At such a gathering one might expect to have committee meetings and annual reports; state of the movement speeches, financial reports, elections, passing of by-laws or maybe policy statements...
One might expect that, but not at Calvary Chapel.
The first session started with a little information about the hours of the coffee shop and the discount at the bookstore...
Then we worshipped the Lord and got into the Word. The next session was the same but without the coffeshop announcement, the third was the same. 700-800 pastors getting together from all over the country/world and what do we do? The same thing we always do...
- Worship the Lord
- Pray
- Study the Bible
- Fellowship with one another
Not in principal only but in practice. Not only at the local level... but IT IS what we do.
I am very proud of the simplicity and the Jesus focus and the determination to remain, in every context, true to the Biblical model of ministry, true to the commitment to keep Jesus first and central and exalted; true to the calling to love one another; true to the understanding that we are completely dependant upon the Holy Spirit.
It is little wonder that the Lord has blessed the ministry of Calvary Chapel over the years.
May we as God's children and as His church remain in the center of His perfect will and resist at all costs the temptation to be drawn away into anything that distracts us from Him.
