Pepperdine Bible Lectures 2010: Hope Rekindled, part 2
If I am counting correctly, this was my fifth visit to the Pepperdine Bible Lectures. Pepperdine University truly is a flagship institution for our churches -- in every sense of the word. They have enjoyed great leadership over the years, and Andy Benton as the 6th president is no exception. He is a great leader for this era.
Equally important in maintaining Pepperdine's status is their director of church relations. Dr. Jerry Rushford has cemented his place as one of the most influential people in Churches of Christ at the end of the 20th and start of the 21st century. He does many things in addition to the Bible Lectures, but that annual gathering is clearly the most visible part of his legacy.
It must be a massive undertaking to plan a program like that one. Not only does one carefully have to choose what is IN the program. One must also carefully weigh what is NOT IN the program. These seemingly "simple" choices can have a major effect on our churches.
Jerry is not the only person shepherding Churches of Christ through the dangerous waters of change. His role is not one without a cost. There are always critical voices ringing out against those in leadership, but those voices are often wrought with jealousy.
"By their fruit you shall know them." Clearly, the fruit of Pepperdine's direction is beginning to show up. What is this fruit? I see at least 3 major trends in the progressive "wing" of our churches, and Jerry's Pepperdine legacy is at least partly responsible for this.
Fruit #1 -- Less Sectarianism
We needed the years of laughing and crying at our heritage. Those who have known tyranny need humor to survive. We experienced a tyranny of rationalism and legalism, and God has been good enough to lead us partly through it. The reasoned & sometimes humorous critiques of teachers and speakers at Pepperdine helped us move beyond the sectarianism of our past.
Fruit #2 -- More Global
Our church has moved beyond the traditional confines of the American Bible Belt. We truly are a global movement. The largest and wealthiest churches are still in Texas and Tennessee, but there are major churches and church institutions in Africa along with some respectable growth in Latin America, Asia and Europe. The Pepperdine Bible Lectures have emphasized and lauded the global nature of our churches -- not just by ethnocentrically rewarding the "white, North American" missionaries but by inviting national church leaders to share the pulpit. Truly, one cannot attend Pepperdine without sensing this global reach.
Fruit #3 -- More Missional & Outward-Focused
Jerry has by and large embraced cutting-edge topics on the program, allowing space for conversation about postmodernism, science, technology and other contemporary concerns. He has also given ample space to church planting and forums led by groups like Kairos that talk about the need for new churches. It would have been sad to make it past sectarianism and end up with a navel-gazing movement. That would have led to certain death. But the direction clearly seems to be outward focused, and I praise God for this.
Equally important in maintaining Pepperdine's status is their director of church relations. Dr. Jerry Rushford has cemented his place as one of the most influential people in Churches of Christ at the end of the 20th and start of the 21st century. He does many things in addition to the Bible Lectures, but that annual gathering is clearly the most visible part of his legacy.
Jerry is not the only person shepherding Churches of Christ through the dangerous waters of change. His role is not one without a cost. There are always critical voices ringing out against those in leadership, but those voices are often wrought with jealousy.
"By their fruit you shall know them." Clearly, the fruit of Pepperdine's direction is beginning to show up. What is this fruit? I see at least 3 major trends in the progressive "wing" of our churches, and Jerry's Pepperdine legacy is at least partly responsible for this.
Fruit #1 -- Less Sectarianism
We needed the years of laughing and crying at our heritage. Those who have known tyranny need humor to survive. We experienced a tyranny of rationalism and legalism, and God has been good enough to lead us partly through it. The reasoned & sometimes humorous critiques of teachers and speakers at Pepperdine helped us move beyond the sectarianism of our past.
Fruit #2 -- More Global
Our church has moved beyond the traditional confines of the American Bible Belt. We truly are a global movement. The largest and wealthiest churches are still in Texas and Tennessee, but there are major churches and church institutions in Africa along with some respectable growth in Latin America, Asia and Europe. The Pepperdine Bible Lectures have emphasized and lauded the global nature of our churches -- not just by ethnocentrically rewarding the "white, North American" missionaries but by inviting national church leaders to share the pulpit. Truly, one cannot attend Pepperdine without sensing this global reach.
Fruit #3 -- More Missional & Outward-Focused
Jerry has by and large embraced cutting-edge topics on the program, allowing space for conversation about postmodernism, science, technology and other contemporary concerns. He has also given ample space to church planting and forums led by groups like Kairos that talk about the need for new churches. It would have been sad to make it past sectarianism and end up with a navel-gazing movement. That would have led to certain death. But the direction clearly seems to be outward focused, and I praise God for this.
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