The Gospel Summit

Last Thursday and Friday (yes, in the middle of final exams...our church is just way more fun than school), Bradley and I attended The Gospel Summit.

Our church put on a conference for church leaders about how to let the Gospel permeate every ministry, every heart, and the church as a whole.

It was warm outside.

PTL for AC.

I learned a lot about college ministry, being a wife, church planting, church organization, and the weighty role of a pastor.

I came away from the conference edified, blessed, and challenged--about my future and about my present.  

Here are some of my notes from the talks I went to:

THURSDAY

Our pastor opened the conference:
"Marks of a Gospel-Centered Church"

• The mission of the church--> (Acts 1:8) "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth."
• We are witnesses.
• When people stand in awe of God's grace to them, this is what happens:
• Evangelistic Effectives AND Doctrinal Depth
• The Presence of God
• Fervent, Faith-filled [believing] Prayer
• Empowered Members
• Extravagant Generosity--"Generosity is the best apologetic for the veracity of the Gospel."

First Breakout Session:
"College Ministry: Turning Atheists into Church Planters"

•  Pursue them on their turf--then they see that Christianity is not something you turn on & turn off.
• Community of believers is one of your most powerful evangelistic tools.
• Once a Christian, bring them along in ministry immediately.
• Disciple them.

Extremely convicting and motivating for me as a college student.  Am I seeking lost people?

Tony Merida, Pastor of Imago Dei Church
"Christ-Centered Preaching"

• Make the hero of the Bible (Jesus) the hero of your message.
• Satan is not concerned with moralism, he just doesn't want us to preach Jesus.
• [Your preaching must be] Wider; deeper; more responsible.
• People may say that hearing about the Cross every week will get old--I say, does hearing your wife say she loves you ever get old?
• Proclaim the facts: Jesus rose; He is alive; the tomb is empty; the throne is occupied.
• Preach Christ until you die, and then worship Him forever.

FRIDAY

Second Breakout Session:
Veronica Greear & Jen Thompson
"For Pastor's Wives: Balancing Family & Ministry"

These cute signs were one every table :)

• When you say 'yes' to something, you are saying 'no' to something else.
• There should be white space in your calendar--you need margin.
• Have wise, godly council to talk about your marriage.
• You will never regret honoring and choosing your husband.
• Until your children are saved, you have pagans living in your home. Your primary ministry is in your home.
• Figure out what your husband wants, and do it well.
• Make ministry fun for your family.

Third Breakout Session:
Tony Merida & Nathan Akin
"The Nuts & Bolts of How to Plant a Gospel-Centered Church"

• Plant with a team
• Invest in the core team
• Set clear expectations for potential members
• Plant the church you've always wanted to go to
• Don't give leadership away too quickly
• Start small groups soon and invest in small group leaders
• Teach your people to be missionaries
• Expect support from unlikely partners
• Lead from the pulpit
• Be sensitive to the unchurched
• Don't be surprised when people leave

JD Greear
"Creating a Sending Culture in Your Church"

•  God builds the church.
• The Great Commission is not a calling for some but a mandate for all.
• The church is not an audience but an army.
• The best pastors are those who build up other leaders.
• Be courageous on God's grace.
• Once a Christian is soaked from the blood of Jesus & the stench of Hell is in his nostrils, you don't need to preach evangelism.
• Rest on God's great compassion for His church. It is bigger than you, it didn't start with you, and it will not end with you.
• Focus more on what Jesus has done for you and less on what you are to do for Him.

Needless to say, I walked away more worshipful of Jesus and more charged to make Him known.

After the conclusion of the conference Bradley and I hung out with a couple we hope to emulate.  What a blessing to spend time with older, wiser council to help us see how we can see Jesus as bigger and thus surrender more and more of us for His mission.

I am anxious to see how God will love, challenge, test, and use us this summer, throughout the duration of our time as college students, and for the rest of our lives.

Jesus, You are on the throne.  All the universe pants for You.  You allow me to join in Your deserved praise.

You are worth it all.  You are better.

Friday Finds.

Happy Friday!

"All my bags are packed I'm ready to go"

...song reference?

As of about 11:00pm today, I'm I-40 East bound! I have a job interview for a summer position at a daycare in Wilmington!

Here are some urgent, important, worshipful articles I discovered this week...

(confession: or last week)

...check them out!

1)  This is awkward, but...how's your present?

Ben Reed, small groups pastor at Grace Community Church

"Talking about your present struggles is like swallowing a spoonful of medicine.  You know it's going to help, but it tastes rancid going down."

2)  Otherness

Jen Wilkin, mother, writer and member of The Village Church

"This world is not our home.  We are sojourners, travelers on our way to the only true comfort the human heart can know.  I will not help you populate your life with things that lessen your grip on this reality...because I love your Heavenly Father above all else.  And I will give an account to Him for whether I have raised citizens of Earth or citizens of Heaven."

3)    Should Christians Boycott Starbucks?

Dr. Russell Moore, Dean of the School of Theology and Senior Vice-President for Academic Administration at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

"The argument behind a boycott assumes that the "rightness" of a marriage definition is constituted by a majority with power.  Isn't that precisely what we're arguing against?"

4)  When Prayer is a Struggle

Tresta Payne, mother.

"But this is a Friday with new mercies and why not pancakes?  They come out of their rooms confused, but thankful.  
That must be the joy -- thankful confusion."

5)  When Foot Washing Is Not About the Feet

Elyse Fitzpatrick, biblical counselor

"We need to wash one another, to carefully probe, cleanse, disinfect, and heal each other, and this isn't something we can see clearly enough to do on our own.  We need the eyes and hands of others."

What are some great articles you've read recently?

Thankful Thursday.

I am prideful.  And because I struggle with pride, I am highly susceptible to self-pity.  Class work, readings, projects, emails, leadership positions, babysitting, struggling to be an attentive and emotionally engaged daughter, sister, friend, small group leader, and girlfriend...

Momentarily, I think my life is hard. Certainly I never verbalize it nor does the explicit thought run through my mind, but my heart is satiated with self-pity.

So focusing on some of the bajillion ways God loves me is a discipline in which I need to invest.  

Things I am thankful for this week:

1.  Farm time last Friday.

2.  I realized am verbalizing the fact that I want to control not only my life, but other people's lives.  AKA I distrust God and want to sit on the throne.  So incredibly dangerous.

3.  Beautiful NC weather!

4.  Worshipful, sanctifying lunch dates with some of my favorite girls :)

5.  Starbucks date with Laura & Morgan on Sunday afternoon.

6.  Powerful runs this week--such a release.

7.  Late night texts from Daddy :)

8.  Small group on Tuesday night since we all went home Wednesday!  We met at Royal Bean Coffee instead of my dorm room for a change of pace :)

9.  Dwelling on God's glory / Being sobered every time I read the Word.

10.  Trey & Ashley (my younger siblings) are on their spring break this week--which means hanging out with them during the day, not just when they get home from school/practice.  Words cannot express how happy I am about this and how God has already used this extra time just by being at home less than a day.