I've spent the last three days attending the Rutland Ministry and Leadership Conference hosted by Oral Roberts University. Dr. Mark Rutland was the speaker. I'm a little brain-dead from trying to process all the information but I have a few questions and thoughts. 1. Where were these guys 30 years ago? I've been to many events and read many books but there is nothing like being in the same room surrounded by ministers who are experiencing life just about the way you are and learning insightful and practical solutions to function effectively in ministry. 2. When can I do it again???
I've read and listened to Maxwell and read books from Stanley to Warren. There is a lot of information out there but maybe not as practical to grasp. i.e. What might work effectively for a startup church won't work with another church model. So taking this into consideration, Dr. Rutland invested his knowledge and experience into the lives of many pastors. For this, I am very appreciative. I know that pastors, congregations, staff and board members can at times be at odds. It may seem simple to operate the church like a business but a church is not a business. The Church is a body. Yes there are big decisions and finances and bottom lines. On the other hand what worked 30 years ago doesn't necessarily work today. A mindset that we will just all pray and then it will all change won't necessarily accomplish anything other than maybe blaming someone because they didn't pray hard enough. Young staff that get the opportunities to learn from Leadership Conferences such as the one I attended don't realize how blessed they are because 10, 20 , 30 years ago these things didn't exist. So it's a learning experience for all. Young and old alike can learn. Think of it like this (a quote that I absolutely love) The learners will inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists - Eric Hoffer
mike
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