The Church and City track will focus on Discipleship in the City, learning from churches in Chicago and Houston on how they are trying to form disciples, nurture children in poverty, and pursue faithful spiritual formation in diverse urban contexts.

1:00 PMHow a Multicultural Church Engages in Discipleship

Carlos Estrada and Patrick Odum

2:00 PMHelping Children in Poverty Experience God

Lluvia Delgado and Caroline Morales

3:00 PMPanel Discussion: How City Churches Form Disciples

Patrick Odum , Carlos Estrada, Caroline Morales, Lluvia Delgado and Dr. Steve Cloer


Seminar Information

CRN Coming Soon

Carlos Estrada is one of the three ministers at Northwest Church of Christ in Chicago, Illinois. He has served as a Hispanic minister for 21 years. He earned a bachelor's degree in theology from Baxter Institute and served as a minister for 11 years in his native Honduras, where he established two congregations. He recently earned a master's degree in Christian Ministry from Abilene Christian University, where he currently serves as an adjunct professor. His passion is preaching about Jesus and helping others experience Christianity as a true transformation of life in and by Christ.

 

Patrick Odum is a minister at Northwest Church of Christ in Chicago's Albany Park neighborhood, one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the city, where he has served for 32 years. He has been an elder for 13 years. Some of his favorite jobs at Northwest include preaching for the English service, helping run a food pantry that feeds around 70 families a week and being part of the teaching team for a fantastic group of teenagers. He is also a doctoral student at Harding School of Theology. He and his wife, Dr. Laura Blount-Odum, have one son, Josh. 

 

Lluvia Delgado was born and raised in Houston, Texas. Since 2009, she has served as children’s minister at Impact Houston Church of Christ. She has a deep passion for working with children and teaching them the word of God. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Texas A&M University. She and her husband, Erick, enjoy hosting, cooking, traveling and spending quality time with family and their dog, Kira.

 

Since 2012, Caroline Morales has served as children’s minister at Impact Houston Church of Christ, where she leads urban children’s ministry in underserved communities. With a background in accounting from Oklahoma State University, she brings both structure and heart to building creative, Christ-centered programs for children experiencing poverty. She is passionate about equipping churches to love kids well, partner with families and create safe spaces where every child can encounter God’s love. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband, Eric, and their two children.

 

Steve Cloer is an associate professor of ministry at Harding School of Theology, where he directs the Doctor of Ministry program and teaches courses in congregational ministry, mission and leadership. He also directs the Center for Church and City Engagement that helps churches engage the city for the mission of God. His research and writing interests include missional theology, church leadership, ministry in urban contexts and racial reconciliation.

Cloer has served in youth ministry, campus ministry and preaching ministry. Most recently, He was the preacher for Southside Church of Christ in Fort Worth, Texas, for 15 years. He and his wife, Lindsay, have three children, Joshua, Bethany and Lydia ,and they live in Memphis, Tennessee.