Harbor, Pepperdine Bible Lectures

Preaching to the Powers

Eric Gentry

Why would Wells Fargo rob customers? Why would prison guards abuse inmates? How could a Church do the unthinkable? The influence of the "principalities and powers" is evident all around us. Naming those powers, and preaching to them, is the ministry of the church (Eph 3). But how do we begin? Join us for a critical and constructive look at the powers in pop-culture, politics, and the church.

Surrendering to Hope, Part 1: Guidance for the Broken

K. Rex Butts, Christine Fox Parker

"God's Stories in Our Stories" and "Lost Sons, Finding Hope"

I Have Called You Back...Without a Bias (From Every Tribe and Language-Rev 5:9)

Eleni Melirrytos

Reaching the Next Generation: My Experience Leading a Church Filled with Millennials

Caleb Borchers

Caleb is the church planter for a new church in Providence, RI and the majority of the members are Millennials. He will share his experience in leading those in this age cohort which so many church leaders have found challenging. Come learn ways to connect with America's new largest generation.

Recovering the Lost Gospel (Part 1: A Salvation Bigger than Guilt Management)

Dan Bouchelle, Mark Hooper

As America becomes more diverse and Americans serve in more unreached countries, we are encountering self-imposed limitations on our ability to connect to people from a different worldview. How do you tell good news to people who experience their brokenness as in some form other than guilt? This class will enlarge our understanding of the Gospel to help us form a relevant message to the majority of people worldwide and in our cities who come from Honor-Shame cultures.

What is the Spirit Doing in Latin America? (World Christian Broadcasting's Passion for the People of Latin America)

Rex Morgan, Nick Cumming

Live Newsworthy with Norsworthy Podcast

Luke Norsworthy

Christians Make the Best Atheists, Part 1

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.

Keynote (1 Corinthians 12-14)

Don McLaughlin

"The Pneuma-Form Church"

In the Power of the Spirit: The Holy Spirit in the Churches of Christ

Richard Beck, Mark Love

While Churches of Christ have not exactly been known for their emphasis on the Holy Spirit, Richard and Mark suggest now is the time to embrace a life made possible by the power of the Spirit. Come find out why.

Poured Out (Part 2: The Charismatic Spirit)

Leonard Allen

Membership in the one body of Christ meant charismatic membership (1 Cor 12:4-11, 27-30). The charismata or grace-gifts are richly varied and given to every member for the sake of building up the body. To be baptized into Christ through the Spirit means initiation into active, Spirit-gifted membership.

Ministry Insights from Elijah (Part 1: Confronting the Chaos)

Randy Roper 

In life and in ministry, we often feel overwhelmed by God's calling. The job seems too big, the opposition too strong, or the expectations too high for us to succeed. God called His prophet Elijah to stand amid the chaos of a changing world and point people to God. He calls us to do the same.

Crave: Tackling Teenage Desires in an Age of Authenticity

Jordan Coss, Corridan Coss

In this lecture, husband and wife student ministry duo, Jordan and Corridan Coss, will discuss some of the most significant cravings teenagers experience. Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of these desires, attention will be placed on their positive value in light of C.S. Lewis' argument from desire. In this light, their cravings actually drive them toward their creator as positive markers on the quest to the One who can truly satisfy them. It will be argued, based upon field tested strategies, that this is a successful approach to communicate the gospel to teenagers in our current context described by Charles Taylor as "an age of authenticity." The goal of this hour is to equip people to better spiritually engage with teenagers whose "attention to experience" serves as their compass to spiritual truth.

How to Lead Without Losing Your Soul

David Ayres

Contemplative leadership is desperately needed in the church. Yet, it seems that a life of contemplation is often directly at odds with strong, visionary leadership.What do detachment and submission have to do with vision-casting and goal-setting? Is it possible to be a gifted leader and a gifted pastor or are those categories mutually exclusive? Come join us and explore a way forward!

Listen to the Heartbeat: An Interpretation of Landon B. Saunders' Ministry Philosophy.

Ross Cochran 

Landon's ministry to those with little or no church experience has intrigued us. This session is an attempt to discern the philosophical commitments of Heartbeat.

The Baptism of Jesus

Brian Offutt

What could you accomplish in ministry if you knew that God was with you, that he has empowered you and that he loves you? This class will take a closer look at the baptism of Jesus and the steps that he took in preparation for ministry. The beautiful thing about this passage is realizing that what's true for Jesus at his baptism is also true for me and you at our baptism. I look forward to seeing you in class as we study this powerful passage together.

Ancient Words Come Alive, Part 1: How to Read the Bible Without Losing Your Faith

Wade Hodges 

How is it that the Bible can be both an invitation to faith for some and an obstacle to faith for others? This class will explore the importance of clarifying our assumptions about what the Bible is, how it works, and what we can legitimately expect from it when we read it.

How to Really Succeed in Business: Being Salt, Yeast and Light in the Workplace

Jeff Pierpont

How can you have a positive impact on your co-workers every day? By exploring what it means to be the aroma of Christ at work.

Reaching Across the Generational Aisle: Three Generations Reflect on Family and Faith

Susan Giboney, Carrie Wall, Jessica Wall 

A grandmother, mother, and granddaughter reflect on their generational distinctiveness and how churches and families can nurture health intergenerational relationships. Strategies for bridging understanding and cultivating appreciation among generations will be explored.

Helping Young Adults Connect with Family as Adult Children

Kelly Haer

Young adulthood is a time for significant transitions--especially in the parent-child relationship. Help young adults to reflect on their families of origin and take ownership and responsibility to strengthen healthy relationships with their families. Specifically, leaders will learn to help young adults discover how childhood memories have shaped them, develop new insights about their parents, consider the impact of birth order on their own development, understand family dynamics, communicate with their parents, and form their own families when away from home.

Unpacking the Rotation Model, Part 1: A Little Something for Everyone

Gotcher, Humphries, Parker

Short on volunteers, kids disengaged, parents not interested, shallow curriculum? Carrie Gotcher, Marian Parker and Wendy Humphries will share their experiences teaching children using the rotation model and how it has brought life to their ministry.

Harbor in the Storm, Part 1: 75 Years of the Pepperdine Bible Lectures (1943-1982)

Jerry Rushford

Finding God at the Margins (Part 1: Among the Disconnected)

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 non-religious friends? What if he is already there and we simply have to discover what he's doing?

The Search for Meaning: Preaching Ecclesiastes

Rick Ross

I once questioned if Ecclesiastes should be in the Bible. A reread has left me amazed at its relevance.

Diners, Delis, and Divine Opportunities: Practicing the Faithful Presence of Christ

Rusty Tugman

How God uses common people sharing common meals at common tables to change the world.