‘Prodigal Christianity’ author to speak at General Offices, Bethany, N. Ohio District.

Photo by courtesy of David Fitch

David Fitch

The Church of the Brethren is hosting David Fitch on a speaking tour Oct. 21-23. Workshops and lectures take place at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill.; Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind.; and the Northern Ohio District Office in Ashland, Ohio. An additional event takes place at Ashland Theological Seminary.

Each workshop will focus on “Leadership for a Prodigal Church.” Following his recent book “Prodigal Christianity,” Fitch will explore mission in a post-Christendom context, and ways Anabaptist thought and practice are poised for the current time.

Pastors and other church leaders are invited to attend a workshop in their region:

• Oct. 21, 1-4 p.m. at the Church of the Brethren General Offices, Elgin Ill.
• Oct. 22, 9 a.m.-12 noon at Bethany Theological Seminary, Richmond, Ind.
• Oct. 23, 9 a.m.-12 noon at Northern Ohio District Office, Ashland Ohio

Ministers who attend one of the above workshops may earn .3 continuing education units through the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership. A $10 administrative fee will be charged for continuing education units.

Fitch also will give a public lecture at Ashland (Ohio) Theological Seminary on Oct. 23 at 7 p.m.

Fitch is the B.R. Lindner Chair of Evangelical Theology at Northern Seminary in Chicago, Ill., and founding pastor of Life on the Vine Christian Community, a missional church in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. He coaches a network of church plants in the Christian and Missionary Alliance linked to Life on the Vine. He also writes on issues churches must face in mission including cultural engagement, leadership, and theology. His articles have appeared in numerous periodicals including “Christianity Today,” “The Other Journal,” “Missiology,” and academic journals. His books include “The End of Evangelicalism? Discerning a New Faithfulness for Mission,” “The Great Giveaway: Reclaiming the Mission of the Church from American Business, Para-Church Organizations, Psychotherapy, Consumer Capitalism and Other Modern Maladies,” and mostly recently “Prodigal Christianity: Ten Signposts into the Missional Frontier” with co-author Geoff Holsclaw.

Contact Joshua Brockway, director of Spiritual Life and Discipleship for the Church of the Brethren, jbrockway@brethren.org or 800-323-8039 ext. 303.

Source: 9/26/2013 Newsline