Pepperdine Bible Lectures 2018

Linda King Bathsheba we know (or think we know). But the Bible tells of other women whose lives influenced and intersected that of King David—Michal, Abigail, Tamar, and the wise woman of Tekoah. Their stories are intriguing, beautiful, heartbreaking, and instructive.

Jack Williamson  "Guiding People to Meet God Through Prayer Stations"

Jason Locke "Race Relations in West Coast Churches and the Power of Untold" What makes for a dysfunctional, dying church? More often than not, there are hidden, unnamed forces at work that create decay and decline. These forces shape the mythos—narrative, if you will—of a given church. Perhaps to the surprise of many, racism played an important role during the key, formative phase of many West Coast Churches of Christ. Renewing a church’s mission is often impossible until a church embraces a new, life-giving story sculpted by the Spirit’s work in its midst and in the world. Testimony and commentary from experts and church members illuminate the untold stories of the past as it seeks renewal and hope.

Mark Smith "Confronting Our Inner Pharisee"

Mark Yarhouse Definitions of sexual orientation, attraction, and identity will be discussed, as well as how stories about sexual identity can drive young people away from their family and their faith and steps churches can take to create a story of redemption. Hosted by the Boone Center for the Family

Stan Granberg

Glenda Thomas, J.C. Thomas, Marie Thomas "Receiving Beauty for Your Ashes" Suffering plays a key role in the life of the child of God and it can serve as an incredible opportunity and impetus for spiritual growth. Join a family of ministers whose many difficulties—abuse and physical and mental illness— and times of despair have granted them the gift of coming to a deeper understanding of who Christ is and God’s intention for their lives. If you are ready to heal, grow, and receive beauty for your ashes, please join this session.

Jason Locke "The Campbell Church of Christ and a Profile of Church Health" What makes for a healthy, thriving church? While West Coast Churches of Christ have experienced three decades of rapid decline, the Campbell Church of Christ near San Jose has bucked this downward trend. What has been this church’s recipe for continued vibrancy? A panel of current and former Campbell Church leaders and recorded interviews examine some key characteristics of church health.

Romulo Fontes

Joshua Jackson

Jarrod Robinson "The Factors that Guide Church Leaders in Times of Change"

Ryan Lassiter

Matt Reagan

Craig Altrock, Ben Woodward Learn firsthand how to equip your congregation through the Let’s Start Talking and FriendSpeak method to have life-changing conversations with those in your neighborhood and around the world. Your congregation can do this!

Tim Archer Our churches must develop more ministries that function out in the community. Explore how leaders can encourage church members to discover the ministry that God has gifted them with.

Walter Pierce In the Western church, it has become a standard position to be in alarm about youth and their continued fidelity to Jesus. As a result, many of us are in despair about the future and the church in America.The goal of churches is to do more than swell membership. It is to help Jesus be visible in the lives of its members. Learn how local churches can help our children and teens become "formed" into Christ followers.

Dan Bouchelle, Caleb Southerland "What America Can Learn from the Global Church About Disciple-Making" Disciple-making movements have been producing stunning numbers around the world, but can the same thing happen in North America? Too often when people hear about what God is doing around the world, they respond with, “That sounds great, but it won’t work here.” Is that true? We will discuss the phenomenon of disciple-making movements and how churches in the US can begin to see similar things happening. Hosted by Mission Resource Network

Josh Ross The church is uniquely positioned by God to equip its people to engage culture. The challenge is in knowing how, when, where, and if to engage. To remain silent about the cultural climate isn't an option, but how do we navigate this tension? The good news is that the church has navigated this road before, and God is eager to help the church navigate this road now.

Thien Dang "Flourishing in Spaces of Marginality" How do we flourish when we feel like we don’t belong? What do we do when our very own church becomes a marginalizing space? How do we thrive when our Christian neighbors haphazardly lob painful microaggressions and rhetoric? For all types of minorities struggling to survive in their churches, and for those seeking to learn how to embody compassion toward those who feel marginalized, this session is for you.

Tim Willis  David is held up in the Old Testament as the model king, and the long-awaited Messiah is often called the “son of David.” Yet, David seems to come up short as a father. David’s life provides a good example of the challenges some face in balancing their public roles as leaders and their private role as fathers/parents.