Thompson Scholars 2016, Can They See Your Church? Evangelism in the Digital Age, will take place April 26–29, 2016 at the Center for Lifelong Learning on the Columbia Theological Seminary campus.

This is the visual age. The number one activity on the web is the posting of pictures and video. This workshop will empower leaders to rethink how we do evangelism in the visual age. The conversation and strategies will be deeply rooted theologically and sociologically as to why and how we might best engage the visual generation. Dr. Ralph Basui Watkins, the Peachtree Associate professor of evangelism and church growth at Columbia Theological Seminary, socio-theologian, photographer and visual storyteller, will lead this event along with the Rev. Dr. Keith Anderson, pastor of Dublin Lutheran Church near Philadelphia and the author of The Digital Cathedral:Networked Ministry in a Wireless World (required reading for the seminar).

To complete an application, click here. The application deadline is January 4, 2016. Applicants will be notified of their status by the end of January. Preference will be given to applicants who have not participated in previous Thompson Scholar seminars. For additional information, including a link to the application, click here.

A program fee of $150 covers all course-related fees, on-campus meals and refreshments, and access to the online course site. Pre-course preparation will include required reading and participation in online discussions. Participants are responsible for their housing and transportation; on campus housing is available.

The Thompson Scholars program is generously supported by an endowment in honor of Cecil Thompson, former professor of evangelism at Columbia Seminary, making it possible to offer the seminar at a lower cost to participants than comparable programs at the Center for Lifelong Learning.

For more information, please contact Sarah Erickson, director of Lifelong Learning, at EricksonS@CTSnet.edu or 404-687-4526.

Columbia Theological Seminary is committed to “educating imaginative, resilient leaders for God’s changing world.” As an educational institution of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Columbia Seminary is a community of theological inquiry and formation for ministry in the service of the Church of Jesus Christ. Columbia Seminary offers seven accredited graduate degree programs and dozens of lifelong learning courses and events as a resource for church professionals and lay people.