The Rev. Shane Bishop to Speak at the WCA’s 2019 Global Gathering
The Wesleyan Covenant Association is very pleased to announce that the Rev. Shane Bishop will speak at its Fourth Global Gathering at Asbury United Methodist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday, November 9, 2019.
“Shane has a phenomenal gift for clarity, and he delivers the Gospel with passion,” said the Rev. Dr. Chris Ritter, Directing Pastor at Geneseo United Methodist Church in Geneseo, Illinois. “Because of his humility, good humor, and confidence that the Gospel changes lives no matter what the setting, Shane is respected among colleagues serving churches of all sizes and categories. He’s a ‘pastor’s pastor’ who lives in the trenches will all those striving to share the Gospel and grow Christ’s church.”
Bishop’s presentation, “The Holy Spirit, The Lord, The Giver of Life,” is part of the Gathering’s “Transformed” theme. The event is expected to attract thousands of United Methodists across the connection.
An elder in the Illinois Great Rivers Annual Conference, Bishop is the Senior Pastor at Christ Church in Fairview Heights, Illinois. With his strengths of vision casting, preaching, and leadership, the multi-site congregation’s weekend worship attendance has increased under his leadership from 200 in 1997 to over 2,400 in 2018. The Illinois Great River Annual Conference has recognized the growth and outreach of Christ Church numerous times with its Award for Church Growth and Evangelism for Large Churches. Over the past decade it has routinely be cited as one of the ten fastest growing United Methodist congregations in the United States, and Outreach Magazine recently listed it among the 100 fastest growing churches in the country in 2018.
Bishop holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, and a Master of Divinity degree from Candler School of Theology at Emory University where he graduated cum laude in 1992. The author of three books (most recently, Love God, Love People), he has also published articles in various publications, and he regularly writes essays posted on his blog Musings. He has been a member of the WCA Council since its inception in October 2016.
“Shane has that great ability to sincerely say hard and important things to us with a genuine smile on his face,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, President of the WCA. “He manages to be all business and all joy at the same time as he leads people to grow deeper in their faith and become effective followers of Christ. It’s a pleasure to have him back as one of our Global Gathering speakers.”
To learn more about the conference visit Transformed online. People can register to attend the host site at Asbury UM Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, or a number of simulcast sites across the country.