Sitting for hours in Moody listening to speaker after speaker is difficult in an age of mobile devices, campus-wide WiFi, and rapid access to information. Summit’s rich tradition and its value sometimes fade from memory.

Abilene Christian has made a point from its founding to invite outstanding preachers to speak on campus. At first, these lectures were directed toward students. The president of the college invited noteworthy guests throughout the year to address the student body.

When Lectureship began in 1918, members of the Churches of Christ from outside of the student body gathered on campus to worship, spread ideas and discuss issues. The annual event was an opportunity to decimate information throughout the Church of Christ community, exposing members to speakers and ideas they would not encounter at home.

For years, Lectureship was the largest gathering of members of the Churches of Christ in the world. People traveled long distances to hear renowned speakers and to participate in stimulating discussions. The event served much the same function as a denominational convention, which is an idea not traditionally present in Church of Christ beliefs.

In its early days, Lectureship served a vital role in our religious community.  As the Internet has developed, it has come to serve a similar role within the global community. As children of an age where access to information is simple – the Mobile Learning Initiative has taught us this – we have trouble finding the significance of the three-day phenomenon that invades campus each year. Today, anyone can find a sermon on YouTube or download a new song from iTunes in minutes. We discuss ideas on blogs, through forums, and in the comment spaces on YouTube.  Rachel Held Evans, for example, writes a blog concerning her faith, and the Internet-savvy can find many other similar sources of facts and opinions.

In the digital age, we don’t have to wait a year and travel to West Texas to hear those speakers and engage our peers. Why should we attend a special chapel to listen to the ideas live? The chapel credits are an excellent perk, of course, but Summit must have more meaning than just that.

To understand the point of Summit, we must realize that the event has never strayed from its original purpose. It began as a time for believers to come together and discuss their faith, and it is still just that. We enjoy being able to look each other in the eye as we discuss the meaning of justice and liberalism.  We find affirmation in being able to sing together in Moody.  We commune with each other as we sit next to each other and pray.  And, despite her blog, seeing Evans speak live is meaningful.

Even in the age of widespread WiFi and easy information, the human interaction Summit provides is invaluable.