One of America’s 25 most influential evangelicals to visit Goshen College Oct. 11-12

Events: Nationally-recognized Christian author Brian McLaren lectures at Goshen College
Wednesday, Oct. 11 – 10 a.m.,“Seven Jesuses I Have Known,” Church-Chapel
Thursday, Oct. 12 – 7:30-9 p.m., “Spiritual Formation in the Emerging Culture,” Church-Chapel
Cost: Free and open to the public
Event sponsor: Goshen College’s CALL grant
For more information: Contact Becky Horst by calling (574) 535-7206 or e-mailing beckybh@goshen.edu
Web site: www.brianmclaren.net

GOSHEN, Ind. – Highly-acclaimed author and innovative Christian thinker Brian D. McLaren – listed by “Time” magazine as “one of America’s 25 most influential evangelicals” – will challenge the Elkhart County community to think about Christian faith and church in new ways when he visits and speaks at Goshen College on Oct. 11 and 12.

McLaren will give a message on Wednesday, Oct. 11 at 10 a.m. during a chapel service on “Seven Jesuses I Have Known” in the Church-Chapel. There will be an informal question and answer time afterwards. On Thursday, Oct. 12 at 7:30 p.m., he will give a lecture on “Spiritual Formation in the Emerging Culture” in the Church-Chapel. This will also include a question and answer time, as well as a book sale and signing afterwards. Both events are free and open to the public.

McLaren will also be speaking in several college classes as well as engaging in dialogue with students and faculty from Goshen College and Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart. In the past decade, he has written eight books and co-authored three. His messages during his visit will be based on his latest books: “A Generous Orthodoxy,” his personal confession of faith, and “The Secret Message of Jesus,” an exploration of the real “passion of Christ.”

McLaren is a pastor, author, speaker and networker among innovative Christian leaders, thinkers and activists. He has been active in networking and mentoring church planters and pastors since the mid-1980s. He has assisted in the development of several new churches and is the founding pastor of Cedar Ridge Community Church near Baltimore, where he continued to pastor until this year. He is currently considered to be a leader in the Emergent church movement and is the chair of the board of directors for Sojourners/Call to Renewal in Washington, D.C.

McLaren graduated from the University of Maryland with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English. He later received a doctor of divinity degree from Carey Theological Seminary in Vancouver, B.C., Canada.

McLaren has appeared on Larry King Live, Religion and Ethics Newsweek and Nightline. He is a popular conference speaker and a frequent quest lecturer at seminaries and denominational gatherings, both nationally and internationally. His public speaking covers a broad range of topics including: postmodernism, biblical studies, evangelism, apologetics, leadership, global mission, church growth, church planting, art and music, pastoral survival and burnout, inter-religious dialogue, ecology and social justice.

On Oct. 12 at 9:15 a.m., the college is hosting a coffee break for all local pastors that will include a presentation by McLaren on “New Metaphors for the Kingdom of God” in the College Mennonite Church Fellowship Hall, 9:15-10:45 a.m. It will be followed by an open dialogue. Pastors should R.S.V.P. to Becky Horst at beckybh@goshen.eduif they plan to attend this event.

For more information about McLaren, visit his Web site at www.brianmclaren.net.

In 2001, Goshen College was among the first 20 colleges to receive a five-year grant from the religion division of Lilly Endowment to fund Programs for the Theological Exploration of Vocation. The Goshen grant is called the CALL project, which is sponsoring McLaren’s visit to the college.

Editors: For more information about this release, to arrange an interview or request a photo, contact Goshen College News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.

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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a four-year residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college’s Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron’s Best Buys in Education, “Colleges of Distinction,” “Making a Difference College Guide” and U.S.News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” edition, which named Goshen a “least debt college.” Visit www.goshen.edu.