NYC Update: Morning Bible Studies
Houston
More than 8,000 participants of Nazarene Youth Conference 2003 in Houston, Texas, this July 22-27 will start every morning together in Bible study. Special speaker Dee Kelley will implore drama, video clips, music, and special visual presentations to engage students in the theme for each day. According to NYI, the NYC Planning Team chose speakers and teachers who understand the spiritual journey of discipleship as well as the current context of youth culture. “This multi-media approach is not to make Bible study entertainment," explained NYC Assistant Coordinator Jason Hubbert. “It is using the communication and learning techniques that are culturally common to North American youth. To not use these formats would be to forfeit a primary way of communicating Christianity to them."

Dee Kelley (pictured) is Vice President for Spiritual Development at Southern Nazarene University. According to Hubbert, Kelley was selected to lead the Morning Bible Study because his experience as a chaplain in shaping a faith community, as well as for his engaging speaking style. “Kelley challenges his listeners to join him on a spiritual journey. His voice will be the first participants hear in the selected themes within discipleship to be focused on: Covenant, Contemplation, Communication, Community and Compassion."

Joining Kelley on the stage will be the Lillenas Dramatic Company, who will perform short sketches written by Jeff Smith specifically for NYC and corresponding to the theme for the day. The NYC Worship Team will lead students in songs at different points within the study. The focus will be to further establish a story or concept or offer praise when appropriate. Participants will also follow the discipleship process of a group of Nazarene students ranging from 15-18 years of age through interviews filmed over the past year. These students have participated in an in-depth discipleship program built on the principles taught at NYC.

For more information on NYC '03, please visit www.nyc03.org.
--NYI