December 2, 2021
NationsU and ICOM 2021
NationsU and ICOM: Every year on the weekend before Thanksgiving, the International Conference On Missions (ICOM) holds its annual gathering. The Greater Richmond Convention Center, Richmond, Virginia, hosted the four-day event from November 18-21, 2021. ICOM brings together over 300 missionary and missionary-serving organizations associated with the Independent Christian Churches and the Stone-Campbell movement. Despite many travel restrictions from various countries, attendance for the conference was over 4,000.
In 2020, the event was held in Indianapolis. In the exhibit hall, masks were required, social distancing was practiced, and attendance was down. The event even restricted movement through the exhibitors by allowing attendees to walk only in one-way directions through the aisles. In Richmond, there were no masks, no restrictions, and attendance, along with excitement, was up.
Exhibit Hall
The exhibit hall is the heartbeat of the conference. Over 250 organizations serving all over the globe meet with missionaries and mission-minded folk, make lasting connections and learn from one another. For NationsUniversity, it can be a special time where students living in the area visit our booth or rub shoulders with organizations who partner with us.
It is the fifth conference that NU has attended, and it was John Baxter’s first. NU’s exposure continues to grow because of events like these. ICOM serves as a connection point for global missions, a place for sending out those who are called and spreading the Kingdom around the world. NationsU and ICOM share the same kingdom goals.
Friendships Matter
John was excited to hear the stories of our partners and students and to make new friendships that matter in our educational ministry. John is pictured here with Jeffrey Kobman, one of our volunteer faculty who attended the conference. “Meeting several NationsU faculty, students, and partners in person was a great blessing at this year’s ICOM event. Jeffrey has been with NU since 2012, first as a student and now as faculty. This is his first visit to ICOM but not the first NU event he has attended. In 2018, Jeffrey made the trip to Brentwood, TN, to attend a fundraising dinner that featured comedian Henry Cho.
It also gave us a great opportunity to describe how we can serve missionaries throughout the world who seek greater understanding of Scripture and expand our outreach to ministers and others who share the gospel here in the U.S.” We pray that NationsU and ICOM will be continued partnership for many years to come.
For more information on ICOM, please click this link.
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