I am SUPER excited to announce our very first guest speaker at The Gateway Church. On Sunday night October 11th we will be welcoming New York Times best-selling author Donald Miller to Des Moines! Don is in the middle of his 'Million Miles' tour and will be speaking that night, along with Susan Isaacs, in our space at the beautiful Temple for Performing Arts downtown Des Moines.
Its fitting that Don is our first guest speaker. About six years ago I arrived at a crossroads in my life. I knew I was called to full-time ministry, but I hated so many things about the church. Honestly, I felt like I would probably end up taking the first ministry position that came my way, stick it out for a couple of years, then burn out and leave the church. I just didn’t see how I could be myself and work in the church.
I went on a spiritual retreat and asked God, “Why does following you mean conforming to a set of rules and regulations that feel so empty?”
I brought Blue Like Jazz with me on the retreat. It’s the only book I brought besides the Bible. On Saturday morning I picked up the book and I didn’t put it down again until I finished it on Saturday evening. I set the book down and I got on my knees and started crying. I thanked God for giving me this book. For the first time in my life I realized that being a Christian didn’t just mean fulfilling a list of church requirements. It was more like starting a journey with Christ, learning to walk in step with the Holy Spirit, and allowing God to use every experience in life to transform me into the person he created me to be.
I've only met Don once (and I don't think he would remember me) but I am really excited to hear him speak at The Gateway Church.
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