NEXT

Have you ever looked under the hood of your car? Maybe to fill the windshield wiper fluid or check the oil level (after searching for the little handle for 15 mins) or maybe just out of obligation after hearing a strange sound (vainly hoping that in staring at things, divine illumination will come and God will speak from heaven, “it is your water pump”). Regardless of when you look under that car hood, we probably all experience the same realization “I have no idea what 90% of these things do” yet we all know that each small part, little hose, little screw plays a vital if not essential roll in making the car function and get us places. And NEXT is no different.

Under the “Hood” of NEXT and behind scenes, there is an army of servants and volunteers that have been working countless hours, offering many prayers, printing every name tag, organizing books to be sold, making really cool banners, you name it someone has been doing it. There is a ton that goes on under the hood to make a conference like NEXT run and not break down on the side of the road. If we were able to see the list of things to do and how many balls that the NEXT team is juggling, I think we would all be amazed.

So when you arrive at NEXT, get through registration, and are greeted by many cheerful people, thank them. We you walk through the bookstore and enjoy cool displays, thank those who work at the bookstore. When you arrive at a main session, the videos are playing, the sound is cranking, the lights are awesome, thank those working on Tech. When you are sitting listening to awesome life changing sermons, think about all that has gone into preparing that sermon and thank them. When you are at your Community Group and Family Groups and are connecting with people around the word of God, thank those leading. When you stop by the help desk because you have lost that little NEXT booklet for the 5th time, think about the hours of research and design that has gone into that booklet and thank them.

In fact whenever we bump into someone serving on the NEXT team lets make sure they are aware of how we are grateful for them. You may not understand anything under the hood of your car, but you can be thankful that every piece there. Lets be equally grateful both in words and in prayers for those serving behind the scenes at NEXT 2010. We are going to encounter God because in part they are there making things run!
So to help you in your prayers, here is a short list folks that are leading various aspects of NEXT. Lets all find some time over the next month to prayer for them by name, I know they would all be so grateful for all your prayers

• Josh Harris – Leading Conference
• Grant Layman – Co-leading conference with Josh
• Paul Medler – Conference Director
• Jo Medler – Registration
• Mindy Hooper – Bookstore
• Darryl Wenger - Technical Director (Sessions)
• Latricia Reichman – Session Director
• Isaac Hydoski – Community Groups