One of the highlights of the conference was the Illuminate Experience
Room, an interactive area where attendees mingled and participated in
hands-on activities that pulled together the theme of being a light for
Christ. Some stood in line to take pictures at the photo booth. Others
explored the Illuminate Experience maze, which took people through
an almost pitch-black course, lit intermittently by small, orange lights.
Throughout the four-day event, Illuminate also highlighted two OMS ministries: Bibles for Cuba, a ministry that sends Bibles to Cuban believers, and
Bridge to Reading, an international literacy program that tutors students and
also brings them the Gospel message. Each day, OMS took donations to help
fund these projects, and there was even a 5K run for Bridge to Reading that
raised awareness and support for the ministry.
The conference was also the official launch of OMS’
One Billion - One Opportunity Vision. President Bob
Fetherlin presented this vision in the opening and
closing sessions of the conference. Parallel to OMS’
desire to be a light in a dark world and to reach more
people for Christ, Bob shared the vision to give one
billion people the opportunity to hear, understand, and
believe the Good News of Jesus Christ over a 10-year
period (2016-2026).
Part of the plan to step up to the challenge of this vision is to come before
God in deep prayer, create partnerships with other organizations, and send missionaries out from all over the world.
We concluded the weekend with a commissioning service for new OMS missionaries. Under
the dangling, star-like auditorium lights, people gathered in clusters around each missionary
individual or family, bowed their heads, and reached out to lay hands on those who are being
sent out.
With the launch of the One Billion - One Opportunity Vision and the commissioning of the new missionaries, the Illuminate attendees dispersed back across the
world on Sunday. The opening ceremony flags were rolled up and stored on a truck.
As a final note, a torrent of rain and thunder barreled down once staff and volunteers
threw the last of the supplies onto the loading truck. But the spirit of the weekend,
the excitement of the new vision, and the mission to be lights in a dark world couldn’t
be snuffed out. Click here to see more conference photos and videos.
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