Don't Waste Your Conferences

How To Get The Most Benefit From Attending Conferences

John Piper is well known for his story about Bob and Penny.* If you haven’t heard the story, Bob and Penny both took early retirement and ended up collecting shells. Piper called their lives "a tragedy." Instead of using their lives for the Lord, they lived for themselves, collecting seashells.

We must make choices whenever we spend our time. Will we invest it for our benefit or waste it for our detriment?

This week, I had the privilege of attending a pastor's conference and annual convention. I've been attending these same meetings for the past 18 years, and I have attended countless conferences over my years in ministry.

In this brief article, I will share with you how to make the most of your time at conferences. I don't want you to be like Bob and Penny, just cruising around collecting free pens.

7 Ways to Redeem Your Time at Conferences

Rest - In my early days, I had the wrong mindset regarding conferences. Since my church spent money on this conference, I'd better attend every meeting and event. I found out that this was not life-giving. It was foolish! Rest seems counterproductive, but you must include time to rest at a conference (especially a multi-day event). Wearing yourself out won’t benefit you as much as you think. If it's just a one-day conference, a short 5-minute break outside can be quite refreshing!

Fellowship - One of the best parts of conferences is meeting new people. It's so encouraging to know that there are other people like you. If you serve as a solo pastor or on a small staff, sometimes it can feel like you're pretty strange. No one else does what you do. But then, you get around hundreds of other ministers, and suddenly, you're normal. These times of quick fellowship can lead to life-long friendships.

Eat Good Food - I don't know if I've ever been to a conference without eating some good food. It might be a box lunch from Chick-fil-A or a meal at a local sit-down restaurant, but fellowship around a table is something special. While we shouldn't overdo it in this area, we should enjoy the good food that God has provided.

Listen to Good Preaching - When you do most of the preaching in your church, conferences allow you to sit under the Word rather than deliver it. We need preaching, too. I try to listen to one message a week for my own soul. At a conference, may I suggest "listening with both ears?" With one ear, listen for your own spiritual growth. With the other ear, listen to improve your own preaching. How do these brothers break down and outline a passage? How do they engage the audience? How do they do transitions? How do they illustrate? (Please make notes on these excellent illustrations in case you want to use them sometime). The point is not to imitate them but to learn from them.

Sing - Some of the most glorious music I've ever heard has been at conferences. Likewise, I've had the privilege of singing along with such music. Remember to exalt Christ in your worship at conferences. This is one time when you don't bear all the responsibility within a service, so forget yourself and lift your voice in praise.

Attend Breakouts - Many conferences have optional breakout sessions. Take advantage of these times of instruction. Most are led by experts in their field, and they can help sharpen your skills in a particular area. Take the time to select your sessions before the conference begins. Waiting until the start time will cause unnecessary stress and may cost you a seat in the session.

Discover New Resources - Just to be clear, there's nothing wrong with getting those free pens! I love getting great swag at a conference (Can I say "swag" at my age? My boys tell me not to, but they're not reading this.) In addition to pens, post-it notes, and candy, exhibitors often have great books, curriculum, resources, and more to aid you in your ministry. This is the time to talk with their experts and find out how they can serve you. (BTW - if Logos is there, be careful! At a conference this summer, the rep actually told my wife how much I've spent over the years on Logos! She agrees, though, that it was an excellent investment.)

Remembering these 7 ways to redeem the time at your next conference will hopefully bring you home refreshed, recharged, and ready for the next season of your ministry.

Brethren, don't waste your conferences!

*Here’s the video clip from Piper’s message. The story is also mentioned in chapter 3 of Don’t Waste Your Life