ACU to host Balkan Summit Evangelism conference For Immediate Release September 22, 1999 Attendees of Abilene Christian University's "Balkan Summit" will be better prepared to share the good news of Jesus Christ to the people in Albania, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece and Turkey. On Nov. 5 and 6, ACU will host this conference to address the issue of effectively reaching the Balkan nations with the Gospel. According to Gwynneth Curtis, missionary-in-residence and missions consultant for Europe, "Recent upheavals in Kosovo have vividly reminded us that God can use human tragedy to provide his church with opportunities to serve and evangelize." The conference will feature more than 16 speakers, including ACU missions department faculty, evangelists and missionaries to the Balkan Nations. Lectures will be conducted in Room 114 of the Biblical Studies Building (Teague Auditorium). Dr. Royce Money, president of ACU, and Dr. Jack Reese, dean of the College of Biblical Studies, will open the conference with a devotional at 1 p.m. in Chapel on the Hill Friday, Nov. 5. The conference will include many different sessions beginning with "The Challenge of the Balkans," by Dr. Prentice Meador, pulpit minister of Prestoncrest Church of Christ in Dallas; and a panel discussion titled, "Receptivity in the Balkan nations," where missionaries such as Artan Samara from Albania, Goran Medved from Croatia, Ervin Bishop of the World Bible Translation Center in Fort Worth and many others will speak. From 7:45 - 9:15 p.m Friday night, Hossein Cannon, a Christian businessman from Abilene, will speak on "From Islam to Christianity: A Conversion Story." Saturday, Nov. 6, representatives from Christian humanitarian aid organizations such as Healing Hands International, Manna International, White's Ferry Road Relief Ministries, Partners in Progress and Christian Relief Fund will address the topic of "Planting Churches Through Humanitarian Aid." "Missionaries and evangelists native to the region will be sharing experiences and methods they have developed in order to offer a proper response to conditions existing in these countries as they attempt to teach the gospel," Curtis said. "A number of people who have recently returned from relief work in these countries will be present. One of the topics will be centered on how we respond to the needs arising out of the conflicts." Other lecture topics include recruiting and training mission teams, growing church leadership, beliefs and practices of the Orthodox church, understanding Islam, conquering the chaos in Yugoslavia and reaching the unevangelized nations. There is a $50 registration fee which will include all meals. Students will not be expected to pay this fee. Abilene residents who will not be taking meals with other attendees will be asked to pay a $15 registration fee. This conference is open to all people and will be of particular interest to: People interested in working as missionaries in these countries. Churches already involved in supporting missions efforts in the area or willing to consider doing so. ACU students. Students from other universities. Those who attend will hear speakers with extensive experience in the Lord's work in these countries. For more information, please contact Gwynneth Curtis at (915) 674-3756. -30- Archived News Releases - Current ACU News and Events If you are a member of the media who would like more information about this release, please contact Tom Craig, director of media and community relations, at craigt@nicanor.acu.edu or call 915-674-2692 (cell phone: 665-5469). Last update: Sept. 22, 1999 This page is maintained by Tom Craig, craigt@acu.edu. http://www.acu.edu/events/news/990922-balkan.html