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Global Church Leaders to Gather for 'Great Commission Summit' at Concordia University Irvine

Global Church Leaders to Gather for 'Great Commission Summit' at Concordia University Irvine

IRVINE, Calif.—May 18, 2016—Concordia University Irvine today announced details for its third Great Commission Summit (GCS), a church leadership conference, Thursday, June 9-10 on the Irvine campus. Designed for pastors and lay church leaders, the Summit connects, equips, and teaches participants to be effective ministers of the gospel amid the changing dynamic of global Christianity, and how that impacts individual church communities.

The focus for this year's summit is reconciliation. In the scriptures, Paul reminds readers of how God reconciled him to Himself through Christ, and how God gave Paul the ministry of reconciliation. This year's summit will explore opportunities of reconciliation in the Global South—nations south of the equator which include Africa, Central and Latin America, and most of Asia—and how opportunities, in the face of challenges, translate person to person, church to community, and church to church.

"The church is driven by the Great Commission to make disciples, and Western church leaders have the unique opportunity to learn from the global community about the changing cultural realities that impact religious growth," said Concordia University Irvine Director of Church Relations the Rev. Bil Hood. "The Great Commission Summit welcomes church leaders to adapt the principles of global Christianity to their own communities and to engage their congregations and networks of fellow leaders to better understand the impact of local ministry."

Speakers Provide a Global Perspective

Speakers for the two-day conference include:

  • Femi B. Adeleye, of Ghana, is head of the Institute for Christian Impact and associate director for Langham Preaching in Africa. Adeleye, a graduate of Wheaton College and the University of Edinburgh, is the author of Preachers of a Different Gospel, Let No Man Despise Your Youth, and co-author of Partnering with the Global Church. Adeleye is the former Director of Church Partnerships for World Vision International where he served for 32 years.
  • Noel Castellanos, of Texas, serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Christian Community Development Association where he established the CCDA Institute to equip emerging church leaders. He has contributed to various books including A Heart for the Community and New Models for Urban and Suburban Ministry. Castellanos was appointed to serve on President Obama's Council for Faith and Neighborhood Partnerships.
  • Prashan De Visser, 25, is the founder and president of Sri Lanka Unites, a youth movement for hope and reconciliation headquartered in Sri Lanka, but serving globally. De Visser earned his bachelor's degree in international affairs from Gordon College.
  • Camille Ntoto, of the Congo, is founder, chairman and CEO of Africa New Day ministries. Born to Congolese parents and educated in Belgium and Congo, Ntoto earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Vanguard University in Costa Mesa. Ntoto and his wife returned to war-torn Congo for ministry, and today run Africa New Day ministries which offers programs for men, women, and children, including a new chapel and primary school.
  • John Nunes is president of Concordia College-New York in Bronxville. Prior to his appointment, he was a professor of Christian values in public and professional life at Valparaiso University. Nunes is the former president and CEO of Lutheran World Relief, a relief organization with offices in 17 countries.

Online registration is $75.5. For a complete schedule, information about accommodations, or to register, visit www.cui.edu/gcs. For event news and live updates, follow #CUIGCS on Twitter.

About Concordia University Irvine

Concordia University Irvine (CUI) is a private non-profit Lutheran Christian four-year university that prepares students for their vocations—their calling in life. Concordia offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs in education, nursing, theology, business, and athletic administration. CUI's undergraduate program is distinctive because of its nationally recognized core curriculum, Enduring Questions & Ideas, and its Lutheran heritage that provides a thoughtful and caring Christian community that lives out the theology of "Grace Alone. Faith Alone." Concordia is a U.S. News Top Tier Regional University and has been named by The Chronicle of Higher Education as one of the fastest growing private nonprofit master's institutions. Marking its 40th anniversary this year, the university enrolls over 4,000 students annually and is in year two of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II Membership Process.

Contact:
Sabrina Suarez, Echo Media Group
(714) 573-0899 ext. 227
[email protected]

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