We recently asked leaders, parents and groups why they are attending the D6 Conference and received more responses than we anticipated.  You can check them out at Ron Hunter’s blog.

Enjoy!

This weekend we Redbox-ed the movie “Changling” with Angelina Jolie & John Malkovich.  This was a tough movie to watch, to say the least.  In some ways it brought about the same emotions in me as Blood Diamond, except the difference is that Changling is set in a 1928 American Context that is a little easier to relate to than the African landscape of BD.

A mother leaves for work, leaving her 9 year old son at home to take care of himself for the day.  Again, 1928 so he’s safe for the day by himself, right?  Wrong.  He is kidnapped and never to be found again.  The mother goes through a horrible ordeal trying to get the LAPD to actually do their job and investigate this case.  In stead, they say they have “located” her son, and the boy they give her is not her actual son…in fact he is 3 inches shorter!  Even though the dentist, the pastor and the teacher all say that this is not her son, the LAPD refuses to listen to the mother.

Then just when the mother won’t shut up, they throw the mother in an insane assilem because she is giving the LAPD bad press.  If you want to know the rest you will have to watch the movie, but just know that this movie is very hard to watch.  There were scenes where I had to turn my head because of the terror of what goes on in the world of social injustice, child abduction, and murder.

So today I am thinking, what can I do right now to help those who are hurting?  What can I do right now for the kids who are being sold into prostitution in countries all across the world?  What can I do to stand up against child abduction and child predators?  Don’t know that I have all the answers, but I am willing to do something. I have not been able to shake the sick feeling from my stomach since this movie ended because I know stuff like this happens every day.  I cannot imagine the rage God feels for people who harm helpless children.  That’s not my call, it’s His.  I don’t know how He processes that, but I trust that He is almighty powerful God who is Just, Holy & Compassionate all at the same time.

As to the purpose of this blog post…I am not quite sure!  I just know that I am not the only one out there who is outraged when little children are harmed & when our bureaucratic, red tape infrastructure actually prevents justice from taking place.  Thank God that the USA has come a long way.  May we continue to grow and change in the areas we need it most.

I have spent the last three days in conferences.  First the PCPA (Protestant Christian Publishers Association) then yesterday and today at the Connecting Church and Home Conference at Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood, TN.

I should not be allowed to attend the Connecting Church and Home Conference because I am like a kid in a candy store.  This is not work for me, this is play.  Everyone who is attending this event is essentially trying to figure out how to apply D6 in their local church context (which many times requires changing the DNA of your church ministry strategy & heart the beat of your church)…obviously a place for us to hang out, spend time with ministers, learn about what God is doing in different churches, and make new friends/relationships.  We are having a blast, learning from others, and doing some serious networking (yesterday we received an invitation to go up and visit John Piper’s team in MN).  Check out some of the pics form the PreCon.

This is Steve Wright, author of ReTHiNK speaking to a Lab group (open floor dialogue).  It was a great time for people to share about what God is doing in the faith at home movement and how they are shifting their ministries form the “silo” mentality to an integrated strategy of equipping parents to the the primary spiritual leaders in the home…essentially, churches partnering with parents by equipping and resourcing them.

This is a shot of the smaller group that attended the PreCon.  The Main Conference began Friday night and had a crowd about twice this size (about 150 in all). Great event.

I look forward to what God is going to do at this event today.

I have enjoyed the past two days at home (on vacation) as a part of Warren’s Spring Break.  It’s been quite nice being around the house a for a few days.  Yesterday we spent the afternoon at the Nashville Zoo.  It was the perfect day for being outside, and we had a ball.

Today we have an afternoon meeting with the Wesleyan Publishing House.  Tomorrow I will be at the PCPA Conference (Protestant Christian Publishers Conference) here in Nashville.  It’s essentially a meeting with other Denominational houses to discuss common themes in our ministry & operation as well as to learn from one another.

Friday and Saturday I will be attending the Connecting Church and Home Conference in Brentwood, TN.  In many respects, this event is a lot like D6, just much smaller.  They even have two speakers who will also be sharing at the D6 Conference.  I look forward to this event and to making many new relationships/contacts.  I hope that in some way I can be enriched and that D6 can also make a contribution to the ongoing conversation at this event.

I traveled to the Youth Pastors Summit this week in Orlando (Jay Strack event) and had a great time representing the D6 Conference and Randall House.  After the event I spent a day with some Youth Pastor friends talking about relevant challenges in local church ministry.  Some of the highlights from my time in Orlando were:

• rooming with Allen Pointer and getting to catch up…great conversations
• listening to real challenges that youth pastors face in working with Sr. Pastors
• watching Steve Greenwood’s video!
• talking with student ministers about the D6 Conference, D6 Devotional Magazines, and C2 DVDs
• listening to Steve Greenwood & Alan Hines talk about Elements Children’s Church Curriculum (NEW  from Randall House – Releasing September 09)
• late night double-cheeseburger at Waffle House with Tommy, Steven, and James
• listening to Francis Chan speak for the first time
• trying to figure out the “now what” after listening to Chan speak…this made for some great conversation
• talking about Crazy Love

Going to the YP Summit was a blessing…and being able to listen, share and learn from my youth pastor friends was incredible.  I look forward to next year.

Let me be honest…when it comes to scripture memory, I have been lazy.  Sad but true. But, now I have some help, and it’s working!

Our church is in the middle of a sermon series titled “Ten Squared: 100 Verses Everyone on Earth Should Know by Heart.”  As a help to the congregation, our church staff have created flash cards on a ring (like the picture to the left), and it has been so helpful!  I am brushing up on verses I memorized in college and at the same time learning new verses!  This has been so much fun and quite effective.

If you are a teacher, pastor or leader trying to give your team/people a tool that will help them memorize scripture (families in particular) this is a huge help. This is even helping our kids!  Most people are not going to go through the trouble (lack of discipline) to make flash cards on a ring.  However, if you (as a leader) can take the time to do this or have your support staff do this, people will use these:

• in the car
• while brushing their teeth
• waiting in line at Wendy’s
• on their lunch break
• during an oil change
• in the airport
• around the supper table
• or on a flight to Cleveland

For more information about these, you can contact Curt, Adult Mininster at  The Donelson Fellowship, by calling 615.871.4767.  Peace out!