Exponential Conference Musings

May 3, 2008

The exponential conference last week was fantastic. There’s a lot of practical use to the conference (I came home with a brain swollen with ideas), but really, just being in the midst of so many church planting staff and supporters is almost intoxicating… I couldn’t help but think all week, “the world is going to change next year, because of what God will do through these people!” The last time I went to the National New Church Conference (in 2002, I believe) it was a completely different beast, with an attendance of a few hundred (and it was similar the following year when Suncrest hosted it, as Greg’s blog mentions). Now the conference pulls in thousands and thousands. What a change in the world of church planting! As Ed Stetzer mused, what was once what looked on as a job for pastors who couldn’t find a job anywhere else has now been acknowledged as the front line of God’s work in changing this world (that’s a paraphrase of his thoughts and mine). Exciting times, that were definitely worth the wait!

Anyway, a few more musings about the conference:

1. The church is finally truly reaching out to the cities, rather than just the suburbs. Planting orgaizations are realizing that changing a region starts with changing the city, even if it takes more resources and time. I recently was able to visit Reunion Christian Church in Boston, and it was incredible to see how they are showing God’s love in that city (and how strikingly different “urban” ministry is from suburban, practically… I’ve never had to drive 20 minutes to find a parking place for worship rehearsal!). I heard several organizations at the conference making specific plans for reaching our cities, including Chicago.

2. Vince Antonucci. I was able to catch a sesson with him during the conference and am currently reading his book I became a Christian and all I got was this Lousy T-Shirt. His ministry is a call back to religion-less Christianity, and he has an incredible sense of humor; one of the sharpest and “down to earth” speakers I’ve heard in a while.

3 . I met Rick Warren. It took me a while to answer all his questions about leadership, but I think it was useful for him. Ok, so maybe we just shook hands as he greeted the crowd at the newthing dinner Wednesday night– but that handshake spoke volumes!

4. Some great quotes from the Conference:

“Church is a tag-team sport- when you walk into church, you tag us, our creative team, to create an experience where you AND your friends can grow closer to God spiritually. When you leave, I tag you to share that faith with people within your sphere of influence.”- Mark Batterson

“God is uncivilized, and calls uncivilized people, and he calls them to do uncivilized things.”- Vince Antonucci

“There is something in the way we do church, our ecclesiology, that keeps us from being who we should be… Christology lies at the heart of the renewal of the church!”- Alan Hirsch (the Forgotten Ways just jumped to the top of my “must read” list!)

Looking forward to next year!

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