Our Presenters
Carl Smith, Coordinator of the STEPS Program
Serving as the Coordinator of the STEPS program, Dr. Carl Smith is Professor of Bible at Cedarville University with a special focus on church history, theology and Christian worldview integration. Carl taught at two institutions prior to coming to Cedarville in 2007 and has served as the pastor of the Fairhaven Community Church of Camden, OH. He received his B.A. in Bible from Tennessee Temple University in 1979 and M.Div. in New Testament from Temple Baptist Theological Seminary in 1983. Carl also completed historical studies under Dr. Edwin Yamauchi, a noted Biblical scholar and author, at Miami University in ancient history, particularly the world of the Bible and church history (M.A., 1992; Ph.D., 2001). He is the author of No Longer Jews: The Search for Gnostic Origins (Hendrickson, 2004) and has served as interim pastor for two churches as well as provided pulpit supply for numerous others. Carl and his wife, Debby, have five children and two grand-children. With a love for teaching, administration, and ministry, Carl's vision for the STEPS program is that it would serve as an encouragement to area churches and ministries and a catalyst for growth and cooperation in this region.To contact Carl, call 937-766-3807 or email cbsmith@cedarville.edu
Jeff Cook
Jeff Cook is an Associate Professor of Ministry and Mission at Cedarville University with a special focus on U.S. urban ministry. He has a broad background in cross-cultural ministry and training. In the international context, he has spent ten years in church planting in Germany and conducted theological training for pastors in North Africa, the Middle East and Europe. In North America he has taught five years at an inner- city Bible college, since 1993 has been associate pastor of a primarily African-American church, and is in his eleventh year at Cedarville University. Jeff is passionate about preparing culturally-competent urban practitioners with deep commitments to Jesus, the poor, a holistic approach to ministry and the city. He is the recipient of the 2004 Cedarville University Innovator of the Year award and was Cedarville University Professor of the Year in 2008.
He and his wife Inge have four adult children and one granddaughter. He is an avid marathon runner and Harley-Davidson motorcycle rider. : )
B.A.,Cedarville University, 1981; M.A., Grace Theological Seminary, 1983; M.Div., Tyndale Theological Seminary (the Netherlands), 1991; D.Min., Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 1997.
Joy Fagan
Joy Fagan is an Assistant Professor of Ministry and Mission at Cedarville University, a Christian liberal arts institution in Cedarville, Ohio. Her teaching focus is in the area of gender issues, as well as spiritual formation and women's ministry. Presently, she teaches the following courses: Scriptural Interpretation of Gender Issues, Spiritual Formation, Women's Communication for Ministry, Men and Women in Leadership, Women in Church History, and Contemporary Women's Ministry. She has been teaching at Cedarville University for the past fourteen years.
In addition, Joy speaks at women's retreats and conferences, and has worked as a consultant for various churches on the topic of gender issues as well as building a women's ministry. She has a passion for teaching and equipping women to be all that they can be for all that Christ is. She also has organized conferences and presented seminars in areas such as evangelism, communicational skill development, women and leadership, and intervention for women at risk. She is actively involved with the Clark County Jail ministry and serves on the advisory board for Kingdom Connections of Greater Dayton.
A 2005 graduate of Southern Seminary with a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership and Church Ministry, Joy is single and resides in Cedarville.
Michael Firmin
Dr. Michael Firmin is professor and chair of the psychology department at Cedarville University. For ten years, he taught at Baptist Bible College & Seminary in Clarks Summit, PA where he served as the Director of Graduate Studies and initiated a M.S. in counseling ministries degree. Previously, Dr. Firmin pastored the Faith Fellowship Baptist Church in Danbury, CT and five times has served as interim pastor for Ohio and Connecticut churches. Additionally, he served as pastoral counselor at Heritage Baptist Church in Clarks Summit, PA. Dr. Firmin is ordained and seminary educated, earning a master's degree in Biblical studies and a Ph.D. in church administration. He has presented over 130 papers at national conferences, has over 60 articles published in professional journals, and served as co-editor of two books with Cambridge Scholars Press. Although he is a licensed psychologist, in church ministry Dr. Firmin practices Biblical counseling. Believing the Scripture's sufficiency, he applies wisdom to people's needs, through the power of the Holy Spirit, using the Word of God.
Don Humphreys
Don Humphreys joined Cedarville University in 2006 as the Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning after spending over 17 years in the corporate world as both executive and consultant. Don graduated from Cedarville University in 1989 with a degree in English/professional writing. His career as a technical writer, usability consultant, and instructional designer has enabled him to work with companies such as S4NetQuest, IBM, Bank One, Claremont Technology Group, and Usertech. He has also taught courses at Cedarville University, Ohio State, Columbus State, and Cornerstone University. Since graduating from Cedarville, Don has earned an M.S. in technical communication at Southern Polytechnic University, an M.A. in instructional design and technology at The Ohio State University, and an M.A. in Systematic Theology from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. He is currently a PhD student in Religion and Culture at University of Stirling (Scotland).
Roger O'Neel
Dr. Roger O'Neel is the director of Church Music and Worship programs at Cedarville University and is excited about the growth of the new worship major. He has served for 12 years as a full-time minister for worship and has a wealth of experience and knowledge in all aspects of traditional and contemporary worship. He received his Ph.D. in Music Theory from the University of Texas at Austin in 1996 and has been at Cedarville University since 2002.
Michael Parrott
Mike Parrott is an Assistant Professor of Bible. He served with Student Venture, the high school ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ, for 30 years in Portland, OR, Philadelphia, PA, and Cincinnati, OH, and has taken students on short term international projects to a number of cities including: Paris (1988), Moscow (1991 &1992), Budapest (1996), Kampala, Uganda (2002), Irkutsk and Sludyanka, Siberia (2004), and Quito, Ecuador (2005). He teaches Discipleship, Small Group Ministry, Introduction to Youth Ministry, International Projects for Youth, Spiritual Formation, and Christian Life and Thought. He often speaks in churches and at conferences on "Launching Your Children By Grace Parenting"and "Relating to Your Adult Children." He is married to Tracey and they have four adult children. He serves as chairman of the elders at his church, leads the small community group strategy, and an adult community group. He is currently ABD for the D.Min. in Outreach and Discipleship from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, holds an M.Div. in Pastoral Theology from Western Seminary (1981), as well as a B.S. in Biochemistry from California Polytechnic State University (1974), and has been at Cedarville University since 2004.