Missions event attracts a crowd

in its seventh run

By JOHN FORTMEYER
CNNW publisher
   PORTLAND — Even as domestic economic and social challenges are occupying the Church in America, in the Northwest there appears to be consistent, solid interest among Christians in touching a needy world through missions.
   That, at least, is what the attendance at last month’s run of the seventh annual Mission ConneXion Northwest in the Portland area indicates, according to organizers.
   Bill MacLeod, event chairman, said aggregate attendance Jan. 16 and 17 at Sunset Presbyterian Church exceeded last year’s by more than 2,000 people — from 13,000 to 15,000.

  Increases also were seen in attendance at the various workshops and plenary sessions.
  “These statistics bode well for the Church of the Pacific Northwest, indicating that it is trending toward strength and resiliency in missions, even in the wake of economic downturn,” MacLeod summarized.
   Featured speakers were apologist, evangelist and author Josh McDowell; missionary pastor Sameh Maurice of Cairo, Egypt, and author Shelly Cook Volkhardt.
   Speaking in two Saturday sessions, McDowell asked that, for security reasons, his comments be kept largely confidential. His general fo-cus was on not only challenges facing Christianity because of the rapid “Islamization” of Europe, but also on unprecedented opportunities for evangelization to the Muslim world that he says only God Himself could be creating.
   He said Christians need to be able to articulate the “whys” behind their faith in order to effectively reach not only Muslims but people of all backgrounds.
  “The greatest problem is not radical Islam,” he said. “The greatest problem is complacent Christianity ... If we don’t start training our churches, seminaries and Bible schools in not only what we believe, but why, it’s not going to matter what we do.”
   Looking at the example of the early Church, Maurice on Friday night said the power of both prayer and the Gospel is more than enough to overcome the fear that can inhibit proclamation of the Christian faith.
  “To defeat the spirit of fear is to love your God and to love your neighbor,” he said. “When you love God with all
your heart, then you have a great passion to glorify His name.”