Day 1 of Every Nation Conference.
Russ Austin. 52 nations represented.
A fitting opening message to kick off the Every Nation World Conference. Pastor Russ aptly defined who we are as a family of churches the way a realist like Manet or Courbet paints a historical scene or an object.
Three descriptions… BIG FAITH. RADICAL DISCIPLESHIP. SPIRITUAL FAMILY.
BIG FAITH.
We are a global and missional organization that refuses to stop.
We see a red light yet we still go as if it was green.
Relentless would be the word. How come?
It’s not because we have confidence in ourselves.
We just know that we will do something BIG just because we know our God is BIG.
And as a family, we just believe that together.
RADICAL DISCIPLESHIP.
This is just part of the culture in our family. And we do it with passion… radically.
We teach people to obey in obedience to the Great Commission in Matthew 28.
We do it because Jesus is worth it.
We have been misunderstood for doing what we do. But we do what we do because we want to give Him our best because He has given us His best.
SPIRITUAL FAMILY.
We go through ups and downs. We just know we’ll make it through because God is with us and because we are walking together.
We are better together and we are better because we are together.
Spiritual family is a gift. It is such a gift to be in relationship with one another.
Walking with one another for years, some for decades is an absolute gift from God.
But out of the 3, the most fragile is SPIRITUAL FAMILY. And THIS is the very thing we have to guard and protect.
And by His grace, we will not just do life together for 20 years (this year is Every Nation’s 20 year anniversary) but for the next 100 and beyond.