Continuing Education

Forgive me for my hiatus. I have been away on what we call Con Ed.

Continuing Education, aka. Con Ed, is one of the wonderful things about being a pastor. We get to go off to conferences big and small and hear new ideas and be reminded of old ones. My 2010 Contuning Ed year has divided up into small, medium, and large conferences/festivals/gatherings/etc.; ranging from a small gathering in Penfield, Pennsylvania to a medium festival and reunion in Louisville, Kentucky, to a massive Festival of Homelitics (aka. preaching) in Nashville, TN. But now I am done. Out of money and out of time. Now is the time for reflection.

Here are some things that I learned & some things that I have be reminded in 2010's Con Ed...
- Every profession has its celebrities pastors included. Mention Tom Long, Craig Barnes, Anna Carter Florence, or Barbara Brown Taylor to a group of pastors and they exhibit the same behavior as folks talking about their favorite athlete, musician, or actor.

- Lectures are where the money is at. Anything featuring the words "break out", "home group", "cohort", or the like is going to be disappointing. If you want to get a question answered, say that you enjoyed their sermon/book, or try to network, you are better off finding the presenter at a bar or during the refreshment time.

- Stay away from anything called a "christian comedian."

- Con Ed is always better when you are with some friends. I take most of my Con Ed collaboratively with fellow pastors and Louisville Seminary alumni. The experience is ALWAYS better. You have someone to eat a meal with, someone to share an expensive hotel room with, and most importantly, have someone to hear your snarky comments about terrible "break out" groups.

- Understand that jealousy is par for the course. The finest preachers in the world think of things, write sermons, string together stories, and do it all with a presentation style that you will make you burn with envy.

- It sounds counter-intutive but stay away from Q&A sessions. They are 100% dominated by folks with axes to grind, those wishing to show off, or well-meaning folks who tell stories with implied questions. Actual Q&A happens at the aforementioned bar or refreshment time.

- Beware of the post-Con Ed sermon. A week spent with your mind on super-stimulated overdrive will no doubt feed whatever it is that you were excited about on Monday through Thursday into Sunday's sermon no matter if it fits or not. I am very guilty of this.

- If you return year after year to the same events, you will see the same people year after year. This is a blessing, or at least can be. Knowing this, it is a good idea not to say such things as "let's work together on this", or "I will come down and visit you", or "let me send that to you." Better keep it relational, or at the least, network in such a way that they will remember you if/when you call.

I love Con Ed. I feel blessed to be in a profession where it is not only expected but often mandatory that a PCUSA pastor engages in it. You don't have to twist my arm.