeply interested in the intersection of theological scholarship, the ministry of the church, and discipleship.

Mark and his wife, Debbie, have three children. He enjoys sports, cooking barbeque, camping, and spending time with his family.

Credentials:

• Ph.D., Southern Methodist University, 2005
• M.Div., Emory University, 1996
• B.A., Lipscomb University, 1993

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Keith Stanglin, Professor of Historical Theology, teaches courses in the history of Christianity and theology. He specializes in Reformation and post-Reformation theology, the history of biblical interpretation, moral theology, and Arminianism. A prolific author, Keith has written or edited eleven books and numerous articles for both scholarly and popular audiences.

Keith is the Executive Director of the Center for Christian Studies in Austin, Texas and the editor of the Journal of Christian Studies. He has served churches in a number of ministry roles, most recently as an interim preaching minister.

Credentials:

• Ph.D., Calvin Theological Seminary, 2005
• M.Div., Harding School of Theology, 2001
• B.A., Oklahoma Christian University, 1998

 
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