Exponential: Future Redux

I have been wishing, dreaming, praying for the opportuinity to take a team of people to the Exponential Conference. As I said before it is a church planting conference, a discipleship conference. Normally my eyes would glaze over if I heard someone say “Conference.” All I could see in my mind was a bunch of doo-rah sessions with someone giving a canned speech for the umpteenth time, bad coffeee during breaks, lots of booths hawking the next thing, and way too much greasy food.

But this is different.

I went to Exponential for the first time in 2012. The founder of the “movement” said we need to “change the scorecard,” stop measuring “butts and bucks” as the main stats for your church. At least that is what I absorbed from the firehose they sprayed me with.
I went back and started measuring, setting forth as the most important results professions of faith and people in Life Transformation Groups

Did I mention I met Neil Cole here, the dude who started Life Transformation Groups, who gave me a hard time for coming to Exponential “because Methodists started the whole small group discipleship multiplication thing and what were they teaching at Asbury anyway if not that...” Bro.

The Exponential Conference is where I stole my definition of a disciple: someone who is submitting every part of life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Does how I treat Jessie proclaim Jesus is Lord? Does how I treat my kids proclaim Jesus is Lord? Does how I spend my money proclaim Jesus is Lord? Does how I spend my time proclaim Jesus is Lord? You get the picture.

The Exponential Conference is where they pound over and over that a growing church--adding more people, money, and programs-- is not going to work. It leads to diminishing returns. It costs more money than your church has. But Jesus’ way is what we are after-- reproducing (not adding, but multiplying). Disciples who make disciples who make disciples who make disciples. Churches that plant churches that plant churches.

I have found that people come away from this Conference heavily challenged and/but/or deeply encouraged. I have wanted to bring a team here for a long time. But it never seemed to come together. Folks did not seem interested. I have often brought a few people, but no critical mass.

I get it. It’s a big ask of time. And money.

A very generous couple sent a gift. They wanted me to use it to advance discipleship. I tried to get something going a couple years back. No dice. But the tide shifted. 90% I think is the Vision Team process that Dale Packer kickstarted. What can I say? He saw me, a dreamer with inadequate organizational skills, and he jumped in! We are getting our staff aligned... away from task and on to mission. At least conceptually working on being a staff that does not do the ministry, to a staff that equips others to do the ministry God calls them to. What if your staff reproduces themselves, adding more ministers to the Church?

So staff and vision team leaders were approached about going to Naperville, IL for this event.

I have already talked with a few about what they are learning, being challenged with, inspired about and most importantly, called to. What are they going back with? What are they leaving behind?

I can see some whose eyes are opened. Whose hearts have been rended. Whose dreams have been affirmed. Who have been challenged to chase the greater things Jesus said we would do if we believed in Him.

And Ben Bowman. A dedicated servant. We know his challenges of disability. Albinism. Blindness. He has had terrible pain in his left eye for 15 years. Can’t keep it open for long times, has to hold it open with his finger when it is tired. Imagine doing the reading and writing for a Ph.D. like that! He was prayed over. The pain is gone and he can hold his eye open on its own. It closes only to blink. Like it should. Have mercy, Lord.

It’s 4 a.m. i probably need to try to go back to sleep. I got up because I was going to keep Jessie awake. I was in the bed, praising God, whispering the words to “Holy Forever.” And then I thought, I need to tell people what is going on.

Exponential 2026. The theme is... brace yourselves... Multiplication. We’ll be back. This group has to keep at it. We welcome more. Join us.