Exponential 09

Spent last week is sunny Orlando, Florida at the National New Church Conference. First time I've ever attended a conference specifically for church planters.

LOVED It!
While I'm not a church planter myself, I felt SO at home there. I loved the energy. The room was filled with excited Christians, on fire for God, passionate about the church and ready to join God in His mission. Talk about refreshing!

While at some church conferences I have felt self conscious about my gender, sensing resistance from some to interact with me or include me in their conversations. At this conference, I had no such feelings. I didn't even mind that I had to go by myself. I felt like everyone was on the same team, with the same desire, excited about anyone who would want to join them. No discrimination. No fear. All inclusive.

But MOST of all, as a futurist and innovator who loves to dream, brainstorm and create I finally found a people group that have similar desires. Church planters are dreamers filled with hope. They are BOLD, not yet afraid to do something never tried before. They seek to hear and follow God's desires. Their calling to plant a new church requires them to be innovative, flexible, and receptive to new ideas. Being around church planters is like eating dessert all day long. No bitterness, grumbling, or resistance to slow you down.

As someone who has a ministry call and is struggling to learn how to start a new ministry from scratch, the conference was just as helpful to me as it was to the church planters. In a way, I see myself as a "ministry planter" and therefore I needed to hear and benefited from the same things they were hearing.

Finally, by going to a new church start conference you gain great insight into the future of the Kingdom of God. You get a glimpse of what is to come. You get to hear what future church leaders are thinking, dreaming and being told by current "experts" in the field. It's a great place to identify and clarify changes occurring within the Kingdom.

Like any GREAT conference, it's given me a lot to process and reflect on but I have found it's already transformed my thinking and helped to clarify things. In the days ahead I hope to post several entries about topics addressed and how I've been changed. Until then I just wanted to say I highly recommend people attend this conference. And you don't have to necessarily be a church planter to greatly benefit from what it offers!