Reflections on the NAB Triennial

This summer afforded me one of the highlights of my time in ministry:  I got to lead our Worship Team from Steamboat Rock to our denomination’s tri-annual conference where we got to lead times of musical worship.  Singing together with pastors and leaders from all over North America, working alongside excellent worship leaders from Canada, planning and implementing the event with executive leaders of our denomination was a Spirit-filled joyful experience. 

Yet the “big” moments of this experience paled in comparison to the “little” moments of seeing our team from Steamboat Rock prepare and lead with such joy, have fun together as we shared meals, laugh through some challenges, and getting to have Molly and the kids come along. 

Frankly, there are too many stories to share here, so please asks us if you see us in Main Street at church because we would love to talk about this experience.  But, here are some highlights from the team that went:

* “It was amazing playing [the song] “Peace, Be Still” and glancing up at the back wall to see a large video of Jesus in the storm on the Sea of Galilee…a place our SRBC group had taken a fishing boat ride last summer!” – Steve Blair

* First is the experience of leading worship & having that opportunity! Witnessing the response & hearing/seeing everyone worshiping was amazing! The other is a conversation Amy and I had with a total stranger who walked with us to the RiverCentre and when she found out what we were there for [a church conference] she said, “You probably don’t want to know where I’m going.” Which was the tattoo convention in the same building. Both Amy and I assured her that that was cool and a lot of the band members and pastors at this convention we were involved in had tattoos. I truly think that we gave her something to think about, and hopefully she came away with not feeling judged and maybe a better perspective of what a Christian is! – Janie Strickler

Finally, here is a longer reflection on the experience from Amy Wright.  It may seem a bit long, but I assure you it is worth reading!

*The Triennial turned out to be one of my all-time favorite lifetime events/memories.  It was such a joyful experience, my face hurt from smiling so much!  My favorite memory will always be from Sunday morning.  John led a song called ‘The Blessing’.  Before we began, John asked everyone to keep their eyes open and focus on blessing each other rather than thinking about blessings inwardly for ourselves.  The entire room seemed to completely surrender and together through this song of prayer the Holy Spirit invaded the room and filled our hearts and minds with a divine peace that can only come from Him.  This along with so many other incredible moments from each day of the Triennial made the experience spiritually regenerative.  I will be forever grateful to have been blessed by joining the SRBC Worship Team in this experience

I am grateful in many ways for this opportunity to join the team at the NAB Triennial.  What a wonderful opportunity to get to know my Worship Team peers better.  Here are a few things that I learned about our team-

Steve Blair and his wife Joan are really neat people!  They might be the most talented, funniest, fun-loving couple on the planet.  Steve captures God’s great works in his beautiful photography.  I also see that he and Joan are a big part of God's works themselves, spreading joy to others through unique humor, laughter, and kindness. 

Getting to pray with and be present for the experience of Daniel Stahl finding out he had just bought a house at only 20 years of age was incredible.  I also learned that this guy who sits so quietly in the drum cage, is so much fun!  He is smart, community-minded, cares deeply for others, and overall, just an amazing human.  He is an incredible example of God's light shining amongst his generation. 

Nolan Luther gave his entire heart to our team and church.  He does this every week, but the Triennial experience brought home just how incredibly deep his commitment to servitude is.  He was there for Triennial and home for Sunday services.  I don’t know if he got any sleep at all that weekend.  His commitment to using his God-given talents to the fullest extent possible is crystal clear.  

Ryan Rolph has so much musical talent and showed what I have known to be true about his spirit for many years.   He is empathetic, thoughtful, and reliable.  He loves his family and his God.  Ryan makes us laugh in such a "Ryan-style way" and keeps every conversation interesting.  It is a blessing to spend time with him and he inspires me to be a little more "chill" and confident that God's got this.

What a treat it was to have Ben Low there.  This man has such a heart for God.  He demonstrates this love with his family, friends, humble personality, positivity, and appreciation.  This incredible Triennial experience couldn't have been the same without Ben.  I hope he comes back to join us in worship again and again over the years to come.

Dave and my dear friend Janie Strickler are such a great team.  It is not news to anyone here that Janie has incredible talent and Dave can really mix sound.  What I witnessed this weekend was so much more.  Janie and Dave are an incredible support to each other.  They have such a way of just moving through life synchronized.  It is so beautiful to see a married couple of 37 years, still so in love, communicating in such respectful ways, supporting each other, and living out God's plan for marriage together.  They are a great example for us all.

I have to mention what it meant to have Kendra Bunger and [her daughter] Kassidy Gillen in the front row while our SRBC team led worship.  Coming all the way to St. Paul to support as Kendra said, “my people” filled my cup and ran it over with love for “my people” of SRBC.  Getting up to sing in front of hundreds of people normally would have instilled a certain level of extreme panic but I was not nervous at all.  Looking out and seeing “my people” in the front row immediately washed away any nerves and reminded me of how God has put so many incredible people in my life path at SRBC.  It was so easy to find God there in that room while looking at those faces.   

Finally, I knew that John Day was talented.  Somehow, I was BLOWN AWAY watching exactly how his talents shine in that element.  He worked morning to night tirelessly helping the entire NAB Team while still supporting his SRBC people and his loving, supportive family.  It turns out that not only can he sing, play many instruments, cater to the spiritual growth of his family, our team, and the congregation, his knowledge surrounding production and planning is astounding.  I am convinced to never again question his song choices or planning; he knew exactly what God would use and people would need to usher in the spirit during worship.  John has incredible gifts from God, and I am so honored to have him as a strong spiritual leader in my life.  SRBC is blessed to have John and his family as part of our church community.  He really represented our SRBC family in ridiculously incredible and competent ways at the NAB Triennial. 

All of this has been to say that I have rejuvenated faith in God and confidence in his power to work us through the upcoming transitions at SRBC.  I am so happy for Pastor Lippert and Pam as they inch closer to their new life journey.  I have also worried about what that would mean for those of us that have counted on Pastor Lippert's faithful counsel, guidance, and leadership.  This Triennial experience has shown me that SRBC is full of people who love God and will continue to help support each other to grow in faith together.  My tears are no longer grief for the loss of our incredible pastor but rather joy that these people have and will continue to rise up in our church.  They will use their individual talents and ways to fill in gaps and make this transition an optimistic opportunity rather than a fearful change.  I am so grateful to each person that plays a role in making SRBC such a strong, faithful, happy, and accepting/safe place.

Thank you so very much for the opportunity to join the SRBC Team at Triennial and the ongoing community, love, and support that comes with being part of this Worship Team.  It has truly been one of the greatest honors and blessed experiences of my lifetime. 

Thank you Steamboat Rock Baptist Church for your support, encouragement, and faithfulness to the LORD!  It is your shoulders upon which our Worship Team stood as we lead at the Triennial.  I am so grateful to be a part of this community!

John Day