I remember the first time I gathered with Network leaders. It was at a Network Forum at a ski resort in Colorado in 1983.
I was still new to high school ministry. I had been invited to this retreat, and to be honest I was flattered. Not knowing a lot about the Network, I went at the encouragement of a youth ministry friend who asked me to trust him that it was worth the time and expense. I did trust him, so I begged my senior pastor to allow me to do it.
At 28, I was one of the younger youth workers at the Forum. What I experienced was powerful and convinced me to go back every other year for the rest of the decade.
What was so compelling?
Being with "leaders of leaders." All of us were encouraged to "check our egos and logos at the door" and the well-known speakers and authors in the room treated me like a peer. I was a little intimidated by being a small fish in this big tank, but that melted as I talked and prayed with others. I can't measure how deeply this affected my confidence as a young leader.
A God-sized vision to share Christ with every teenager. That vision has been part of the Network vision from the beginning. We realize we can't do it alone. Jesus' prayer in John 17:20-23 tells us unity and cooperation are essential. But this vision of "every" drives us.
Seeing God at work in other places. Face it; we all get tired. When that happens, we can get discouraged and begin to wonder if the Holy Spirit has abandoned us. In fact, maybe He just up and left the country. At the Forum, hearing how God was moving in schools and ministries in other communities gave me hope. I felt renewed energy for digging in my own "trench" when I saw the progress of the gospel elsewhere. I needed that. I still need that.
Maybe you do too. As a coach, people look to you for encouragement, but you need to refuel yourself. I learned that the "big dogs" at those early Forums came – and came back again – for the same reasons I did. All of us need to be refreshed!
So where do we find this kind of atmosphere today? If mingling with student ministry leaders, renewing your "big picture" vision, and being encouraged by what God is doing around the nation would help you, then I ask you to seriously pray about coming to Accelerate in November. It will give you a chance to give and receive as we interact together.