Pepperdine University Hosts 83rd Annual Harbor Bible Lectures, Celebrates Final Year in Firestone Fieldhouse
All members of the Pepperdine community and beyond are welcome to attend Harbor: The Pepperdine Bible Lectures, hosted by the Office of Church Relations from May 5 to 8, 2026, at the Malibu campus. An annual tradition for the past 83 years, the four-day conference features a variety of workshops, worship music, and keynote lectures by church leaders and Christian scholars all rooted in uniting the body of Christ.
This year’s theme, “A More Excellent Way: The Transformative Power of Love,” will be celebrating the centrality of love to living a fruitful Christian life. As the apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 13: “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
Considered a beloved homecoming for the Church of Christ community, more than 100 ministers, authors, historians, clinical counselors, scholars, and creatives from universities and churches nation- and worldwide will offer words of wisdom and inspiration. Keynote lecturers include:
Rick Atchley, Senior Teaching Minister at the Hills Church of Christ — May 5, 7–8:30 PM
Jessica Hooten Wilson, Fletcher Jones Chair of Great Books at Pepperdine — May 6, 11 AM–Noon, Smothers Theatre
Dudley Rutherford, Senior Pastor at Shepherd Church — May 6, 7–8:30 PM, Firestone Fieldhouse
Orpheus Heyward, Author and Gospel Preacher — May 7, 11 AM–Noon, Smothers Theatre
Jonathan Storment, Author and Preacher at Highland Church of Christ — May 7, 7–8:30 PM, Firestone Fieldhouse
Taylor Walling, Lead Minister of Waves Church — May 8, 11 AM–Noon , Smothers Theatre
Additional notable speakers comprise Mike Cope, director of Ministry Outreach at Pepperdine, Josh Graves, senior minister at Otter Creek Church, Mike O'Neal, President Emeritus at Oklahoma Christian University, and Tim Spivey (’97, MS ’00, MDiv ’00), vice president for Spiritual Life at Pepperdine.
“Harbor endures because the hunger it answers never fades—the hunger to hear from God, to be known in community, and to go back into the world transformed,” says Spivey. “That hunger is as alive today as it was at the very first gathering.”
Won by One will be celebrating its 30th anniversary
Attendees will enjoy music by Pepperdine’s a capella group “Won by One” as it celebrates its 30th anniversary in music ministry by performing at Harbor Unplugged. Featured lectures and courses honoring the storied Restoration heritage will also be offered—as Churches of Christ traces its roots to the 19th-century Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement during the Second Great Awakening.
During the final evening on Thursday, May 8, the Office of Church Relations will be presenting a dedicated "History of Harbor” video to celebrate the spirit and rich tradition of the event’s unification of a vast network of Christian leaders. Wrapping up the “end of an era,” next year Harbor will be moving its central operations to the Mountain at Mullin Park after more than 40 years of hosting in the Firestone Fieldhouse.
“It is surreal for our Harbor team to know we’re inheriting this living organism of rich history,” adds Liz Estrada Schmidt, manager for Church Relations, who led the organization of this year’s Harbor initiatives. “Moving forward we want Harbor to continue to be an institution that's respected and loved, as so many Church of Christ networks are knit together around this event. And with a heart of service, these speakers come to be our connective tissue.”
On May 9 from 12:15–3:30 PM Harbor Serves will offer attendees five different volunteer opportunities to be the hands of Christ in the surrounding community. A project of note is “Third Space Malibu,” where volunteers will join efforts with the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu Long-Term Recovery to serve communities still devastated by the recent Palisades Fire. Overall, attendees will learn about the work of each host organization and will have an opportunity to volunteer in an effort that highlights service as the foundation of God’s kingdom.
Walk-in registration for Harbor will be held at the Joella Michael Welcome Center. On-campus housing and children's programming are available, and shuttle buses will be provided to transport attendees to and from the local Los Angeles area.
All are invited to Harbor for spiritual refreshment and renewal; to experience the Transformative Power of Love.