Conference Update #4

This morning's session went very well...at least from my perspective. I ended up speaking on exaclty what I had planned to speak on after all. Even as I arrived at the meeting room I wasn't sure if I should change the direction I was planning to go or not. I felt that God gave me the "green light" to go with my original plan when I looked at the detailed order for the session and saw that the song right before I spoke was "Mighty To Save" which is my favorite worship song of all. Obviously, the worship leader did not know that when he selected the songs. Pastor Tim introduced me which was cool in and of itself.

After the session, Matt, Tim and I had lunch at Chilis and then we went with about 90 people from the conference for an exposure trip to the Hindu Temple in Tampa. The trustee of the temple and his family were delightful people who gave us an overview of Hinduism and a tour of their temple. They even prepared some Indian food for us to sample. It was very educational but even more motivational to see the depths of their spiritual blindness. Boy, do people all over the world ever need Jesus. I am more committed than ever that evangelism must be the engine that drives Grace Church...across the street and around the world!

When we returned from the Hindu Temple we picked up Doug and went to a Mexican restaurant for dinner and then spent the evening down at the St Petersburg pier. As spiritually motivating as the conference has been, I still think the best part has been hanging out with these guys and the team building that we have experienced together. I love pastoring Grace Church but what makes it even more speical is the people I get to serve alongside of every single day. I love these guys!

Tomorrow Doug is begging for IHOP for breakfast and then we will hear Jeff Bouge who pastors in Norton, Ohio speak in the morning session. The plan as of now is to spend tomorrow afternoon at the Clearwater Beach and then be back in time for the evening session when Jim Brown speaks. Jim is the moderator of our Fellowship this year and pastor of our Goshen, Indiana Grace Brethren Church. He is the biggest evangelistic sparkplug I have ever met!