Dru Alan Dodson

Education:

B.S. Mechanical Engineering, 1977. University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas.

M.A. Christian Thought, summa cum laude, 1992. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois. The thesis Philip Schaff, Princeton and the Idea of Church History won best thesis in Christian Thought. Teaching Assistant for Dr. John Woodbridge.

M.Divinity, summa cum laude, 1993. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois.

Doctor of Ministry, Global Church-Based Theological Education, 2013. Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, Massachusetts. Thesis-project: “Kingdom Outposts – a fresh theology of relief and development with a demonstration project in Haiti.”

Professional History:

1. Journeyman representative, along with wife Jo Helen, with the Southern Baptist Convention, Jerusalem, Israel, 1977– 1979. Ran a student center for Palestinian Arab students in East Jerusalem.

2. Consulting engineer for various Arkansas, Tennessee, and Illinois firms, and owner of three start-up businesses, 1979–1993. Technical consulting for HVAC, fire protection, plumbing, medical gasses, and energy systems for large architectural buildings and projects from $1M to $25M in size.

3. Planting pastor and teaching pastor, Lake Valley Community Church, Hot Springs, Arkansas, 1993–present. During these 25 years have consulted and coached a variety of churches and nonprofit startups, including:

  • Fellowship Bible Church Nashville, Franklin, TN. 2015. Executive staff transitions and redirection of the ministry plans of this 5000 member church.
  • The Bridge Church, Ruston, LA. 2013-2018. Senior staff coaching.
  • The Go2 Network, Telford, PA. After consulting in 2010 became Director of Integrated Ministries 2011-2016. Oversaw training of 1200+ pastors Jeremie, Haiti, awarding Certificates of Leadership from the Antioch School of Leadership Development and Church Planting.
  • Partners Worldwide, Grand Rapids, MI. Initiated this partnership doing basic business training and biblical wisdom training for business leaders in ten cities throughout Haiti. This pilot will be evaluated for expansion to the 27 countries in which Partners Worldwide works.
  • The Exodus Project, Little Rock AR. A successful nonprofit working with Arkansas inmates to reduce recidivism. Co-founded this startup beginning 2014, became startup COO and then interim CEO in 2016 until permanent CEO was found.
  • Restore Hope Arkansas, Little Rock, AR. A nonprofit initiated by Governor Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas to reduce prison recidivism. Consulted throughout 2016, became the startup COO for the first half of 2017. Then catalyzed the Garland County Alliance, Hot Springs AR under the Restore Hope umbrella, for economic and community development, 2017-present
  • For King and Kingdom, Hot Springs, AR. Co-founded this church-based nonprofit that conducts transformational retreats and manages a retreat center. Has served 800+ men and women, trained 4+ churches to conduct their own retreats, and has a management contract on 200 acres of lodge and property on Lake DeGray, Arkansas.
  • Center for Pioneer Church Planting, Los Fresnos, TX. Serve as both a consultant to organizational and culture-building issues and as a visiting professor, teaching three to four intensive weeks per year. Currently teach “A Theology of Risk”, “Global Ecclesiology”, “Team Building”, and “Spiritual Disciplines of a Missionary.” The Center trains church planters for cross-cultural church planting in difficult settings. 2015-present.
  • Antioch School of Church Planting and Leadership Development, Ames, Iowa. Facilitator of record for church-based theological training and accredited degrees. Facilitated two accredited Masters of Theology degrees for Lake Valley members using a Socratic dialogue and case study pedagogy fully onsite in Hot Springs, AR.

4. Zoes Eatery, Hot Springs, AR. Started and owned, with wife Jo Helen, the award-winning restaurant Zoes Eatery, and a second location Zoes in the District, 2007 – 2017.

5. Vocaré, Denver, CO. 2013-present. Served as a board member until early 2018, then became President. Throughout 2018 have been executive coaching a network of successful entrepreneurs in Austin, TX. Launched in April 2019 the Vocaré Forum, an executive peer-learning cohort of eight entrepreneurs, engaged in a three-year process of personal, professional and spiritual development. Three additional cohorts have been started with an extensive waiting list of entrepreneurs.

Publications:

Kingdom Outposts – A Fresh Theology of Relief and Development, 2013. The Go2 Network. https://tinyurl.com/kingdomoutposts

“Beautiful and Believable – Solving the Problem of the (Invisible) Church and the Common Good”, CG2017 Essay Journal, pp 63-76, The Made to Flourish Network.

Wisdom Training for Business Leaders – 16 Sessions of Practical Wisdom, Lake Valley Community Church, Hot Springs AR. 2017. Co-authored with Morgan Golden and Roger Stanage. Now in four languages – English, French, Creole, Portuguese, with Spanish pending.

The Gospel of the Kingdom, lectures delivered in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, June 2018. Sponsored by the Chair of Evangelical Missiology, Laval University, and the Church of the Two Shores. Transcribed, translated and distributed in French and English.

Your Sacred Work – a Call to Spiritual Entrepreneurship, Retelling LLC, 2023. Available on Amazon.