For about 10 years, I attended an annual Christian women’s
conference. As a state and local leader, I was expected to attend the national
conference (it was international every other year) and the time and dollars
required were substantial for a stay at home mom of three like me. The sacrifice to make the trip included my husband having to
take on the care of the household and the children, sometimes having to take
time off from work.
The value in attending these conferences was not just my
husband’s grateful embrace upon my return (stepping into a spouse’s shoes for
five days goes a long way in understanding the value of what he or she does in
daily life), the speakers (we had several Christian “celebrities” in the
nineties like Joni Eareckson Tada) or even visiting a new city (we had very
little time to see the sights; my favorite place was Nashville and watching a
show at the Grand Ole Opry). It was the opportunity to connect with my local
team in a deeper way, away from the daily grind, and to experience teaching and worship with
over 3,000 women and men from across the nation and around the globe.
For believers who belong to megachurches where thousands are
gathered each weekend, perhaps that is not such a big deal, but for a girl from
New England where the average church size is around 60 people, it was
awe-inspiring. Also, this was not
a gathering of one church or even people from one region. These conferences
were a blend of dozens of different denominations who laid down theological
differences at the door to embrace the mission of helping to spread the Gospel
throughout the world.
God showed up in a special way at these conferences and the
music/worship was powerful. I really don’t remember many of the speakers (Benny
Hinn was at one conference, but I have no recollection of what he said, which
is probably for the best), but I will never forget God’s presence in the
worship. These women were free in expressing their love and adoration for Jesus
and He was lifted up as the only reason we were gathered. It was not about the
speaker that would soon approach the podium, it was about our Lord who had
gathered his warrior women who wanted to make a difference in their communities
and countries.
Attending conferences may not be fruitful for everyone. Depending on the organization, conferences may be more concerned with generating income for the organization than actually providing a deep benefit for the attendees. I would attend events expecting God to show up, to speak something through the speakers, special sessions, or the worship, to help grow me up in Him and expand my understanding of what was happening around the globe, and He never disappointed. Over the years, I have found that attending smaller, more intimate gatherings can be just as impacting and special. And guess what? God shows up.
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