J.R. Briggs
Attempting to behold the miracle long enough without falling asleep
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EPIC FAIL Pastors’ Conference: an event for Christian failures
Back in August I wrote a post on the blog called EPIC FAIL Pastors’ Conference. It was an idea (mostly theoretical) that had been stirring in me for a while that I finally found some time (and words) to tell about it.
I was blown away.
Thousands of hits.
Hundreds of emails, phone calls and text messages.
Dozens of comments.
I hadn’t posted anything that came close to the amount of traffic that I’ve gotten to this particular post.
What I found out is this: We had struck a nerve among North American pastors (and even pastors outside the US). Pastors need spaces to talk about their failures, their identity and their mistakes – and yet there is little opportunity given or allowed.
As the responses from pastors and Christian leaders were pouring in – and numerous people said they would do what it takes to make this happen – we wondered if this thing might actually have some teeth to it – if we might actually be able to pull something like this off. Could we have enough courage to actually do something that hadn’t been done before – something counter-intuitive from other conferences we’ve attended?
And so. We decided to go for it.
The EPIC FAIL Pastors’ Conference will be held April 14-16, 2011 in Lansdale, PA (Greater Philadelphia Area).
The cost is $79.
No glossy fliers.
No big marketing budget.
No rental of a large arena – just a gritty bar that used to be a church (but failed).Just purposeful space to tell stories, reflect, pray (a lot), eat meals slowly, connect with other pastors (and former pastors), listen to others and take communion. The goal isn’t to host a conference to celebrate ‘success’ – and we aren’t looking to host a conference that celebrates failure either. Our goal is to celebrate faithfulness in ministry, regardless of what the outcome looks like. We’ll have experts on failure telling stories of their own mistakes, sin, gaffes and screw-ups – and they’ll share how God showed up despite the failure. And space to process our own stories and how the gospel intersects at our brokenness.
We anticipate it being hopeful. Rich. Meaningful. Significant.
We desire for the tone of the event to raw and hopeful. Scot McKnight encouraged me to keep this passage from 2 Corinthians 4 as the foundation of the event:
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
And a few verses later:
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
And as of this morning, the website is up: www.EpicFailPastorsConference.com Check it out – and read the vision and the purpose of why we’re hosting such an outlandish event at this location.Am I involved in some sort of shameless promotion of this conference we’re hosting? Of course I am.
Why? Because I’m convinced that so many pastors wrestle with this idea of failure constantly – and nobody is actually talking about it.
And so, a team of us wanted to change that.
Pastors: I want you here. You belong here. Come spend some meaningful time with us for a few days in April. It might be the most spiritually significant conference you’ll ever attend.
Pastor A David Griffin said...
1I am refreshed by this blessed idea. I hope to attend.
02/3/11 10:17 AM | Comment Link
Jeremy Myers said...
2I like the idea, but once you have it, you cannot invite any of these speakers back, because once they speak at a conference, they will be successful “conference speakers.” Some of them will probably write books off of it, and get asked to speak in other churches, and…voila!…success!
02/3/11 5:19 PM | Comment Link
Tweets that mention J.R. Briggs » EPIC FAIL Pastors’ Conference: an event for Christian failures » Attempting to behold the miracle long enough without falling asleep -- Topsy.com said...
3[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by edcyzewski and Daniel Kirk, You Post. You Post said: EPIC FAIL Pastors' Conference: an event for Christian failures http://ow.ly/1b9iqB [...]
02/3/11 6:25 PM | Comment Link
Dream Awakener » Epic Fail Pastor’s Conference -An Honest Conference said...
4[...] friend J.R. Briggs, who lives in the suburbs of Philly had wrote a blog post about an idea that had been brewing [...]
02/5/11 1:00 AM | Comment Link
Epic Fail Pastors Conference | Creation/Community/Commission said...
5[...] this conference. If you want some more of the background, check out J.R.’s blog post here. I have a hunch this will be well worth attending. This entry was posted in Uncategorized. [...]
02/5/11 8:47 AM | Comment Link
No one has a conference like this… | Jesus Creed said...
6[...] Uncategorized — scotmcknight @ 10:36 amShare… but we need it.It’s called the Epic Fail Pastor’s Conference. It’s for failures.Back in August I wrote a post on the blog called EPIC FAIL Pastors’ [...]
02/5/11 11:38 AM | Comment Link
Phil Nellis said...
7This warms my weary pastor heart. Thanks for your imagination and courage to host an event like this.
- Phil Nellis (Pastor @ Wits’ End Church, Seattle)
02/6/11 4:47 PM | Comment Link
J.R. Briggs said...
8Phil: glad it was encouraging. Any chance you are able to join us for the event? We’d love to have you (and I love the name of your church – even more reason to join us!)
02/6/11 4:50 PM | Comment Link
James Paul said...
9Pastors will come, J.R. They’ll come to Pennsylvania for reasons they can’t even fathom. They’ll pile into full size passenger vans, not knowing for sure why. They’ll arrive in Philly as innocent as children, longing for catharsis. “Of course, we won’t mind if you have a look around,” you’ll say. “It’s only $79 dollars per person.” They’ll pass over the money without even thinking about it; for it is money they have and epic stories of failure they lack.
And they’ll walk upstairs into the fellowship hall on a perfect Thursday afternoon in April. They’ll find Jesus has reserved seats for them. And they’ll listen to the stories, and it’ll be as if they’d dipped themselves in magic waters. Memories evoked will be so thick, they’ll have to brush them away from their faces.
The one constant through all the years, J.R., has been faithfulness. The church has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It’s been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased again. But faithfulness has marked the time.
Within Lansdale, PA is a bar called “Third & Walnut Bar and Grille”. This bar, this grille, is a part of our past, J.R. It reminds us of all that once was good, and it could be again. Ohhhhhhhh, pastors will come, J.R. Pastors will most definitely come.
02/7/11 2:24 PM | Comment Link
Epic Fail Pastor's Conference - churchthought.com churchthought.com said...
10[...] Note: This is a repost from J.R. Brigg’s blog about an upcoming conference that I am pretty excited about. No numbers talk, no grand new idea [...]
02/10/11 3:49 AM | Comment Link
A. Amos Love said...
11Really a great idea…
Yes – Admitting we are failures – and turning to Jesus is freeing.
Apart from Jesus we can do nothing.
I think one of the major failures I had to admit was…
I really didn’t study the scriptures when I desired to be a “Pastor/Leader.”
It wasn’t until I was ordained, and had my papers, did I discover
The “Title” and “Position” of “Pastor/Leader” is NOT in the Bible.
In the Bible…
I found NO one “called” – “Pastor/Leader/Reverend.”
I found NO one with the “Title”- “Pastor/Leader/Reverend.”
I found NO one “ordained” – “Pastor/Leader/Reverend.”
I found NO congregations “Led” by a “Pastor/Leader/Reverend.”
I found NO “Pastor/Reverend” being hired, or fired, by congregations.
When you believe the lie you start to die…
It took four or five years but eventually had to rip up those papers.
My choice was – either I go along with the crowd and NOT make waves…
Or – become a “Disciple of Christ” learning from Jesus,
being a “Servant of Christ” and NOT a “Leader,” being “His sheep,”
hearing “His Voice,” and following Jesus.
What is popular is not always “Truth.”
What is “Truth” is not always popular.
And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold:
them also I must bring, and they shall “hear My voice;”
and there shall be “ONE” fold, and “ONE” shepherd.
John 10:16
One Fold – One Shepherd – One Voice.
{{{{{{ Jesus ))))))
02/13/11 11:11 AM | Comment Link
Ron Benson said...
12J.R. – You asked tonight why we were here and what we expected. Here’s a little of why I came: http://graceclinic.blogspot.com/2011/03/because-youll-want-to-know.html
My expectations can be summed up with these questions:
- Why do we have to come here (or places like here) to find a safe place?
- Is sharing failure ever a bad idea?
- Why do I feel that it’s only other pastors who get me?
- Is my attendance here a form of whining?
- Now that we’re out of the closet with the whole failure thing, will we ever be the same?
- What happens when I get back?
Can’t say how much I appreciate your listening to God to do this. Thanks.
04/14/11 10:37 PM | Comment Link