Reverend Dr. Kecia DeCosta Ford’s Preaching Institute Equips Women in Ministry

Pastor, author, teacher, and mentor are just a few of the titles that can be ascribed to Reverend Dr. Kecia DeCosta Ford, Senior Pastor of Sharp Street United Methodist Church in Sandy Spring, Maryland.  Recognizing that part of her ministerial call involved the training, education, and mentoring of ministers and church leaders, Dr. Ford founded Soul Spa Ministries, Incorporated to meet the need for educational and professional development opportunities for those in the gospel ministry.

Seeking to optimize the individual ministry effort, Dr. Ford established a holistic approach toward ministerial training which stresses the need for balance in the public and private lives of those in the ministry.  This holistic approach is founded upon the premise that a person’s individual ministry is enhanced when the personal life is in order.  Through the vehicle of the annual Beautiful Feet Women’s Preaching Institute, Dr. Ford is able to engage women in ministry and provide an opportunity for seminary based training in a supportive environment. 

The Beautiful Feet Women’s Preaching Institute was developed over ten years ago to serve as a venue for women who may have been unable to receive formal seminary training to access courses developed for professional ministerial education.  However, since its inception, the institute has expanded to provide training and re-tooling opportunities for women in various stages of their ministerial careers. This year’s institute, scheduled for March 17 – 19, 2010 at the Hyatt Regency in Baltimore, Maryland, has an outstanding selection of course offerings led by a host of qualified speakers and facilitators. 

In addition to the institute and her pastoral responsibilities, Dr. Ford is a published author.  Her book, Fishing in Mixed Waters, provides insights for ministering to a diverse population.  Two additional book projects, I Can See Clearly Now: Managing Your Emotions in Ministry and Virtues Personified: Ministerial Ethics, are slated for release later this year.

To learn more about Dr. Ford, the Beautiful Feet Women’s Preaching Institute, and the other offerings of Soul Spa Ministries Incorporated, please visit: www.kdfministries.org.