Curriculum Vitae

What I’ve been up to in my long life!
(More details on my faculty page.)

Education and Training

• Master’s degree in theology (pastoral leadership), Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas
• Doctoral degree in hermeneutics, University of Aberdeen, Scotland (Supervisor: Prof. Francis B. Watson)

• Medical degree, University of Kerala, India
• Doctoral degree in immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas (Supervisor: Prof. William T. Shearer)
• Post-doctoral fellowship in pediatric immunology, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas
• Internship in pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas
• Residency in dermatology, Boston University and Tufts University Schools of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
• Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology
• Certified by the American Board of Dermatology

Ordination

• Ordained by Plano Bible Chapel, Plano, Texas

Experience

• Carl E. Bates Professor of Christian Preaching, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky (currently)
• Professor of Christian Preaching, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky (elected to faculty)
• Senior Research Professor of Preaching and Pastoral Ministries, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas
• Research Professor of Pastoral Ministries, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas
• Professor of Pastoral Ministries, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas
• Associate Professor of Pastoral Ministries (tenured), Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas
• Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministries, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas
• Adjunct Professor of Pastoral Ministries, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas
• Interim Preacher, Fellowship Church, Louisville, Kentucky
• Interim Preacher, Scofield Memorial Church, Dallas, Texas
• Interim Preacher, Plano Bible Chapel, Plano, Texas
• Interim Preacher, Sherman Bible Church, Sherman, Texas
• Teaching Elder, Watertown Evangelical Church, Boston, Massachusetts
• Teaching Elder, Houston International Christian Fellowship, Houston, Texas
• Over the years …
• Pulpit filling in churches in the USA, Asia, Europe, and Australia
• Conference speaking at a variety of Christian organizations and churches across the USA and Australia
• Lectureships and visiting professorships in Bible colleges and seminaries in the USA, Asia, and Australia

• Dermatologist, Forefront Dermatology, Louisville, Kentucky (currently)
• Dermatologist, US Dermatology Partners, Dallas, Texas
• Dermatologist, DermOne Dermatology Centers of Mesquite, Mesquite, Texas
• Dermatologist, Dallas Associated Dermatologists, Dallas, Texas
• Dermatologist, Garner Dermatology, Garland, Texas
• Dermatologist, Trinity Dermatology, Carrollton, Texas

Publications

• Monographs
  • Text to Praxis: Hermeneutics and Homiletics in Dialogue (LNTS 374; London: T. & T. Clark, 2009)
  • Mark: A Theological Commentary for Preachers (Eugene, OR: Cascade, 2012).
    • Translated into Korean, 2023
  • Privilege the Text! A Theological Hermeneutic for Preaching (Chicago: Moody, 2013)
    • Winner of the 2013 Book of the Year Award from Preaching Magazine
      Translated into Portuguese, 2018
      Translated into Korean, 2020
  • Genesis: A Theological Commentary for Preachers (Eugene, OR: Resource Publications, 2014)
  • Ephesians: A Theological Commentary for Preachers (Eugene, OR: Cascade, 2015)
  • A Vision for Preaching: Understanding the Heart of Pastoral Ministry (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2015)
    • Winner of the 2016 “Editor’s Choice” Preaching Book Award from Preaching Today
      Translated into Korean, 2017
      Translated into Chinese, 2023
      
  • Judges: A Theological Commentary for Preachers (Eugene, OR: Cascade, 2017).
  • A Manual for Preaching: The Journey from Text to Sermon (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2019)
    • Translated into Chinese, 2021
      Translated into Spanish, 2024
      Translation into Korean forthcoming
  • 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus: A Theological Commentary for Preachers (Eugene, OR: Cascade, 2021)
  • Psalms 1–44: A Theological Commentary for Preachers (Eugene, OR: Cascade; 2024)
  • Psalms 45–100: A Theological Commentary for Preachers (Eugene, OR: Cascade; 2024)
  • Psalms 101–150: A Theological Commentary for Preachers (Eugene, OR: Cascade; 2024)
  • From Glory to Glory: An Unnatural History of Sanctification (London: Inter-Varsity; forthcoming 2025)
• Chapters in Books & Articles in Journals (see here)
• Book Reviews (see here)

Memberships

• Evangelical Theological Society
  • Member, Editorial Review Board, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society (currently)
• Evangelical Homiletics Society
  • President, Vice-President, and Board Member (2008–2013)
  • Book Review Editor, Journal of the Evangelical Homiletics Society (2009–2019)

• Fellow, American Academy of Dermatology
• Diplomate, American Board of Dermatology

Abe’s Bio

Kuwait, India, USA

I am ethnically Indian (from the country Columbus missed, way east of the GMT), but I was born in Kuwait where my father was working. Lived there for about a decade and then we moved to India when he retired. Another decade or so later, I landed on the shores of the US as an international student and have remained here ever since.

Immunology, Pediatrics, Dermatology

My initial training was in medicine and that trail took me to Houston for a PhD in immunology and an internship in pediatrics, transplanted me to Boston for my residency in dermatology, and drew me back to Texas—I finally came to my senses!—to satisfy my morbid fascination with the care and cure of diseases of the skin, hair, and nails in private practice, in Dallas, as a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology. After about three-plus decades in Texas, I’ve now relocated to Kentucky, still maintaining an active clinical schedule, seeing patients in Louisville.

Medicine, Pastoring, Theology

My brother led me to Christ when I was a teenager back in India, but for many years after that I didn’t really grow much as a believer. While at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, I started listening to Christian radio. The messages I heard and the local broadcasters I met sparked my interest in the scriptures, and my faith started to grow. To dig into the Word, I began attending the erstwhile Houston Bible Institute (now College of Biblical Studies), where most of the profs were Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) graduates.

There in Houston, I was “serendipitously” involved in a church plant even before I had any formal pastoral training. I preached frequently, and thoroughly loved every moment. It was thrilling to see God working in the lives of his people, and humbling to be used by God for his purpose. The communication of God’s truth, I realized, was something I wanted to pursue for the rest of my life. Those halcyon days settled my lifelong ministry goals to explore preaching (furthering the field), to explain preaching (training the teachers), and exemplifying preaching (strengthening the saints). Finally, at the end of the winding journey that medicine took me, I ended up at DTS for my master’s degree (ThM) in the Pastoral Leadership Track. I began teaching preaching classes as an adjunct professor in Pastoral Ministries during my final semester as a student and continued teaching there after graduation.

Researching, Teaching, Preaching

Interactions with sharp students and astute colleagues stoked the fires for more education in homiletics, so one fine day I sold house, stored car, abandoned practice, and set off for bonnie Scotland, to work on another PhD, this time researching the hermeneutics of preaching at the University of Aberdeen. I returned to Dallas Seminary in 2007 where I remained for fourteen years, teaching preaching and spiritual life courses. In 2021, I headed out to the Bluegrass State to take up the pedagogy of homiletics in The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where I’ve been since. “Pulpiteering” at every opportunity, I have served as interim preacher in a variety of churches: “Have pulpit? Will preach!”

Cricket, Celibacy, Christ

And when I’m not exploring, explaining, and exemplifying preaching, I’m listening to Bach (anything and everything by this unparalleled genius), following the (mis)fortunes of the Indian cricket team and its shining star Sachin Tendulkar, and, from time to time, putting my motorcycle license to good use. And I love bowties (yes, gentlemen always tie their own ties!). And old dermatology and preaching textbooks. And Harry Potter. And a capella music, especially as performed by Chanticleer, the Tallis Scholars, or the Hilliard Ensemble. And 1960s jazz and most things by Keith Jarrett.

Somewhere along this journey I also came to the realization that celibacy was God’s gift to me. I call it “ecclesiological singleness”—single by choice, for life, unto Christ, in community. That is an integral part of who I am, and it has significantly shaped my life and solidified my faith. And so I’m also keenly interested in the theology of Christ-centered singleness, a sole passion for the Lord who gave his life a ransom for me.

“Young lions want and hunger;
but they who seek Yahweh shall not lack any good thing.”
Psalm 34:10