Adam Blosser and I were able to attend the Young Pastors Summit today at the SBC of Virginia office near Richmond, Virginia. I’ve attended this meeting every year since 2014.
The fellowship and networking is always refreshing. SBC of Virginia leadership does a good job of a putting together a quality program too. I know we had Tom Elliff a few years ago. Kevin Ezell joined us by video conference one year. This year Clyde Meador of the IMB was with us and Thom Rainer spoke by video conference as well.
The Young Pastors Summit is a helpful event that affords pastors the opportunity to gain wisdom and network with seasoned practitioners who desire to invest in the next generation of healthy pastors. There are few environments that presents a similar opportunity of invaluable leadership development.
– K.J. Washington, Church Planting Apprentice, Village Church at Chester, Chester, VA
It’s great to get to hear from and interact with guys who serve in different contexts or various size churches but who are thinking through some of the same issues or dealing with similar struggles in ministry.
–Ryan Brice, Lead Pastor, Nansemond River Baptist, Suffolk, VA
I love participating in these kinds of events and love hearing about them happening in other states and contexts. I know I’ve heard about, for example, that a young pastors network in North Carolina and I know examples could be multiplied (feel free to do so in the comments).
Let me encourage you to find opportunities like these for fellowship and encouragement, personal and spiritual growth. Seek them out and participate. For me it’s a two hour drive from Virginia Beach to Richmond so it takes me blocking out basically the whole day on the calendar, but it’s worth the time and God can really use the mutual encouragement that takes place at events like this.
