Friday, June 6, 2008

New Generation of Complementarians at New Attitude 2008

Below is a "recap" post I did from New Attitude for the CBMW Gender Blog. It was a great conference on many levels, so I hope you enjoy a little peek at some of the people I met while there.

In addition to contributing to Gender Blog, I also enjoy opportunities to represent CBMW as a conference exhibitor. One of the best parts of attending conferences for CBMW is getting to meet and fellowship with so many brothers and sisters in the Lord. It doesn't hurt that I am an extrovert-so these experiences are extremely life giving.

New Attitude 2008 was no different. One of the blessings of the fellowship is hearing about people's stories with regards to biblical manhood and womanhood. A complementarian commitment to biblical manhood and womanhood is becoming increasingly uncommon among youth. This is why I want to tell you a few encounters from the recent conference, that encouraged me that there is generation rising up who desires to live how God has created us as men and women. Please pray for us to continue to stand firm among a confused age. Though I have withheld names from the stories, these all represent real believers standing firm on gender issues.

RBMW in high school: A recent high school graduate found a copy of Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood in her house and started reading it. The topic intrigued her and now she is growing in her understanding of how God has created her to be. What a tremendous blessing that she is already learning these truths even before she leaves for The Master's College next year. May God increase her tribe!

Biblical manhood on the college campus: A man who serves with Campus Outreach came up for some materials for his ministry among college men. He told us that he is already discipling a group of six men through a study on biblical manhood. May God use him to bear much fruit for the kingdom in the lives of these men.

College, career, missions, and motherhood: A young woman came up to our table to talk with us about CBMW. In the course of the conversation she told us that she was studying Strategic Intelligence at college. As she has pursued this career path, she has felt the pull towards motherhood. She has been wrestling through God's call on her life to be a mother, but also her desire to study and possibly go on the mission field. In this wrestling, God has opened up a door for her to study in Germany. What a blessing that in college she is responding to God's call to bring his Gospel to the nations, but also to her future family through motherhood.

Gender truth among the nations: In El Salvador God has used Dr. Russell Moore's Gender Matter's DVD to help bring a leadership change to a church. One pastor from the church bought the DVD last year at the Children Desiring God conference, and a woman from the church told us that she has watched it over and over again.

These are just a few of the stories of the many people that we met at New Attitude. These encounters are reminders that these issues matter in our lives. They are intensely practical in how we live and relate to one another, but most importantly in how we relate to God. This is where the theological rubber meets the road, and we praise God for the work that he has done in all of their lives. I hope to meet you and hear your personal story at the CBMW booth at an upcoming conference.

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