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Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan will present its Mission of the Church Lectures on Feb. 18-20 and will feature Dr. Ruth Padilla DeBorst, a theologian and educator serving with Resonate Global Mission in Costa Rica.
Padilla DeBorst’s presentation, “Living as God’s People in God’s World,” will include three lectures, all free and open to the public.
Her presentations include:
- “Mission and Power: A Portrait Out of Latin America,” Tuesday, Feb. 18, 11 a.m., in the Mildred Welshimer Phillips Memorial Chapel in Milligan’s B.D. Phillips Building (1 Walker Drive, Johnson City, TN)
- “Christian Mission: ¿Pizza or Whole-Grain Bread?,” Wednesday, Feb. 19, 7 p.m., at Hopwood Memorial Christian Church (109 Hopwood Lane)
- “Mission and the Creation Community,” Thursday, Feb. 20, 11 a.m., in the Mildred Welshimer Phillips Memorial Chapel
A reception will immediately follow the Wednesday evening lecture in Hopwood.
Padilla DeBorst has been involved in leadership development and theological education in Latin America for several decades. She leads the Comunidad de Estudios Teológicos Interdisciplinarios, a learning community with students across Latin America. She also coordinates the networking team of International Fellowship for Mission as Transformation, and directs missional leadership formation processes with the Christian Reformed Church of North America. She serves on the board of A Rocha and the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies. She and her husband, James, live in Costa Rica as members of Casa Adobe, an intentional Christian community.
The Mission of the Church Lectures are devoted to the Christian world mission, especially cross-cultural evangelism.
“The real challenge for the church today is one of integration, as we tend to compartmentalize aspects of our faith,” said Dr. Michael Sweeney, professor of world mission and New Testament at Emmanuel. “We think of some people as scholars, others as preachers, and others as activists and justice advocates. Ruth has found a way to live out and promote a life that pulls all of these together. She brings us not only a message but also an example of how to live out this holistic Gospel.”
This lectureship is sponsored by the Westwood Foundation. Additional Westwood lectureships include The Robert O. Fife Lectures in Christian Reformation and the Myron Taylor Lectures in Preaching and Pastoral Ministry.