Author Professor Abstinence Educator Teacher Trainer Curriculum Writer
"A church without children is a dying church," says La Verne Tolbert, Ph.D. She is CEO/President of Teaching Like Jesus Ministries, Inc., a non-profit ministry that equips leaders in the local church.
Author of Teaching Like Jesus: A Practical Guide to Christian Education in Your Church (Zondervan), Dr. Tolbert's passion is to bring seminary-quality interactive workshops to practitioners who work with children, teens, and adults. Her book has been hailed by Dr. Lawrence Richards as the "best book on Christian education in 20 years!" It’s a favorite in Christian colleges and seminaries throughout the United States.
This is not surprising since the book resulted from questions by students who wanted teach like Jesus when Dr. Tolbert was Assistant Professor of Christian Education at Talbot School of Theology/Biola University. She taught in the graduate school four years after earning her master’s and doctorate degrees. She has also been an adjunct professor at Azusa Pacific University and La Verne University.
Her latest book, How to STUDY and Understand the Bible (In 5 Simple Steps Without Learning Hebrew or Greek) (Xlibris) explains the inductive Bible study process. It is specifically geared to the student who wants a deeper relationship with God through study of His Word. Less than 100 pages, the book concludes with lesson plans for pastors and Christian educators based on each of the chapters. Reviewers say this is her best book yet!
Keeping You & Your Kids Sexually Pure: A How-To Guide for Parents, Pastors, Youth Workers, and Teachers (Xlibris) is her previous book originally published by Zondervan that stresses the urgency of teaching abstinence. She details her experience while serving on the board of Planned Parenthood New York City and shares her dissertation research about the national strategy to establish school-based clinics in public schools throughout the United States. Her study demonstrates that condom availability may encourage sexual activity among teenagers since "sexual activity is expected and accepted".
To end abortion, Dr. Alveda King and Dr. Tolbert co-edited Life at All Costs: An Anthology of Voices from 21st Century Black Prolife Leaders (Xlibris). Divided into two main sections, this is a collection of articles, essays, and research from African American leaders whose tireless efforts to end the holocaust of abortion and promote traditional families is finally documented. It's a must-read, especially for policy makers and leaders.
Tolbert has written adult curriculum for Cook Publishing, children's church curricula and abstinence curricula. Notable is I've Got the Power Abstinence Curriculum written with Shelly Cunningham, PhD for the A.C. Green Foundation. Because of her collective experience and passionate conviction, she is a sought after speaker for colleges and universities, crisis pregnancy centers, churches and ministries. She also trains abstinence educators and parents to teach abstinence.
La Verne is married to Elder Irving Tolbert, a banker who launched a Rites of Passage ministry that has impacted over 400 fatherless boys. The couple's daughter, La Nej Garrison, is a dynamic youth speaker and abstinence educator par excellence! La Nej earned her Master of Arts in Theology of Religion and Ethics from Talbot School of Theology/Biola University, and she was the first African American woman to do so. She shares her engaging sexual purity talk with youth groups and is sought after for national camps and conferences. La Nej is married to former NBA international basketball player, coach, and now Athletic Director Matt Garrison. The couple has three energetic, athletically-inclined sons - Josiah, Judah, and Jeremiah
Please visit Dr. Tolbert on Facebook.