Brehm Center Anniversary Celebration to Include Concert with Keith and Krystin Getty

It’s the tenth anniversary for Fuller’s Brehm Center for Worship, Theology, and the Arts-and in true Brehm Center style, a full weekend of anniversary events April 14 through 16 will celebrate the integration of the arts in the lives of the church and its people.A highlight of the weekend will be a concert Saturday, April 14, at 7:00 p.m. with special guests Keith and Krystin Getty and their nine-piece band, performing some of their most popular works such as “In Christ Alone,” “The Power of the Cross,” and “O Church, Arise.” The Gettys are at the forefront of the modern hymn movement, bridging the gap between traditional and contemporary with their engaging music. The concert will be held at First Church of the Nazarene in Pasadena. Watch a video of the Gettys and find more details about the concert and tickets here.The anniversary weekend will kick off with a screening of the film Higher Ground on Friday, April 13, at 6:30 p.m. in Fuller’s Travis Auditorium. This Sundance Grand Jury nominated film, based on a memoir by Carolyn Briggs, explores the memoirist’s struggle to find her creative voice while in a fundamentalist Christian sect. A post-screening discussion with Briggs will be led by Mark Labberton, Fuller’s Lloyd John Ogilvie Professor of Preaching.

The weekend will culminate in a Service of Celebration on Sunday, April 15, at 4:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Pasadena. The creative worship service will include music, dance, and drama, as well as a message given by Dr. Labberton, all incorporating the theme of the anniversary year, “Engaging the Senses.”

A Decade of Groundbreaking Work

Founded in 2001, and named after Fuller Seminary Board of Trustee member William Brehm and his wife Delores, the Brehm Center and its initiatives sponsor research, community events, and integrated education in worship, theology, and the arts. Fuller students who choose a Brehm emphasis engage expert faculty, world-class artists, and visiting scholars to investigate the theory and practice of making art in ministry, and exploring the intersections between theology and culture.

Over the past 10 years, the Brehm Center has broken new ground by engaging the arts, faith, and culture through five different initiatives:

The Reel Spirituality initiative has led the way in bringing together filmmakers, faith leaders, scholars, and students to explore the integration of film, television, and the Christian faith. Annual Reel Spirituality Conferences have addressed relevant issues concerning visual storytelling and the church; a unique experiential course held at the Sundance Film Festival every year fosters provocative dialogue.

The Fred Bock Institute of Music promotes holistic, inspiring worship by providing creative resources and annual conferences for worship leaders, as well as sponsoring a broadly ecumenical Festival of Worship each year that brings together choirs from across the Los Angeles area. The Bock Institute created and led breathtaking, multinational opening and closing ceremonies at the 2010 Lausanne World Missions Congress in Cape Town, South Africa.

The Lloyd John Ogilvie Institute of Preaching has worked to catalyze a movement of empowered, passionate, and wise preachers through once- and twice-yearly conferences led by acclaimed speaker Dr. Ogilvie and preaching scholar Mark Labberton; practical resources for pastors; and a unique network of “Micah Groups” that have brought diverse church leaders together for mutual support, accountability, and professional growth.

The Visual Faith initiative has furthered Christian engagement with the visual arts-from painting to sculpture to architecture-and the impact of art in a changing culture. Its activities have included frequent public art exhibitions at the Fuller campus; a unique course on medieval art, history, and faith held in Orvieto, Italy; and a major research project on the use of visual images in worship in Southern California’s Christian, Buddhist and Muslim communities.

In a time when changes in technology and communication are altering the global cultural landscape, the Brehm Center’s initiative for Church and Contemporary Culture has been exploring the ways churches must adapt, respond to, and harness those changes. Through research, courses, lectures, and a shared pool of resources, this initiative has fostered new conversations between pastors, theologians, students, and the community.

Read more about the Brehm Center’s weekend of anniversary events here.

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