This past Friday, I was given the opportunity to speak at the annual conference for the Louisiana Assemblies of God network. This is my tribe! I am ordained through this network. My dad was ordained through this network. My entire ministry formulation came through this network. So having the assignment to speak to my peers was unlike any other speaking assignment I have ever been given.
I have spoken in every kind of environment you can imagine and, by-and-large, I never get nervous when speaking - it's what I've been called and graced by God to do. But this was different! I wrestled with this assignment! Really, it wasn't until the morning after delivering the message that I finally felt like I got it right. I shared a message called, "Zerubbabel" about the governor of Judah who led the exiles to respond to Haggai's message from God to rebuild the broken down, chard, neglected temple there in Jerusalem. I was able to share with my peers that - at the end of the day - whatever office we hold or opportunity we're given in ministry, it all ultimately comes down to building up the torn down lives around us. I challenged our network to focus on soul winning like never before!
Ruthie Oberg, one of the other speakers at the conference, used an illustration of the old bucket brigades that townships would use to fight fires back in the day. She pointed out that how one handled the bucket - ensuring the water stayed in the bucket as it was handed off - was the key to the success of those endeavors. With our network, I want to pass the bucket successfully! The bucket my dad's generation handed to my own was full! My prayer is it will be full when I hand it off to the next generation. (See picture above to get a vision of that next generation!)
Our Network leader - my dear friend Scott Holmes - has a vision to see our network grow to 300 strong and healthy churches in the next ten years. I believe soul winning is the key to that goal! I believe soul winning is the most significant platform any of us will ever be given.
