General Assembly 2008 special presenters
Bethany Dillon, Thursday's musical guest
Bethany Dillon
, 18, released her third album, Waking Up, in April 2007. Her 2004 self-titled release was the year’s highest-selling female solo debut album and also landed Gospel Music Association nominations for female vocalist and new artist. Her music appears in the major film, “Dreamer,” and on the “Music inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia” soundtrack. She has toured with Jeremy Camp, Bebo Norman and Shane & Shane.
Lauran Bethell, Thursday evening keynote speaker
Lauran Bethell is an American Baptist Churches USA global ministry consultant based in Prague, Czech Republic, where she helps mentor and facilitate ministry among exploited and abused women and children around the world.
In the late 1980s in Thailand, she helped to launch the New Life Center, which ministered among victims of human trafficking. For 14 years, she directed the center, which gave shelter to as many as 200 women and children at a time. The center became internationally recognized, and in 1995, Bethell was honored by the prime minister of Thailand for her efforts with the center. The center now has two locations and continues to aid at-risk children and women, as well as former prostitutes.
In 2000, Bethell moved to Prague to begin working as a ministry consultant. She has directed two international conferences about ministry with women in prostitution. In 2005, she received the Baptist World Alliance’s Human Rights Award.
She is a graduate of the University of Redlands and American Baptist Seminary of the West. Previously, she was a teacher in California and Hong Kong.
Krystaal, musical guest for Global Missions Commissioning Service
Krystaal
is a group of three brothers whose music genres include R&B/Pop, Gospel, Urban and World (African). In 2004, their album “Keep On Standing” was honored with several awards and nominations including four gospel music MAJA Awards for Artist of the Year, Group of the Year, Album of the Year and Canadian National Song of the Year; two Canadian Gospel Music Association awards for Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year and Best Urban Song; and four nominations by Canadian gospel music's peoples' choice VIBE Awards.
Now based in Canada, brothers Michel, Fabian and Aliston Lwamba, are from what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. They survived corrupt dictatorship, including five years separated in refugee camps. Later reunited, they were given the opportunity to migrate to Canada. A book entitled "Keep On Standing - The Story of Krystaal" chronicles their journey.
The Lwambas have become ambassadors for peace and forgiveness. Their worldwide tours have included the Baptist World Alliance’s centennial celebration in 2005.