As believers, we have both the privilege and responsibility to pass on the faith to those in our homes and in our churches. How can you lead others to become disciples who make disciples? What does it look like to bring younger believers alongside you in ministry? In this session we will discuss how to lead those in our care, whether children in your home or spiritual children in your church, to love and serve Christ.

Jody and Emily Dean have been teaching for 15 years at NOBTS. Jody serves as Professor of Christian Education and Director of the Doctor of Education program, and Emily is Associate Professor of Ministry to Women. They live in the New Orleans area and have two children, a college student, Lydia, and a high schooler, James. Prior to God calling them to teaching ministry, Jody and Emily served churches in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Jody has authored multiple books including Managing the Ministry, Protect, and Serve, and Emily is author of Women Leading Well: Stewarding the Gift of Ministry Leadership.

How have Christians shared the gospel across different eras, cultures, and challenges throughout church history? In this session, we will explore key examples of evangelism from the early church to the modern era and consider what they can teach us today. Through practical stories of relational evangelism in New Orleans, participants will leave encouraged and equipped to faithfully engage their communities with the gospel.

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Matt and Jessica James serve together at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, where Matt is the Senior Vice President for Business Administration and teaches Church History and Baptist Heritage. Matt and Jessica have been married for 15 years and are raising one son and two daughters. In their free time, Matt enjoys hunting, cheering on the LSU Tigers, and restoring classic vehicles, while Jessica loves the beach, dancing, game nights, and meaningful conversations over good food with friends. They love their church family at Immanuel Community Church. 

In Acts 2:46-47, we read “every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” In this session, we will discuss what the Bible says about biblical hospitality. We will talk about barriers that keep us from opening our homes to those around us and give some suggestions on ways to invite people in. Because we all live in neighborhoods, communities, and cities filled with people who do not know Christ, we will also talk about ways to bridge both hospitality and missions in your everyday life.

Chris and Vanessa Shaffer are long time residents of New Orleans where Chris serves as the Chief of Staff in the President’s Office and as Associate Professor of Theology in Leavell College. Vanessa serves as the Women’s Life Coordinator at NOBTS. The Shaffers have been married for 11 years and have two children, Thaddeus and Adeline. They love exploring their city and teaching others how to love this place they call home. Chris and Vanessa find great joy introducing family and friends and visitors to New Orleans and all the new sites and new restaurants around town. The Shaffer family is all in when it comes to hosting people in their home.