General Conference 1

I am at the 2010 General Conference of the PAOC, representing Mission Canada Campus Ministries. While I am not one for conferences, and quite frankly was not looking forward to this one, I must say that I am glad to be here. There is something powerful that happens as people who are ‘difference makers’ for the Kingdom congregate to express their collective unity and their recognition of the Lordship of Christ. Whether it is in the local church, the home, the market place, overseas, the campus or wherever the gospel is made known, these people are making Jesus known. For all of our human weakness and imperfection, it is a privilege to count myself among them.

Thanks to George Werner and team, Mission Canada has the coolest booth in the conference. More importantly, it is ideally placed to meet people and have discussions with them about things that matter.

Having helped set up the booth last night ( Monday the 10 ) it was gratifying to see the Shaw Convention Centre, in Edmonton fill up with hundreds of participants to worship and to hear a powerful message from George Wood, who is the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, which is our American counterpart. When I say powerful, let me say what I mean. It is only partly about delivery. It was a great biblical exposition of Leah, one of the matriarchs of the Bible. Dr. Woods developed a character study of Leah in distinction to her sister Rachel. It illustrated the core point that God works in ways we simply do not understand and that he uses the seemingly insignificant things of this earth to accomplish works of eternal worth. He combined it with personal stories that hit the ball out of the proverbial park. Ringing in our ears, was the challenge.. what are you doing right now that will matter in a hundred years ( let alone eternity )?