Each faculty member exhibits the highest level of scholarship and has years of proven ministry experience.
Faculty
| Mark Blanford, Ph.D. | Assistant Professor of Natural Science and Physical Science |
| Lorie Keene, Th.M., M.Div. | Assistant Professor of Theology |
| Stephen Keene, D.Min., M.Div. | Assistant Professor of Christian Education and Applied Ministry |
| Ryan Lintelman, Ph.D., D.Min. | Assistant Professor of Theology |
| Brenna Norwood, Ph.D. | Associate Professor of Christian Education and Applied Ministry |
| Grove Norwood, M.Ed. | Professor of Social Science and Applied Ministry |
Visiting Scholars
| Gregg Allison, Ph.D. | Professor of Christian Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary |
| Dee Grimes, Ph.D. | Evangelical Seminary of West Africa |
| Timothy Jones, Ph.D. | Professor of Christian Family Ministry, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary |
| Stephen Presley, Ph.D. | Associate Professor of Church History, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary |
| Charles Savelle, Ph.D. | Instructor of Biblical Interpretation, Dallas Theological Seminary |
| John Wilsey, Ph.D. | Associate Professor of Church History and Philosophy, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary |
Adjunct Professors
| Travis Cardwell, M.Div. | Courses: The Gospel: The Person and Work of Christ |
| Laura Hui, M.Div. | Courses: Greek, History of the Bible |
| Keith Idol, Ph.D. | Courses: Greek |
| Ty Korsmo, M.A. | Courses: English |
| Stephen Laufer, Ph.D. | Courses: Hebrew, Old Testament |
| Jared Lee, M.Div. | Courses: History of the Bible, Historical Christianity, Bible Study Methods |
| Ron Lowery, M.Div. | Courses: Biblical Marriage, Family, and Singleness |
Administration
| Grove Norwood, M.Ed. | Chief Executive Officer |
| Brenna Norwood, Ph.D. | Provost |
| Mary Rokes, M.Ed. | Director of Operations, Registrar |
| Audrau Winkelmann, M.L.S. | Librarian and Coordinator of Student Learning Resources |
Faculty and Administration of
The Heart of Texas Foundation College of Ministry
Faculty
Grove Norwood, M.S. Ed.
CEO, The Heart of Texas Foundation
Professor of Social Science and Applied Ministry
Grove is the teaching elder of
New Covenant Baptist Church in Bellville, Texas.
Grove is a native East Texan, but spent his high school and college years in North Carolina, where he attended East Carolina University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in English. From college, he joined the United States Air Force as a Second Lieutenant. He served in the United States Air Force for seven years where he flew the jet fighter, the F-102, in Germany as an interceptor pilot over the Iron Curtain. He then flew many combat missions in Vietnam as a Forward Air Controller. From his service in Vietnam, Grove received the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star for Valor, and two Distinguished Flying Crosses. After leaving the Air Force, he earned his Master of Science Degree in Education at the University of Southern California. He then worked with children with disabilities in North Carolina before moving back to Texas where the Lord called him into the Texas prisons. He and Brenna live on their Songbird Farm in Bellville. They attend New Covenant Baptist Church (SBC).
Brenna Norwood, Ph.D.
Provost
Associate Professor of
Christian Education and Applied Ministry
Brenna is a native Texan, grew up in East Bernard, and earned the Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Master of Science in Educational Administration from Texas A&M University in 1998 and 1999 respectively. She taught in the public school system for six years and became the Department Head for Special Education at Taylor High School in Katy, Texas. During that time, the Lord called her to go to seminary. She applied to The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) and moved to Louisville, Kentucky in August 2005. She completed courses for the Doctor of Philosophy degree while working full time as Executive Assistant to the Provost and Dean of the School of Theology. In December 2009, she earned the Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership from SBTS. Brenna is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society. Her emphasis on the unity of the Bible found in the person and work of Jesus Christ centers all aspects of her life, calling, and daily work as a wife, scholar, teacher, leader, and administrator. She and Grove were Christian friends years before they married in 2012. They enjoy a life of loving and serving the Lord side-by-side with one heart in the same direction. She and Grove live on their Songbird Farm in Bellville.
Mark Blanford, Ph.D., M.Div.
Assistant Professor of
Natural Science and Phhiscial Science
Mark Blanford is the pastor of Thai Baptist Church, Houston.
Mark Blanford grew up as the son of missionaries to the Chinese people in Thailand. He studied at Rice University and pursued an engineering career. In 1991 he was ordained to the gospel ministry by Northdale Baptist Church in Albuquerque, NM where he served as a bi-vocational Minister of Music and Education. From 2005 to 2011, he and his wife, Charlotte, lived in Thailand as self-funded missionaries with the International Missiona Board of the SBC. In Thailand, Dr. Blanford taught in Thai prisons. He has ministered with Houston’s Thai Baptist Church since 2011 and was called to be their Pastor in 2017. He holds the Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Stephen Keene, D.Min.
Assistant Professor of
Christian Education and Applied Ministry
Stephen Keene is the pastor of Southside Baptist Church in Shelbyville, Tennessee.
Lorie Keene, Th.M., M.Div.
Assistant Professor of Theology
Lorie, is a Registered Nurse and homeschools their two children. She a contributing writer for many LifeWay publications, as well as the author of Pull Up a Chair: You, Me and the Gospel of John (NewHope). She holds degrees from Auburn University (BSN) and from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div., Th.M).
Stephen holds degrees from Mid-Continent University (BS, Theological Studies), The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.A.C.E, D.Ed.Min.), and fully affirms and holds to the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message of The Southern Baptist Convention.
Ryan Lintelman, Ph.D., D.Min., M.Div.
Assistant Professor of Theology
Ryan Lintelman (standing center) is the pastor of First Baptist Church of West Columbia, Texas.
Dr. Lintelman received the Ph.D. in Preaching from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and the Doctor of Ministry in Missions from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Lintelman is beloved by our students.
Staff
Mary Rokes, M.Ed.Ad.
Director of Operations, Registrar
Mary (center) has decades of experience as an educator. She recently retired as an Assistant Prinicipal at Bellville High Scoool. She is married to Larry, and they have a son Caleb and his wife Colleen in College Station and a daughter Beth, who lives in San Diego, California.
Audrau Winkelmann, M.L.S.
Librarian and Coordinator of Student Learning Resources
Audrau (second from left) has decades of experience as an educator. She recently retired as an Librarian at Bellville High Scoool. She is married to Lane, and they have two daughters, Emma, a graduate of Sam Houston State University who lives and works in Austin, Texas, and Ella, who is in college at Texas State University.