Blogging from Annual Conference #2

Due to an unforeseen computer issue (with the demise of the hard drive of this computer - the second time that happened to me since Holy Week), I missed out on a day's work. Thanks to my brother-in-law Saint Tim, who rebuilt my computer as well as it could be rebuilt...

Anyway, back to conference. One of my highlights has always been running with my friends. Each morning we gather at the Dock to embark on a run. The conversations that happen during those runs are pretty awesome. Sometimes intense, sometimes very personal, sometimes challenging, but always good.

Probably for the first time, I said running is "one" of my highlights, not "the" highlight. This is because of the nature of worship at Conference. Maybe for the first time, worship has included worship in my language. The Ginghamsburg worship team came to lead us in worship, and yesterday I was literally in tears, getting to worship in my heart language right there in Hoover Auditorium. The internet cafe is awesome, but not for worship; you just have to be there.

The big deal Tuesday was around consitutional amendments - there was a lot of discussion about the amendments and we were actually given a page to convert Roman numerals to Arabic numerals so we could follow which amendements they were talking about. I can't make this stuff up. One of my colleagues wondered if those who can't convert the numbers from Roman to Arabic should really be voting...

As it was, we were instructed to fill in a sample ballot (provided in our packets) so we could quickly fill in our ballots when we received them. I will elaborate on the amendments in a later blog post.

Yesterday's events included a ministry fair and games - our kids were way too tired to participate this year. There was also a great dance party - I hung around for a while but ended up deciding to spend time with my wife and with some friends from the NK church instead.

This morning we worshiped with the Ginghamsburg worship team again. Their worship leader is not only a talented musician and great singer, but he simply oozes charisma. He is an awesome showman (which isn't to say that his worship leadership even seems like a show - it's just that he knows how to use his body language, his posture, his energy to lead worship).

Mike Slaughter was our speaker this morning. Instead of "preaching" this time was a teaching time, a time to give us some concrete tools for leading a missional movement. Two highlights were as follows:

• To get to a goal, you have to first have a picture, then make a plan, then practice the plan.
• For building a momentum team, one has to have a board who is qualified to lead. The board makes the ceiling for the congregation: this is the top that you can expect the church to become. To qualify, one must be engaged. The board member must be active in front-line ministry, doing ministry. One must be inspired by the vision God has given the pastor. One must be informed on the nature of the church in the 21st century and willing to be trained and educated. And one must be invested in the church. If they don't tithe, they should not be serving on the leadership team.

These are some fantastic pointers; I have to remember that the church must be radical followers of Jesus Christ, going about His mission of making disciples for Him for the transformation of the world.