I’m a pastor’s kid, something that is surprisingly common on Cedarville’s campus. It comes with its own challenges and rewards, but that’s a topic for a different post. My dad, Ted Jones, has been a pastor for 21 years now, starting just eight months after I was born! He was a youth and music pastor as Mottville Bible Church (in middle-of-nowhere, Michigan) for 16 years and now has been the pastor of music and family ministries at Jamestown Baptist Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for almost six years.
I bring this up because Cedarville recently held a two-day 9marks pastors conference, and my dad was able to attend! It focused on discipleship in the church, why it’s important, and how the church might go about performing it.
Because of this conference, I was able to visit with my dad for a bit, which is always a treat (and it means I got a few free dinners, heh). We grabbed lunch, dinner, and even got breakfast twice with my brother Christian, who’s also a Cedarville student. He also joined me for chapel, which he enjoyed greatly. I haven’t gotten to see him since the start of the semester, so it was a great opportunity to spend some time with him.
My dad has been one of the biggest influences on me throughout my life, both from the positions of my dad and as my youth pastor all the way throughout middle and high school. He has been a strong spiritual leader and somebody to look up to in regard to biblical manhood and integrity. I am really lucky to have him as my dad, and I thank God for him often.
He said he was really glad to be able to come to the conference, both for the opportunities and teaching that the event provided and for the opportunity to see me. He also said he plans to be back in January, for a worship conference. He was so impressed by the 9marks conference that he’s going to try to bring some students to this next conference.
Of course, I’ll be spending all of winter break at home with him, but it will be nice to see him again when he comes back soon after!
Tags: #conference, #experience, #pastor
Posted in: Church, Experience, Lifestyle, Religion