About the USAA Conference

I will continue to post my notes from the USAA conference, but it will take me a little while to get them all out there. :-) There was some excellent teaching. However, I wanted to go ahead a post my overall take on the conference in general.

The messages were all great and they covered a breadth of topics and perspectives. Remember that the slogan for USAA is "Awakening in Our Day - Reformation in Our Lifetime." Hence, there was emphasis on both. We have to have the awakening for people to understand the need for reformation (as well as the belief that it really could happen).

However, the thing that impacted me, personally, the most was not the messages from the "known" ministers that were there, but hearing from some of the younger generation and those who are ministering to the youth of today. The intensity of these young people astounded me. And their cry was so different from our past generations.

The thing that we heard repeatedly from those in their 20s and early 30s was "teach us the way ... point us in the right direction" but also "allow us to do our part." Dutch Sheets shared how Rick Pino (one of Dutch's spiritual sons and an awesome worship leader if you have not heard him) said to him one day, "Put me on your shoulders, so I can see where to run." Selah!

The cry of his heart being, "I value the foundation you have established. I want to build on that. I want you to speak into my life and make sure I'm heading in a right direction." But, also, "I want to run the race set before me - for my generation to do our part and build with you."

Dutch challenged him to write a song about that. Here are the words to chorus:

Put us on your shoulders
So we can see where to run
We need each other
To get the job done

One of these young lions who spoke titled his message "Synergy versus Succession." That was their cry. They are not looking for succession - passing of the baton (get out of our way and let us clean up the mess you've created) but rather synergy - let us grab hold of the baton and run with you so we can learn what you know and learn how to run well. There was a deep cry for true spiritual fathers (and mothers).

I am sitting here with tears streaming down my face as I once again feel the impact of their heart for the God, their willingness to submit to discipleship, and God's heart for them and pleasure with seeing the generations begin to work together. God is a God of generations - Abraham, Isaac & Jacob.

The question is, will we father (mother) them? As one speaker asked, are we willing to be "inconvenienced" and, "at times, almost annoyed" by them? Will we let them hang out at our house, ride in our car, just be with us whenever & whereever they want to? Will we answer the phone when they call - or txt - multiple times a day? Will we truly let them into our hearts - as though they really were our (natural) sons and daughters who are allowed to do those things?

Will we see Malachi 4:6?

"He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse."