Highlights from Convention 2013 (Pt.1)

There were two highlights I experienced recently at MCUSA's Convention in Phoenix this year. In this blog, I will share the first one:

In the combined service on July 3^rd, Terry Shue and Nancy Kaufman invited all pastors and conference ministers to come forward to receive a blessing of affirmation. This was a nice surprise. We were each given a sticker with “I said YES” on it. People were encouraged to stop and ask us: Why we said yes and what keeps us saying yes.

Any pastor will tell you that you don't hear affirmation nearly as much as you hear criticism (and this eats you up inside). As I was standing up front, a fellow pastor leaned over said this was God’s answer to his morning prayer because he had been struggling with affirmation. He just wanted to know that he was doing a good job. He just "happened" to be reading Matthew 25:23 that morning that says “Well done, good and faithful servant..” With tears in his eyes, he said, “I guess this is God’s answer to my prayer”. 

As we walked back to our seats (after applause and thanks from the crowd), many people gave us high fives on the way back to our seats.