• does my work matter?

• what does it mean to be a christian?

• Is the Bible relevant to modern life?

• How does the Gospel affect my whole life?

What does it mean to live authentically as Christians today?

Designed especially for small groups, Reframe is a 12-session course that helps Christians rediscover how God's story reframes everything. By engaging the full story of Scripture, the course addresses questions of how the biblical narrative is fundamental to addressing all the complexities and challenges of contemporary life.

Combining rich biblical content and dynamic group discussions, Reframe draws on the best of Regent's teaching to equip individuals, churches, and communities to more fully live out the gospel in the world today.

The Reframe Experience

Next Course Dates

In partnership with City in Focus Young Professionals Network, the course is running weekly in Vancouver from March 20 – May 15, 2013.

Next Course Registration

ReFrame Registration for Spring 2013 is currently closed.

If you have any questions, please contact Virginia at vshaw@regent-college.edu.

Hosts

The Marketplace Institute and City in Focus

Course Overview

Reframe is designed for small groups, leadership teams, workplace communities, or friends seeking a deeper knowledge of faith and life together. The course involves a dynamic mix of lectures by renowned theological speakers from Regent College, engaging conversation, and group interaction. For detailed descriptions of each session, refer to the Sessions tab below.

• Session 1 Encounter: The Story that Reframes Everything
• Session 2 (Post) Modern Stories: The Stories that Frame Our Lives Today
• Session 3 The Biblical Story: Creation & Fall
• Session 4 The Biblical Story: Israel
• Session 5 The Biblical Story: Covenant, Law and Wisdom
• Session 6 The Biblical Story: Jesus – The Climax of History
• Session 7 The Biblical Story: Creation Reframed
• Session 8 The Biblical Story: Pentecost & the Power of the Spirit
• Session 9 Authentic Living: Aliens or Ambassadors?
• Session 10 Storied Living: Tales from the Church through the Ages
• Session 11 Faithful Living: Innovating within Constraints
• Session 12 Joyful Living: Celebration & Conclusion

Previous Regent faculty speakers include:

• Paul Williams, Marketplace Theology
• Iain Provan, Biblical Studies
• Phil Long, Old Testament
• Rikk Watts, New Testament
• Ross Hastings, Pastoral Theology
• Bruce Hindmarsh, Spiritual Theology
• Craig Gay, Interdisciplinary Studies
• John Stackhouse, Theology and Culture
• Don Lewis, Church History
• Sarah Williams, Church History

Sessions

Session 1 - Encounter: The Story that Reframes Everything
This session introduces the main themes of the course, particularly the challenge of faith and life amid the complexities of the modern world. The lecture explores the power of story in answering some of life’s most compelling questions. Using the account of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, Professor Paul Williams invites us to hear the biblical story afresh and encounter Jesus along the way.

Session 2 – (Post) Modern Stories: The Stories that Frame our Lives Today
This session explores some key aspects of the stories of modernity and post-modernity dominating our western culture today. The lecture invites participants to see more clearly the assumptions underlying the (post) modern worldview, and calls us to consider how the stories of consumerism and modern Capitalism, for example, have a powerful influence in shaping how we live. (Please note: this session is still under construction.)

Session 3 – The Biblical Story: Creation and Fall
If the story of modernity provides one account of what it means to be human, what is our story? This session looks back to the beginning of the Christian story, focusing on the biblical account of creation found in Genesis 1-3. Using these foundational chapters, Dr. Iain Provan leads us to discover the goodness of the created order, the creation of human persons in the image of God, and the human vocation to cultivate the earth (Gen 1:28). The lecture also looks at the entrance of human sin into the world, and the effects of sin on people’s relationship with God, with one another, and with the rest of creation.

Session 4 – The Biblical Story: Israel
Most Christians are familiar with the beginning of the Old Testament, but what happens after Genesis Chapter 3? Dr. Phil Long takes us beyond the creation story into the formation of Israel as God’s people, and Israel’s vocation to be a blessing to other nations. Using a tight overview format, the lecture touches down on key events in Israel’s history and their theological meaning, including the call of Abraham, the exodus from Egypt, possession of the land, and exile from the land, and asks “what does this mean for us?”

Session 5 – The Biblical Story: Covenant, Law and Wisdom
Dr. Iain Provan returns to continue the story of Israel, uncovering how God begins to work out his redemptive plan in the world by calling a particular people in a particular place to worship him and follow his ways. The lecture explores the themes of Covenant, Law and Wisdom as experienced by ancient Israel, and asks, “How is this relevant to us today?” This session helps us wrestle with and understand the role of the Old Testament as a part of our Christian story in a fresh and compelling way.

Session 6 – The Biblical Story: Jesus – the Climax of History
Having spent time exploring the story of Israel, we now come to the life and work of Jesus Christ. Dr. Rikk Watts leads us through the life of Jesus in its historical and cultural context, and demonstrates how Jesus is the climax and fulfillment of the Christian story. In short, Jesus redefined what it meant to be the people of God. This session invites us to see how Jesus came to reconstitute Israel through his mission and message, and creates space for participants to personally respond to him.

Session 7 – The Biblical Story: Creation Reframed
Just as Jesus reflected the true image of God in his life and death, his resurrection signified the world made new. In this session, Dr. Rikk Watts examines the resurrection of Jesus, its significance in history, and its meaning for the Christian life. Dr. Watts’s passion is evident as he explores the consummation of history in the New Jerusalem, showing how creation will be transformed and renewed. The lecture encourages participants to see how the scriptural picture of relational peace – in which humans experience right relationships with God, with one another, and with the rest of creation – has implications for our lives today.

Session 8 – The Biblical Story: Pentecost and the Power of the Spirit
The story continues with Jesus’s promise of the Holy Spirit to his disciples. Using John 20: 19-23 as a key text, Dr. Ross Hastings joins us to talk about the person of the Holy Spirit and his role in the Christian story. The lecture invites us to understand the church from the perspective of being receivers and sharers of Christ’s shalom. Our role as participants in God’s mission is transformed, as we work not in our own strength but in step with the Spirit. In this session there is also opportunity for prayer and communion.

Session 9 - Living as Exiles: Aliens or Ambassadors?
One of the challenges of living faithfully as Christians in the modern world is the temptation to either assimilate into or withdraw from our culture. Professor Paul Williams uses the metaphor of being an ambassador to describe our true identity, grounding our ultimate citizenship in heaven. As strangers in the world, we are called to live as ambassadors sent with the purpose of participating in God’s work. This session encourages us to explore what this might mean in our own workplaces and communities.

Session 10 – Storied Living: The Church through the Ages
This session looks back through church history to provide an historical overview of the church as a living witness to the gospel story throughout the ages. Using several case studies, Dr Bruce Hindmarsh explores the way in which the historical church engaged with and had an impact on its surrounding culture. We are then encouraged to consider what it means to be salt and light in our own cultural context today. (Please note: this session is still under construction.)

Session 11 - Faithful Living: Innovating within Constraints
Having explored the biblical narrative and some examples from the life of the historical church, Paul Williams returns to help us discover how individuals and communities can approach living authentically as Christians in the marketplace, in light of the entire Christian story. Drawing from his own experience, as well as biblical and historical examples, Professor Williams examines the role of Christian practices (e.g. prayer, fasting, reading Scripture) and virtues (e.g. creativity, perseverance, etc.) in developing a faithful, vibrant, and innovative witness to the gospel.

Session 12 - Joyful Living: Celebration and Conclusion
This final session will be a time of celebration for what the Holy Spirit has done throughout the course. There is opportunity to hear the biblical story told creatively, share a meal (optional), and to be commissioned as living witnesses to the way in which God’s story reframes everything.

FAQs

GENERAL:

Is ReFrame a course in Vancouver, or is it available as a video series?
Both. ReFrame is a 12-session course that is run live in Vancouver. In addition, we are producing ReFrame as a DVD/online series that we hope will be available in early 2014.

Is it a "for-credit" Regent course?
No. This is not a Regent student course. The course is designed for people who aren’t at Regent: homemakers, business people, teachers, church workers etc. in their local church communities.

Do you have to be academic to do the course?
No. The course is designed especially for those who would not necessarily attend a theological seminary. All that’s required is a desire to know the Bible more!

What can I expect to happen at ReFrame?
ReFrame is a dynamic mix of biblical teaching, inspirational stories from Christians throughout history, personal reflection, and group discussion that's designed to expand our understanding of how we can embody the Christian story in the world.

Two facilitators guide participants through the series. Each session includes the following components:

• Hospitality and informal interaction before and after
• Introduction and recap (5-10 min.)
• Lecture by a member of the Regent College faculty (30-40 min.)
• Host and faculty Q&A (20 min.)
• Group discussion and exercises (50 min-1 hour)

REFRAME FILM PROJECT AND DONOR INFORMATION:

How do I give?

Make a gift online:
You can give by credit card on the Regent donor projects page.

Mail a cheque designated for "ReFrame Campaign"
Make a gift to Regent College and receive a Canadian tax receipt:
Regent College
Attn: Donor Relations
5800 University Blvd., Vancouver, BC, V6T 2E4

Make a gift to Regent College Foundation and receive a US tax receipt:
Regent College Foundation
PO Box 33276, Seattle, WA 98133

Make a gift to Friends of Regent College Canada Trust and take advantage of the UK Gift Aid provision:
Friends of Regent College Canada Trust
Wootton Chase
Wootton St Lawrence
Basingstoke, Hampshire RG23 8PE

Donate by phone
Make a credit card gift designated to "ReFrame Campaign" over the phone by calling Donor Relations toll-free in North America: 1.800.663.8664. From anywhere else in the world, phone +1.604.224.3245.

Are donations tax deductable?
Donations are fully tax deductable in Canada, the U.S, and the U.K. Please select the appropriate foundation when making a donation. Unfortunately, we cannot offer tax deductions for other countries (but we’re just as grateful!).

What will my money go towards?
Your money will go towards meeting the costs involved in producing the DVDs (scripting, pre-production, filming, and the long task of editing!), facilitator guides, participant guides, a website, distribution, and additional support resources.

When will ReFrame be available as video series?
We hope the ReFrame video series will be available in late 2013.

How can I contact you?
We would love to hear from you! You can email us at marketplace@regent-college.edu or call us on 1.604.221.3308.

Video Clips and Testimonials

"For me it has been an after-ReFrame and before-ReFrame kind of thing. I can't express how many insights I got and how much my relationship with God and my surroundings changed for the better."

"Each session engaged us spiritually, intellectually, aesthetically, and socially."

"The course has indeed reframed my thinking about my career and work. Since the course ended, I have found myself consciously trying to be an 'ambassador' and trying to speak 'life' to the people around me."

Highlights:

"The opportunity to hear Regent faculty present in a non-academic setting. I think the benefits will continue to manifest themselves in our church community."

"Seeing how the Christian story could be presented in a fresh, compelling, and contemporary way."

"The 'real life-real situations' approach, as well as the idea of how our story is tied to a larger story. That was an amazing, eye-opening experience!"

"The course provided a unique opportunity for several generations from our church to come together and learn and share more intimately."

"It moved us to think in new ways, to engage in discussion, and to live more engaged in our faith."

"It was encouraging to see how God has and is working in the lives of other professionals who love Jesus and are committed to having an integrated, authentic faith."

"It has definitely reframed the way we see the world around us and our position as a steward of creation and an ambassador for the kingdom of God."