Christian futurist to speak at Gathering VI Oct. 1-3 The Layman Online Thursday, August 2, 2001 Dr. Leonard Ira Sweet, dean of the Drew University Theological School and a self-styled Christian futurist, will be the keynote speaker at Gathering VI, a marshaling of evangelical ministers and lay people by the Presbyterian Coalition. The gathering will be held Oct. 1-3 at First Presbyterian Church in Orlando, Fla., one of the first congregations to join the Confessing Church Movement within the Presbyterian Church (USA). The coalition has endorsed the Confessing Church Movement. The theme for Gathering VI is "The Future of the Church … And Our Future in the Church." One major issue will be considering strategies to keep the "fidelity/chastity" ordination standard in the Book of Order. Although Gathering VI is not being coordinated with a planned national meeting of Confessing Church leaders tentatively scheduled in January 2002, the two events are expected to have several common goals. Sweet is a nationally known writer and teacher with a flair for catchy phrases and cutting-edge responses to postmodern challenges to evangelical Christianity. Some of his book titles include A Cup of Coffee at the Soul Cafe; Aquachurch: Essential Leadership Arts for Piloting Your Church in Today's Fluid Culture; Soul Tsunami: Sink or Swim in New Millennium Culture; Quantum Spirituality; Faithquakes and Postmodern Pilgrims. Sweet's Web site is a multimedia presentation designed to demonstrate that the soul is being inundated by an enormous postmodern tsunami (tidal wave) – and that the Church must learn to swim against the tide. The Presbyterian Coalition Web site includes a registration form for Gathering VI.

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