SHEPHERDS - Key Persons

Dr. Potter completed his MDiv at Central Seminary and has been honored with a Doctor of Divinity degree from Calvary Seminary. He also attended Pillsbury College for his Bachelor of Arts degree, and he later spent eight years as Pillsbury's President. While President, he established the first scholarship endowment, introduced the College to the North Central Accrediting Association, and chaired the Pastorology Department. After leaving Pillsbury, Dr. Potter served as the Vice President of Development, Public Relations, and Advancement for four years at The Master's College and Seminary. While at Master's, he continued his pastoral work by starting a church in Vista, CA. Al started his ministry life as a youth pastor for four years, before starting and pastoring his own church in Pennsylvania. He started with 11 adults in 1974, but the church grew to 600 by 1987. Not only did he pastor this church, he also developed a Christian school with 200 students, developed a Bible Institute with 60 students, and started camp ministries that served 400 young people each summer. His church established four other church plants in Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. Before coming to Shepherds, Dr. Potter was pastoring in New York. He brings over 50 years of pastoring, teaching, and ministry experience, and he continues to build on that in his current role as the Pastor of Ministry and Leadership Development for The Shepherd's Church. Dr. Potter's wife, Patti, is with the Lord. His family includes two children and four grandchildren.

Job Titles:

• Director of Student Services / Assistant Professor of Christian Education

Dr. Burggraff was saved at the age of 8. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biblical Studies from Maranatha University. After graduation, he attended Calvary Baptist Theological Seminary in Lansdale, PA where he graduated with the MDiv in 2003. During his master's program, he served as a missionary in Mons, Belgium in the summer of 2002. Upon graduation from his master's program, he moved to Spring Hill, FL where he was Senior Pastor of Bible Baptist Church. In 2008, he moved to Owatonna, MN where he served as Senior Pastor of Grace Baptist Church and Superintendent of Owatonna Christian School. In 2011, he moved to Cary, NC to pursue a Doctor of Education degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC. During his doctoral courses, Andy served as Discipleship Pastor at Colonial Baptist Church in Cary, NC. In 2012, he joined Shepherds Theological Seminary as an Adjunct Professor of Christian Education. Andy graduated with a EdD from Southeastern in 2014. While continuing to teach in the seminary, he joined Build the Village (now called Communities of Grace International) in 2014, where he served as Director of Discipleship. This ministry serves those in East Africa. Andy has traveled repeatedly to Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi training pastors, teaching in churches, and preaching in prisons. He has also served as a hospital chaplain in the UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill, NC. In 2021, Andy was appointed Director of Student Services at Shepherds Theological Seminary, where he remains an Assistant Professor of Christian Education as well. Andy met his wife Delecia in 2017. The Burggraffs have a blended family of five children: Andrew, Anna, Aaron, Brody, and Tanner.

Job Titles:

• Master 's University

Job Titles:

• Chaplain / Doctor of Ministry Program Director / Professor of Systematic Theology

Dr. Burggraff was saved at the age of 21. A graduate of the University of Minnesota, he received his Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering in 1975. In 1980, he was a part of the first graduating class of Calvary Baptist Theological Seminary, earning a Master of Divinity degree. Following graduation, he planted and pastored the Faith Baptist Church of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, until 1987. For the next three years he served as Pastor of the Grace Baptist Church of Owatonna, Minnesota. In 1988, he earned a Master of Theology degree from Calvary Baptist Theological Seminary. While serving as Pastor at Grace Baptist Church, he taught at Pillsbury Baptist Bible College and Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Minneapolis. Upon being invited to join the faculty of Calvary Baptist Theological Seminary in 1989, Dr. Burggraff began work toward a doctorate in theology at Dallas Theological Seminary. In 1991, with his doctoral courses completed, he returned to Lansdale to serve as the Dean and Professor of Theology. He was honored with a Doctor of Divinity degree from Maranatha Baptist Bible College in 1998. He was awarded a PhD in theology from Dallas Theological Seminary in 2000. Dr. Burggraff assumed the responsibilities of the presidency of Calvary Baptist Theological Seminary from 2001 until January, 2006. In 2006, he joined the administration of Clearwater Christian College where he served as Vice President for Spiritual Formation and Ministry Development, and Professor of Theology. Dr. Burggraff has an extensive speaking ministry at conferences and retreats both nationally and internationally. He and his wife, Lucy, also frequently minister at couples' retreats. In the summer of 2009, Dr. Burggraff became the first Chaplain of Shepherds. He teaches in the areas of Systematic Theology and Expository Preaching, and he serves as the Doctor of Ministry Program Director.

Job Titles:

• Professor of Bible at Pillsbury
• Professor of Old / New Testament and Bible Exposition

Dr. Bookman completed his MDiv and ThM at Central Baptist Theological Seminary, and his ThD at Dallas Theological Seminary. After graduating from Pillsbury Baptist Bible College and Central Seminary, Dr. Bookman served as a pastor/teacher in Rock Falls, Wisconsin. He joined the faculty of Pillsbury College in 1973, taught there for eleven years, and eventually served as Chairman of the Bible Department. Following his time as Professor of Bible at Pillsbury, Dr. Bookman continued to teach at various Bible colleges as well as to teach and pastor at local churches. During these years, Dr. Bookman began to see the need for a renewed emphasis on the life of Christ and the importance of the biblical lands. In 1987, Dr. Bookman joined the Bible Department faculty of The Master's College. Throughout the years, he has taught at various colleges and seminaries, and has served as pastor and interim pastor at local churches. Much of his ministry in the last decade has focused on the life of Christ, leading study trips throughout the biblical world, and speaking at Bible conferences across the United States and abroad. Dr. Bookman joined the Shepherds faculty in August, 2009. He teaches in the area of Old and New Testament Exposition. Dr. Bookman also enjoys leading numerous study trips to the biblical lands, which includes an annual trip specifically designed for Shepherds students. This love for the biblical lands has made him an important contributor to Shepherds' Department of Archaeology, where he functions as a field geographer of sorts, connecting the biblical text to the routes and regions of the land, and explaining how the land and text work together to tell the full narrative of Scripture. Dr. Bookman and his wife, Diane, have three children and twelve grandchildren.

Job Titles:

• Director of Operations
• Director of the WEST Institute
• Director, the WEST Institute / Assistant Professor of Practical Theology / Director of Operations and Cooperative Disciplines, Department of Biblical Archaeology

Dr. Clayton Schultz serves as the Director of The WEST Institute (Laramie, WY) where he is responsible for all aspects of site development, student discipleship, academic program implementation, and teaching courses in Practical Theology. The Lord laid the concept of The WEST Institute on Clayton's heart while he attended seminary, and he worked with several individuals at Laramie Valley Chapel and Shepherds Theological Seminary to help bring the teaching site in Laramie into existence. Clayton has served as Director since the founding of The WEST Institute in 2010. Clayton also serves as the Director of Operations and Cooperative Disciplines for Shepherds' Department of Biblical Archaeology. He helps with logistics concerning both personnel and excavations, including the coordination of the department's interdisciplinary partners. Clayton is an ordained Pastor and elder at Laramie Valley Chapel (Laramie, WY). He is passionate about teaching the Bible and helping individuals understand and apply God's Word to their lives. To this end, Clayton directs the Bible Institute, a one-year Bible training program that reads the Bible cover to cover and challenges those in attendance to live out the truths of God's Word. Clayton and his wife, Molly, have two sons and two daughters.

Job Titles:

• Assistant Professor
• Director

Dr. Les Lofquist serves the seminary as Assistant Professor of Practical Theology and Director of Church Relations. He comes after completing twenty years as Executive Director of IFCA International, where he oversaw the association of 1,500 churches, pastors, Christian workers, chaplains, mission agencies, as well as eight Bible colleges and seminaries in 27 countries. He also served IFCA International for twenty years as Editor of VOICE Magazine, and has authored over 120 articles. He holds a Diploma in Missions from Grand Rapids School of the Bible and Music, now Cornerstone University (Grand Rapids, MI); a BA from Grace College (Winona Lake, IN); an MDiv from Grace Theological Seminary (Winona Lake, IN); and the DD from Calvary Bible College and Theological Seminary (Kansas City, MO). He has served as a church planter in Utah, a Bible College professor, a visiting seminary professor, and a senior pastor. He and his wife Miriam are excited to serve together at Shepherds Seminary and The Shepherd's Church. Dr. Lofquist is in demand as a speaker for churches and pastors' conferences, as well as a lecturer at colleges and seminaries throughout the country as he represents Shepherds.

Dr. Mary Buck serves as an Adjunct Faculty of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Shepherds Seminary, teaching courses focused on Northwest Semitic philology, Comparative Semitics, and Middle Eastern Civilizations. Dr. Buck completed her PhD at the University of Chicago in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations under the tutelage of Dr. Dennis Pardee. She also completed her MA in Northwest Semitic Philology, her MA in Education, and her BA in History. Correspondingly, Mary is part of Shepherds' Department of Biblical Archaeology. Mary was first introduced to the world of the Middle East in 2005 when she had the privilege of studying and traveling in the region, including a month working in Dubai and Oman. She has since lived in the Middle East for several years, traveling extensively, joining several excavations, studying Quranic Arabic, and receiving a FLAS grant for the study of Modern Hebrew. She recently published two works, The Amorite Dynasty of Ugarit, which traces the Middle Bronze Age Amorite origins of the Ugaritian society, and The Canaanites, which provides a historical overview of the Canaanites based upon archaeology and inscriptions. She is currently working on a book series intended for middle-grade readers which aims to bring the history of the ancient world to life for kids. In addition to her background in ancient Near Eastern studies, Mary is passionate about understanding both the ancient and modern history of the Middle East, and has had her photography of Egypt published in several manuscripts. Mary currently works as a Risk Culture Manager for McKinsey & Company where she leads a team in developing risk awareness and learning materials for 35,000 colleagues.

Dr. Titus Kennedy is a field archaeologist working primarily with sites and materials of the ancient Near East and Mediterranean world. He has been involved in excavations and survey projects at several archaeological sites in biblical lands, including directing and supervising multiple projects spanning the Bronze Age through the Byzantine period, and he has conducted artifact research at museums and collections around the world. His archaeological interests include biblical archaeology, the interplay between ancient documents and the archaeological record, experimental archaeology, ancient demography, and the similarities between cultures of antiquity. He is a Research Fellow at the Discovery Institute, teaches as an Adjunct Professor at Biola University, and has been a consultant, writer, and guide for history and archaeology documentaries and curricula. He publishes articles in the field of biblical archaeology and history, and recently wrote a book focusing on archaeological artifacts connected to the Bible. These credentials make him a valuable contributor to Shepherds' Department of Biblical Archaeology, where he also serves as an Adjunct Professor and as a Field Archaeologist.

Job Titles:

• Assistant Professor of Practical Theology

Gary Hallquist is an Assistant Professor of Practical Theology. His main areas of teaching include Biblical Counseling and Worship Studies. Gary has over thirty years of church ministry experience, including four years as a professor at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree and a Master of Music degree, as well as a Master of Theological Studies from Beeson Divinity School and a Doctor of Worship Studies from the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies. Additionally, he has recently obtained a Doctor of Ministry degree in Biblical Counseling from SEBTS, having completed both his coursework and his project to that end. Gary was the Pastor of Music Ministry at The Shepherd's Church from 2010 to 2017, and since January 2018, serves as a counseling pastor in The Shepherd's Church Care Ministry. He teaches the STS classes in counseling and worship. He is also a widely-published composer of church music.

Job Titles:

• Director of Shepherds Institute

Jimmy serves as the Director of Shepherds Institute - Cary, NC. He is responsible for all aspects of site development, student discipleship, academic program oversight, and teaching courses in Practical Theology. Jimmy and his wife Andrea are both graduates of the one-year program at The WEST Institute of Shepherds Theological Seminary (Laramie, WY). He served the program in Laramie for 8 years, most recently as Assistant Director, before moving to Cary to help launch Shepherds Institute in 2019.

Job Titles:

• Adjunct Professor of Biblical Archaeology

Joel Kramer serves as Adjunct Professor of Biblical Archaeology - our "archaeologist in the field." His connection to the region began as a young boy, when his father moved the family to Saudi Arabia. Joel eventually traded the Arabian desert of Saudi for the Sonoran Desert near Tucson, where he attended the University of Arizona, earning a BA in Communications in 1991. His diverse experiences and expeditions prepared him well for a career in photojournalism where he produced numerous documentary films. His interests in history, culture, texts, and antiquity led him to study at the University of the Holy Land (UHL) under Dr. Shimon Gibson, where he graduated summa cum laude with an MA in Archaeology. For over a decade, he participated in numerous dig projects and gained invaluable field experience - serving in every position at an excavation from lowly digger to supervisory dig staff. In 2017, Joel moved to Amman, Jordan, where he currently resides with his lovely wife, Cathy, and their three teenage children. He continues to participate in archaeological excavations and assists Shepherds' Department of Biblical Archaeology to provide excavational opportunities for students and plan future dig projects.

Job Titles:

• Professor of Theology

Dr. Vlach has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, a Master of Divinity degree from The Master's Seminary, and a PhD in Systematic Theology from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Vlach was awarded the 2008 Franz Delitzsch Prize for his dissertation, "The Church as a Replacement of Israel: An Analysis of Supersessionism." Dr. Vlach taught at The Master's Seminary for fifteen years where he served as Professor of Theology. While there he was Managing Editor of The Master's Seminary Journal for nine years. Vlach also taught Philosophy and World Religions at Southeast Community College in Lincoln, Nebraska. A regular conference speaker, Dr. Vlach has appeared on The History Channel. He is most known for his books, Has the Church Replaced Israel: A Theological Evaluation (B&H), and He Will Reign Forever: A Biblical Theology of the Kingdom of God (Lampion). Vlach also has contributed to several multi-author works.

Peter Goeman began serving at Shepherds in 2017 as Assistant Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Languages. Peter is a graduate of both The Master's University (TMU) and The Master's Seminary (TMS). At TMU Peter studied business, and at TMS he completed his MDiv, ThM, and PhD degrees, specializing in Old Testament studies. Over the last ten years he has been involved in various pastoral ministry positions. He currently serves at The Shepherd's Church, overseeing the young adult ministry. He is married to Kinsley, and they have two sons and a daughter. He is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society, and has authored regular journal articles. Peter's extensive background in ancient languages, along with his substantial training in the cultural world of the Bible, make him a huge asset to Shepherds' Department of Biblical Archaeology. He serves as a language expert and provides critical input in areas of geography and inscriptions.

Job Titles:

• Founder
• President
• Principal
• Founder and President / Professor of Practical Theology

Stephen Davey, the son of missionary parents, was raised to love Christ and the gospel. In his last year of high school, Stephen committed his life to serve Christ vocationally wherever God chose to assign him in ministry. Following graduation from Dallas Seminary in 1986, Stephen and his wife Marsha moved with their infant twin sons to Cary, North Carolina, to plant The Shepherd's Church (originally named, Colonial Baptist Church). Committed to the exposition of Scripture and the doctrines of grace, the church plant grew to include several thousand households. In September of 2021, Stephen reached 35 years of faithful ministry as the pastor/teacher of this wonderful ministry and church family (shepherds.org). In addition to his pastorate, Stephen serves as the president of Shepherds Theological Seminary. Shepherds has earned full membership status with ATS and enjoys a growing student body, taught by an outstanding faculty. Shepherds currently meets on the beautiful campus of The Shepherd's Church where Stephen enjoys interacting with the students, as well as teaching regularly in the pastoral theology department. Stephen also serves as the principal Bible teacher for the Wisdom International radio and resource ministry heard globally in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Swahili, Mandarin and Arabic. Wisdom's website offers all of his sermon transcripts and audio teaching, free of charge (wisdomonline.org). More than 40 books, study guides, commentaries, and booklets have been authored by Stephen, published by Ambassador/Emerald House, Kress Biblical Resources, Charity House, and LOGOS. Stephen is scheduled to release a commentary on James in the New Testament Exposition Commentary series, published by Regular Baptist Press. Stephen Davey, the son of missionary parents, was raised to love Christ and the gospel. In his last year of high school, Stephen committed his life to serve Christ vocationally wherever God chose to assign him in ministry. Following graduation from Dallas Seminary in 1986, Stephen and his wife Marsha moved with their infant twin sons to Cary, North Carolina, to plant The Shepherd's Church (originally named, Colonial Baptist Church). Committed to the exposition of Scripture and the doctrines of grace, the church plant grew to include several thousand households . . . read more.

Job Titles:

• Director, Texas Teaching Site / Adjunct Professor of Bible and Theology

Thomas Baber is on the Board of Directors for STS and directs the Texas Teaching Site in Bryan, Texas. He has served as Pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church since 2006. When he is not in the pulpit at Emmanuel, he can often be found training pastors and supporting seminaries in Africa and Latin America. Thomas, a native of Los Alamos, NM, married his wife, Nancy, in 1994. They have had many adventures in Texas and California raising their six children and balancing an engineering firm and ministry work. Having retired from engineering, they currently reside in College Station, Texas, with all their children and their new son-in-law living close by. Nancy, a student at STS, homeschools their three youngest children. Thomas's interests include hermeneutics, systematic theology, pastoral ministry, theological libraries, gardening, cycling, Biblical study trips, and grilling burgers for the men of the church.

Job Titles:

• Vice President of Academic Affairs & Chief Academic Officer
• Vice President of Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer / Assistant Professor of Practical Theology

Dr. Pittman completed his BA in Biblical Studies at San Diego Christian College, where he graduated as Valedictorian. He completed his MRS, MABS, MDiv, and ThM with Academic Distinction at Southern California Seminary. He completed a Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership with an emphasis on Higher Education at Grand Canyon University. At Southern California Seminary, he served as the Director of Student Services, where he oversaw admissions, recruiting, and enrollment management. During that time he also filled in as the Registrar and Bible Department Dean. Recently, Dr. Pittman was a University Admissions Counselor at Grand Canyon University specializing in regional recruitment in the East County of San Diego. Dr. Pittman is an ordained Pastor. He was licensed at Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, CA. He served as the Minister of Education at Meridian Southern Baptist Church in El Cajon. Prior to coming to Shepherds, he was the Teaching Elder at Pine Valley Community Church in Pine Valley, CA. Dr. Pittman has also filled the pulpit throughout San Diego County and beyond, and has been called upon to fill as interim pastor at several struggling churches. Dr. Pittman is married to Roxzane and has four children: Tommy, Kara, Chloe, and Titus.

Job Titles:

• Associate Professor of New Testament
• Director, Center for Research of Biblical Manuscripts and Inscriptions / Associate Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity

W. Andrew Smith is Associate Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity, and serves as the Director of the Center for Research of Biblical Manuscripts and Inscriptions (crbmi.org). He earned his BS in Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois, two MA degrees (Biblical Literature and Biblical Languages) from Shepherds Theological Seminary, and a PhD in New Testament and Christian Origins from the University of Edinburgh. He has taught at Shepherds since 2011. His research and teaching interests revolve around the transmission and interpretation of the texts of the New Testament, ranging from textual criticism and manuscript studies to Greek discourse analysis. Correspondingly, he contributes as a New Testament linguist in Shepherds' Department of Archaeology, offering valuable insight concerning early Christian literature, culture, transmission, and interpretation. Based on his interest in biblical manuscripts, Andrew serves as Project Supervisor of the Greek Paul Project for the Museum of the Bible Scholars Initiative and is currently editing the Editio Critica Maior volumes of the Pastoral Epistles for the Institut für neutestamentliche Textforschung (INTF). Andrew also serves as Assistant Editor for the Society of Biblical Literature's Text-Critical Studies series. Andrew is married to Valerie, who works as a manager and biostatistician for a contract research organization.