Modern Day Pilgrims
I have enjoyed working with a committee appointed by the Board to update the history of the CCCC as we celebrate our 75th anniversary. The book, Modern Day Pilgrims was published in 1998 when the Conference celebrated her fiftieth anniversary. It has now been updated and revised as Modern Day Pilgrims: A Proud Heritage. A companion volume, Modern Day Pilgrims: A New Generation, has been written and will be released this summer. This volume records the history of the Conference in the past 25 years. These books will be available at the annual gathering in July.
I share these words in preface of the new volume.
The founding fathers of the CCCC were driven by the question, “Why?” The mainline of the Congregational movement in America was becoming more liberal. A group of faithful pastors and church leaders asked, “Why would we let this happen?” They formed the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference to maintain the principles of Biblical Congregationalism. Much of the growth of the Conference in the first fifty years came from churches that decided to be a part of this movement.
The next generation of ministry for the Conference grew out of the question, “Why not?” The religious scene changed dramatically in American from 1948 to 1998. Church attendance declined as the culture became more secular. A group of leaders in the Conference sought to be faithful to the founding principles of the CCCC which cherished a Biblical foundation and congregational polity. They believed that God could use the Conference to make a kingdom impact.
They asked the question, “Why not?” Driven by a desire to live in obedience in Jesus, they stepped out in faith to do the will of God and “make disciples” in this new generation.
These are exciting days for our fellowship. Our ministry of church development is being relaunched as the Nehemiah Nexus at the Nehemiah Summit this month. Our church multiplication efforts are expanding as the Nehemiah Network recruits, assesses, train, coach, and network church planters. Our ministry of Conference Care is thriving under the work of our Regional Pastors. God has uniquely blessed us with the financial and leadership resources to develop our ministry.
Our Regional Pastors shared several stories of at a recent Conference Care Team meeting. We were encouraged to hear a story of a church board learning to prayerfully trust God for the ministry of their church. We heard a story of a long-time church member of a church that closed who now is an active part of a church plant meeting in the same building. We learned of an expanding work of church planting to African immigrants in Maine.
I encourage you to join me in praising God for His faithful work in the CCCC and actively participating in our ministry together.