In the past months I attended a meeting where several speakers shared. I am not really a big meeting type of person. I much prefer smaller groups or one on one meetings. First when I look at the trajectory of Christ’s ministry He increasingly moved away from the crowds and focused on the twelve. Further, even during the period of time when He was dealing with large crowds He would pull the twelve aside and explain what He was doing. Paul followed the same pattern. There were always names of people who were traveling with Him, the names of the people in whom he was investing his life.
My experience in ministry for the past 40 years has reinforced this. I do not find that much in the form of life change takes place in a large meeting. It serves primarily as a place to expose people to some truth and is as effective as the plan for and commitment to individual follow up.
So when I go to large meetings I do not expect much. That meeting was no different, two thirds of the speakers were interesting but not all that effective. The other third was worth the evening for me, but, and again it is because of my passion to get men into the Word, there seemed to be a lot of motivation but no tangible application of the message. Nothing that the men could get their heart, head, or hands around. For the most part it just amped up the pressure for men to fulfill the unfunded mandate to lead their families in the Word of God.
A few days after this meeting some of us who had attended were at another meeting. During part of our time together those who were at that event began to share some of what they had taken away from the meeting. They shared some great insights and thoughts from the two thirds of the speakers that I, frankly would have not missed hearing. Great stuff. Not just pabulum, great stuff. So what is wrong with me?
Nothing.
I just need my brothers' eyes. I need my brothers' gifts. I need my brothers' experiences. I need my brothers' passions. I need them to filter the life that we live together through those and share with me what they are seeing. I need that from them in the Word. I certainly need their understanding of our Lord. There is no way with my limited vision that I will see all that I need to see.
I need them.
So when I go to large meetings I do not expect much. That meeting was no different, two thirds of the speakers were interesting but not all that effective. The other third was worth the evening for me, but, and again it is because of my passion to get men into the Word, there seemed to be a lot of motivation but no tangible application of the message. Nothing that the men could get their heart, head, or hands around. For the most part it just amped up the pressure for men to fulfill the unfunded mandate to lead their families in the Word of God.
A few days after this meeting some of us who had attended were at another meeting. During part of our time together those who were at that event began to share some of what they had taken away from the meeting. They shared some great insights and thoughts from the two thirds of the speakers that I, frankly would have not missed hearing. Great stuff. Not just pabulum, great stuff. So what is wrong with me?
Nothing.
I just need my brothers' eyes. I need my brothers' gifts. I need my brothers' experiences. I need my brothers' passions. I need them to filter the life that we live together through those and share with me what they are seeing. I need that from them in the Word. I certainly need their understanding of our Lord. There is no way with my limited vision that I will see all that I need to see.
I need them.
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