Koinonia in Arizona: The Standpoint Conference

A somewhat new conference occurs in Gilbert, Arizona later this month. I asked two of the organizers to share their thoughts on what the conference is all about.

What would you say to help folks understand the uniqueness of this conference?

Joel: I’m not sure that this conference is that unique. Just like the first time we met a few years ago, this is just a group of friends that are wanting to get together to think through some issues connected with the biblical concept of koinonia. Really, I have a primary goal and a secondary goal with our time together. The primary goal is focused on our own congregation here at SVBC. I’m wanting to bring in men from other ministries to talk about the issues related to “church to church” koinonia. These leaders that are speaking are leading ministries that are already on our “sister church list” as a congregation.

One of the things I’m concerned about is that we at SVBC do not become an island unto ourselves. Clearly the NT teaches that congregations are to have relationships with other congregations. But what are those relationships built on? In the past we’ve often said, “It is based on a shared movement.” That answer is increasingly deficient for a variety of reasons. I believe the answer must be we have co-ministry with those that we share koinonia with.

A secondary purpose for the meeting is to be able to have some shared-thinking on a variety of issues that stem from this discussion about “koinonia.” Our group often enjoys fellowship at Shepherd’s Conference, and so we thought it would be easy to meet here in Phoenix before we carpool over to Southern California.

Mike: I like the way that Joel put that statement: that relationship built on “shared movement” is increasingly deficient. A movement is frequently amorphous, Fundamentalism especially so. It was formed based on common objectives, but is now built more on a common heritage than a common philosophy or theology. But look at Ephesians 4:3-6. There is no movement there as the basis of unity and fellowship.

Most offensively to some, a movement frequently becomes political. Battles are fought over the good or future of the movement or components of it, and people equate the success of Christianity with the success of the movement. But all of this is outside a biblical paradigm.

So recovering authentic koinonia is vital. We need to build our fellowship around a biblical set of concepts. That’s what this conference is about.

What can you tell us about the timing? What led you toward a conference of this type now in 2010 as opposed to years ago?

Joel: Well, we met a few years ago prior to a Shepherd’s Conference at Lighthouse Bible in Simi Valley. Roger Willis, the pastor at Lighthouse is a dear friend and one of the “older guys” in our “band of brothers.” There is a back story to this. A few years previous to that, five of us had met at Lansdale, PA—Jason Janz, Bob Bixby, Thomas Pryde, Greg Linscott and myself. It was a thrilling time for us because finally we were able to be together, face to face. For more than a year this group had started to interact with each other on SI, Neo-Fundamentalist and a few other blogs about a variety of issues. Many of us were shocked to find that there were other leaders who actually believed like we did and were willing to say so publicly in this new forum called the “blog.”

Almost immediately guys started phoning each other and a ground-swell of interest began to pick up about a number of issues. Those were exciting days.

Some of us had heard about each other but had never really had a “face-to-face” relationship. By the time we had reached the third year, the group of four had grown to a group of at least 15 different guys that had become part of our unofficial network of “good friends.” Most of us—almost all of us—had grown up within Fundamentalism, and so “others” started calling this “young Fundamentalism.” Now, for the record, I’m not sure that any of us would have picked that name, but at first it seemed to apply, so most of us just went with it.

Back to the question of timing. We actually had thought about doing a conference just prior to T4G in 2010 but the parts to the puzzle didn’t fall in place. The parts to Standpoint did fall into place.

Mike: The timing revolving around Shepherd’s Conference is more a matter of convenience since we all happen to attend that conference. None of us has the money to jet around the country without consolidating our trips. When we met in Simi Valley a few years ago, there were, I think, five speakers and about thirty in attendance for what Tom Pryde and Joel titled “A Fundamentalism Worth Continuing.” The major theme was that greater humility was needed to re-center the movement.

When we concluded that meeting, we all agreed we needed another. The timing of this one has more to do with the fact that all of us are very busy, and this is about as fast as we could pull another one together.

I noticed you chose koinonia as the theme of this conference. Tell us a bit about your thinking on that.

Joel: Why koinonia? A good question. As I said earlier I think five years ago as the group of us began to develop this friendship there was an explosion of interest on the issue of Fundamentalism, young Fundamentalism and its interaction with what I’ve called Type C Fundamentalism (speaking of militant conservative evangelicals like MacArthur and Dever). We were getting attention because for the first time in recent memory a group of leaders were proposing that we would stay within the relationships of Fundamentalism while at the same time reach out to some conservative evangelicals. In the past decades that just wasn’t done openly. And when it was done it was led by those that were associated with an interest towards “The Moral Majority.”

The thing that became apparent to me about three years ago was that while this group could easily identify what they had in common “against” or “apart” from the main movements, it was not clear what they had in common with each other. So now a few years later, most of us have come to a position that while we are grateful for movements, movements don’t aid in the practical, day-to-day dynamics of co-ministry. “Koinonia relationships” do aid in co-ministry. The NT idea behind the term koinonia speaks of real partnerships. When ministries relate to each other only based on a movement, I’m not sure that’s real koinonia. The thing that has been apparent to me as I’ve heard from scores of leaders over the last several years is that too many ministries and leaders feel “stuck” in a movement without relationships. I think we’re saying, why would you do that? Why would you stay in a group of ministries when your heart is not there, and you’re not benefiting from one another?

The Standpoint website identified disappointed or disaffected Fundamentalists as a group of special interest for the conference. What can you tell us about this group as you understand it, and how to you hope the conference will do for them?

Joel: If they come to our group and are disgruntled about Fundamentalism or any other movement, hopefully they’ll leave realizing they need to get over that! You shouldn’t have been placing all of your bananas in that basket to begin with! By the way, it’s very unfair to place any movement on a pedestal. If church history has taught us anything it has demonstrated that almost always, good movements that place themselves on the pedestal eventually end up looking like Humpty Dumpty! Also, usually when guys are hurt by associations, fellowships or such, they have been placing too much faith and too much zeal on men and not enough on the preeminence of Christ and His bride.

After I wrote “Three Lines in the Sand” I had several men who were in their 60’s and 70’s who were still internally bleeding from the “Minnesota-Fundamentalist-Turf-Wars” back in the 60’s and 70’s. How sad! 40 plus years later, and you’re still hurting and the main characters are with the Lord? What in the world? I’m sorry for the pain but really, who cares if a group of leaders hurt you. Keep your eye on Christ and the only ball-game that matters. The focus in ministry is the body of Christ. If a former association was painful, the best medicine in the world is to experience real koinonia! Also realize this: for large numbers of leaders within evangelicalism and large numbers of leaders within Fundamentalism, they are experiencing koinonia within their movement. So when you’re healthy, you can rejoice that they rejoice. Perhaps “such-and-such movement” doesn’t work for you. Fine! That doesn’t mean it can’t or doesn’t work for someone else and that Christ is not being glorified.

Mike: There’s that word again, Aaron—“disaffected.” I think each of us has been, at various times, disappointed, disillusioned, or disaffected with Fundamentalism as a movement.

The word “disaffected” has serious spiritual implications. I hope we all passed beyond that years ago. As for “disappointed,” who hasn’t been disappointed with the performance of someone or some group in the movement? And “disillusioned”? Disillusioned is a good thing. Who wants to live in an illusion?

And I think that’s what we’re trying to say. Leave the “disaffected” behind. Don’t be bitter. Stop being surprised when you’re “disappointed” by men. No Fundamentalist leader has nail-prints in his hands—nor does any evangelical leader. Why should we be surprised by disappointment? We need to stop letting these things drive us, and begin to build our fellowship and unity around biblical constructs, truly supporting those who support all that Christ represents, and conversely, truly leaving aside those who do not support all that Christ represents.

But there’s a hidden trap in that. If we start judging one another based on whether we are 100% in line with Christ, who can stand? Koinonia, properly understood, also includes encouragement and “provoking one another to love and good works.”

So for the disappointed and disillusioned, we have this to offer. We will look at the issues that concern us biblically, not in terms of “movement-think”. We will not circle the wagons to defend a movement, since the movement has no biblical standing other than how it relates to submission to Christ.

But we caution those who are disappointed to avoid bitterness. The danger there is that you just become a parody of that which disappointed you. “I will angrily denounce Fundamentalism for being so quick to angrily denounce others” doesn’t really ring true.

Do you see the conference as any kind of harbinger of things to come? Is it the beginning of a new breed of Fundamentalism?

Joel: A new breed of Fundamentalism? I’m not sure. Most of us have a hard enough time just leading our own ministries. I can’t imagine we have the skills to lead a new movement or even sub-movement. I know I don’t. In my mind, if this is anything, it is a return of the spirit of the first generation of Fundamentalism that believed you could have koinonia with leaders and ministries that were contending for the faith on the inside of a group, with leaders who were totally independent. I think this is just a group of friends who are willing to have others join us.

Mike: I think the conference is more likely reflective of change rather than something bringing change. The new reality for Fundamentalism is that with the advent of communication venues like SharperIron, nobody gets to be an unquestioned leader merely because they pastor a hub church or are president of a hub college in the movement. Anybody with a well-reasoned Scriptural point will be heard. And then, naturally, the participants in these conversations want to meet face-to-face. That’s what we’re doing.

The Standpoint website gave a fair amount of attention to the weaknesses and failures of Fundamentalism. What do you hope the conference (and anything that might be connected to it) can do to avoid repeating those failures in different form or replacing them with different failures that aren’t much better?

Joel: I think the hope was to reveal the failure of placing confidence in movements (not Fundamentalism per se) when there is not the baseline commitment to koinonia. I don’t think most of us are saying let’s replace Fundamentalism or evangelicalism with “this.” Most of us are saying “We’ll trust the Lord to do what He wants to do with movements. In the mean time let’s be good stewards of ‘inter-leader’ and ‘inter-ministry’ relationships.” I have no doubt we will fail from time to time. Hopefully we will be open to each other’s challenges when we do fail.

Mike: A movement has a very short shelf-life in terms of history. After a while, the circumstances under which it arose change, and it becomes irrelevant, and then finally tries to grapple for longer life by becoming increasingly belligerent. Or, it changes to carry its core ideas to a new generation and address the concerns of a new era. Fundamentalism may be doing that. Time will tell.

Movements are at best a work of God, and at least a label applied by historians. So I wouldn’t invest one iota of effort in keeping a movement alive. But building authentic biblical fellowship and unity—koinonia—is worth the effort.

Addressing the failures of Fundamentalism was a focus, because we very much want people to know that they are not alone out there. There are brothers in Christ who share their concerns. It is not a matter of choosing between being a Fundamentalist or sliding down an inevitable slippery slope into liberalism. All over America are men who pastor churches that just do what the Bible says, and their association with the name “Fundamentalist” is only incidental if it exists at all. And that’s OK. So why not have koinonia with them?

Is the conference mainly aimed at pastors, “laymen,” or both?

Joel: This is aimed at both leaders and non-leaders within the body of Christ.

What would you say to someone who is teetering on the edge of attending to help them make up their mind to be there?

Joel: Well, for the average pastor who doesn’t have a lot of extra money in his budget this year, doesn’t have layers and layers of secretarial help and doesn’t have teams of associates which allow him to spend 10 hours a week playing golf—man, we are in your world! The leaders who will be speaking at Standpoint are just average guys. We struggle just like you do. A hope for this conference is that we will really reach out to pastors of smaller churches. Every one of us in the past (or the present) have pastored small—and I mean really small—works. All of us have walked through the valley of deep hurt, serious depression and have experienced the Lord’s help in that. All of us have failed in ministry and know what it’s like to feel as if the Lord made a mistake when he picked “me” for His service. All of us have been encouraged and lifted up by the koinonia that we will be talking about.

Let me brag about the guys we have coming to this. OK, the first two guys are the two Puritans in my life—Bob Bixby is the reincarnation of Jonathan Edwards. Bob Snyder is the reincarnation of John Owen. Bixby brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our time together. Bob also brings much to the topic of Missions (Global Grace Missions is out of Morning Star Baptist Church).

Dr. Bob Snyder (who has attended DBTS, is a graduate of Central Seminary and holds a Ph.D. in historical theology from Southern Seminary) is godly, humble and pretty much the smartest “historical-theologian-pastor-leader-thinker-writer” on the planet (in my opinion). His historical presentation on koinonia as it has been seen since the reformation will be worth the trip alone.

Mike Durning, pastor of Mt. Pleasant Bible Church in Goodells, MI will speak to the issue of how leaders from a “Calvinist bent” can have meaningful relationships with those who don’t. Mike, a graduate of Bob Jones University, has a sharp mind and has been blessed of the Lord in ministering in the context of theological diversity.

Thomas Pryde who has pastored for many years and now serves in an itinerate ministry called Sermons in Song as well as teaching at the Veritas School of Theology will speak to the issue of “Does Form Matter?”

Tony Bartolucci is the senior pastor of Clarkson Community Church in NY. He is working on his Ph.D. in historical theology as well. Tony is writing a book in response to Dr. Beckwith’s departure from the presidency of ETS back into the church of Rome. Tony is an expert in NT Greek and preaches out of his Greek NT. He is a member of FIRE (Fellowship of Reformed evangelicals).

Roger Willis pastors Lighthouse Bible Church in Simi Valley. Roger is a godly and wise leader. He is our Moses! Being the elder statesmen of the group, Roger will challenge us on the inherent dangers of worldliness in the context of ministry in a postmodern context.

Last there’s me. While I’ve studied in a variety of schools, I simply don’t have what these guys have by way of brilliance. The thing I bring to the table is a love for leadership and love of leaders. I’ve had the thrill of serving as a pastor in three ministries. I presently serve on the leadership team of Institute of biblical Leadership (IBL) headquartered in Lake Lure, NC. My prayer is that this kind of a conference can serve as a real tool of encouragement for our own congregation here at SVBC as well as leaders.

Mike: Why come? You could stay home and listen to the MP3’s as we post them. But coming and being part of the discussion will benefit not only you, but us. The conference is built with significant times for discussion and fellowship among participants.

The conversation itself is important. We have no idea if there is something historically significant being formed here, but if there is, we need to hear more voices about what shape it should take. Either way, the conversation will be about things that are of biblical significance. We are not going to spend time deriding the Fundamentalism movement and declaring some new movement. We are going to spend time discussing important biblical concepts. In a way, we are going to self-define by declaring what we believe, and then let the Lord work.

Discussion

Just wanted to note that the fundamentalist I grew up with was not unity based on movement, but movement based on unity in the fundamentals of the faith and desire to fight for them.

It wasn’t until I got to college that I saw some of the movement-exists-for-the-sake-of-the-movement kind of thinking from time to time (at the time, it felt like I was seeing that constantly, but I don’t think that was really the case. It was just that it was so annoying when I did see it, it stuck out in my mind in a big way… sore thumb thing).

I don’t doubt that in many cases, the real Christian koinonia got eclipsed by something more superficial and ‘political.’ But in many cases, it never did and still hasn’t.

Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.

Hey Joel and Mike,

I look forward to seeing you both at Shepherds Conf….not sure I’ll be able to get to AZ though, but I’ll try. I am really excited about this conference and will be praying for real fruitfulness to result because of it. I’m seeking to pursue the same kind of fellowship with those who value the same things whether or not they are card carrying fundamentalists. Maybe if we do, we can influence some of the conservative evangelicals to exercise more discernment concerning biblical separation and unity if we do it properly first. We will have to be different in order to make a difference, but I’m all in!

God bless,

Will Dudding

Sir William of the house of Dudding,

Hey, We’ll do our best to encourage the gang to come out later in the year to your expositors conference with Lawson. Looks great my man! Thanks for the encouragement! Straight Ahead!

jt

Dr. Joel Tetreau serves as Senior Pastor, Southeast Valley Bible Church (sevbc.org); Regional Coordinator for IBL West (iblministry.com), Board Member & friend for several different ministries;

This appears to be a transition conference for those who were brought up in Fundamentalism or went to Fundamentalist schools. They can transition to New Evangelicalism and then attempt to call themselves so called class C Fundamentalists. MacArthur is scheduled to speak at a conference with CJ Mahany. Perhaps he is having Mahany at the Shepherds conference. If so, perhaps some can also transition into the Charismatic movement. :bigsmile:

Aaron,

Mike made a point I wanted to expand on. One of the things we’re doing is allowing for a significant time of discussion after each presentation. We will have a morning presentation, followed by at least an hour of Q and A, back and forth (The same in the afternoon). This way Snyder, Bixby and others can answer these kind of questions (Isn’t this really just “newevangelicalism?,” Isn’t this just another form of the “charismatic movement?,” etc….). The sessions after the sessions will probably be as good as the sessions! :)

Staight Ahead!

jt

Dr. Joel Tetreau serves as Senior Pastor, Southeast Valley Bible Church (sevbc.org); Regional Coordinator for IBL West (iblministry.com), Board Member & friend for several different ministries;

Jim,

I have a few answers for your question:

1. Come and see!

2. Consider the NT examples - Acts 15; Notice the “inter-church” relationships and koinonia (which focuses more on parntnership than our concept of mere fellowship). Consider the relationships between the church at Antioch, Jerusalem, Macedonia, etc…

3. Jim, I have a project for you. Look up the term “koinonia” and note the times it is used in a financial sense of “partnership.” Southeast Valley and Morning Star Baptist of Illinois have worked together (not just leadership but the congregations) on a variety of Global Grace projects. People from our churches visit and know each other outside of the Sunday worship. We will have one of the families from Morning Star this week in our church…..I know that because they’re taking Toni and I out to lunch after church. We also have a family from Bob Snyder’s church with us during the Winter. Our congregation knows and loves the congregation of Lighthouse Bible Church. Our people visit these assemblies when they are near them. They visit us when they are near us. These congregations mention and pray for each other often. SVBC has a sister church each month we pray for and then when our people have a chance to visit them, they go.

More to the answer but this is a good start.

Shalom!

jt

Dr. Joel Tetreau serves as Senior Pastor, Southeast Valley Bible Church (sevbc.org); Regional Coordinator for IBL West (iblministry.com), Board Member & friend for several different ministries;

[Bob T.] This appears to be a transition conference for those who were brought up in Fundamentalism or went to Fundamentalist schools. They can transition to New Evangelicalism and then attempt to call themselves so called class C Fundamentalists. MacArthur is scheduled to speak at a conference with CJ Mahany. Perhaps he is having Mahany at the Shepherds conference. If so, perhaps some can also transition into the Charismatic movement. :bigsmile:
Bob,

We’re not transitioning to anything. In fact, our intention is to declare what we believe.

Bob, I’m 47 years old. I’m not changing because of a few sessions with a few people who see things a little differently. In fact, I am at this point in my life more committed to Biblical Separation than I have ever been before. But my conception of that is clearly somewhat different than yours. It is based only on primary doctrine and practice issues. And it is always in tension with a Biblical concept of unity of the body too — a doctrine that too many Fundamentalists have left undeveloped in their theology.

I’m with Joel. Listen to the MP3’s of the conference, or come on out yourself if you can. Share your concerns.

Mike D

As we come just a few week from our time together, I wanted to say one more time that this conference is not aimed simply at leaders. We are thrilled to have non-pastors join us. Shalom

jt

ps - Someone asked for bio’s - We’ll try to put something together on that. This is the first time we’ve ever “done” a conference. You learn as you go….hopefully. Straight Ahead!

Dr. Joel Tetreau serves as Senior Pastor, Southeast Valley Bible Church (sevbc.org); Regional Coordinator for IBL West (iblministry.com), Board Member & friend for several different ministries;

[Jim Peet] Re: “church to church” koinonia

Joel and other Standpoint guys: How does a church (I’m thinking of the people of the church) in Arizona have fellowship with a church in Michigan?
Jim,

I am a member at Southeast Valley Baptist Church under the great leadership of Pastor Joel Tetreau!

That is a great question! I grew up in Memphis, TN is a very strong Independent Hyper-Fundamentalist church! I really appreciate the Christian heritage that I have obtained from that, but throughout my life I was never exposed to how one church family (or body) can have such a Spiritual impact on each other until the past several years. The sad history of this church in Memphis is that controversy within the church imploded from the top to the bottom. I honestly believe that if there was a better sense or act of koinonia within that church, and relationships were built with other churches that this would have never happened.

What if the church had a better sense of koinonia within the Memphis community or abroad? Would God have used other leaders to come and help the church get through this situation. I honestly believe that church wouldn’t have died if there was a better unified relationship within the church and outside the church. I knew there were other good churches in the area, because the pastor would announce that he had a prayer breakfast with other pastors in the area, and again, that was it. I never knew how I, as a church member, how I could work or pray in unity with another church in that community or abroad.

One of the main things that I was ignorant to in the church growing up was the: True definition of the church- We, Christians, are the church, and the body of Christ! In my youth, my image of the church was a building, bricks, or an establishment where people get together and worship our most Heavenly Father. I was DEAD WRONG!!

Pastor Bob Bixby, pastor of Morning Star Baptist Church in Rockford, IL is one of our sister churches. I had the pleasant opportunity to visit MSBC in Rockford, IL for 7 weeks in 2008, while I was staying with my cousin, Pastor Bob Bixby. This church is where I began to learn how sister churches and true “koinonia” really work and hoe they fit into the Biblical, Spiritual puzzle of Christian ministry outside the doors of your own church. I was really surprised to see churches for the first time in my life working together and praying for each other. When I was at MSBC in Rockford, IL and never had visited SEVBC in Gilbert, AZ, I felt like there was already a connection between the churches and ministry that I had never visited or been a part of yet! It was SO AMAZING!

Since I have been a member of SEVBC here in Gilbert, AZ, I have seen how these two church practice “koinonia” in a amazing way. Although I am still ignorant to most of what koinonia really is, I have already seen how just two churches (Leaders, Elders, People) can work together in a way of ministry that is pleasing to the Lord.

One example is: Most Sundays at church, Pastor Joel put up on the projector what is going on with one of our sister churches. Pastor Joel speaks about the church, what is going on in the church, and any ministries that the church is currently working in the ministry. This really is a great tool a ministry that helps the church know what is going on in that ministry and how we can help or pray for God to glorified through their ministry.

Another example is: Pastor Bob Bixby, MSBC, one of our sister churches I mentioned earlier went to Haiti for the earthquake. Pastor Bob Bixby is going to present to our church media that our church will watch, as a result of his ministry in Haiti. Pastor Bob Bixby also came to speak at Southeast Valley Baptist Church last June for the 10th anniversary of our church.

Also, churches can go on mission trips together. I am a ex-military guy, so you could simply put this as joint forces working together in unity for the glory of God.

Scripturally, we have a responsibility to our local church, but if we never opened our eyes to look outside the doors of our own ministry or church body, the I would humbly think that we are all just a flock of Christian clicks that are dots on a map. I honestly believe through recent experience and what my eyes have been opened to through koinonia, is that we connect all those dots and become a dynamic ministry together as saints for the same “Calling”. What is that calling? Where can we find this in Scripture? Here are two examples that have blessed me:



Colossians 1:3-9


3 We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints;

5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel

6 which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth;

7 just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf,

8 and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit.

9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding…


Philippians 1:3-6

3 I thank my God every time I remember you.

4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy

5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,

6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.


I am looking forward to learn a great deal more about koinonia in the upcoming Standpoint Conference. I hope that many are blessed. I pray that God will use this conference to better equip His saints into a better unified belief in church cohesion, within and outside the doors of a local church.

Jim, I think you brought up a good point that many churches and ministries could use a better sense of koinonia. God Bless you brother!

Dave G.

David,

Thanks for your thoughts here. One of the hopes of the Standpoint gang, is that we might address and encourage a strengthened sense of koinonia both within local assemblies as well as between other ministries. All things being equal, how much more we could accomplish if we would work together with those that we could work together with…..but choose not too because of ignorance or pride?

Straight Ahead!

jt

Dr. Joel Tetreau serves as Senior Pastor, Southeast Valley Bible Church (sevbc.org); Regional Coordinator for IBL West (iblministry.com), Board Member & friend for several different ministries;

Well, for the average pastor who doesn’t have a lot of extra money in his budget this year, doesn’t have layers and layers of secretarial help and doesn’t have teams of associates which allow him to spend 10 hours a week playing golf—man, we are in your world! The leaders who will be speaking at Standpoint are just average guys. We struggle just like you do. A hope for this conference is that we will really reach out to pastors of smaller churches. Every one of us in the past (or the present) have pastored small—and I mean really small—works. All of us have walked through the valley of deep hurt, serious depression and have experienced the Lord’s help in that. All of us have failed in ministry and know what it’s like to feel as if the Lord made a mistake when he picked “me” for His service. All of us have been encouraged and lifted up by the koinonia that we will be talking about.

that’s good

[Mike Durning]
[davegambrell] To all that are interested:

4 of the 7 speakers at this years conference are being put up on the Standpoint Conference website:

Here is the link:

http://www.mpbchurch.com/site/leadership.asp?sec_id=3421

God Bless!
Ha! Thanks for the time pressure, Dave.

Webmaster Mike
OK. Now all 7 are up.

Mike D