Because Of The Times 2019
Because of the Times is an United Pentecostal Church International conference geared towards men + women in ministerial positions. Senior pastors (or bishops), pastors, associate pastors, assistant pastors, youth pastors, evangelists, missionaries (including AIM-ers, missionary evangelists, global missions veterans) UPCI World Headquarters employees, Christian school principals/administrators, Bible College principals/administrators, Bible College students, Bible College alumni, and ministers of music are all extended the invitation to participate. This conference is held annually in Alexandria, Lousisana, and The Pentecostals of Alexandria church hosts it. This event has been going on for thirty-six consecutive years, and my mother has been a participant for twenty- four of those years!
To make a very long story short, My mother and I planned to attend together this year, the plans changed, and we were no longer able to go. The YOLO queen of my life Cynthia Lizeth Ticas found a couple who were selling their tickets because they were not able to attend this year. We made an extremely spontaneous trip- I'm talking snagged the tickets on Monday, hotel reservations on Tuesday, driving out of town that same night! Cynthia made it happen. It all came together so quickly; I'm so glad I was able to go!
Louisiana Food:
Ok, this is 100% my fault for assuming the sushi would be delicious in the Cajun country. Cynthia and I went to a Chinese restaurant in the bellybutton of LA, because it was recommended by a special friend. It's still so hilarious to me; I can bring myself to tears laughing about it all over again. I ordered a Spicy Salmon sushi roll, and the most precious waitress brings me a regular everyday salmon roll with Tony Chachere's seasoning on it. -Here we go, I'm crying with laughter all over again! We really should have just kept in Cajun, I know that food would have been scrumptious, but in good company everything is alright!
This picture will crack me up every single time I look at it!
The BOTT Atmosphere:
Due to the fact that this conference is so heavily geared toward ministry, it was incredibly refreshing to be spiritually fed. The mindset of church staff members and more specifically pastors is to make sure the church body receives what they need every time they walk through the church building doors. So to go to a conference where everything is taken care of for you, and to be in an atmosphere where you don't have to worry about anything but yourself is a sigh of relief. (I mean I'm no pastor, but I'm assuming this is one of their favorite times of the year, to recharge, and go home with a fresh vision for the congregation they lead.) Another bonus about the atmosphere was that I had tons of friends and fellow Bible College alumni sprinkled throughout this conference! It was so good to reconnect and laugh at old stories until we cried.
#TBCthen
What I learned:
There was so much I gleaned from this conference, I don't have the room to type it all here! Incredible praise + worship, convicting services and, eye-opening forums. Each speaker undoubtedly heard from the Lord. All of the services had the same connecting undertone with different variations of their message. That's how you know it was a God-thing. When everything perfectly falls into place, doors open, and the Word flows in harmony. Because of the Times, 2019 was absolutely incredible; the services are available for purchase through the White Steeple Bookstore located at the POA church. I will put a link here + you can call and order over the phone for those sermons.
