Shandra’s Thoughts on CCDA

So, I’m not really sure what I expected from a Christian conference on Community Development. If I’m going to be honest, I guess I expected some watered-down, evangelistic approach to sparking an old fashioned community revival. Harsh, I know. I guess growing up in a very conservative, closed-minded small town still gets the better of me sometimes.

That description is no where near accurate in terms of my real experience. The bottom line is that this experience sparked an “old-fashioned revival” in me. I didn’t expect to feel the presence of God in worship every day or to be challenged in my faith by people I had never even heard of. I wasn’t prepared to be in a room filled with the most diverse group of professionals I have ever seen, who were all passionate about the kind of intrinsic community transformation that I have spent the last several years studying and dreaming about being a part of. This conference also provided loads of practical, relevant information so that I didn’t just sit and discuss theory, but walked away every day with tools that could be incorporated into my professional, personal and spiritual life immediately.

The message that came through the clearest to me during the 3 1/2 days of conference was that everything we do must be done in love. Real, honest love for other people and for all God’s creation must be at the core of every word, every act of service, and every attempt at positive change. Period. No excuses. It is from this life-altering love that all else flows: the ability to hear God’s lead, the desire to listen, and the passion to serve those who are hurting. Love is more than a fluffy word or an excuse but is instead what leads to grace and is how others see Christ in us.

This experience has made a lasting impact on me and attending future CCDA conferences will be a priority.

Jenny’s Thoughts on CCDA

I greatly appreciated the opportunity to attend the CCDA Conference in Cincinnati. My experience left me feeling refreshed, energized, and empowered to participate in work that upholds redemptive values. The refreshment came from our interaction with folks from across the nation participating in similar work. Having the ability to hear their stories and see their faces as they spoke with passion about their involvement in Christian Community Development. I felt energized from the encouragement I received from individuals and from the keynote speakers. Bart Campolo stuck out to me with his raw descriptions of his life as a good neighbor. It’s difficult and it’s not worth romanticizing. Being a friend, showing love, spending time with others in community is rewarding but mostly it can be draining and complicated. Even so God called us to love our neighbors and to love with His love. Energy comes from those rewarding moments and it also comes from talking with others about how to do it well, which was done at CCDA. The conference was empowering as it provided useful tools for building strong organizations, effective programs, and healthy human relations. This was done through workshops, books sold, and keynote speakers.

Sunday is one of the most segregated days of the week...These things are unacceptable and should not be tolerated by the church. I’m excited that a conversation is taking place and that small action steps are being taken.

Something significant I took away from the conference was the communication with others about racial reconciliation and intentional efforts to make effective cross cultural engagement. This is a HUGE issue often brushed aside in lieu of seemingly more important issues. This conversation is more than worth having, it’s vital. Racial reconciliation is imperative for the church to move forward well. God calls us to love others as he loved us, and this is one way we can attempt to do that. God gives us other people for a reason. In our conversations I heard resounding sounds of a willingness to move forward together. I’m excited about the tools CCDA provided for this to occur. May we not be satisfied with where we are, but have faith in taking significant steps forward.

Reprinted with permission from: www.grandrapidsdreams.org