National Leader's Conference

I was away in Bournemouth last week for our National Conference. This year God really seemed to be doing something within the movement. The impression I got was that if God wasn't in this then we need to go do something else. Thankfully God was and is in it as he really moved powerfully.Another thing that stood out, especially for me when Wendy O'Connell spoke, was that we as the Vineyard are called to be a particular slice of the pie. We should never forget our heritage or our inheritance, especially considering winning the lost or in worship. There was some great teaching during the week, but it was that simple testimony that affected me most.

If our movement had ever been derailed in the past it was as if God was putting us back on track...."the main and the plain". I must admit I do worry about the fact that we Christians seem to spend more time wittering on about post-modernism and the latest sociological theory, or seeker technique than actually praying for the sick, casting out demons, feeding the hungry or just being useful. I'm not anti-intellectual, but I like things simple, it was how I was brought up since I fell into this thing in the late 80s. I don't think that a struggling single mum with three kids and no money really cares about post-Christendom or whether the church is emerging, she just wants someone to love her and reveal Jesus to her. That said, all I'm talking about is doing what we're called to and I've been convicted this week of that very issue myself.

The same thing seemed to be happening in worship. I've noticed a trend at conferences where when a bunch of leaders get together (me included) we sit and critique the worship or winge about the song choice / worship leader / volume..etc. The Lord really spoke to me about this during the week as I had been guilty of it. As a movement we need to get behind our worship leaders and ministries like vineyard records. Although we should be free to air our opinions it needs to be done with love and in a constructive, prayerful way. I did have a rant at some people who were talking about the worship as if they had been to a battle of the bands contest, I just couldn't hold it in much longer. All I was hearing was negative, there were no solutions offered and often the comments/ questions (in other forums) often came from pride or the desire for a stage.

Anyway, as I said, I've been guilty of this myself, but I really came away this week with a renewed passion and vigour for our calling and for the Vineyard family. The Lord has given us something very precious for the lost and the broken, we should never be ashamed of that.