38Th Annual World Mission Workshop Focuses on LA
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FALL 1997 38th Annual World Mission Workshop Focuses on L.A. "City Lights" • See Cover Story on page 3 A NEWS J OURNAL FOR (CHURCHES OF (CHRIST ON THE VV^ST CoAST NEWS Durham Family Moves to Pepperdine PACIFIC CHURCH NEWS Ken stressed his love for the university Volume XV Number 1 environment. "1 went into full-time ministry over 20 years ago (as a campus PACIFIC CHURCH NEWS is minister at the University of Texas) published periodically by the because I loved the excitement and Department of Church Relations adventure of working with university at Pepperdine University. Send all students," he said. "Pepperdine is giving me correspondence to Pepperdine the chance to do that again, as well as to University, Malibu, CA 90263. sharpen my teaching and thinking skills. Plus, I was drawn to the opportunity to be part of a faculty community of men and EDITOR women for whom scholarship, service, and Jerry Rushford faith are primary life commitments." Cathy, Ken, Gabc and Jennifer Durham Jere Yates, Business Administration chairperson, looks forward to the assets ASSOCIATE EDITORS ne of Pepperdine's greatest Cathy brings with her. "An outstanding Bill Henegar acquisitions in the last year came teacher needs to be successful in three Lauren Waldvogel Oin the form of a family. Ken, areas: teaching, research, and service," he Cathy, Jennifer, and Gabe Durham came to said. "She is going to be the epitome of Pepperdine from Falls Church, Virginia, to what we want in all three areas. She'll CONTRIBUTING REPORTERS join the Religion Divison, Business bring honor to our college by inspiring Administration Division, and 1997 fall students with her teaching, conducting Garth Black, Bakersfield, CA freshman class. nationally recognized research, and Larry Cain, Yuba City, CA Ken will serve as a visiting professor of modeling servant leadership." Kelly Carter, Victoria, BC religion, leaving his six-year, full-time Religion Division Chairperson Rick Kelly Deatherage, Portland, OR ministry position at the Church of Christ Marrs anticipates Ken's experience as being Walt Fennel, Sacramento, CA in Falls Church, Virginia. He earned his a rich resource for students. "Ken is widely Rich Griffin, San Diego, CA Ph.D. and M.A. in Communication recognized among Churches of Christ as an Milton Jones, Seattle, WA Theory and Research from Louisiana State accomplished preacher and speaker. His Billie Silvey, Los Angeles, CA University, and his B.A., magna cum expertise in homiletics and years of Mel Weldon, Longview, WA laude, in Speech and Education from experience in pulpit ministry will provide Edwin White, Phoenix, AZ David Lipscomb College. our students with a treasured resource from Bud Worsham, Long Beach, CA Cathy will serve as an assistant professor which to draw," he said. John York, Roseburg, OR in the Business Administration Division. Ken and Cathy both stressed the She received her Ph.D. in Human importance of developing the whole person DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Resource Management from the University when teaching and mentoring. "I hope to of Maryland, an M.B.A. from Southwest encourage them (students) to think hard Cathy Walcott Missouri State University in Springfield, about their values, beliefs, and goals, and to University Publications Missouri, and a B.S. from Louisiana State strive to attain, not mediocrity, but rather University in Baton Rouge. the very best within them," Cathy said. The Durhams made the move to "I feel like my primary role as a COVER PHOTO Pepperdine for a myriad of reasons. "I teacher—in religion and communication World Mission Workshop Directors came to teach at Pepperdine because of the courses especially—is to nurture my Greg Gillham, Elise Napier, and university's mission, because of the students in a process of self-discovery and Campus Minister Scott Lambert composition and quality of the student personal growth," Ken said. "Ideally, as planned for months in preparation for body, because 1 felt that 1 could perform they uncover and master certain areas— the 38th Annual Workshop. Photo useful service here, and because I felt I such as religious truths and communication courtesy of the Los Angeles would be able to develop my own skills—they will deepen and grow into Convention &. Visitors Bureau/©! 991 capabilities as a teacher and research people who are wiser, kinder, and more Michele and Tom Grimm. scholar in this place," Cathy said. productive." PCN2 COVER Pepperdine Hosts 38th Annual World Mission Workshop by Lauren Waldvogel ir the 38th year, college students and :ampus ministers came together from F icross the nation for fellowship and growth in hopes of advancing college campus ministries during the four-day World Mission Workshop. Pepperdine hosted, for the fifth time, the event that drew approximately 600 students from around the country October 16-19. "City Lights: Christ in the City" was the 1997 theme emphasizing evangelism, not just in the inner-city, but Jim Reppart, a missionary from Nairohi, Kenya for 25 years, lectured to a packed Smothers Theatre during the 38th Annual World Mission Workshop. the urban areas of America in general. "We used Los Angeles as a lab, since it is a good example of cities all over the world," Greg Gillham, co-director of the Workshop, said. "We took a bus tour of the city, through the ethnic areas downtown and then into Beverly Hills and Hollywood. We wantd everyone to see both extreme sides of society." In addition to the bus tour, the participants worked with city churches and service organizations on Saturday. They broke into groups and spent part of Saturday with their assigned church or organization in fellowship, worshipping, and learning what they do for outreach to the community. Students sang in the candlelight during devotionals in the outdoor amphitheater on campus. The World Mission Workshop rotates hosts between ten Christian colleges and universities: Pepperdine University, Harding University, David Lipscomb University, Freed-Hardeman University, Abilene Christian University, Oklahoma Christian University, Cascade College, Lubbock Christian University, and Southwestern Christian College. According to Scott Lambert, Pepperdine campus minister, the role of the The mission-focused weekend inspired prayer and spiritual growth in the hundreds of student workshop is to inspire students to spread participants. the Word of God. "The workshop is there to further create interest in and a desire for World Mission Workshop Directors Greg Gillham, missions within our fellowship," he said. at Seaver College, said, "The neatest thing Elisc Napier, and Scott Lamhert were enthused by "It's to continue inspiring college students about helping direct this program is that the large attendance. to serve as missionaries and ministers both I'm a past participant, a past missionary, domestically and internationally." and now a student director. This has all can inspire and equip the students to get Student Director Elise Napier, a junior helped to give me perspective on how we involved in missions. That's our goal." PCN3 MISSIONS Planting the Seed at Evening: Emily PownalPs Latest Mission Trip by Emily Y. Lemley air, mostly. Anyway we are in our homes teaching others!" Even with these new before dark as you can imagine." converts teaching, and Emily and Doris Emily Pownall is a self-supporting and the 12 members of Ady's current six- /ne, missionary, primarily using her own social week team, they cannot accommodate all security. The Conejo congregation tries to of the students who have signed up to leam help her "as much as she will let us," states English through scripture. minister Allan Pope. She worked as the These missionary-teachers use a secretary for Conejo for eight years after curriculum developed by Ady. "What Is me Mel's death from cancer. "It was a Man?" is the first book and deals with wonderful thing to serve the church," she God's power and faithfulness to his recalls, because "when your husband dies, creation. "Albanians have grown up being all else is inconsequential but God." Pope taught evolution," Pownall reports. "This me remembers that she was much more than a study challenges them to believe in God." secretary: "She was always involved in One physics professor who studied with service and ministry to people. She was a Clara Bristol, another volunteer summer great focus of God's love in this missionary from Portland, Oregon, came in fellowship." one day after studying the first book and f Emily Pownall had time to choose a Many at Conejo were worried when asked Clara, "Tell me why you believe in hymn, surely this would be the one. Emily decided in 1993 to rent her God." Clara had prayed that morning to IBut, as a widow of 75, after spending a condominium and go to teach in Albania, be given the words to share her faith, and lifetime in Italian mission work with her but her fearlessness was typical (she here was the question. As Clara answered, husband, Mel, she is spending all of her learned to ski at 68 and makes annual the woman became peaceful and time and thought and prayer in the war- winter ski trips with several women determined to keep on studying even torn eastern European country of Albania, friends). Her son, Tim, a member of the though the Bible disputed most of what she teaching English to Albanian students of Conejo congregation, said, "The Lord has based her life upon. all ages as they leam by studying the Bible. drawn her [into this work] because she has The other three booklets in the study Working in the capital city of Tirania, sought it... she has a profound reliance on series cover the conflict between good and Emily uses her fluent Italian to help her God." evil, the kingdom of God, and our hope in communicate with Albanians who use Emily begins her day with quiet time Christ.