I'm teaching communication classes here, ranging from the basic "Speech 101" class to Argument & Persuasion to Cross-Cultural Communication. This last class is "my" class, the one I've developed and the one I'm most fond of. I don't know if I'd feel nearly as happy here without this course! That admission probably reveals my professional and academic interests, then -- an ongoing discovery of how we can build communication bridges between cultures. Anyway, as my wife and my students can attest, I could go on and on about the intrinsic beauties of this field, but I digress.
Verses dealing with our being strangers and aliens in the world (such as in Hebrews or 1 Peter) have often been central to my studies and my interests, but a recent foray into the often-neglected book of Zechariah (at least on my part ... when's the last time you read it?) revealed this gem in the final chapter (verses 20 & 21): "Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the LORD Almighty, and all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD Almighty."
I don't know ... for some reason the idea of every single object and aspect of life being holy, and how someday there will be no distinctions of ethnicity was a remarkable discovery. I think it's at least a good reminder for us all to take seriously the blessings that God has given us and to consider all of them as sacred. Imagine people treating cell phones, computers, pets, cars, furniture, and pots as being holy to God ... wouldn't that have an impact on how we'd all communicate with each other?
This intertwining of communication and life provides a lot of room for exploration, a lot of opportunities for fascinating discovery. To that end, in the past few years I've presented papers on cultural responses to media events, impacts of literature (such as The Pilgrim's Progress) on communication and culture, language use in church settings, and gendered responses to sports media offerings. In addition, I've undertaken several research projects with students, as well as other projects connecting with intercultural communication.
The last little bit of information is my directing of the Forensics Program, which I've been doing since 2014. Having students compete in speech and debate events across the country is exciting, both in the events themselves but also in seeing students develop communication skills that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.
Dordt is a great place to be, and I pray that students will see my enthusiasm for the university and for communication in their classes with me.
Education:
- Ph.D., Communication, Regent University
- M.A., English/Rhetoric, California State University
- B.A., English/Communication/Education, Dordt University