On Saturday, April 18, Moody Bible Institute collaborated with Wheaton College and the Institute for Cross-Cultural training to host the Fourth Annual ESL (English as a Second Language) Ministry Conference. Jeremy and Angela Mains, professionals in international and ESL ministries, were the keynote speakers of this year’s conference, themed “Bridging the Gap.” The theme focused on how English can cross literal borders and figurative barriers to proclaim the Gospel message to communities.

With more than 300 people at the conference, attendees included students, semi-professionals and professionals. To suit these various needs, the conference offered three different tracks with groups of workshops oriented around an ESL ministry. The professional track offered training for educators, the volunteer track offered less formal educational training and the ministry track focused on using ESL as outreach. The workshops spanned a variety of topics including teaching pronunciation, planning lessons effectively and organizing local English conversation clubs.

Moody student Kieley Best, a TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) major and volunteer at a University of Chicago English conversation club, found the conference “inspiring and eye-opening.”  She especially appreciated a panel discussion covering the learned experiences of long-time ESL practitioners. As a student, Best was particularly appreciative of their professional advice. To her, their advice is what makes the conference so important. It allows for the gathering of like-minded people and the sharing of ideas about a wonderful ministry. “ESL meets a practical need and is very relational,” Best explained. “English is a wide-open door for sharing the Gospel.”

—Article by Daniel Harting, Freshman, Communications/Print Media major