Conferences &amp; Gatherings

Stone-Campbell Journal Conference Set for April 5, 6

The 18th annual Stone-Campbell Journal (SCJ) Conference will take place next month at Johnson University Tennessee in Knoxville. The conference will be from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. April 5, and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 6. The theme “Acts and Paul: Another Look” will be developed by Craig Keener, F. M. Ada Thompson Professor of Biblical Studies, Asbury (Ky.) Theological Seminary; Jerry Sumney, professor or biblical studies, Lexington (Ky.) Theological Seminary; and David Fiensy, emeritus professor of biblical studies, Kentucky Christian University in Grayson. Keener will present “Interpreting Acts: The Value of Cultural Background” and “Interpreting Romans: The

January 29, 2019

How Is ICOM Making a Lasting Impact on the Church?

By Emily Drayne Youth conferences, weeks of camp, training conferences for adults, and mission trips are all mountaintop experiences. Participants come home refreshed, revitalized, and more passionate about the things they spent time focusing on. But life inevitably slows down, the daily humdrum returns, and the fire inside begins to flicker. There is at least one Great Commission-focused event, however, from which there seems to be no post-event letdown: the International Conference On Missions. What makes ICOM different? I’m convinced it’s the on-fire vibe that permeates the conference. People attend ICOM to do something: win the world for Christ, find

November 21, 2018

Michael C. Mack

The ICOM 2018 Recap

By Michael C. Mack The International Conference On Missions was held last week in Cincinnati, Ohio, with the theme, “Unhindered.” Kevin Dooley served as president this year. Christian Standard Media was a sponsor and exhibitor. We plan to report in more detail about the conference later in our print/digital issue, but here is a quick recap: — ICOM is still tabulating total attendance, but 3,500 people pre-registered and several thousand registered onsite. — About 2,300 people attended the first three sessions, which is an increase of about 400 to 500 over last year’s sessions. — There were 314 exhibitors

November 12, 2018

Seven Insider Facts About ICOM

By Emily Drayne The strategic focus of the International Conference On Missions is no secret—it’s apparent in the name—but there’s much more that goes on beneath the surface. Do you know these seven insider facts about ICOM? See if you’re an ICOM expert! 1. The idea for a missions conference came from an unexpected place. The idea for the missions conference was born in Los Angeles. J. Russell Morse and John T. Chase had the idea for a “missions emphasis day” before the North American Christian Convention, and the first such meeting occurred in 1948 in Springfield, Illinois. Attendance grew

October 30, 2018

The Uttermost Banquet

By Lena Wood In mid-November the International Conference on Missions will meet in Cincinnati. Thousands will gather, as they have for 70 years. Friends will reconnect from all over the world. They might share an Italian meal at the hotel, a breakfast of French roast coffee and croissants, or an Asian feast at a Japanese steakhouse. Almost anywhere in the world nowadays you can partake of meals from . . . almost anywhere. If we were to have a fellowship meal here and each of you brought food from the farthest place you’d ever been, what kind of ethnic meal

October 11, 2018

Big Preaching

The Oct. 13, 1928, Christian Standard featured a printed version of the keynote address of George Taubman, serving that year as president of the second North American Christian Convention, then taking place in Kansas City, Mo. Taubman served as minister with First Christian Church, Long Beach, Calif., where his men’s Bible class exceeded 2,000 in attendance each Sunday. We will focus on an editorial from that week’s issue, but not anything related to Taubman or the NACC. “Big Preaching” most likely was written by then-editor Willard Lee Mohorter. _ _ _ Big Preaching When Abraham Lincoln was candidate for the

August 11, 2017

Plans Announced for 2018 SCJ ConferenceÂ

For the first time, Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan College will host the 2018 Stone-Campbell Journal (SCJ) Conference on April 6 and 7 on its Johnson City, TN, campus. The theme “Theology of Others: Judaism, Islam, and “˜None-of-the-Aboves,”” will be developed by Ellen Charry, Margaret W. Harmon Professor of Theology, Princeton (NJ) Theological Seminary; Evertt Huffard, dean, Harding School of Theology (Memphis, TN); and Richard Knopp, professor of philosophy and Christian apologetics, Lincoln (IL) Christian University. Charry will present “”˜The Wall of Hostility Has Come Down”: Reconstructing the Theological Relationship Between Judaism and Christianity”; Huffard will present “Allah Is God:

February 3, 2017

ICOM 2016: Disciples Making Disciples

By Doug Priest Mitchell and Luis looked a little lost in the exhibition hall at the Lexington (Kentucky) Convention Center, home to the 2016 International Conference on Missions. They came from the Dominican Republic. Mitchell had come to the convention once before, eight years ago. But the convention had grown a lot in the past eight years, and there were 300 different exhibitors! It is no wonder they were amazed at all they saw. These men are pastors. They belong to Centro Cristiano, an association of Christian churches in the Dominican Republic that has 23 pastors. Four of the pastors

November 22, 2016

Good Smells, Great Lives

By Mark A. Taylor I got to the Lexington Center at 1:15 Saturday afternoon, a little before I”d promised to be there. We were planning a special 2:00 event in our International Conference on Missions booth, and the attendant had promised to be there at 1:30 to help us get ready. But as soon as I entered the exhibit hall, I knew she was already on the job. I could smell the popcorn popping. Soon the aroma was filling the whole, huge facility. And even before our announced start time, we relented and allowed the people lining up to grab

August 10, 2016

‘Tomorrow’ Workshop

CHRISTIAN STANDARD hosted a workshop about the future of the movement it has served for 150 years. Hear the discussion, conducted during the North American Christian Convention in Anaheim in 2016, with Matt Proctor, Jennifer Johnson, and Ben Cachiaras, hosted by editor Mark A. Taylor. Complete workshop here.

July 19, 2016

10 Reasons to Attend the Global Gathering in New Delhi Next January

By Mark A. Taylor As I”m reflecting on the soul-refreshing experience of last week”s North American Christian Convention in Anaheim, California, I”m filled with anticipation for another similar opportunity. Similar, because it promises rich fellowship and unique worship with committed believers. Similar, because it offers the chance to learn from Christian leaders extending the gospel in ways I may not have considered. But the convention I”m anticipating is different in many special ways from the NACC just finished. This month I”m encouraging Christians from across America to go with me to the 19th Global Gathering of the World Convention January

December 4, 2015

John W. Samples and Saleem Hanna, ICOM 2015

John W. Samples from the Christian Holy Land Foundation and Saleem Hanna, pastor in Nazareth, Israel, join Mark Taylor for a conversation about the state of Christianity in Israel in this video interview.

December 2, 2015

Robert Crews, ICOM 2015

Robert Crews, director of 3:18 Ministries, a work with Apache Indians based in Globe, Arizona, talks about the overlooked population of Native Americans and his call to bring them the gospel. Hear his discussion with Editor Mark Taylor in this video interview.

November 21, 2015

ICOM: A Conference with Eternal Value

By Rick Jett I used to feel sorry for the away team. When I ministered in Marion, Indiana, in the mid-1980s, the Marion Giants were the dominant high school basketball team in the state. They were state champions three years in a row. On game day, everyone in town wore purple and gold to support the home team. Nearly 7,000 fans would fill the high school athletic arena. The ceremony before each home game was designed to intimidate the away team. After everyone stood for the national anthem, the announcer would introduce the starting lineup for the visitors. The cheerleaders

November 18, 2015

Three Sisters, Three Mission Stories – ICOM 2015

Annie Bishop with Diamond Willow Ministries, Katie Broyles with Maritime Ministries, and Emilie Cooper with Team Expansion tell Mark A. Taylor how God led them””all of them sisters from the same family in a small eastern North Carolina town””to serve him in three different missions around the globe. Hear their stories here.

November 17, 2015

Mike Schrage, ICOM 2015

Mike Schrage, executive director with Good News Productions International talks about the need for churches to make better use of technology and how that will be the subject of the 2016 International Conference on Missions, scheduled to meet in Lexington, November 17-20. (He”s the president.) Click here to see this interview with Mark A. Taylor.

November 16, 2015

Joe Wilson, ICOM 2015

Joe Wilson, director of the Eastern Christian Conference, describes how church work in the Eastern United States has changed for congregations identifying with the Restoration Movement. See this interview with Mark A. Taylor here.

November 15, 2015

Kendi Kemerly, ICOM 2015

Kendi Kemerly began Kendi”s Cows of Grace when she was only 9 years old. Click here to see her interview with editor Mark A. Taylor and learn more about how even a young girl can work with others to change lives on the other side of the globe.

November 14, 2015

Jennifer Johnson, ICOM 2015

CHRISTIAN STANDARD contributing editor Jennifer Johnson shares some insights into her 2015 ICOM message: How our approach to the Bible plays out in our approach to the culture and why we should approach a changing culture with confidence instead of fear. See this exclusive interview with Mark A. Taylor here.

November 13, 2015