Monday Morning Insights

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    What I’d Love to See at a Conference…

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    OK... here's the deal. I'm in the planning stages for a huge conference for 2009; and we really want to make this thing pop. The topic is church leadership and church innovation. Of course, there are a multitude of conferences out there right now dealing with leadership and innovation. This one has to be different, and I'd love your help. What would you like to see at a conference that has never been done? Content-wise. Innovation-wise. Networking-wise. I'd love to hear your ideas. Please leave them in the comments section! And thanks!

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    1. Peter Hamm on Mon, June 02, 2008

      Although it no longer pertains to me in the church I work at now, there is usually NOTHING for the pastor of the smaller church, on how to lead in those “small church” situations that are so very different from the large-church ones.

    2. Frank on Mon, June 02, 2008

      I totally hear what Peter is saying and fully support it.


      I’m at the other end of the spectrum in a mega church.


      What I’ve found missing from all the conferences I’ve attended so far is an opportunity to sit down with some of my peers and have a semi-moderated discussion about what our issues are and how others in our same “weight class” are handling them - with the chance to INTERACT, not just passively take notes from yet another brilliant leader.


      And the session has to be longer than 1-2 hours, to really have time to dig in.


      I’m sure this pertains to a church of any size but there are some unique issues that come along as the size of the church increases.

    3. Peter Hamm on Mon, June 02, 2008

      Frank, that’s brilliant! Maybe some “moderated dinners”. Maybe you have faculty sit down to dinner after the day’s events with a limited number of people (say 12) that want to discuss specific issues. DON’T try to do this over breakfast, because you will be too time-constrained.

    4. Sam on Mon, June 02, 2008

      Here is a novel idea. How about a conference on the sufficiency of the Bible?


      OR a conference on the failure of thelocal church in areas of discipleship that has led to the rise of para-church organizations that thrive on hosting conferences to chase the “next big idea”?


      OR a conference on financial stewardship in the area of pastors continually going from conference to conference at the expense of the local church congregation with no accountability because of the rise of “staff led” churches?


      AND a conference on the whole “conference” phenomenon. You can have breakouts like


      1. Why are there SO MANY conferences today?


      2. Why do the same group of people always attend these conferences that basically serve as echo chambers?


      3. What would happen if pastors stop attending 10-15 conferences a year and actually spent that time serving their local congregations?


      Return to the sufficiency of the Bible. The all powerful God doesnt need man’s cleverness or gimmicks to call sinners to salvation. He doesnt need man to continually tell other pastors how to be more innovative with ideas such as being carried to the stage in a coffin or playing with glowsticks in the audience. Save the money, pastors. Preach the Gospel. Stop feeding into the whole conference subculture that has developed. Too many conferences.

    5. Peter Hamm on Mon, June 02, 2008

      Sam,


      We don’t all go to all of those conferences. But I do think a conference or a track on local churches’ failure to produce disciples would be in order, although you and I might differ on what that means.


      And some of these conferences are a GREAT way for pastors to recharge their batteries once a year or so, and they are VERY good for that. We who work full-time in the church need some time away like that BADLY!


      [Return to the sufficiency of the Bible.] There are many pastors who rely on the sufficiency of the Bible who’s churches are failing. I know some of them. These opportunities are great for those guys!

    6. Steve Cuss on Mon, June 02, 2008

      Todd,


      I recently returned from the Exponential Conference and it was excellent.  I was highly encouraged by the overall ongoing thrust of “Its all about the centrality of Jesus.” 


      Even so, here was the common narrative from most of the presenters.  “Church planting is tough!  It took us years to get above 200 people.  Now that we’re 1000+, here is what we’re learning.”


      I long for the 200 - 1000 conversation.  I’m not looking to learn HOW to make our church grow.  Our church IS growing!  I want dialogue on how to structure a church while it is growing/what the challenges and pitfalls are etc. 


      BTW, Leadership Network’s interactive conferences are great.  I attended one in Vegas while I was on staff at Central Christian there and the format was wonderful.  An opportunity to hear a presentation and lots of time for interaction.  I think this hits the best of both worlds as any more, conversation with the experts is the most helpful for someone like me


      Steve

    7. Sam on Mon, June 02, 2008

      AND there are those pastors that go from conference to conference attending more than just one all at the expense of the local church.


      Are you saying that the Bible isnt sufficient and we should depend on the wisdom of man more than the Bible?

    8. Eric Wright on Mon, June 02, 2008

      I think the interactive dinners are a great idea. When I have set those up in the past it is necessary to have a moderator/starter type person just to help break the ice at each table and get things going.


      If you are really dreaming…I think that general sessions could be led by the worship/creative arts teams from some of the innovative churches. That way the attendees could experience a live worship service from some of the other churches. Have the music, preaching, everything.

    9. adam mclane on Mon, June 02, 2008

      I agree with what is being said. As someone who goes to a small church… I long to see my pastor learn from guys who are doing what he does. Instead all of the conferences are loaded with people who aren’t doing what he is doing, nor have.


      Fill a conference with accessible leaders, and people who have fought the good fight to get a church from 100 to 500. Church plants don’t count. And eliminate people with churches larger than 1000.


      My ideal conference for a smaller context would be something like the Willow Creek conference with break-outs for applying this and that to specific contexts.

    10. Peter Hamm on Mon, June 02, 2008

      Sam,


      Sure there are some who just go from conference to conference (although I don’t know any personally). That doesn’ make conferences bad. I know some people who over-eat. That doesn’t make food bad. We’re getting off topic, so I’m only going to address this this one time.


      Are you saying the wisdom of men who trust the Bible should never be listened to and we should only ever read the Bible and that no one living has anything to teach us?


      The BIble is all-sufficient? What do we mean by that? Do we mean that we don’t need to learn from others who trust the Bible? Are we saying the Bible saves us? Are we saying that if there was no Bible, that Jesus wouldn’t be enough? Are we saying that if there was not really a Jesus, that the Bible would be enough? Are we saying that when Proverbs says there is wisdom in the counsel of many, that only means there’s wisdom in the counsel of many Bible verses? Are denying the fact that men took time to train pastors and leaders throughout the history of the church, especially and particularly in Acts and Paul’s letters?


      The Bible has everything we need to understand God, His plan, His sovereignty, who Jesus is, and what it all means. That is what sufficiency means. I bet no one here is denying that… But… It can’t save us, and it was never designed by God to be the only way we learn about Him and how we lead and serve in His church. He gave us the community of faith (who follow the Bible), other leaders (who trust the Bible), and even (good) conferences (where people who trust and know the Bible and have learned from experience can teach us… sometimes to not make the same mistakes they make).


      I think you’re trying to make an argument where none exists. Let’s get back on topic.

    11. Peter Hamm on Mon, June 02, 2008

      I would love to bring a team to lead worship that’s all (except me) volunteers… just to show it can be done without “pros”. Don’t need to pay me, just put me up in a relatively clean hotel!

    12. slowtraincoming on Mon, June 02, 2008

      I don’t care what the subject matter is., I could use the help in any and all areas. My suggestion: Just serve ice cream during one of the breaks! Chick Filet soft serve icedream would be awesome!

    13. kc on Mon, June 02, 2008

      GOD!

    14. kc on Mon, June 02, 2008

      and humility

    15. kc on Mon, June 02, 2008

      and I am not kidding. Conferences always have the biggest names in show business (oops! sorry church growth and evangelism). The stars are always the headliners. How about a conference on humility, servanthood, the leader/servant, the servant/leader and have the main speaker be someone who has suffered for their “faith” or experienced a loved one or friend die because they believe in Jesus. How about a conference on how to be a humble church.

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