The theme of this year’s Pastor’s Conference was, “Forward Motion” – hence the picture 🙂
This was the first year without Pastor Chuck Smith who has finished his race and is home in glory. I’m so happy for Pastor Chuck, but I must admit, I miss him dearly.
The conference was an absolute blessing, as God spoke many things into my heart, and I truly believe there is a Spiritual stirring-up taking place within me. I pray for the grace to be able to make intentions become actions. And although there is so much I could mention, I believe the opening session and passage summed up a lot of how we find ourselves as a movement:
Isaiah 6:1, “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.”
As soon as the study becomes available I’ll insert the link for you to hear for yourself the power message that Pastor Damian Kyle delivered – but for now, if you just reflect on the passage, it’s pretty simple to see the way it applies. Pastor Chuck has passed – what will happen to Calvary Chapel? Pastor Chuck, like Uzziah, was chosen, appointed, anointed, blessed beyond measure; he was the human leader of this movement, a man of great integrity, steady, gifted with humble authority…so what will we do without him, what will happen to Calvary Chapel? The answer to that question lies in the passage at hand. We need eyes like Isaiah. It’s not enough to simply know that the Lord is on the throne, will we see Him on the throne, high and lifted up, in all of His glory? That’s the key – if we – fix our eyes on Jesus and see the Leader who’s always been there upholding our human leader and humble ourselves with heart’s to obey. I pray that my eyes would stay firmly focused with a fresh vision of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ – seated on the throne. I pray that what has begun in the Spirit, will continue in the Spirit. I pray our “Forward Motion” would take us to places that only please the Lord.
The terrible alternative? I’ll let you read 2 Chronicles 24:2, 17-22 for yourselves.