A few remaining thoughts after the Shepherds’ Conference —
Good preaching. Good is not the correct adjective. How about — exhorting, precise, convicting, penetrating, stimulating, passionate, articulate, helpful, equipping, joyful, consistent, and of course, Biblical.
What impacted me in fresh ways this year was the similarities and the distinctions. The preachers were all different — unique styles, various kinds and places of ministry, and assorted personal and educational backgrounds. But for all the differences, one thing was consistent — there was faithfulness to the Biblical text and encouragement and exhortation to be firm on truth and the gospel. That meant to preach and teach without apology and fear, to build on the foundation of Christ and His Word, to pursue Christ and holiness and be “bulldogmatic” about defending and preserving the gospel.
Different messages, all of them. But a unified cohesion to the authority of the Word of God.
Gracious people. Those who serve in various capacities at the Shepherds’ Conference are always most gracious — food servers at lunch, cashiers in the book store, greeters in the sanctuary, even the ladies who wiped cokes dry after they sat in an ice cooler. All of them uniformly were gracious and kind — almost to the point of begging for the opportunity to serve us.
Yet what was striking this year was the graciousness of the speakers. I had several opportunities to interact with several different speakers and leaders and they uniformly reflected an attitude of grace and kindness. They demonstrated what it means to be a shepherd — to serve others and be joyfully used up for the sake of the ministry. Not only were all the speakers approachable, but they exuded an overt willingness to help and be of assistance. It’s no wonder the people are so gracious, when those who lead, also do so with such grace.
Superabundant books. I always come home with lots of books. It’s not all my doing (they gave us 20 books and a $50 gift card for the book store). Some might say that the quantity I come home with is too much, especially since it’s unlikely I’ll read them all. But books are tools. We all stand on the shoulders of others in understanding the Scriptures. We are dependent on the analysis and insight of others to stimulate thought, verify conclusions, and provide information that we don’t have. So yes, there will be another stack or two in my office sometime this week — if you stop by, just consider it a few more tools for my tool belt — tools that will not only contribute to my effectiveness as a preacher and teacher, but also to my growth in Christ as a man.
Words of Grace 