Amidst the pressure of finishing all five Torrey Conference credits, students were awakened by producer Dj Efechto and dance crew, Team Millenia during Thursday’s first session. As the ground-shaking bass rattled the audience, students welcomed the second day of Torrey Conference 2018 with wild anticipation.
NEW CHANGES COME TO TORREY
This year, the conference coordinators wanted this year to stand out as different to the rest. Senior cinema and media arts major Christopher Blanco is one of the five conference coordinators who helped put the weekend together.
“I feel like a big issue that we’ve had with Torrey conference in the past is that it’s been the same for a while,” Blanco said. “We have Biola cancel class for a week, and we wanted to shake it up somehow.”
The setup for the main sessions was changed to a TED Talk-like style, called Torrey talks. They featured two speakers per segment, along with worship from the band, For All Seasons. The coordinators also added a wider variety of styles of breakout sessions as well as more session locations.
“From the very get-go we decided that we wanted to do not just the breakout sessions,” Blanco said. “We wanted to do 10 different locations, 10 different places on campus, something different so you get a different feel cause when you’re in a different place, and not thinking I’m in chapel… Seeing this chapel stuff in a different location, you experience it differently.”
TO SEE AND SEEK DIFFERENTLY IN THE KINGDOM
The morning session began by further exploring the theme, “Kingdom”, with Rev. Gabriel Salguero’s humorous and witty talk. The main focus rendered on the aspect of “vision” centered around Isaiah 11:6-9. As he compared the distorted reflection of hall mirrors to how people reflect themselves today, he challenged students to “see differently with a new set of glasses.”
“I am a prisoner of hope,” Salguero said to the audience. “I believe it, I see it.”
Carol Kaminski, professor at Gordon-Conwell Seminary, continued the session by speaking on 2 Chronicles 20:15-2. Students were guided towards facing challenges from a kingdom perspective by maturing themselves to choose the kingdom’s priorities over the world’s priorities. Kaminski specifically mentioned the false value of academic success, emphasizing “seeking God to the fullest”.
“God answers prayers when you seek him with faith,” Kaminski told the crowd.
The target of her message paved its way to a conclusion that seeking God stands as a crucial step towards his kingdom.
After the two inspiring talks, the dismissal of the session was followed by worship band and Biola alumni For All Seasons. Sophomore kinesiology major Sean Lee felt that this year’s conference had a great mix of energy and spirituality in comparison to 2017s.
“I could feel that this year was more intentionally catered by the Torrey Conference staff in a way where the balance of both spirituality and excitement had been executed,” Lee said.
KAMINSKI AND LUNDE CALL FOR LIVING OUT THE KINGDOM
Kaminski began the night session after opening with worship. She spoke on the topic of humbling yourself before God and submitting your entire life to him.
“Our relationship with the living God is not a monologue but dialogue,” Kaminski said during her presentation.
Dean of Spiritual Development and Campus Pastor Todd Pickett lead the congregation in a prayer of confession and reflection with the help of For All Seasons. Many students came forward to kneel in prayer as a response, in order to emulate King Solomon in prayer.
Associate professor of New Testament Jon Lunde was the second speaker of the session. He emphasized that we are created to reign in the image of God, who is the king in an inaugurated reign.
“When you and I are called to righteousness… we are being called to the restoration of the image of God,” Lunde said in his presentation.
The session ended in a time of extended worship as For All Seasons closed out the last main session in the gym.
There remains one final session on Friday led by Pickett that opens up a place for reflection.
