International Conference
on Christian Care — 1999
The Crystal Cathedral Pastoral Care department, headed by Dr. James R. Kok, will host the International Conference on Christian Care at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California. The three-day event will be held on March 18, 19 and 20, 1999.
The Conference is developed around the vision of Dr. Kok and his mission to “inspire, equip and motivate people to care for others.” Dr. Kok, who has been at the Crystal Cathedral since 1983, states his goal to “see the movement of church members into more “hands- on” caregiving of the sick, injured, grieving and lonely. The pastoral care of the congregation is slowly shifting away from the pastors back to the people.”
The focus of Dr. Kok’s ministry — and the focus of the Care Conference — is to make people aware of how much love, how much support, how much healing they can give to others, often by simply “being there” for another person. He summed up this important factor in the title of his book, 90% of Helping Is Just Showing Up.
Thus
the Care Conference was created to provide a forum for presenting the
myriad ways — mostly simple ways—that make a difference to a friend who
is hurting. Dr. Kok’s vision for the Conference is that “Christian people
will learn appropriate outlooks, attitudes and the skills for approaching,
walking with, listening, and responding.” This year’s conference includes
such diverse topics as “Care that crosses cultural boundaries”,
“Disarming anger – unleashing peace”, “Youth in crisis – keeping the
peace” and “Spirituality, stigma and serious mental illness.”
In addition to addresses by Dr. Kok, a highlight of the Conference will
be Dr. Lewis B. Smedes, who will speak from his book, Standing
On the Promises, a full discussion of Hope.
The schedule for the three-day Conference will include general sessions, break-out workshops, entertainment and a Gala dinner on Saturday night. If you have not received a full brochure with complete details and registration information, you can have one sent to you by calling (714) 544-5679.
“I have attended many conferences; however, not one of them can compare with the International Conference on Christian Care in 1998. How wonderful that it is an annual affair.
This conference became especially meaningful to me when I learned that Ron Nydam’s workshop and keynote message would be on relinquishment and adoption. I am an adoptive parent and Ron’s workshop gave me an insight as to what it must have been for John to give up his birth mother, although he was just a few days old when he was adopted. I was filled with love, compassion and tears.
I am grateful I learned that I can be a blessing to hurting people by “Just Showing Up”. I feel this one phrase has better prepared me in my role as an Elder of this church. I usually come away from conferences with perhaps one or two high points, but this was a constant high.”
Rowland Manson
Crystal Cathedral
