Pastor’s/Layman’s Conference
1. Our scripture passage for the conference is Matthew 16:13-20. The WBU professors are giving insights of the passage to us. So far we have heard from Dr. Carolyn Ratcliffe, Dr. Paul Sadler, and Dr. Glyndle Feagin. They have been given us key insights from the passage. Dr. Ratcliffe talked about the background of the passage which I found very interesting. (I didn’t realize/couldn’t remember that Ceasera Philippi was the center of pagan worship. This brings this passage to a whole new light for me). Dr. Sadler talked about the theological history of the passage from the perspecitive of the church fathers, the reformation, and from Baptist Theologians. The jest is that our theological perspective on the passage has remained the same throughout church history. This evening Dr. Feagin talked about the promises that Christ gave in the passage. I can’t wait to hear what Dr. Manning has to say.
2. Sandy Maddox has also spoke today. Her message, if I can call it that, this afternoon really reminded me to see people as individuals. Many times we go through our day so fast that when we see people we don’t see the needs they have that we can meet i.e. who would be willing to stop and share Jesus with someone when a hurricane was coming your direction?
3. Leighton Flowers did a great job this afternoon. Didn’t have a real passage he spoke from but challenged us to remembe the most important thing is our relationship with Jesus. It is that relationship that will sustain us, not our church activities.
4. Dr. Calvin Miller is a hoot! He has kept me laughing while hitting some clear biblical points. I was left with this question today, “Do I not give God enough credit that He can do whatever He wants to do? Because I don’t, I don’t ask Him to do the miraculous. See 1 Kings 18.
Anyway it has been a good day. Almost forgot about the chuch back home. I’m going to do some work from the hotel room tonight so I don’t have too much of a guilty conscious.
