Yesterday I had the privilege of attending a gathering of pastors at Hope International University. For the past several years, pastors from the independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ have met for a day of networking. I was asked to lead a roundtable discussion on how LifePoint is using techology to build our church. It was fun sharing all the different things we’ve tried … what has worked and what hasn’t.
The featured speaker was Leroy Lawson, a pastor and former President of Hope. I first Leroy back in January of 2005 when he and Russ Blowers were guests at the church planting boot camp Tonya and I attended in Northern California. It was a great opportunity to be around two men whom God has used in tremendous ways.
Leroy spoke yesterday about the need to fight discouragement by eliminating a pastor’s tendency to be competitive — competitive in the sense of comparing one’s situation to that of other pastors. He emphasized that we are to be competitive but in terms of working together against a common enemy.
I had the chance of spending a few minutes with Marcus Bigelow, the man who really shaped the original Stadia vision that drew me to planting with them. He is about to resume more day-to-day responsibilities with Stadia West, the region of which LifePoint is a part. I think this will help revitalize an enthusiasm for church planting on the west coast.
Well … I capped my day with the open mic at Cosmos. It was a good day.