I cannot believe it’s been FIVE YEARS!
This morning I got a notification from Facebook of a TimeHop that brought me back and made me a little nostalgic.
A group of 35-40 pastors gathered around a table to simply share ideas and encourage one another 5 years ago today. We called it Idea Day.
Over the last few years we’ve been blessed to host a good number of these collaborative “idea shares” around the country. Boomers, Gen-Xers, and Millennial ministers sitting with one another sharing the greatest ideas they’ve implemented, successes they’ve experienced, and failures they’ve endured in life and ministry.
For some Idea Day has become an annual event to gather new ideas and fresh perspective as they enter a new year of possibilities. Seeking no agendas, just ideas, they come.
For others Idea Day is a dangerous gathering of non-traditionalists who are actively corrupting the final remnant of the true church. Filled with fear, and 2nd-hand misinformation, they criticize.
For me Idea Day has become the time I get to see my friends. Yes, I always come away with a new idea or two. But this is not why I love Idea Day and continue to attend each event.
Ministry can get lonely, and ministerial friends can become rare indeed. Idea Day has introduced me to some of my dearest friends in the world! The men and women Heather & I have met at Idea Day have been the most authentic, godly, and gracious people we’ve ever known. Honestly, for me, Idea Day is now more about the relationships than the ideas.
I cannot wait until next week! The Idea Day Summit is the most exciting and extensive event we’ve ever hosted as a group.
6:30-8:30 – Keynote: Dr. Thom Rainer
This 2-hour service will be a truly memorable event filled with powerful worship, strategic prayer, and a keynote presentation from Dr. Thom Rainer.
TUESDAY
8:00-4:30 – Idea Day
With 2 Roundtable Conversations, 4 Coaching Sessions, and 1 Panel Discussion taking place in each of the scheduled time slots – this event is going to have more content than any previous event in our short history.
Though we’ve already received a record number of registered delegates for this event there is still room to come. We’ve strategically structured the event, rented large tents, and added space in order to accommodate the crowds. Again, there is still a place for you. Come and sit in the back, take a few notes, see it for yourself, and walk away with a few practical ideas and an informed understanding of what is actually taking place at these Idea Days. You may discover that the God you love and serve is actually the one behind this whole thing.
Register at http://ideaday.net/summit/summit-2019
2 Comments
Danny Foss
January 22, 2019 at 9:04 amI’m confused by your stand that you want to be known as the New Independent Baptists but yet you are having a Southern Baptist speak for your event? Would you please explain the readily apparent contradiction? And, why do six of the ten church planters you have listed not have Baptist as a part of their title, including one you are sending out? It’s rather strange to claim to be Independent Baptists but to send out and support people that don’t want to even be identified as Baptists.
admin
January 22, 2019 at 8:37 pmHey Danny. Absolutely. You bring up a few valid questions.
1. I don’t want to be known as a New Independent Baptist. 3 years ago I wrote an article celebrating a new generation of Independent Baptists who were rising in leadership – (the article can be found here: http://joshteis.com/2015/12/01/the-new-independent-baptist/ )
I would actually LOVE it if people would stop referring to me as a New Independent Baptist. No one I associate with refers to themselves as a New Independent Baptist. There are others who are very interested in maintaining certain monikers and titles like the NEW IFB. I’m not interested in such labels.
2. Our church is Baptistic in theology and autonomous from any denominational structure. However, the majority of fellowships I typically associate with are commonly referred to as Independent Baptist. Since I am autonomous of any denominational structure we have been referred to as Independent Baptist. Moreover, since I was raised in a loosely associated group of churches that have been referred to as Independent Baptist and went to 2 Independent Baptist Institutions for my college and graduate studies (PCC & LU) we continue to be associated with IB folk. In addition, 95% of our missionary budget goes to those who call themselves Independent Baptist. Again, I am not interested in such labels and christian branding.
3. Autonomous churches like mine (historically called Independent Baptist) have a long and rich heritage of including Southern Baptists in their newspapers, conferences, and pulpits. They hyper-separatism that many are demanding is a new IB distinctive that was introduced by politically motivated leaders circa 1980. Prior to this date – IB leaders worked hand-in-hand with many SBC leaders. It is very sad that many IBs have left their heritage and now refuse to associate with Southern Baptists.
4. Throughout History there have been many church who were deeply baptist in their theology who didn’t have the Brand Name on the sign our front. Many would consider Charles Spurgeon a baptist yet he pastored the Metropolitan Tabernacle. No denominational title on his door. Simply stated, you can believe baptist doctrine without having to use the term.
I hope these responses have answered your questions Danny. God bless.