On the Mountain

By Clint Cook

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve shared with you why I think attending conferences are so vital to successful ministry.  Not only do they allow you to make lifelong friendships, but they also provide opportunities to continue your education and sharpen your skills.  Today, I want to share perhaps my number one reason for attending GB conferences: the Mountaintop Experience.  I’m referring to the event recorded in Matthew 17, which tells us Jesus pulled the “inner three” aside from ministry demands and the hustle and bustle of life to share a special time with Him. Conferences facilitate Mountiantop Experiences It is not hard to imagine that Peter, James, and John, like many pastors today, may have found it difficult to leave their assignments and ministries to go on what they may have thought was a simple trip-but there can be no question they were glad they did!  Verse 2 says, “he was transfigured before them and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.”  This trip turned out to be life changing when the first of three miraculous events occurred: the transfiguration of Jesus.

Then, as if they transfiguration alone was not enough, Moses and Elijah appeared.  They talked with and ministered to Jesus right before the disciples’ eyes.  Through the years I have been ministered to by many Elijah-type and Moses-type men who made me want to stay with them and receive from them as much knowledge and encouragement as possible.

The final miracle is found in verse 5, when, “a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well please; listen to him.'”

Obviously, all three of these mind-blowing experiences up on that mountaintop proved to be well worth the journey, effort, and sacrifice of getting away from the demands of ministry to meet with the Master.

I am reminded of the many times I have gone to a conference expecting to be the one who feeds or teaches the word of God, and instead become the one on the receiving end, being challenged to listen instead of speak.  Sometimes this happened through the preaching of God’s Word.  Sometimes it happened through the dynamic worship of God’s people, being caught up in an indescribable Spirit-filled moment.  Sometimes it happened through special moments of prayer during moving response times.  These moments for me were just as unexpected as the encounters experienced by Peter, James, and John, and just as life-changing and meaningful.

These Mountaintop Experiences allow us to see Jesus in a whole new light, like bread that descends from Heaven, feeding our souls.  It’s like the Old Testament passage in 1 Kings: “‘Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.’  And he arose and ate and drank and went in the strength of that food ‘forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.'”  1 Kings 19: 7-8

In other words, God can feed us through Mountaintop Experiences at events like the General Baptist Minister’s Conference or the Mission and Ministry Summit, to sustain us until the next Divine Moment.  Are you hungry for that?  I am!  See you there!

The 2014 Minister’s Conference will take place this coming week-pray for Mountaintop Experiences for those attending.  The 2014 Mission and Ministry Summit will be July 21-23.  For more information about these and other General Baptist conferences, visit www.generalbaptist.com or call 573-785-7746

 

Why Conferences?

By Clint Cook

A couple of weeks ago I shared with you that conferences, especially the Minister’s Conference, have been a big part of my success in conferences help me continue my educationministry.  Conferences have always been of utmost importance to me, not only because they help develop long-terms relationships with fellow pastors (as I mentioned previously) but also for the opportunity to continue my education.

I have discovered that conferences are a great way to sharpen my skills, especially in a worship setting where the Word of God is being preached.  I love being challenged by biblical truths that provide incredible motivation.  Early on, when I was a younger pastor, there was much for me to learn, much for me to digest.  New principles and techniques I learned through conferences really paid off in my pastoral leadership development.  As I have gotten older, I recognize that I now attend conferences to find a special nugget.  I may attend the whole conference before I discover that one nugget that is exactly what I or my church need.

I have been very fortunate to pastor a church that was convinced they must invest in my continuing education.  Because of this continuing education, discouragement has not crippled me and I have not drifted toward dissatisfaction in ministry.

The bottom line: conferences give me an edge that has always been very valuable for me personally, as well as for my church.

To learn more about the Minister’s Conference, or any of our other four conferences we host throughout the year, go to generalbaptist.com or call 573-785-7746.

My Secret for Successful Ministry

By Clint Cook

Looking back over my 29 years of pastoring at one church, I keep trying to evaluate how this feat has been possible.  Besides the obvious reasons of the call of God and working with a wonderful church, I believe another reason is what a pastoral mentor told me at the beginning of my pastoral journey: minister conferences and continuing education MUST be a priority.  Throughout my 29 years I have attended numerous conferences, denominational-sponsored events, and even some outside of my own denomination.  The first conference I ever attended was the General Baptist Minister’s Conference.  It is hard to quantify the knowledge, encouragement, and enrichment I have obtained through conferences since then.  In my next couple of posts, I want to discuss some reasons why I think attending a minister’s conference is invaluable.

We can not do effective ministry alone.

We can not do effective ministry alone.

The first reason for attending a minister’s conference is for the purpose of developing long-term friendships with other pastors.  Pastors are engaged in a unique occupation, and no one can truly understand the challenges better than a fellow pastor.  My pastor friends automatically understand the burden of ministry; the sacrifice, toll, and cost of ministry upon ourselves and our families; and the joy and the sadness of ministry.  I attend minister conferences because I want to do ministry not just with family and church members, but with life-long friends that can come along beside me because they “get” the ups and downs of pastoring.  I have found and developed many life-long friendships at the General Baptist Minister’s Conference.  You can too.

Click on ‘Leave a Comment’ at the top of this article and share your biggest tip for ministerial success!

To learn more about the Minister’s Conference, go to www.generalbaptist.com or call 573-785-7746573-785-7746minister ministry