The Significance of Soularize (by Spencer Burke)

As I look back, I’m amazed at the unexpected surprises of each Soularize, and I’m also struck by the significance of it’s history. When we hosted the first Soularize ten years ago, we knew that church leaders were yearning for a safe environment to wrestle with issues that may not have been “appropriate” in their own congregations. As the old saying goes…

You overestimate what you can do in a year…
and underestimate what you can do in ten.

In my life, that’s never been more true than with Soularize. We hoped to make such a big impact at that first event, but the true measure of its success has been found in what (and who) has been launched out of the conversations.

Watch this short recollection by Brian McLaren about how Soularize has been a source of so much:

Many of passionate voices have honed their messages in Soularize workshops well before their well-known books hit the market. People like Dan Kimball (Emerging Churches), Frank Viola (Jesus Manifesto), and Michael Dowd (Thank God for Evolution). And, we’ve had the privilege of introducing many in emerging church circles to incredible voices of wisdom such as Richard Rohr and Rita Brock.

This year is no different! Not only will we have well-known presenters, but we are excited to give a platform to fresh voices that we believe will become incredibly influential in the days to come. People like Claudio Oliver (from Brazil), Rachel Held Evans (our featured fresh voice), Tripp Fuller (co-host of the Homebrewed Christianity podcast), and Monica Coleman (professor at Claremont School of Theology). You may or may not have heard of these presenters, but we guarantee that you’ll be moved by what they bring to the table.

Not only has Soularize made an impact on a national level, but the variety of regional locations for the event have allowed us to uniquely “seed” the conversation in places like Seattle, Minneapolis, Boston, and even the Bahamas. The event hasn’t just been about the location of the conference, but it has always impacted people far and wide.

Listen as Eliacin Rosario-Cruz shares his experience of Soularize from a distance:

At the risk of “tooting our own horn”, I just wanted you to know that we believe our 10th anniversary of Soularize will be just as significant. We want you to be with us as we experience the depth of the conversation and the powerful impact that it will have on your life. In fact, feel free to share in the comments below how Soularize has been significant in your own life and ministry.

SPECIAL OFFER: Be sure to take advantage of a one-week special offer of $199 (ending Sunday, September 18th).

See you in San Diego!
Spencer Burke
Host of Soularize