24 Leader Conference | Overcoming Isolation

OVERCOMING ISOLATION A R ECA P O F T H E 2024 LE ADE RSHIP CONFE RE NCE NASHVILLE, TN — December 9-10, 194 Free Will Baptist pastors and leaders from 26 states gathered at Sonesta Nashville Airport for the annual Free Will Baptist Leadership Conference. The two days were filled with fellowship, training, resources, new ideas, and business. Speakers and panelists tackled the theme, “Flying Solo,” identifying challenges and offering solutions related to isolation in ministry. Keynote sessions featured Gary McIntosh, writer, speaker, and professor. The author of 22 books, McIntosh has spent many years as a professor of Christian Ministry and Leadership at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, teaching pastoral theology and missiology. Gary has analyzed churches from 90-plus denominations in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Southeast Asia. A former pastor himself, Gary understands both the challenges and blessings of the pastorate. During the Monday evening opening session, McIntosh identified key challenges confronting pastors in isolated ministry and shared simple (though not easy to implement) solutions to overcome these challenges. Tuesday morning, drawing from the story of Joseph, McIntosh defined “vision” as “a picture of a desirable future.” He reminded pastors that God likely will give them a vision for their church. He offered guidelines for sharing this vision in a way that inspires and excites the congregation. “Vision is important…” he concluded. “We can