The Church of the Nazarene, through Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, is hosting a global Compassion Conference July 14 to 16. The event will feature leading voices on the role of the Church in engaging with communities through transformational ministry.

Speakers include Eugene Cho, founder of One Day’s Wages and author of Overrated: Are We More in Love With the Idea of Changing the World Than Actually Changing the World? and Jo Anne Lyon, founder and former CEO of World Hope International, member of the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, and general superintendent of The Wesleyan Church.

The conference, which will be held at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois, will also feature David Busic, a general superintendent in the Church of the Nazarene and leader in the Swaziland Partnership to reduce the rate of HIV/AIDS and assist vulnerable children; Gustavo Crocker, a general superintendent in the Church of the Nazarene and former vice president for programs at World Relief; Celestin Chishibanji, a pastor and compassionate ministries coordinator in Democratic Republic of the Congo; and Deirdre Brower-Latz, principal of Nazarene Theological College in Manchester, England, and senior lecturer in pastoral and social theology.

Compassion Conference is a global event designed to bring together church and regional leaders alongside learners and practitioners to equip churches for holistic, transformational ministry.

The conference will also feature capacity-building workshops led by experts in areas including community development, disaster preparedness, holistic child development, anti-human trafficking, ministry to displaced persons, organizational capacity, holistic ministry, and more. Featured workshop leaders include Jennifer Roemhildt Tunehag, global human trafficking taskforce member for the World Evangelical Alliance; Matthew Soerens, U.S. director of church mobilization for World Relief; Jamie Aten, founder of the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College; and Dan Brewster, director of holistic child development academic programs for Compassion International.

Pre-conference sessions will also be available, and any group within the church is encouraged to take advantage of the conference space to host meetings for their leaders or create their own pre-conference workshops.

“I’m so excited and privileged to be one of the speakers at your upcoming Compassion Conference,” said Eugene Cho, who also serves as pastor of Quest Church in Seattle, Washington. “I’m learning why theology matters so much. Our theology, rooted in Scripture, it really informs our practice, how we live these things out — why mercy, compassion, justice ought to matter to the church. … I hope that you’ll come and join us, and, together, we might encourage one another and grow deeper into the heart of the character of God."

Early Bird pricing is available through March 31. Student pricing is offered, and group rates are also available.

For more information or to register for the conference, visit compassionconference.com.

Questions regarding the conference, including group rates and preconference space, can be sent to info@ncm.org.

--Nazarene Compassionate Ministries