Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA) will welcome preachers, students and community members to the second annual Voices for Change Preaching Festival, September 24 to 26, for a time of preaching, worship, reflection and transformation.
A Mission Pursued
Voices for Change is a jointly funded initiative between Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Compelling Preaching Initiative and PBA. The program has three primary components: a yearlong program where students may earn a certificate in preaching, the annual Voices for Change Preaching Festival, and the Florida College of Preachers.
Rev. Dr. Shawn Allen, one of the founders of Voices for Change, says that the program’s goal is “to cultivate a diverse and vibrant community of preachers who integrate spiritual formation, multicultural contextual discernment, biblical and theological depth, and skillful communication to facilitate congregational and societal change.”
“We’re trying to help students realize that preaching really starts with the preacher,” explains Allen.
A New Experience
This year, the Voices for Change Preaching Festival will host a high school preaching slam featuring three high school students delivering sermons. Allen hopes that this event will become an annual tradition.
The festival will also include multiple PBA students and alumni, both delivering sermons and leading worship.
The festival will include sermons in English, Spanish and Creole to increase cultural inclusion.
The festival will follow a learn and respond layout. After a preacher delivers a message, participants will spend time in worship, followed by a time of guided reflection.
“It’s not just people preaching in a row,” states Allen. “It’s a really thoughtful, participatory kind of an experience for those who are in attendance.”
Dr. Mark Glanville, director of the Center for Missional Leadership at St. Andrews Hall, University of British Columbia, will be joining the festival as the keynote speaker.
Glanville will bring his talents as both a preacher and musician by offering a jazz concert that will intertwine these two arts.
A Lasting Impact Recognized
While Voices for Change helps to amplify new voices, it does not forget those preachers who have dedicated years to serving South Florida communities.
During the festival, three preachers will be inducted into the Florida College of Preachers. This recognition honors individuals whose preaching ministries have made an impact on the South Florida region for at least a decade.
Find out more about PBA’s School of Ministry here.
