Summer Symposium on Preaching and Urban Ministry Speakers
Keynote Speaker
Dwight K. Nelson, D.Min.
Lead Pastor, Pioneer Memorial Church
Since 1983, Dwight Nelson has served as lead pastor of the Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University. He preaches on the “New Perceptions” telecast, teaches preaching at the theological seminary and has written some books, including The Chosen. He and his wife Karen are blessed with two married children and a three year old granddaughter.
Stephen (Steve) Bauer joined the School of Religion in the summer of 1999. Before coming to Southern, he served as a district pastor. Steve is a lifelong SDA who was inspired by his parents’ living and practical faith in Jesus. He loves to teach and preach the experience of righteousness by faith in Christ. Steve is highly motivated by his belief that the end of all things is at hand. His great burden is to equip people, including his students, to live their lives by faith in what God says.
Steve spent eight years as the pastor of several multi-church districts in two conferences. He also worked as a Bible worker/assistant pastor prior to full-time district ministry. His experience includes some inner-city work in New York City, though most of his ministry has been in the suburban setting. While in graduate school, Steve worked as a certified flight instructor (instrument) and did some occasional substitute teaching for college-level religion classes.
Steve is married to Leslie Eagles Bauer (B.S.N. Andrews University, 1980; M.S.N. University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, 2011), a Family Nurse Practitioner since 2011, and enjoys their two adult children, Andrew Bauer, and Heather Bauer Ortega. A former certified flight instructor, Steve enjoys several hobbies, including aviation, radio/control flying, beekeeping, creation-evolution issues, hiking, camping, ornithology, and music.
Patty Prasada-Rao has been working in community development for almost 20 years, primarily with the ministries of New Song in Sandtown (West Baltimore). She most recently served as COO for the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) in Chicago. Patty was born to Indian parents in the U.S. with an extended family network, which instilled in her a strong value for community and what it means to belong together. She has served on numerous community development boards both domestically and internationally, including CCDA, Communities First Association (CFA), Kupenda for the Children and PRIA Ministries. Patty is an Adjunct Professor in the Religion Department at Washington Adventist University, focusing on Urban Ministry and Community Development.
Aleksandar S. Santrac (DPhil, PhD), is a professor of religion and ethics and the chair of the Religion Department at Washington Adventist University. He has about 20 years of experience in university teaching, high school teaching, elementary teaching, research and writing, tutoring/supervising dissertations and thesis’ and online tutoring, editorial experience (editor and reviewer), university administration (dean, chair, Organization of Academic Conferences), library services, church administration (Union), ministry (Metropolitan Ministry) and public speaking/evangelism.
Dr. Santrac is author of seven books on topics that include contemporary French philosophy, existentialism, philosophy of religion (problem of evil and sense of divinity), dogmatic theology (scripture and tradition; biblical beliefs) and ethics (ethics of embrace and reconciliation) and around 45 peer-reviewed general articles and essays, chapters in the books and reviews, and approximately 30 conference papers and presentations.
He is a member of many academic societies, and has been a post-doctoral fellow of different prestigious universities in the U.S. and abroad. Dr. Santrac has a passion for public speaking/evangelism and urban ministry. As an ordained minister and professor, he held public lectures and seminars in metropolitan areas of Belgrade, capital of Serbia; Paris, France; England; Germany; Australia; New Haven, Connecticut; and the D.C. metro area. His goal is to transform religious/theological theories into understandable concepts in the public secular sphere for the glory of God and the common good.
Pastor Brenda Langford Billingy currently serves as an associate director of the North American Division, Ministerial Department. Billingy joins the NAD Ministerial Team with mission and focus to serve women clergy, and to support and mentor younger women called by God to be pastors in the North American Division.
Pastor Billingy is a native of Trinidad, West Indies – the youngest of eight children born to Gladys and Lenny Langford. She received a pre-professional degree from Caribbean Union College at 18 years of age and then migrated to the United States where she completed her B.A. degree in Psychology from Washington Adventist University (then Columbia Union College) and a M.A. degree in education from Howard University.
In 1995, Billingy was ordained as a local Elder and her life began to change dramatically. Serving in that capacity allowed her to discover the special gifts that God has graciously bestowed upon her – especially the gift of speech, counseling and encouragement. It was then that she made a promise to the Lord that when her children were enrolled in college, she would devote all of her time and attention to His purpose in her life.
This decision led her to return to Columbia Union College in 1998 to complete a B.A. degree in religion. Upon graduation, she was hired by the Allegheny East Conference as the Associate Pastor of the Metropolitan SDA Church in Hyattsville, Maryland. She later served as the Senior Pastor of the Bladensburg SDA Church for four years before returning to Metropolitan SDA Church as the Senior Pastor for seven years. In 2015, she retired from the church to serve the wider mission field in the North American Division.
Ministry assignments include the United States, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Trinidad, St. Croix, Jamaica, Turks & Caicos, and Bermuda. She also had the honor of preaching the Word for the General Conference Session in 2010. As ministry partners, Brenda and her husband, Edsel, have been intentional in teaching successful principles of financial management. They are blessed with two wonderful daughters – Rhonda and Shana, the joy and pride of their lives.
Laura Morena grew up in Brazil in a family of musicians. She began singing at the age of 6 and took that passion with her to college in São Paulo, Brazil, where she majored in music and literature.
In 2010, she released her first solo album entitled “Manhã,” and in 2015, she released her first DVD and second album entitled “Mais Perto.” In 2011, she relocated to Maryland, where her ministry in English started to flourish.
In January of 2014, she married Pastor Cesar Grassiotto, and they are now pastors at the Highland View Church in Hagerstown.
Pastor Cesar Grassioto is a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, one of the most urban cities in the world. He studied at Andrews University, from which he earned a Master in Ministry degree and is now currently working on his Doctorate of Ministry with emphasis on millennials.
Cesar Grassioto worked as a youth pastor, evangelist missionary in Africa, and is now serving as the senior pastor at the Highland View Church/Academy. His passion is to teach devotional habits to youth and young adults, helping them to explore an awareness of God’s presence that permeates every single aspect of life
Student Links
Our Faculty
Student Candidates
Events
– THE SCHOOLS –
School of Arts & Social Sciences
The School of Arts & Social Sciences offers a curriculum focused on fostering the development of the skills essential to be successful in the global service economy of the 21st Century: writing, critical thinking, debate, analysis, and an understanding and appreciation for cultural diversity.
School of Health Professions, Science & Wellness
The School of Health Professions, Science & Wellness employs a philosophy that balances practical training and theory in approaching education for future health sciences professionals. We bridge the gap between concept and practice.
School of Graduate & Professional Studies (SGPS)
For more than 30 years, WAU has been a leader in providing career building undergraduate degree programs for working professionals. WAU has continued to expand those offerings by adding graduate programs. This provides undergraduate students the opportunity to transition into graduate programs and continue to enhance their skills and competitive marketability.
