Displaying items by tag: conference

The future of the established Church of England was the focus of a recent conference in Oxford. Scholars, clergy, and laypeople gathered to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the Church in modern society. Topics included declining attendance, the Church’s role in public life, and the need for renewal and reform. Keynote speaker Professor Sarah Foot emphasised the importance of the Church adapting to contemporary cultural shifts while maintaining its theological foundations. Discussions highlighted the tension between tradition and innovation, with many calling for a renewed focus on community engagement and social justice. The conference underscored the urgency for the Church to find new ways to connect with a diverse and often secular population, while preserving its core mission and values. Participants left with a sense of both the challenges ahead and a commitment to work towards a vibrant future for the CofE.

In a virtual Conservative conference speech in which Boris Johnson’s gaze extended over the horizon, to the time when our national conversation is no longer dominated by coronavirus. He said he wanted to build a ‘new Jerusalem’, with opportunity for all and improved housing and healthcare. He warned the UK could not return to normal after the pandemic, which would be a ‘catalyst’ for major change; and rejected suggestions he had ‘lost his mojo’ as ‘drivel’. He wants to see the back of coronavirus and the ‘erosion of liberties’ it had led to. He wants to see the country flourishing again. He said, ‘Even in the darkest moments we can see the bright future ahead, and we can see how to build it and we will build it together.’

The EU, along with UNHCR and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), is organising a high-level international conference on 28 and 29 October in Brussels. They are calling for urgent and concerted action for Venezuelan refugees and migrants. On 23 October Brussels highlighted the dramatic flight of millions of Venezuelans - one of the direst displacement crises in the world, and the largest in the recent history of the region. Nearly 80% of the 4.5 million who left their country have remained in Latin America or the Caribbean. Although countries in the region show solidarity towards them, their capacity and resources are reaching breaking point. The conference aims to raise awareness of the crisis, reaffirm global commitments, and assess best practices.

We would like to extend a warm invitation to the South East Asia Prayer Council Conference 2019 which takes place from 8th to 11th October 2019 at the Changi Village Hotel in Singapore.

We are grateful to Senior Pastor DjohanHandoyo from Bethany Church Singapore who is our Host this year.  Pastor Handoyo along with Reverend Edmund Smith, founder and Director of Real Love Ministry (RLM) Melaka, Malaysia, will be speaking on the theme: 'From Glory to Glory' - How we experience His Glory!

Dr Jason Hubbard – Executive Coordinator of IPC will also be taking part.

We look forward to welcoming delegates from the 11 nations of South East Asia as well as international visitors and IPC friends from around the world.

Full details of the event along with links to Register and Book accommodation are on the conference website at www.seaprayer2019singapore.org/

In His service,

Pastor Veronica Lorenzana | Pastor Ann Low

South East Asia Prayer Council

Church leaders are being encouraged to join their peers for an overnight conference that seeks to help ministers of the gospel release and channel the power within their congregations. As the body of Christ in a country that is presently trying to break through a whole host of challenges, including those around uncertainty and division, Evangelical Alliance member Share Jesus International (SJI) has sensed that it is the right time to hold the Ekklesia conference. It is SJI’s first event of this kind, and it will bring together interdenominational leaders and speakers from many different churches for a programme of prayer, worship, teaching, storytelling, and more.

A recent Confident Christianity conference in Dundee’s Central Baptist Church saw around three hundred people considering how to share the gospel in our age of tough questions. Pastor Jim Turrent started proceedings with a call for the Church to embrace the Biblical call to unashamed proclamation. He suggested that lack of confidence in the gospel is the main factor inhibiting our effective witness today. Evangelists suggested how to open up deeper, more fruitful conversations around Jesus and the gospels, and Dr Ben Thomas gave his testimony of conversion to Christ when he was sharing his life with his same-sex partner. He explained that deep wrestling with scripture led him to conclude that this could not continue, and therefore he has chosen a single, celibate life. Reactions to the conference were positive. Organisers are praying that its fruit will be more ‘Confident Christians’, because they are the key to the re-evangelisation of Scotland and the North.

Participants at the UN climate talks in Poland have discussed how they will keep promises made in 2015 to reduce their climate footprint by 2020. Global warming occurs when carbon dioxide and methane emissions increase, trapping solar energy. As more gases enter the atmosphere, earth’s temperature rises rise; changing the timing and length of seasons and the amount and frequency of rainfall - rising sea levels, flooding, droughts and a range of ecosystem changes affecting life on earth. Two years ago, research found (see) that widespread adoption of vegetarian diets would cut food-related emissions by 63%. There are 3.6 billion sheep, cattle, goats and buffalo on the planet, 50% more than fifty years ago. Methane from their digestive systems is the single biggest human-related source of greenhouse gas. This is a great concern to the livestock industry worldwide. See also

The 18th International Anti-Corruption Conference brought together 1,800+ delegates from civil society, governments, multilateral agencies, and the private sector. They came from 144 countries to exchange ideas and experiences. Although there has been progress around the world, they are concerned that the foundations of democracy and the rule of law are under threat in many countries. Today, the world is witnessing erosion of good governance, sharp increases in human rights violations and violence. The role of civil society is also being impeded by repressive governments. The rise of authoritarianism, in the guise of populist regimes, threatens all who defend social justice regardless of the regions or continents. Stealing from their own people, colluding with criminals, and distorting laws and truth to serve their own interests result in extremist movements and harsh divisions.

Government exists to serve the people, but as Conservatives gathered in Birmingham for their last party conference before leaving the EU, relationships between government members were fraught. Many media interviews at the conference were about Brexit rather than about government policy. Divisions over Europe caused MPs to be focused on internal debates; but as they face the Brexit challenge they need to be outward-facing to negotiate in good faith. Dominic Raab summed up the controversies: ‘I’ll tell you what’s not democracy: the efforts of a small, influential group of senior politicians and establishment figures to overturn the result of the referendum. You can just picture them, sitting in an expensive advertising agency, discussing how to claim that black is white. “Our research shows that the public doesn’t like the idea of a second referendum. That’s all right - we’ll rebrand it a people’s vote. They might buy that.”’

December 5-7, 2017
Saddleback Church
Lake Forest, CA

Finishing The Task is an association of mission agencies and churches who want to see reproducing churches planted among every people groups in the world.  Does this passion also burn in your heart? Then we invite you to join us this year at the 2017 Finishing The Task Conference!

"I attended my first Finishing The Task conference in December [2016]...[the speakers] inspired me to get more involved and be more intentional with the task of the Great Commission"
— Kent Kiefer, CEO of Scriptures In Use

Who Should Attend?

If you identify with one or more of the following categories, this conference is for you!

• Sending Organization/Church
• You want to send (or help send) gospel workers to plant multiplying churches among Unengaged, Unreached People Groups (UUPGs).
• Resource Provider
• You indirectly engage UUPGs by gathering resources (i.e., finances, training, or media tools).
• Mission Mobilizer
• You promote the engagement of UUPGs by increasing awareness, vision-casting, and connecting potential gospel workers and resources with engagement opportunities.
• Prayer/Prayer Leader or Mobilizer
• You promote the engagement of UUPGs through prayer in building a platform of prayer, awareness building, vision casting and connecting prayer as a foundational aspect and resource with opportunities among UUPGs

This is a hands-on conference where you will interact with others to discover where the Lord is leading you!

More info and sign up: http://finishingthetask.org/

Who Are the Keynote Presenters?

Paul Eshleman — Director, Finishing the Task
Paul Eshleman is Vice President of Networks and Partnerships for Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ International). Paul founded the JESUS Film Project and served as its Director for 25 years. He led the nationwide “I Found it Campaign”, EXPLO 72, and recently headed the Strategy Working Committee for the Lausanne Movement. Paul currently serves as the Executive Director of the Finishing the Task Network and President of the Issachar Initiative. He and his wife Kathy have two adult children and live in Orange County, CA.

Rick Warren — Pastor, Saddleback Church
Pastor Rick Warren founded Saddleback Valley Community Church with his wife Kay more than 30 years ago. Today, the church, located in Lake Forest, Calif., is one of the 10 largest and most influential churches in America. Recognizing his far-reaching influence, Pastor Warren developed The PEACE Plan to partner with churches, businesses and NGOs to Promote reconciliation, Equip servant leaders, Assist the poor, Care for the sick and Educate the next generation. Pastor Warren is also the author of “The Purpose Driven Life,” the bestselling non-fiction hardback in publishing history.

Louie Giglio — Pastor, Passion City Church
Louie Giglio is Pastor of Passion City Church and the Founder of the Passion movement, which exists to call a generation to leverage their lives for the fame of Jesus.

Since 1997, Passion has gathered collegiate-aged young people in events across the US and around the world. Most recently, Passion 2017 gathered more than 55,000 students in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome in one of the largest collegiate gatherings in its history.

In addition to the collegiate gatherings of Passion Conferences, Louie and his wife Shelley lead the teams at Passion City Church, sixstepsrecords and the Passion Global Institute. Louie is the author of The Comeback, The Air I Breathe, I Am Not But I Know I Am, and Goliath Must Fall, releasing May 2017.

Nik Ripken — Global Missioligist, IMB and Author, "The Insanity of God"
Dr. Nik and his wife, Ruth, are mission veterans for over 32 years with the International Mission Board, having served in Malawi, Transkei, South Africa, Kenya, Somalia, Germany, Ethiopia, and the Middle East.

Nik has a B.A. in Religion and History, along with a Masters and Doctorate in Ministry and both he and Ruth currently serve as Global Missiologists. Dr. Ripken is the author of many articles on missions and, along with Ruth, has done extensive research among the persecuted in approximately 70 countries. He is the author of "The Insanity of God: A True Story of Faith Resurrected" and "The Insanity of Obedience: Walking with Jesus in Tough Places". In cooperation with B&H Publishing, a curriculum based upon both books was developed in 2016 and a documentary based on "The Insanity of God" was released nationwide in 2016.