NEXT

Trey Burdette, who is the associate pastor at Ferguson Avenue Baptist Church in Savannah, GA, had a great idea. After taking five people from his church to Na08 last year, he was excited to promote Next this year and give more people in his church the opportunity to be blessed by Next as has been his experience at New Attitude.

Trey believes this is important enough for his church’s singles and young married couples that he’s offering scholarships, but he’s making them work for it. In order to receive a Next scholarship at Ferguson Avenue Baptist Church, you must read two books: The Cross of Christ by John Stott and either Letters Along the Way by D.A. Carson & John Woodbridge or Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney. Then you have to meet with Trey to discuss the reading, where he will ask questions and answer questions. Trey says that this discussion will “specifically deal with issues of how theology brings about doxology as well as points of application for their life and how each of these books contributes to our understanding of the Totality of Jesus (Humanity, Divinity, Preeminence, Incarnation, etc.).” Three people in Trey’s church have already committed to this challenge, and more are seriously considering.

What an excellent way not only to bless these people with scholarships to the conference, but to do so in way that prepares their hearts and their minds for the topic at hand! Thank you, Trey, for your example of caring for your church in this way. Anyone other pastors or ministry leaders out there want to give this a try?