Friday, May 16, 2003

Tony Campolo to speak at CBF General Assembly

By Lance Wallace
CBF Communications

ATLANTA - The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) expects a crowd of more than 4,000 for its annual General Assembly on June 26-28 at the convention center in Charlotte.

Believed to be the largest gathering of moderate Baptists in America, the CBF General Assembly will feature a message from preacher, educator and author Tony Campolo, music by Nashville recording artist Kate Campbell, and guided prayer time by Christian spiritual formation author Marjorie Thompson.

BSC Executive Director-treasurer Jim Royston will bring greetings and offer the invocation during the opening session.

The assembly schedule also includes the commissioning of CBF global missionaries and more than 100 ministry workshops covering topics ranging from the faith-based initiative, to aging, to ministry among people with disabilities. N.C. Baptists will lead a number of the sessions.

Assembly participants will have an opportunity to hear Campolo speak during the opening session of the assembly. A professor emeritus of sociology at Eastern University in St. Davids, Penn., Campolo served for 10 years on the University of Pennsylvania faculty. He is currently an associate pastor at Mount Carmel Baptist Church in West Philadelphia.

As founder and president of the Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education, Campolo has supported tutoring for urban children in North America. He has helped provide care to hundreds of African children orphaned by AIDS and helped bring the presence of Christ to countless individuals.

Campolo will share personal insights as he challenges participants to catch a vision of the mission that God has given to every Christian and every church.

Campbell and Thompson will lead worship and prayer focuses during the general sessions.

Campbell, the daughter of a Baptist preacher, made her recording debut in 1995 with "Songs from the Levee." Her gift for storytelling and command of a full-range of American music styles, have combined to earn her two "Folk Album Of The Year" nominations from the Nashville Music Awards.

Her sixth and most recent album, "Monuments," was inspired by the folk carvings of African-American artist William Edmondson. Campbell will give a mini-concert on Friday morning, June 27.

Thompson is director of the Pathways Center for Spiritual Leadership with Upper Room Ministries. An ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Thompson is a retreat leader, teacher and speaker in the area of Christian spirituality.

She served as the chief architect of the Companions in Christ spiritual formation resource now used by CBF congregations.

Assembly highlights include:

New global missions field personnel will be commissioned.

CBF Coordinator Daniel Vestal will preach on "CBF Being the Presence of Christ in the World."

Church growth expert and author Brian McLaren will lead the CBF Congregational Leadership Institute.

CBF-endorsed chaplains and pastoral counselors will be recognized.

A business session will include election of Coordinating Council members and adoption of CBF's 2003-04 budget.

"Baptist Voices" sharing examples of being the presence of Christ globally will give testimonies.

A resource fair with more than 90 exhibitors will offer a variety of resources and services. The fair will include three major bookstores and a CBF "missions marketplace" that will include a missions art silent auction.

Jubilate!, a youth choir from CBF churches in Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee, will perform Thursday evening.

Alabama pastor Sarah Jackson Shelton will preach Friday evening.

Retired N.C. pastor Jack Causey will lead a time of communion and commissioning on Saturday morning.

First Baptist Church of Asheville will provide choral music Saturday morning.

A children's assembly will provide learning experiences for preschoolers through 6th grade.

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