GC - Ron Hockley

I am still personally mulling/ processing the teaching that we heard at Conference. I have notes from a couple more sessions that, as promised, I will be posting. What follows are the notes from the morning devotional given by Ron Hockley. Ron pastors the Trinity Project (a Missionary church in Portland).

Matthew 14:13
- Jesus retreated when he heard the bad news about John the Baptist (his cousin)
- the people followed him
* the danger of giving all of ourselves to the "needy" around us
* example of a giant Slurpee and everyone gets a sip until it's gone
- Jesus had compassion and ministered even during his personal time of sorrow
- you cannot do ministry without encountering need -- there are broken people everywhere
John 6:5
- "where will we get food for all of these?"
- there is never enough to meet all of the needs around us
The Disciples' Solutions
1. Its not my problem
- send them away to buy their own food
2. We can't afford it
- "it would take 8 months wages..."
3. What I have Isn't enough
- we only have 5 loaves and 2 fish to go around
Jesus' Solution -- You feed them
- Jesus calls us to accomplish things beyond our own capabilities
- giving what we have to Jesus = multiplied blessings
- do we measure our resources by what we have or in terms of what God can give?
- what is the provision that you need?
*** the key lies in giving what you have to Jesus and having Him multiply it

GC - "How to build a team" by Tom Mullins

• we spend far too little time working in our strengths. they are strengths for a reason.
• Jesus was the greatest coach of all time! we need to follow his examples
• the church is not about OUR comfort.
• the message of Christ and the Word are sacred; not the methods we use to present them
• good fishermen know all about the fish that they're after
• creating a Coach/ Team environment gives a common goal and people will follow

--- The Power of Celebration ---

Celebration ACKNOWLEDGES accomplished goals

Celebration VALIDATES the effort needed to achieve victory

Celebration MOTIVATES the team

Celebration BUILDS & SUSTAINS team attitudes

Celebration ATTRACTS potential new team members

** we need to find things to celebrate; even if they seem small. we should never create an environment where the only times we meet are about negative things.

GC -- "Marked for Life" by Gary Aupperle

As promised I will be sharing notes from the Conference sessions. I needed a few days to recover mentally and skim these with that perspective. What follows are my notes from the final devotional session where Pastor Aupperle challenged us prior to corporate communion.

• Galatians 6:11-18


• we will all be marked by something in life; what will it be in mine?

- Deut.21:23

• - I Cor. 1:18
• we should be tattooed by the cross
• Barna's 12 most significant religious findings of 2006 included:

*15% of evangelicals see God as the top priority in life

* 35% say God expects us to be holy

#1: I will EMBRACE the cross

• the cross + nothing = salvation. nothing else is needed !
• Judaizers: cross + the law needed
• Gal. 1:6,7; 3:3; 6:11-15
• this view helps avoid any persecution because of the cross
• picking up your cross and carrying it is a one way journey - you don't get to come back

#2 I will ENDURE the cross

• Gal. 6:16,17
• 2 Cor 11:23-28
• no distraction from the goal
• Luke 9:51; 14:27
• I cannot say YES to the cross and continue to hang on to the things of this life

#3 I will EXALT only in the cross

• Gal. 6:14-15
• it's not about the externals
• Phil. 2:14-16
• nothing in this world holds attraction for me
• Acts 20:22-24

WHAT WILL YOU BE MARKED BY?????