SATURDAY APRIL 14 SEMINAR SCHEDULE & DESCRIPTIONS
10:00AM
The Problem with Evil
Church Room 2 (Missionary Principles & Practices)
How can God co-exist with all the evil and suffering we see in the world? It’s a question many are afraid to ask. It is a statement that those who deny Christ use as an attack. Come and learn how to respond using the Word of God.
Mark Sheldrake
Mark currently serves as the Event and Training Coordinator, Director of Transform Canada Student Ministries, and joined the staff at Precept Ministries since 2007. Mark has been a Youth Pastor and Senior Pastor for 15 years working in the local church, and involved with high school ministry through Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship. He ministers to adults and students across Canada, at conferences, workshops and worship services.
Discipleship: A Fractal Approach
Church Room 4 (Missionary Principles & Practices)
Jesus’ method of investing in 12 and teaching them to do the same has been sidelined in favour of a massive scale-up approach. Fractals (repeating patterns) offer a solution.
Jim Klaas
Jim has worked in discipleship for 35 years. He is bi-vocational with an online discipleship ministry to Latin America called Instituto de Discipulado and as an educational technology consultant. He has written a book – Fractals and Faith: Patterns in Discipleship.
Jewish Evangelism Seminar
Church Room 5 (Missionary Principles & Practices)
If you can witness to a Jewish person, you can witness to just about anybody. You will glean valuable tips on presenting the gospel to Jewish friends and ‘not so Jewish’ friends alike. This seminar provides insight into various objections to the gospel as well as conversation techniques, understanding Jewish sensitivities and more!
Andrew Barron
Andrew is an evangelist with Jews for Jesus Canada, an organization that proclaims Jesus is the Messiah of Israel and Saviour of the world. “What can be more Jewish than following the Messiah?” says Barron, who considers himself 100% Jewish and 100% Christian.
What You Don't Know About Yoga
Gym Room 1 (Least Reached)
A very relevant seminar for Toronto where yoga studios are mushrooming. You will learn about the hidden roots of Yoga, some contemporary trends in Hinduism and some key elements for Hindu evangelism.
Blessan Cherian
Blessan has a passion to reach Hindu friends with the gospel of Jesus. He is currently working on receiving is ThM at Tyndale Seminary, and through The Word Connect Outreach seminars, he equips Christians for Hindu evangelism.
How the Church Can Reach International Students
Gym Room 2 (Least Reached)
Over 85,000 international students are studying in Ontario. The majority of them come from countries in the 10/40 window. Churches are the perfect place for students to experience the transforming love of Christ. We’ll discuss initiating and strengthening IS ministry in the church.
Twylla Plett
Twylla has been ministering to foreign students in the context of local churches since 1995. She is currently the National Field Director for International Student Ministries Canada, and has taught in a multi-level ESL program, bible studies and international Sunday school.
11:30AM
Evangelism, Where Faith Costs the Most…no pain, no gain
Church Room 2 (Mission News & Views)
This seminar will give you a global overview of tremendous victories and challenges of believers evangelizing in restricted access nations. You will gain vital insights into God’s faithfulness and learn of a victorious Church, vibrant and strong in the face of fierce opposition.
Paul Johnson
Paul is the Executive Director of Open Doors Canada and has served persecuted Christians for more than 20 years. He has ministered extensively across Canada, Asia, Africa, Middle East and Latin America.
English - God's RAD (Restricted Access Door)
Church Room 4 (Missions Vocational Skills & Opportunities)
You’ve got English. You’ve got the Truth. Learn the potential of these two combined in the life and ministry of a foreign English teacher, short or long term, in a restricted access country of Asia.
Elmer Warkentin
Elmer is a professional teacher who has taught in Canada, Nigeria and China. He has travelled extensively in Asia and is passionate about the amazing opportunities for English teachers, especially in restricted access countries. Elmer serves as English Language Institute/China’s partnership coordinator for Manitoba and Ontario.
Vacationing God’s Way!
Church Room 5 (Short-Term Missions)
Want to learn how you can use your vacation in another country to do God’s work? What is it like to experience a short-term mission trip? You can do it! Come and find out how.
Alan & Sue McDougall
Alan and Sue served as full-time missionaries in Columbia, South America for 19 years. So they know the value of well trained teams coming into a new culture to lend a hand. Today they work with Missionary Ventures Canada assisting churches and small groups to prepare to go.
Satan's Greatest Deception and God's Victory
Gym Room 1 (Mission News & Views)
Ron visits the world’s spiritual hotspots and will show how the Church is explosively growing in the Middle East, China and more. His stories of real life Christians who are changing this world will challenge you.
Ron Pearce
Having spent decades working in international missions, Ron, Executive Director/Founder of Empower Ministries has been privileged to meet some of God’s choicest servants around the world. The passion, enthusiasm and dedication that drives them to live lives of sacrifice, compelling them to expend their time and energy in reaching lost souls for Christ, has left a lasting impact on him.
Literacy & ESL -Tools for Kingdom Building
Gym Room 2 (Least Reached)
Who are the poorest and most marginalized in the world? The illiterate and those who cannot speak English in an English speaking context. Bible content literacy and ESL ministry can be a tool to give them hope now and forever.
Carey Jo Johnston
Rev. Carey Jo has served with Literacy & Evangelism International USA since 1989. She has traveled world-wide assisting local churches and mission groups in developing local language Bible-content literacy materials and in training. She is currently Managing Director of the Canadian arm.
3:00PM
Missions in the Arts & Media
Gym Room 1 (Missions in the Arts & Media)
“The use of artistic gifts presents a significant God-designed opportunity to open doors to the hearts of many cultures.” Millions of people have been challenged, confronted and impacted by the creative expressions of art. The unfinished task of reaching our world exists in primarily tough places.
Chris Middleton
Chris oversees STM Connexion (Fellowship International’s short term program). While missionaries to Turkey, Chris and his family served in a creative arts ministry called Taco, that is committed to creatively sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Muslim world. Chris served as an artist, helped develop a more contextualized artistic team and took lead on short term outreach tours.
Explosion of Churches in China
Gym Room 2 (Mission in Asia)
This seminar will teach on urbanization (opportunities & challenges), evangelization, and the hunger for trained indigenous leaders and teachers.
Stephen Zhang
Stephen came from a Christian family in China but later moved to Canada where he was involved in pastoral ministry. After much prayer and waiting upon God’s timing, his burden for Asia sent him back and in 2006, Stephen joined OMF International.
4:30PM
The 4/14 Window Can Transform the World
Church Room 2 (Mission News & Views)
The 4/14 Window, children from 4 to 14 years, are often the most open and receptive to God’s word. God is calling us to change the way we view children and help transform them into a precious window of opportunity for the future.
Barry Slauenwhite
Dr. Barry Slauenwhite joined Compassion’s ministry in 1983 and was appointed the third president of Compassion Canada in 1993. During his 18 years as president, Compassion Canada has grown over 800%. As a spokesperson for the poor, and an advocate for children, Barry travels the globe motivating Christians to reach out and help children at risk.
Short Term Mission Trips That Succeed
Church Room 4 (Short-Term Missions)
What are the elements of a short term missions team project that will increase the possibility of success? This seminar intends to share some elements based on short term ministry experiences in Europe.
Howard Moore
Howard is the Executive Director of Greater Europe Mission. Together with is his wife, he served as church planter for 17 years in France, and field leader for GEM before returning to Canada. Howard now leads short term ministry teams to serve in Europe.
New Wineskins
Church Room 5 (Missionary Principles & Practices)
In the past 100 years our world has rapidly changed. It is a challenge to keep up with technology, the sciences and the economy. This seminar will help us to rethink missions in these post-modern times.
Kai Mark
Dr. Kai Mark is a pastor, church planter, author and trainer of leaders in evangelism. He has taught in India, Nepal, Chile and Uruguay. His book, ‘Seven Discoveries’ has been used to bring people to Christ, translated into Chinese, Spanish, Bengali and Nepali.
Arts Break Barriers
Gym Room 1 (Missions in Arts & Media)
A biblical/historical look at the arts, the current state of the arts, the barriers creative Christians face and how breaching these can take art into the world and the church to glorify God and reach others for Christ.
Robert White
Robert, the Administrative Director of A.C.T. Canada, is an award-winning journalist, senior correspondent for ChristianWeek, host of Arts Connection on Kitchener’s Faith FM and author of ‘Chasing the Wind’.
Equipping for Missions in the Local Church
Gym Room 2 (Preparing for Missionary Service)
If every believer has been given the Great Commission, then every believer needs to be equipped for their mission – which is the job of the local church (Eph. 4: 11-13). How can a local church fulfill this mandate? This seminar will point the way offering some tools and encouragement.
Tim Jacobson
Tim was born in Africa to missionary parents. He later served in Ethiopia. In Canada, Tim served as pastor, missions mobilizer, the training coordinator for SIM Canada, and as principal of the School of Urban Biblical Studies.
