Our offices have been cleaned, our rental tables and chairs have been returned, our chairs have been placed in their usual locations, and the 1,600 people who joined us are home. However, what a week it really was. Here are five blessings we wanted to share with you.
#1. It was a blessing focusing on Christ and his Word
Each of the six tracks had about 30 hours of teaching from the Scriptures. In each case, we sought at some point to bring the subject matter back to Jesus. The gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ saves us from the power and penalty of sin and frees us to live wholeheartedly for God. As Paul put it in Romans 6 “dead to sin and alive to God.”
#2. It was a blessing seeing churches gather together for debrief meetings
I know of several churches that brought a group of people; some churches brought as many as 40. On select evenings, the folks gathered for a time of testimony and a time of prayer. I had the privilege of seeing a couple of these groups first hand. What a wonderful blessing.
#3. It was a blessing hearing of your stories of change and growth
Time and time again someone would come up to us and tells what God was doing in their lives. Every day I was encouraged as I heard yet another life, another church, another people group that was being reached with the gospel and being taught all that Christ commanded. It was a reminder that Jesus’ promise that he will build his church was alive and well!
#4. It was a blessing knowing that so many people want to help others
There was a time when the BCTC drew a few skeptics. It seemed as if some people came simply to find something wrong and then enjoy telling others about it. Those days seemed like history. What was more the case this year is that people were coming asking what they could learn, what might be helpful, and asking honest questions. We understand our training is not perfect, nor are we perfect counselors, perfect teachers, or perfect Christians. But thank you for treating us with respect and for seeking to learn.
#5. It was a blessing officially launching the Biblical Counseling Coalition
At the 2010 conference there was a meeting to pitch the idea of a BCC. The tasks that would lay ahead would not be easy, but it seemed like the right time. So, for a year, a groups of leaders have been meeting, talking, planning, and praying asking God if the time is ripe for a movement in the world of biblical counseling. By God’s grace, that movement has begun. (You can see the temporary web site, including the confessional statement, at www.biblicalcounselingcoalition.org.) There is much to do in the days ahead and there is much to figure out. But it was a blessing to see that the movement began.
Thank you for sharing the week with us. If you missed it, there here is a little video presentation that gives some snapshots of what happened this year. Enjoy.
