GA 2019 WORLD OUTREACH EVENTS

EPC World Outreach is sponsoring numerous gatherings at the 39th General Assembly. All GA attendees are invited to join us, but registration is required for the Tuesday evening banquet as space is limited. Please note that for security reasons, we ask that no photos of our activities or names of global workers be posted to social media, blogs, websites, or other outlet that could potentially show up in an internet search.

Don’t miss our global worker displays in the Gym at Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church!

Tuesday, June 18
Wednesday, June 19
Thursday, June 20
Friday, June 21

8:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Location: Main Building, Room 209

This is a special event for those who are a part of a missions committee/home team or interested in presbytery mission initiatives to share resources, look at areas of commonality, and discuss strategies for how presbyteries can get involved in reaching the world for Christ through the ministries of EPC World Outreach.

Led by Rick Dietzman, Associate Pastor to Adults for Sequim Community Church in Sequim, Washington, and World Outreach Team Leader for the Presbytery of the Pacific Northwest.

10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Location: Main Building, Room 207/208

This short training is required for all World Outreach global workers; we will provide an update on the EPC and WO, an orientation on how to make the most of your attendance at General Assembly, and hear from Stated Clerk Jeff Jeremiah. This is a closed group for the World Outreach U.S. Team and global workers.

3:00–5:00 p.m.
Leadership Institute: Afternoon Track C, Session 2
Location: Main Building, Room 207/208

Has the Trinity become so theoretic and inaccessible that it should be left to the advanced stages of discipleship, or is it foundational to our growth in Christ? In this seminar, Mike Kuhn seeks to distill lessons learned in discipleship of former Muslims to give impetus and direction to discipleship anywhere and everywhere. The common Islamic view of God is “unicity”—God is one. The difference the Trinity makes in the Muslim context is surprisingly life-giving for the whole church of Christ. The biblical truth that God is a community of self-giving love turns out to be transformative in any context.

TE Mike Kuhn has spent most of his adult life in the Arab World (Morocco, Egypt, and Lebanon) with his wife, Stephanie, and their three (now adult) daughters. He is the author of Fresh Vision for the Muslim World (IVP 2007), and currently serves EPC World Outreach as ITEN Specialist for Missional Theology and Practice from his home in Washington state.

6:00–7:30 p.m.
Location: Gym

Join us for dinner and a message from Bruce Anderson, Coordinator of the International Theological Education Network (ITEN) of EPC World Outreach. He is also the founder and president of the Institute for Reformation (IFR), and regularly trains Christian leaders in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. He has been a pastor for several EPC churches, taught at Regent University’s Graduate School of Education, and served on World Outreach committees at the presbytery and General Assembly level of the EPC. His doctoral thesis on Reformed political theory in 16th Century Belarus and Lithuania is being prepared for publication in both English and Slavic languages. He and his wife, Ellie, have four children and one grandchild.

The World Outreach banquet is open to all, but registration is required and space is limited.

12:00–1:30 p.m.
Networking Lunch Host: Phil Thrash
Location: Main Building, Room 206

Come hear a teaching on—and participate in—strategic prayer for missionaries and learn how you can catalyze prayer in your church or presbytery. Praying powerful, effective, Kingdom prayers helps support healthy EPC global workers who boldly share the gospel and establish church fellowships that multiply!

Phil Thrash is a Teaching Elder in the Presbytery of the Mid-Atlantic and Eastern U.S. Associate for Missions Advancement for EPC World Outreach.

12:00–1:30 p.m.
Networking Lunch Host: Phil Linton
Location: Main Building, Room 209

Engage 2025 is a three-way partnership between presbytery Home Teams, pioneering Field Teams, and EPC World Outreach to plant churches among Muslims. If you are a member of your presbytery’s Engage 2025 Home Team, or are interested in learning more about Engage 2025, you are invited to come connect with other Home Teams and share challenges, ideas, and fruitful practices.

Phil Linton is Director of EPC World Outreach.

5:30–7:00 p.m.
Location: Community Center, Room 202

Join us for dinner and hear just a few of our World Outreach global workers describe how God is using and blessing their work among people groups of the world with little to no access to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

12:00–1:30 p.m.
Networking Lunch Host: Shawn Stewart and Mark V
Location: Community Center, Room 109

In the past two years, World Outreach has begun developing new endeavors that allow EPC churches to gain exposure and experience among “Frontier people groups” in our own neighborhoods. Come learn how you can join in, raise a team, and help us grow these mission outreach and training treks that serve within our own communities.

Shawn Stewart is Mobilization Coordinator for EPC World Outreach. Mark V serves as U.S. Muslim Outreach Coach for EPC World Outreach.

5:30–7:00 p.m.
Location: Community Center, Room 202

Join us for dinner and meet your World Outreach global workers, including our newest appointees who will be presented to the Assembly for commissioning in the worship service on Thursday at 7:00 p.m.

7:30–9:00 p.m.
Location: Sanctuary

The Global Worker commissioning service is always a highlight of the General Assembly. Note that the global worker commissioning portion of the service will not be available via live stream.

This year’s speaker is Andrew Brunson, Missionary-in-Residence at Christ Community Church in Montreat, North Carolina.

EPC Teaching Elder Andrew Brunson and his wife, Norine, were appointed as missionaries to Turkey by the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (ARP) in 1993. He transferred his ordination to the EPC’s Presbytery of the Mid-Atlantic in 2010.

The Brunsons, who were applying for Turkish permanent residency, were detained on October 7, 2016, in the coastal city of Izmir (biblical Smyrna). Norine was released on October 19 but Andrew remained imprisoned. At the time of his arrest, he was serving as pastor of Izmir Resurrection Church.

On December 8, 2016, (after being detained for 63 days), Andrew was formally charged with “membership in an armed terrorist organization” and sent to prison. On August 24, 2017, a Turkish court added three new charges, including gathering state secrets for espionage, attempting to overthrow the Turkish parliament and government, and trying to change the constitutional order. On March 21, 2018, the Turkish court accepted a 62-page indictment against Andrew and scheduled his first hearing for April 16, 2018.

Following each of the first three hearings in his trial (on April 16, May 7, and July 18, 2018), Andrew was returned to prison. Under consistent public and private pressure from the United States and others, the Turkish court released Andrew to house arrest on July 25, 2018, until the fourth hearing on October 12, 2018.

Following testimony in the fourth phase of his trial on October 12, 2018, the prosecution requested and received lifting of Andrew’s house arrest and travel ban. The judge issued a conviction, and imposed a sentence of 3 years, 1 month, and 15 days but released Andrew on the equivalent of time served. Andrew and Norine left Turkey later the same day.

On October 13, 2018, Andrew and Norine arrived in the United States. They and their family met with the President, Administration staff, lawmakers, and others in the Oval Office.

The Brunsons are currently recuperating at their home church, Christ Community Church in Montreat, North Carolina.

12:00–1:30 p.m.
Networking Lunch Host: John M
Location: Community Center, Room 112

The Lord is moving in the hearts of business professionals to participate in the Great Commission! Join us as we explore specific opportunities, including three planned “Vision Treks” to Central Asia, India, and Indonesia/Malaysia. We also will discuss Business as Mission national conferences in Houston or Silicon Valley, as well as IBAM business coaching opportunities and local projects. Utilize your professional experiences, gifts, and talents, and become a resource and active participant in our Lord’s great mandate. Come find your place!