“The Passion” – International Worship Ministry Conference

September 24-26, 2010
Miami, Florida
www.iwmconference.com

A few years back some ministers and I we were thinking about ways to help unite our family of churches around the world.  We thought having an international gathering of song leaders would be an inspiring way to encourage the saints – it had been quite a few years since we’d had anything like that.  So we hosted a conference for worship leaders called “The Lord is My Strength and My Song” (click here to hear the theme song for the event, written by my friend Tony Martin).  It was an inspiring time, with guest speakers and singers coming together from around the country (and a few from outside the US).  Tony Martin was one of the presenters there from the Greater Baltimore church, and gratiously offered to host a similar conference the next year on the East side of the country.  That year’s theme was “Praises Heard Around the World” (and the theme song has become a favorite of the LA church and other places).  The next year we were in Chicago with the theme, “Glorious”, and last year in Rhode Island with the theme “Rejoice.”

These conferences have been an amazing time of spiritual renewal and friendship connection between brothers and sisters involved in worship ministry. Classes, speeches, and extended times of worship have equipped us with inspiration, ministry tools, and new songs to take back to our home congregations.

This year we join the ILC (International Leadership Conference for the ICOC churches), and we’ll have our conferences run side-by-side.  The partnership between the leaders of our churches and those involved in worship ministry is both valuable and vital.

The ILC has chosen the exciting and compelling theme “The Mission” for their conference. We thought it appropriate that our theme be “The Passion.” As we continue to go forth into all nations bringing the good news of Jesus Christ to every tribe and language, it is our passion for God that will drive us on. It is our worship of Him, our relationship with Him, our connection to Him and our gratitude for all He has done that will fuel our mission to change the world. Where God’s people have ventured forth on conquest, singing has always accompanied them. As one of our favorite songs says it,

Righteous singing scares the devil,
So let’s shout our anthems loud!
A soldiers’ choir in holy concert,
Voices lifted, faces bowed.

We invite all those involved in leading worship in our family of  churches — worship directors, song leaders, part-singers, musicians,  choirs, praise teams, dancers, actors, media specialists, and audio  technologists — to join us for this year’s International Worship  Ministry Conference, THE PASSION.

Hope to see you in Miami!

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