Time to catch you up! Today was a very long day, that had some highs and lows and everything in between. It was a great day overall, I just had some anxious moments to begin the day because I had expectations that weren't in sync with Jared's responsibilities. But I got over myself and moved on. Jared and I attended the North American Christian Convention which was in downtown Indianapolis at the extremely large Indiana Convention Center next door to the massive Lucas Oil Stadium where the Colts play. In fact, we could have parked in the stadium's lot and would have been shuttled to the convention center, but Jared choose a garage instead, especially since he had to bring in more e2 stuff for their breakout session in the afternoon (more on that below). It was the last day of the convention, but everybody seemed to still have strength left to learn and grow. The NACC has been meeting for nearly 100 years as a place for leaders and congregants of the Restoration Movement churches to get together for support and encouragement. They had banners with the history of the NACC (see below) and it was fascinating to read up on something I'm still just learning. I never had to take a class about the Restoration Movement so all of my knowledge is the bits and pieces Jared tells me. One of the gatherings was in Anaheim, CA in the 1990's and Gary, Leah, Jared, and Aaron were there because that's when they took their cross country "visit as many states as we can" trip through the Grand Canyon. The largest gathering had over 53,000 people in attendance! I think they might have had 5,000 this year. And they started with a couple of dozen people in the first few years in the 1920's. And because of this now waning attendance, there is going to be a transition from just having the conference once a year to a more online presence and resource center that will be available all year. And they have rebranded and are calling it "Spire" as in the spire of a church. You can also think of it as (in)spire, (a)spire, (pre)spire, (ex)pire, etc. Actually, I think this is way long overdue because I'm not sure how everyone has stay connected except by inidividual partnerships and relationships. Their website currently has no way to connect one person to another, it's just about the conference. Perhaps there's other places, like at the Christian Standard that has helped in the past. I'm just glad that they are willing to change with the times. They've also decided to change the time of year to a fall conference, which I'm not sure is going to attract as many families because kids are in school. There is a kids' program, but it felt more like a leadership conference than anything. We'll have to see how that plays out.
I was encouraged that there were many moments of remembering the past as well as leaning into the future. It was good to see that at least the more visionary leaders are forward thinking and the movement as a whole is committed to making the changes necessary to further the Kingdom. They aren't stagnant. But at the same time, even I questioned some elements I saw, especially in worship. Jared and I had many discussions about the "state of the (restoration movement) Church" throughout the day as different speakers got up, or something about worship struck us, or what was said in the breakout sessions, or even the whole concept of having a physical convention itself, when so many conferences are now online and contacts are made through social media. We have an interesting perspective because we sit between the baby boomer generation who were at the forefront of the movement in it's heyday and the millennials who see things in a totally different way because of technology. There are some generations in between these, but that's the most significant discrepancy I can think of. We remember the old ways, without technology, the beginnings of modern worship, the introduction of the internet, the small churches with just one service, maybe two, and the strong numbers at the Christian colleges. Benaiah's generation is and has maintained some of that momentum, but without major changes, numbers will continue to wane and the mantle will not be passed. From online degrees, to social media, to performance driven worship, and a call to authenticity and unity, there's so much to talk about, and yet, I don't have the eloquence that Jared and other leaders have to discuss it. I can listen and understand and ask questions, and I see what our "culture" is doing though. And it relieves me to know that at least here, with the leaders that want to learn and grow, the movement will press on. To be honest, it was also depressing because our friends back in the Maritimes and the some of the older generation that are holding back change from our sister churches. There are things that I wish we could have spoken about or brought to them, exposed them to, but there weren't many heart open and ready to hear it. I wish more of them could attend conferences like these, but maybe this new Spire idea of 365/24/7 help and resources will provide a way for them to understand that they are ok, but could be doing better and furthering God's kingdom more. Again, I'm not sure how to articulate it without offending someone, so I'll stop there. I just want what's best for my friends and all I can do is pray for hearts to be open, just like we do for those churches here with dwindling numbers (the #1 sign of an unhealthy church, so we do keep track, but that's not the only thing we track) that have members with similar perspectives and don't realize that they need to make some major changes in their thinking in order to reach the lost people in our culture. I'm talking about more than just a worship service, but a whole mindset. There was a great article in the Christian Standard about churches and the multiple generations, but one part specifically mentioned that we need to change the question(s) we are asking because the youngest generations have a completely different worldview and come from a completely different culture. And some churches will do well with small groups and will attract people who like small groups and some churches will do well with Sunday schools (meeting on Sunday morning) and will attract those who like that kind of teaching. Oh there's just so much to discuss! I do like the intelligent dialogue though! And I probably get alot of it wrong, but it's fascinating to think about the why's of what we do what we do. Yes, I guess I am one of the oldest "millennials" as I guess we were redefined as being, instead of "gen y or z". Jared is one of the oldest "gen x" people, so we are a tad different as we can see the different sides of the fence all at once. Gah, it's so much fun!
Anyway, it's so much more fun than potty training, that's for sure. My fear is that a lot of people don't take the time to really think this deeply, at least that's why I see in our culture. And I'm not sure many people are taught that, private, public or even in homeschooling sometimes. So, I just love it when I'm around people, especially leaders, that actually use their head, keep learning, keep changing, keep growing, it feeds my soul. Plus, it's always fun to be with my guy for the day, seeing how he interacts with his peers and his dad's peers. I had a grand time walking through the vendor hall and realizing just how many ministries I've known about over the years. Although it was my first convention, I feel like it was "old hat" to me. It helps that Indian Creek has many partnerships, and now e2 also has connections with different ministries besides. But my favorites are the ones that bring me back to my high school days when we attended our first Restoration Movement church in Manchester, NH, Manchester Christian Church. And of course how we met through Lincoln Christian University. And then there's Restoration House and how it's played a role in our lives the last 20 years. And that's just the beginning. I've spent more time in the movement, than out of it. It's not a denomination because each church is independent, but sometimes it can feel that way because we have very similarly structured churches and worship services and goals. We do all believe in mostly the same thing as stated by the Stone and Campbell guys. But I do like the idea of a movement, with momentum, rather than a stagnant pool of a denomination. Like it was for me at the homeschool convention, I felt a level of "we all believe (mostly) the same, so we already have something in common" and we could set aside a good chunk of theological debate. As a whole, I felt we are unified. Now, on a congregation to congregation level I know we are not. At least not what I personally saw in some churches in Canada, and I've heard about in churches here through the anecdotes and statistics. And it was pretty neat to hear the same messages from about a dozen speakers that Indian Creek has presented and put into practice all these years. I don't have to "worry" about my church doing it the "wrong" way. Well, because there is no right and wrong way, but there is most certainly a better way. And Gary's leadership, coupled with the elders, have, for the most part, steered us in the right direction. And if a course correction needs to be made, they make it. It makes me feel confident that at least my kids are in a place where they can grow up hearing this, too. There are definitely some gaps and areas we could do better in, but again, I don't have to worry so hard.
Personally, the messages hit home as well. I wrote many, many notes. Dynamic speakers, all with messages that I pretty much agree with on a good day, lol. Because on those bad days, where faith is limited, I have doubt. But yesterday was a great day. Making memories with Jared, seeing how this whole NACC thing works, feeling the brotherhood, and making new friends that are connected with old friends (through MCC, Manchester, NH). I left with lots to think about, that's for sure. But as the last speaker said, now it's back to reality before you even get in the car to go home. Be prepared for that, and lean into it. And we have to as we have a pretty packed weekend again. Oh, the conference has been held mostly during the week so that preachers could get home to preach on the weekend after (and they could preach the weekend before). It totally makes sense with this kind of conference, although 99% of the conferences I have been to or heard about start on a Friday and go through Saturday or Sunday. Even e2 events are an all day Saturday affair, with Jared and the guys arriving on Friday for set up. That's because most elders are volunteers (and should be, they shouldn't be part of the paid staff) and at least some of them have day jobs during the week. Remember, an elder in this context is not based on age but experience and spiritual maturity, which usually comes with age, but still within the working years. Maybe after 50 yrs old is a good average age? I would have to ask the guys, but I just know that I have seen elders as young as 35 and as old as 80. Anyway, that's a sidenote. Some days I wish I had gone to Bible college and had known about all of this way earlier than now, but that would take away the joy of discovering it now, too. Always learning, that's our motto. And all four grandparents, and us, have left the at legacy for our kids. Always retool, lean into what's next, with a good grasp as to what is behind. The present will take care of itself because you'll be taking steps towards those future goals.
Ok, enough preaching. And that probably didn't make total sense, but I've put it to paper now. A major step towards my breakthrough. But more on that below. I think I will share quotes and tidbits from each speaker with the 72 or so pictures below. I took like 130. Because, yeah, it's what I do well. Posterity will thank me someday. It keeps my hands busy, too, and keeps me aware of my surroundings. Here we go!
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| This is why I started the day a little frustrated. You see, we left when I thought we'd have plenty of time to get in the venue, scope things out, ask questions, get a good seat, etc. You know me, I get anxious, I need some breathing room when going somewhere new. Jared didn't communicate to me that we needed to go to the office first. It took me longer it should have to get over it. I had to remind myself multiple times why I was going and the schedule is the schedule and to let it all just flow. I was much happier once we were seated with 20 minutes to spare before the main session. I know, I'm high maintenance sometimes. But, we did get to get some video and pictures for Abishai of the cool tree picker upper and massive wood shredder. Jared moaned and sighed because he hates seeing trees destroyed. But one thing about having kids is that you always stay interested in the simple things, like big machines. |
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| More of the 'struction site. We think it will be a subdivision, boo! |
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| The room facilitator has to prepare for the job. Sending an email, while making two travel mugs of butter coffee and a another travel mug of tea, as well as picking up more packets to give away later. We are low on data for the month, so I checked my social media and email stuff again. |
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| Um, wow. I was NOT expecting this level of performance driven professionalism for worship this morning. On one hand, I found it awesome that we are relating to the younger generation and the Christian culture as a whole, but on the other hand, I know the "white hairs" aren't always thrilled with it. I know that Leah wasn't happy about it after she had gone yesterday. Jared made mention of it, too. |
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| Let's start here with the lights. Was I at a concert or a worship service? I think it was a little too much for my taste. We had lights blinding us on every song. And you know I love the lights, and fog, and level of professionalism at our church. But it doesn't seem like a concert to me. |
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| This shot could have come straight out of a Bethel or Hillsong music video. Or from the stage at the Dove Awards. Or the stage at Saddleback in California. We know that everyone is doing it because they love it and they have a heart for it. I just wasn't prepared for this level of bigness at what I thought was a run of the mill church conference that included a lot of older people. |
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| Loads of singers, the girls all wore their hair the same way, and for the morning session, they were all white people,...hm,....take note for a second and I'll explain that in a little bit. The other thing was that I didn't like seeing the lyrics and the worship team on the same screen. Watching the singers lead is a distraction for me. I understand it was a very large room and even I couldn't see the stage very well and we were in the front section. I would have preferred just the lyrics back at home. At least all the songs were familiar to me, so our church is up to date on what's popular. Which, to be honest, as musicians ourselves, Jared and I both have opinions about the current song selection. I love a lot of them, but they sound a lot alike, and the lead worshipers tend to sound and lead all alike. There's no unique style between the bands like there were with the old lady piano players. Maybe that's what our generation wants because we travel so much more and want to feel like everything is familiar. And again, I'm sure it's different in the smaller churches. But we know the smaller churches look up to us and the other mega churches, and I'm not totally convinced it's the best way to worship in song. |
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| They were a great band of course. Authentic worship was happening. But those lights though, make them stop! It's not a concert! |
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| Ok, time for the speakers! Thsi morning, 7 speakers spoke on 7 different topics for 7 minutes each. It was a fascinating, rapid fire experience. I loved getting all the different flavors from all the different preaching and teaching styles. And they did an excellent job with keeping it diverse between race, age, and experience. It was very powerful. |
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| First up was none other than my sister's pastor, Bo Chancey. I met him later in the day and he had not clue who I was or our family, but that's ok. I can see why though that MCC has grown to be the size of Indian Creek at a faster rate. They are neck and neck for attendance rates. Bo is an incredibly funny, animated, powerful preacher. They all are, but wow, he has a sense of humor that draws you in and it isn't cheesy or awkward. And his "Pray for One" book and motto has been powerful and has spread throughout our movement. Even Gary used that phrase with a twist last week in his sermon. He said, "Who is your one? The one you have a relationship with that you can share Christ with?" He and Bo know of each other and have had a few conversations, but they don't really run in the same circles. His 7 minutes focused on loving one another and "Pray for One" and sharing the Gospel. |
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| Oh yes, Bo gets very animated. And I do know that his kids are teens I think now, so he's not much older than we are. |
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| Oh my word, James Okalo was a great addition. He's a pastor in Uganda and runs Children of the Nations. He took a stiff jab to all our "planning center" overly programmed churches (aka, see above with all the worship stuff) and honestly doesn't understand how Americans allow the Holy Spirit to lead when we plan every single minute of every single event and service. I totally get it because I have wondered the same thing. He says the children there pray for us. American churches do have things that makes the world scratch their heads. We get so used to our little Christian bubble and forget that authentic Christianity is happening all over the world in all kinds of ways, myself included. Great reminder and sweet man. |
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| Landon Sherman is a preacher's kid and is only 1 year into ministry, so he's in his mid twenties at most. Definitely a millenial and definitely finding out that ministry is hard, hard work. He talked about how the best leaders not only shepherd others but recognize when they are lost sheep and continue to retool and learn and grow. He also reiterated that the harvest is ripe, but because of the nature of ministry and it's harshness at times, the workers are few. I definitely get that. I'm glad we didn't go into ministry right away because we had some growing up to do and others' expectations that needed to be forgotten, but I'm also glad now that we are in ministry, too. And you all know it's very, very hard indeed. And we'd love for the children to be in paid ministry, but if they are at least actively involved in their church, we'll be happy, too. Benaiah does want to be in ministry, and none of us have pushed him that way, not even Gary. I have a feeling that Justin might go that route as well. It's just part of our DNA. We spend so much time in and around church, serving and participating, it's hard not to get up in the culture. I know I've tried to expose the kids to other career paths through all those field trips, but maybe I haven't really talked about it much. Hm,... stuff to think about once again. |
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| And then it was the guy I really came for and I had to be content with seeing what I saw. John Crist. He started with his Bible name joke, took a jab at Texas and the Colts, and made fun of grading systems and using purple instead of red pen because red is too aggressive. Overprotective parents, every kid is a winner, trampoline nets and pads, pools closed for a month because of a certain kind of debris, launching kids from a trampoline etc. I think I had heard most of those before. Jared guffawed a couple of times, but he didn't think he was overly funny. Well, I think his favorite comedians are much more crass, so, I'll stay with my clean comedian thanks. We need to make fun of ourselves sometimes. |
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| Typical John Crist pose right there. And typical attire, too. How do I know? Because I've watched all his videos and follow his social media. |
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| They did put up a countdown clock for all of the speakers. He did get to have a longer time at a banquet the night before and the other speaker was one of our friend's dad, a long time preacher, so that was kind of cool. |
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| Next up was Darrel Land, a bit older than us but with kids our kids' age. He lives in Jasper, IN, a tiny town of 12,000. Well, because of his vision and the leadership there at his church, they have now grown the church from 12 people to 18,000 people in 18 years. They did that by loving on people, wherever they were in life. When one guy, who was the driver, flipped his car over, the passenger, a teenager from the church, was killed. But instead of hating on him, the church loved on him and his family (he was also a teen), as they ministered to the other grieving family. And now that guy serves in a way that the one that was killed wanted to serve. All because of love and leaning into people. |
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| Lizzy Paulos, 24 yrs old, part time minister at Compass Church in Texas, who was this year's host, was awesome. She spoke on diversity and not trying to take someone's cultural background from them. She doesn't have kids yet, but she's concerned that they will be not be accepted into the church as they are. She would rather that race and color be acknowledged and celebrated, instead of just ignored. She would like to see diversity in the leadership table, and we agree. Older white males aren't the only ones that can lead churches. When Jared and I debriefed about this, we agreed that it's hard in our area to expect diversity of race and color, or even religion or customs, because it's just not in general population. We live in an almost all white suburban area. And when a group of people come to our church from outside that demographic, they tend to stick to themselves, creating a sub culture. We do have a group of Hispanics that use one of our upstairs rooms to have their own gathering, sometimes at the same time as our church service. But I also know that they worship with us at times, too. And we have a few African Americans, but we just don't see them regularly in our township, in our stores, at our restaurants. And the church wouldn't force the issue either. So, we get what she's saying and in areas of a big city, closer to downtown, it's much easier to create an environment or culture of diversity. I am also not quite sure how the whole concept of a woman sitting at a leadership table would go over with some of our churches, like ours, that believe that only men can be elders, and men can only have certain titles, like lead servant or lead pastor. We do (did, because she's shifting to a new role), have a woman who is the director of our creative arts team, but she would never be called the worship pastor. So, there might a few split hairs in the room with that statement. Our women staff are treated as equals, for sure, but they simply are not at the top of the leadership infrastructure, which is continuously in flux it seems. |
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| Last speaker of the 7 for 7 minutes each was Sam Chand. He talked about S.Q.U.I.R.R.E.L. He talked about how we don't seem to rely on God because we have google and if God hasn't brought it, we can buy it (like fancy lights). He believes that scarcity is a good thing because it keeps us creative. Amen to that! So, for a creative culture, he said the principles are S - Scarcity, Q - ask the right questions, U - unafraid of failure because it will happen, I-value the incremental progress, R - relationships, R-take risks, E-eruptions happen so expect that some people that come to church will leave, it's ok, let them, L - leadership needs to have a mindset of learn, relearn, unlearn. He's a church/business coach/motivational speaker, leadership developer, etc. And that's it for the 7 for 7! Time for lunch! |
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| But first, let's make sure the room is ready for this afternoon. Which meant I didn't have time to even try to meet a certain comedian. I found later that he was in the vendor hall for a few minutes, but he didn't have a booth or autograph session, etc. I do know this guy's autograph though, and of course that's way more important. I just have to keep reminding myself of that, and I calmed down and enjoyed the rest of the day immensely. |
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| In the afternoon they had Super Sessions with the main speakers that would interest anyone and then team huddles based on certain aspects of ministry, like eldership or breaking the 200 member barrier, that were geared towards staff and top leaders. e2 Ministries sponsored the eldership team huddle, but they did not present their material. What a great way to get promote yourself (yes, you still have to do that even in ministry) and yet not have the responsibility of teaching. Leaders from the same church sat at different tables so that they could have a more diverse discussion. There were several 10-15 minute presentations, then time to discuss with a table leader some action points. It's an excellent format that increases problem solving, camaraderie, and increases the chances that the material presented will be put into practice. |
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| A small book table with merch is always necessary and a free way to promote yourself. Booth space is expensive at convention and then you tie yourself down to that booth. The guys would rather walk around and talk to people or come and go when they have other obligations like Gary has had this week. |
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| Lunch time! Bwahahaha, Jared being on his computer writing an email doesn't even phase me. We talked a ton and we do try to put our devices down, but sometimes you have to take care of business. And since Steak and Shake had free wifi and the convention center doesn't and we've used all our data for the month, we'll take those few minutes to keep up with the digital world when we can. They did offer a free wifi hub, but you got a code that only let you use it 30 minutes per day. I think there was free wifi in the lobby of the convention center, but that was far away from the vendor hall. Booth people might have paid a fee for the week though. I have no idea. But, we tried to be cheap and go to good old Steak and Shake because I know what I can eat there. They were very, very quick despite having a huge inflow of people from our convention. It's the same Steak and Shake the kids and I went to after the symphony. Jared even parked in the same garage. I know that really doesn't matter to some, but I like familiarity and remembering the things I've done. |
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| I was unable to take pictures on the way in, so when Jared went back to the conference room to do his thing, I got to meander the hallways and do things my way. I don't like making him stop fro me to take a picture or go gaga over something, we are just not as used to being with each other at events like the kids and I are. Anyway, how cute is this! They had little cars that led to certain areas like the kids' rooms. The kids had their own program during the main sessions only. |
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| What was even cooler was that they paid to have decals put on two IndyCars! I'm sure lots of conventions do this and these probably stay here, but they might not. It's an awesome touch paying tribute to the host city. This was this year's theme: This Changes Everything. I thought the top line looked like an "I" so I was thoroughly confused until Jared explained that it was just a graphic. |
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| And this is the new logo and rebranding of the NACC. Spire. Nice colors! The green matches e2 green! Lol. |
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| Very nice. |
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| Then it was time to visit all the vendors. Thanks to the app, I knew what was there and what I should try to hit up. Here's the Bible Bowl booth with the display of this next year's materials. Justin still wants to do it, but I'm not totally convinced yet. |
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| And this is my place, my home, my history. Restoration House Ministries! I was there when or just after it the House was built, with it's original design to be a residency for upper classmen students from Lincoln Christian College (now University), a host family/director living on the top floor, classes held in the classroom, and then the students intern at the local churches. We had the privilege at Manchester to have a lot of those interns become our ministers and really help us to grow. It's now a program that is so much more, and not really related to LCU anymore. I don't know their exact relationship, but it's a ministry that is open to ministers (like we have been) that are passing through or church planters that need a place to stay for their first year. They live there for 11-12 months for free, and are paid a weekly/monthly stipend for personal expenses like food. New England still needs more church planters. It's still a dark place spiritually, just like it was 20 years ago when Jared and I met on Week of E. And with my family still back there, it still is home to me. I was only at the Manchester Christian Church, (Restoration House sits behind the main campus), for the 4 years of high school, and yet, it's those years that I remember the most. I would say they helped formed me, but I don't want to dismiss the other mentors and teachers I had in my life prior to that. Anyway, I got to talk to one of the directors at length about all things Manchester and she thinks she's seen my sister Stefanie around church. It is still my desire to get back there one day, but obviously that's not in the near future. |
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| New church plants! And near where my unsaved sister lives in Boston! New England seems so far away to the majority of the people here in the midwest, but it's not to me. |
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| Examples of Bo's books of course were on display since that's his "territory." |
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| Camp Allendale booth. Benaiah went to that camp twice and the younger grades from church still do their own mini camps there. Anyone can go, but the majority of our students go to CIY instead. |
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| Christians riding motorcycles, yup! Very nice! |
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| I'm pretty sure Aaron and Shauna are no longer under their umbrella but this the ministry they partnered with right after college and through most of the church planting years in New Orleans. I wrote many support checks via TE on their behalf. They are a ministry that helps administrate mission work, like a place where the monies come and go and training happens. |
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| CIY! |
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| By Tavi is a ministry out of Cambodia that we've bought things from before. They teach women how to sew so that they don't have to be part of the sex slave trade anymore. They also disciple them. I think Rapha House is also part of it or in the same area. I can never remember all the details. Point is, buy stuff and it helps others. |
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| There's Bo's booth way off in a corner somewhere. He wasn't there of course because he was probably in a session. |
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| I then headed back upstairs to see what the guys were up to. Jared doing his job at the book table. They gave away a book, a sample of video lessons, a journal and a pen I think to every participant. |
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| Ministry promotion. The speaker is the lead elder at the host church but his day job is managing a ton of huge golf courses and homes in Texas. So, he has a ton of experience in management and pretty much talked about the e2 guys talk about in bringing up elders. It was pretty neat to see that they concurred. |
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| The convention center is on the southwest corner of the monument circle, so just to it's north is the state capital building. |
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| We walked to a little pricier restaurant called the Ram for dinner. Went cheaper than I normally do, but I saw this on their menu when I used some of my precious data to find gluten free friendly restaurants. A gluten free quesadilla! Yes! I haven't one of these in a really long time. I used to eat them all the time in college. It was so good, but too much cheese for my tummy. |
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| Sweet! I'm sure they do this for lots of conventions, but it's a nice touch! |
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| The Ram is pub/brewery/steak house kind of place, so I think this resembles maybe a keg in the beer making process? We of course only had water because a) we're cheap and b) well, you never know who's watching. |
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| Back to the convention center for the evening session. We sat further back and to the side so we were more in front of the screen. Again, just the level of professionalism floors me. |
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| This time, though, we saw a couple of African American team members, and some wore leather jackets. Here's the drummer doing his thing. They had a camera on a boom that could pan or rather fly over the crowd and the stage and they had someone on stage holding a camera. This young dude is a success story for their church, brought up in the church and playing on the big stage, just like Benaiah does. He's barely an adult. |
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| Quit flashing my eyes! Flash and trash, right, Benaiah? |
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| Oh my goodness, why don't we have more African Americans in our churches? They have this dynamic persona that just excites you! Herbert had the topic, "My Response...changes everything." He shared storm survival strategies from Acts 27:29-41, Paul's shipwreck. 1) Stay on the ship. 2) Be still and chill. Take your vacation. 3) Praise God in the storm. Praise through until you get a break through. 4) God can take you to your destination on broken pieces. |
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| He kept rearranging and slamming down the "broken pieces" part. He was saved in his late teens, didn't grow up in the church, but did want to be in ministry. He and his wife started a church in a theatre maybe 15 years ago and it was a struggle for the first few years. He had been a traveling preacher and speaker for a few years before that and had to continue doing that while the church got off the ground. They had no idea really what he was doing and it was hard. But they've made progress in their town of Oklahoma City, OK. Lots of that loud mouth yelling, arms flailing kind of preaching style black men are known for. Love it! |
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| Oh this was fun. Dave Stone did the offering piece. He's the senior minister at a large multi site church in Louisville, KY and I know his voice from listening to the podcast of their sermons at Southeast Christian Church. It was neat to see him up there. |
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| Full band during offering. This was the last year with the financial model of having big donors, registrations, and then offering to cover the costs of a $185,000 convention. Next year, there will be no offering, just the big donors throughout the year and the registration fees, which is a much safer approach. MCC-PEI often lost money based on the offering approach to their yearly lectureship. A stable income is very helpful for these big events. |
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| And last to speak was Jud Wilhite, from Central Church in Las Vegas, which has it's challenges in and of itself of course. He was the one who talked about what's it's like to walk away from a big conference and get hit by reality. On his plane ride home from an event, on a Friday evening, he encountered a plane full of half or fully drunk party people going to Las Vegas to party the weekend away. He asked the question of myself, "Am I making a difference? Are we making progress there? Why are we even bothering to try and when these people are already so far gone?" Of course he didn't stay stuck there, but it can be depressing. The lowest moments come before the breakthrough. Don't break faith before the breakthrough. Just like Joseph in Genesis. 1) Believe your way to the break through (don't blame others) 2) Embrace the build up to the break through (what I need to do). 3)Where God tests you, might where he's going to take you, or use you the most. The best people to minister to someone is the person who has already walked that road and broke through. I'm now where near that yet, but I'm walking there. Between Jud and Mr. Herbert, some powerful truths were shared. You will reap a harvest IF and WHEN you do NOT give up. |
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| The crazy after party video! I felt like it was a promo video for CIY or the youth group or something. And that's exactly what they were going for, reaching that next generation. Loud music, bright lights. I'm sounding like I'm way older than I am, eh? But it's true, I can't stand everything the young ones do. More power to the leaders that take them to places like CIY and handle them during youth group. Not my forte. |
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| Great for the young ones, not great for the older folks who had ministry breakfasts at 7 am and now have to stay until nearly 11 when the after party ends. Oh well, enjoy! We have babies to get home to and a mother in law who is falling asleep that needs relieved so she can go host a family at her house. |
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| Crazy colored suits. |
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| Lots of free food, bounce houses, games, etc at the After Party. It's only the 2nd year for it. |
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| Food and video games? Jeepers! And a rock climbing wall! |
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| Chocolate fountain and such. |
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| And all this signage costs money every year. It's definitely impressive. I wonder what the founders would think of all this hoopla. |
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| NACC's humble beginnings. |
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| A dozen participants in the beginning. Wars and the depression affected the convention and it wasn't held for a few of those years. |
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| The movement really started taking off. A lot of colleges were started and churches were planted. |
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| Continued growth. |
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| At it's peak! 53,000 participants one year! The Christian Standard magazine either started or was starting to be published in bigger numbers. |
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| The years that Gary and Leah and family really started to be involved. Jared was born while Gary was in seminary at Lincoln in 1979-1980ish, and Gary pastored a church right after that. |
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| My decade, when I learned of the Restoration Movement. Lots of growth, too. |
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| Wow, Tony Dungy?! The Tony Dungy! Colts football coach when they won the Super Bowl. Great Christian man. And Mercy Me, a popular Christian band. And it looks like a big transition to the more modern format, especially worship. |
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| After spending some time with friends on our way out, we headed home. Big haze over the moon. We were home about the same time Benaiah got home from Chick Fil A. Grandma had to drop him off before the supper rush with all the kids in tow. Fun times. |
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| Oh my word, I walked 3 times the amount of steps I usually do!!!! And I didn't eat all the chocolate I saw out on tables, so yeah, that should help my health a bit! It was a great day, and hopefully it will stick with me for a long time. But reality is about to set in and we've got a busy weekend as usual. Aren't the weekends supposed to be slower? Not for us. Yeah for the NACC! Yeah for a day away! Now, back to the real world somewhat refreshed and a step closer to where I'd like to see myself with God. The end. |
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