David Crowder kicks off Convocation schedule; changes announced

An energetic incoming class of Liberty University students — one of the largest to date — joined thousands of their classmates in the Vines Center on Wednesday morning for the first Convocation of the academic year, featuring Grammy-nominated and eight-time Dove Award winner David Crowder.

Convocation remains the world’s largest weekly gathering of Christian young people.

Wednesday’s event was primarily a folk/rock worship service with Crowder kicking things off with his upbeat hit, “Lift Your Head Weary Sinner.” The 30-minute set included familiar tunes such as “How He Loves,” “Come As You Are,” and a bluegrass rendition of the gospel classic “I Saw the Light,” with students clapping in time in good Southern fashion.

Following Crowder’s soulful take on the hymn, “Because He Lives,” David Nasser, Liberty’s senior vice president for Spiritual Development, dedicated the semester in prayer and made some important announcements about recent changes and future Convocations.

Changes include a new start time (10:30 a.m.), more flexibility in the schedule (some may be as short as 30 minutes while others may, on occasion, go 75 minutes), more access to speakers (including luncheons and meet-and-greets), and more variety in the format.

Nasser explained that student input and enrichment were two motivating factors for the changes.

“An important part of the college experience is not just for you to know what to think … but for you to know how to think,” Nasser told the students. “Sometimes because of that, you will be stretched and challenged.”

Liberty’s Convocation has always welcomed speakers from across the spectrum, and this semester will be one of the most varied to date, with presidential candidates Bernie Sanders (Sept. 14), Scott Walker (Oct. 16), and Ben Carson (Nov. 11) among the guests.

The changes will also give students more opportunities to be rejuvenated through entertainment, with music (like Crowder’s) or comedy, such as the popular Christian comedian Tim Hawkins (Oct. 2).

Convocation has typically been held three times per week, however, the first Monday of every month will now be taken off. A non-mandatory prayer service will be held instead in the Prayer Chapel and facilitated by Liberty’s campus pastors. The pastors will also be more available to students this year; they will be on hand after each Convocation and once a week in the Reber-Thomas Dining Hall to answer questions and engage with students.

Students may now opt out of one Convocation per semester.

Read more about the changes on the Convocation website and on the Convocation FAQ sheet.