Workshop #1

Friday

10:30 a.m.

Asian-American

Perspective

T.V. Thomas serves as Director of the Centre for Evangelism & World Mission in Regina, Saskatchewan. He is the founding President of the Fellowship of Canadian Evangelists, Chair of the North American Council for South Asian Christians, Co-Chair of the International Network of South Asian Diaspora Leaders and the Multicultural/ Intercultural Ministries Consultant for the C&MA Canada.

As an Asian-North American with a long history in evangelism and mission, TV Thomas is highly qualified to give a perspective on Asian-American involvement in missions that are fielded from North America.  As co-Chair of the International Network of South Asian Diaspora Leaders, he will present insights from that perspective.

Workshop #2

Friday

10:30 a.m.

Gender Diversity in Mission Work & Leadership:  Moving Towards Kingdom Transformation

Leanne Dzubinski is leader of Women In Ministry for Greater Europe Mission and has more than 20 years of cross-cultural ministry experience.  She trains missionaries from across Europe in Bible, leadership and ministry skills.  Her passion is to see men and women partnering together to share the gospel with the whole world.

Church membership is typically more than 50% women and mission agency staff is usually about 60% women.  Yet when it comes to mission leadership, women are seriously underrepresented.  This workshop will explore some of the obstacles to integrating women leaders into mission organizations, and consider practical steps to bring change.  Transforming our views and learning to partner with women as leaders can be key in bringing Gospel transformation to whole societies.

Workshop #3

Friday

11:25 a.m.

African-American Perspective

David Perrin has redirected his ministry focus from pastoring the local church to world evangelism. He has been consecrated as the President of Great Commission Global Ministries, a ministry committed to “networking equipping and mobilizing all people, but especially black people for ministry to the world.”

David is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University (BFA); Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (MTS); and has done Doctoral Studies at Howard University’s School of Communications (ABD).

What is it like for African-Americans to break into Anglo-American dominant mission agencies? Just how do African-Americans view not only missions, but also the typical North American mission process and agency? What historical factors have played into the divide between blacks and whites engagement in missions? David will give insights into these and other issues as he presents his perspective that comes from years of both mobilizing blacks for missions, but also as a board member of a large North American predominantly white mission.

Workshop #4

Friday 

11:25 a.m.

A Case Study of Gender Diversity & Kingdom Leadership

Ruth D. Hubbard is a Senior Vice President with Wycliffe Bible Translators (USA) where she has serve in senior leadership since 2005. Before joining the Bible translation movement in 2002, Ruth taught high school for more than a decade and was on ministry staff at Faith Church in Indianapolis for four years. Oh, and Ruth likes rocks.

An exploration of the history of gender inclusion in Wycliffe Bible Translators provides a backdrop to this case study which focuses on one woman’s journey into executive leadership in the world’s largest Bible translation organization. This session is not intended to provide 10 easy and failsafe steps to gender inclusion, perhaps because the content is more biographical than fairy tale. Ruth will tell her story within the context of Wycliffe’s story, and invite you to interact with the lessons she has learned along the way.

Workshop #5

Friday

1:45 pm

Hispanic Perspective

Victor H. Cuartas, D. Min. has been involved in pastoral ministry and church planting for nearly 20 years. Originally from Cali, Colombia, Dr. Cuartas is an instructor in Practical Ministry and Global Missions at Regent University. He currently serves as director of research for COMHINA, a missionary movement that mobilizes Hispanics in the U.S. and Canada for ministry to unreached people groups. He is the author of Empowering Hispanic Leaders. Victor and his wife, Isabel, have one precious daughter, Eliannah.  

Victor has recently conducted a survey and study regarding North American Hispanic engagement in missions, where he evaluated the relationship (especially in COMHINA) with mission agencies. He will be presenting his findings and perspective of Hispanics involvement in missions during this session.

Workshop #6

Friday

1:45 p.m.

Open Forum

Gender: 

Where do we go from here?

Facilitated by Vince McCarthy, Executive Director of International Ministries of Open Bible Churches.

Panel discussion will allow for audience questions and participation. This session is intended to draw conclusions to the workshops presented on Gender Diversity. 

Workshop #7

Friday

2:40 p.m.

Introducing Diversity into a Historically Monolithic Workplace

SIM USA

(A case study) 

Lydia Mims has been serving in Human Resources with SIM for over nine years.  She currently serves as SIM USA’s Director of Human Resources and is the first African American in SIM USA history to serve in a managerial position. Lydia recently broke through another organizational “glass ceiling” by becoming the first female in SIM’s history to serve on its USA Leadership Team. Lydia is a wife, mother, and grandmother, balancing career and family while engaging in itinerant ministry alongside her husband in various ministries throughout the Body of Christ. Co-presenter: Dr. Steve Strauss, former President, SIM USA. 

How can an organization break through the structural barriers that have been in place for so long and reflect the cross-cultural community it serves in global evangelization? A walk through the journey of one faith-based mission organization as it seeks to become the cross-cultural community it serves.  Learn how this organization’s U.S. sending headquarters is breaking through racial barriers and tearing down walls of division while dispelling ethnic misconceptions, stereotypes and fears to become an embracing workplace for all nations. Learn how your organization can gently make adjustments and take practical steps to realize the same.

Workshop #8

Friday

2:40 p.m.

Generational Diversity in World Missions Today

Dr. Camille Bishop is the Assistant Provost for the University of the Nations (U of N). She is responsible for staff development and teaches regularly within the U of N as well for other Christian universities and organizations. Camille has served for 23 years with the U of N, a ministry of Youth With A Mission (YWAM). She is the author of We're in This Boat Together: Leadership Succession Between the Generations. 

In world missions today, we have four generations represented. No matter what the cultural context, the generational diversity is similar. This workshop will consider the unique characteristics of each generation with respect to leadership style, authority and respect, balancing task and relationship, the issue of character, and leadership transition. Research indicates that there are differences in leadership behavior between the generations. These dissimilarities create tension points that we must learn how to manage in order to bring the generations together, facilitating the unity and synergy necessary to further the Kingdom of God effectively.

Workshop #9

Friday

3:50 p.m.

Open Forum

Ethnicity: 

Where do we go from here?

Facilitated by David Hansen, VP of Global Partnerships, Avant Ministries.

Panel discussion will allow for audience questions and participation. This session is intended to draw conclusions to the workshops presented on Ethnic Diversity. 

Workshop #10

Friday

3:50 p.m.

Generational

Issues

Samuel Rodriguez has been identified as one of America’s 7 most influential Hispanic Leaders, and the only religious leader on the list. As one of Newsweek Magazine’s Top 12 People to Look For in 2008, and as the President of America’s Preeminent Latino Christian Organization, Samuel is regarded as one of the most prominent voices in the Kingdom of God and as the lead spokesperson for the 16 million strong Hispanic American Born Again Christian Community.

As a young leader who has risen to a place of national prominence, Sam Rodriguez knows what it is like to experience generational differences in leadership. In this workshop he will present a perspective of what is entailed in becoming recognized as a respected young leader. He will address what an organization needs to enact in order to become recognized as younger-generation-friendly.

Workshop #11

Friday

4:45 p.m. 

Open Forum

Generation:  Where do we go from here?

Panel discussion will allow for audience questions and participation. This session is intended to draw conclusions from the workshops presented on Generational Diversity. 

Workshop #12

Saturday

10:30 a.m.

"How do I,

as a CEO, communicate in a diverse world?"

Malcolm McGregor was raised in Scotland and spent 18 years in Africa – in Nigeria and Ethiopia. The main work there was to develop a vision for disciple-making among the churches with the young people and to help young Ethiopians set up businesses, enabling them in turn to support the Discipleship Ministry. From 1996 to 2003, Malcolm served as Director of SIM-UK/N Europe. Malcolm is now the International Director of SIM, joining the team in Fort Mill, USA, in March 2004.

In a globalized and inter-connected world everyone now has a voice. How has this new reality affected mission and the church? The church has seen dramatic growth in the past 50 years. For a long time white, Caucasian, middle-aged men (people like me) have set the agenda.  However in the past 30 years others from the edges have gained a voice, people of other cultures, women and young people. How do we respond when voices that do not normally contribute to the debate come centre stage? Is there space for them? Are we able to listen and learn new things from each other? I hope to probe into these in my address and reflect on my own journey on this issue.