TED-Style Life-Enrichment Talks Attract Hundreds in Australia

By: Jarrod Stackelroth & Michaela Truscott, Adventist Record

More than 800 people attended a TED-style weekend of presentations held in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, Nov. 4-5, and more than double that number watched online.

PROPHETICA 2017 featured a diverse list of presenters, including award-winning cookbook author Sue Radd, leading lifestyle disease researcher Ross Grant, radio host and history buff Lyle Southwell, and former punk rocker turned pastor David Asscherick.

The 20-minute presentations included numerous ways for audience members to participate in Q and A sessions, including a mobile text line, meet and greet sessions and meet the host dinners.

The event was held at the Empire Theatre, and event organizers say they were happy with the turnout as a first-of-its-kind event.

Event organizer Julian Archer was thrilled by the community response. “It was so encouraging for our amazing team to see hundreds of people from all walks of life purchasing tickets to an event that offered them the latest scientifically-proven techniques for increasing their health, hope, and happiness.”

While many attendees were from the local area, quite a number traveled up to 100 kilometers (60 miles) to attend the event. There was also a group from Vanuatu.

In attendance was a group of 14 theology and ministry students and three faculty members from Avondale College of Higher Education (NSW).

The students found the opportunity to hear such polished presenters beneficial and will take back skills and techniques learned from the short but information-heavy presentations.

“The caliber of the speakers and their knowledge of the subject matter was fantastic,” said Aniele, a third-year student.

The group was sponsored by the Avondale Ministerial Training Scholarship Fund, set up in 2001 to help support ministry and theology students with potential for full-time ministry to pursue extra learning experiences.

The PROPHETICA 2017 team has been asked to consider holding similar events in other cities.

You can watch the PROPHETICA 2017 presentations on the group’s website.