Robert C. Hepburn

Dr. Robert C. Hepburn (aka Hep, or Bob)

An urban youth ‘n’ young adults Gospel communications specialist, Hep's been involved in ministries in Paterson, Camden & Newark, NJ; New York, NY, Philadelphia & Pittsburgh, PA; Miami, FL, Baltimore, MD, the Washington, D.C. area, and Grand Rapids, MI. He’s participated in youth and young adults camp, conference and retreat ministries as a counselor, speaker and musician, and worked with many a church choir and vocal ensemble, as well as with Philly and Jersey-based Christian rap artists. His primary ministry focus is advocating and facilitating the church’s ministry to street-oriented youth & young adults (who are surprisingly receptive to the Lord – a trait, by God’s grace ‘n’ mercy, he hopes to have as well), and believes apologetics is the need of the hour. A graduate of Glassboro State College (now Rowan University), Northeastern Bible College and Westminster Theological Seminary, he teaches at Eastern University (Philadelphia campuses), Missio Seminary (formerly Biblical Theological Seminary, Philadelphia), and taught for 18 years at the Center for Urban Theological Studies (Philadelphia).

Interests & Pursuits

Professional: Creative interdisciplinary cross-cultural curriculum development and presentment (ideational and expeditionary), incorporating non-traditional ministry techniques, locating and utilizing opportunities inherent within hard-to-reach groups

Research: Urban youth & young adult issues, postmodernity (and post-postmodernity), apologetics, Christocentrically exegeting cultural constructs, ktismatology (the creation), exousiology (the powers), soteriology (Christ’s redemptive processes in medias res), politismology (cultural phenomena), sociology, locating presuppositional sets within competitive truth claims, street prophetic propensities, inter-generationality (Builders/Boomers/Busters/Bridgers/Brave-New-Worlders), hip-hop semiotics

Teaching: Street-oriented urban youth & young adult ministry advocacy; also, of ministry to other historically under-represented, socially-marginalized and hard-to-reach groups

Applied: Creative writing / oral communicative techniques, web / internet technologies, Africana, photography, basketball's game & culture, lobsters & lobstering (and their cultures), boat-building, sailing, nature (esp. the sea), Maine rustication, the tiny house movement, gardening, city & country biking*, kayaking, film exegesis, history, Ivesiana (the life & work of 20th c. composer, Charles Ives), Scripture contextualization – especially within street contexts; keyboard, guitar, ukulele, cello, saxophone playing and composing. Hep’s books: TGTS 2.0: The Gospel / The Street: What Does the Gospel of Christ Look Like in Street Contexts? (2017), Songs for the Street: Compositions Geared for God's People in Street Contexts (2019), and Finding Common Ground & Block-buster Christianity (2023).

On the Web

TGTS 2.0 / YUBM Ministries Website: https://hepkat.wixsite.com/tgts

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-hepburn-hep/

Email: Bob.Hepburn@gmail.com

* No better way to see, hear, get to know and interact with people in the city (or the country) than by getting out there on a bicycle. No parking problems. Cover distance quickly ‘n’ efficiently. Flexibility. And it’s great exercise! My sister Deb and I have been doing annual bike trips through cities on the East coast: Washington, D.C. (3x), Philadelphia, PA (2x), Portland, ME (2x), Baltimore, MD, Manhattan, New York City, NY (4x), Saint Michaels, MD, and hopefully others.