The theme of this year’s annual meeting is “God Will Restore,” based on God’s promise in Joel 2:25 that He “will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten … You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you … ”
The theme references not only the lament in the church and the nation over the pandemic and social unrest over the past year, but also—and importantly—the assurance that God is in our midst.
The annual Leadership Institute will feature three plenary speakers and four ministry-specific leadership development gatherings, each of which is open to all General Assembly attendees:
- Chaplains Workshop, featuring Mike Berry, General Counsel for First Liberty Institute in Plano, Texas, and Mark Ingles, EPC Chaplain Endorser. Berry will lead sessions on “Why Religious Freedom Matters and What Our Nation’s Founders Intended” and “Threats to Religious Freedom and What We Can Do to Protect It.”
- Creating Church Planting Networks and Partnerships, led by Tom Ricks, Lead Pastor of Greentree Community Church in Kirkwood, Mo., and Chairman of the EPC Church Planting Team.
- Transitional Pastor Training, led by Bob Stauffer, Church Development Coordinator for the Presbytery of the Alleghenies.
- The Israel of God, a discussion of the identity of Israel in the biblical narrative—apart from contemporary political considerations—in which God’s purposes for His covenant people as revealed in Scripture will be examined, as well as thoughts on how Christ’s church should respond with compassion and justice to both Israelis and Arabs. The seminar will be led by Mike Kuhn, Missional Theology Specialist for EPC World Outreach’s International Theological Education Network.
The Tuesday plenary session will be led by Ligon Duncan, Chancellor and CEO of Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Miss. He will address the topic of “Combating Biblical Anemia: Scripture, Discipleship, Worship, and Preaching.”
The Wednesday morning plenary speaker is George Robertson, Senior Pastor of Second Presbyterian Church in Memphis, who will discuss “Soul Care for Pastors.”
The Wednesday afternoon plenary speaker is Rufus Smith, Senior Pastor of Hope Church. His topic is “Kindness that Leads to Reconciliation.” Both Wednesday sessions will include time for Q-and-A.
The first of five business sessions convenes on Wednesday afternoon, June 23, at 4:15 p.m. (Central). Business sessions continue on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. and 1:45 p.m.; and Friday at 11:00 a.m. and 1:45 p.m.
Worship service speakers include:
- Phil Linton, Director of EPC World Outreach.
- Jeff Jeremiah, EPC Stated Clerk.
- George Robertson, Senior Pastor of Second Presbyterian Church in Memphis.
- A. Carson, Emeritus Professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Ill.
- Glenn Meyers, Moderator of the 40th General Assembly.
Other gatherings for on-site participants include a wide variety of Networking Lunches each day, as well as World Outreach, women’s ministry, and ministry wives.
For complete information, see www.epc.org/ga2021.
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