Harbor, Pepperdine Bible Lectures

So That's What "No Condemnation" Means

Scott Jarvis

No matter how big we mess things up in our lives, God has consistently shown that His plans are larger than our rebellion or mistakes. By looking at stories from the Old Testament to the New Testament, we will see just how serious God is about offering us "no condemnation" and a future with hope and abundant life.

The Mystery of Humanity (Jars of Clay)

Josh Graves

This session explores the endless mystery that is Jesus and the human person by integrating psychology, the Bible, contemporary art, and science. How do we learn to live well in our own skin (what the early church called Incarnation)? How do we engage our fellow humans for the glory of the kingdom of God?

Christian Unity (Part 2: How to Pursue and Maintain It)

Rubel Shelly

Because Jesus prayed for unity, we have no choice but to care about it. Here are 10 practical suggestions for pursuing and maintaining "the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

Walking Away From What You Know

Craig Kelley

Walking away from your home state, a growing church, and a comfortable theology to plant a new church 2500 miles from home where we choose to be a friend of sinners

Now Trending: 7 Things Society Ignores About Pornography

Javon Johnson

To open dialogue about a subject that's destroying our churches.

What is the Spirit Doing On the Continent of Africa? (World Christian Broadcasting's Passion for the People of Africa)

Henry Huffard, Dan McVey

In spite of political and cultural turmoil throughout Africa, the message of Jesus is taking root in the hearts of millions of people. Join us to find out the key to the Gospel's success throughout Africa.

Una misión llena del Espíritu Santo (A Spirit-Filled Mission)

Bob Perez

For the past three years, Robert has focused his energies in generating trust between the two language groups (English and Spanish Speaking) at the Santa Paula Church of Christ. This class will reveal Robert's recent findings and his theological justification for what his ministry.

Como niños que confían (Like Children Who Trust)

Jonathan Guevara

En una vida de Fe, la confianza en Dios es elemental para saber que el Padre proveerá y nunca nos abandonará, los niños no tienen problema en confiar, en esta sesión veremos el tipo de confianza que el Señor desea en nosotros y al nivel espiritual al que nos llevará esta acción.

Finding God at the Margins, Part 3

Charles Kiser

God is at work at the margins of society, among those many would least expect. What if we didn't have to take God with us into relationships with our LGBTQ friends? What if he is already there and we simply have to discover what he's doing?

Why the Church is Dying

Todd Dildine

Since 1960 the church has experienced a 38% decline in church attendance. According to a recent Pew Research poll 59% of Millennials who grew up in the church have left it. This class aims to answer why the church is shrinking and how the church must respond.

Christians Make the Best Atheists, Part 2

Luke Norsworthy, Jonathan Storment

We don't have temples for the old Greek gods like Zeus, Aphrodite, or Hermes but we are still just as enticed into worshipping them today. We need to learn to be better atheists towards these gods.

Maximizing the Future of Churches of Christ Outside the Bible Belt

Kelly Carter, Amy Bost Henegar, Scott Lambert

It is well known that many of "our" churches outside the Bible Belt are struggling. Attendees of this evening session will hear four long-time servants of churches, geographically positioned outside the areas where Churches of Christ are strongest, present their opinions on how Churches of Christ outside the traditional Bible Belt can best position themselves to be used by God for His Kingdom purposes.

Keynote (Acts 1:3-7)

Dan Rodriguez

Good News in the Marketplace: The Theological Tenets of the Ministry of Landon B. Saunders.

Ross Cochran

Is there theological support for a Christian message in non-religious language that may not result in churches?

The Question That Changed My Life This Year: Adventures in Redeeming the Time

Jason Bybee

A question sprouts up from the soil of Paul's letter to the Ephesians, a question with transformative power when applied to our daily lives.

La Bendición de Hacer Discipulos (The Blessing of Making Disciples)

Manuel Magos

Todos podemos participar en el crecimiento de la iglesia cuando invertimos tiempo y experiencia en la vida de un incrédulo y verlo nacer, desarrollarse, y duplicarse. Es el trabajo que Dios nos dio a cada uno de nosotros y es el mandamiento de Mateo 28 que esta vigente en nuestras vidas. We can all participate in the growth of the church when we invest time and experience in the life of an unbeliever and see them born again, develop and reproduce himself. It's the task that God has given each of us and it's the Great Commission in Matthew 28 that is binding in our lives.

Resurrecting the Church, Part 2: How God Brings Churches Back from the Dead

Tim Spivey

This thought-provoking and inspiring class will present strategies and stories of how stagnant and struggling churches have come to experience new life.

Salir Del Edificio

Tim Archer

Movilizando la iglesia para atraer a no creyentes

Made of Mud: How the Local Church Can Support Mental Health

Jason Allison, Dave Morgan

Combining their professional experiences in ministry and mental health, the presenters will focus on equipping congregations - of various sizes and settings - to support the mental health of those within the church, as well as those in the surrounding community. Participants will: 1) Encounter a Scripturally-informed ethic of care to benefit individuals, families, congregations, and communities, 2) Acquire practical suggestions offered by a network of mental health professionals, and 3) Consider interventions appropriate to their congregation's size and context.

The Ghost with the Most: Spirit Indwelling and Demon Possession in Luke-Acts

Kevin Burr

Christians have rightly emphasized Jesus' power a) in the Holy Spirit and b) over demons for millennia. But to stop there is to do a major disservice not only to Jesus' mission but to the Spirit-filled church's as well. In this lecture we will briefly discuss ancient views on demons and will compare and contrast three episodes of demon possession in Luke-Acts with three episodes of Holy Spirit indwelling in order to show how God's mission for the church is also, and necessarily, human-focused.

The Spirit of Surprises: How One Cessationist Ended Up Studying at a School of Supernatural Ministry

Jason Bandura 

The Holy Spirit is entrusted to lead us into all truth. He's particularly keen on leading us into those truths we most need but resist. Through vulnerable story-sharing and honest reflection on both Scripture and experience, this class will aim to position listeners before the Spirit of surprises.

Increasing Glory, Part 2: The Spirit's Role in Spiritual Formation

Kevin Withem

Leadership is spelled C.O.U.R.A.G.E, Part 2: Setting Sail Into an Unknown Future

Grady King, Jon Mullican

Leaders must have courage in times of uncertainty and chaos. What are the essentials of courageous leadership? At what price? At whose expense?

Dancing in the Desert: A Trinitarian Approach to Mental Health

Kyle Sapp

People who live with mental illness matter to Jesus. Our congregations are filled with friends and family who regularly wrestle with mental illness. Helping to support them in this can be a long and frustrating journey. It can be like walking through the desert with a half full glass of water. But beautifully, as members of the body of Christ, we do not make this journey alone. As Christians we believe in a God who is One in Three: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. One way of understanding their relationship is that of the Divine Dance, each person moving around each other in perfect rhythm and harmony. This understanding of the doctrine provides us with a helpful view for how the Church can support people with mental illnesses. When our partners struggle to dance we hold them up, we dance slower, and perhaps change the tune entirely. But the one thing we never do, is let them walk off the dance floor. This class will explore how the doctrine of the Trinity can help us love the mentally ill among us.

Bonhoeffer, Niebuhr, and MLK: A Vision for Ministers as Theologians

Brandon Pierce 

Ministry is not viewed as an intellectual vocation. At the very least, theological acumen ranks low on the practical skills of effective ministers. Viewing high-level, critical, and creative theological practice as either intrusive or unimportant to ministry is both harmful to the body of Christ and historically inaccurate. This session explores the theological vocation of ministry in three major 20th century figures: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Reinhold Niebuhr, and Martin Luther King, Jr. It is for seminarians, professors, church leaders, and church members interested in how the church and the academy can function in a more direct, synergistic relationship for the sake of God's Kingdom.