God Was In The House!

Matthew 16:18
.....And on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

Last night was the opening session for the Southeastern Vineyard Leadership conference that was being held in Guntersville. I never really know what to expect from these gatherings, and I must admit they are not my cup of tea. But After attending and hearing Phil Strout, national director of the Vineyard, share his heart about our future, I went away encouraged and very hopeful.

Before the meeting started, I was seated in the main portion of the Hotel watching and writing down my thoughts in my journal. At one point, after seeing Bubba Justice, Pastor of the Inverness Vineyard, I wrote how we were all older, but the fire doesn't seem to be dying, only growing and getting hotter. The fire of God to embrace the call to speak, teach and demonstrate the Kingdom of God to a world that doesn't know Jesus. I jotted down a prayer which basically said, "Lord, give us the fire to carry out your call....all the way to the end." Turns out this was the heart of Phil's message. 

Phil was very transparent in the way he talked and shared. I like that. You feel like you could sit down and have a conversation with him and there would be no pretense. He is who he is. I am going to list some of the comments he made during his teaching.

1.) We (the Vineyard) have got business to do concerning the Kingdom of God. It's time we quit thinking we have the corner on the Holy Spirit. God is at work around the world, so we better wise up and move out.

2.) Vineyard is preparing to release the country of Brazil to form their own Association of Vineyard Churches. American leaders have been in Brazil for years and have raised up leaders and churches. Now they are turning them over to the Brazilian pastors. 

3.) There are currently 50 churches in Indonesia soon to be released as their own Association of Vineyard Churches.
          A.) AVC is the ruling or governing section that aids churches of the region. So rather than trying to pull everyone under a single covering...the AVC of a country would better understand the needs of the local churches in that region.

4.) Phil taught on leadership and used racing as an example. He said that the most dangerous part of a race course is not the straightaways...it is the curves...
Every race car is built to go fast, but it is in the curves where your accidents happen. The call of Christ to be a pastor or leader in the movement is not to the fastest. It isn't about being fast. It is about simply lasting and carrying it out all the way to the end.

5.) Over the years, Phil has had to deal with pastors and leaders who have spun out in their commitment to Christ and the call. He said that there was a common factor among everyone who had found themselves in this place.
        A.) A lack of personal growth -- spiritually.
        B.) Ministry, all ministry, comes from overflow not overwork.

6.) In a race of 600 laps, the fastest car usually doesn't win. It is the one who plans and pays attention to detail. They are always looking ahead.
                                     "Thrive until We Are Done!"

7.) We are servants: There is any shelf life for being a servant. In other words, we keep on keepin' on till the end.

8.) When a leader spins out they usually take 5 - 10 others with the crash. So this thing we call leadership isn't a solo act. Like the body of Christ, we are connected and draw strength from Father God and each other.

My Personal favorite:
9.) Phil emphasized that no one at the conference was to go around asking "How's your church running?" IF you want to ask anything, it should be "How's your soul?"

I will update more tomorrow.
Good stuff...
God stuff....

God on you...
mb