Summer Celebration — Lipscomb’s annual lectureship that for more than 85 years has brought thousands of people to Lipscomb for three days of art, music, films and spiritual programming — has returned.

Seminars and worship kicked off the event on Wednesday, and all events will continue into Friday evening, when the celebration will come to a close with live music and a fireworks show.

“It’s a three-day lectureship series thats been going on for decades,” administrative assistant for cChurch services Jenna Schrader said. “We have about 110 speakers over the 2 1/2 half days.”

The lectureship, which has annually drawn Christians from across the country, has a new theme each year. This year’s theme is “Deployed in an Uncivil War: the Apocalypse of John,”

“This year our theme is called Deployed, and its talking about Revelation and the Second Coming,” Schrader said. “All of our keynotes are in line with that theme, and then during the day we have breakout classes.”

Some of the lecture topics will include “The Apocalyptic Mind of J.R.R. Tolkien,” “Can You be a Gay Christian” and “Jesus vs. Godzilla” as well as more traditional subjects such as textual studies of Revelation.

One of the most notable speakers will be Dr. Kent Brantly, the first person to be treated for Ebola in the United States and the first in the world to receive the experimental drug ZMapp. Formerly a medical director for the only Ebola treatment unit in all of Southern Liberia, Brantly now speaks on behalf of Samaritan’s Purse as its medical missions advisor.

Another notable person present at this year’s Summer Celebration will be featured artist Rolando Diaz.

“[Diaz] is at every evening session in Allen Arena, and hes going to be painting along the theme of Revelation on stage as the speakers are speaking,” Schrader said. “Thats really great and powerful”.

Diaz is a Dallas-based Cuban/American artist who has traveled to many countries to personally experience poverty. His art has been exhibited nationally and internationally and has collectors around the world. Diaz has also been able to paint with live accompaniment from multiple musicians, including the Dallas Wind Symphony.

Summer Celebration also hosts children’s and teen programs including day camps for younger children and special sessions for teens. According to Schrader, the children’s and teen programs coincide with the other programs so that they have something to do while adults are in lectures.

The Summer Celebration offers a variety of opportunities that people of various ages can enjoy.

“Theres movies on campus, we have sponsored meals, worship time, the Well Coffeehouse pulls in some interesting speakers and events,” Schrader said. “We end it all with a family picnic and fireworks on Friday night, and thats a great way to get the kids involved.”

All Summer Celebration events are free and open to the public. More information can be found here.

Photo courtesy of Lipscomb University

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