We had a great time hosting local ministry leaders from all over at our R13 pre-conference luncheons in Bellevue and Albuquerque recently. Pastor Mark discussed themes from his new book A Call to Resurgence, and attendees were able to connect with other regional leaders about how to respond to the changes in Christendom and our culture. We had a chance to chat with a few attendees to get their perspective on where ministry is headed.

Resurgence: What did you find most helpful from what Pastor Mark spoke about today?

Sometimes we want to get all our apologetics arguments ready, and they’re all based on reason and how to convince people that what they believe is wrong, or that their worldview isn’t livable, or something like that. So it was helpful when Pastor Mark talked about how we should listen to the conversations that the world is having, and then listen to the conversations in the church, and make sure we’re not preparing our people to minister to a world that doesn’t exist.

That was very convicting to me, because I can sometimes engage the non-believer in my mind and then go out, and it doesn’t matter what I’ve studied. I’ve seen people just completely shift their thinking in the time of a conversation, and I’m thinking, “Wait, when we started out you were a naturalist, but now you’re a moral relativist!” They just shift gears, but it doesn’t matter—they don’t see it, and pointing out to them that that’s unreasonable doesn’t help.

We need to make sure we’re not preparing our people to minister to a world that doesn’t exist.

It’s really a spiritual battle. If we are more academically-minded, we can want to prepare for every answer and forget that if we were praying as much as we were studying, we might see more fruit. It’s a good challenge.

Ryan Reese
Senior Pastor, Pinehurst Baptist Church, Everett, Washington

Resurgence: Have you noticed any changes in Christendom in recent years?

Oh yeah. I’ve been talking with my congregation about the reality that it looks like numbers are going down of Christians, when actually it’s just the number of people who think, “Yeah I’m a Christian, I was born in America!” This is really good news for the church, because it means something now—it means more to say “I’m a Christ-follower.”

I’m also slowly seeing churches in the Northwest stop using the excuse that “We’re in the most unchurched region in America.” There’s no excuse! What opportunities we’ve got in front of us! I’ve seen the mindset change faster in pastors than in congregation, but it’s hopeful.

Paul Michel
Interim Pastor, Calvary Chapel Fellowship, St. Helens, Oregon

Resurgence: How do the changes in Christendom that Pastor Mark talked about affect the way you do ministry?

Pastor Mark gave me some things to think about, honestly. Sometimes I don’t preach the gospel because of fear of other people’s responses, but like Pastor Mark said, we’re not in control of their responses. Our job is just to tell the truth and say, “This is the sovereign word of God, and this is what it says.”

It means more now to say “I’m a Christ-follower.”

I believe Christianity is going to become countercultural. We’ll be culturally relevant, yes, but we will go against the grain no matter what. There’s no way that people will see the light of the gospel of the glory of Jesus Christ without their sin being exposed. But it’s going to be a win-win situation for the people that receive Jesus: their sin is exposed, but there’s no more shame.

Amy McRam
Kids and youth volunteer, City Church, Kirkland, Washington

Whether you made it to the luncheon or not, we hope to see you November 5–6 at the 2013 Resurgence Conference.