“Salvation is immediate, but spiritual renewal is a process,” declared Dr. Frank Gagliano, pastor of South Haven Baptist Church (Springfield, TN), from the Crowne Centre pulpit. “The child of God seeks continual rejuvenation and renewal, to grow close [to God] again, and to have that fire to share the gospel with others.” For this very reason, each spring semester, Pensacola Christian College encourages students, faculty, and staff to pause classes and activities to listen to the still, small voice of God.
A Change of Pace
Led by the student body chaplain Kaleb Alma (Jr., OH), all students and the Bible Conference speakers assembled to begin the week with a spiritual focus during the prayer and praise meeting. Special songs, personal testimonies, and brief words of encouragement from the speakers challenged those present to prepare their hearts and spirits. As the service concluded, the whole auditorium hummed with whispered prayer, many students on their knees, seeking the Lord to be present and evident in the upcoming days.
“After all the hours of preparation and anticipation, seeing the entire campus come together to have some fun and relax a bit is worth all the effort.”
Following the gathering, the traditional picnic that boasted a Hawaiian luau theme clashed with the chilly rains and wind. To move the event indoors, several departments came together to move all displays, décor, and field activities to the Sports Center. Sheltered from the elements, diners picked up a box lunch containing a ham sandwich, macaroni salad, chips, tropical fruit, and a macadamia nut cookie. Pork sliders and pineapple spears were served from The Hut and The Hub. Island-inspired activities like an inflatable obstacle course, limbo lineup, and photo ops were available. A group of student and staff musicians brought entertainment featuring favorite Hawaiian songs, instruments, and crowd interaction. “After all the hours of preparation and anticipation, seeing the entire campus come together to have some fun and relax a bit is worth all the effort,” Special Events General Manager Amy Meyer said.
“The assembling of the menu happens over months,” Amy explained. “We visited local Hawaiian restaurants, tested recipes, consulted with some Hawaiian students and staff for authenticity, and then met with our vendors to ensure enough product for 4,300 people!”
A Celebration of God’s Word
Bible Conference 2025 officially began with the Wednesday evening service with soul-stirring songs and a message from Dr. Scott Tewell from Rosedale Baptist Church (Baltimore, MD). On Thursday morning, a choir of ministerial men sang out with soloist and seminary student Colt Miller (GA), “God’s Word changes lives. Its power cannot be denied.” During their weekly ministerial class, these students sing a chorus together before diving into in-depth practical training for their future ministries. Every year the conference recognizes the young men that are preparing to take the gospel to the world.
“God’s Word changes lives. Its power cannot be denied.”
Senior choir member studying pastoral ministries, Lee McDaniel (GA), embraced the privilege to sing alongside his fellows. “Many of these men I know will be great ministry partners to have,” he said. “Some of them have helped me in ways that I could not express and have encouraged me in the Lord. It brought me joy to sing with men who loved the Lord genuinely and who wanted to serve Him.”
From Chamber Ensemble to the ministerial men’s choir, specials and congregational numbers were chosen to lift praise to the Lord and His Word: the reason for this conference. Each day individually emphasized a focus on God as Creator, Redeemer, or Victor. “[Bible Conference] is a time to celebrate God’s Word, the promises that He has given us. It’s an opportunity to worship the one who has given us His Word.” said PCC Executive Vice President Dr. Jon Lands to all in attendance. “From the music to the messages, [we’re] reminded of the greatness of God and the victory we have in Jesus Christ.”
Pastor Zach Lewis (Pastoral Ministries ’20) of Pinecrest Baptist Church (McDonough, GA) was a featured soloist as well as leader of many congregational songs. “Thousands of people singing ‘Holy Forever’ during the finale was a ‘foretaste of glory divine’ as Fanny Crosby put it,” he shared. “I will never forget that moment. PCC’s music program has always operated with excellence and faithfulness to the importance of doctrinal lyrics that point our attention to the Lord. It was an honor to be a part of it.”
The Valuable Takeaways
Bible Conference was designed to inspire revival and renewal and provide valuable truths for the spirits of the students, faculty, and staff. During the student-led service on Wednesday morning, Pastor Tyler Gillit from Worth Baptist Church (Fort Worth, TX) compared this event to an instrument with the potential to change lives—as long as the hearers are open to God’s Word. “By the Word, God created everything we know in seven days. By the Word of God, a group of people in Thessalonica turned from idols and became one of the greatest Christians in the first century in only three weeks’ time. I tell you, it did not take long,” challenged Pastor Gillit. “Six days? Three weeks? One service? When you are listening to the Word of God and believe it is sufficient to change you, powerful things can happen.”
Freshman Cathyrn Milner (FL) appreciated the break from classes to focus on spiritual things. “I love the opportunity to hear from multiple different preachers,” she said. One message that spoke to her heart was Pastor Tyler Gillit’s sermon on spiritual warfare.
Colt Miller found the fresh, simple truths shared throughout the conference refreshing. “These reminders came in the forms of both song and sermon. God reminded me of His goodness, greatness, and how He wants His character to indwell and shine through me,” he said. “Bible Conference is an all-call to God’s Word.”
“When you are listening to the Word of God and believe it is sufficient to change you, powerful things can happen.”
The rest and time to focus on personal development proved valuable to Mark Zacharias (Jr., FL). “I have enjoyed the many spiritual, philosophical, and theological conversations with friends that were prompted by several of the messages,” he shared. Mark attended the men’s afternoon breakout session with Chris Philips, director of Selah International Counseling Ministries (SICM). “Philips did an excellent job defining masculinity and inspiring us men to strive to be courageous in the midst of a confused world.”
“It was quite special seeing my dad preach,” said seminary student John Van Gelderen (MI), son of the visiting evangelist, Dr. John Van Gelderen (Manchester, MI).. “I grew up hearing him preach, so seeing him preach at the College I’ve been attending felt like a full circle moment.” With his mother also present, John appreciated spending Bible Conference with his parents. “It was really special spending time with them.”
For Lexie Prouty (TX), a senior studying missions, the time off allowed her to focus on her relationship with God. “The preaching this year was really heart-changing and abundantly applicable,” she said. “And clearing up some of the busyness of our schedules provided extra opportunities for fellowship with friends.”
From the quiet moments of heart preparation to the Scripture truths poured out accompanied by special music, the following days provided rich encouragement and challenges from God’s Word. “Bible Conference is a spiritual reboot,” shared Lee McDaniel. “The semesters can be taxing on your spirit and your mental health. This is a time where you experience a break from classes and get filled spiritually so that you can be refreshed and encouraged to continue the rest of the semester with the help of the Holy Spirit.”