The 22nd Annual Rethinking Forum (June 14th-16th, 2024) & Indian Student Ministry Day: (Thursday, June 13th, 2024)

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”.

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!

Registration is now open!  Please sign up for one of the overnight guest, commuter, or digital attendance options. We look forward to seeing you this summer!

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:

• 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