Analyzing the Complexities of Race & Christianity
God’s eternal Word has much to say to us about how we understand race and race relations. This seminar is designed to draw us back to the Bible so that we might better understand the gospel’s implications for racial reconciliation.
—UIC Staff Team
We all have a passion to be great, to be significant, and to be successful, and Jesus says he knows the way to true greatness: Humility. By magnifying the virtue of humility, he obliterates the world's view of success, frees us from the constant demands of performing, and reminds his followers of their desperate need of Him. On the flip side the Bible also shows us the dangers of pride, and how it will distort the grace of the Gospel and our minimize our need of a savior, or blind us to it completely. "If you want to be first, you must be last of all and servant of all."
—Chase Smith
When we hear the word ‘masculinity', it often conjures up images of men who are muscular, rude, and perhaps a little stubborn. Some celebrate this as true masculinity. American pop culture is (rightly) shifting away from this view, but now masculinity is seen as a dangerous social construct that should be minimized. But is that how God intended it? What does it really mean to be a man created in the image of God? This seminar looks at God’s design in creating men, what it means to live out of this design, and how to create a culture where both masculinity and femininity are celebrated.
Note: We think that a better understanding of masculinity and femininity results in a greater understanding of God’s heart and greater love and friendship between genders. This talk is meant to be paired with the seminar on femininity, so students are strongly encouraged to attend both!
—Zach Simmons
How do I make a decision about what to do after graduation? How do I think biblically about discerning God's will for my life? We will look at what the Bible has to say about making big decisions that impact your future.
—Chad Mary
Prayer is a clear mandate from God, but isn't it entirely too tough to thrive in? Everything is going against you: busyness, distraction, social media, etc. We're going to spend time looking at what prayer is, why we pray, and how to pray in hopes that our prayer lives become constant, enlivened and new!
—Aaron Wilson
Evangelism is better together. Jesus sent his disciples "two by two" to share his gospel, and he continues to send communities of his followers to love people and share his good news together. This seminar will cover how doing evangelism in and through community is more powerful, more dynamic, and more effective than doing it alone.
—Josh Crawford
A Lifelong Walk With God
Were Jesus' 30 years of life prior to ministry insignificant? Are your countless hours spent sleeping, eating, and working less important to God than "spiritual activities"? Join us as we explore the greatness of living faithful in the mundane parts of life.
—Dayton Merrell
What career should I pick? Who should I date? Should I go to class today? Decision making has a tendency to “should” all over us, and it can get messy. Come learn how to sift through your confusion, and ultimately make decisions in faith.
—Chase Walker
1 in every 4 adults wrestle with depression and nearly 19% of the population struggles with an anxiety disorder, which means it is likely that either you or someone you are very close to is hurting. Often times in the midst of such darkness and confusion, we can wonder if there is any hope for deliverance or healing. In this seminar, we will look at God's Word and see that even in the valley of the shadow of death, our God is near, faithful, and there is hope for the downcast and anxious.
—Aaron Vossen
Too often, femininity is over-simplified by the church or over-sexualized by the culture. It is often defined in relation to certain personality traits, relationship status, or physical attraction. But what does it really mean to be a woman created in the image of God? This seminar looks at God’s design in creating women and how they uniquely display him to the world.
—Emma Button
Go into your phone settings and check your screen-time usage. If you are like most college students it's high. Now consider how much Netflix, Youtube, and social media you consume. The point is this: as Christians we must figure out how to handle our usage and consumption of technology. This seminar will be extremely practical and help you leave knowing steps to take to manage your technology usage.
—Stefan Sauder
"I find your lack of faith disturbing." –Darth Vader. It's not about if you live a life of faith—you do—but rather, what is your faith in? In this seminar we will examine why faith is central for the Christian and how your faith can lead to greater intimacy with God.
—Dylan Wright
Have you ever been in a fight? Do you feel like a crazy person? Come hear two "recovering crazies" talk about how they have sought to glorify God in their conflict.
—Josh & Jessica Duncan
What comes to mind when you think of church? Duty, delight, or something in between? The goal of this seminar is not to guilt you into going to church more. Instead, this seminar will equip you with a Biblical perspective on why Jesus loves the Church and provide tools to help you deepen your relationship with God's people in your own life.
—John Evanko
What are you ambitious for in life? A relationship? Keeping a Snapchat streak? Ministry success? A higher level in Call of Duty? God created us to be ambitious for something in life. Two questions that need answering are; “What should we be ambitious for?” and “How do we become ambitious for the right things?”
—Mike Caponigro
Do you ever feel like sin has its grip on you? That no matter how hard you try it seems like you won’t ever overcome it? In this seminar we will explore what the Bible says about sin, it’s effects on us as believers and how by God’s grace we can fight it.
—Kyle Beckrich
If you are new to sharing your faith with others or if you need to regain perspective on why we share our faith this seminar is for you.
—Nate Holt
We want to live by the theme "life is good" but the reality is most of us have experienced painful hardships or will at some point. Naturally, hard things make us ask questions like, "Where is God?" "Why is this happening?" or, "How do I respond?" We will share examples from our own lives and use the Bible to try to answer these questions.
—Nate & Elli Van Zee
Family. Boo Thang. Bestie. Yourself—Have you ever had a relationship that left you wounded? Or maybe you’re still dealing with the remnants of a rocky past? In this seminar, we will discuss how God wants to expose our hearts, redeem our story, and make us whole.
—Grace Ufot & Jessie Ellison
Some of us are familiar with theological categories that help explain what is wrong with the human condition and how redemption happens in our lives. Do you ever wonder how psychology intersects with these concepts? Come and hear from Elisa and Eric about their pursuits of how people change by combining the perspectives of theology and psychology.
—Eric Lonergan & Elisa Horning
