Post-Retreat Thoughts

How blessed are those whose way is blameless, Who walk in the law of the LORD. Ps 119:1

I went to Ryerson CCF's retreat this past week. It was good times. I was really hesitant about going: One, I did not know that many of them. Two, with all that has been going on at the church, I did not really feel like it. Three, the age gap was starting to get really apparent. I felt like the older brother who has no friends, tagging along with the younger brother. I am very glad I went... for several reasons.

Use

God used me there. For more than I previously imagined. I thought I was only going to do a workshop. But, praise God that when tested with fire, I was refined! I wish I could share here, but at least for now... it is better to be silent and let things play out. I am very glad to see how much people have grown, especially the committee.

Workshop

I did a workshop on the Word. It was pretty long. Condensing five doctrines on Scripture into an hour. It was definitely a work out in terms of flipping our bibles back and forth! I am very happy with the earnestness of people to follow and learn the word. There are quite a few notable first years, especially among the young women.

An issue that I constantly brought up and I am hopeful that I stressed enough during the retreat... was that my authority as a workshop leader comes from God. Everything that I spoke and taught had to be measured against Scripture. I told them again and again, "I don't care about your opinion. Tell me from Scripture. You shouldn't care about my opinion, unless it comes from Scripture." I am hopeful that people there were not listening to me for my sake, but listening because I was speaking from the Word.

When I look back on it, I probably appeared like a fire and brimstone type of guy (for those who didn't know me that well). I have to learn how to do small talk and warm up to people again. I feel like I have lost the ability to socialize. I talk with people and figure out how to strategically move the conversation to Jesus. We should be intentional in this manner, but sometimes I move too quickly and turn people off. I have to figure out how to warm people up to it... but, that's a story for another post.

Sermon(s)

I invited Scott to preach. As usual, he preached good stuff. The committee and some others were making reference to the stuff he said. So it sounds like they absorbed it. A lot of them perked up, it seems like biblical preaching is a rarity in a lot of our churches. The question is will they be obedient to what they hear and see in Scripture... or once coming back to their churches, same as usual?

The message on Thursday night was not as good. The speaker was not as trained nor as prepared as Scott, even though the words given to him to speak were actually from a sermon Scott preached on previously. He went a little too fast here and there and was a little confusing, as well. I guess you live and learn.

All in all, it was a good retreat. I am very thankful that I went and found it spiritually refreshing. PTL.