Compiled by Jim Nieman and Chris Moon
The International Conference On Missions shared some statistics from last monthโs gathering in Kansas City, Mo., even as it makes plans for its next annual get-together in Indianapolis Nov. 19-22, 2020.
The total attendance of about 8,500 during the Nov. 14-17 Kansas City gathering was on track with ICOM events of the recent past, while the Student ICOMโor SICOMโremained strong with 575 attending. There were 47 colleges and universities represented, along with 42 public decisions to enter missionary service.
ICOM set records for its biggest KidZone attendance (585), total number of exhibitors (356), and record attendances at the Bible Study Breakfast and Lunch with Missionaries events. The total offering of $63,362 surpassed the goal.
All four main-session speakers were urban workers who spoke on the theme โMind the Gap: Embracing the Cityโ; they included Jeff Fife (president), Nick Dunn, Jay Greer, and Dr. Kang Pyng Lee.
โThe speakers were very encouraging and challenging,โ said one ICOM attendee. โSometimes we laughed, and sometimes we nearly cried. We were blessed by the messages we heard, as well as the many personal testimonies that were shared. God was at work at this ICOM.โ
ON DECK IN 2020
Jeff Vines will serve as president for the upcoming ICOM at the Indianapolis Convention Center. The 2020 theme will be โThe Cross Before Me.โ
Vines is a former missionary to New Zealand and Zimbabwe who has served as lead pastor of ONE&ALL Churchโuntil recently known as Christโs Church of the Valley of San Dimas, Calif.โsince 2008. (Read our article from last week about the churchโs name change and international ministry emphasis.)
Additional speakers for 2020 will include Ravi Zacharias, a noted Christian apologist, author, and founder of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries; Danny Guglielmucci, founder of Edge Church International with campuses in Australia and overseas; and Dr. Ajai Lall, one of the founder directors of Central India Christian Mission (which has planted more than 2,500 churches) and Christian Medical Training Center.
Much more information about the upcoming ICOM in Indianapolis is available at theicom.org.
_ _ _
News Briefs
Exponentialโs Global Conference will take place March 2-5 in Orlando. The theme is โTogether,โ based on John 17 and Jesusโ call to come together. More than 5,000 are expected for equipping, training, and encouraging. Discounted registration rates are available through the end of the year at exponential.org.
_ _ _
๏ปฟGateway Christian Church in St. Albans, W.Va., is planning a recovery home for people working their way out of drug addictions. The recovery home for men would be in a house adjacent to the church. Those living in the home would submit to random drug testing. They also must obtain jobs, pay rent, and attend church twice weekly, in addition to having a recovery coach, according to WSAZ. Plans for the recovery home are receiving some community pushback in part because of the homeโs proximity to the churchโs childcare center.
_ _ _
The annual Lawrence County Bike Giveaway will take place at Central Christian Church, Ironton, Ohio, on Saturday. Two local business owners who have made it their mission to help kids in need by ensuring they receive at least one big giftโa new bicycleโfor Christmas have organized the event since 2011. The men anticipate giving away about 150 bikes this year.
_ _ _
๏ปฟOzark Christian College president Matt Proctor shared a testimony about longtime professor Wilbur Fields, who died last May, as he appealed for funds to pay for improvements and updates to the basement classrooms located in the college library.
Proctor wrote that he didnโt know what to expect in 1988 during his first class (โOld Testament Historyโ) at Ozark, at 7 a.m., there in the basement of that library. But Fieldsโs engaging, informative, and entertaining teaching style quickly won him over. โWithin those four walls, we met God, and that classroom became holy ground (Exodus 3:5).โ
_ _ _
Betty Sensibaugh, 99, widow of Hugh F. Sensibaugh, longtime senior minister with Lockland (Ohio) Christian Church, died Dec. 2 at The Christian Village at Mason (Ohio). The Sensibaughs served LCC together for more than 45 years. They were married 56 years until her husbandโs death in 1997. Hugh F. Sensibaugh was president of the North American Christian Convention in 1966 and served as chairman of the Publishing Committee at Standard Publishingโformer publisher of this magazineโfor 40 years. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until noon services Saturday at The Christian Village at Mason. Vorhis & Ryan Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
_ _ _
๏ปฟFortville (Ind.) Christian Church is teaming up with five other local churches to form a community food pantry. The effort called โFor Fortville Christians Unitedโ is searching for a permanent food pantry location, according to the Daily Reporter newspaper.
FCC has been operating its own small pantry, but the need continues to grow.
โOur church has had a huge growth in the number of people coming to the food pantry over the past year,โ volunteer Erin Flick told the newspaper. She said hours and services could be expanded.
_ _ _
๏ปฟWesterville (Ohio) Christian Churchโs โCentral Parkโ made Columbus Parent magazineโs list of top play places for kids in central Ohio.
โThis play place for ages 2-12 offers an enclosed tunnels-and-nets area and a place for kids to socialize,โ the magazine wrote. โThe area is free and open to the public during scheduled times.โ
_ _ _
A recent pie auction by First Christian Church, West Plains, Mo., raised more than $5,000 for the Ozarks Medical Center Cancer Patient Emergency Fund. It was the third year for the fundraiser.
_ _ _
Send news to **@********************ia.com.
Author: Christian Standard
Contact us at **@********************ia.com
