Dear friends,
What a great privilege it was for our whole team to attend the recent Restored Hope Network (RHN) HOPE Conference. This was my first time getting to attend, and I can already tell every other year is eagerly anticipated, when folks can gather in person versus their biennial online conference.
There’s nothing quite like being in the room to hear testimonies from individuals that have come out of the LGBTQ+ lifestyle and have had their lives completely changed by Jesus. Or like being in the room to worship together and declare praises to God. I was blessed by the surprise of being able to dance and use flags during worship. This is not really possible on Zoom. There was so much freedom…in the room!
One of my favorite sessions from the conference was Linda Seiler’s breakout—if you haven’t read her book TransFormation, we highly recommend it. Linda spoke about the fast-moving pace of the gender confusion trend among youth. Because of social media, the pressure and deceptive influences to take on different gender identities have rapidly spread more than any other social contagion. I walked away from our conversation more passionate than ever, thinking about my own age demographic, Gen Z. It was my peers that first introduced me to Outpost. This generation is so vulnerable, it makes me ask, how do I serve them? The desire to be even more present and available to those longing for the help we offer has just continued to grow.
During Member Day—where RHN-affiliated ministries gather to connect and be equipped on specific topics—we heard from Kaley Chiles and Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) regarding Chiles v. Salazar. It was powerful to hear the entire story of the federal court case that challenged a thera-py ban in Colorado that prohibited counselors from assisting minors in topics of gender confusion. After a five-year journey and with much rejoicing, Kaley and ADF won this spring! Kaley described how the whole process started with a friend telling her, “You have to do some-thing about this!” She never had a federal court case on her bucket list. Yet, by giving her simple yes to what was in front of her, God did something incredible, way beyond her initial span of reach.
Last October, I prayed outside the Supreme Court with a mission team in DC the day of Kaley’s oral hearing. Speaking to Kaley during Member Day enthralled me. She is delightful and full of joy and obviously passionate about her clients and career. It was evident she cares deeply to fight for what is right and show up with all that she has to offer.
What would it look like if we each responded to life the same way? How similar are our own callings? When we are faithful to what God has put in front of us, the impact is beyond what we anticipate and comes in least expected ways. The process doesn’t start with results, however. It starts with being present and engaged right where you’re at. Wherever your passions and giftings collide, or whatever makes your heart burn with “I want to help,” there’s always something you can do. And God is faithful to reveal what that is.
One way to discover this is by getting “in the room.” In a day and age where there are often virtual options—churches livestream almost every service, meetings can be had on Zoom, phones provide convenient contact in an instant, etc.—we can often miss the opportunities that only come with in-person connection. Being available is the first step to being used by God. This applies to each of us in vastly differing, personal ways. I want to challenge you to ask God where He is calling you to be present in person.
Here at Outpost, we’ve started Altar Nights for this very reason. It’s one thing to stay in the loop about what God is doing by reading this newsletter; it’s another to participate and experience the tangible gift of God’s presence together. The HOPE conference was a great example of being together for a common purpose. Being present and engaged where we are allows us to be sent out more effectively into our places of individual assignments, callings, roles, and so on.
I invite you to come to an upcoming Altar Night. We would love to know and support you in what God is doing in your life. I believe, like the HOPE conference, God has encouragement and the infilling of His Spirit to empower you for the next leg of your race, even if it’s just the next 24 hours of life. We’re thankful for technology, but we also know the best way of relationship is being in the same room.
Hope to see you soon!
