VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:
Ben Kreps:
Hey everyone and welcome to the Mark Prader podcast, where our aim is to connect our global family of Sovereign Grace churches with our Executive Director. Hey, Mark.
Mark Prater:
Hey, Ben. You are back. How are you feeling?
Ben Kreps:
A lot better than I was. Thank you. So it's nice to be back with you. Yeah, it was the flu. It's going around, everyone we know. I appreciate you asking people to pray for me on the podcast, so thanks for that, Mark.
Mark Prater:
You're welcome. I went ahead, as you know and recorded one. It was subpar without you, so glad to bring the level of excellence back up with you on the podcast.
Ben Kreps:
The band is back together.
Mark Prater:
Yes, it is.
Ben Kreps:
All right. Well, Mark, you know, guys, are in the thick of planning. Most likely, most pastors are in the thick of planning for next year with all the events and activities coming up, seeking to be strategic in how we formulate our church calendars. But in the middle of that kind of busyness, surely we must not forget, God's call to us found in 2 Timothy chapter 2: "that what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses and trust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also." And so there is a kind of strategic planning that is much more long-term when it comes to investing in and developing the next generation for ministry. And I know that is something that's important to you. Talk to us about that.
Mark Prater:
It is important and I think it begins with, I can't believe I get to do what I do. I think most pastors feel that way in Sovereign Grace. Just the joy of being a pastor and the joy I have of being Executive Director. I really do mean that I, I can't believe I get to do what I do. Even though it's hard work. There's a lot of joy in planning out the next year or so as you begin to think about sermon series and small group meetings and how to use those strategically, and even leadership development and all that goes with normal church life.
And in the busyness of the day, the joy of the busyness and the day to day, we can sometimes miss the opportunity to step back and really ask this question as pastors, what will my church look like 15 years, 20 years down the road? Who, the young men in my church, who may be pastors, who are those in our church, that could be leaders? Those pillars in the church that every pastor prays for, who will be leading small groups? I mean, those people right now may be in children's ministry, they may be in youth ministry. And it's important that we think about how do we invest into them now because we hope that God will allow every church in Sovereign Grace to be a multi-generational church. We're praying that we can be a multi-generational family of churches. And, that happens by God's grace primarily. But his grace works through our efforts to invest into those who are young in our church now. And we were talking just before we started to record, just to instill a love for the church in them at a young age; what a joy it is to gather with the people of God. They just get a vision for the dearest place on Earth at the local church. So how do we do that now? I think it's helpful for guys to think about and ask that question, what will my church life look like in 20 years?
Ben Kreps:
That's a great question. I appreciate that, it's clarifying. I know that this is not only something that you carry on your heart for Sovereign Grace, but also express that with things like the Summer internship program each year where we can invest in guys in that way. But there's another resource that the Leadership Team has developed to serve our churches in this regard that's coming up. Talk to us about that.
Mark Prater:
Yeah, it's called the Relay Conference. We introduced it at our pastors conference back in November. And this is really the heart and the work of Jon Payne and Jared Mellinger, just to commend those two guys on the Leadership Team. They just have a desire to invest into young adults in our churches. So that's what the Relay Conference is about. Relay of course, is that sort of word picture of passing the baton to the next generation, the next runner in the race, obviously. And so Relay is a conference for young adults that will happen January 11th through the 13th, 2024, at Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania. It's only about a year from now that event will be occurring. And so I wanted to talk about it early in the year and I wanted to continue to talk about it throughout 2023 on this podcast just to generate a sense of interest and the importance of you, pastors, sending young adults to this conference in January of 2024. And, let me commend the example of Dave Taylor. He is all so excited about that. He sent us a list, I think of about 15 young adults in Australia that are gonna travel over to the Relay Conference in January of 2024. So, his example is a compelling one. I know Jeffrey Jo from the Philippines is excited about this, as well. Plans to send some young adults. So those guys are traveling long distances to come to the Relay Conference. And I hope our guys, a little bit closer in geographic distance, will send people as well. Obviously, there will be preaching, there will be breakout sessions. I believe Jeff Purswell is committed to speak. I I believe CJ is committed to speak. I believe Bob Kauflin is gonna be involved along with Devon, leading singing. Several breakout sessions are planned, one of which I'll be leading. So it's well thought out. It's comprised of older and younger generations working together to invest into our future. I hope you will tell your church about it. And I hope you will find a way to send young adults in your church to Relay in January of 2024.
Ben Kreps:
Yeah, that's wonderful. Thanks to you guys for putting this together to serve us. As we're speaking. I'm sitting here looking forward to gathering with my elder team to begin talking about who we could send, if we want to continue in the future, to be what we are now, which is a family of church planting churches that care for churches. It's incumbent on us to invest in the next generation to see them raised up into ministry life as well. So thank you for helping us with that. Thank you all for watching or reading. By the time you get this, it'll be after Christmas, but still, Merry Christmas and we'll see you here next week. Lord willing. Bye for now.