Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Greetings from Minneapolis

So here we are in Minneapolis! Bob and I are attending the EFCA National Conference. We flew in last night and wanted to get started today, the preconference sessions are always the best ones to attend. Last year they had Haddon Robinson, author of "Biblical Preaching" a staple in seminaries all over the world. The year before featured D.A. Carson, another excellent theologian and Bible commentator. Both men were fascinating and, in the case of Robinson, had immediate impact on the way I prepare my sermons. The preconference speakers were unannounced in both cases. So we were anticipating someone really great again this year. John MacArthur? Al Mohler? Rumors were circulating that they might bring in the original author of Hebrews and score a knockout one-two punch!

You know who they got?.........No one! That's right, no one. They had some preconference seminars on the order of "....if you're really bored and have absolutely nothing to do, you might consider this seminar as a reasonable but less exciting alternative to watching grass grow."

So, it was off to the Mall of America for us, a fitting monument to American excess as I have ever seen! Over 400 stores, 12,000 employees, 35 million visitors a year and an amusement park right in the center of the mall.......inside! I can't help but wonder what someone from a third world nation might think about any of this. Trying to explain shopping to someone who has probably never seen a store might be difficult!

So, tomorrow the conference starts in earnest and we chalk this one up to experience. The EFCA is proposing a comprehensive rewrite of the Statement of Faith. We'll begin looking at the final draft this week and will vote, on Friday, whether or not to move ahead with it. If the vote passes, we will assess the new SoF for a year then take a final vote next year. Providing it passes, I'll bring the proposed SoF back and present it to our congregation this Sunday so everyone will have a chance to read it and comment.

I love seeing new places. Bob is a great travelling companion. I have been blessed greatly by the conferences and teaching we have received when we go away. That being said, I miss being home. We keep in constant contact via cell phone and email but it's not the same as being there. There's always that nagging feeling that I'm missing something.

The good thing about a day like today is that we were forced to slow down a bit. There's time to rest, time to pray and time to "do nothing". When is the last time you had an opportunity like that? I was talking to Jim Ely a few weeks ago and he said, "We never hear much teaching on the Sabbath anymore. Why not?" My first inclination is to answer, "We don't have time." Maybe we need to look a little closer at that.

1 comment:

  1. John,

    I'm sure someone has mentioned the need to add another 's' on the word assess. You are missing the last one !!

    Enjoying your post and insights.

    In Christ,

    ReplyDelete