The time is here. Tomorrow night Kristy, Kenadie, and I will be headed toward Sevierville, TN for our annual trek to Polishing the Pulpit (PTP). If you are not at all familiar with PTP, it is a weeklong workshop conducted by members of the church of Christ that utilizes a balanced approach of providing sound Biblical teaching along with practical everyday advice for church work and personal improvement. While there are many similar events I try to take advantage of each year, PTP is a “can’t miss” event.
But maybe you’ve never been and are on that last minute rope of whether you want to take the leap or not. Let me offer a few reasons why attending PTP will be one of the best decisions you choose to make this year:
- “Refresh, Renew, Recharge” – this is not only their motto, but it is practically a guarantee. Through a year of intensified work it is easy for any Christian to become tired. Not fed up, but worn out. Serving God requires that we give. So it is not uncommon for Christians to constantly be in a state of giving. Particularly those who preach or teach on a regular basis. They may rarely find themselves in a position where they can take the spiritual nutrition that they need. PTP is an opportunity for those who are always spiritually giving to be able to take what they need to go back home and start giving again.
- With a choice of at least ten classes every hour, PTP offers over 700 hours of total instruction from some of the most capable speakers in our brotherhood. There is no other program designed to cover such an extensive amount of material as is PTP and I can almost guarantee that whatever personal needs you might have will be met in some form or fashion.
- Where else can you go here the caliber of speakers PTP consistently schedules and hear them each multiple times? Most programs that I get to go to in the course of the year have great speakers but you’re limited to hearing them just once. However, at Polishing the Pulpit you have great male speakers like B.J. Clarke, Cliff Goodwin, Dan Winkler, David Shannon, Glenn Colley, Michael Shepherd, Neal Pollard, Robert R. Taylor, Jr, Tom Holland, Wade Webster, and many, many more who all speak multiple times (sometimes in excess of ten times apiece). And the ladies’ are not an exception to that either. Some of the most capable women’s speakers in our brotherhood each speak to the ladies multiple times as well. To those who love great Bible teaching and preaching Polishing the Pulpit is a virtual smorgasbord.
- There is something for everyone regardless of position or age. One of the unique features of PTP is the track offerings. Instead of generic lessons, each hour has special classes geared toward different people. There are ongoing sessions for preachers, elders, deacons, women, small churches, teens, members, etc. Additionally there are special classes through the week on parenting, how to be a better Bible teacher, homeschooling, physical health, marriage, Hebrew and Greek, etc. Add to that classes for all children even down to the age of two and nobody is left behind.
- The fellowship. This year the organizers are expecting in excess of 3,000 people to converge on Sevierville for this great event. And while I know that numbers are not everything, the sheer magnitude of PTP is enough to encourage you. New friends are made and old friendships are rekindled during the week as you have the opportunity to meet and great, share a meal, or just talk in the hallway between sessions. Polishing the Pulpit offers a small glimpse of the great reunion that awaits the saints of God eternally.
- The exhibit area contains mountains of books and other great resources to help you in your study and work. Granted this is one area where I am extremely biased (as a lover of books), but even if books aren’t your thing the exhibit hall will have something that will not only peek your interest and but also your spirituality.
- Every year the organizers offer a stay-to-the-end gift, which has often varied. I remember receiving books, CDs, DVDs, and last year even a T-shirt. All of them have been valuable for one reason or the other. But this year’s will surpass them all. At the end of the event every participant who has stayed till the end of the week will receive a USB flash drive of every lesson deliver for their specific gender (women will receive all of the ladies’ sessions and men will receive all of the men’s sessions). This is huge because while you have the opportunity to hear over forty lessons in person that means that there are many dozens more you just don’t have the opportunity to sit in on. With the stay to the end gift this year you will have access to every lesson delivered. That is worth its weight in gold!
I would imagine if I had time there are many other reasons I could give to encourage you to stop second guessing and start packing right now for PTP 2013. Kristy and I did that six years ago and each year since has been a blessing beyond words.
-Andy Brewer