Update: Listen to the 2008 Conference on Missions and Evangelism on Ancient Faith Radio, featuring lectures by Fr. Peter Gillquist, Fr. John Braun and Fr. Dan Suciu!
The 20th annual Orthodox Conference on Missions & Evangelism begins this Labor Day weekend, running from August 29 through September 1, in Santa Barbara, California. Sponsored by the Antiochian Archdiocese's Department of Missions and Evangelism, the theme of this year's Conference is The Bible and Evangelism. The event will feature speakers Fr. Peter Gillquist, Fr. John Braun and Fr. Dan Suciu.
Conference topics will include:
- Achieving Parish Unity
- Questions Protestants Should Be Asking About Orthodoxy
- The Mission Field in America
- Confronting the Doctrine of Sola Scriptura
- Salvation as Deification
- Hidden Treasures in the Septuagint
- Preaching and Teaching the Bible
- A Call to Repentance in Jesus Christ
Fr. Peter Gillquist
Frs. Peter Gillquist and John Braun are noted Orthodox authors, and were both instrumental leaders in the Evangelical Orthodox Church movement, which culminated in the reception of over 2,000 evangelical Protestants in the Antiochian Archdiocese in 1987. Fr. Dan Suciu, originally from Romania, was imprisoned for several years for his Orthodox faith by his country's Communist authorities. Since coming to the U.S.A., Fr. Suciu has ministered in Utah and Texas, and is noted for his experience in discussing the Orthodox faith with members of the Mormon church.
This year's Conference will have a particular focus on the recently-published Orthodox Study Bible. Participants are strongly encouraged to bring this edition, which will also be available to purchase at the event.
"What we’re trying to do this year with the conference is tie in the Bible with evangelism," says Howard Lange, of the Antiochian Archdiocese's Department of Missions and Evangelism. "Our sessions are trying to focus on different themes related to either using the scriptures or what lessons we can take from the scriptures for modern evangelism. Our hope is that we would encourage people to take a closer look at the Bible and understand it, understand the scriptures from an Orthodox Christian perspective."
To listen to an interview with Mr. Lange on Ancient Faith Radio about the Conference, click here.
The Conference will take place on the University of California, Santa Barbara campus, adjacent to the Santa Barbara airport and located approximately 110 miles north of LAX International Airport in Los Angeles. For more information, call 888-968-4014 or e-mail missions@antiochian.org.
