VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 4/19/12)—Rev. Dr. Olu Menjay, President of the Liberia Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention, and a vice president and chair of the Human Rights Advocacy Commission of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) will be featured at the American Baptist International Ministries (IM) World Mission Conference May 18–25 at the Green Lake Conference Center in Green Lake, WI.
Menjay, a native of Liberia (West Africa), is the youngest person ever to be elected to the vice presidency in the BWA. He was elected president by Liberian Baptists in March of 2012. Menjay said his goals include improving education both by strengthening Baptist schools in Liberia and securing scholarships for Liberian Baptists to study abroad. He also seeks to empower Liberian Baptist churches to “fulfill self-sufficiency with a focus to eliminate a future of dependency.”
Menjay is a former war refugee who returned to Liberia in 2005 to rebuild Ricks Institute, a K-12 boarding school founded in 1887. The Institute was severely looted and vandalized as a battleground in the civil war. Menjay is the school’s principal, as well as assistant professor in the Roberts Department of Christianity in Mercer University’s College of Liberal Arts.
After fleeing the war in Liberia, Menjay came to the U.S. where he studied at Baptist-affiliated Truett-McConnell College in Cleveland, Ga., earning an associate’s degree. He went on to receive a bachelor’s degree at Mercer University, a master-of-divinity from Duke and a Ph.D. through the International Baptist Theological Seminary in the Czech Republic.
Menjay will join three other recognized speakers, 31 IM missionaries and 14 global Christian leaders at the WMC, themed “Hear the Call.” For more information on this high-intensity week, go to http://www.internationalministries.org/read/38513-may-2012-hear-the-call.
On Saturday, May 19, Dr. Alistair Brown, president of Northern Seminary will be a featured speaker at the Call Retreat.
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.
“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.”
Baptist World Alliance is a fellowship of 222 Baptist Conventions and Unions comprising a membership of more than 41 million baptized believers and a community of 110 million. The BWA unites Baptists worldwide, leads in world evangelism, responds to people in need, defends human rights and promotes theological reflection.
For more information, contact: Catherine Nold catherine.nold@abc-usa.org
American Baptist International Ministries (IM) was organized in 1814 as the first Baptist international mission agency in America. It began its pioneer mission work in Burma and today works in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas serving more than 1,800 long-term and short-term missionaries. Its central mission is to help people come to Christ, grow in their relationship with God, and change their worlds through the power of the Spirit. It works with respected partners in over 70 countries in ministries that meet human need.
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.