Rethinking Forum 2024
“Going Deeper – Reflections on Faith and Culture in Hindu Communities”
The 22nd Annual Rethinking Forum
June 14th-16th, 2024
&
Indian Student Ministry (ISM) Day
Thursday, June 13th, 2024
Philadelphia, PA
What is the Rethinking Forum?
The Rethinking Forum (RF) is an annual gathering of like-minded Alongsiders, presented by the MARG Network, and the only event of its kind in North America. At the Rethinking Forum you will have the chance to meet fellow practitioners and hear from leading voices in the field who come alongside Hindu people. Come join us as we learn, share, network, and grow.
Our theme for Rethinking Forum 2024 is “Going Deeper – Reflections on Faith and Culture in Hindu Communities”.
This year’s conference will continue RF’s tradition of highlighting both the frontier edge of scholarship and the time-tested practical wisdom of fellow Alongsiders. Last year’s Rethinking Forum featured excellent content including presentations, discussions, and break-out activities for the 125 participants. On last year’s theme of “Ways I’ve Changed as an Alongsider”, presentations included perspectives from Hindu and Indian Christian followers of Jesus, the role of arts in walking alongside Hindu people, lifelong Alongsider testimonies, and New Testament wisdom for cross-cultural workers. For one perspective of what attending an RF is like, check out this article.
At RF 2024, in addition to the godly and practical presentations, we will prioritize collaboration amongst all participants, both in-person and digital. Break-outs are scheduled for both in-person and digital attendees that cover a wide variety of topics. For in-person attendees, we will again host the very popular RF Town Hall meeting for a second year in a row. Many RF participants report that the people they meet at a Rethinking Forum are their highlights of the conference.
We are bringing back the dedicated Indian Student Ministry (ISM) Day for this year’s RF based on the great feedback from last year. Indian international students continue to make up a growing proportion of the international students on college campuses across the United States, and many long-serving ISM staff and volunteers voice a desire to learn more about this important student group. Come spend a day hearing from ISM leaders about their time walking alongside Hindu students!
We are excited to host this year’s Rethinking Forum in Philadelphia, PA this summer. This will be the first RF held in Philadelphia. The region boasts both a large and growing Hindu community in addition to the rich, national history of Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. We are also hopeful that outside temperatures during this year’s gathering will be cooler than the 112 degrees Fahrenheit that has been typical in Texas the last two years!
This conference is run by Alongsiders and for Alongsiders. Please make plans now to join us this June in Philadelphia for the Rethinking Forum and/or the ISM Day. We think you’re going to love it!
Registration is now open! Please sign up below for one of the overnight guest, commuter, or digital attendance options. We look forward to seeing you this summer! If you’re still deciding about whether or not to register, the best way to keep informed with further details about the conference is by subscribing to get email updates from the MARG Network. Click here.
Who is it for?
Rethinking Forum 2024 (RF ’24) is designed for people who share both a love for Jesus and a love for Hindu people. We call these kinds of people “Alongsiders”, people who want to help Hindus explore what devotion to Jesus means. There are a wide variety of opinions within the network regarding appropriate convictions and practices, and we embrace the diversity.
This article, What is an Alongsider?, identifies both character qualities and activities we strive to model.
Testimonials from last year’s Rethinking Forum in Dallas:
“The Rethinking Forum has helped me grow tremendously in my understanding of my Hindu friends’ culture and beliefs! The variety of speakers sharing their expertise and experiences have given me a more holistic understanding of my Hindu friends and how to love them well…”
“The RF conference is incredibly helpful in understanding Hindus and how best to come alongside them with the love of Jesus!”
“It was so encouraging to hear from others who have a passion to come alongside Hindus, as I do..it felt like I wasn’t so alone…”
“Rethinking Forum is a phenomenal way to network with other like-minded individuals who desire to humbly love Christ, their Hindu neighbors, + walk alongside them… Highly recommend this conference! You can’t get content like this anywhere else.”
“I was definitely challenged at this year’s Rethinking Forum. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy myself–I had a wonderful time meeting people who share a common vision, especially one that is rare where we come from. But boy were we challenged. I’m thankful for the decades of experience and wisdom that is represented in each conversation that was had at the forum. “
“As a digital participant, I felt it was so well managed and I felt so cared for. It was an excellent experience!”
“The RF seems to be the largest and most diverse gathering of people befriending Hindus in the United States…”
Rethinking Forum Agenda
RF ’24 starts on Friday, June 14th and ends on Sunday, June 16th. Friday and Saturday are the main days of the conference and run from 9am to 5:30pm, with a variety of talks, panel discussions, and breakout groups planned. On Sunday, June 16th the schedule runs from 9am to 12pm. Travelers are encouraged to plan their return travel for Sunday afternoon.
Highlighted topics of RF ’24 will include (with more to come):
- Panel Discussions and Leading Speakers on Alongsiding with:
- Indian International Students
- Families
- Hindu communities
- Reflections of followers of Jesus from Hindu and Christian backgrounds
- Approachable, Worshipping Communities – One Way to Alongside
- Bridging Cultures
- Meeting Face to Face – The Challenge of True Cross-Cultural Relationships
- Media, Resources, and Growth Opportunities
- Worship
Every year we are sure to include dedicated times of focused networking around set topics. Breakout sessions at RF’24 will include these topics:
- Language communities (Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Bengali, etc)
- Religious communities (Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, etc)
- Geographic focus (US states and regions, India, etc)
- Demographic affinity (college students, working professionals, young families, multigenerational families)
In addition to the regular conference proceedings, we will have a variety of evening activities for in-person attendees.
- The 3rd Annual Indian Film Festival – Nightly film screenings.
- The 2nd Annual RF Town Hall – Last year’s RF Town Hall was very popular. We’re excited to bring it back this year!
Indian Student Ministry Pre-Conference
The Indian Student Ministry (ISM) Day is focused on equipping and encouraging those who serve Indian international students with a dedicated day of programming and group collaboration. Experienced speakers from a variety of organizations will present, and there will be a lot of time for sharing best practices amongst each other. The ISM Day starts at 9am and ends at 5:30pm on Thursday, June 13th. Lunch and supper will be provided for those who attend.
Topics for the ISM Day include:
- Understanding Hindu Worldviews
- Best practices from Experienced ISM Practictioners
- Four ISM Pivots to Consider
- Lots of breakout groups, including:
- Challenges and Frustrations in ISM
- Regional breakouts (North Texas, Central Texas, the Southeast, Great Plains, Midwest, etc)
- College-specific meetings for those at prominent Texas universities
- Resources Available
Location
This year’s Rethinking Forum will be held at Cairn University in Langhorne, PA (near Philadelphia). The address is 200 Manor Avenue, Langhorne, PA 19047. Cairn University is located in the northeastern Philadelphia suburbs, and is conveniently accessible to other regional cities.
- New York City (~1.5 hours)
- Princeton, NJ (~40 minutes)
- New Brunswick, NJ (~1 hour)
- West Chester, PA (~1 hour)
- Lancaster, PA (~1.5 hours)
The Cairn University campus is an approximate 45 minute drive from the Philadelphia International Airport.
Policies
For security purposes during the conference, we will have a “by permission only” policy for taking photos, meaning you must have everyone’s permission in a photo before taking it.
We do not share registration details with any other group.
All participants (both in-person and digital) will have access to the recordings after the conclusion of the conference.
For multiple attendees in a group, each person should register and pay separately.
Registration
You can choose from four registration options for Rethinking Forum 2024:
- Overnight (either Private or Shared Room) – An affordable option for those who choose to stay in student housing overnight at Cairn University.
- Commuter – For those commuting daily to campus, either from home or a nearby hotel.
- Digital-only
ISM Day Registration can be purchased both independently and as an add-on with any of the options, above. For those who attend both the ISM Day and RF ’24, overnight housing will be available for Wednesday night, June 12th. The ISM Day starts at 9am on Thursday, June 13th and ends at 5:30pm. Lunch and supper are included for all in-person participants.
For all in-person attendees (both commuters and overnight):
- Lunch and supper are included in your registration for your conference days (ISM Day – Thursday and/or RF’24 – Friday and Saturday). Please plan to join us for these meals, as these meals together are a key time for building relationships and pursuing further conversations with those you meet at the conference.
- All in-person registrations also include snacks, coffee, and a free highlighted conference book.
Overnight registrations include:
- RF’24: Three (3) nights of accommodation (Thursday evening through Sunday morning).
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner on Friday and Saturday. Also Breakfast on Sunday. Dinner on the night of your arrival. (8 meals total).
- RF ’24 overnight registrations can check in after 3pm on Thursday, June 13th.
- Combined ISM Day & RF’24: Four (4) nights of accommodation (Wednesday evening through Sunday morning).
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Also Breakfast on Sunday. Dinner on the night of your arrival. (11 meals total).
- ISM Day overnight registrations can check in after 3pm on Wednesday, June 12th.
- ***Please note, our overnight housing option is student housing and is not a hotel-equivalent situation.***
- Overnight guests will need to provide their own linens and towels.
- The beds are elevated.
- Each room will be a multi-person suite with a private bath.
- You can select to have either a private room or a shared room.
- If you know with whom you’d like to share a room, please mention it in the registration process.
- The Rethinking Forum has arranged with the local hotel, Sheraton Bucks County Langhorne, to reserve a block of rooms for RF ’24 participants. These rooms are available for a reduced price and should be booked using the link, below. Please note, registering to stay at the Sheraton Bucks County (or any other hotel) is a second reservation and independent from registering for the Rethinking Forum. Please register for RF ’24 using the Commuter Registration link if you are planning to stay at the Sheraton Bucks County or another local hotel.
- Book your group rate for Cairn University Conference 6-13-24
- Sheraton Bucks County Langhorne for 169 USD per night
- Start Date: Thursday, June 13, 2024
- End Date: Sunday, June 16, 2024
- Last Day to Book: Tuesday, May 28, 2024
Commuter registration
- RF ’24 – Lunch and Dinner on both Friday and Saturday, June 14th & 15th
- ISM Day – Lunch and Dinner on Thursday, June 13
Sessions start at 9:00am each day. Please plan to arrive by 8:45am. Both lunch and dinner are included in your registration; the evening meal will be served at approximately 5:30pm. You are welcome to stay on campus throughout each day’s evening activities.
Digital-only registration
If you are not able to travel to Philadelphia, you can still participate in the conference. If you sign up as a digital participant, you’ll be invited to a private online group where we will be live-streaming the presentations. You will be able to view the presentations in real time and interact with other participants, asking questions and adding comments throughout the conference. To ensure the best possible experience, there will be a dedicated moderator of the digital stream live at the conference to interface between the speakers and the digital participants. Digital registration is available for RF ’24, the ISM Day, and a combination package that includes both.
In addition, you will also have access to the digital archives of the presentations after they are finished.
If you have any trouble processing the payment, or if you do not receive an email confirmation, please send an email to alongsiders@margnetwork.org.
About the Organizers
The MARG Network is dedicated to helping people in North America who desire to come alongside Hindu people as they explore what devotion to Jesus looks like. The Rethinking Forum dates to a collaborative meeting in 2001, and the first official Rethinking Forum on September 6-8, 2002. The Rethinking Forum has been the central meeting space for the sharing of ideas and experiences related to discipleship issues in Hindu contexts since its inception.