Re-Cap of Exponential09 Conference

The Exponential09 Conference in Orlando, FL was an amazing conference filled with creativity, leaders and vision for church planters. It was the best conference I have been to thus far. About a few months ago, my wife and I were asked if we would like to volunteer at the conference by our our fellow church planting amigos Matt & Janie Mehaffey of the The Pursuit Christian Church, in which we gladly accepted. We knew that we needed to be in this environment with leaders who are also planting churches in their local city and we prayed & fasted leading up to the conference because we wanted to hear clearly God's voice and direction with Freedom Culture (Twitter Page & Web Page). God truly began making sense about what our focus needs to be at this present time and the vision for becoming a reproducing church planting ministry became clearer as we heard speaker's, leaders, trainers and pastors share what God is doing on a local and global level.

There were several highlight points about the conference which included not only hearing Pastor Craig Groeschel Speak about preaching a "Dangerous Message" but having the chance to chat briefly with him and Efrem Smith in my car while I was picking them up from the Hotel to the Conference. These are truly 2 men who I admire deeply for the passion and commitment toward building up leaders and the local church, who I have denominational connections within the ECC. Of course my wife who had never heard either Groeschel or Erwin McManus was blown away by the way these leaders communicated the word in very relevant authoritative way that impacted about all 3,000 people that were in attendance.

The most reassuring time though for us was connecting with the New Thing Network and the leadership of Dave & Jon Ferguson.

It's amazing how Twitter connected me to Dave Ferguson, which connected me to Matt Mehaffey in South Florida, which connected me to Exponential09 which connected to hear the passion of the New Thing Network which resonated in my heart with what God has called us to build in this South Florida Region. I can't tell you how excited I am to have connected with the New Thing Network & with many others who have really encouraged My wife and I, and rekindled that passion for South Florida Miami/Broward Area to be reached through the Local Church, sharing the message of faith, hope and Love which is found in Christ!