Labs are an intimate time to learn, explore and have conversations about topics that inspire and challenge your faith.
Here is detailed information on what each of the labs will cover:
LAB 1: Living Amongst Others
Speaker: Dwayne Cline, Senior Pastor at Hughson Street Baptist Church
Living in a world where we know God as our Creator and Redeemer and the world denies His existence is both challenging and exasperating. Many Christians, however unintentionally it is, resolve to a compartmentalization where their faith is only overtly expressed in the Christian contexts of a worship gathering, small group or area of service while living and working among those in need of God’s salving touch. Jesus was sent by the Father into our chaotic, rebellious and dead world. He became the friend ‘of tax collectors and sinners.’ In resurrection power, He sends us into the same world to extend and offer life and purpose in Christ. Our workplaces, schools, neighbourhoods and families desperately need to see the love and grace of God lived out in us. Yet for most of us, few if any unbelievers would call us friend. We need to stop compartmentalizing and start to live amongst.
LAB 2: The Will of God: Never Run Alone
Speaker: Dr. Van Johnson, Associate Professor at Tyndale Seminary
The question is not whether we run or not. We all run. The real questions are about direction and speed: Are we running in the right direction? Are we running at the right pace? To answer those questions, another needs to be answered: Are we running alone or with others? We tend to think of the will of God from an individual perspective rather than something we discover and do together. In this lab, we will consider how the Christian race is to be run together and our role in helping others hear the voice of God and respond to Him. We were never meant to run alone.
LAB 3: Faith & Work Q&A
Panel: Shant Mardirosian, Founder of The Burger’s Priest | Samantha Chan, founder of The Paint Lounge | Cam McMillan, Senior Policy Advisor at the Government of Ontario
Often times our work and career can easily become toilsome or may consume us, demanding much of our time and effort. The truth is, work is more than that. By being at work, we form relationships with others and we have an opportunity to engage the world. Christ called us to go out to the world to make him known, and for us, our workplaces are a context to do that. We will explore these concepts and more in this special Q&A lab.
LAB 4: Faith & Creativity Q&A
Panel: Jefferson Bethke, Author of Jesus > Religion | Eternia, Juno Award nominated Hip Hop artist | Cyril Guerette, Creative Director at Fluid
What is the intersection between our faith and expressing ourselves in a creative way? We will have an intimate discussion on how we can embrace the way God has creatively wired us and how to use it to point people to Christ and give glory to God.
LAB 5: The Hell With Life
Speaker: Mike Gordon, Founder of The Rock House Ministries
If you ever went to Sunday School as a child, you would believe that God answers every prayer and that nothing wrong will ever happen in your life if you just follow Jesus. The reality is as we go through life, we subconsciously carry this perspective around with us and when something does go wrong in life, it deeply reflects how we respond to God in these moments. The truth is sometimes life does suck…and sometimes we do get angry at God…and sometimes we do walk away from Him. This workshop will focus on new beginnings and what do we do when we go through the hell with life..
LAB 6: Sharing Christ in a World of Religions and No Religions
Speaker: Dr. James Beverley, Associate Professor at Tyndale Seminary
How should Christians share the Gospel with those of other faiths and no faiths? Professor Beverley will share principles he has learned from forty years of interaction with people of all religions, agnostics, and atheists. His learning has been shaped by intensive engagement with major Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, New Age, Witchcraft and Satanist leaders and by key figures in the world of atheism. He will share in this lab about friendship with the head of the Church of Satan, his witness in a personal interview with the Dalai Lama, his study with famous atheists in Canada and England, his trips to Witchcraft meetings, his intensive research on the prophet Muhammad, and his three major tips for not getting into a cult group, etc.
LAB 7: Young Adults Pastors/Leaders Forum
Moderator: John Latta, Lead Pastor at The Meeting House Burlington
This is a special forum for those who are young adult pastors or who help lead young adult ministries. We will be discussing the current landscape of the young adult ministry in Canada, engage in open dialogue surrounding the various successes and struggles we face, and have a unique opportunity to connect with our fellow peers on a regional and community-wide level.
LAB 8: Developing Emerging Leaders
Speaker: Ellen Duffield, Director at The Leadership Studio
In this casual and interactive coffee-shop-like experience we will be sharing what we are learning about how best to develop young leaders. Drawing from the life of David, research on stages of a leader’s development, international best practices, and our experience developing leaders we will throw the net both deep and wide. To inspire and give focus to this critical part of our shared mandate bring your whole team and sit together so you can make immediate applications, adaptations and plans. You will come away with a boatload of student leadership models, insights, tools and resources.
Register for Fluid 2015 today!
