Sunday SVC finds way to merge faith, film, music during SXSW faith-based event

AUSTIN (KXAN) — South by Southwest is upon us, and there is a faith-based event happening called Sunday SVC.

The event will be at Stubb’s Saturday and Sunday and it will be a “welcoming mix of legendary Texas BBQ, live gospel music by The Choir Room, and conversations that will shape your Faith and work,” according to the event page on SXSW’s website.

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The organizing partner of the event, Zac Jiwa, spoke with KXAN’s Britt Moreno about the first-time event.

Read an edited transcription of the conversation below or use the video player above to watch the discussion.

MORENO: So, I think some people might say, well, you should have faith, maybe anywhere or anytime. But truly why faith at South By?

JIWA: Yeah, well, I mean, I’ve been a part of South By for a number of years, a lot of my career I didn’t. I was in health tech before this. And, you know, even as a believer, we would try to find a spot and huddle on Sunday morning, because you know, that the entire town leaves for spring break here. And there’s just really not a place at SXSW that believers actually come together. And so having an event that is, you know, the first faith-based official programming of South by Southwest is an answer to that. It’s a place where on Sunday believers and others who want to explore faith can actually come and be filled.

MORENO: You know, you mentioned a little bit about your background. I’m curious — when did this idea kind of dawn on you like, oh, we need this at South by Southwest?

JIWA: So this is the second annual, it actually started last year. But I think for a number of us who have gathered at South by Southwest for this big festival, we’ve kind of always, you know, kind of had to figure out what we’re going to do on Sunday morning. And although it was a two-day event, it generated from that idea of you know, where can we go?

MORENO: Tell us a little bit about the event, because I understand there’s some big names showing up, big names speaking and musical acts. So give us the rundown.

JIWA: Yeah, we’re super blessed this year. We have some amazing acts. We have Jonas Group Entertainment. That Jonas name might be popular familiar to some. We have Angel Studios who’s been really big and impactful in the faith-based film space. We have some amazing, incredible athletes coming in.

On Saturday, a lot of Texas Longhorns — hook ’em. We’ve got Bijan Robinson, Sam Acho, Cameron Dicker, Charles Omenihu. So we’re going to have a faith on the field panel that starts, kind of kicks us off on Saturday. Amazing musical acts, and Saturday night, we close with Cory Morrow.

And then on Sunday, we have an actual worship service at 10 a.m. on Sunday morning. Sam Acho will actually be presenting some things there on Sunday morning. And then we have a number of artists we actually have what we call Faith Tank, which is like Shark Tank, but with faith-driven entrepreneurs and faith-driven investors.

Then we end the night with Tauren Wells and For King & Country. For King & Country actually has a new film called “Unsung Hero” that’s brought to us by Kingdom Story Company and Lionsgate Films. So they’re going to be debuting that at South by Southwest.

MORENO: And I want to hear about the big meal that everybody’s partaking in.

JIWA: Yeah, so it is at Stubb’s barbecue, right? Iconic barbecue in Walnut Creek Amphitheatre. One of the things that we do at Sunday SVC is we actually give out free barbecue at certain serving times. So we have people on the streets that are you know, giving out these cards, actually. It is a formal SXSW event. So if you have a platinum gold badge, you have priority, but otherwise register on our website, and you actually register on the Eventbrite. But if you registered and you come into the event at certain serving times, we will be giving out free barbecue.

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