African American Church Studies Program

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Program Staff

The African American Church Studies is program is supported by the entire Fuller community to include the administration, faculty and staff.  Through courses offered by the School of Theology the African American Church Studies Program supports courses that relate directly to the African American Church Studies.  Both regular and part-time faculties teach courses in the concentration.  The central office is staffed by administrative staff and a strong cadre of volunteers.  The leadership team of the office consists of Dr. Ralph C. Watkins and Rev. Candace Shields:

Rev. Ralph C. Watkins, D.Min., Ph.D.
Assistant Dean, African American Church Studies Program
Associate Professor of Society, Religion and Africana Studies
Contact: rwatkins@fuller.edu

Pastor, author, and musician Ralph Watkins is the assistant dean of the African-American Church Studies program at Fuller Theological Seminary. Known for his work in connecting churches with the hip-hop generation, Dr. Watkins aims to help Fuller excel in developing the next generation of leaders for the African-American church.

“The central call on my life is to work with the church to develop strong leaders, and to enhance dialogue between my generation, and those older than I, with the hip-hop generation,” says Watkins. “I believe that Fuller, through its African-American Church Studies program, has the potential to be principal in this work.”

Bringing over 20 years of pastoral, teaching, administrative experience to his position, Watkins is an active teaching scholar with over 250 publications and conference presentations to his credit. A syndicated columnist, his column “Black in the City” is published in over 30 black newspapers throughout the U.S. He is author of the book I Ain’t Afraid to Speak my Mind and currently working on his next book project, Don’t Push Me ’Cause I Am Close the Edge: Bridging the Divide Between the Black Church and the Hip-Hop Generation. Known as a “preacher, teacher, scholar, and DJ,” Watkins frequently uses music in his teaching and outreach.

Watkins, who holds a Doctor of Ministry from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and a PhD in sociology from the University of Pittsburgh, will also serve as associate professor of society, religion, and Africana Studies at Fuller. He looks forward to working with African American churches and their pastors, together with Fuller faculty, students, and staff, to build a strong vision for the African-American Studies program.

Rev. Candace Shields, M.Div.
Program Director, African American Church Studies Program
afam-studies@dept.fuller.edu

Candace Shields and her husband Henry pastor Twice Called Christian Center, located in San Bernardino, CA which is affiliated with the Churches of Faith in Indio, California where the Senior Bishop is Bishop C. E. Simons.  Together they also are founders and presidents of Twice Called Ministries an outreach ministry that sponsors a Naomi and Ruth Brunch each year to facilitate the mentoring of women.  Candace is a graduate of San Bernardino Bible College, where she earned her AA and BS.  She is also a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary where she earned a Masters of Divinity with a concentration on Family and Pastoral Care and Counseling.  Candace has a heart for seeing theology put into practical application and with this thought in mind she is a Ph.D. student at Fuller Theological Seminary in the Practical Theology Department where her mentor is Dr. David Augsburger.  She firmly believes that unless theology can be brought into the church and made accessible to all people it is little more than an academic exercise.  Candace is a prayer warrior who firmly believes in the power of prayer.  Her favorite verse is Isaiah 40:31.  Her most earnest desire is that God would allow her to become a Master Teacher in His vineyard.  At this present time she is serving as the Program Director for African American Church Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary.  Candace and her husband of 29 years will be consecrated bishops in October 2005.