Dockery announces academic, administrative appointments

Matt Queen, N. Chris Shirley, and Michele G. Smith were appointed to new roles as interim provost, dean of the Jack D. Terry School of Educational Ministries, and interim vice president for financial services and chief financial officer, respectively, Interim President David S. Dockery announced during the fall meeting of the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Board of Trustees, Oct. 17-18.

“Southwestern Seminary is blessed with many fine administrators who are able to take up new roles during this time of transition,” Dockery said. “I’m grateful for Matt Queen, Chris Shirley, and Michele Smith for their willingness to accept key academic and administrative responsibilities at Southwestern. Each of these individuals is uniquely gifted to serve our faculty, students, and staff, and to provide leadership in vital areas of this institution.”

Queen, associate dean of the Roy J. Fish School of Evangelism and Missions, professor of evangelism, and L.R. Scarborough Chair of Evangelism (“Chair of Fire”), was announced as interim provost and vice president for academic administration, effective Jan. 1, 2023. A North Carolina native, Queen holds a Bachelor of Arts in religion from Mars Hill University near Asheville, North Carolina, and both the Master of Divinity and Doctor of Philosophy in applied theology with a focus in evangelism from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina.

Prior to joining the Southwestern Seminary faculty in 2010, Queen pastored churches across North Carolina. Queen, who helps lead Everyday Evangelism efforts that allow students to share the Gospel in real-time across Fort Worth, is a prolific author in evangelism. He authored Everyday Evangelism, Mobilize to Evangelize, and Recapturing Evangelism: A Biblical-Theological Approach, for which Dockery wrote the Foreword, and co-authored The Gospel Invitation with O.S. Hawkins, senior advisor and ambassador-at-large at Southwestern Seminary. The latter two publications are scheduled for release in 2023. 

Queen replaces Benjamin M. Skaug, who will return to the classroom at his request as associate professor of theology in the School of Theology.

N. Chris Shirley (’94, ’02), who has served as the interim dean of the Jack D. Terry School of Educational Ministries since June, was appointed dean of the Terry School. Shirley, who also serves as professor of foundations of education and occupies the Jack D. and Barbara Terry Chair of Religious Education, is a two-time graduate of the Terry School, having earned both Master of Arts in Religious Education and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. Shirley also holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Shirley, who first served at Southwestern Seminary from 2007-2016 as an associate professor of foundations of education before serving at Dallas Baptist University as the program director for the Master of Arts in Discipleship degree program (2016-2019), returned to Southwestern Seminary in 2019 to begin serving as the associate dean of the Terry School and professor of foundations of education. Shirley is the author of Family Ministry and the Church and has written youth and adult Sunday School and Vacation Bible School curricula for Lifeway Christian Resources. His articles and book reviews appear in the Southwestern Journal of Theology, the Christian Education Journal, and the Evangelical Dictionary of Education. 

His appointment is effective immediately.

Michele G. Smith, who was named associate vice president for finance in March, was named interim vice president for financial services and chief financial officer. Smith, who served at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth for 14 years prior to serving at Southwestern Seminary, holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration, both with concentrations in finance, from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. She is a long time member of Travis Avenue Baptist Church.

During her tenure at TCU, Smith coordinated annual financial audits, developed an annual operating budget of $9 million, and oversaw an endowment of approximately $80 million. Smith also has previous experience as assistant vice president at Bank One in areas including professional banking, special projects, and student loans. She also serves as the volunteer treasurer for Mercy Clinic of Fort Worth. Located on the grounds of Travis Avenue Baptist Church, the Mercy Clinic provides free health, dental, and spiritual care to the uninsured and underserved community in south Fort Worth. 

Her appointment is effective immediately.