“Convergence”. This term is used in strategic innovation to look at the way things combine to create a new reality… and with it, new opportunities for the Gospel! Many of us are deep into diaspora work, many of us are deep into redeployment of missionaries unable to return. These two conversations have connected, and this webinar will present an innovative pathway to the redeployment of returning missionaries among diaspora peoples. The option for redeployment will be relevant to sending agency leaders in member care, receiving groups such as church/agency leaders working in and around diaspora communities, and missionaries who are seeking the Lord during a time of transition by presenting a realistic pathway for redeployment. Reaching scattered people is an emerging field of 21st-century mission; let’s engage it together!
Presenters:
A.C. Hawthorne grew up on the Island of Hawaii and planted a church in his hometown of Pahoa as well as leading urban mission teams in Portland, OR. He now serves as Diaspora Mission Strategist for Frontier Ventures and co-directs NextMove which provides missions agencies solutions for diaspora missions. Additionally, he is the founder and executive director of Brilliance Labs, a funding platform for minority-led missions endeavors. He holds a BA in biblical studies from Multnomah University and an MA in Global Leadership from Western Seminary. He is married to Sharon and together they have seven kids.
Mark Avery was born in England, raised in a Christian home, and lived internationally due to his father’s business in Europe (UK, Belgium), and later in America (NJ/CA/GA). He holds a degree in TEFL/ICS and he spent over a decade focused on a displaced UPG in Asia, living in Nepal and later in India. He completed a Ph. D. program at Fuller where he studied partnership dynamics. Over the last decade, Mark has taught on culture, partnership, systems thinking and design work on a masters and doctorate level (Fuller, Liberty). He is director of mission and outreach for a large church in a highly diverse area of New Jersey where he lives with his wife Asen and two daughters.
John Baxter is a Converge missionary who served in the central Philippines working in missions training and mobilization. He is currently the Director of Diaspora Initiatives for Converge and the Director of Research and Consulting for NextMove. For many years John served as an international catalyst for the Global Diaspora Network of the Lausanne Movement.
For over 25 years Rebecca Epley has been sharing Jesus with unreached peoples and mobilizing other followers of Jesus to do the same. She has a BA in Psychology and Masters in Christian Education. Rebecca is married to Jeff and together with their five children they are living in Texas. They served Jesus in Bangladesh for 11 years as church planters among Muslims and now they are Kingdom mobilizers with their local church. Rebecca is the Director of Mobilization with Global Gates.
