Contact: Peter Burgo, The Christian and Missionary Alliance, 719-265-2007, burgop@cmalliance.org

MECHANICSBURG, Penn., July 8, 2015 /Christian Newswire/ -- John Stumbo, U.S. president of The Christian and Missionary Alliance (The Alliance), has been invited by Daybreak Church in Mechanicsburg to put on his running shoes and lead a 5K race to benefit the Alliance's Great Commission Fund, which supports a team of 700 international workers who are caring for the physical and spiritual needs of Syrian refugees, African children, and other neglected and underserved people in 70 countries. This will be John's first race since having been ravaged by a mysterious disease and told by doctors that he'd never run again.

The "Great Commission Day" event will be held on Sunday, July 19, at the Cumberland Valley High School Education Complex. Participants are invited to run with John in the 5K race or join a one-mile walk, followed by an awards ceremony and worship service led by John and Daybreak Church.

About thirteen years ago, John started running with his teenage daughter every Saturday morning—just so he could spend treasured time with her on the scenic trails of the Willamette Valley in western Oregon. To his surprise, John developed a love for running that would eventually land him in the state top ten of ultra-marathon runners in his age class and qualify him for the Boston Marathon—that is, until a mysterious illness suddenly decimated his muscular system, nearly taking his life and leaving him unable to walk, talk, or—for the next two years—even swallow. John's running days were behind him. Or so it seemed.

Since that time, God has been rebuilding John—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—to prepare him for a different kind of marathon. Now two years into his role leading The Alliance, John travels extensively, encouraging people of faith to be agents of hope, healing, and peace in an increasingly turbulent world.

The Alliance is an evangelical denomination with a passion to introduce the love of God to suffering and disenfranchised people. It has 2,000 churches in the United States and 20,000 churches throughout the world (visit www.cmalliance.org).

For more information about the Great Commission Day event, visit daybreakweb.com and click on "events."

CONTACT:
Peter Burgo, Communications
Phone: (719) 265-2007
E-mail: burgop@cmalliance.org