November 8 -10, 2007

We just spent Thursday night, all day Friday until about 11:00 pm and half a day Saturday in Louisville at the Global Missions Health Conference. It was held at Southeast Christian church which is, how do I describe it,a monster church. How big is it you ask:

The guy at Starbucks referred to it at Six Flags over God
They have signs in their parking lot directing you to I-64 – if they didn’t you could drive around for days in the parking lot and never get out.
The main building (yep they have several buildings) is five stories and the they have not one but two balconies in the main sanctuary with jumbo screens.

It seems to be a very laid back church. The P&W leader shows up for the Friday morning sessions wearing jeans with holes in them, a long sleeve t-shirt, don’t think he got up early enough to comb his hair before he arrived and then proceeds to lead us directly to the presence of God. When we got our box lunches and suppers they could have cared less where we ate. In the foyer, the sanctuary, in the middle of the floor. The church just went out it’s way to make us feel at home. And they did that for all 4,000 or so of us.

It was so nice to be in an environment where, as Cindy said, “we just fit in”. We were not strange, odd, “radicals” causing problems, unrealistic, weird, or different. We were around a bunch of people who thought the same way we do. In fact there were a lot of people there who are way ahead of us in their commitment to God and made us feel like we were way behind the curve. Just the kind of people we want to be around. Those that challenge us and show us the way. Yea!

It was so great to be in the sanctuary with 4,000 people singing about taking the gospel to ends of the earth and knowing everyone there means it when they are singing. Words like these from the Newsboys in “He Reigns”:

It’s the song of the redeemed
Rising from the African plain
It’s the song of the forgiven
Drowning out the Amazon rain
The song of Asian believers
Filled with God’s holy fire

It’s every tribe, every tongue, every nation
A love song born of a grateful choir
It’s all God’s children singing
Glory, glory, hallelujah
He reigns, He reigns

It’s all God’s children singing
Glory, glory, hallelujah
He reigns, He reigns

Let it rise about the four winds
Caught up in the heavenly sound
Let praises echo from the towers of cathedrals
To the faithful gathered underground

Of all the songs sung from the dawn of creation
Some were meant to persist
Of all the bells rung from a thousand steeples
None rings truer than this

And all the powers of darkness
Tremble at what they’ve just heard
‘Cause all the powers of darkness
Can’t drown out a single word

They really mean it when they sing these words. This is what they are giving their lives for. Honestly, when you are in your church a sing about taking the gospel to the ends of the earth no matter the cost to you the reality is only 10%, maybe 20%, actually believe it. But to be among four thousand people who are either living out now or wanting to go somewhere to live it out it just unbelievable. Every time we gathered in the sanctuary to sing Brad had to get out his handkerchief because it brought tears to his eyes being in the presence of these men and women who are giving their lives to take the gospel to those who have never heard. It was like a glimpse of heaven. On My!

Brad went to breakout session that had about thirty people (small number of people for a breakout session) and people during the hour would mention were they were serving or had served. Just a sampling of the saints we were around here is a listing of just those people who mentioned where they were serving (we have not mentioned the name of the countries closed to the gospel but only listed them as “closed countries” for security purposes – they are all in the 10/40 Window): Uganda, Brazil. Closed Country, Closed Country, Closed Country, Haiti, Ecuador, Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Closed Country, China. These are the kind of people we got to spend two days with – people who are on the frontlines doing it – not just talking about it. Ok, we’re a little pumped.
Close to half of those attending were under 30 years old. What an encouragement to see these healthcare professionals, who could be making a very comfortable living in the future, wanting to know how they could give their lives to God for the spread of the gospel to the poor and underprivileged of the world.
There was a breakout session on marriage on the mission field and Cindy couldn’t get in because the room was full. It was full of young people! Brad went to a breakout session on how to penetrate the darkness and reach your patients with the gospel. It was packed – with young people! We hear a lot about the negative side of what is going on with young people. For those who are concerned you should have been with us. We are in good hands for the future. This kids are willing to give up the income, lifestyle, and prestige to serve in some unknown land for their Lord and King.

Friday night they had a breakout session from 9:00 – 11:00 pm on apologetics and ethical issues in healthcare. Once again packed with over 400 people, mostly younger students and professionals. Scott Strouse and Brad are bragging a little over this one because they outlasted many of the younger attendees who left before it completely ended.

If you can work it out it would be worth your time to try and attend next year. It’s the second weekend in November. You don’t have to have any interest at all in healthcare to make it worth your time. Brad has no interest in healthcare and this was his second year to attend. Both years he did not have enough time to do everything he wanted to do. If you have an interest in healthcare this was Cindy’s third year to attend and is always sorry for it to end.