Revive

I'm off to the Revive conference this week, and I'm almost a complete blank slate. I don't know what to expect, but have anticipations, of course, and think that the idea of the conference is fabulous.

I don't think I've ever been to a church conference before ( leaving aside youth camps and mission group conferences)! There is a lot of 'before' in my life, so I could be wrong. This will also be a little unknown for me as I'll know almost no one there apart from people from my church.

In old days, if I went to a church conference I would have expected to know a few people: in either Churches of Christ, Presbyterian or Anglican ones. I've lost touch with Presbyterians, but would still know people in Churches of Christ, I would think, and possibly Anglican, but depends on which flavour for the latter. I know a small number of Baptists from the deep past, and wonder if I'd run into (or even recognise) them; we'll see.

It will also be interesting to compare with the work related conferences I attend. I guess we won't be having a sponsor-hosted cocktail party on Friday evening. Pity, I like a glass or two of wine. I also guess that we won't be prancing around in our Zegna suits showing how polished we all are.

I could imagine that we would be open and brotherly with each other, so fellowship would be high on the agenda, but not suspending our critical apparatus listening to speakers. I'd also think that the sessions won't be the empty show-pony sessions that we are often inflicted with at commercially promoted or industry conferences (although having spoken at various industry conferences, I must say, I give content).

What I expect, but hope I don't get, is internalised, disconnected, de-contextualised waffle that assumes I live on two planets: the planet were I eat, and the planet where church conferences are held. I hope not.

I'll post reports.