Professor of Biblical Studies
Gardner-Webb University
Cal Robertson joined the School of Divinity faculty in 2007. He teaches Hebrew, Biblical Aramaic, Introduction to Old Testament I, Introduction to Old Testament II, The Problem of Evil in the Old Testament, and Theory and Practice of Ministry. Dr. Robertson’s research interests are in the areas of biblical studies and theodicy.
Prior to joining the faculty of the School of Divinity, Dr. Robertson was Lecturer in Old Testament at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. He served as the Editorial Services Director for the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. Dr. Robertson is a contributor and consultant to the American Bible Society, and he is the Associate Editor of Dictionary of Religious Terms. He has a background steeped in the local church. Dr. Robertson has served as pastor, interim pastor, and choir member in numerous churches in New Jersey, Kentucky, Virginia, Massachusetts, South Carolina, and Michigan. Dr. Robertson is active in the music ministry of the First Baptist Church, Shelby, North Carolina, and he participates regularly in the Cleveland County Potato Project.
Dr. Robertson is a native of South Carolina. He is married to Cathy Robertson, and they are the parents of two children.
Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling
Douglas M. Dickens joined the School of Divinity faculty in 2000. He teaches a variety of pastoral care and counseling courses, including Conflict Ministry in Church and Community, Pastoral Theology, Interpersonal Relationships, Pastoral Care to Persons in Crisis, and Family Systems Theory. As the W. Randall Lolley Chair of Pastoral Studies, Dr. Dickens developed the curriculum for the Pastoral Care and Counseling and Member Care for Missionaries concentration in the Doctor of Ministry degree program.
Prior to joining the faculty of the School of Divinity, Dr. Dickens served as Associate Professor of Pastoral Ministry at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. During his tenure at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he was invited to teach courses in pastoral care and counseling in Russia. In 1997 Samara State Medical University named Dr. Dickens “Distinguished Professor of Medical Psychology.” He is a supervisor for the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc., and he is a 1992 recipient of the Len Cedarleaf Award. Dr. Dickens serves on the Accreditation Committee of the Mid-Atlantic Region of the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education. A Fellow with the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, he maintains a limited pastoral counseling practice. Additionally, Dr. Dickens is a board-certified chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains and a member of the Scientific and Medical Network, an international organization committed to deepening understanding in the disciplines of science, medicine, and education.
Dr. Dickens is the author of two monographs, An Introduction to Christian Ministry and Pastoral Leadership. He is the editor of Clinical Supervision of the Medical Psychologist in Russia, and he has published several journal articles relating to pastoral care and pastoral psychology. Dr. Dickens has been trained by the Interim Ministry Network and the Center for Congregational Health to serve as an intentional interim pastor.
Dr. Dickens was born in Arkansas. He is married to Sherri Lynn Dickens, and they are the parents of six children and two grandchildren.
Hebert Palomino, prior to coming to GWU, served as a Baptist Missionary to Peru and Paraguay for 25 years. He taught at the Baptist seminaries there. He also served as pastor in churches in Colombia and in the US. He teaches a variety of Pastoral Care and Counseling courses, among them being Introduction to Pastoral Care & Counseling, Pastoral Care of Families, Crisis Intervention, Family Systems Theory, Mental Health and Spirituality, The Christian Ministry, Pastoral Care through the Life Cycle.
He has been a Guest Professor to Seminaries in Colombia, Chile, and recently involved in a Counseling Program in Cuba. He coordinated the heart transplant team at the Baptist Hospital in Asuncion, Paraguay, served as a Family Counselor and Chaplain there facilitating a basic unit of Clinical Pastoral Education. Dr. Palomino is a Founder Member of the Paraguayan Palliative Medicine. For the last 15 years he has served as Member Care for the Missionaries in the Americas with the International Mission Board, train and assist other Hispanic missionaries who serve in the 10/40 window. He has authored two books in Spanish, Introduction to Christian Counseling and Pastoral Care for the New Millennium, and published diverse media materials in Spanish on the family as well.
Dr. Palomino is originally from Colombia, S.A.. He is married to Karen, and they are the parents of four children and five grandchildren
Associate Dean, Professor of New Testament Interpretation
James R. McConnell, Jr., a native of Indianapolis, IN, joined the Gardner-Webb School of Divinity faculty in 2009. Dr. McConnell serves as the Associate Dean of the School of Divinity and Associate Professor of New Testament Interpretation, teaching classes in all areas of New Testament as well as biblical Greek. The author of The topos of Divine Testimony in Luke-Acts (Pickwick, 2014), as well as other articles and essays, Dr. McConnell focuses especially on Luke-Acts and Paul. He also serves as the associate editor of the journal Review & Expositor.
Dr. McConnell began his vocational life as an electrical engineer after earning a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from North Carolina State University. After fourteen years in industry, four of which were spent designing dental equipment for Siemens AG in Bensheim, Germany, he transitioned into teaching and full-time church ministry, earning a Master of Divinity degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, followed by a PhD in New Testament from Baylor University. Dr. McConnell and his wife Susan have two married sons and a daughter, as well as twin grandsons. In his free time Dr. McConnell enjoys gardening, hiking and backpacking, and photography.
Professor of Christian Education and Spiritual Formation
Sophia R. G. Steibel joined the School of Divinity faculty in 2001. She teaches The Christian Journey, Designing Curriculum, Leadership with Volunteers in the Church, Mission and Ministry, and Administration and Leadership. Dr. Steibel coordinates the spiritual formation curriculum for the School of Divinity, and she leads spirituality retreats for students annually. Christian education and spiritual formation are Dr. Steibel’s primary areas of research interest.
Prior to joining the faculty of the School of Divinity, Dr. Steibel was Associate Professor of Religious Education at Gardner-Webb University. She is the former Director of Campinas Baptist Theological College, Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Additionally, Dr. Steibel served on the faculties of South Brazil Baptist Theological Seminary and Baptist Religious Education Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She is active in the life of the First Baptist Church of Shelby, North Carolina.
Dr. Steibel is a native of Brazil. She is married to Eduardo Steibel.
Assistant Vice President
Rachel is a native of Arlington, Texas, and received her B.A. in Telecommunications from Baylor University. She received her M.Div. from Truett Seminary at Baylor, where she met her husband, Garin Hill. The Hills moved to North Carolina in 2004, where Rachel completed 8 units of CPE at Duke University Medical Center and UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill. She was ordained in 2005 by First Baptist Church, Burlington, and was endorsed by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship that same year. Rachel received a Th.M. in Pastoral Care from Duke Divinity School in 2007. She began working at Hospice Cleveland County as a chaplain in February 2010, and is currently the Assistant Vice President of VIA Health Partners, founded as Hospice Cleveland County. In 2015, Rachel and her family moved to Forest City, NC, where Garin is the pastor at First Baptist Church. She received her MBA from Gardner-Webb University in 2022. Rachel and Garin have two sons, Isaac (age 16) and Eli (age 14).
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