A REPORT ON LEADING THE WAY: LIVE
On Friday, October 1, 2021, The Moody Center held a conference for Leading the Way with Dr. Michael Youssef. It was originally planned for the year prior, but was cancelled due to Covid-19 concerns. Every other event was cancelled and postponed that year, including the Songtime Definitions Conference and a Harvest Rally with Greg Laurie. This would be the first major event in New England in almost two years.
The conference was put on by the Cecil B. Day Foundation, a ministry that has been operating behind the scenes for several decades, encouraging and fostering a spirit of evangelism and discipleship among the churches in New England.
A History of Revival
The Moody Center was the ideal location for such an event. New England’s history of Great Awakenings is deeply rooted in the long line of revivalist preachers who have proclaimed the power of the gospel. Dwight L. Moody stood on the shoulders of giants as one of those outstanding evangelists.
Many people would be surprised to find out that Moody had such strong connections to New England. He is most well known for his ministry in the Chicago area and his legacy as the founder of Moody Bible Church, Moody Bible Institute, and Moody publishers. However, Moody was born and raised and eventually buried in Northfield, Massachusetts where he established Mount Hermon School.
The auditorium in which the conference was held was a birthday gift to Moody. He would hold summer conferences there where many of the greatest Bible teachers of his day would come and teach the Word of God. Almost ironically, each brick used in the building was stamped with the word “Pray,” having been produced by the late Robert E. Pray brick company in Greenfield, MA. A beautiful detail hidden in the DNA of the Moody Center.
The Cecil B. Day Foundation and the Board of Directors of the Moody Center, which includes Dr. Erwin Lutzer, has been actively trying to restore the mission and legacy of this historic property in Northfield, MA.
A Lesson on Discipleship
There was an early afternoon session for pastors and ministry leaders where Dr. Youssef gave a charge for discipleship. Using II Timothy 2:2, he challenged the church leaders to guard the deposit of the gospel and entrust it to faithful individuals who will pass it on to others.
He explained that many do not take the time to guard the sacred gospel message. It has been distorted by our culture and attacked by the world. Keeping the gospel pure and undiluted is necessary to true discipleship.
Dr. Youssef explained that when he first started his church in Atlanta, he tried to do everything on His own. He didn’t know how to delegate and he began to take great pride in his own accomplishments. It was only after he got sick and he couldn’t do the work anymore, that he realized it was God who deserved the glory for the success of his ministry. This changed his focus to be more intentional at working with people and discipling them to follow Christ.
A Resounding of Praise
Mac Powell led the worship in both the afternoon and evening sessions. He was formally the founding member of the Christian band Third Day which disbanded in 2019. He continues to write, perform, and travel as a solo artist and is currently on tour with Steven Curtis Chapman. Powell leads worship for Dr. Michael Youssef at the Church of the Apostles when he is not on the road.
Between the session, Adam Miller was able to talk with Mac Powell and discuss the challenges of doing ministry in New England. Fifty counties are under 3% Evangelical. Our cities are leading the way of secularism in the United States. It is a major mission field for the Church.
Mac explained that it is difficult to travel to New England because there are not enough venues and attendees to cover the expenses of the quality of shows they are able to perform in other parts of the country. However, he did add that there is something encouraging whenever he is privileged to come to the Northeast. The people that come out to these events, he explained, are more passionate and genuine about their faith. There is something special about being with such a strong group of authentic believers.
For anyone who was in attendance, and many of our Songtime audience was there, the worship was exhilarating. With an audience of over 1,300 people, the songs of praise filled the historic auditorium for the first time in generations. This was a mountaintop experience.
A Gospel Invitation
Dr. Michael Youssef’s closing message was a gospel presentation from Mark 8:36-37, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” Only Jesus could answer this question. Dr. Youssef went on to explain, “Jesus alone knows the value of the world...He created it.” Furthermore, who knows the value of the human soul? Christ alone understands because He paid the price for all of us on the cross.
The powerful message was followed by an open invitation and an altar call. It seemed that everything from the conference was building up to this moment. Those who came forward were met with a prayer team and Dr. Michael Youssef himself.
New England, We Needed This
It has been a long time since we have had a conference of this caliber in New England. For anyone who was there, they understand the value of an event like this to strike a spark that can ignite a fire.
There is something special that happens when believers gather together in person for worship, prayer, fellowship, and the exposition of God’s Word. It’s power cannot be translated across digital media, or bottled up to be experienced at a later time. For those who were in attendance, they know the significance of an event like this where you have to be there to understand.
While there were over 1,300 people gathered at the Moody Center in Northfield, Massachusetts for the Leading the Way conference, there was plenty of room for twice that number. Hopefully, the next event will bring greater numbers of believers together to see what God is capable of doing with people who are committed to the kingdom of God.
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