David Strope, Council of Eighteen chairman, called to order the 2019 business meeting. After a full year of service, Mike Hess began his first annual report as national representative, informing the messengers about what has taken place in the association ...more

“Last evening, we looked at the purpose of worship,” Mark Vroegop said as he kicked off Thursday morning’s first general session. “This morning, I want to talk about this matter of singing.” Corporate singing is, of course, the most controversial element ...more

Students met Wednesday morning to play games, wake up, and prepare for the first of three services at the Students Alive! Conference held at Soteria Church in Des Moines. Dan Best from Appalachian Bible College began the day speaking on “Worship ...more

“Worship is really, really important,” Mark Vroegop, lead pastor of College Park Church in Indianapolis, Indiana and this year’s keynote speaker, stated emphatically in his Wednesday evening session. Making his first contribution to this year’s discussion about worship, he proceeded ...more

Scott Polling, pastor of Harvest New Beginnings in Oswego, Illinois, led a training module Wednesday on the burdens and blessings of ministering in a larger church context. Kicking off the discussion, Poling addressed some of the burdens that a large ...more

Dan Parker, associate pastor of worship and music at First Baptist Church, Elyria, Ohio, led a module Wednesday on the art and science of putting together a worship service. “We are going to look at planning a service and the ...more

Diane Scallon, pastor’s wife of Grace Baptist Church, Laurel, Maryland, spoke on building relationships with God and others, during the Wednesday afternoon module for women. Building on John 15:1–8, Scallon shared the acronym ABIDE: “Abounding Belief in Jesus Influences Deeper ...more