A month or so ago, I exhorted you all to mark your calendars for the Fall Conference that is coming up in September, and I urged you to remember that this was not just an fyi thing, but rather an event of some strategic importance. I wanted to follow up on that, explaining it a bit more. And again, this is coming to you, not in the announcement time, but as an exhortation.
Part of this is difficult to talk about because you don’t ever want to sound like you are putting on airs, or assuming that as a church we have more of our act together than we do. At the same time, we are extremely grateful for what God has given us here in this Christian community. We know that something is going on because well over half of you moved here from other parts of the country in order to participate in some aspect of this Christian community.
But here is the deal. For many years the message that we have presented to believers around the country has gone something like this: we know that you are discontent with the state of evangelicalism in America. We know that you are somewhat isolated in your community, with people thinking you are the oddball. But we want you to know that you are not crazy, and that there are saints who believe what you believe, and who want to live the way you believe we ought to be living.” This message has resonated in various ways with many, and our church is made up of ecclesiastical immigrants.
We have been greatly blessed as a result. But there has been a downside. Once the immigrants get here, the aspects of our ministry that were previously their lifeline of sanity—whether Credenda, or conferences, or books—have receded into the background, and have lost great deal of practical support. So one of the things you can do is remember what it used to be like for you, and help us minister to those who are now where you once were. This is the Exodus 22:21 principle.