Mike Slaughter

Thursday 7 p.m. Keynote Address:
Mission-Driven Church: Post-modern Witness

Friday 9:15 a.m. Keynote Address:
Rediscovering a Biblical Theology for the Missional Church

Mike Slaughter, Chief Dreamer of Ginghamsburg Church for three decades, is a catalyst for change in the worldwide church. Mike’s life-long passion to reach the lost and set the oppressed free has now made him a tireless and leading advocate for the children, women and men of Darfur, Sudan, named by the U.N. as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world today. Since initiating The Sudan Project in January 2005, Ginghamsburg has invested $2.8 million into humanitarian relief in Darfur. The resultant agricultural project, child development program and safe water initiative are expanding to reach a quarter of a million Sudanese refugees and villagers.

Locally, Ginghamsburg Church serves more than 40,000 people annually in surrounding communities via its food pantry, car, clothing and furniture ministries.

When Mike arrived at Ginghamsburg Church in 1979, worship attendance hovered at 90 with 118 members and an annual budget of $27,000. As of 2008, 4000 attendees on average worship weekly at Ginghamsburg and the multi-million dollar budget resources a faith community committed to serving the poor, lost and disenfranchised.

Mike’s call is to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted and to challenge people to wrestle with God and embrace their own God-destiny to be “On Mission” as the hands and feet of Jesus in the world today.

Dr. John Ed Mathison

Keynote Address:
What Part of Go Don't We Understand?

John Ed Mathison has been senior pastor of Frazer Memorial UMC in Montgomery, Alabama for 35 years, helping it grow from 400 members to more than 8,600. A nationally know speaker, Mathison is the author of Tried and True, Every Member in Ministry, Fishing for Birds and Extra Effort.

Dr. H. Eddie Fox

Keynote Address:
That The World May Know

Dr. H. Eddie Fox has served since 1989 as the World Director of Evangelism, the World Methodist Council and as the Executive Director (1992) of the World Methodist Evangelism Institute. He is responsible for leading 16 Regional Secretaries of World Evangelism in developing indigenous evangelism on every continent. The World Methodist Council, an association of churches belonging to the Methodist tradition and representing over 70 million constituents in more than 130 countries, is challenging member congregations to do world evangelization together. As the World Director Dr. Fox preaches World Evangelism missions, teaches and encourages lay and clergy to be about the ministry of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. When Dr. Billy Graham learned of Dr. Fox's appointment to the ministry of World Evangelism he said, "I believe God has chosen you for such an hour as this. You will be in my prayers."