A few years ago, our movement’s executive team determined four guiding objectives for our annual Foursquare Connection event.
The goal of these guiding principles is that each person would connect with (or reconnect with, be stirred toward):
- God
- one another
- their personal call and mission; and
- the vision the Lord is speaking to our Foursquare family corporately.
Powerful worship songs and inspiring speakers might be good, but ultimately, this is what we use as our plumb line for what is success.
Of course, the anchor to it all is, first and foremost, that we connect with the Almighty. There are hundreds of great leadership events out there. Many I would even recommend. However, the call on our family isn’t just to have a great or informative event (though we are passionate about that, too). It’s the focus on our living God, who wants to connect with us, that makes our Connection events so special to me.
Since these objectives were determined, we’ve heard even more from leaders that they plan to bring others “next year”—whether staff, young leaders, business leaders or others. The value of our event seems to be becoming clearer to more of our family, and the diversity, quality and relational dynamics we’re seeing each year are very encouraging. In fact, for Connection 2018, we’ve had record early registration numbers.
Starting last year, we began a four-year theme-set based around our four cardinal doctrines: Jesus our Savior, Baptizer With the Holy Spirit, Healer and Soon-Coming King. In 2017, we unpacked the saving work of Jesus and our response through our focus on the theme “Commissioned by Jesus.” Throughout 2018, we will focus on the power and work of the Holy Spirit through our theme “Transformed by Jesus.”
From leading your congregation in the infilling of the Holy Spirit, to being agents of His transformative work through racial reconciliation, this year’s event will be a multi-dimensional look at the Spirit’s ministry in and through us.
Romans 8:11 tells us that “the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you” (NIV). What a promise! The same Holy Spirit that empowered and anointed Jesus Christ resides in each of us.
It casts the 1990’s catchphrase “What Would Jesus Do?” in a whole new light. Instead of looking just to be a good person or make the kind choice, the question is “What would you do?” if only you realized you were operating, not with a lesser version, but with the same Holy Spirit that worked through Jesus’s ministry on the earth. How could that transform our lives, our churches and our communities? I look forward to how the Lord will minister this to us during our focused time in Seattle, May 28-31.
From leading your congregation in the infilling of the Holy Spirit, to being agents of His transformative work through racial reconciliation, this year’s event will be a multi-dimensional look at the Spirit’s ministry in and through us. We’re launching more than 30 workshops to provide plenty of learning opportunities for you and your team.
We’ll kick off the week with an international reception on Monday night to open the doors for conversation and connection with our global family and missions work. We have so many great features planned, from a young leaders event to our incredible Spanish-language session, Conexión Hispana.
Yet, in all our planning, we know that Connection isn’t complete without you. I pray that, though travel and time off can be costly, the value of our time together will spur you with a determination to find a way in the will of God to be with us. We are praying that Connection 2018 would be a time of strengthening for each attendee and stir up the great things that God has deposited in each of us. In this age of digital connectedness, there is a precious premium on the kind of connection that only comes with a physical presence.
Bring your family and your church team, but especially bring your heart, your voice and your expectations as we gather and pray for our own 2018 Upper Room moment.
To see more from Connection 2018, click here.
