Recently I was alerted to a “leadership conference” which will be held in September.
The Evangelical Work Association of the PKN …
“invites all leaders who are committed to spiritual renewal within the Church. (…) In this conference Protestant, Evangelical, Catholic and Charismatic pastors will meet, first of all from the Netherlands and Flanders, but also from neighboring countries. Together we reach for more of the Holy Spirit!”
More of the Spirit
For decades the cry has been that we want or need 'more of the Spirit'. Christians yearn for something they apparently don't have. Experiences of the Spirit, experiences that change their lives! People bear witness to it and encourage others to seek and experience the same!
They also do that at the 'leaders' conference'. If you look at the website you can see what it is about. I'll mention a few things that stand out.
Above the program is the following text:
“How much room do we leave for supernatural intervention from God? The Western way of thinking has influenced our Christianity through rationalism more than we often realize. We find it difficult to understand healing through prayer or to hear and understand the communication of God through dreams or visions.”
The program includes the following ingredients:
- Longing for more of God
- There is more
- Ministry of Healing: 5-Step Prayer Model
- Words of Knowledge (includes exercise)
- Meeting with God / Dealing with adversity
- Anointing, Healing and Deliverance
- Christ in you, share in His splendor
- Four Kinds of Faith for Healing
- Evangelism and Healing
- Persistent prayer (followed by a time of prayer)
- Healing Service
It is not just about stories, but there is also practice or "exercises". So the attendees are included in the experiences so that they can move forward with that experience - which will really be special. So they go back to their congregation to pass on the things they heard and experienced here to the faithful multitude at home as well.
Who is missing again!
I went through the text of the site and listened to some of the video messages. What also stands out here is…
that not a word is mentioned about the Lord Jesus and His work of redemption on the cross of Calvary! HE is missing again. It makes you suspect that He has been forgotten or that He no longer matters.
How is it possible to invite Christian leaders of all denominations and not even mention the “Lord of the Church”! If you have apparently lost the Lord Jesus, then it is indeed no wonder that you have to look for something else, which will give you inspiration, your ministry shines new and people enjoy going to church again.
And that is not meant to be cynical, but a sad observation. So if you want to do something for the Lord, don't be at this conference.
It must be about the Lord Jesus!
We were at another conference a while back where it was about our Lord Jesus Christ. It was not about the Spirit, but about the Lord. Then the Spirit of God does what He likes to do most: make the Lord Jesus greater and more valuable for us. So that we can give our Savior more and more glory again!
We praise you Jesus together
and praise Thy exalted name;
You, who as Lord of glory
sit in the Father's throne.
Thou hast, O Lord of glory,
prepared us to place with the Father.
Then give us lust and courage and strength
to follow you day and night.Spiritual Songs 103:1,4 (2016 Edition)