Imagine a weekend where some of the most dynamic pastors and speakers of our day gather together for a powerful time of sharing God’s word. Imagine music for that weekend being led by Hillsong United, today’s very essence of cutting-edge modern worship. And imagine that this is all taking place in your back yard in just a few short weeks. Well, my friend, there will be no need to imagine any further when the One Conference hits South Florida February 10th-12th.
“We are presenting this event to unite the church and ignite a passion for Jesus in the Christian community,” said Pedro Garcia, Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Kendall and visionary behind the event. “We have arranged for the finest communicators from around the country and around the world to come to Miami. There has never been an event like this in the history of South Florida.” Indeed, Garcia and his team have assembled a literal powerhouse of pastors and teachers for the conference. Along with Garcia himself, the following are just a few of those slated to speak.
Francis Chan
Until about 18 months ago, Francis Chan was the senior pastor of Cornerstone Church, one of the largest churches in California. A successful author and mega-church pastor, Chan appeared to have reached the pinnacle of his career. Until, the heard God calling him to walk away and jump into missions work among the least. On April 18th, 2010, Chan did just that, shocking many by stepping down from the pulpit to make himself freely available to answer God’s call without hindrance. While still in the process of determining exactly where he will land, Chan continues to be used by God as a powerful leader and example to many.
Franklin Graham
Graham, the son of famous evangelist Billy Graham, is a self-proclaimed former bad-boy. However, Graham had a life-changing personal encounter with Jesus at age 22, and founded international relief organization Samaritan’s Purse shortly thereafter. Today, in addition to leading Samaritan’s Purse, Graham has followed in his father’s footsteps as the President and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Graham shares his father’s engaging and compelling preaching style, powerfully proclaiming the gospel through evangelistic crusades across the globe.
Brian Houston
Brian Houston is the founder and senior-pastor of Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia. Some of the most powerful worship of the modern Christian movement has been birthed out of Houston’s Life, which has exploded into additional sites not only down under, but also internationally into Europe, Russia, South Africa, and the United States. During his nearly 30 years in Life, Houston has had the privilege to see God use his Life to impact millions of lives all across the globe.
Bob Coy
Bob Coy founded Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale in 1985 as a small group of believers meeting in a funeral home. Over the past 27 years, God has grown Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale into the eighth largest church in the nation. Coy’s engaging and conversational teaching style makes the gospel come to life in a unique and compelling way. Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale now reaches nearly 20,000 each week at its seven regional campuses. When asked for his thoughts on the One Conference, Coy shared, “When the body behaves in a unified way, it commands a blessing. That unified spirit will be the natural byproduct of so many pastors and churches coming together as one [at the One Conference].”
James MacDonald
James MacDonald is the Senior Pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel in Chicago, Illinois. MacDonald’s tenacious spirit and passion for adherence to biblical truth set him apart as a real modern-day prophet. James’ website states that his Life focuses on “the unapologetic proclamation of God’s word”. Harvest is one of the largest 25 churches in the country, with weekly attendance numbering around 13,000. His Walk-in-the Word radio program is broadcast daily in markets around the nation. Recently, MacDonald has organized The Elephant Room, an event where pastors at various points on the Christian spectrum come together to hash out important biblical issues (see article in this issue).
Ed Young
Ed Young is the founder and Senior Pastor of Fellowship Church in Dallas, one of the ten largest churches in the nation. Young is known for his engaging sermons, as well as his use of captivating props and media which bring God’s word to life. Young hosts a weekly television program that is distributed to a national market on ABC Family and other networks. Young has authored 13 books and is a frequent speaker at conferences across the nation.
Greg Laurie
Greg Laurie is the Senior Pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, also one of the largest churches in the nation. In the early 90’s, Laurie began Billy Graham-style crusades around North America, and has ministered to millions through these outreaches. Laurie has written several books, and hosts both television and radio programs. Laurie suffered the heart-wrenching loss of his oldest son in 2008, and encouraged many through his unwavering faith during that difficult time.
Hillsong United
The worship revolution birthed out of Hillsong Australia has been unparalleled in the modern day. Hillsong United, led by Brian Houston’s son, Joel Huston, started at an Australia youth summer camp in 1998 and never looked back. Known for their electric live albums and powerful worship anthems such as Saviour King, Mighty to Save and Desert Song, Hillsong United is sure to deliver a powerful time of worship at the One Conference.
Other One Conference speakers will include Britt Merrick, Carl Lentz, Christine Caine, Frank Harrison, Miles McPherson, Pedro Garcia and Scott Harrison. Along with Hillsong United, Christian artists Rebel Band and Dominic Balli will be on hand to glorify God through song.
Another significant aspect of this event will be a specific focus on the issue of human trafficking. Pedro Garcia’s wife, Lourdes Garcia, will serve as coordinator for the cause of human trafficking for the One Conference. “We want the One Conference to have a real impact and practical effect on a number of issues, including human trafficking,” Lourdes Garcia said. “A number of sources report very disturbing statistics of sexual and domestic slavery around the world, and in Florida,” she added. “Because Florida is a crossroads of the region, human slavery is a massive problem that many people are unaware of; we want to change that.” Christine Caine, one of the conference speakers, is an internationally known spokeswoman on the issue of human trafficking. Caine says this issue is starting to receive the global attention it deserves. “It is time for those in the church to step out of their comfort zones and seek that which is lost. We can abolish this massive injustice,” she said.
With one of its main purposes to bring the often divided body of believers together to unite under the banner of the one true and living God, the One Conference is sure to be a dynamic and impactful weekend for all who attend. The early registration price ends on Christmas Eve, so head on over to www.oneconference.com and reserve your ticket today for this unprecedented event.
Justin Young can be reached at [email protected].
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