Gardner-Webb University recently completed its 3rd Annual Pastors’ School with a theme that has been a part of everyone’s life at one time or another – forgiveness. Forgiveness, God’s and Ours: A Biblical and Theological Perspective featured Dr. Fisher Humphreys and Dr. Paula Qualls as the primary speakers to some 60 pastors and guests from the Carolinas, Mississippi, and Virginia. During one of several sessions held over a three-day period, Qualls, Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Gardner-Webb, discussed the story of Jacob and Esau from the book of Genesis. Jacob and Esau is the story of twin brothers who were in a bitter rivalry for their father Isaac’s inheritance. The brothers were estranged for years after Esau threatened to kill Jacob. Qualls explained how the brothers reunited and how hatred was replaced with forgiveness. “They saw each other in the distance and then ran to one another and embraced in a hug. If that’s not a picture of forgiveness, I don’t know what is,” said Qualls.
Humphreys is a noted author and retired Professor of Divinity at Samford University’s Beeson Divinity School, located in Birmingham, Alabama where he resides. Humphreys talked about why the theme of forgiveness generally receives such a strong response. “There’s a lot of public perfection at times of wanting to take revenge when you’ve been treated unfairly. This event serves as a remedy,” said Humphreys. Humphreys also views a pastors’ conference as a place that the pastor can become the receiver instead of the giver when it comes to advice and ideas. “Here, relationships can be personal and not professional. Ideas can be composed as everyone shares and feeds off of one another,” said Humphreys. This year’s event also included discussions on Calvinism and Youth Ministry.
Director of Church Relations for Gardner-Webb, John Bridges, has received incredible feedback from many who attended the event. “One of the pastors’ who attended told me this was the best (pastors’ school) one yet,” said Bridges. Bridges went on to say that attendance for the program had doubled since it began and two things in particular caught his attention this year. “Our attendance included more young pastors and females than ever before,” said Bridges.
More information is available about Gardner-Webb’s Pastors’ School through Bridges at 704.406.3008.
Gardner-Webb University Press Release
