I scored some free tickets to this from a friend of mine so I took along my youth pastor. While I could not attend every session, it was great to have some time to listen and take in.

Its an annual conference borne out of Paradise AOG Church with Pastor Evans.

Pastor Creflo Dollar, who no doubt we have all heard about, was the first speaker I heard. He gave a surprisingly restrained message all about reading our bibles. He emphasized the need for revelation to come from scripture, not from extra biblical sources.

I also heard a great message from Dr Samuel R Chand. His was the highlight of the conference for me, so much I bought his book!

Here are my notes from that session.

Transitions ‘in the meantime’
What do you do in the meantime?
You need to keep changing!
Shifted
What do you do when you have outgrown your place?
Your friends are getting ahead of you?
‘ambiguity’
Highest level of leadership, leading someplace where you don’t know
Moses led the stupid idiots to a place where they did not know
Still keep going even though you don’t know where! Walk as if you know where you are going
Dangers complacency, distractions, frustrations, competition, doubt, wrong counsel… Three of four people close to you will determine your destiny, you are known by the company you keep

Opportunities
1. Preparation sharp knife in your kitchen draw, ready fir action
The only time you start at the top is when you are digging a hole
Your part is preparation, Gods part is to bring opportunities
2. Growth learning to trust Him, ministry is not a corporate ladder, some leaders made themselves, some are God made. Character will keep you in room
3. Reinvention
4. New relationships, don’t miss
If you leave with great word, that’s good but good relationships can change your life
5. Jesus knew His time had not yet come but He handled transitions well
2 mental images: landscape, seascape
Seascape constantly changes, landscape does not. Walk in faith, towards the sea

Unlearning
take someone down a mental pathway, stuck in that path, how do we get unstuck? Trying to go to new lands with old maps
You have to get worse to get any better… Golf illustration. Hacker
Because it came easy to me, I never got  good at it.

I also attended the Tuesday night session with Pastor Chris Hill. He was good, you can learn from anyone I reckon. If you want to know how to preach passionately, with humour and emotion, Pastor Chris Hill is your man.

What was most interesting to me and my mate who came along though was the pre worship rap. As we were listening, and enjoying I have to say, this….we discussed amongst ourselves, is this how our kids will enjoy worship services in the future? It was God honouring, if not my style. If that is the case, we have to make sure we make time and room for them to sing a new song, in a new way, to Jesus.