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Wow… a List of Conferences NOT to Attend This Year
Orginally published on Wednesday, January 10, 2007 at 8:43 AM
by Todd Rhoades
Many of you know that there are a growing number of blogs and websites out there that describe themselves as "discerning" websites in that they will discern for you all the faults and theological failings of other Christian leaders. Recently, one of those sites came out with a list of conferences you should NOT attend this year...
Included on the list were any conferences that had Erwin McManus or Leonard Sweet (like the National Religious Broadcasters Convention); The National Pastor’s Convention (with people like Eugene Peterson, Gary Thomas, and Brian McLaren; Willow’s Leadership Summit (with speakers like Bill Hybels). They also say you must stay away from any conference that hosts John Ortberg, Max Lucado, Donald Miller, and others.
What causes people to come up with lists like this? Why do they feel like they need to be everyone’s spiritual watchdog? And why don’t they trust you to make the decision as to which conference to go to and what speakers to trust? Do they not think you have a head of your own; or your own copy of the King James Bible?
Conferences themselves are a cultural experience of the european twentieth century. Maybe we should scrap them all.
Sorry to be on a soapbox. It seems that the lines are being drawn and that sides are becoming farther apart in Christianity. I’m always open to discussion; and enjoy discussion of things that we sometimes don’t agree with; but when an attitude of superiority or irrationality make it’s way into the mix, it gets frustrating.
So, here at MMI; as I hear of conferences that I think you might like, I’ll suggest them to you; but you’ll never hear me tell you NOT to go to a specific conference. I think you’re much smarter that.
About the Author: Todd Rhoades is the Managing Editor and Publisher of MondayMorningInsight.com (MMI as most of us know it). Besides spending a good amount of time maintaining this website, Todd is on the staff of Leadership Network, helping large churches to better connect, innovate, and multiply what they do best. Todd was also the founder of ChurchStaffing.com, until he sold the site in 2005. Todd lives with his wife, Dawn, and four children in Bryan, OH. He can be reached at .
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There are 13 Comments:
Hi... I'm Todd Rhoades. I'm a Christ-follower, husband, father and I love to connect leaders with other leaders. Hopefully you'll find something here at MMI you like and will return often. If you want, you can find out more about me or follow my every step on Twitter.
MondayMorningInsight.com | PO Box 446 | Bryan, OH 43506 |
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Wednesday, January 10, 2007 at 8:55 AM
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Wednesday, January 10, 2007 at 8:56 AM
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Wednesday, January 10, 2007 at 9:07 AM
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Monday, January 15, 2007 at 10:33 AM
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Posted by Tim H
Tuesday, March 20, 2007 at 2:25 PM
Post Your Comments:Hey, Todd, I don’t think it’s been too much, but just want to encourage you to not give too much credibility to the “discerning” sites. It’s worth the warning you’ve given, but don’t get side-tracked. Those sites are garbage and you’re is a great tool. Keep up the great work.
Then again, maybe a list like this could serve another purpose.....like maybe some conferences one WOULD like to attend
Matt,
Thanks for your comment. It’s easy to go overboard. I do watch the ‘discerning’ sites. I do find it amazing that people that are so against change in the church have adapted to aptly to blogging.
But I write these things (and I realize it’s been heavy this week) because it’s something that interests me. As I’ve said before, I was raised in an environment that would mirror what many of the ‘discerning’ websites are publishing these days.
Yesterday, a very discerning person said I might as well tell him to go to hell. At that point I banned him; and was written up on another discerning blog today as a hypocrite.
At least it makes my life interesting.
I’ll keep my eye on the goal though… thanks!
Todd
Todd,
I have a very simple rule when it comes to conferences. I’d never attend a conference that would have me as a speaker.
Cheer up, Todd. you are actually not going to hell. I have it on good authority!
I agree with Matt. There are many great web tools to help us do ministry in relevant and more effective ways, and MMI is among the best. Actually, I think that as these sites and the spiritual watchdogs that frequent them, write for them, are endorsed by them; intensify their attacks and get more dirty in the fighting, they will lose their credibility and any influence they had. But that of course, is my opinion.
Perhaps we’d all be well advised to follow the advice of Gamaliel to the Sanhedrin in regard to the preaching of Peter and John (Ac 5:39):
“Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
God is in charge. A cursory read of church history will remind us that this is not a new argument. Amazingly (miraculously) the church survives, and sometimes flourishes.
Wendi
Proverbs 3:5-7 come to mind.
If we don’t listen to anyone who has an imperfect understanding of scripture, there will be nobody left to listen to.
Eventually, these folks will have no accountability, as they trust nobody. They are wise in their own eyes, and lean on their own understanding.
How easy would it have been for the Bereans to run Paul of of town because of his views on circumcision? Didn’t the Pharisees trust their own understanding more than the actual words of the God incarnate?
Ironside, the theologian and pastor, not the TV character, where ever you have light you get bugs. These sites are bugs. Scratch you head and walk on.
I look at the list and think, well I must be a lost cause already. I have either read their books or have been the conferences. Wretched man that I am.
By the way if you tell me to go to hell, you will not have been the first person. And probably not the last. Dust yout feet and walk on.
Maybe it’s because I’m speaking at NRB that I take a little offense. I’m not sure why some people say and write such things, but I appreciate the way you handled it. My hat is off to you.
I person is at the height of self - preoccupation when they seek to preserve something that is meant to change. Jesus never changes but the church has even from the first to the second century. Jesus said whoever loves his life will lose it and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Getting a grip on this thought means more than physical life, it also includes that which gives life. These folks have found a path to Jesus and fallen in love with the path. They are holding on to something that is much more about the path than the destination and in doing so they are losing the vitality that comes from a friendship with Christ.
Because they are “enlightened” we who are not cannot possibly teach them, help them or be of value to them. Personally I read some of their thinking because I came from that world but I would rather fish for men than tend the aquarium.
Todd -
Please feel free to attend MY conference at which the theme will be “WHY you came to this conference.” Seminars will include “This is MY conference,” “My Ways are higher than YOUR WAYS,” and MY favorite… “Why you won’t be allowed back next year.”
Please bring the appropriate translation of the HOLY TEXT, and wear only appropriate clothing. THose who do not conform will be asked to leave immediately and without refund. An offering willl be taken at the conference to assist with further development of MY future conferences.
So I need help in determining what seminars to attend? Really? Sorry to disappoint the “experts” as I have a screening process already in place which is composed of three parts:
1. My church calendar. Shucks, my church and ministries seem to take priority.
2. My budget. Should a seminar find an opening in my calendar, I look at the price and my
budget ... generally that’s as far as it goes.
3. If the first two hurdles are met, then common sense comes to play. When the literature
makes promises similar to Madison Avenue marketers, I have this reflex in my hand that
begins making tossing motions at my circular file. This reflex doesn’t permit me to
indulge the theological aspects of the seminar.
I learned long ago that even in Christendom there are “chicken littles” running around crying that the “sky is falling.”
Hey Todd,
Good questions as always. Sometimes I read the “discerning sites” and go, “How the heck did you come up with that?” Sometimes they clearly don’t understand what they are preaching against.... they’re just “against it.”
However, other times I’ve read them and they’ve raised REAL concerns for me. And although I’ve never read these particular questions on one of those sites… they’ve caused me to think deeply about them.
Questions like: Just because I get a crowd to come is that a “good thing?” If I’m putting people in the baptism tank and or getting decisions does that mean they are truly converting to Christ? Does my 301 class and ministry enrollment truly reflect the number of disciples I’m making? Or do they merely follow me?
What I’m trying to say is the Bible clearly says in the latter days that people will have a FORM of godliness but still be denying the underlying true power of God.
Does this mean I can use slick marketing, a good pitch from the stage to get them to do what I want them to do? Can I manipulate or motivate with such good leadership and sales and marketing skills that they look like the church but never encounter the true power of God?
Still the problem I have with the “discerning sites” is that just because I shun those things they want me to shun doesn’t mean I’ve connected with the things God wants me to connect with. And honestly sometimes what they want me to “shun” is just silly.
For the record, I do NOT think its silly to slow down and ask discerning questions. “I DO think that Saul’s armour may be for Saul but not fit me very well.” (Hmm, come to think of it, I don’t want to wear anything Saul was wearing.)
And I think the METHOD drives the message more than we admit. In fact, in many churches the METHOD BECOMES the message in a very subtle way.
What I’m saying is that if the method becomes a slick sales pitch then the gospel can become a commodity I’m peddling for my own profit.
Still, I’d love to read some of the reasons people are saying “shun” this conference or that one. I try to keep in mind that sometimes the prophets came dressed differently than the “it” crowd of the day. Sometimes they looked weird and their theology didn’t come in any form of what I’d call status quo for the “in” and “happening crowd.” The hard part for me when I hear something that goes against my grain is for me to remember to say, “Jesus, is there something here you want me to learn from THIS part of your body?” If I don’t do that, then I feel like I’m in danger of becoming what I accuse them of being - not of the body, or in error.
This is coming from a guy who has planted 14 seeker based churches and is coaching three as we speak. So please don’t view me as just the crazy anti change type personality. These are the “deeper” questions I ask of those who are doing seeker stuff WITH me. I don’t want to wind up as one of those in Matthew 7.... nor do I want those I coach to do so either.
God’s best to you all,
Keith
Can someone point me to a link that goes into some background regarding where this “discerning” movement came from? Maybe I’ve had my head in the sand, but this is the first I have heard of them.
Todd and Keith - Thank you both for your comments.
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