Speaking
As a teacher, I’ve made a career out of communicating complex subjects in understandable ways. My speaking style is informal and conversational. I come with prepared teaching material, obviously, but I mostly enjoy creating space for free-wheeling conversation. I set the stage, present an idea or a passage of scripture, and invite participants to pay attention to the wonderings that emerge in their hearts and minds.
Dave is an energetic, wise, and engaging speaker! Having had the privilege of sharing a speaking event with Dave, I observed first hand his gift of integrating deep biblical and theological content with authentic, personal storytelling that was compelling and powerful. He has a gift!
The themes of my teaching and speaking vary widely, but mostly revolve around Scripture, Christian beliefs, creatureliness, and the God who surprises us more often than we prefer to admit.
When it comes to the Bible, one of the hallmarks of my teaching is that Scripture was never designed to function as a grab-bag of useful God quotes. No, Scripture is designed to be read—slowly, carefully, prayerfully—and not simply quoted out of context to serve whatever end we see fit. I believe the Bible was designed to function as a technology for spiritual formation, a tool God uses to comfort, criticize, and sometimes even confuse readers in order to transform them into the sort of humble, loving people God can put to work in the world.
My speaking engagements have focused on short studies of New Testament books and themes, but also on the nature and function of Scripture itself: its formation (both historical and contemporary) as well as its formative power (how it is used to shape us into Christ-likeness or deform us into the opposite).
I’ve also spoken and written about the experience of suffering under physical and mental illness. Though I have little to no expertise in those two areas, I feel know a thing or two about spiritual illness. I’m worried about the way suffering distorts our understanding of God, and the distorted practices of Christian faith that sometimes result. I’m worried about how often American Christianity seems designed to keep us from facing the darkness within us and around us. I’m worried for those who suffer profoundly, only to discover that the foundation of their faith was simply too thin to bear the heavy load they end up carrying.
If you and your community are interested in topics like these, I’d love to spend time with you. Please contact me to get in touch and see what we can work out.