On the heels of a successful New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball last year, the Chicago Church singles began planning for a great singles conference that would also be open to the Midwest churches and beyond.Our singles came up with the theme, location, speakers and itinerary. It’s faith building to see what God can do when we offer him something to bless. He did immeasurably more that we could ask or imagine.
The Midwest Singles Conference, “One–Redefined,” based on Ephesians 4:4-6, took place June 12 - 14 and reexamined what it means to be an unmarried disciple. A total of 23 churches were represented among 202 conference attendees, comprised of 137 women and 65 men. Disciples came from as far away as Boston, New York and Tampa Bay. Kudos to the Milwaukee Church for shuttling disciples who flew into Mitchell Airport to and from the conference, which was located at the Lake Lawn Resort in Delavan, Wis.
The conference kicked off with a mixer, a time of worship led by the music ministry and a message by A.T. Arneson, a co-lead evangelist for the church. Speaking on our conference theme, he called us to see ourselves as disciples on the front lines, undivided in our devotion and desire to rise up and m
eet needs in God’s kingdom. He sampled various pieces of fruit with gusto to demonstrate the kind of hearts we need to have – strawberries and apples that are soft and easy to bite into, versus hearts of the coconut or pineapple variety that require lots of cutting and digging to get to the good part.
The next day Roger Lamb spoke about One Another–Redefined, calling us to love, accept, listen, speak and serve the way to which the Bible calls us. After lunch, we were enlightened by evangelist Dave Eastman who, with Worship–Redefined, charged us to focus on vertical worship – lifting songs of praise up to God so that we can be for his praise and glory, per Ephesians 1:11-12. There were break out sessions on Leadership, Gifts, Zeal, Evangelism, Identity, and Healing – all redefined and presented by an inspiring panel of presenters, most of whom were single and not on staff.
The last presentation revealed the launch of DT Heart & Soul, a dating Web site for singles within our family of churches. Later that evening disciples danced the night away, played pool, board games, or just hung out for fellowship.
On Sunday morning many had embraced the idea of vertical worship with hands raised in submission to God as songs of praise and adoration were sung. Wilner Cornerly, an evangelist and Chicago singles ministry leader with his wife Chantal, gave the message, Christianity–Redefined. He explained that it is not Christianity that needs to be redefined, but our response to it, that we must reject compromise and make Jesus Lord of everything in our lives.
The singles left the conference well fed, looking for food afterward only to fill their physical needs, not spiritual, and to have some good final fellowship time before returning home. Feedback has been encouraging. LaToya Campbell from the Boston Church emailed to say, “I was inspired, encouraged and convicted. The classes were great, worship was AMAZING and fellowship was so refreshing. I am so glad God allowed me to be there.”
And the Chicago Singles were glad to be able to serve in this way.
For more info and pictures see:
http://www.dtodayarchive.org/content/view/1403/44/
Photos : Valarie Johnson
posted by Jerry Maday