May 19, 2009
Live from Moody: First Impressions
Skye and I are at reFOCUS, Moody Bible Institute's pastors' conference, this week. Skye is leading a breakout session, and I'm making the rounds to see what's what.
This is my first time at a Moody event. The last conference I attended was Catalyst (last month), and this is quite a different experience. We haven't made it to a general session, so I can't say much about the difference in content. But this conference is clearly aimed at a different demographic. At Catalyst, I saw more skinny jeans than I'd ever seen in one place before. Here--I've seen no man purses or boy bangs. The standard dress is polos and khakis. And, as the wardrobe might suggest, the crowd skews older.
The breakout sessions offer a little something for everyone. While Skye was talking about his book to one group of pastors, I slipped into to a presentation by Douglas Beaumont. He was talking about his book The Message Behind the Movie, in which he calls Christians to take their brains with them to the movies.
We're looking forward to sessions by Andy Crouch, among others, the afternoon and to John Piper in the general session tonight.
Posted by UrL Scaramanga on May 19, 2009
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://blog.christianitytoday.com/mt/mt-tb.cgi/2828
Comments
So, Brandon, as interested as I am in the different dress codes between Catalyst and Moody, I'm even more interested in the differences in the hidden curriculum.
Do the attenders take notes? Or Twitter? How international and multi-ethnic is the event?
Where do people gather between sessions? What do they talk about--ministry methods? theology?
What portions of the Bible get the attention: Gospels, narratives, epistles, prophets? And what's the attitude toward non-believers and rival religions--animosity, love, or neglect?
There was a strong social justice element at Catalyst (sex trafficking, as I recall). Is there an equivalent at Moody?
How does the humor compare?
I wish I could be at events like these to see these things. You're a lucky man, Brandon. I'm counting on you to tell us!
Posted by: jarrod at May 19, 2009
I am curious as to if there are any women speakers or group leaders.
Posted by: PastorM at May 20, 2009
I'm at Moody this week, and left my laptop at home. One of my goals in going was to leave that stuff behind and get away for a while.
Most attendees seem to be taking notes, and cell phones are seen in mass numbers.
It's a racially diverse crowd, both attenders and presenters, but as I said in another thread, only men were allowed to register.
John Perkins led a panel on community development, and Moody's concern for the urban poor is evident throughout. I'm one of the younger guys in attendance, (37) but it's good to be among guys like my Dad, who don't carry purses or borrow their wive's make-up. It's not for everyone, and I'm okay with that.
Posted by: Mark at May 21, 2009