EFCA National Conference

Multiplying Healthy Churches Among All People

—Don Brueske

The above statement was the theme for the EFCA Leadership Conference, at the RiverCentre in St. Paul, Minnesota, held June 22 - 25. Attending from First Free were Bob & Lois Chapman, Don Brueske and Barb Hugo. Bob, Lois and Don were delegates and Barb was a facilitator in the prayer room. Others from First Free attended some of the luncheons and evening meetings. I wish to give you some of what I gleaned. And then I have asked Bob & Lois and Barb for some of their hi-lites from the conference.

I found the conference very encouraging. President Bill Hamel and the EFCA Leadership Team exist for the purpose of helping churches get focused on Knowing God and having a passionate relationship with Him, sharing the good news of the gospel with those around us and the preaching forth of God’s Word from our churches.

For me personally, the hi-lite was the closing message, The Centrality of God’s Word, given by Chris Dolson, Pastor of Blackhawk EFC of Madison, Wisconsin. His text was taken from Proverbs 30:1-6. He emphasized how extremely limited is our own knowledge. In comparison to God’s knowledge we are as stupid persons (vs. 2). Then he stated "Do not add to His Words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar" (vs.6). He mentioned "how arrogant it is of men to add or subtract from God’s Word as it is preached from our pulpits"! It is equally arrogant of me to take God’s Word in a casual way, to allow little place or importance for His Word in my own life or to allow the cares and concerns of this life to crowd out His Word from my heart.

What a wonderful experience it was to be able to attend the EFCA National Conference this year. I am most grateful for the opportunity. There were many highlights, but I'd like to share the essence of the all-day seminar I attended -- "Reflecting Christ...Releasing the Church to Become a Community."

Life is hard -- there are many hurts -- we need encouragement. God has done something wonderful for me in Christ, that I could not do for myself. Therefore, I am released to accept you as you are. I can take the richness He has poured into my life and share it with you. As together we are stirred by the Word of God, we learn to struggle well with life. We become a community that is contagious, and others can see God. "A Christian community is a SAFE place that provides a VISION for people and a WISDOM for life. It is a place that allows for POWER to be released which enables believers to struggle well with life."

Thanks so much for making it possible for us to be your delegates at this significant meeting.

—Lois Chapman

National Conference Highlights (Continued)

As I sat in excellent session after excellent session at the EFCA National Leadership Training Conference last week, two things kept going through my mind. First, I was so thankful that the church was sending us there. And secondly, there were surges of disappointment that we did not promote this opportunity more at the church, so more could be taking this in. It will be a while before such an opportunity will be so available to us again.

The worship times, the messages from God's Word by men both from within and outside the EFCA, and the seminars were just great. And of course the special feature this year was to worship together on two occasions with delegates from the national conventions of the Evangelical Covenant and Baptist General Conference who were meeting in St. Paul as well. This was no get together to have the EFCA leaders pat us on the back for what a great denomination we are, this was a serious and effective time of training and inspiration to advance the cause of the local church through ministering to leaders in those churches.

The highlight for me was the outstanding, daylong training on Leading Small Groups. An Associate Pastor from the Arlington Heights EFC in Illinois taught this, with extensive materials and resources. A special "Thank You" to the church for sending us as your delegates. This was an inspiring and most helpful experience for me. —Bob Chapman

There were close to 1500 registered people attending the 116th Leadership Conference of the EFCA. The theme of our conference comes out of the EFCA mission: "To glorify God by multiplying healthy churches among all people." Through different speakers, we took a look at the Great Commission, the Great Commandment, and the Great Companion who gives us power to fulfill the mission. This conference marked the 50^th anniversary of the EFCA merger conference in 1950. It was encouraging to see former presidents, Dr. A. T. Olson, Dr. Thomas McDill, Dr. Paul Cedar, and current president, Rev. Bill Hamel.

At one the plenary sessions, Ben Sawatsky spoke on the Great Companion – the Holy Spirit. He stated that it is impossible to have intimacy with God without the Holy Spirit. He emphasized that church leaders need to listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying – take time to listen. We need to be intent and obey the Holy Spirit.

I attended a training workshop entitled "Maximum Health for Maximum Ministry" with various speakers. This workshop focused on women, but there was helpful and healthful information for everyone. Ministry is centered on the fallen and broken; therefore, Christian workers feel the pain of others, and that could lead to depression – which is treatable and curable. We need to margin the space between our load and our limit. At the end of the workshop, a service of prayer for health and healing was offered for those interested. A worship and ministry team from Crystal Evangelical Free Church led this.

Facilitating the Prayer Room was my central reason for attending the conference. In spite of the fact that we were located in an inconspicuous area, encouraging things were going on. Twice two different men were praying on their knees. One told me he had been praying in the back of the auditorium and decided to come to the prayer room to pray. On the first evening, one man came with special concerns and was ministered to. One woman came in order to pray throughout the entire plenary session for the evening. All in all, it was a blessed time. —Barb Hugo