Monday is last chance to register for the 2024 Evangelism Conference

‘A Lifestyle That Exudes Justice’ has both in-person and online options

by Beth Waltemath | Presbyterian News Service

Registration for in-person and online registrants for the 2024 Evangelism Conference titled “A Lifestyle That Exudes Justice” closes Sept. 9.

The in-person event, set for Oct. 3-5, will take place at the Presbyterian Center at 100 Witherspoon Street in Louisville, Kentucky. Hotel discounts are available through Sept. 12 for registrants. Online participants can access the plenaries and worship services through livestream and will have future access to videos of the five workshops thanks to a partnership with MediaPros production company, which rents space in the Presbyterian Center.

“An important part of the conference will be equipping participants to preach and teach justice as a lifestyle,” said the Rev. Carlton Johnson, associate director of Theology, Formation & Evangelism. “Through this lifestyle of hope, we can heal ourselves and heal our land.”

This year’s Evangelism Conference encourages ways of embodying the good news that promotes healing and compassion. The Rev. Dr. Elaine A. Heath, co-author of “Trauma-Informed Evangelism: Cultivating Communities of Wounded Healers,” will offer plenary sessions on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 3 and 4. Heath sees the potential for growth through Christian movements for human, civil and environmental rights. “The church that reflects gospel priorities in the future will be the church that pays attention to the issues of social and environmental justice in the name and spirit of Jesus,” Heath writes in her book “The Mystic Way of Evangelism: A Contemplative Vision for Christian Outreach.”

The Rev. Dr. Debra J. Mumford, dean of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, will preach on Thursday and Saturday. Workshops on five different topics and a panel discussion of the conference leaders will take place in between the large group gatherings. Workshop topics revolve around the themes of teaching, preaching, health and healing, and compassion.

The Rev. Veronica Cannon, who manages the Vital Congregations Initiative, will offer a workshop that dives deeper into the mark of “intentional authentic evangelism” within vital churches and will make connections with how the initiative supports congregations in lives that exude justice. The Rev. Andries Coetzee, originally from South Africa, will lead the preaching workshop, while the Rev. Brooke Scott, a pastor and social worker, will co-lead a workshop on health and healing, exploring how Jesus focused on mental wellness in his ministry. A workshop offered in English and Spanish by the Rev. Elmer Zavala will draw on the experiences with Mid-Kentucky Presbytery’s Preston Highway Hispanic/Latino Presbyterian Ministry and consider how compassion invites people into the good news.

Conference events begin Thursday afternoon on Oct. 3. Rates for hotels within walking distance are available through the registration website.

The Rev. Carlton Johnson

In a reflection written for Presbyterians Today, Johnson describes the ways that when evangelism is seen through the lens of healing, “early prevention” is a vital piece.

“Children and teens need the good news,” writes Johnson. The 2024 Evangelism Conference will offer this with a workshop by the Rev. Neema Cyrus-Franklin, project coordinator with the Around the Table initiative. “This initiative cultivates faith formation within households and serves as a potent tool for evangelism and social justice,” said Johnson, who explained how “through interactive discussions, practical examples and insightful teachings, attendees will gain valuable insights on integrating faith into everyday practices, fostering an environment where the Gospel thrives, and justice is pursued and nurtured within the household setting.”