The Logos II, a ship that sails the world sharing the love of Christ, is ready to visit six cities on the West Coast from February through July to assist local churches in the mobilization of a new generation of world Christians.
It will be in San Diego on June 18 through July 14, but there are several other stops first, including the City of Los Angeles, which is host of the first ever M.V. Logos II stop on the West Coast of North America. Logos II begins a 3-week stay beginning on Feb. 17 in the LA Harbor. Up to 50,000 visitors are expected during special tours on board.
The ship then heads for Vancouver, Seattle, Portland and Ensenada before visiting San Diego.
The Logos II is a 360-foot, 4,800-ton ocean going ship with a crew of 200 and a range of 13,000 nautical miles (half way around the world). It visits 20 ports each year in Europe, Africa and Latin America. Her sister ship, the Doulos, visits an additional 20 ports in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Once in a port city, the crew and staff from 40 nations share the Gospel with eager listeners in a variety of ways.
The Spirit of God changes people’s lives through the ministry of the Logos II. Thousands visit the ship, purchase resources, attend shipboard seminars, and see the Gospel lived out. The ship’s crew also go ashore to assist local churches in evangelism, mercy and church planting ministries. Local Christians are encouraged, trained and given a fresh vision for reaching their city, country and world for Christ.
The Logos II carries on board up to 300 tons of books and other resources. Forty percent is Christian literature, including thousands of Bibles and New Testaments. Sixty percent of the materials are educational. Because of the educational materials on board, and the crew’s readiness to help in practical ways to meet human need, the ship is welcome to visit ports in countries that are closed to traditional methods of evangelism.
Logos II is one of the largest floating book fairs of the world and it is a part of the worldwide ministry of Operation Mobilization (OM). Logos II is operated by a staff and crew of 200 volunteers from about 40 different countries. East meets West on board in a unique environment of living, learning and working together. The book fair offers 4,000 titles on a wide variety of subjects including children’s stories, novels, textbooks, dictionaries and other educational and Christian literature. During recent years, the ship has been helping to evangelize and to minister to people in more than 400 ports in over 100 countries in Latin America, Europe, Africa, Caribbean and Asia.
By the year 2000, 18 of the world’s 25 largest cities will be seaports. These 18 cities will be home to one quarter billion people, representing virtually every culture on Earth. Since 1970, 85 million pieces of Christian literature have been distributed, 23 million people have visited the ships, 60,000 churches have participated and thousands have committed their lives to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
In each port an official opening takes place. In the past venues government and lay authorities have come on board such as former President Jimmy Carter. Recently the President of Dominican Republic, Leonel Fernandez, came as Guest of Honor.
The San Diego preparations director is Dan Gillespie. He can be contacted at 874-0200.
