Submitted by philip on
By Philip Timothy, Managing Editor
FT. WORTH, Texas – Dorothy Kelley Patterson, author, speaker, professor of Theology in Women’s Studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and the school’s First Lady, has long had a heart for wives, mothers and homemakers.
Married to SWBTS President Paige Patterson, she has been a driving force in the advancement and promotion of the school’s homemaking program, which teaches women in the art and skill of homemaking.
“Teaching women to be a Proverbs 31 woman is something that is very near and dear to my heart,” she said. “When I was much younger, I had a dream from God that I would one day teach women to be godly wives and mothers.”
In the summer of 2007, Patterson’s dream became reality as Southwestern offered a bachelor of arts in humanities degree with a 23-hour concentration in homemaking. The program was, and still is, open only to women.
“At first, as we were working on what the homemaking program should have in it, I went to my knees,” Patterson said, “and God started placing in my mind the different courses that should be included in the curriculum.
“The coursework consists of seven hours of nutrition and meal preparation, seven hours of textile design and ‘clothing construction,’ three hours of general homemaking, three hours on ‘the value of a child,’ and three hours on the ‘biblical model for the home and the family,” said Terri Stovall, Dean of Women’s Programs and associate professor of Women’s Ministries at SWBTS.
A description of the homemaking program on the seminary’s website says it “endeavors to prepare women to model the characteristics of the godly woman as outlined in Holy Scripture.”
“Women need to know and learn these lessons and have these abilities … they are going to be pastors’ wives,” said Mrs. Patterson, who draws inspiration when teaching from Titus 2:5, which urges women to love their husbands, love their children, and to be discreet, chaste homemakers.
“I also like to use the book of Ruth as well as examples from my own life to help illustrate a point to my classes,” she said. “I once thought I was a ‘Martha’ but as I have grown older I believe I’m a combination of both ‘Martha’ and ‘Mary.’ Just like Martha I enjoy serving but like Mary I love and enjoy hearing from our Lord. I prefer sitting at the feet of Jesus even more.”
“We need to equip women to understand and engage the culture of today … to understand the difference of being Martha and Mary,” Patterson said. “We need to help them develop an insight into the home and the family, and sharpen their homemaking skills.”
Despite a demanding teaching and administrative schedule, Mrs. Patterson enjoys hospitality ministries. She is constantly opening Pecan Manor, the president’s home at Southwestern, and firmly believes that hospitality can be used as an evangelistic tool.
“I find my duties as First Lady to be extremely challenging but also very fulfilling,” she said. “Still, I love to cook. I love having my children and grandchildren over, I love having people come visit us at Pecan Manor, and I love sharing God’s word,” she said.
Patterson will impart her love and knowledge of Christian homemaking as one of the featured plenary session speakers Oct. 25-26 at The Art of Homemaking Conference, sponsored by Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Crossway, in the Riley Center on the school’s Fort Worth campus.
She will be joined by Michelle Duggar of the TLC reality show featuring her family and Elizabeth George, author of ‘A Woman After God’s Own Heart.’ At Chapel on Oct. 24, the entire Duggar family will be on hand.
The conference will focus on topics such as: God’s paradigm for the homemaker, the impact of feminism on the home, and spiritual formation through family worship. Writers for many of the chapters of the Christian Homemaker’s Handbook published by Crossway will be leading workshops.
The handbook, edited by Dorothy Kelley Patterson and Pat Ennis, serves as a reference book every homemaker should want to own. It features insight into the practical and spiritual aspects of caring for home and family, providing tips and training in all aspects of homemaking from budgeting to interior decorating, food safety to childbearing and everything in between by a group of distinguished and experienced women from various walks and seasons of life.
The book includes DIY projects, charts, Scripture, application questions, resources, suggested grocery lists, a comprehensive index and much, much more.
The conference will also offer two pre-conference and 15 breakout sessions.
“I am just doing the plenary session,” Mrs. Patterson said. “I decided to pass my workshop on to someone younger.”
The cost of attendance is $50 for non-students and $25 for students. For overnight accommodations, contact Guest Housing at the Riley Center at 817.921.8800 or guests@swbts.edu.