"Feed My Sheep" Conference Schedule

8:00 Registration/Breakfast

9:00 Welcome and singing

Good morning, brothers and sisters. Welcome to Feed My Sheep.

I started doing these conferences in 2021 because of our connection with The Pillar Network. I’ll just quickly say that if you’re here, and you’re pastoring a Southern Baptist church, you should at the very least look into this Network. New City Church has been a part of this network since 2020, and it’s been a great blessing. Scan the QR code on the screen and set a reminder to look at it today on one of your breaks, and I can also talk to you about it. Just come find me.

We have a great list of sponsors who have donated financially or with resources to make this conference even better. 9Marks is one of those, and in addition to sending us some books to give away, they’ve provided a 35% discount code just for Feed My Sheep conference attendees. Be sure to take advantage of that.

We have 2 seminaries with us today. Jim Culbertson is here with us again from New England Bible college. He’s been a faithful attender of this event, and wants to support the work of pastors and aspiring pastors, so be sure to see him at his table. You’ll hear from him a bit later today.

And we also have for the first time South Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary. You will hear a word from them later, but be sure to meet them and you can ask them about the programs they might be offering that would fit your life and ministry.

Safe Families For Children has a couple reps here today. Raise your hand if you, or your church is currently NOT partnered with Safe Families. Ok, please see them at their table today, and listen up when they share during one of the breaks. They are doing important Kingdom work, helping to mobilize Christians in the local church to keep families that are in crisis, together.

The Isaac Case Coalition is a local coalition of pastors. Isaac Case was a pastor and church planter here in Maine in the late 1700’s, and is responsible, along with Jonathan Fisher, Daniel Merrill, and others, for the birth of many of the Baptist Associations in this state, as well as some, now liberal institutions that once existed for the glory of God. Case’s example inspires hope that when likeminded pastor’s partner together in intentional ways, pastors and churches are healthier, and the Kingdom of God advances. The Isaac Case Coalition is not a network of churches, but a fellowship of pastors. If you are already part of a meaningful fellowship like this, praise God. If you’re not, I want to help you join one, or start one. The Kingdom Minded Pastor is a small and practical book I wrote for this very reason, and it’s free for all of you today, so please grab a copy over at the book table if you do not already have it.

We are going to sing today, and connect, and hear the preaching of the Word - and I trust it will be a blessing to all of you. Join me in prayer and we will sing before our first session.

9:15 Session 1 Jonathan Leeman: Authority, A Good and Dangerous Gift

10:00 Coffee break

We’re going to take a quick break and then come right back for session 2. Keep your questions in mind from that first session, as well as for the next one, and you’ll have an opportunity to ask those before lunch.

Try to be back in your seats at 10:15 for a couple more songs.

10:15 Singing

10:30 Session 2 Jonathan Leeman: What Authority Does an Elder Have?

11:15 Q&A

11:45 Lunch

12:45 Hear from sponsors, giveaways

1. Jim Culbertson with New England Bible College

2. Jeremy Smith with Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

3. Alana Espeaignette from Safe Families

1:00 Singing

1:15 Session 3 Joel Littlefield: God’s Good Authority in the Life of a Pastor

2:00 Coffee Break

2:15 Session 4 Sean DeMars: Authority and Weakness

3:00 Q&A

3:15 Final charge and closing songs

Before I share a final charge with you all, I want to exhort the women who are here with your husbands. You may or may not be heavily involved in ministries in your local church. The degree to which you lead a women’s ministry, or some other program, is not the measure of your value and worth. Jesus, His righteousness, and what he declares over you because of the Gospel alone is the measure of your worth, so rest in Him. Remembering this can go a long way in protecting your heart from bitterness when things happen in the church, or when you hear about something happening to your husband. Keep supporting him in his obedience to Christ, and help him by praying for him, and being a worshipper of God before all else. Keep denying yourself, picking up your cross, and following after Jesus. You are a daughter of God, and God sees you, hears you, and knows the challenges you face.

Remember Paul’s words in Titus in 2:3-5. “be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled

Brother/pastors…we are in positions of authority. Husbands, you have an authority from God. The Church has been given authority. Consider the communities you will return to after this conference. Some are small towns, and others much larger cities. What authority has been wielded there in an abusive way, and it’s ruining society. Our prayer is that what you have heard here today will

4:00 Depart