BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:icalendar-ruby CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260724T125252Z UID:51-508037@radiantopc.com DTSTART:20261002T133000Z DTEND:20261003T171500Z CLASS:PUBLIC CREATED:20260709T120922 DESCRIPTION:\n\n\n\n\nOverview\nHospitality is essential to the life of a h ealthy Christian and a healthy church. It is listed among the qualificatio ns of being a church leader and is often one of the most important things visitors notice when they come to our churches for the first time. Simply put\, churches that are warm and hospitable tend to grow and thrive by the grace of God.\n\nWhat if your church could become the most hospitable pla ce in your community?\n\nThe apostle Paul exhorts believers to "contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality" (Romans 12:13). While many churches excel at meeting practical needs\, hospitality—true\ , biblical hospitality—often remains underdeveloped. Yet hospitality isn 't optional for healthy church life\; it's essential.\n\nOn October 2-3\, the 2026 Center for Missions and Evangelism Annual Conference will bring together seven speakers to help your church discover what it means to trul y welcome and enfold people into the life of your congregation.\nWhat You' ll Experience:\n\nBiblical Teaching - Explore what Scripture says about h ospitality as a mark of genuine Christian faith and healthy church culture \nPanel Discussion - Engage with speakers during Q&\;A sessions design ed to address your specific questions and challenges\nPractical Tools - R eceive accessible\, actionable strategies you can implement immediately in your church context\nAll Ages Welcome - Content designed to be practical and accessible for believers of all ages\, from youth groups to seasoned leaders\nFellowship &\; Food - Experience hospitality firsthand throug h delicious meals\, meaningful conversation\, and uplifting worship\nWorsh ip Together - Join in corporate singing that draws our hearts toward the God who first welcomed us.\n\n\n"Do not neglect to show hospitality to str angers\, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." — Hebrews 13:2\n\nGod created us as relational beings\, and the church should be the most welcoming community on earth. Whether your congregation is a tight-k nit family or you rarely see visitors\, this conference will equip you wit h biblical wisdom and practical skills to build a thriving\, welcoming chu rch culture.\n\nLast year\, we were thrilled to see young people and entir e youth groups join us. This year\, we're building on that momentum with c ontent that speaks to every generation\, from teenagers discovering their calling to serve to long-time members ready to renew their vision for hosp itality.\n\nWe Can't Wait to See You\nCome learn from God's Word how to we lcome and enfold people into the life of your church. And yes—we'll show you a bit of hospitality too!\n\nThis two-day conference will take place at Bethel Church\, located in Lansing\, Illinois\, beginning on October 2n d\, with doors opening at 8:30 am. The conference will wrap up at approxim ately 12:15 pm on October 3rd.\nKeep up to date with this webpage as the c onference schedule becomes finalized.\nThis event is in-person only and wi ll not be livestreamed. \nConference Location: Bethel Church\, 3500 Glen wood Lansing Rd\, Lansing\, IL 60438\nDiscounted Hotel Rates for the Confe rence\nHomewood Suites in Munster\, IN (Cutoff August 28\, 2026)\nHampton Inn in Munster\, IN (Cutoff August 28\, 2026)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nREGISTRATION DETAILS\ nAdmission fees are listed within each linked registration form. For churc h groups of 26 or more\, please call the Seminary to register.\nMARS Alumn i Admission | Registrations Open | Closes September 27\, 2026\n\nMARS Alu mni: Individual Admission - $125.00\nMARS Alumni: Couple/Family Admission - $200.00\n\nRegister Here\n\nGeneral Admission | Registrations open | Closes September 27\, 2026\n\nIndividual Admission — $175.00\nFamily (2 or more in same household) Admission — $300.00\n\nRegister here\n\nGro up Admission | Churches Only | Registrations Open | Closes September 27\, 2026\nThese are specially reduced rates for churches bringing groups as p art of our commitment to serving local congregations.\n\nMax 10 Admissions — $300 | Register here \nMax 15 Admissions — $420 | Register here  \nMax 20 Admissions — $520 | Register here \nMax 25 Admissions — $ 600 | Register here \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAlan S trange\nPresident of Mid-America\nReformed Seminary\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDale Van Dyke\nPastor of Harvest Church\, Wyoming\, MI \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHeather Watkins\nOPC Pastor's Wife\,\nConference Speaker\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEric Watkins\nDirector of the Center for\nMissions and Evangelism\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\nSchedule\nFriday\, October 2\, 2026\n8:30 a.m.                               Doors Open/Registration\n\n10:00 a.m.                             Conference Welcome\, Announcement s\, &\; Worship\n\n10:15 a.m.                              Eric Watkins: Merciful Evangelism: Showing the Love of Jesus One Meal at a Time\n\n11:00 a.m.                               Break\n\n11:30 a.m.                              Greg By lsma: Preaching and Praying for Biblical Church Culture\n\n12:30 pm.                              Lunch Break\n\n2:00 p.m.                              John Bouwers: Love Much? Lear ning Hospitality at the Feet of Jesus\n\n3:00 p.m.                                    Break\n\n3:30 p.m.                              Heather &\; Eric Watkins: The Hidden Soup-er Po wer of Hospitality\n\n4:30 p.m.                              Panel Discussion\n\n5:30 p.m.                               Dinner\n\n7:00 p.m.                              Jo n Dennis: Hospitality in the City: The God of Welcome - Creating a Tangib le Sense of God's Presence in Downtown Chicago\n \n \nSaturday\, October 3\, 2026\n8:30 a.m.                              Doors Op en\n\n9:00 a.m.                              Conference An nouncements &\; Worship\n\n9:15 a.m.                                Alan Strange: Invited into Fellowship: From Hospitality to Full Inclusion\n\n10:00 a.m.                              Break\n\n10:30 a.m.                             Dale Van Dy ke: Outgrowing an Ingrown Church\n\n11:30 a.m.                              Panel Discussion         \n\n12:15 p.m.                              Conference Concludes/Grab-and-Go L unch                    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n LAST-MODIFIED:20260709T120922 LOCATION:Bethel Church - 3500 Glenwood Lansing Rd\, Lansing\, IL 60438 SUMMARY:Missions and Evangelism Conference URL;VALUE=URI:https://radiantopc.com/events/missions-and-evangelism-confere nce/2026-10-02 ATTACH;FILENAME=MARS-Seminar.png;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://dq5pwpg1q8ru0.cl oudfront.net/2026/07/09/17/09/22/b2c9066b-3497-4b98-b9b6-ab87a068dc0e/MARS -Seminar.png END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR