As one of the final events of the semester, Associated Students will be hosting Biola’s first ever Heart of Worship Conference featuring Christian worship artists Phil and Evan Wickham, free of charge. AS is expecting the Gym to reach full capacity.
The conference — headed by AS religious lectures coordinator and senior psychology major Matt Fier — is a two-part event beginning with a church, ministries and art fair followed by worship and a talk with the Wickham brothers.
“Our hope and prayer is that students realize the importance of the theology of church and why it is different from chapels and separate Spiritual Development,” reads the event’s Facebook page.
CONFERENCE WILL INCLUDE ART FAIR
The fair will feature local churches and ministries from Los Angeles and Orange counties along with student art showcases.
“We need to realize that all of our skill sets are worshipful,” he said.
The art fair at the beginning of the conference is to help students realize they can enjoy worship and that it can be expressed in many different ways, Fier said.
“I’m really passionate about students seeing that worship is not just singing once or twice a week, but it’s an all-encompassing lifestyle,” Fier said.
"WORSHIP IS REFLECTIVE OF WHO GOD IS"
Fier wants students to understand that worship is reflective of who God is and what he has done for us as well.
“Worship is not just adoration, but it’s also action,” Fier said. He also stressed the importance of the theology of the church and the idea that all art forms are worshipful.
Sean Matta, a sophomore music in worship major, emphasized participation in worship at any time.
“True worship is sacrifice of our lives and placing God in priority … and acknowledging that he is worthy — he is worthy of our attention and of our gratefulness in all aspects,” Matta said.
Matta is also excited for the Wickhams to be leading worship during the evening. The Wickhams have very good songwriting skills and good hearts of leadership, he said.
EXCITED TO WORSHIP WITH WICKHAMS
Other students are also excited to be led in worship by the Wickhams. Dustin McCormick, a sophomore marketing management major, expressed his interest in the conference and its purpose.
“We always need to have reminders to reinforce what we already know. God has given us voices for a reason and it’s to speak and worship for him,” McCormick said.
McCormick and Matta both conveyed the importance of the church as part of a lifestyle of worship and the theme of sacrificial worship.
“It’s just a response of our ultimate gratitude. I sing because I am already in a relationship with God … I can show my affection through singing,” Matta said. He stated that worship, however, is in no way limited to music.
The conference will begin with the fair from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., followed by a time of worship and discussion from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Doors will open for the evening portion at 6:30 p.m. AS also noted that lines would not be allowed to form until 6 p.m. due to crowd control.
