VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 4/13/12)—“Shaped by Commitment” will be the focus of a speech by Dr. Alistair Brown, president of Northern Seminary at the highly-anticipated Call Retreat on Saturday evening, May 19 at the Green Lake Conference Center in Green Lake, WI.

The 3-day Call Retreat (May 18-20) kicks off the International Ministries World Mission Conference 2012.  The Call Retreat is a focused, individualized event during which participants dedicate themselves to discerning God’s call to Christian service and learning what steps are needed to respond to that call faithfully.  The Call Retreat is jointly sponsored by American Baptist International Ministries (IM), American Baptist Home Mission Societies and the American Baptist Ministers Council.

Dr. Alistair Brown is an ordained Baptist pastor from the UK who has been serving as President of Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in the Greater Chicago area since 2008.

Brown was ordained in 1981 and pastored two churches in Scotland. One was a new church plant and the other a 100-year-old city center church.  Both saw extensive growth during those years.  In 1996, Alistair was appointed General Director of the Baptist Missionary Society, founded in 1792 by William Carey, and he moved to its base in Oxfordshire, England.  During that time Dr. Brown also gained an MBA degree from the Open University.

Moving to the Presidency of Northern Seminary has proved to be a strategic time for his leadership gifts, and the seminary has experienced new life and growth.

Brown will join two other recognized speakers at the World Mission Conference.

Dr. Leslie Braxton, senior pastor of New Beginnings Christian Fellowship in Renton, WA will deliver the sermon on Sunday evening May 20.

On Thursday May 24, Dr. Tony Campolo, professor emeritus of sociology, Eastern University and founder and president of the Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education, will be the keynote speaker.

In addition to these acclaimed speakers, the World Mission Conference will feature 32 IM missionaries and 14 global Christian leaders who will participate in workshops and plenaries throughout the week (May 18 -24).  For more information on this high-intensity week, go to http://www.internationalministries.org/read/38513-may-2012-hear-the-call.

“Whether you are exploring an initial call to service, seeking God’s direction for the next phase of your discipleship or just eager to learn about and join what God is doing the in world, this will be a terrific opportunity for you,” commented Stan Slade, IM global consultant and associate executive director.

To register for the conference and/or to reserve housing, contact the Green Lake Conference Center at (920) 294-3323.  To view the conference schedule, go to http://www.internationalministries.org/read/41687-conference-schedule

The 2012 World Mission Conference is the first of several events that IM will use to celebrate what God has done through American Baptist global mission over the last 200 years, and to launch IM into its third century of mission. “This is a remarkable occasion for IM. Not many mission agencies have been able to reach this milestone. We are indeed grateful for God’s leading and guidance during our 200-year history,” commented Reid Trulson, executive director.  “We are honoring the past while moving forward into the future.”

Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, founded in 1913, focuses on preparing leaders who will faithfully serve Jesus Christ with evangelical passion and mission skills in biblically grounded and culturally relevant ministries. NU is in partnership with the American Baptist Churches and is in cooperation with the wider church. For more, go to http://www.seminary.edu/

American Baptist Churches USA is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with 5,500 local congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.