I’ve just returned from two weeks of State CBF meetings.  There was great energy in both Virginia and North Carolina.  The mix between generations and the interaction among all folks was energizing.

In Virgina, we did a Skype interview with Brian McLaren for the afternoon session.  Brian and I dialogued about church growth and pastoral interactions.  He challenged us to start new churches.  Kudos to Rob Fox for an innovative use of technology and for the vision for such an experience. 

In North Carolina, workshops were the rule of the day.  Again, there was much energy among generations, the displays were informative, and the crowd was engaged.  My workshops were on building intergenerational relationships and creative teaching.   The discussion was lively around both subjects.  All the workshops were well attended; the interest was high.  Cecil Sherman brought his usual rousing keynote address on Friday night.

I continue to be encouraged by the energy and enthusiasm among Fellowship Baptists.  We are looking at some great days ahead of us.  The creativity of our congregations and the loyalty we have for one another is encouraging indeed!