Reflection on NACC

The last three days I have been in Cincinnati for the 2008 North American Christian Convention.  Last year this convention was in Kansas City and was the spring board for the launch of Restore.

As I was driving into Cincy, it was kind of surreal.  I remember attending this convention in 1972 in Cincinnati when I was 9 years old.  I remember riding up and down the elevators of the hotel (my first time above 5 floors) and going to Riverfront stadium where nearly 30,000 people gathered for a church service.

Here I was, 36 years later, arriving to share what God has done at Restore and to do a workshop on multisite innovations with my friends Brian Zehr and Donnie Williams.  I really never imagined anything like this would ever happen.

The workshop went great and Brian and Donnie did a phenomenal job of sharing real life challenges and real life inspiration. At the main session last night in front of a few thousand people, I was interviewed by Cam Huxford (president of the convention) about Restore.  As I shared some of the great things God has done, launch attendance and small groups, the crowd applauded.  When I shared the number of people who have become Christ Followers and taken their faith public in baptism, they erupted.   It was a great moment.

The size of this convention has been on a steady decline since 1986, so I am not sure what is in store for its future.  I do know that I have great memories from my childhood and I believe that Restore would not be here today without the catalytic vision of the 2007 NACC leadership to plant a church in KC.  For that I am eternally grateful.

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Comments

[Adam G.]

Thanks for the comments on the NACC. I was wondering if anyone was going to talk about it. My impression of the NACC the one time I attended in 2000 was that there was a lot of talk about "successful" churches so far as numbers, but not a lot of practical teaching on how to do it, and a serious lack of profound Bible studies. Then again, my memories are probably unreliable. I'm hoping to give it another try in a year or two.

[Troy]

Jim,
Thanks for your friendship and encouragement. You use that gift of yours very well. I look forward to seeing you again soon. Brian Zehr and I were just chatting about you this week and the work you are doing for the Kingdom. Blessings.

[Jim Tomberlin]

Troy,
I also applaud the good work God is doing through you at Restore.
I remember with fondness those early days in Naperville trying to figure out with the CCC team how to become a reproducing church. It is awesome to see how the journey is unfolding.
Keep blazing the trail,
Jim