“Do you work at this booth or are you just standing here?”

“I’d like someone to do that arrangement of hymns at my funeral.”

“Why is there an exhibitor selling candied pecans?”

“Those Westboro folks really need to get a hobby.”




“I figure if I preach so women and children can understand it, then anyone can understand it.”

“There are 7,000 people at this convention and 5,000 of them are in line at Graeter’s.”

“That’s a LOT of letters in the front of the program book.”

“Wanna go to the workshop on global poverty or should we get a snack?”


“Who were you talking to over there?” 

“No idea. But he seemed to know me.”


“Of course it’s hot—it’s NACC week.”

“I just realized my shirt is on backwards.”

“I don’t remember a traffic jam this bad since an Oak Ridge Boys and Olivia Newton John concert in the early 80s.”

“Dudley/Daryl/Greg/Dave/Phil/Jeff/Francis/Jeff’s sermon was great, wasn’t it?”


“Florida sounds fun.”

Filed under: lists, RM Tagged: Dudley Rutherford, nacc, North American Christian Convention

Well, Dudley went another (excellent) direction for the 2011 NACC, but I still like my theme.

This past year I worked through a few issues in therapy (best money I’ve ever spent), began editing a new magazine for young girls (more on this soon), made some new friends, tried ziplining, quit a few freelance jobs and picked up a few more, traveled to Chicago by myself, and even played on a kickball team (well, I got on base a few times). It’s been a great year, mostly because I tried some kind-of-scary things.

This Halloween weekend, fear not! What brave thing do you need to do between now and December 31 to make this a great year?

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It’s a safe bet I’ll never be asked to serve as NACC president, but just in case I’ve got my theme ready.


My mom teaches Human Development at CCU, and during the early childhood portion of the course she describes the “fearful, flexible, and feisty” theory, which defines three basic temperaments.

Every child fits one, and I was definitely in the fearful category. Old friends still laugh about my response to the overstimulation and forced playtime of the church nursery—I hid alone under the cribs until Brandon Abercrombie joined me there to pull my hair. I spent many mornings before kindergarten and first grade quietly crying at the breakfast table, and had a meltdown when I couldn’t write the number 2 as well as my teacher, Mrs. Pence. (My mother’s gentle yet firm response: “Jenni, Mrs. Pence is old. She’s been making 2s for a long time. You’re five.”)


And yet, as I’ve moved into adulthood, I find myself taking risks while others play it safe. I went 300 miles away to a college where I knew only one person and majored in English Lit (go ahead, you know you’re dying to say it: “How are you going to get a job with a major like that?”).

I tackled projects, like teaching myself QuarkXPress to design the NACC program book, that seem foolishly difficult in retrospect. (There is something to be said for the ignorance of youth.) I moved to California alone, then moved to Nashville alone. I helped reconfigure a company, then realized I couldn’t take another day in a cubicle and launched out as a freelance writer not knowing if it would actually allow me to pay my bills.


My fearful temperament hasn’t changed, but I’ve learned it’s okay to be afraid—what counts is how you respond.


Think about it: almost every Bible character who allowed God to use his life in a significant way did so because he obeyed in spite of fear. Abraham left everything familiar to travel to a far country, David spent years on the run from a mad king, Mary delivered a baby alone in a cave, Paul survived shipwrecks and endured prison. I’d bet my “Footprints” plaque they felt fear, but the glory—God’s glory—came from their choice to obey anyway.

So that would be my NACC theme: Fear not! The angels said it to terrified shepherds (who then obeyed by finding Jesus). “Be strong and courageous,” God told his people (who obeyed and conquered the Promised Land). “Fear the Lord your God,” he commands us, and we obey, even if it means swallowing our fear of people.

Throughout Scripture, God’s people feel fear as a noun but don’t indulge in fear as a verb, and I’d use my hypothetical presidency to remind God’s people today to follow their example. Dudley, you’re up for 2011—you can have this one if you give me a credit line in the program book.

Filed under: God, life, RM Tagged: brave, CCU, Cincinnati Christian University, Dudley Rutherford, fear, human development, nacc, North American Christian Convention, risk

The NACC is full of blessings. A squeeze on the arm from a woman who has known my mother since before I was born. The moment when, as I happened to pass the stage area, Ben asked me to talk with a woman who came forward after the service and requested prayer. Dinner with dear friends who live too many states away and the delight of getting to know their young daughters a bit more each year. (“Miss Jen, I like your necklace. Miss Jen, what’s your favorite food? Miss Jen, I like soccer and reading and singing and I can make every letter in cursive and our dog is named Vito.”)

This afternoon I experienced another blessing at the special women’s event with Carol Kent. For one thing, the 600 women gathered in the Hyatt ballroom did not come to be entertained. Although they enjoyed the food and the door prizes and the giveaways, they also worshiped, standing spontaneously at the round tables and raising their hands.

And they shed tears as Ms. Kent shared the story of her son who killed his wife’s ex in a parking lot several years ago and is now serving a life sentence in a Florida prison. Although he leads Bible studies and counseling classes among the inmates, he will never be released alive. She will never have grandchildren or a Norman Rockwell Christmas.  She’ll never even have a National Lampoon Christmas—she and her husband spend every holiday in the visitor room of the jail. She can never “fix it” and it will never be okay.


So she spoke with credibility and power to these hundreds of women, all of whom have their own scars and struggles. (In one of my favorite moments, she asked, “How many of you have had life turn out differently than you expected?” Every hand raised. “How many of you had life turn out better than you expected?” A few hands. “We’re happy for the two of you.”)

She shared simple, simple but hard, hard ways to “move beyond surviving to thriving” when life takes an unexpected turn:

–Choose life instead of emotional, physical, and spiritual death

–Choose to trust

–Choose vulnerability; don’t live in your secrets

–Choose gratitude

–Choose forgiveness

–Choose purpose

Could you choose vulnerability when the entire community is discussing your darkest moment? Could you choose gratitude when your son has been beaten by other inmates?

Carol Kent does—I suspect on a daily, if not hourly, basis—and this hard-won maturity gives her words extra impact. My lunch is eaten and I didn’t win a door prize, but these words have stayed with me. In a world where every person experiences disappointment and hurt, her example is the real blessing.

Filed under: life, people, RM Tagged: Carol Kent, nacc, North American Christian Convention

During this week of our “family reunion” at the NACC, it seems fitting to revisit the topic of family worship.

In most churches, this term—if it’s used at all—means a service, held once each month or each quarter, designed for entire families to attend together. Kids’ classes are canceled and often the service will include “kid-friendly” elements like a short devotional time (don’t call it a children’s sermon, we’re not Presbyterians), or a terrifically perky adult will lead the whole congregation in singing one of the songs used in children’s church. Hand motions may be involved.

Despite my strong opinions on bringing kids, especially squalling babies, into many intended-for-adults venues, I  like to see kids joining their parents and other adults in worship. (The babies should still go to the nursery. Seriously.) It’s great for churches to develop weekend programs where kids can learn about the Bible in age-appropriate ways, but I think it’s also important for them to observe and participate in the larger church. They need to see their parents, their friends’ parents, and total strangers praying, singing, serving communion and giving an offering.

However, I think they also need a way to participate, so I was thrilled to hear of a church that’s defining “family worship” in a broader way. During a chance discussion during a seminar last week, I met a woman named Dana whose church celebrated the 4th by not only inviting kids into the service, but onto the stage.

The praise team singers led worship flanked by their children, who stood and sang next to them. The people praying, presenting the communion thought and giving announcements were accompanied by their children. Even the preacher was joined by his kids, who shared a few minutes of the sermon. Each adult involved in the service in any way brought his or her children up front to share the experience.


I love this for so many reasons.

It teaches kids the importance of serving the church and doing so in an orderly, God-honoring way. It expands their perception of “big church” and why it matters. It respects and values their contribution. It reinforces ideas of family, both the small biological family unit and the larger extended church family. It could even spur the adults to think about the weekly service in new ways, to reconsider the why behind what happens because a curious six year old has lots of questions.

Worshiping this way takes extra planning and extra patience. It requires intentionality and thoughtful consideration of every age group. It happens because a group values the gathering more than the inconvenience.

The same is true for the NACC. Family worship isn’t always the easiest, but it’s worth it. I’m sure Dana’s service was a success and I’m looking forward to a great week in Indy…….although I hope there aren’t hand motions.

Filed under: resources, RM, the church, worship Tagged: family worship, nacc, North American Christian Convention

I’m a firm believer that it’s unfair to criticize something if you’re not willing to be part of the solution.

For instance, last Sunday the person clicking through the song lyrics and scriptures during the morning service at my church was either high, unable to read, a high schooler, or all three. Sometimes the words never appeared. Sometimes they appeared late. Sometimes we were treated to the chorus during the verses. Eventually I just sang with my eyes closed, which had the double advantage of keeping me sane AND making me seem super spiritual.

To be fair, this rarely happens, and I found out later it’s because the team recently switched systems and is still working out the bugs. But that’s my point—I found that out because I made a beeline to one of our staff people after the service and offered to help.

So, a few weeks ago I wrote a post questioning the NACC’s current mission and calling for “an overhaul of messaging methods and branding.” I can’t fix the mission part, but I already spend hours creating blogs, email updates and social media for other organizations. When Ben Cachiaras, this year’s president, asked me to do the same thing for the NACC I was more than willing.

The 2010 convention has a really strong program, but not enough people know about it. A few months of me sending emails won’t reach everyone or convince everyone, but it’s a good start at spreading the word and, yes, being constructive instead of just constructively critical. (Full disclosure: I am being paid a little bit.)

So over the next week I’ll be developing a weekly eblast that will not only promote the convention but will link to resources: articles, blogs, and videos by the 2010 main speakers and workshop presenters. We’ll also be sharing some of this info via Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. I may organize a blog tour in April.

I’m willing to help, but we need you, too. Join our Facebook page and invite your friends. Follow us on Twitter and retweet our stuff. Subscribe to the YouTube page and pass along a video you find interesting. Leave your blog URL in the comments if you’d be willing to write something about the convention on your blog this spring (I’ll even send you sample copy!). And email me (jen@seejenwrite.com) if you want to be added to the weekly email list.

The NACC still needs to address some bigger issues, in my opinion, but I’m willing to help this much, this year. Are you?

Filed under: opinions, resources, RM Tagged: Ben Cachiaras, nacc, North American Christian Convention