Afternoon Seminar
“Transforming Culture: Tending Your Garden in Your Own Backyard”
God delights in God’s continuing work to sustain and cultivate creation and invites humankind to share in this process. Throughout the Biblical narrative, God calls men and women to rearrange and reorder the raw materials of God’s creation so that it brings forth new products for human flourishing, welfare, and well-being.
One of the most revealing and challenging responsibilities of the Christian church in every age is the calling to reimagine the faithfulness of its own presence. It is revealing because it actually requires us to look honestly at ourselves and our relationship with God and our neighbors in the context of societal pressures and institutional structures. It is challenging because in every age we must learn anew what God is doing in and through us in order to transform the world in which we live. Historically we have seen a pattern of faithfulness where the church has responded to its cultural moment.
This breakout session is designed to help pastors and Christian leaders engage their cultural moment. Throughout this seminar we will explore principles from the Bible that will help Christians exegete their world and connect their culture to a more fulfilling life in Jesus Christ.
Today we are living in challenging times and the church is asking a lot of questions about its role in a society that no longer holds religion in high regard. Some people have abandoned religion as a necessary pursuit. A new generation questions whether Christianity has any relevance to their life. And some people even believe that Christianity is the reason for many of the problems in the world. Many Christians are looking for answers. How do we raise our children in such a world? How do we think about community? What do I think about my work? And how do I live a public life? Do I need to privatize my faith, or can I engage the world with my gifts, my talents, and my concerns in the public square? This seminar may be of particular interest to those who would like to discover ways to share God’s good news with inquisitive individuals living within diverse cultures.
While this session is designed for pastors and those involved in Christian ministry, it is also open for anyone interested in the topic.
Randy Steele is a church consultant, preacher, teacher, and mentor to pastors and ministry leaders.
He is an associate with SoulShepherding, a ministry that coaches leaders in their spiritual formation. He also serves on Christian Resource Ministry’s reFocus Team where he specializes in mentoring pastors and leaders who, in turn, are engaged in empowering men and women in their witness to their surrounding communities.
Prior to this, he served for 40 years in pastoral ministry, including 12 years as Pastor/Head of Staff at Laguna Niguel Presbyterian Church in Laguna Niguel, California. He is committed to empowering leaders in their spheres of influence to help them thrive and flourish in their unique Christian calling.
