Reflections from Exponential 2009

Seven of us from Crossroads got back from this year's Exponential Conference late last night. It was an amazing conference and trip and I thought I would just share some highlights from the week. Here goes:

• The weather in Orlando, FL in April is awesome!
• I would put Ian and our worship team up against lots of other church's best.
• I need to be more intentional about taking care of me and my family relationships. If I am not OK, then Crossroads Church is not going to be OK.
• The overall theme of this years conference was that it is not about one church but it is all about a full blown Kingdom movement!
• A church planting movement will never be safe. It will be risky and dangerous!
• We need to pray more!
• A movement will never happen with the old measurements of success of money, attendance, and baptisms.
• The beach is definitely NOT my favorite place on earth.
• Church planting has become a "big business" and I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing or if it just is what it is.
• I am SO proud of Crossroads Church and our partnership with Francisco in The Dominican Republic through GO ministries.
• I love sitting under and listening to men with like hearts and passion who have already been where I am and have gone through what I have and am going through. It is very convicting and inspiring!
• We need to pray more!
• I love Jesus and His Church!
• I love the enthusiasm of our Crossroads team.
• I like driving rental vehicles!
• Flying with a head cold is miserable!
• It is absolutely amazing how small and insignificant that I am! God doesn't need me at all. I just praise Him for giving me grace, calling me, and allowing me to be a part of His story.
• We need to get out of the fish tank and into the ocean!
• We need to stop allowing fear and pride to determine our actions.
• We need to bicker less and love more!
• We need to spend less and give more!
• We need to stop viewing church as the end and see it as the means. God wants to do something bigger than we could ever imagine and it goes WAY beyond anything Crossroads can do. It is not even about Crossroads Church. That statement needs to be more than a statement that I say on Sunday morning. How can God use us to see a Holy Spirit filled movement sweep this country and the whole world?
• We need to pray more!
• It felt good to be home. I love West Virginia!
• "It is not good for man to be alone!" I miss Becky when she is not around!
• We're doing more right than I thought we were. We are not a perfect church and we never will be but I came home encouraged at all that we are doing right.
• It was so good to see all the Tennessee guys from our Churches Planting Churches group.
• We need to pray more!
• It was so great having dinner with Chad, Natashia, and Hannah Priestley. It was so good to see them and to visit with them. It is hard to believe that they have been in FL for almost a year and that they will be home soon. I can't wait to have them back in attendance at Crossroads!
• It is amazing what God is doing outside of America in the rest of the world.
• We need to be better at using technology to get the message of the Kingdom of God out there.
• Never judge other's sin! You are only condemning yourself!
• I love airports just not airplanes!
• Did I mention that we need to pray more? We can do all the right practical things and possible grow a church but without the presence of the Holy Spirit, it is all for nothing. Without the Holy Spirit, it is not real and will carry no lasting impact into eternity.
• A big thanks to our state convention (Baptist Convention of Pennsylvania/South Jersey)(they paid for our conference tickets), my Uncle Dwight and Aunt Betty (they let us stay in their FL condo), and Crossroads Church (for the plane tickets, food, ground transportation, and the gracious and supporting spirit to want more for your leadership). You all rock!