Quiet time thoughts...

I'm enjoying our afternoon down time on the Monday of the Pulaski Association Evangelism Conference. The typical schedule for this conference is to begin on a Saturday night with an evening of music and worship led by the music evangelists that are in attendance. On Sunday, we are all in different churches within the host Association for both AM and PM services.

Then we meet on Monday and Tuesday mornings from 9:20 - noon, and on Monday and Tuesday evenings from 6:15 - 9.

There is some really good preaching and it is always a grand time of worship led by our music people. Associational conferences like this one are quite rare. In Missouri, it is one of only two such conferences (that I am aware of) that still take place each year. I feel extremely blessed to be invited to participate, year after year.

Churches that hold revivals or crusades are also in decline. In many cases, larger churches feel they have outgrown the need for revivals, newer churches feel that revivals are too old fashioned and smaller churches feel like they can't afford to bring an evangelist in for a revival. While it is hard for me to say if any of these are true or not, I can say that most of us will come if our expenses are covered and for whatever offering is received. We are located throughout the state and many times are close enough that no lodging expenses are needed or can make some arrangements to help cover that.

I really do wish that more pastors would utilize the gifts that are given to those that are called to serve as full-time (or part-time) evangelists. Even if your event isn't a traditional revival or crusade, there are many ways that we can serve your churches.

I am so excited about what will be taking place in the coming year for me. I have already scheduled events for the spring, summer and fall. I have been asked to preach for several revivals and also to provide the message in magic for other church or community events. With the air traffic gig behind me, there is little to get in the way of scheduling events.

In the past, I have not done too many revivals. There may be a number of reasons for this, but one of the evangelists shared some thing in his morning message that I really needed to hear. He was speaking of himself, but what he said fit for me, too.

This is what he said:
"Maybe if people could see more of Jesus when they see me, I'd book more revivals."

Wow!
I think I have some work to do.

John <><