The Next Step Summit was a success in many ways. Would I do it again? Absolutely! We got terrific feedback and received encouraging endorsements. Still, I’d want to see it improve, so here are some of my top lessons learned.
God’s church is strong
We had a diverse, eclectic mix of speakers with different styles, stories, and viewpoints yet one consistent commitment: Jesus is our savior and worthy to follow.
God’s people are servants
Our speaker team received $0 for speaking. They caught the vision for what the summit sought to accomplish and wanted to support it. They delivered fantastic content with joy and generous spirits. I am so grateful for them. Please support them through prayer and purchasing their books and other resources.
Our attendees were phenomenal — that’s you! We had 500+ registrations, 300+ attendees, and all were gracious, patient, and encouraging. Thank you for your desire to focus on the one thing that matters most: following Jesus. And thank you for your encouragement along the way with a brand-new venture.
Teammates are essential
I had an All-Star cast help me, and I needed every one of them. It’s fun to do things together, and when you trust others to use their gifts—and not micro-manage them—great things can happen, and fun stories are collected!
You never have enough teammates
I could have used more help in promoting the event and funding the event. We did not get the number of sponsors we anticipated, so my wife and I ended up funding much of it. We are okay with that because we invested in God’s kingdom, but it’s not a sustainable business model. It was tough raising money for a new event in a COVID season, but I hope to have more people to contact sponsors and promote the event next time.
Technology is tough
We got mixed reviews using Facebook. Some were either turned off by our choice to use that platform, and others had difficulty finding the event. But Facebook is affordable (free) and provides an easy way to communicate with one another. Next time I’ll have some of my new teammates record a “how to access the Summit” tutorial video, or they can help me find an alternative platform.
Making disciples is THE goal
Everyone is in a different place in their faith formation, and that’s allowed. We don’t want to force people to do things they are not ready to do. But every level needs a clear next step so that people know the goal is to make disciples. A new believer’s next step will be significantly different than a seasoned believer’s, but the goal is always the same: Make Disciples.
The church is God’s “Plan A” to reach the world for Christ
And that includes you. As Summit speaker Nicole Unice said, “You are God’s ‘Plan A.’ You don’t have to think that it’s a good plan to still be the plan. You are God’s ‘Plan A.’” I look forward to seeing what God will do with you…me…us.
Are you interested in helping with Next Year’s Summit as a volunteer? Click here to email me.
Keep following Jesus and take your Next Step of faith today. If you attended this year’s Summit, leave any comments or highlights below.