|
News
2007 Evangelism Congress Keeps the Main Thing the Main Thing
 (September 21, 2006, GBOD) –– The 2007 Congress on Evangelism will be held at the Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, January 2-5, 2007.
The Council on Evangelism, originally founded by Dr. Harry Denman in 1955, sponsors this annual event in cooperation with The United Methodist Church's General Board of Discipleship. The event regularly draws more than 1000 clergy and lay persons.
The theme for the national gathering, "Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing," is inspired by I Corinthians 2:2.
"This event aims to motivate churches to start or improve their evangelistic outreach," said the Rev. Kwasi Kena, director of evangelism for the General Board of Discipleship.
"Attendees come to the Congress for inspiration, instruction, and practical application in the area of evangelism ministries," he said.
Event goals are to:
- Provide an arena for dialogue and exchange of ideas.
- Identify grassroots concerns and need for supporting resources.
- Introduce new styles for communicating the gospel.
- Create an atmosphere receptive to the Spirit of God for the motivation and guidance needed for mission.
Plenary sessions offer national speakers, solid Bible teaching and practical theological lectures, while seventeen workshops provide attendees with the hands on, practical aspects of evangelism ministries.
This year's inspiring keynote speakers include:
- Adam Hamilton, founding pastor of The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas. HE lectures on leadership, evangelism, and preaching across the country. Adam has authored several books and small-group studies.
- Jeff Dunn, senior pastor at Christ United Methodist Church in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. In the fall of 1998, ten Christians gathered to seek God's direction for this new ministry. By January 1999, Christ UMC was holding three worship services at Coastal Carolina University and had outgrown Wall Auditorium by 2001 and a new church facility by 2002. The former "Crook and Chase Theatre" became the home to Christ United Methodist Church in January 2003.
- Anne Graham Lotz, founder of AnGeL Ministries. She has proclaimed God's Word to people around the world for more than thirty years. The daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Billy Graham, Anne launched "Just Give Me Jesus" in the year 2000. Anne is an award-winning, best-selling author.
- Joy J. Moore is an assistant professor of preaching at Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, Kentucky, and is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Brunel University/London School of Theology, London, England. Joy is an ordained elder and a member of the West Michigan Annual Conference.
- J. Ellsworth Kalas, Bible teacher, is professor of preaching at Asbury Theological Seminary. He has served as director of the Beeson International School of Biblical Preaching and Church Leadership. Dr. Kalas is the author of more than twenty books and Bible studies, including Christian Believer and the new Cornerstone study written for World Methodist Evangelism.
- Bishop Scott Jameson Jones, the 2007 Denman lecturer, serves as Episcopal leader of the Kansas Area. Prior to election in 2004, he served as pastor of four congregations and as associate professor of evangelism at Perkins School of Theology. He is the author of United Methodist Doctrine: The Extreme Center and The Evangelistic Love of God and Neighbor.
- Wesley Putnam, a traveling evangelist, preacher, and singer. Wes will provide the music leadership for the event.
Registration fees are as follows:
$135 Single; $175 Couples.
NAUME Members: $67.50, Single; $87.50, Couples.
Registration forms and checks made payable to "Congress on Evangelism" are to be mailed to:
CONGRESS ON EVANGELISM
c/o Rev. Allen Black, Secretary
Hermitage United Methodist Church
205 Belinda Drive
Hermitage, TN 37076
The deadline to mail registration is December 1, 2006. For more information, contact Allen Black at congressonevangelism@hotmail.com, or visit the Congress on Evangelism website.
This article was written by Jeanette Pinkston, Media Relations Director for the General Board of Discipleship.
|
