Pastors’ Conference – Sessions 1 & 2

I combine these only because I was so tired after lunch that I didn’t take detailed notes during the first session – and now I really wish I had.

The speaker was Zack Vestnys, and his session was absolutely incredible.  The number one thing I took away from it was, “a bruised reed He will not break.”  You have to get the MP3 for the session to understand; suffice to say, it was incredible and very encouraging.

Then…Dave Rolph.

Good heavens, his session hit me right between the eyes, and I’m still reeling. It was so incredibly convicting and encouraging, that I broke (or, at least, tried to break) a personal rule of mine.  I normally do not go up to a speaker at a conference after the session, because the last thing I need is to fall for the whole celebrity-awe thing. But Rolph’s session was so very impactful, I had to.

Unfortunately, by the time I got to him, he already had a small constellation of guys around him that apparently were equally powerfully affected.

So, I headed instead to the coffee shop to plunk this out (sitting, by the way, at the adjacent table to Shaun Sells).

The primary thing I took from Dave’s session was to stick to the message, and never, never, never compromise, chicken out, or give up.  Ever.

Also, apparently Mike Newnham of The Blog Of Which We Do Not Speak is the new CC regional overseer for the Pacific Northwest, and Calvary Distribution is selling prayer candles.

…again, you’ll have to get the conference MP3s to understand.

So, to my notes (again, as last year, more “stream-of-consciousness” than true notes, I suppose) of Rolph’s session:

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• All that we have to do to make the ''shame" of the gospel go away - compromise.
• I have to be willing not to seek my life, but to lose it.
• Paul gives Tim 3 reasons why you should not compromise in ministry.
• ''Under an assumed name, you can twitter about how many people you're running..."
• Reason 1: our message.
  • The Gospel is worth any shame for the privilege to share it.
  • The Gospel is a timeless message.
  • It is a message worth any cost.
  • You can't separate the Gospel from the rest of Scripture.
  • There are really only two denominations: those who believe in the inerrancy of Scripture, and those who don't.
    • Either believe it all, or don't believe it at all.
  • You can eliminate some shame by disbelieving in inerrancy.
  • We shouldn't be jealous - we should be praising God that He's doing things in other churches.
  • ''I don't necessarily do things his way, but he's my brother."
  • "Where Christ is preached, I will rejoice."
  • We ought to be all for whatever God is doing through the gospel - and wherever He's doing it.
  • ''If you're called to be a politician, be a politician - but don't try to be a pastor also also."
  • To be able to share the Gospel with just one person is worth your life.
  • Paul rs telling Tim. "don't you chicken out, don't you sell out."
• Reason 2: The calling of the Gospel.
  • Is there anybody I can say I'd be willingto be eternally accursed in order to see them saved?
  • Everybody has somebody they're called to reach.
  • My faith will never increase by seeing evidence.
    • ''Welcome to growing up in faith. Time to put on your big boy pants."
  • It's when there's no evidence that I need faith.
  • "Your Dad was never for from you."
  • How do I know if I'm not called? When nobody shows up... week after week after week.
  • Get back to work! Don't you sell out! Don't you compromise! You have a message!
• Reason 3: Because I know Him.
  • The shame of compromise is way worse than the "shame" of the message of the Gospel.
  • ''I know whom I have believed..."
  • Do I know about Him? Do I know His message ? Or do I Know Him?
  • Don't you dare compromise, don't you dare give up!
  • Its gonna hurt - it's supposed to hurt - otherwise everybody would do it.
  • Story of the missionary widow, & the message of Job.
    • If everything we have comes from God, we can't hold it back.
    • "You give and take away. My heart will choose to say, Lord, blessed be Your Name."
  • You give up, you sell out - shame on you .