This summer was stretching in so many ways; it’s taken a few posts to cover it all.

For me (Karl), this was the first time leading the Tech Team. We were a team of 7 staff and students who served the rest of the Conference Team and the people who were attending training courses and conferences.

We struggled with some frustrating problems that had never plagued us before: strange Internet slowness and printer problems were at the top of the list. It was stretching for me to delegate tasks to people when I was tempted to try to do the work myself. I still have a lot to learn about being a team leader!

I’m so thankful for my team: Suzanne, Chris, Jeff, Mike, Chris (also called Peter) and Terin. They were a joy to serve with, and we heard that it was a very friendly and helpful tech team (Suzanne probably deserves much of the credit for that).

Thank you so much for praying for our team – we needed it! It is easy to get buried in the tasks and forget that this is a ministry: we are serving so that God’s people are prepared and refreshed to go and serve more effectively.

One of the highlights of our time in Colorado was the incredible speakers that ministered to us during the US Staff Conference. God was definitely at work through the planning team and the speakers.

The first two mornings we got to hear from Francis Chan, who warned us not to listen to people so much. We need to listen to God and His Word. Are we concerned about our reputations with man, or with God? If someone asked my coworkers and friends about my character, and then was able to ask God about my character, would the two line up? Am I going through the motions without really loving God and His Word more than anything else?

Dr. David Platt brought the closing message from Isaiah 6: 1-8. Even though this is a very familiar passage, Dr. Platt’s message was challenging. We have an incomprehensibly great God who has the nations in his hand. We are a sinfully depraved people. We have a scandalously merciful Savior. And that leads us to an indescribably urgent mission – we need to trust Him with everything and not hold back! It was a great way to close the conference and send us back home with renewed purpose.

Thank you for being a part of the team that keeps us going!