Summit for Faith and Learning

The annual Perkins Summit for Faith and Learning offers a wide range of theological mini-courses for laypersons, community leaders and clergy. Somewhere between seminary and Sunday School, Summit leverages the rich learning community of Perkins School of Theology to provide a unique, self-paced experience in theological education—for the church and world. Come for a half-day or spend the whole two days with us. Participants are free to design a customized Summit plan!

Summit Little Rock March 21-22, 2025

Location:

321 Pleasant Valley Drive Little Rock, AR 72212

Registration is Now Open!

Registration deadlines: January 15, 2025 - March 7, 2025



2025 Guest Lecturer

  • Rev. Dr. Michael Beck

    Rev Dr. Michael Beck is a spiritual guide who helps people heal, love, and unleash imagination to create better lives, organizations, and communities. Michael and wife Jill have led a series of revitalization and unconventional church plants over the past 17 years. They are co-pastors of Compassion/St Marks UMCs, which house a holistic inpatient recovery program called Open Arms Village. They oversee a network of fresh expressions led by the laity that gather in tattoo parlors, dog parks, burrito joints, digital spaces, and a substance abuse rehab. Michael also teaches sociology at the University of Florida and is an adjunct professor at several seminaries, including Duke, United, and Candler. His consulting firm coaches, trains, and educates leaders internationally across a broad theological spectrum and has consulted with hundreds of churches, districts, denominations, networks, synods, and dioceses.  

    Beck earned a bachelor’s from Saint Leo University, a Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary Orlando, and a Doctorate in Semiotics and Future Studies at Portland Seminary with his mentor Leonard Sweet. He’s currently a PhD candidate in teaching assistant-ship at UF's sociology department. A rare breed of practitioner and scholar, Beck is the author of fifteen books and is widely considered a global leader in the Fresh Expressions movement.  Michael serves as the Director of Fresh Expressions Florida, Director of the newly established Fresh Expressions House of Studies at Perkins School of Theology, and Director of Fresh Expressions for The United Methodist Church. Michael is passionate about helping laity and clergy cultivate new forms of church. He helps leaders across the globe follow Jesus in new and exciting ways.

Perkins Faculty

Dr. Fred Aquino

Professor of Systematic Theology at Perkins School of Theology, 51²è¹Ý. Click for full bio.

Dr. Michael Greene

Director of the Black/Africana Church Studies Program at Perkins School of Theology. Click for full bio.

Dr. Rebekah Miles

Susanna Wesley Centennial Professor of Practical Theology and Ethics Altshuler Distinguished Teaching Professor at Perkins School of Theology. Click for full bio.

Dr. Sze-kar Wan

Professor of New Testament at Perkins School of Theology. Click for full bio.