Retreat + Two Conferences = ONE Powerful Week

by Heidi Heater, Editorial Assistant, Beeson Center

The Center for LifeLong Learning at the Beeson International Center hosts several conferences during 2012. These conferences and retreats provide leaders in the church, para-churches and marketplace with the necessary tools and skills to serve as faithful stewards of grace.

“Ministry Conference is back and none too soon,” J.D. Walt, Ministry Conference speaker, said. “So many conferences leave you with the feeling of being inundated with ideas and more to do. What I like about Asbury's conference, is that it leaves you with more of a sense of being saturated with the Holy Spirit. That makes all the difference.” 

This conference season includes Ministry Conference, Streams in the Wilderness Retreat and the final Q3 conference, exploring the relationship between faith and science. Streams in the Wilderness provides all with an opportunity to be still before God, while seeking spiritual direction and healing and can be taken in conjunction with Ministry Conference.

“Streams in the Wilderness is offered as a time for rest, relaxation and recuperation in the Lord,” Ginny Proctor, Manager of Lifelong Learning, said. “This off-campus retreat is a time for pastors to clear their minds of ‘church stuff’ by taking time to focus on their own spiritual formation. The Streams Retreats have been created to assist pastors in remembering that they, too, are called to Sabbath rest.”

Following Streams in the Wilderness, March 5-7, 2012, Ministry Conference (March 7-9) examines three critical elements faced in today’s ministry. This year’s Ministry Conference offers three tracks to maximize the topics and speakers and provide options for those with varied interests. These tracks include Church Revitalization, 21^stCentury Witness Through Worship Design, and Church Planting.

At Ministry Conference, Walt will speak on 21^stCentury Witness through Worship Design. As part of this track, he and participants will examine the way the rapid production of worship songs has redefined praise music in the last decade.

“We are at a critical juncture with respect to worship these days, especially in our North American context,” Walt said. “In the coming season I think the defining difference will be design. We must think far more theologically about how we design worship in this age of mass distraction and religitainment. I'm looking forward to working with pastors and leaders to explore this conversation at the upcoming conference.” 

Also March 5-7, participants have the opportunity to attend Q3, the third and final conference, dealing specifically with ministry as it relates to faith and science. This edition of Q3, The Church: Sign of God’s New Creation, explores the life and mission of the church, and is the most practical of the three conferences.

“My prayer is that they leave us with a renewed passion for God’s call on their lives and fresh ideas that they can immediately apply to their ministry,” Proctor said.

Other conferences and retreats of the season include Restoration of the Sabbath at St. Simons Island in April, Leadercast in May and monthly Strata webcasts. For more information and to register, www.asburyseminary.edu/lifelong-learning.