Honolulu 2007 will take place March 29th-31st at the Hawaii Convention Center. The event is hosted by Hawaiian Island Ministries. This year’s conference will have several contemplative speakers including Tony Campolo, Erwin McManus, H. B. London (Focus on the Family), and Dallas Willard. In past years speakers have included contemplatives as well: Leith Anderson (Ted Haggard’s replacement for the NAE), Larry Crabb, Richard Foster, Bill Hybels, Brennan Manning, John Ortberg, and Philip Yancey. It is unfortunate to also see popular Christian leaders like Josh McDowell, Joni Eareckson Tada, and Luis Palau as past speakers.
Last year’s conference included a “Conversations with God” session in which “lectio divina,” “the Prayer of the Examen (noticing God’s presence in everyday life), and other prayer forms” were taught and practiced.
Hawaiian Island Ministries board member, Peter Chao is currently seeking his PHD at the Peter Drucker Graduate School of Management, and Dan Chun (chairman of the HIM board) was a a speaker at the 2005 Robert Schuller Institute. . Both Peter Drucker and Robert Schuller share the spiritual affinities of contemplatives, thus we can see, at least in part, how Hawaiian Island Ministries has become so influenced. It is our concern that those who attend this conference will unknowingly be introduced to the spirituality of Thomas Merton and Henri Nouwen.
