"Engaging Culture with Holy Art & Story:
Jesus Speaks into Post-modernity" draws highest-ever student participation

 

Over 200 people joined us for our Lavik Lectureship events on April 12 and 13, 2013, which included a “PoMo” (postmodern) movie on Friday night, lectures, worship and workshops on Saturday, culminating with an open-mic for spoken word poetry.

We tackled creative approaches to reach the un-churched, de-churched, and never-churched, “post-modern” population with the life-giving message of Jesus Christ. Our keynote speaker, Dr. Jeff Mallinson, was our former Academic Dean, and he focused on the philosophical and biblical issues, capping his sessions with the theology of the cross. We brought Jeff back for this special event because he is known for a passion of making Jesus relevant for contemporary culture. Jeff now is on the theology faculty of Concordia University, Irvine, Calif., but this highest-ever student participation at a Lavik Lectureship demonstrated that he is able to connect with young adults in compelling ways

Micah Bournes’ spoken word poetry kept us riveted as he made the theoretical practical—as well as gripping. His powerful personal stories and entrancing narrative poems inspired many to share their poems on Saturday evening at the open mic. Whether from notebooks, iPhones, or memory, students opened up a window to their soul with the gift of words they shared.

Through many workshops, participants learned more about how post-modern faith expressions concentrate on authentic relationships, personal stories, and worship which is creative, experiential, and sensory—where communication less centered on one-directional preaching and more on interactive engagement through art and story.  

We thank the many who joined us, especially Jeff and Micah, as we explored engaging post-modern people through missional art and story. We are eager to hear follow-up stories as to  how this Lavik Lectureship helped you better understand how to engage the culture with holy art and story.

Keynotes

Micah Bournes' keynote (mp3)

Dr. Jeff Mallinson's keynote (mp3)