I'm in Austin for one of the pastoral highlights of my year: Team 500. This is an annual conference of Evangelical Free Pastors of churches with Sunday attendance of 500-1000. This is my 4th year attending, and we have around 25 pastors from as far away as Maine, Idaho, Colorado and California. In addition, we have 5 leaders from the EFCA National Office, including President Bill Hammel (pictured left, standing) and Alvin Sanders, who'll be speaking at LakeView in a few weeks.
I flew down with and am rooming with Roger Knowlton, senior pastor from Waupun, Wisconsin. He's the shorter-looking guy to the left in the picture on the right. I say shorter-looking since he's taller than I am, but who isn't? Roger just told me right now that he's never thought of me as short. I feel so affirmed. These pastoral conferences are very beneficial to one's self esteem. He just asked me, 'You know how to keep a turkey in suspense?' 'How?' I ask him. 'I'll tell you tomorrow!' he says. Now I feel small and insignificant again.It's not quite sunbathing weather, but it's a bit warmer than Wisconsin. This was our dinner at our host pastor's home. Beautiful view out onto this canyon below. Our family's love of Texas from our fantastic 3 1/2 years at Dallas Theological Seminary is coming back with a vengeance all of a sudden.
