Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these -- John 14:12
Last weekend, the Seattle Church of Christ hosted the biennial Northwest Christian Conference, “Even Greater Things.” Over 1,000 disciples from 14 churches gathered from the US Pacific Northwest (Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Montana – and even a couple from California) and Western Canada from British Columbia to Alberta.
This conference was special from the inside out. From the outside, there couldn’t be a better place to meet in Seattle than the Seattle Center in the shadow of the iconic Space Needle. From the inside, every speaker gave the audience simple but inspiring messages. But everyone had further reason to celebrate: this was the 25th Anniversary celebration of the planting of the Seattle church! Many former Seattle church leaders joined the celebration - Ron and Linda Brumley, (former elder and elder’s wife,) Scott and Lynne Green, Drew and Kathy Nitchoff, and Rob and Pam Skinner.
The conference kicked off with amazing worship and singing. Our church is greatly blessed not only with talented musicians but also songwriters. One of the featured new songs was “Just Imagine” – lyrics written by Linda Brumley and set to music by Geoff Fawcett – and the song was made even more special because Linda’s granddaughter and disciple Sara Brumley sang it for us!
Ever multiply your hopes
Dream of possibilities
Just entrust it all to Him
When you’re on your knees
He will do more than we ask or conceive
God will work miracles as we believe
“I’m with you, I’m in you, my children can sing:
Just imagine greater things”
Everyone was excited to hear the plans to plant a church in Pullman, Washington, which encompasses two campuses: Washington State University and the University of Idaho. Right before the conference started, Boise, Idaho’s Women’s Ministry Leader Robin Weidner met the quarterback of the University of Idaho football team right in the Seattle Center and invited him to the future Pullman Church!
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| From left to right: Carol & Jay Kelly (Co-Lead Evangelist & WML of the Seattle Church), Pam & Rob Skinner (Lead Evangelist and WML of the Tucson church) |
Rob and Pam Skinner (currently the lead Evangelist and Women’s Ministry Leaders of the Tucson Church of Christ) inspired everyone to do greater things in their own lives. Rob opened the conference with, “See Our Great God” where he challenged everyone to recognize the “veils” or filters that prevent us from seeing God fully, and “unveil” ourselves before God like Moses did and spend five minutes in the morning and at night just focusing on God, shutting out distractions. In a message to the women the following morning, Pam shared about the amazing evangelistic victories by simply not responding to life’s challenges with fear and self-pity.
Saturday began with a powerful message from Scott Green to the men and Lynne Green and Pam Skinner to the women about “Greater Personal Growth.” Darin & At Ford and Alex & Danielle Whitaker led a workshop for the urban professionals (singles) and campus students. In the afternoon there was a wide variety of “round table” discussions on everything from family to parenting and single parenting, from purity to grief, from chemical recovery to worship – so that participants could pick what discussion forum suited their needs best.
One of the greatest moments of the weekend was the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Seattle Church of Christ during Sunday’s worship service. Scott and Lynne Green and Daren Overstreet helped recount the history. Along with some of the former church leaders mentioned above, some of the original mission team members from 1989 were also recognized, along with Karen Underwood Jackson, the very first baptism in the Seattle Church! Seattle co-Lead Evangelist and Women’s Ministry Leader, Daren & Karla Overstreet, and Evangelist and Women’s Ministry Leader Alex & Danielle Whitaker were also baptized and raised up to leadership in Seattle.
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| Co-Lead Evangelist, Daren Overstreet introduces members of the original Seattle Mission Team and all present and past church leaders. |
Jay Kelly, co-Lead Evangelist of the Seattle church, closed the conference with a powerful and personal message, “Even Greater Things.” He gave many examples from his own life how he had “coach class” expectations, but God delivered “first class” answers to his prayers – such as after 25 years, Jay’s mom announcing to the family that she was “going to study the Bible and become a member of Jay’s church.” Jay baptized his mom and she is faithful disciple! He asked, “What have you given up on in your own life?” and challenged us to revive our prayer lives and have “first class” expectations. At the close of the conference, the disciples gave $8,000 to support the future church planting in Pullman, Washington!
Below is a video written by original mission team member, Ellen Soter and produced and edited by disciple John Mahinay.