2024 Craddock Center Compelling Preaching Retreat

Scott Kenworthy

Scott Kenworthy grew up in rural Indiana where he worshipped with his family at a small country church. The love of that close-knit congregation played a role in him leaving his studies at Indiana University to pursue vocational ministry. He earned his undergraduate degree from Johnson University (’06) before completing master’s degrees at both Cincinnati Christian University (’12) and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (’17). He was rewarded the Doctor of Ministry degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (’22) for his work on preaching the imprecatory psalms. One of his greatest joys over the past twenty years has been serving churches of various sizes: from as small as 20 people to as large as 2,500. While each congregation presents its own challenges, he believes the call of the pastor remains the same – to help people hear and heed the Word of God. Since 2013, he has served as the senior minister of Owensboro Christian Church in Owensboro, KY.

Barney Wells

Barney Wells is one of less than a dozen people in North America with a terminal degree in Rural Ministry. After 4 years as youth minister near his home in south-central Indiana and two years preaching in western Illinois, Barney served as preaching minister of the Walnut Grove Christian Church in rural Arcola, IL for over 25 years. His BA and MDiv are from Lincoln Christian University and the DMin from Bethel Theological Seminary. He has served as DMin Director at Lincoln Christian Seminary, where he is also Dean Emeritus. Now serving as the Director of the Craddock Center for Preaching Excellence at Johnson University, he is passionate about making churches, especially in rural contexts, more effective and healthier.

Tuesday, September 24, 2024

4:30 – 6:00 p.m.  Check in and mingle

6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Supper

7:00 – 9:30 p.m. Evening Program (Scott Kenworthy “The Three Commitments of

Preaching” Break time, Group work on application of session)

9:30 p.m. Done for the day

Wednesday, September 25, 2024

7:45 -8:00 a.m. Devotion and Prayer

8:00-9:00 a.m. Breakfast

9:00-10:15 a.m. Morning Program 1(Scott Kenworthy “Fostering Creativity in Your

Preaching”)

10:15-10:30 a.m. Break

10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Creativity Workshop

12:00-1:00 p.m. Lunch (or Dinner)

1:00-3:30 p.m. Afternoon Program (Barney Wells “Four Mindsets in the Rural

Church and Your Church” Break time, Group work on application of

session)

3:30-4:30 p.m. Engage Group

4:30-6:00 p.m. Free time

6:00-7:00 p.m. Supper

7:00-9:30 p.m. Evening Program (Scott Kenworthy “The Benefits of Preaching

Difficult Texts,” Break time, Group work on application of session)

9:30 p.m. Done for the day

Thursday, September 26, 2024

7:45 -8:00 a.m. Devotion and Prayer

8:00-9:00 a.m. Breakfast

9:00-9:30 a.m. Morning Program 1(Scott Kenworthy “Fostering Creativity in Your

Preaching”)

9:30-11:30 a.m. Morning Program 2 (Scott Kenworthy “Finding a Preaching

Process that is Sustainable, Break time, Group work on application of

session)

11:30-11:45 a.m.Feedback and Send-off