Birth of a new Presbyterian evangelism movement?

The Evangelism Conference at the Big Tentevent in Atlanta June 11-13 will attempt to feed the passion for evangelism in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and build toward an evangelism movement.

The conference is one of 10 companion conferences that is part of the first-ever Big Tent event.

“I want a conference that will satisfy the deep hunger in our church for evangelism,” says the Rev. Eric Hoey, director of evangelism and church growth for the PC(USA).

“Presbyterians want to know and experience the heart of evangelism,” Hoey added, “prayer and relationship with each other through God in Jesus Christ. As this happens people become resources that inspire and renew as we find words that witness to the actions of our faith.”

The PC(USA) evangelism team planning the event hope that participants “will become part of God birthing something new in the PC(USA) — an  evangelism movement that is centered in prayer and relationship with God and each other,” according to Paul Seebeck, communications associate for this program area.

The opening plenary speaker on June 12 will be the Rev. James Mead, former pastor to the presbytery for Pittsburgh Presbytery and currently associate pastor at Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church in Tacoma, WA. He will speak on “Evangelism: Finding Reasons To Do It.”

Hoey will speak later that afternoon on “Styles of Evangelism.” 

Marianne Vermeer, mission co-worker serving in Pakistan, will speak Saturday morning on “Factors of Success on the Mission Field.”

And Martha Grace Reese, author of the Unbinding the Gospel, Unbinding your Heart, Unbinding your Church series will speak Saturday afternoon on “Unbinding the Gospel: “Where do we go from here?”

This conference is also hosting morning yoga on June 12 and 13 from 7-8 a.m. and “Coffee Shop Evangelism” Friday evening (June 12) from 8-9 p.m.

Registration continues online. Hotel reservations must be made separately.

Bill Lancaster is associate executive presbyter for Foothills Presbytery and a frequent contributor to Presbyterian News Service. He will be covering the Evangelism Conference at the Big Tent event for PNS.