Rose City hosts Evangelical Press Association for first time

    PORTLAND – Two prominent Portland residents – international evangelist Luis Palau and best-selling author Donald Miller – will be joined by singer-songwriter Margaret Becker as keynote speakers for the national convention of the Evangelical Press Association, Wednesday through Friday, May 7-9, in the Rose City.
    The gathering for the association, which also includes the Fellowship of Christian Newspapers — of which Christian News Northwest is a founding member — is expected to draw about 400 people representing every facet of the Christian magazine and newspaper publishing industry to the Red Lion on the River, 909 N. Hayden Island Drive, in the Jantzen Beach area.
    Theme for the event, in keeping with the Lewis and Clark heritage of the region, is “Journey of Discovery: Expanding Your Worldview.”
    EPA members produce about 300 different publications. In the almost 60-year history of the organization, this is the first time its convention has come to the Rose City, and only the second time in the Northwest — the first being Seattle in 1986.
    The conference also features musical guests Paul Laloche, Scott Krippayne and Keith and Kristyn Getty, and scores of workshops on a wide range of topics related to Christian publishing — most of them led by local residents.
    Morning devotions will be presented by leaders of two of the region’s Christian universities. On Thursday they will be given by Daniel Lockwood, president of Multnomah Bible College and Biblical Seminary, which this summer becomes Multnomah University. On Friday they will be led by Robin Baker, new president of George Fox University.
     Born in Argentina, Palau began preaching at age 18 and has presented the gospel to millions of people through large outdoor festivals worldwide. The Palau organization hopes to locally mobilize at least 10,000 volunteers over the summer to aid homeless people, spruce up public school grounds, mentor students, gather school supplies for needy kids, serve free meals for poor children, and clean up neighborhoods prior to his Portland CityFest this August.
    Miller grew up in Houston, Texas. Leaving home at age 21, he traveled across the nation until he ran out of money in Portland. Harvest House Publishers released his first book, Prayer and the Art of Volkswagen Maintenance, in 2000. Two years later he wrote Blue Like Jazz, which eventually become a New York Times bestseller. Miller has teamed up with Steve Taylor and Ben Pearson to write the screenplay for Blue Like Jazz, which will be filmed in Portland this spring. Miller is the founder of The Belmont Foundation, which partners with local churches to create mentoring programs for young men growing up without fathers. His next book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, will be released this year.
    Becker has had 14 No. 1 Christian radio hits. She’s been nominated for four Grammy awards, and has won three Dove awards. Although best-known for her music, she is also a writer. She has written for Campus Life and CCM magazine, and is the author of several books, including With New Eyes: Fresh Vision for the Soul and Coming Up for Air: Simple Acts to Redefine Your Life. Her newest album, Air, was released last year. Becker has been active with a number of charities such as Habitat for Humanity, Compassion International, and World Vision. Becker lives in Nashville, Tenn.
    Baloche, a singer-songwriter and worship leader, is best known as the composer of “Open the Eyes of My Heart.” A New Jersey native, Baloche is currently worship pastor at Community Christian Fellowship in Lindale, Texas.

   Baloche’s songs have been recorded by Christian artists ranging from Michael W. Smith to SonicFlood. His songs are among the most popular worship songs today. “Open the Eyes of My Heart” is currently ranked No. 2, according to Christian Copyright Licensing Institute, and “Above All,” cowritten with Lenny Leblanc, is ranked 22. “Above All” was nominated for Song of the Year for the 2002 and 2003 Dove awards, and Michael W. Smith’s recording of that song won Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year in 2002, a year in which Baloche was also nominated for Songwriter of the Year. His six albums emphasize worship music, and he is also the author of a book, God Songs.
    Krippayne, from Seattle, is a singer-songwriter who cares about writing music that reflects life, resonates with people, and touches the heart. He has released eight CDs to date, which have spawned nine No. 1 songs. As a songwriter, Krippayne has had more than 200 of his songs recorded by other artists, including Jordin Sparks (American Idol), Point of Grace, Avalon, Sandi Patty, FFH, Jaci Velasquez, and John Tesh. He has also authored two books: Hugs For Teens and More Than A Story.
    Irish composers and artists Keith and Kristyn Getty are on a mission to revive the art of hymnody for a new generation. “The hymn most identified with the couple, “In Christ Alone,” penned by Keith and acclaimed British songwriter Stuart Townend (“How Deep The Father’s Love”), has been recorded more than 200 times — including arrangements by such top artists as Natalie Grant and the Newsboys —and is now one of the most popular Christian songs in the United Kingdom.
    For complete information on EPA and the conference, go to www.epassoc.org.