Speakers' Biography
Dr. Dedrick L. Blue
Dr. Dedrick L. Blue, a native of Boston, Massachusetts, holds a BA in Theology from Oakwood University, a MS in Higher Education Leadership and Policy from Hofstra University, Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Andrews University.
Dr. Blue has served the Seventh-day Adventist Church for more than forty years as a missionary in Thailand, pastor, broadcaster, a university chaplain and an administrator. As a broadcaster, his popular radio broadcast ran for eight years as the highest rated
religious broadcast in Buffalo, New York. As an educator, he has served Oakwood University in many capacities including chaplain, Vice President for Student Services, and later as the Dean of the School of Religion. He is an Associate Professor of Religion with
emphasis in urban ministry, ethnology, and the African-American Church.
Dr. Blue is the co-founder of Adventists Against AIDS in Africa, the Vice Chair of the New York Interfaith Commission for Housing Equality, Partner in Blue and Blue Educational Inc., Vice Chair Partner in Match Perfect (a marriage and family workshop) and he serves as a consultant to a number of community faith-based organizations. Currently, he serves as Ministerial Director for the Northeastern Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and oversees 200 congregations and their pastors.
He is married to Dr. Elfreda Blue, Vice Provost of Hofstra University, and they have been blessed with three adult children Anitria, Fredrick (Jashondrea), Cedrick (Kali) and one grandchild, Kennedy.
Dr. R. Clifford Jones
Dr. R. Clifford Jones currently serves as Dean of the School of Theology at Oakwood University, a role he assumed on July 1, 2021, after serving as President of the Lake Region Conference. Before leading the Lake Region Conference, Dr. Jones was the Associate Dean of the Seventh-Day Adventist Theological Seminary. Prior to that, he served as Chair of the Christian Ministry Department, and as an Associate Professor and Professor in that department. Because of his deep love for pastoral ministry, while teaching full time at the Seminary, Dr. Jones also served as the senior pastor of the New Life Fellowship on the Andrews campus, and as the senior pastor of the All Nations SDA Church in Berrien Springs, Michigan.
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Before joining the Andrews University faculty, Dr. Jones pastored in the Northeastern Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, distinguishing himself in that field as a pastor/evangelist who planted a church in Brooklyn, New York, named New Life. He concluded his ministry in the Northeastern Conference by pastoring the two largest African-American congregations in New York City—the Hanson Place SDA Church in Brooklyn, New York, and the Ephesus SDA Church in Harlem, New York. Dr. Jones also served as an adjunct professor in the Doctor of Ministry program at New York Theological Seminary.
Although Dr. Jones received his undergraduate ministerial training at Atlantic Union College, he earned his baccalaureate degree from Fitchburg State University. He graduated with an MA (Religion) from Andrews University, and with a Doctor of Ministry (Pastoral Ministry) from New York Theological Seminary. He earned the Doctor of Philosophy (African American Religious History) from Western Michigan University.
A sought-after presenter in the areas of African American studies, leadership development, and mission and ministry, Dr. Jones is the author of numerous professional and scholarly articles and has contributed chapters to several books. He has edited two books on preaching (Preaching with Power and Preaching with Power II) and is the author of James K. Humphrey and the Sabbath-Day Adventists, an African-American religious history text that examines the break from the Adventist church of one of the most outstanding black pastors in Adventism in the early 20th century.
R. Clifford Jones is married to the former Elva A. Williams, a graduate of Atlantic Union College (BA, Elementary Education) and Andrews University (MA, Education), and they are the proud parents of two adult children, Clifford, Jr. and Jewel. Being a servant of God and a friend of people is the enduring passion of Dr. Jones, who has chaired over 30 Doctor of Ministry dissertations and, as a pastor/evangelist, has led hundreds of people to a saving knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Dr. Jones is excited to be serving in the School of Theology at Oakwood University, where “God, knowledge, and ministry intersect to fulfill Jesus’ mission of hope and wholeness to all the world.” He views preparing the next generation of church leaders to fulfill the Gospel commission in a post-pandemic world as being at once sobering and stimulating.