San Diego – Day 2
This was the first official day of the conference. Today was called the pre-conference seminar. I had an option to choose from 4 different intensive classes. I chose one called Welcome to the Family. It was about visitors and assimilation. It was very interesting and I got some great ideas. I also heard that some of the things we are doing are good. Something’s we need to work on.
I got to spend some time with pastors from different traditions. I learned about a program called ALPHA. It is a discipleship / evangelism program where people who have not church background learn about the gospel over a 10 week, dinner discussion type format. It is not high pressure. It encourages dialogue and study. I got to meet with an Anglican Pastor and an Episcopal pastor who uses this. ALPHA had a booth in the exhibit hall. I went by and talked to them and got some information. I will spend some time studying more about it.
I picked up a bunch of books. Some were free and I bought some. My “too read” list has grown now, but I think it will be well worth it. Here is a list of what I got:
1. Children of Hope by Vernon Brewer
2. Why a Star by Bodie and Brock Thoene
3. The Tangible Kingdom: Creating Incarnational Community: The Posture and Practices of Ancient Church Now by Hugh Halter
4. Parenting Teens in a Confusing Culture: Answering Parent’s Most Challenging Questions by Mark Gregston
5. Identity: who you are in Christ by Eric Geiger
6. Choose Your Faith in a World of Spiritual Options by Mark Mittelberg
7. The Peace Maker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict by Ken Sande
8. No Perfect People Allowed: creating a come as you are culture in the church by John Burke
9. Essential Church: reclaiming a generation of dropouts by Thom S. Rainer
10. The Shape of Faith to Come: Spiritual Formation and The future of Discipleship by Brad J. Waggoner
Pretty good reading list huh?
I had lunch with a Lutheran Pastor from Nebraska. I had a great conversation with him about church and ministry. He is a very interesting guy who I hope to keep in contact with.
The general session tonight was with Lincoln Brewster leading worship. He is a great guitar player. I was pretty tired and did not feel like a concert.
Erwin McManus was next. He had an awesome sermon/talk about doing what is uncomfortable. It was very challenging. I think I will read more of this stuff.
Tonight they were showing the move Fire Proof, but Liz said I could not go and watch it without her.
Supper was interesting. I finally found a place that the price is normal. While sitting there drinking my diet Pepsi talking with Liz, a cock roach took a walk across my table….CHECK PLEASE!!!!! I wound eating supper in bar type place. I had a calamari wrap. It was good.
Back to the room. Relax, read, thing, process, blog, email check and all that. Tomorrow is a big day.
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1 comment:
I have The Peacemaker. We did a small group study on it a while back. It was very interesting. Much of it talks about bringing conflicts to the church instead of the courts according to the Biblical model. I brought the concept up as a side note in a mission board meeting one night. The lawyer in the room said that would never work because people in the church didn't know enough to resolve legal issues. I wanted to ask if that included him - being a lawyer and in the church - but I refrained.
Part of our small group was going through a legal matter with "christians" from whom they purchased a business that had cooked the books to make the business look more profitable than it really was. Our friends asked the other party if they wanted to resolve things through a church panel instead but they refused and made the case drag on and on. Our friends finally won, but had to go through a lot, and the other side had to go through a lot that could have all been avoided in a christian "peacemaking" setting.
It's a good book. I enjoyed it.
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