'Northwest Missions Fest' organizers plan for growing event

PORTLAND -- Organizers say a local Christian missions fair that began in a small way last winter will grow larger in its second run this Jan. 18 and 19, and could eventually become as large as a popular event in Vancouver, Canada.

In fact, they are so confident of the Missions Fest Northwest’s growth that they have already tentatively reserved the Oregon Convention Center for the event’s third run Jan. 17-19 in 2003.

Patterned after Missions Fest in British Columbia, which has run for 18 years and annually draws about 30,000 people in a weekend, Missions Fest Northwest seeks to “ignite, celebrate and inform” the Northwest Christian community and encourage it to fulfill Jesus’ “Great Commission” to reach the world with the gospel.

The first Missions Fest Northwest attracted about 1,800 people last Jan. 5. It grew out of a “Global Outreach 2001” effort sponsored by several local Plymouth Brethren churches.

The upcoming 2002 event will be held at New Hope Community Church in Clackamas, and now has support from many other Portland-area churches, such as Sunset Presbyterian Church, Central Bible Church, City Bible Church and Good Shepherd Community Church.

The 2002 event will have about 40 exhibitors, 80 workshops and a youth concert. Keynote speakers will be Portland-based evangelist Luis Palau, Clive Calver of World Relief, Nard Pugyao of Wycliff Bible Translators and David Stevens of Central Bible Church.

A non-profit organization is being formed under Oregon law to guide the annual event. Until then, evangelist Luis Palau’s Foundation for World Evangelism is handling all gifts and receipting.

“We are here to serve the pastors, if churches of any size locally want to get people in place -- and moving -- for missions,” said John Link, Northwest Missions Fest’s chief executive officer. “We want this to be a Northwest event with Northwest churches.”

Bill MacLeod, missions pastor at Greater Portland Bible Church, is chairing Missions Fest Northwest. He said he had desired for years to raise awareness and resources locally for “exponential missions mobilization.” He learned of the Canadian event, attended there three years ago, “ and I believe the Lord really spoke to me in a specific way at that time about Portland.”

He said the Canadian event sponsors have strongly endorsed the local effort.

A free, informational luncheon for pastors who want to know more about Missions Fest Northwest will be held Thursday, Nov. 15 at the Lloyd Center Double Tree Hotel in Portland. For more information, phone 503-231-0707.