Last weekend I had the priviledge of attending the Desiring God National Conference with my Dad. Needless to say it was a great conference. The speakers were: John Macarthur, Jerry Bridges, Randy Alcorn, Helen Roseveare, and John Piper. All of the sessions are available to view and/or listen to at the Desiring God Blog
Since the conference was in Minneapolis, where I was born and most of my extended family is, I was able to visit some of my relatives as well. While there were many, many memorable experiences, here is a list of the top ten:
10. Stillwater - after getting picked up at the airport at 430am and sleeping for a few hours, my dad and I drove out to the town of Stillwater. Stillwater is a beautiful (whoa, I almost said 'cute'!) along the St. Croix river which forms the border with Wisconsin. More importantly it is home to one of the greatest used Christian book stores in the country.
9. Fall - I was again struck by the beauty of Minnesota. Fall doesn't really happen in L.A.
8. Worship - being able to join in worship to our Lord with believers that I didn't even know (and sing a lot of songs that I didn't know!) was and is always a blessing and a wonderful testimony to the power of Christ in uniting people from all tongues and tribes to worship Him.
7. John Piper - Piper on his homecourt...need I say more?
6. Jerry Bridges - this man began serving in the Navigators the same year my parents where born (1955). He is still doing it. A highlight of his message was when he spoke about the fact that the Gospel is not for unbelievers only, it is for believers as well. The same grace and power that saved us, is the same that will sustain and preserve us. We need to begin everyday at the cross.
5. Macarthur - I've heard Macarthur at my college, seminary, and at his church. But to see Him in another context I was able to see how incredibly gifted God has made this man in explaining and expounding the Word of God in a clear, relevant way.
4. Meeting Helen Roseveare - I didn't know it before I went, but Helen Roseveare is my hero, and always has been. She was a missionary in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. She worked there for a number of years doing medical missions before a civil war tore the country apart. Not only were all of the hospitals that she helped establish demolished, she was taken hostage and brutally beaten and raped. After 5 months she was rescued. She returned to England but returned to Congo a year later to get back to doing the Lord's work. She is now in her mid 80's and still full of fire for the Lord. I got to meet her and told her that my wife and I are preparing to do missions in Congo. She was so excited and asked what organization we were going with. I told her that I was having problems finding agencies willing to send us to DRC and she said, "Oh, bother! Go with WEC! (the organization she is with) We'll send you!" and gave me some contact information. I pray I still have that kind of zeal at 50, let alone 85.
3. Seeing Josiah Timothy Hendley - While I was in Minnesota, my friend, cousin, and brother in Christ Matt had his first boy. It was an honor to visit Josiah, and Matt and Bonnie and Gracie (their daughter)in the hospital. I have never seen such a young baby and it was amazing to wonder at the miracle of new life.
2. Witnessing God working in my Uncle Bruce - Before the conference started my dad and I were able to spend some time with my Uncle. My dad and uncle have not always gotten along, so the time had a good probability of being somewhat tense, with me playing peacekeeper. I was praying about this time far in advance, and God graciously and abundantly answered prayers. Instead of getting into arguments, the majority of our time was spent discussing things of the Lord. God is working powerfully in my Uncle, who has not always confessed Christ. He was sharing Scriptures he had been studying on his own and asking questions about certain passages and theological beliefs. It was really wonderful to the hunger for the truth the God has put in my uncle. It was also wonderful to see my dad and uncle show the love of Christ to each other. A miracle indeed.
1. Spending time with the Old Man - that's not the "old man" of Ephesians 4:22 (KJV)but my dad. Sure we got into plenty of arguments but that seems to be how God forces us to go deep with each other. But we also had plenty of times of great conversation. I could have listened to the sermons online but it was experiencing the moments of the conference with my dad and working through the truths presented together that makes me the most thankful that I went.
by His grace
for His glory
jrf
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