From Thursday, Sept. 22, to Saturday, Sept. 24, Calvin is hosting a free conference called the Power of Prayer in the Chapel Undercroft. This conference is part of the Dunamis Project, which was founded by Rev. Dr. Brad Long, executive director of Presbyterian Reformed Ministries International. The Power of Prayer will delve into topics such as how to nurture a life of prayer, how to grow in intimacy with God and what it means to pray in the name of Jesus.
Dr. Nancy Van Noord, adjunct professor of kinesiology at Calvin, introduced the Dunamis series to Calvin and received permission to host the conferences on campus. According to Van Noord, Rev. Dr. Brad Long founded the Dunamis project after feeling led by the Holy Spirit to create a conference series emphasizing the third person in the Trinity.

”[Rev. Dr. Brad Long’s] desire was to help people understand how we, as followers of Jesus, are to be equipped and empowered by the Holy Spirit to most effectively carry out God’s calling on our lives and to ultimately fulfill the Great Commission,” says Van Noord. “The conferences not only have solid, biblically based teaching, but they also integrate practical exercises into each of the lessons to equip people with practical skills, rather than having attendees simply acquire head knowledge.”

One of the reasons Van Noord introduced the Dunamis Project to Calvin was because it had an irrevocable impact on her own life. She says that teachings from the conferences “opened up Scripture to me in a way I never understood before, greatly increased my intimacy with Jesus Christ [and] guided me to experience inner healing from Jesus on a level I never even knew was possible.” Van Noord goes on to say that the conferences helped her become more in tune with the Holy Spirit, understand her life calling and grow in her spiritual gifts.

“Some of us have a tendency to dramatically underestimate who our God is and the power he wields,” says Van Noord. “We tend to forget we serve an almighty, all-powerful, Sovereign God for whom nothing is impossible, and that he is true to his Word.”

Attending the conference will be Calvin College professors, staff and students; individuals from Calvin Theological Seminary and members of a variety of churches. Rev. Mary Sterenberg, a Dunamis Project instructor and prayer mobilizer for CRC home missions, will be speaking at the fall Dunamis conference along with Jay Knoblock, an evangelist and international Dunamis Project speaker.

Upcoming conferences in the Dunamis series include “The Healing Ministry of Jesus Christ,” offered Jan. 19–21, and “Spiritual Warfare,” offered March 16–18.  

“Without exception, God demonstrates his power and love for his children during these conferences,” Van Noord says. “We welcome you to attend, to grow in your intimacy with Jesus and to be equipped to follow the Spirit’s leading for all of life.”