Registration is now open for Concordia Seminary, St. Louis’ annual Multiethnic Symposium, which is set for May 1-2 on campus.

The symposium brings together missional leaders including pastors, congregational leaders and others from across The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). The symposium explores what it means and what it will take to become a truly multiethnic church.

The theme of this year’s symposium is “Many Peoples, One Savior, Jesus: Affirming a Multiethnic Church.”

“We are blessed to have this annual Multiethnic Symposium for the church,” said Rev. Kou Seying, chairman of the symposium planning committee, the Lutheran Foundation Professor of Urban and Cross-Cultural Ministry and associate dean for Urban and Cross-Cultural Ministry. “It is a place where theology and mission meet learning from world-renowned scholars and missional leaders. It also is a place to develop a network of personal relationships for the mission of God and a place to celebrate, affirm and validate each other’s ministry as we, the church, together embrace the 21st century America that is rapidly increasing in cultural and ethnic diversity.”

Dr. Mark DeYmaz, founding pastor of the Mosaic Church of Central Arkansas in Little Rock, Ark., and author of the award-winning book, Building a Healthy Multi-Ethnic Church, will deliver the keynote address. Dr. Victor Raj, the Seminary’s Buehner–Duesenberg Professor of Missions and assistant director of the Institute for Mission Studies, will be the respondent.

Plenary and sectional speakers from throughout the LCMS will share their perspectives and the multiethnic impact in their respective fields of ministry.

The symposium will include the 13th Annual Lecture in Hispanic/Latino Theology and Missions, “What's Love Got to Do with It? Reading Luther from the Margins,” presented by Dr. Alberto L. García at 1:15 p.m. May 1 in Werner Auditorium. García is a theologian, author and pastor. Dean of Advanced Studies Dr. Gerhard Bode, associate professor of Historical Theology, will be the respondent. The lecture, sponsored by the Seminary’s Center for Hispanic Studies, is free and open to the public.

This symposium will feature a Festival of Nations and a Festival Service with Holy Communion. In conjunction with and preceding the Multiethnic Symposium are the North American Mission Endeavor (NAME) conference, language specific ministry forums, the Hmong Symposium, Lutheran Society for Missiology (LSFM) Annual Meeting and other post-symposium mission meetings as well. Please contact the specific organization for detailed information about their events.

Registration is $50 and includes Tuesday lunch and dinner, Wednesday breakfast and lunch, and some pre- and post-symposium events. On-campus housing is available for an additional fee. To register, click here.

For more information, visit www.csl.edu/multiethnic or contact Continuing Education at 314-505-7286 or [email protected].

About Concordia Seminary
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis provides Gospel-centered graduate-level theological education for pastors, missionaries, deaconesses, scholars and other leaders in the name of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). To learn more, visit www.csl.edu.