Published on April 20, 2026  
Reid Chapel

Samford University families are invited to mark their calendars for a new campus event designed to deepen faith and foster meaningful conversation. The inaugural Faith and Culture Summit will take place Feb. 26-27, 2027, offering students, parents and guests a weekend focused on exploring practical apologetics and biblical truth in today’s complex cultural landscape.

Funded in part by a $25,000 “Good Measure” gift from the Parents Association during Family Weekend 2025, the summit reflects parent generosity and a shared commitment to creating opportunities for spiritual growth on campus.

Hosted by the Office of Spiritual Life, the summit will feature nationally recognized speakers and a mix of main sessions and breakout discussions designed to engage students and families in thoughtful dialogue about faith and culture. Sessions will address questions students are navigating today and explore how biblical truth speaks into everyday life with both conviction and compassion.

“Our goal is to help students develop a more deeply rooted and well-reasoned understanding of what they believe and why they believe it,” said Bobby Gatlin, campus pastor. “We want to equip them to stand firm in their faith in a culture that can often feel confusing and uncertain.”

Gatlin said the summit is intentionally designed to move beyond inspiration alone. “This is about discipleship at a deeper level,” he said. “We want students to not only understand what they believe, but to articulate it clearly and live it out with confidence.”

While Samford offers worship-centered gatherings throughout the year, this conference is designed to go deeper by engaging both the heart and the mind. The timing also provides an additional opportunity for families to return to campus for a shared weekend experience with their student.

Support from the Parents Association allows the summit to be offered free to students, reflecting a commitment to making meaningful spiritual and educational opportunities widely accessible across campus.

Additional details, including a full schedule and registration information, will be shared in the coming months. For now, families are encouraged to save the date and plan to join the Samford community for this new event.

 
Located in the Homewood suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford enrolls 6,324 students from 44 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Ranked among U.S. News & World Report’s 35 Most Beautiful College Campuses, Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and boasts one of the highest scores in the nation for its 97% Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.