Celebrating God’s Faithfulness in Boston

Bryan Long
Director of Church Multiplication

A few weeks ago, my wife returned from a girls weekend with her college roommates. While she had a good time, she couldn’t help but feel a little disjointed from the others. While they were all Christians, the journey of a pastor’s family gives you a unique perspective on life that others simply don’t understand. After searching for the right words, she eventually resorted to – “alone.” Ministry life can be lonely…

On October 19-21, church planters, revitalizers, and advocates from around the country gathered for the 2023 Nineveh Network Conference. We spent three days together in south Boston to connect and recharge. One afternoon, some of us did the touristy things in the city of Boston, while others grabbed fresh seafood on the coast. Evenings were spent worshiping and hearing from those in the trenches.

Our goal over these three days is to create space for people to put aside platforms, pontification, and posturing to authentically connect, lament and encourage one another. Ministry life can be lonely. Our speakers are not asked to give a training session on “five ways to grow a church,” but simply to share their ministry story and out of it any encouragement and wisdom. Our hope is that folks come away from this time refreshed and filled up.

One of the themes that emerged from our time this year was that of faithfulness. The Lord has been faithful to us and it is out of this Gospel truth that we are able to be faithful in our present situations. For some, that faithfulness was a promise as they wait for more ministry clarity. For others, it was faithfulness in the midst of transition. Still others, it was faithfulness in a difficult ministry season. But as we sang one night: “Great is Your faithfulness to me…”

Ministry life can be lonely. Pray for our church planters and revitalizer as they continue to build His Kingdom…