A church conference -- 2014

  Almost every year, the Grace Church of Tanzania gathers together for an annual conference.  All of our 70 churches are invited to attend.  The prepare choirs and save money to ride in the back of big lorries just to attend.  Each church brings their own food and cooking utensils with them.  A local church member will open up their home and an entire church will crash on the floor of their house.  Each morning the ladies will of  the visiting church will get up early and fetch water.  They heat it up over the fire and the members will try to get their bath in before the first service begins.  (Imagine 60 people trying to get through one little bathroom!)

  Each morning there are  morning classes full of good teaching to grow us in our faith and doctrine. The kids break off into a their classes. In the afternoon there is a big outdoor preaching service geared toward sharing the Gospel with anyone and everyone that will show up from the neighborhood. There are choirs singing for a couple hours first to draw in the crowds and then an evangelist will preach the Gospel. 

  

  It is amazing to see the hundreds of people that come from all over the place. This year there were at least 500 people in attendance, although I never heard the exact count.  I know that there were at least 40 churches represented.  It was fun to see campers and students from past seminar--to meet brides and grooms from last year and see their babies.  To encourage pastors and church leaders that I’ve met over the years in camps and other ministries.  There wasn’t enough time to say hello to everyone that was there.

  We did get the chance to sing along with the students from our Worship Seminar and introduce the song “How Great is Our God” to everyone.