C3 and more

I know I said I would publish on Monday my reaction to C3 (Creative Church Conference) well we ran into some delays. Saturday morning we loaded up the fam and my dad took us to DFW airport to catch our 12:50 PM flight to BWI. It was windy. We get on the plane and the plane is rocking back and forth at the gate from the wind. We taxi out to the runway and the wind is horrible. I have seen wind storms in the 28 years that I lived in the DFW metroplex but this was fierce. I looked out the plane window to the west and all I saw was orange. This is a picture of what it looked like. You get the idea from this picture.
The pilot gets on the pa and says that the wind is over the limits of takeoff. I look at Michelle and say we are not taking off. Well, we sit for about 2 hrs on the runway and the pilot finally says we are headed back, the airport has been shut down. On the news that night an official at DFW said it was the worst day at the airport since 911. There is a long story that follows about tickets and luggage, but needless to say we spent three more days with my parents than we had intended.

We got back to wintry Frostburg late Tuesday evening. The funny thing is that Welsh canceled services on Sunday because of a snow storm that blew threw. So, I was not going to preach anyway. We got to go to church with my parents on Sunday and relax a little while longer. I realized today that between snow days and being away from this conference my daughter has missed more days of school in February than she has attended. Glad it is just kindergarten.

C3 was well worth it. I was challenged greatly by each of the speakers and more by some than others. I even enjoyed TD Jakes, who I was looking forward to less than the others. He did a fantastic job on the shepherd leading.

I probably enjoyed Craig Groeschel the most, followed by a close second of Mark Driscoll. Craig made us all realize we were idiots. Taking from Acts 4.13. The word "ordinary" can be translated idiots, though the NT meaning and the America meaning are two different meanings. But still, it can apply.

Mark Driscoll, did a great job of talking about two dangers to the gospel, idolatry and religion. Both create a functional savior to save us from our hell, but neither is the Gospel.

Ed Young Sr. challenged all of us to do more to minister towards kids and Ed Jr. challenged us on the theme of the conference, "Turning What if into what is." Basically he talked about the history of Fellowship and how they have not allowed themselves to feel like they have arrived and finished ministry. Ed Jr. also talked about the things he learned from his father.

Will I go again? Probably in a few years. Was it worth it? Definitely!!!!! I was renewed, challenged and paranoid at the same time.