Harbor, Pepperdine Bible Lectures

Persevering Passion: Lessons on Spiritual Zeal from George Whitefield - Lisa Smith

Ever wish you could sit down with the famous eighteenth-century revivalist George Whitefield and learn his secrets for pursuing God over a lifetime with reckless love and abandon? Join Pepperdine University English professor Lisa Smith as she shares the surprising backstories of Whitefield’s most unique life events as well as his own words of passion for God from his personal journals, letters, and autobiography. The international preaching sensation who helped start the First Great Awakening will come alive in this presentation designed to encourage all followers of Jesus to live lives of passion and purpose.

Teacher:
Lisa Smith

Hope for the Church, While Grieving the Past - Dave Berry

The church is declining in numbers, yet there is hope for the future. This class will examine material from several different sources and call on practical experience to help congregations grieve the past, while finding hope for the future. We will learn how to honor the past, live in the present and have hope for the future.

Teacher:
Dave Berry

Before You Quit - Jim Martin

Sometimes we may become discouraged and be tempted to quit. This could be a marriage, a friendship, a ministry, or anything else that has been valuable in the past. This class will offer a few spiritual resources that may be helpful as you navigate these decisions

Teacher:
Jim Martin

Living the Exile Life - Robin Gough

To be a Christian is to be an exile. We are citizens of a new kingdom. But for now, we are living as exiles in a foreign land. And the Bible has a name for the country we’ve been exiled to: Babylon. As exiles living in Babylon, we need to think biblically, Christianly, through cultural and political issues. But the problem is that we run the risk of looking just like Babylon. In this class, we will discuss ways we can disentangle our Babylonianism from our Christianity and live the exile life.

Teacher:
Robin Gough

All Ages Becoming: Leading Intergenerational Small Groups - Holly Allen

As churches seek to become more intentionally intergenerational in outlook and practice, the first question that typically arises is, “How can we bring the generations together in a way that is spiritually rich for everyone?” This presentation will walk class participants through guidelines for an all-age small-group gathering that begins with an inviting (non-embarrassing) ice breaker, then moves to a transition that welcomes the presence of Jesus, engages Scripture in fresh age- inclusive ways, models household prayers, and closes with a blessing over the participants. The presentation draws from the authentic experiences of a church that implemented intergenerational small groups over the 2023-2024 calendar year. Participants will leave with two weeks of curriculum written for intergenerational small groups.

Teacher:
Holly Allen

Cats, Dogs, and Moving Day - Jack Williamson

Adolescence is a time of transition in which almost everything is changing in the hearts, minds ,and bodies of our kids. This class will present two metaphors to help parents better understand adolescence and parents teens more effectively. This tried and tested information will be helpful to anyone working with teenagers.

Teacher:
Jack Williamson

Better Witness: Christian Presence in a Pluralistic World - John Barton

The 21st century is one of increasing complexity and uncertainty, and it calls for Christians who are rooted and open, confident and humble, prophetic and teachable. This class will explore such themes for understanding Christian faith development and witness

Teacher:
John Barton

A Word About Faithfulness: Heb. 3:1-6 - Rachel Collins

Speaker:
Rachel Collins

Promote Justice - Kevin Holland

"And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Hebrews 11:32-34 (NIV) There are approximately 165 Scriptures in the Bible that express how much a part of God’s heart and character justice is and how important it is that his people do justice. As Jesus said of the teachers of the Law and Pharisees in Matthew 23:23, “you have neglected justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These are the most important things in Moses’ Teachings.” The goal of this class is to elevate this essential tenet of our faith and discipleship through Bible teaching.

Teacher:
Kevin Holland

Aha! Five Surprising Spiritual (and Encouraging) Truths about the Next Generation - Tim Spivey

Teacher:
Tim Spivey

Postures and Practices for a 15:28 Church: Acts, Discernment, and the Mission of God - Mark Love

In Acts 15:28, James announces that the Gentiles have been included by God, including the line, "It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to Us. . . ." This epochal moment is central to Luke's understanding of the early church, and it should be for ours as well. What would it require for your church to be a 15:28 church?

Teacher:
Mark Love

Renewed

Chris Goldman, NWChurch Worship Band

A musical and spoken word worship experience built upon Isaiah 40 - 43, music by the NW Worship Band, and a desire to breathe spiritual energy into all who participate.

Abba Father: Immanuel

Teacher: Bobby Valentine

 

Keep Calm and Carry On: How Ministers/Leaders Can Move Forward When Ministry is Difficult (Part 2)

Teachers: Scott Lambert, Jim Martin

Spiritual leaders need encouragement to keep pressing forward in challenging Kingdom work. Approaches and tactics to wrestle with burnout, stress and anxiety will be accompanied by words of blessings, courage and prayers over each person in attendance. Both nights will offer practical insights as well as the feeding of each leader's soul. End the Harbor day with a time of encouragement to stay courageous in serving God and His people.

Reimagining Church in a Changed World

Teachers: Jason Locke, Tod Vogt

Panelists: David Berry, Charles Kiser, Ryan Smith, Chale Wesson

In this Reimagining Church workshop, the panelists will look at how to move beyond the tired and futile hamster wheel of worship improvements, revolving
preachers, rebrandings, facility improvements, and the like. Instead of just rethinking how to improve the weekly hour of worship, what if we as churches
rethought how to do life together? What if Christian communities both new and old could imagine and live into a new future of being the church in the
world? This session will look at concrete ideas for how to break out of existing frameworks.

Love, Justice, and Hope: Theological Perspectives

Teacher: Stanley Talbert

This class explores theological perspectives on love, justice, and hope. If “God Loves Forever,” what are the implications of human love for God, the neighbor, and the self in the 21st century? The class will think with theologies of love, justice, and hope while constructing an ethic for the church’s engagement in our contemporary world.

A Biblical Theology of Justice

Teacher: Esau McCaulley

Words have meaning in context. What should the Christian mean when he or she speaks of justice? What are its foundations, aims, and purpose. Related to this question is the doctrine of sin. Is sin personal, corporate (systemic), or some combination of the two? This seminar will outline a Christian definition of justice rooted in the vision for the Kingdom of God that emerges across the canon.

A Message from the Church to the LGBTQ+ Community: The Same Spirit is at Work for God’s Purpose in All of Us

Teacher: Rubel Shelley

The message of Scripture is that same-sex activity is outside God's will, but our culture tells us that "authentic personhood" and "one's true identity" must not be denied. The role of the Holy Spirit is to empower virtue and to enable Christians -- whether heterosexual or homosexual by orientation -- to live in chastity and fidelity as we are transformed into Christ's likeness.

Vox Dei: Hearing and Discerning the Voice of the Lord

Teachers: Josh Ross, Chris Seidman

Life and ministry is much richer when we’re not the only ones doing the talking. We’ll pull on the thread of the Lord’s voice that runs throughout Scripture and talk practically about the challenges of discerning and following His voice in our lives today. We’ll also enjoy a few testimonies, and laugh (or cringe) over a few misguided experiences along the way.

What Kind of Development Work Would Jesus Do?

Teachers: John Barton, KIBO Group

John will share experiences and lessons learned in his work with Kibo Group International, and his thirty years of involvement in cross-cultural church work and community development.

Hope and Help for Anxiety

Teachers: Sharon Hargrave, Dee Dee Mayer

Many of us worry from time to time, but those who suffer from anxiety often experience fear that limits daily life and activities and makes it hard to find joy. Anxiety also impacts our ability to relate to one another in healthy ways. Over the last decade, mental health issues have been on the rise, with anxiety and depression taking the lead.

The National Institute for Mental Health reports that 31 percent of adults in America experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their life. These numbers are not different for people in the church. In fact, research shows that approximately one in five people sitting in congregation each week are struggling with a diagnosable anxiety disorder, and pastors are not immune to this statistic.
Join Sharon Hargrave and Dee Dee Mayer as they share new resources created through the RelateStrong Leadership Series to support people seeking to constructively address anxiety personally or in those they lead and serve. Whether a lay leader or a minister, this session is for you.

Compelling Preaching: What We Learned from Multiple Perspectives

Teachers: Greg Anderson, Grady King

In 2022, Hope Network Ministries facilitated a nationwide Compelling Preaching survey on behalf of Pepperdine University's Office of Church Relations. The purpose of this class is to review some of the key takeaways from the data, process where we are aligned and where we are disconnected, and offer suggestions to church leaders on how to equip their congregations for more compelling preaching.

When God Withholds: Learning the Story of the Persistent Widow

Teacher: Cliff Barbarick

The parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18 grapples with a universal human experience: sometimes the loving God responds to our cries for justice with silence. How do we understand such moments, and what do we do? To explore this story, we will learn it by heart and tell it to one another. It's possible—and fun!—to learn the story quickly, and the process deepens our appreciation for this deceptively simple parable.

God Has a Timeshare in Hell

Teacher: Michael Chaffin

The Hebrew Scriptures are filled with superlative language describing the faithfulness of God. "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases," or "Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love endures forever." These are words of protest as well as praise; words offered in the midst of suffering, not simply once it has passed.

What might these extreme expressions of inexhaustible loyalty mean for God's groaning creation? What are the ultimate implications for a God of such character?

Psalm 139 shifts our expectations of God's promises by expanding our experience of his presence.

What the New Testament Tells Us About God’s Love

Teacher: Kindy De Long

"God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us" (Romans 5:5). God's love is at the center of the story of Jesus. It is why the Word was made flesh, why Jesus died rather than conquered, and why we experience grace through Christ. Focusing on God's love in the New Testament, this class will explore what it means to be loved by God and how being loved by God changes us.