As I wrote last night, we are the Bishop’s Retreat in Lancaster, PA. Mike Slaughter has been our guest speaker in three sessions (last night, this morning, and this evening).
I’ll do more in depth reflection later, but in the meantime, a few thoughts. This morning, Mike talked about a strategy for growing a missional movement. Mike said, “Movements are not made in a moment.” Ginghamsburg Church is a testimony to that. Mike went their in 1979 and has been the pastor for 33 years. It’s a good reminder to be patient and persistent!
Mike said pastors have to continually nurture the vision. He challenged pastors have a time and a place to nurture vision. In discussing his weekly routine, Mike noted that he spends a good deal of his time in his home office where he spends time with God, works on sermons, reads, writes, and nurtures vision!
Mike says pastors must have a robust devotional life, and study both the Word and the culture.
This evening, at the conclusion of Mike’s teaching, retreat leaders asked us to write a personal commitment on an index card to be placed on the altar table, something that had impacted us.
It was a challenge to distill three sessions into a statement on a card, but I wrote, “I renew my commitment to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. I want to focus on getting the church into the world more than getting the world into the church.”
I will need to make some other commitments in response to this week’s teaching, but will need more time to process it!