My takeaways from Cityscape Conference 2015
Found my time of reflection from a 2015 CRU conference in Texas I went to and participated in. This was the week after we closed our church plant. That was a tough decision. But God met me and spoke to me exactly what I needed to hear at this conference. While this is 5 years ago, and not everything I learned and experienced is contained in this reflection, I can still remember that week away in Texas conversing with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ from all across the country about race, theology, missions, discipleship, and so on.
For those who find and read this, I hope the Spirit uses these takeaways to minister to you in someway as He did to me rereading them again.
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This week has been long, but the conference was really good. There were many speakers and numerous mini-messages shared. Much wisdom and encouragement was dispensed. Conviction and challenge was not at all absent. At times it was a bit overwhelming, but not in a bad way. The family of believers that were present made it feel like church for 4 days. I met some great, genuine-hearted people. Yet, I am wrestling with many things, my thoughts, my views, my understanding, and so on that I need to process. So here are my takeaways from my processing, which are in no way a negative or critique of the conference. I have no complaints about the conference. Whatever I share is me processing and digesting all I have taken in this week.
1. I need to be more courageous in my calling to share the gospel to every ethnos I encounter all across the world. I don’t capitalize enough on those clear opportunities the Lord provides where I can share. Forgive me Jesus.
2. I need to pray so much more. I must daily remind myself that I am not the Savior, nor the Holy Spirit, nor am I sovereign. And when I feel that pressure or burden of the needs, brokenness, sinfulness, selfishness, and ignorance of the people in this world, I must remind myself I am not the answer. Jesus the Christ is the answer, and even when I fail at providing the people in this world the answer He will pick up that ball I dropped and never fail, He cannot deny Himself.
3. I believe some of us can forget at times, with all our data and methodologies, that the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16). Whether young or old or foreign, Jesus, through the proclamation and demonstration of the gospel, changes lives. Let’s keep it this simple, lest we give the enemy an opportunity to use his craftiness to lead people astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ (2Cor. 11:3). Can we be wise in how we go about sharing, absolutely! But people being saved will not be saved because of our wisdom in how we deliver the gospel, but by them hearing the gospel. Apostle Paul said Christ sent him “to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1Cor. 1:17-18). The message of the cross is the power of God.
4. Nothing is new under the sun. While there are differences within every generation of man, because nothing is new under the sun, many of the ideologies and philosophies/worldviews each generations has held to that distorted their view of God, Scripture, and the Gospel are being recycled and expressed in terms in accordance with that time. This shouldn’t freak believers out. It should push us to be students of history, especially church history. We’ll see how a lot of the philosophical and debated issues of today have been tackled in centuries past using Scripture.
5. I, and many of my fellow leaders, must watch out for the danger of training/education and longevity in leadership and not depend on my/our experience and expertise, or abilities, or resources, or strategies, or knowledge more than the power, grace, and ability of God. His work is being done through His vessels for His glory. I must remember this. I am His vessel. This is an honor, not a right. I need His power, grace, and ability to succeed in carrying out His mission. He doesn’t need my training/education, experience, expertise, abilities, resources, or strategies.
6. I am not a missiologist. I question if I am even a “traditional evangelical” pastor. I am a shepherd, yes. My heart is for God’s sheep in the fold, to see them built up to their fullest potential, and serving God, and walking more closely with Jesus, living it out, and making more disciples of Jesus. My calling and spiritual giftings lead to my specialty of discipleship. I am a discipleship specialist, and through that I in turn shepherd those whom I disciple. I need to stay in my lane. It’s my contribution to the Body of Christ.
7. I am an urban Bible teacher and theologian, and I shouldn’t be ashamed of that. It’s part of my unique identity in the Body of Christ and my testimony. I need to embrace it, own it, and be proud of it. This too is my contribution to the Body of Christ.
2/26/15