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Mark Blackwelder is a graduate of Freed-Hardeman University, where he earned a B.A. in Biblical Studies (1991) and a Master of Ministry (1992).  He completed a Ph.D. in Intercultural/International Communication at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia (2006).

Mark has been married for thirty-two years to the former Dana Moreland and they have two children, Beata, age 19, and Alex, age 16.

Mark has preached for several local congregations and served with Dana from 1992 to 1997 as full-time missionaries in Bratislava, Slovakia. Since that time he has served as a full-time Bible faculty member at Freed-Hardeman University. He currently serves as the Director of Graduate Studies in Bible and teaches courses in New Testament and Missions. In addition to his work as one of the ministers at the Estes church of Christ, Mark also conducts gospel meetings each year and presents seminars on missions and church growth.

Curriculum Vita

Education

Ph.D. in Intercultural/International Communication 

  2006, Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA
  Coursework: Communication, Culture, Evangelism

M.Min in Ministry

  1992, Freed-Hardeman University, Henderson, TN
  Coursework: New Testament, Missions, Leadership

B. A. in Biblical Studies

  1991, Freed-Hardeman University, Henderson, TN
  Coursework: Greek, New Testament, Missions

  * Additional graduate work at Harding University Graduate School of Religion preceded the Ph.D.

Teaching Experience

Associate Professor

  2008- present, Freed-Hardeman University
  Courses Taught: Missions, New Testament, Leadership

Assistant Professor

  2002-2008, Freed-Hardeman University
  Courses Taught: Missions, New Testament, Intercultural Communication

Instructor

  1997-2002, Freed-Hardeman University
  Courses Taught: Missions, New Testament

Missionary-in-Residence

  1996-1997, Freed-Hardeman University
  Courses Taught: Missionary Principles, Acts of Apostles

Other Experience

Minister

  2005-present, Estes church of Christ, Henderson, TN
  Responsibilities include preaching and chairing missions committee.

Missionary

  1992-1997, Bratislava, Slovakia
  Worked with a team to plant a new church in that city.

Scholarship

Conferences

• Christian scholars conferences, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000
• World Mission Workshop, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
• Colloquia (Regent University) – June 17, 1999, May 25, 2000, June 8, 2000
• Meetings of the Evangelical Theological Society – Nov. 15-17, 2000, Nov. 18-20, 2009
• Teachers of Missions Workshop – 1996-2002, 2004, 2006

Lectures given and papers presented

• 1995 FHU lectureship – “Teaching English using the Bible as Text”
• 1996 FHU Mission Emphasis Days
• 1997 FHU lectureship – “Reporting on – Praying for Eastern Europe”
• 1998 FHU lectureship – “Utilizing Tent-making Missions”
• 1999 Christian Scholars Conference – “An Evaluation of Teaching English as a Tool for Evangelism”
• 1999 World Mission Workshop – “Opportunities to Serve in Eastern Europe
• Colloquium, Regent University, October, 1999 – "Teaching the Bible in English”
• Colloquium, Regent University, April, 2000 – “Determinism”
• 2003 FHU lectureship – “The Legal Metaphor in Job”
• 2004 FHU Lectureship – “Turning the World Upside-down”
• 2005 Global Missions Conference – “Missions in the Old Testament”
• 2005 Global Missions Conference – “Missions in the New Testament”
• 2005 Global Missions Conference – “Missions in the New Testament”
• 2008 FHU Lectureship - "Jesus Turns Water Into Wine"
• 2009 FHU Lectureship - "His Judgement of Us"
• 2010 FHU Lectureship - "Christ, Culture and Spirituality"

Publications

• Principy Krestanov (Principles of Christianity) – personal evangelism workbook translated into Slovak language (1993)
• Tajomstvo zmysluplného zivota (The Secret of a Meaningful Life) – Slovak version of “One Nation Under God, distributed to one million households in Slovakia (1995)
• "Book Review of The Role of Worldview in Missions and Multiethnic Ministry, by Glenn Rogers" Missio Dei, (2010)
• "Peace." Kingdom (A Journal of Freed-Hardeman's School of Biblical Studies, Jan. 2011)

Research

I have been a student of the scriptures since I was a little boy. This still stands as my greatest research interest. Additionally, however, I have become impressed by the profound impact of culture on the interpretation and teaching of the scriptures, especially in varied cultural contexts. During the time my family spent in Slovakia, I was struck by the challenges of properly contextualizing both myself and my message in a context that was so foreign. This has led to nearly twenty years of informal research as well as a Ph.D in Intercultural/International communication. My doctoral dissertation was entitled Let's Start Talking: An Exploration of a Persuasive Strategy to Influence Religious Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behaviors.