Ministers and Missionaries Lead Kaleo Conference

Eric Pratt

More than 450 students from the Southeast will attend a Kaleo conference at Mississippi College that also brings an all-star lineup of ministers and missionaries as guest speakers.

The conference geared to college and seminary students is booked for February 18-19 on the Clinton campus.

“The Kaleo Experience is an incredible opportunity for young people to explore where Jesus may be calling them to serve,” says Eric Pratt, MC’s vice president for Christian Development. “They will be challenged to think about the various ways Christians can follow Christ and live out His commands.”

By hosting the 2011 conference, Mississippi College is helping to fulfill its vision to be known as a “university recognized for academic excellence and commitment to the cause of Christ,” he noted.

Many of the speakers will tell their stories of how they were called, about learning to deal with the challenges of being called into inner city ministries and difficulties they’ve faced working with other people. “Through Kaleo events, students will hear the struggles of ministries,” Pratt said.

The conference at MC will also be the place for incredible worship opportunities, Pratt said.

Created in 2003 as the Missions Prep Network, the Kaleo Network was developed as a strategy of the Missionary Mobilization Team of the North American Mission Board. The network serves as the farm system for the next generation of Southern Baptist leadership. It introduces emerging leaders to existing ministry leaders. Kaleo is a Greek word meaning to call aloud or to be called.

Speakers at the MC conference include Jeff Iorg, president of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in California, Chip Henderson, senior pastor at Pinelake Baptist Church in Brandon, Ron and Kathy Mumbower, leaders of the Summit Counseling Ministry in Jackson, Beth Stapleton, chair of MC’s Department of Modern Languages, and Bill Townes, vice president of finance with the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.

Other speakers include Dwayne Pickett, senior pastor at New Jerusalem Church in Jackson, Beverly Parrish, associate director of collegiate ministry with the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, Randy Nessly, the missionary mobilization team leader with the Georgia-based North American Mission Board, and Linda Osborne, the young adult ministry director with LifeWay Christian Resources.

Stapleton will lead a break-out session called “Jesus on your campus: How do you shine for Christ.”

The Kaleo Network “is fabulous for young people called into the ministry,” Stapleton said. “I am a little Chihuahua in a room of big dogs because I am not directly employed under a job titled ministry. With that said I feel that God has prepared me to share my shining in Christ on campus regardless of career choice,” said the Mississippi College graduate. “My teaching is my ministry.”

Registration and check-in for the conference will be 3:30 p.m. Friday. The conference is jointly sponsored by the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, Mississippi College, LifeWay, the International Mission Board and North American Mission Board.

For more information, contact Pratt at 601.925.3235 or epratt@mc.edu or go to www.kaleoconference.com.