Austin B. Tucker – Resume

AUSTIN B. TUCKER
10199 TRAILRIDGE DRIVE
SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA 71106

PERSONAL

Most of my life has been as a pastor of Southern Baptist churches. Preaching, teaching and writing have been the major emphases of my ministry. It has long been my prayer that my mature years might be given more to teaching and writing. Especially do I want to help young pastors in sharpening their preaching and other ministry skills.

Beverly and I have two grown children and three grandchildren. We are active in Summer Grove Baptist Church, Shreveport.

EDUCATION:

Th.D., 1971. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas. (Major in Preaching, minor in Pastoral Ministry)

B.D., 1964. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas. (Concentrations in Greek New Testament and Preaching)

B.A., 1960. East Texas Baptist College, Marshall, Texas. (Major in Bible and minor in Religious Education)

PASTORAL MINISTRY:

More than 30 years, I was a pastor. My most recent pastorate was twelve years at Shreve City Baptist Church, Shreveport (1982-1993). I also served Brookwood Baptist Church in Shreveport and University Baptist Church in Lake Charles, LA, several interim pastorates and other pastorates in Louisiana, Texas and Virginia. I am still active as a pulpit supply and guest teacher.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

Online Professor at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, Virginia, teaching Evangelism and Homiletics and other courses (since 2006).  Also frequently at Anderson University, South Carolina, teaching Christian Ministry courses (since 2011).

Adjunctive Professor of New Testament, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary at Marshall. TX. Taught Elementary Greek I and II and Advance Grammar and Exegesis I and II, (Fall, 2000 to Spring 2002)

Adjunctive Professor of Religion, Bossier Parish Community College, Bossier, LA (Taught New Testament Introduction and Survey, 1995-2003)

Visiting Professor of Preaching at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, New Orleans, Louisiana. (Aug. 93–May, 1994)

Courses taught: Introduction to Christian Proclamation, Expository Preaching, Great Preachers of the Church, Evangelistic Preaching, Pastoral Preaching, Innovative Preaching, Doctrinal Preaching, Narrative Preaching, Sermon Delivery, and Pastoral Work.

Guest Professor of Preaching at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, North Carolina. (Spring, 1993 and May Inter-term)

Courses taught: Sermon Delivery, Biblical Preaching, Great Preachers and their Preaching. Also taught Contemporary Sermon Forms, an Advanced Preaching Workshop for D. Min. students in the May, 1993 Inter-term.

Professor of Homiletics at Liberty Baptist Seminary, Lynchburg, Virginia, 1976-78.

Courses taught: Basic Homiletics, Delivery of the Sermon, Biographical Preaching, Evangelistic Preaching, Advanced Biblical Preaching (OT), Advanced Biblical Preaching (NT),

Also taught Hermeneutics, Basic Evangelism, Personal Evangelism, New Testament Introduction, New Testament Survey, Exposition of Matthew, and Exposition of Philippians.

Member of the Academy of Homiletics 1976-1998.

Member of Evangelical Homiletics Society, since 1998. Presented papers at Evangelical Homiletics Society 2005 in St. Louis and 2004 in Wake Forest.

2005. “Guiding Preachers in Development of Narrative Skills for Sermon Illustrations”. Paper presented to Evangelical Homiletics Society, Meeting at Covenant Theological Seminary, St. Louis. Published on EHS website, http://www.ehomiletics.com

2004. “What Do you Mean ‘Truth Through Personality’? The Phillips Brooks Definition of Preaching in Historical Context.” Paper presented to Evangelical Homiletics Society, Meeting at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest. Published on EHS website,  http://www.ehomiletics.com

DENOMINATIONAL SERVICE:

Trustee, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY., since 2004.

Member Executive Board, Louisiana Baptist Convention. 1998-2004. Chairman of various committees along the way.

Former President of the Louisiana SWBTS Alumni Association, 1993-94. Distinguished Alumnus of the Year award, 1997, Louisiana Chapter. Charter member and lifetime member Louisiana Baptist Historical Society, founder and editor of La Legacy, Newsletter of LBHA. Served on several other Louisiana Baptist Convention committees including Nominating Committee, Baptist History Committee, Resolutions Committee and other assignments.

Moderator, Northwest Louisiana Baptist Association, 1992-1993. President of Pastors/Staff Conference, 1990-91. Many other committee assignments in this association. Active in local Baptist Association wherever serving as a pastor. Former Parliamentarian of NWLA.
Member of Chaplains Commission, Southern Baptist Convention, 1988-91. Chairman, 1990 and 1991.

Trustee of the Home Mission Board, (now North American Mission Board), Southern Baptist Convention, 1983-1991. Served on Associational Missions Committee, Communications Committee, Planning Committee, Ordination Study Committee, Services Committee, Missionary Personnel Committee, Administrative Committee, and the Executive Committee.

Various awards and recognitions through the years include the 2003 Christian Communicator Award presented by Louisiana Moral and Civic Foundation, Dr. Ken Ward, executive director.

EXTENDED MINISTRY:

Numerous teaching assignments in Bible Conferences, January Bible Studies, encampments and retreats through the years. January Bible Study Conferences typically two each winter for many years. Since leaving my last pastorate, I have been active in supply preaching as well as a volunteer minister in my home church. I Served as chairman of the Spiritual Preparation Committee for our  multimillion dollar capital giving campaign “Seeing the Unseen” and wrote the fourteen-day prayer guide. Since 2000, member of the Board of Trustees, Scripture Memory Fellowship.

PUBLISHED WORKS:

Austin B. Tucker, A Primer for Pastors: a Handbook for Strengthening Ministry Skills. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2004.

I am a frequent contributor of articles and features for Preaching: the Professional Journal for Preachers. Since the beginning of 2003, I have been a regular author of the “Past Masters” feature in that journal. In addition, I frequently write sermon briefs for the Lectionary feature in that magazine.  In addition, some article and feature titles in Preaching include:

“What Makes a Great Preacher?”, Vol 20, Num. 5 (March-April 2005}, 28-32.

“Problem-Solving Preaching”, Vol 20, Num. 1 (July-Aug., 2004), 22-25.

“George Whitefield: Evangelist of the Great Awakening”, Vol. 19, Num. 4 (January-February 2004), 58-59.

“Richard Baxter: As a Dying Man to Dying Men”, Vol. 19, Num. 3 (May-June, 2003), 61-63.

“Charles Haddon Spurgeon and His Life-long Passion for Books”, Vol. 19, Num. 1(Jan-Feb. 2003), 68-69.

Among assignments for LifeWay and SSBoard SBC:
Baptist Adults, “Our Sanctified Sins”, 5 articles for Unit One. June July August, 1997

“Enhancing the Narrative Quality in Your Sermons”, Proclaim, Vol. 27, no. 4 (June July August, 1997)

“The Life and Legacy of M. E. Dodd (1878-1952): Louisiana Baptist Leader” Journal of Louisiana Baptist History Vol. 5 (1992)
Articles and sermons published in Decision Magazine (including French and German editions); in Proclaim Magazine, Upward, A Magazine for Youth; Church Administration; Baptist Bulletin Service; The Baptist Message (Louisiana) and others.

Two collections of daily devotional guides published by the Bible Memory Association, My Lord Knows the Way, 1982, and Morning Meditations, 1980.

Devotional Commentary for Home Life, Open Windows, Encounter! a Devotional Guide for Youth, The Quiet Hour and others.

Curriculum materials for Baptist Adults, Sunday School Adults, The Adult Teacher, Sunday School Senior Adults and others, Sunday School Board, (now Lifeway Christian Resources) Southern Baptist Convention, 1971-1997.

A weekly Religion column for The Shreveport Times, “Midweek Message of the Times”, 1969 and 1970.

CONTINUING EDUCATION:

Southern Baptist Convention, Chaplains Conference, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1989, 1990, and 1991. Southern Baptist Convention, Chaplains Conference, Ridgecrest, 1989.

Two trips to Israel: Orientation Tour 1988 and Inter-Religious Seminar 1976

Scholars in Ministry Week at Southwestern Seminary, 1983, 1997, 2000, 2001.

Sunday School Board Writers Conferences: 1995, 1974, 1970, 1968.

Bible Memory Association, International. Graduate of Youth Plan, Adult Plan and Doctrinal Plan.

Licensed as a Private Pilot, 1965.

(REFERENCES ON REQUEST)