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Houston Chapter of the Science & Culture Network Launches BIG with a Screening of Living Waters

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This Friday night the Houston Chapter of the Science & Culture Network celebrated its public launch with a kickoff featuring a premiere screening of Living Waters: Intelligent Design in the Oceans of the Earth. Over 700 people showed up, quite an impressive turnout when you think about all the other activities that compete for our Friday nights. The premiere took place in the newly built sanctuary of Faith Bible Church in The Woodlands, TX. With a fresh design and theater-style seating, it was the perfect venue for a film screening.

Houston Chapter officer Jarrett McCleskey served as emcee, opening the evening by handing out door prizes — recently released boxed sets of Illustra Media’s Design of Life series — to audience members who had driven the furthest to attend. A surprising number had traveled three to five hours, with the grand prizewinner having come from ten hours away! Clearly, Texas is hungry for intelligent design.

Lee Strobel, who has worked on previous Illustra projects, gave a warm welcome and introduction to the film, commending the tireless work of both Illustra Media and Discovery Institute (thank you!) in demonstrating the design of life, and showing how nature refutes the claims of scientific materialism.

Of course the film itself is beautiful and illuminating, as readers of Evolution News will already know. Afterward, the audience was fully engaged in the Q&A session. Philosopher of biology Dr. Paul Nelson, a Discovery Institute Fellow and featured scholar in the film, joined producer Lad Allen in offering details about the navigational skills of Pacific salmon, advice for young filmmakers, and insights on why scientists are so committed to materialist explanations for phenomena that seem so clearly to be the product of a mind.

Many in the audience hung around for close to an hour after the event to continue the conversation with Strobel, Nelson, Allen, and the Houston Chapter representatives. The lobby was abuzz as attendees discussed their favorite parts of the film. One high school student burst from the sanctuary after the event and exclaimed, “That was so cool! This is my passion!”

The book table, meanwhile, was busy as customers snatched up the new Design of Life sets. At just $22 for three films, it’s a steal, and a great way to start a conversation about ID with your friends.

Bob Jefferis, Chapter president, said the group’s next project will be a meeting at the end of February. If you live in the Houston area, be sure to follow this pioneer chapter of the Science & Culture Network here and subscribe to their e-newsletter for updates on upcoming meetings and more!

We wish to congratulate the Houston Chapter for putting on such an expertly organized and well-attended inaugural event. The energy that our friends in Texas bring to their efforts is truly exciting. And judging from this event, that energy is contagious.

Photo credit: Mark Ramsey.

Janine Sofelt

Janine (Dixon) Solfelt is an Educational Outreach Coordinator with Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture. She has a BA in political science and an emphasis in business, and she has been working in development and outreach at Discovery Institute since 2006. Before coming to Discovery Institute, she worked with the National Association of Evangelicals in Washington, DC.

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