2019 Session 7: Live your Dash

Tony closed this years New Years Conference with a very applicable message on time. This session was all about how we ought to live our “dash”, meaning our life. Bringing in the New Year we have to consider our time and how we will spend the year. Our lives are a very short “dash”. How are you going to live your “dash”? Tony read and focused on Matthew 9:35-38:

35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

He shared some very insightful tips to live our “dash”. Tony encouraged us that our “dash” should be spent in the world, being a laborer in the harvest. Our lives are not just about getting saved, but getting to experience the work that God has done and continues to do. God chooses to use His people as laborers. Tony closed with a spectrum of where these students were at in their walk with God. From conversion (trusting in Jesus to making disciple makers. Where are you? Where do you want to be? How do you get there? Tony answers some of these questions in this session.

2019 Session 6: Faithful Watchman

This evening Tony brought us a quick, but very necessary message about being faithful watchmen and watch women. His message came from a passage in Ezekiel 33:

7 “So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 8 If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 9 But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.

He gave us three important points to be watchful men and women of the faith. We have this calling to be the watchman in others’ lives. This call is given to all believers of Jesus Christ, in order that the Gospel would be spread. The message was very powerful and brought a helpful mindset for how all believers of Jesus Christ should ring in the New Year and every day of their lives.

2019 Breakout: Divided or United by Faith?

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

2019 Breakout: The Path to Greatness

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

2019 Breakout: Masculinity and the Intention of God

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

2019 Breakout: (Re)Introducing Prayer into Your Life

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

2019 Breakout: Two by Two: Jesus' Plan for Mission Together

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

2019 Breakout: Greatness in the Mundane

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

2019 Breakout: Hope in the Midst of Depression & Anxiety

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

2019 Breakout: Femininity and the Heart of God

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

2019 Breakout: Help! I'm Surrounded by Technology!

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

2019 Breakout: Unseen: A Life Lived by Faith

"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

2019 Breakout: The Church: a Mess or a Masterpiece?

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

2019 Breakout: Dream Bigger For The Glory Of God

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

2019 Breakout: Life is Hard

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

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