Inspiring the Next Generation for Mission Engagement – Nelson Okanya ’02

Nelson Okanya, EMS Alum, closes the annual Augsburger Lectureship in Chapel Gathering at Eastern Mennonite Seminary. Okanya serves as President of Eastern Mennonite Missions and speaks on Inspiring the Next Generation for Mission Engagement.

Nelson Okanya is president of Eastern Mennonite Missions (EMM). He was born and raised in the Mennonite community in Kenya, where he interacted with the EMM mission community in Nairobi. He participated in numerous short-term cross-cultural mission experiences and is a 2002 MDiv graduate of EMS. Nelson served for almost six years as pastor of the multi-cultural; multi-national Capital Christian Fellowship congregation near Washington D.C. Among his areas of interest is Anabaptist witness and mission. He is excited about unique mission opportunities and challenges in the 21st century. Nelson enjoys engaging in postmodern and inter-cultural dialogue with a special interest in the next generation and the church as narrative-formed transforming community.

The Myron S. Augsburger Lectureship provides resources to annually bring to the campus of the college and seminary a noted lecturer to address pertinent topics in the area of Christian evangelism and mission for the stimulation and development of a vision for evangelism and missions for the students, faculty and staff of Eastern Mennonite University.