Nathan Zook, Ph.D., was born into an inner city family, so he never had to make the decision to move from suburban or rural areas to a city.  As a pastor in Baltimore City, he loves helping previously non-urban Christians to enjoy urban living.  As a professor with over 20 years of experience teaching courses such as international relations, politics of the developing world, sociology, and the politics of race and ethnicity, Nathan also uses his sociological imagination to analyze urban living in the context of both globalization.  He is the author of My Brother's Keeper: A Mennonite Perspective on Race Relations.  The bulk of his time is spent as a husband and the father of seven inner city residents.

Nathan will share "Living in Cities v. Shaking Off Their Dust." Is it okay to love urban living? The Bible describes Lot as a righteous man vexed by the actions of his inner-city neighbors. This talk will discuss how choices today's Christian believers make in interacting with cities reflect age-old Biblical decisions. Modern topics including gentrification, missional burn-out, and assimilation pressures all can be seen in Biblical accounts as well.

George Kalantzis, Ph.D., F.R.Hist.S., is Professor of Theology at Wheaton College and founding director of The Wheaton Center for Early Christian Studies. He is an elected Fellow of the Royal Historical Society whose historical research and writing focuses on the development of doctrine (especially Christological and Trinitarian thought), as well as the intersection of classical Greco-Roman society and early Christianity. A Senior Fellow with the International Association for Refugees (IAFR), Kalantzis also writes, teaches, and lectures nationally and internationally on ethics, human rights, and the plight of persons seeking refuge in post-disaster environments.

George will share "Why Do Christians Care for the Poor? A Detour into the Fourth Century." With the help of the fourth-century bishop Basil of Caesarea we will explore how Jesus's call to Shalom reorients both the Christian's engagement with one’s neighbors and the long-term task of peacemaking through faithful presence.

Josh Buck is a church planter, filmmaker, teacher, and faith-based entrepreneur. With undergraduate degrees in biblical studies and ministry, Josh has his PhD in intercultural studies, with a focus on the problem of racial violence. In 2010 he co-planted Antioch City Church in Los Angeles and in 2019 cofounder of Pax, a Christian organization designed to inspire the Church to embody the peace and justice of Jesus through contemplative formation. In 2022 he released Everyday Activism: Following 7 Practices of Jesus to Create a Just World with Baker Publishing Group. He and his wife, Sarswatie, live in Tucson, Arizona, with their three children.

Josh will share "The Gospel of Jubilee: A Holistic Ministry Approach for Our Cities." How do Christians engage in our urban areas with so much social unrest and injustice? How we engage our culture while not loosing the heart of the gospel? Jesus’ opening remarks in Luke 4:14-21 create a theological framework whereby Christians are empowered to enter our cities with a gospel that promotes spiritual life and social flourishing. The gospel of Jubilee is a holistic vision for Christians who desire to see the church thrive in difficult areas.