Top Ten Conference Impressions
February 12, 2010 – 4:47 pmIt’s been just over a month since we returned home from the conference. This has given me some time to reflect on what aspects of the conference were most influential and memorable. Here are my “Top Ten Lasting Impressions,” in descending order–all of them just happen to be alliterated.
10. CLIMATE. The cold winds, icy parking lots, and consistent snowfall These were especially memorable for so many who journeyed up from the south. Yet, even though I live in the lake-effect snowbelt of Northeast Ohio, the weather conditions at this year’s conference were still impressive. Our drive home was the worst winter driving conditions I’ve ever experienced in my life.
9. CUISINE. We were served seven full meals during the 2 1/2 days of the conference. As well, the Global Cafe (which was a transformed gymnasium) served non-stop complimentary Starbucks coffee. In addition to these, our group took two excursions and explored some famous Detroit cuisine at Sylvia’s Sub Shop and Astoria Pastry Shop. I’d recommend the pizza at Sylvia’s and the turtle brownies from Astoria. In the past month, I’ve been tempted to drive two hours just to enjoy those foods again.
8. COTS. During our three nights in Detroit, we slept on cots that were on loan from Detroit’s American Red Cross Disaster Relief. The cots were surprisingly comfortable, uncomfortably noisy, and (so we were told) good preparation for the potential hardships of pioneer missions.
7. COST. As I think back on the conference, I’m continually amazed at how much I got for how much I spent. I paid $40 for the conference! I guarantee that’s the cheapest conference I’ll attend in the next few years. In addition to full room and board, conference materials, and a line-up of missionary speakers flown in from all over the world, every attendee was given five free books. Thanks to the generosity of Desiring God and 9 Marks ministries I came home with Piper’s Filling Up the Afflictions of Christ, Dever’s What is a Healthy Church? and The Gospel & Personal Evangelism, J.C. Ryle’s A Call to Prayer, and Doran’s For the Sake of His Name. What generosity from every side!
6. CROSS-CULTURAL EXPERIENCE. Because so many non-Americans were at the conference (both speakers and attendees), there was a refreshing global perspective. Although it doesn’t happen enough, I love when my little bubble gets burst and my horizon gets expanded. I’m too often consumed with a (good and necessary, but) very narrow focus: my family, my church family, my to-do list, my town, my goals, etc. This conference helped me to refocus on the bigness of the world, the bigness of the needs, and the bigness of God’s heart and plan.
5. CONCERT. On Tuesday afternoon Pastor Doran led a congregation-wide “Concert of Prayer.” During the hour we prayed a few rounds of (1) personal prayer, (2) one-on-one prayer, (3) small group prayer, and (4) congregation-led prayer. Each cycle was seamlessly introduced and concluded with a prayerful song. For me this time of prayer was a highlight. Four hundred believers grew in one heart for God’s global purposes. I was spiritually refreshed. I was also given an example for more effectively leading my congregation in corporate prayer.
4. CARE. Although we were supposed to get home late Wednesday night (1/6), we finally made it home around 9pm Thursday, about twenty hours later than expected. That’s because a brake line in our van broke about a half-mile from Inter-City (thankfully, we were still so close). This mishap gave us a firsthand view of the day-in-day-out hospitality in this church family. We were served well at the conference! And we were served well after the conference! Two of the janitors who were cleaning up the gym were especially gracious–getting us bedding from their homes for the night, giving us several rides to-and-from the brake shop, loaning us their van while we were car-less on Thursday morning, etc. We were overwhelmed with their warm, personal care for us.
3. CONGREGATIONAL SINGING. As I’ve already mentioned, the times of corporate singing were particularly meaningful. The singles in our group have consistently kept recalling how impressive and sweet those times of singing were.
2. CONVICTION. I experienced the conviction of the Holy Spirit many times at the conference. Although there are many ways I’ve continued to experience conviction, the one phrase that I’ve not been able to get out of my mind is the wrap-up comment Pastor Doran made on Monday night, “Be more concerned about walking with God than you are about doing something great for God. Your relationship with God is at the center of your effectiveness in the Great Commission.” As I’m so prone to focus my time and energy on doing God’s work at the expense of growing in my knowledge of God, this admonition has hit me dozens of times over the last five weeks.
1. CONFIDENCE IN THE GOSPEL. I think the most lasting impression I have from the conference is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ will be inevitably successful because the Lord Jesus is unthwartably sovereign. Every speaker was evidenced and urged evangelistic zeal in light of this confidence. J.D. Crowley’s message on Acts 1:8 exemplified this infectious confidence in the certain success of Jesus’ powerful Gospel.
For these reasons and more, everyone from our group is still talking about how this was one of the most valuable and enjoyable conferences we’ve ever been to.
Joe Tyrpak is a 30-year-old pastor serving at Tri-County Bible Church in Madison, Ohio since July 2005. Joe is a careful student and fervent preacher of the Scriptures. Many of his sermons are available at TCBC’s SermonAudio.com page.
Joe has written several excellent song texts from the Psalms at Church Works Media. On the side, Joe is a connoisseur of hot teas and ginger ales, finds rich artistic inspiration in classic Disney animation, and is a committed Philadelphia Eagles fan.
He and his wife, Hannah, were married in 2005, and have two daughters, Karis and Tori.
