Creative Church Conference Kicks Off with Thousands

By Eric Young, Christian Post Reporter Thursday, February 19, 2009

Thousands of church leaders from all backgrounds and experiences are gathering in Grapevine, Texas, this week to find creative ways to implement God's vision in their churches.

Since 1997, the Creative Church Conference (C3) has provided raw, real-life answers to questions that most church leaders have but are often afraid to address.

"What are the characteristics of a leader?" "How do I keep negative people from taking over God's vision?" "What about money? Should I talk about it?" – these were some of the questions that megachurch pastor Ed Young frequently encountered when he began dialoguing with other church leaders en route to building his 20,000-member church.

And it was after discovering that the same questions were being asked that Young realized a forum was needed where leaders could find answers.

So for the past decade, Young has been gathering church leaders from around the United States and across the world to "come together and discover the awesome power of the local church."

This week, C3 organizers say the conference will unpack a whole new dimension of ideas from speakers and leaders on the cutting edge of creativity and excellence, including megachurch pastors Jentezen Franklin of Free Chapel in Gainesville, Ga., Craig Groeschel of LifeChurch.tv , and Bishop T.D. Jakes of the The Potter's House in Dallas.

The Creative Church Conference 2009 kicked off Wednesday night and is set to conclude on Friday. The event also features "C3 nights" where worship and teaching is open to the public free of charge. Throughout the event, Young will be updating his blog and Twitter with quotes, one-liners and a few pictures from back stage and everywhere else he goes.

"People leave with a renewed perspective of God's purpose for their ministry, motivated and better equipped to lead their churches in today's challenging environment," C3 promoters say.

"Now is the time to reach today's out-of-control generation with the ultimate message of hope," they add. "This is a conference you cannot afford to miss."