VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Benjamin Kreps:

Hey everyone. And welcome to the Mark Prater podcast where our aim is to connect our global family of churches with our Executive Director. Mark, this podcast, we're recording on a Thursday, but it's dropping in the guys’ emails on Monday. So when they read this on Monday, it will be one week until the Pastors Conference. So getting excited about that one, and even wonder how busy you are right now, preparing for that. But before the Pastors Conference, on the Monday before it begins, we will have our Council of Elders. Give us your thoughts about the upcoming C.O.E.

Mark Prater:

Well, I'm just excited about us gathering in Orlando, both for the Council of Elders and the Pastors Conference after not being able to be together last year, my anticipation just to be together, it couldn't be higher. And my anticipation for how God is going to work among us is being fueled by prayers. Not only of mine, but many. So please keep praying for both our Council of Elders meeting and our Pastors Conference, but a week from Monday which will be Monday, November 8th, we are going to have our annual Council of Elders meeting. And there's something just very unique about this Council of Elders meeting that I just want to point out, the things that the Council of Elders have received and will vote on and act on represent a lot of good, hard work done by our pastors over the last year and it's work that is both forward-looking and it's work that will strengthen our union of churches to use that language.

So things like the new ordination standards that were being presented and will be voted on that are really aligned with our new Statement of Faith. That will strengthen us as we go to ordain elders and to test their theology and their understanding and grasp of our Statement of Faith. Along with that, there's a clear BCO amendment that gives a clear process for church planters to be ordained, look into ordaining guys before they go, that will strengthen our church planting efforts. There's a committee that went to work, a committee of Mickey Connolly, Rob Flood, Aaron Law, and Josh Tong, that really have given us a number of amendments that will strengthen our adjudication process which will again help us in many, many ways. And then the Global Partnership Plan. BCO amendments couldn't be more timely because in reality we could adopt about 60 churches over the next two years through these BCO amendment processes which is kind of crazy to think about all of those churches outside of the United States. So all of that, I just want to just say thank you to the men who have been working on the polity committee, theology committee, the other committee I mentioned; I'm just so grateful for the work that our pastors have been able to accomplish in Sovereign Grace this year, as we've worked together as a domination. And quite frankly, I couldn't be prouder of them just to do this work together and to anticipate how God is going to use it in the future.

Benjamin Kreps:

Wonderful, certainly wonderful to consider how much progress and fruit has been born in all of this over a very difficult past couple of years. So I can't believe I'm saying I'm looking forward to the Council of Elders meeting.

Mark Prater:

(Laughter) Me too.

Benjamin Kreps:

Tell us about how the conference registration is going. Tell us about attendance. I know I'm rolling in with the most people I"ve ever had. We're coming in 12 deep, bringing some guys that we're looking to build into. What's attendance like this year?

Mark Prater:

Well the Pastors Conference begins on November 9th and our registration currently is 558 people.

Benjamin Kreps:

Amazing.

Mark Prater:

309 men, 249 women. And I think the registration numbers really reflect a couple of things. First of all, I think it reflects that we haven't been together for a couple of years. And then secondly, I think it reflects that Sovereign Grace is just a happy place and we can't wait to be together. One of the notable things, as I pray through the names, which I have been, is what you're doing, Ben. There are a number of pastors just bringing leaders from their church to just benefit from this conference. And so guys that are doing that, thank you so much. That number, 558, doesn't include many of our global churches who simply still can't travel. Many of those from the Asia Pacific part of the world.

So we do have pastors coming from Germany, from our church in Germany. Michael Granger and Josh Pannell will be there from Ethiopia. We also have folks coming from Latin America, Costa Rica, Columbia, and many brothers from Mexico. So there will be pastors there from outside the United States, but not as many as we typically have which is a disappointment. So we'll only anticipate the conference for next year. But you said just a moment ago, given the last couple of years, so since we last met together as pastors and wives and this meeting, it's just been a tough couple of years for everyone pandemic-related, for example. And so this theme of our conference: Christ Preeminent, couldn't be more glorious and more timely. And Jeff Purswell is actually going to open the conference on Tuesday evening, preaching on that theme just to set the tone for our time.

I can't wait to hear Jeff's sermon on that. And only the way that Jeff can preach it so well. We just got a number of updates planned. I can't wait for you to hear them and hear from men that are going to give them. I've been reading those, editing those. And as I read them, I just thought I can't wait for our folks to hear this. So a number of breakout sessions planned as well as most of our folks know who've already registered. And if you haven't registered, still want to come, you can walk in and we'll do a walk-in registration for you. So all that to say, I couldn't be more excited. I can't wait to be together and please pray for our conference and for the Council of Elders meeting.

Benjamin Kreps:

Yes, you said earlier, it's going to be a happy place. It's going to be electric. I just said, when we all begin to sing on Tuesday night I think the roof might come off the place.

Mark Prater:

Yeah, Let's do it. Let's do that.

Benjamin Kreps:

In case anybody's wondering what's going on here with the look of the podcast today, we're just doing a Brady bunch type of thing, right? Yeah, exactly. Or maybe I'm just a moron when it comes to how to figure out Zoom. Well, thank you, Mark. For your thoughts and encouragement. Can't wait to be at the Pastors Conference, to be together again. Thank you all for watching and we'll see you here next time. Bye for now.