ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA (April 25, 2006) – The Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization has selected Leonid Regheta to participate in a Younger Leaders Gathering (YLG) in Malaysia for 500 younger leaders, ages 25-35.<\/p>\n
Regheta and his wife, Leanna, are project missionaries of the Evangelical Covenant Church in St. Petersburg. They are coordinating Covenant missions as well as developing relationships with other church leaders. Leonid also teaches at Saint Petersburg Christian University.<\/p>\n
Regheta and leaders from more than 100 countries will gather for six days of learning, development, worship, interaction and coaching September 24-30 in Kuala Lumpur. “Each of the attendees will have a small group and a mentor to work with,” Regheta says. “I realize I still need to learn a lot – what a wonderful learning experience this will be.”<\/p>\n
Fifty people will come from North America, with the other 450 attendees representing Africa, South America, Asia and elsewhere. “Through this conference I will get a updated perspective on God’s work around the world,” Regheta says. “This is an incredible way to experience diversity of God’s kingdom.”<\/p>\n
Noting his experience at a previous conference, Regheta says he is open to whatever may happen at the September event. “I was part of the Billy Graham Amsterdam 2000 conference and it was through the contacts I made at that conference, six years ago, that I am currently working at Saint Petersburg Christian University,” he explains. “I was open to God’s lead during that conference and I met a gentleman at the train station in Amsterdam. We started talking and before I knew it, I learned this gentleman was the president of Saint Petersburg Christian University, and he was inviting me to work with them.”<\/p>\n
Curt Peterson, executive minister of Covenant World Mission, recommended Regheta for the trip. Regheta still needs to raise $2,500 to cover hotel, food and travel expenses. Anyone wishing to donate should send checks earmarked “Regheta YLG 06 Support” to Covenant World Mission, Evangelical Covenant Church, 5101 N. Francisco Ave., Chicago, IL, 60625.<\/p>\n
Billy Graham started the Lausanne Movement in 1974, when he gathered 2,500 leaders for the Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization in Switzerland. Lausanne II was held in Manila, Philippines, in 1989. In 2004, some 1,500 participants representing 135 countries met in Pattaya, Thailand, for study consultations.<\/p>\n