Leaders from the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists will meet with Walla Walla University students, Saturday, May 12, at 4 p.m. on the WWU campus for a conversation to address student questions. During the 120-minute Facebook Live “Is This Thing On?” (ITTO) event, Dan Jackson, NAD president; Alex Bryant, NAD executive secretary; and Tom Evans, NAD treasurer, will answer questions from a live audience and from social media. Julio Muñoz, associate director of the NAD Office of Communication, will host the event. WWU student social media ambassadors will tweet live and will share live stats, comments, and questions.
“Our church only becomes stronger when we talk to each other, pray with each other, and learn from one another,” said Jackson. “Transparent and open dialogue on issues important to young people is something we are able to engage in with this conversation. And it’s something we, as a church, should foster beyond this event.”
WWU students seize opportunity
On Tuesday, May 1, the 1,825-member WWU student body dedicated their weekly CommUnity gathering to a focused discussion about and preparation for the ITTO event. Students met in the University Church and separated into nine groups for what were lively discussions on a variety of topics including church policies and finances, race, gender, lifestyle, theology, and more.
“I am so proud to be part of student leadership on a campus that takes initiative,” said Peter Flores, senior theology major and 2017-18 president of the Adventist Intercollegiate Association. “Our decision was to let the general populace of students make the decision about how involved they wanted to be. They answered during our program on Tuesday. Our approach was intentional, impressive and something that will inspire future generations on this campus! I’m excited to see what results our approach provides for May 12.”
Flores said this kind of open conversation is more important to students than church leaders may realize. “As students we desire to be heard by older generations. It keeps being said about our generation that we are concerned about issues of social justice and many of the students on this campus feel that the church has been unjust. An opportunity to talk to them on terms that we can agree with (a live/uncut setting) is meaningful to us. Not many organizations or churches do this or take it as seriously at the North American Division does,” said Flores.
Event details
Watch the Facebook Live event at facebook.com/NADadventist, and submit your own questions using #NADnow. For more information about ITTO, visit wallawalla.edu/ITTO. Recordings of previous ITTO events at Union College and Oakwood University can be viewed at ittoshow.com.
The live event will be held in the WWU Winter Educational Complex, Alumni Gymnasium, and is open to all WWU students. Tickets are available for students on campus in the The Atlas, the Chaplain’s Office, the front desk in the Administration Building, and in Administration Building, room 101. Space is limited. Doors close for the event at 3:30 p.m.; the livestream begins at 4 p.m.
Posted May 3, 2018
