Saturday, Feb. 25, 6 p.m.
By Julia Henning

Worship bands from different schools represented diverse worship styles at the last session of the SCORR conference.

Azusa Pacific University’s representative band with Quanesha Moore sang “Here I am to Worship” and “We Bow Down” — which was sung partially in Spanish. Next was Cedarville University’s soulful band with Shaun Frazier. They sang “I Give Myself Away” while the students stood, raising their hands and praying.

Hawkins Tang, also from Cedarville, expressed worship through hip-hop.

Next was Jacob Lee, who did spoken word. His poem, “Mirrors,” dealt with identity. “Revolution” began with a disclaimer that it would be offensive in the beginning but would come full circle in the end. He started the poem with the 1940s and 50s African American Rallies and the KKK meetings — going to the 1970s, dealing with racial segregation in different social circles. The poem ended with the statement that we have all received grace and should extend it. Jesus sees us all as His children, not as a color, according to Lee.

Finally, Joy Ubani from Westmont College did a praise dance to “He Wants it All.”

Next, the man whose dream it was to start the SCORR conferences, Glen Kinoshita, stood up and had the students greet five students from different schools and then sit with them. Then, he gave students 10 minutes to get into groups of four people in which they have a “check in” and ask other students to share what they have been learning.

Ray Bakke is chancellor of Bakke University and a professor of Urban Ministries. He spoke of his heart for racial reconciliation in light of the Christmas story.

“The Christmas story is a cemetery tour, the virgin birth, an intercontinental flight, the death of babies, and the return to the Promise Land,” according to Bakke.

Matthew was giving students a missionary view of the Christmas story — one that presented many facets of culture and current affairs — yet he said it can reach into the heart of all the different people. It can touch the urbanely diverse areas, according to Bakke.

“The fact that Jesus got his blood from all peoples and shed his blood for all peoples shows us that Jesus breaks all bonds of racial segregation,” said Bakke.

em>Saturday, Feb. 25, 12:20 p.m.
By Abbey Bennett

The SCORR conference at Biola University commenced its second day this morning with a theatrical presentation by Will and Company, a non-profit theatre ensemble based in Los Angeles. Two actors took the stage and began with a wake-up call, “Good morning, Biola!” shouted by the female performer.

Portraits of Courage: Latinos Shaping a Nation is one of Will and Company’s newest performances, written by Colin Cox. The performance showcased six Latino men and women who were greatly influential in shaping the country we live in today.

Each story was told through video, images and a live portrayal of non-fiction characters from the beginning of the nation through the 20th century.

The two performers acted in facets ranging from an undocumented migrant worker to a civil rights activist fighting for love. Covering issues from interracial marriage, to underpaid migrant workers, the depth of Latino influence was seen clearly.

Two stories that stood out as greatly shaping the nation in terms of civil rights and racial reconciliation were those of Andrea Perez and Luisa Moreno. Perez was a woman in love; in love with a black man named Sylvester. She is credited as striking down the miscegenation law in the state of California, which then allowed for interracial marriage. For herself, she was blessed with over 50 years of marriage, and for those in generations after her, she paved the way for freedom.

Moreno had dreams of becoming a journalist, but then rose to executive status in a major union and was eventually elected as the first Latina vice president of the United Cannery, Agriculture, Packing and Allied Workers. By gaining this status, her voice was heard loudly by the nation at large.

“I will not be a free woman with a mortgaged soul,” said Moreno. This was the fuel of her motivation to speak up for civil rights.

SCORR continues with workshops throughout the day, a closing session with keynote speaker Ray Bakke and a display of Global Rhythms, featuring Koshin Taiko. See the schedule for detailed information.

Friday, Feb. 24
By Lena Smith

Biola University’s Sutherland Auditorium became a “House of Prayer for All Peoples” for the evening session of the 2012 Student Congress on Racial Reconciliation conference on Friday, Feb. 24. The conference theme was evident throughout the night. The session opened with prayer in the Lakota, Spanish and Indonesian languages. The session commenced with worship in English and Spanish as the vibrating rhythm of the band pulsated through the auditorium.

The stage was opened for individuals to share their experiences and express themselves through the art of Spoken Word. Jonathan Calvillio, senior pastor of El Puente Community Church in Santa Ana, Calif., shared three original pieces. Biola’s Cameron Gardiner shared a piece called “I Have Walked with the Wind.”

Members of Temple Aviv Judea, a messianic synagogue in Orange, Calif., performed traditional Hebrew dancing. Conference participants engaged in a traditional Hebrew dance through the aisles of the auditorium in celebration of Jewish culture.

Speaker focuses on early church

Ray Bakke, a leader in urban ministry development and the keynote speaker for the conference, unfolded the illustration of ethnic diversity the book of Acts. Bakke introduced the audience to church history’s first multi-cultural urban church in Antioch, as recorded in chapters 11 and 15 of Acts. The church at Antioch also had Christian history’s first international and multi-ethnic pastoral team and established the first global mission, according to Bakke.

The speaker unfolded the intercultural ministry model of the early church in the years following the life of Jesus. Oftentimes, this ministry caused church members to break formidable ethnic boundaries.

Bakke called for the modern church to “get out of their cultural box” and become aware of the need to engage in multi-cultural ministry. He noted the opportunities available to Biola students to broaden their understanding of multi-cultural urban ministries in both Los Angeles and Orange County, stating, “God has brought the world to these counties.”

Other colleges gather at Biola for SCORR

Bakke also encouraged ethnic partnerships to be formed between ministries and schools to better meet the needs of every society.

“Today, over 80 percent of the world’s Christians in the world are non-white, non-northern, and non-western,” he said. “The gospel crosses racial boundaries and cultural boundaries.”

Biola students and staff were joined by members of Azusa Pacific University, Cedarville University, George Fox University, Moody Bible Institute, Simpson University, Westmont College, William Jessup University and Vanguard University.

The SCORR conference will continue through Saturday, Feb. 25.