Contact: Rick Harris, NorthRidge Church, 734-414-7777 ext 3696, rharris@NorthRidgeChurch.com
PLYMOUTH, Mich., Feb. 19 /Christian Newswire/ -- Denominational leaders, pastors, church leaders and volunteers from 3 foreign countries and 25 states gathered for the Change Without Compromise Conference. This annual conference hosted by Senior Pastor Brad Powell and NorthRidge Church at their Plymouth campus challenged churches to “take the dare” ... to change from a culture of tradition and old methodology to relevancy and speaking the language of their culture in their communities.
Powell, the plenary speaker of the conference, challenges those in attendance by stating, “The church is the hope of the world ... when it’s working right...and therein lies the problem most aren’t”. Brad uses the authority of Scripture to lay an appropriate theological foundation for change without compromise. He also draws on the dramatic transition of NorthRidge Church over the past 17 years, sharing how NorthRidge transitioned from a dying church of 1100 to an exciting ministry now serving well over 12,000 weekly. “In our journey from irrelevant to relevant; bound by tradition to freed by God’s truth; unhealthy to healthy; dying to thriving, we learned a lot...much of it the hard way. God has allowed us to experience our transition in order to provide help and hope; for Christians who know in their hearts that something is desperately wrong with their church; for pastors, leaders and churches wanting to fulfill God’s purpose in the world again; and for skeptics and seekers who, whether they know it or not, are desperately looking for God and His hope...which means they desperately need a church that’s working right.”
Conference attenders expressed that the powerful and dynamic speaking, coupled with drama, music, video and workshops were well worth the trip. One denominational leader stated: “...Let me say how much I appreciated the CWC Conference, I have heard nothing but appreciation from our group that was there. I have been to Willow, Drive, and Southeast Christian for large conferences and CWC had a distinct ‘flavor’... One of the things I really appreciated about the CWC conference was how you constantly took us to Scripture, not just as proof text but forced us to look at what the Scripture was really saying to us in our time.”
Powell’s passion for the church not only resulted in the conference (now in it’s third year) but also in a newly released book he authored, Change Your Church For Good, The Art of Sacred Cow Tipping (Thomas Nelson Publishers). Both the conference and book provide tremendous insight, help and encouragement to church leaders - whether new or existing, contemporary or traditional, growing or dying – that need to transition. For more information about Brad and the book go to BradPowellOnLine.com
Among those national church leaders that have endorsed Powell’s conference and book are Pastor Bill Hybels (Willow Creek Church) “…One of the great needs of church leaders is to learn the art of leading transition. Brad Powell and NorthRidge have taken this leadership art to a new level. I highly recommend the example of Brad and NorthRidge Church.” and Reverend Jerry Falwell (Thomas Road Baptist Church), “I don’t know another church in history that has transitioned as dramatically and successfully as NorthRidge Church under the leadership of Brad Powell.”
The next Change Without Compromise Conference will be held February 7-9, 2008. For more information go to ChangeReaction08.com.
NorthRidge Church, located on a 79-acre campus, is a non-denominational church serving Southeast Michigan. NorthRidge is one of the country’s largest churches and has been recognized as one of the "Top 50 Most Influential Churches" by The Church Report for a second consecutive year. Additional information available at NorthRidgeChurch.com.
