The BGCE hosts the first gathering of a new initiative.
One of my roles as Managing Director of the Billy Graham Center for Evangelism (BGCE) is leading the center’s various initiatives and fellowships. It is a role I relish, as I realize the potential impact of the great work we’re doing.
Last December, we set a goal to host a bi-annual private gathering of denominational and network evangelism leaders to help promote mutual learning for all things evangelism. Based on the successful Church Planting Leadership Fellowship model, we hoped to create a peer learning community for those leaders to seek ways to advance the cause of evangelism in their respective networks and denominations.
Over the next year, our staff came up with a strategy to determine what that community could look like, who should be in the room, and how we might best equip those interested with evangelism tools and practices. We ultimately decided to launch the Evangelism Leaders Fellowship (ELF). Sponsored by the BGCE, our team decided to create ELF as an invitation-only community that meets twice each year.
Earlier this month (on December 2nd), we hosted and launched that group of thought leaders. We convened forty-two denominational and network leaders at Wheaton College in Chatlos Auditorium to hear evangelism strategies, research, and best practices. I found it significant that leaders who may disagree on certain doctrinal issues would be willing to convene and discuss evangelism practices for the sake of the gospel. Honestly, how often do you see Pentecostals and Presbyterians in the same room? It was particularly encouraging to see that attendees were genuinely interested in hearing and learning from one another.
Ed Stetzer, Executive Director of the BGCE and Endowed Chair of Church, Mission, ...
from
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