Four Ways To Fan The Conference Flame

If you’ve been to a conference of any kind, then you have most likely experienced the “conference flame.” You’re heading home with 28 pages of notes, feeling a fire for the things of God. Fire you haven't felt since the …well…last conference. So how do you fan the conference flame post-event? Here are four things that will help:

 

Take What You Learned Before God

 

It’s easy to attend conference after conference, learning new things each time, and taking it for granted because that’s how it’s always been. But each truth that hits your heart is a gift from God.  In His grace, He reveals truths that can change the trajectory of your life. We should take time to process, and thank Him by bringing these truths back to Him in prayer.

 

Humble yourself by speaking these truths to the One who gave them to you. Then ask Him what He would have you learn and change in light of these truths. These steps will allow you to dive deeper into the truths you have recently experienced.

 

Make Your Ebenezer

 

In 1 Samuel 7, God provides the Israelites with victory over the Philistines. Israel’s leader, Samuel, commemorates the divine success by setting up a stone and naming it “Ebenezer,” which means “stone of help.” From then on, the Israelites had a tangible reminder of God’s provision and protection. In the same way, we should set up ebenezers in our lives.

 

This is as simple as taking the key insights from your notes and putting them in a form that is easy to recall. Maybe you transfer them to a journal that you look through when you wake up every morning. Maybe you turn your few favorite quotes into your phone’s wallpaper. No matter the method you use, the key is to find a practical way to remember the faithfulness of God in your life.

 

Have Conversations With Your Team

 

A significant aspect of conferences is the togetherness. And this togetherness should not be suffocated after the event; it should be strengthened. Your key insights should be processed on your own, but it is also essential to voice them through conversations with your team. This cultivates a community of accountability, which allows you to see words turn into actions.

 

If you keep a good thought to yourself, then it will just remain a thought. You need conversations for the sake of seeing your ideas come true. Here are a few helpful questions when having post-conference discussions:

 

What made you most excited?

In what ways were you challenged?

What is a vision that was sparked during the event?

What is your next step of action?

 

Practice Small Changes

 

After a high-energy event, we can be prone to allow an emotional experience inspire us towards drastic changes in our life and work. Some instances this may be necessary, but most of the time, we need to focus on making a few, small changes. Small changes are much more doable, measurable, and likely to turn into a life-changing habit. Sparks of drastic change are often birthed in an unsustainable environment. Sure, it's easy to love God and feel disciplined when you're being poured into by dynamic speakers and worship leaders, but what about a month removed from that environment when you’re sitting at your desk looking at a mundane to-do list?

 

The ideas for drastic changes are now distant and daunting because tackling the whole thing at once is not realistic. Make a few, small changes that will eventually lead to radical life transformation. For instance, if you are consistently burnt out and want to have more energy, then you probably don't need to take a month-long vacation. You need to make a SMART goal (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-based). Here are a few examples of SMART goals:

 

For having a more restful life: I’m going to develop a more restful lifestyle by going to bed before 10:30 pm Sunday-Thursday for a month.

 

For reading more: I’m going to read twelve books by the end of the year by reading 1 chapter every morning as I eat breakfast.

 

For developing friendships: I’m going to be more intentional with my friendships by meeting with two friends for dinner every week for six months.

 

It may not be realistic to feel the "conference flame" for a lifetime, but it is sensible to fan the flame into life-changing practices. So as you head home from another incredible conference be sure to take what you learned before God, make your Ebenezer, have conversations with your team, and practice small changes.

 

In your corner,

 

The Catalyst Team