Q&A with CAC alumni Daylan Moore

Q&A with CAC alumni Daylan Moore. Daylan is a 2015 graduate majoring in Bible and Preaching with a minor in Psychology at Harding University. He recently spoke as a part of Harding University’s Lectureship Series.

You were chosen to speak at Harding University’s Lectureship! What was the selection process like?
The Bible faculty and other professors select students who they would like to see speak at lectureship, and then all of the nominations are voted on. My advisor nominated me, and I was honored to be considered. They emailed me toward the end of the spring semester last year to let me know I had been selected.

How did you to decide the topic you wanted to address?
The overall theme of lectureship was ‘The Book of Romans,’ and I was able to choose what I wanted to talk about within the entire book of Romans. I ended up deciding to focus on Romans Chapter 8.

Why Romans 8?
Over the past couple of years, it has been a passage of scripture that has challenged me and opened my eyes. I was really excited to talk about it because Romans 8 has comforted me and helped me grow as I seek to live more in the image of Christ. My title was “Walking in Step with the Spirit,” and I spoke about how the Holy Spirit works in and through us.

How would you describe your speaking style?
Right off the bat, I like to give a real-life scenario so that everyone can see how the topic applies to their lives; it helps them to be instantly engaged into the story. And even though it’s called ‘lectureship,’ I really tried to shy away from that term, because my speaking style is more interactive. I had handouts, and had people come up to help me with visual aids – I used a lot of crowd participation.

As you were preparing, was there a lesson you learned that you weren’t expecting?
In Chapter 8 it says the same power that lifted Jesus from the grave is the same power that lives in us. That’s comforted me over and over again as I was studying. I’ve gone through different trials and temptations, but when I think about how hard one of my struggles is, and I realize that the same power inside me lifted Jesus from the grave…well, that’s a game changer. If that power can raise Jesus from the grave, it can do anything.

Also, toward the end of the text it talks about the fact that because we live with the spirit of God inside of us, we have an obligation to live for the Spirit. God revealed to me that in a world and culture where we feel like we are obligated to get a certain job, dress a certain way, please people and fulfill so many expectations, our real obligation is to live in step with the Holy Spirit.

How did CAC help prepare you for what you are doing today?
In one of my Bible classes at CAC, we were reading through the New Testament and the teacher told us that if we sat and read through the whole letter or epistle we would be able to get more context and see the whole story. We live such busy lives, and I couldn’t understand how it would be possible for me to make time to read that much. But CAC helped me realized that if following Jesus is so important, I will make time to read scripture and pray. That importance has stuck with me through the years, and it’s one of the main reasons that I still make time to read the Bible – and to not only read it but to be changed by it.