1/168 Is Not Enough

A Review of the 2017 D6 Conference by Eric K. Thomsen

Build a house with one tool? Ludicrous. Prepare a gourmet meal with one ingredient? Silly. Write a bestseller with one word? Laughable. Fill a library with one book? Preposterous. Why, then, do parents—wonderful, godly parents—think a single hour spent at church each week is sufficient to disciple the next generation? One hour out of 168 is simply not enough.

The ninth annual D6 Conference held in Dallas, Texas, September 20-22, challenged churches to partner with parents and grandparents to pass their faith to kids and grandkids. To drive faith home—not a single hour a week—but 24-7, at home, at church, even at school and work. Nearly 1,300 attendees from around the world listened intently and interacted enthusiastically for three days as 52 speakers from main stage to workshop rooms tackled subjects with a single goal: to bring church and home together as an effective team to bring the next generation to faith.

The Big Picture: Main Stage

Dr. Ron Hunter Jr., executive director and CEO of Randall House and co-founder and director of the D6 Conference, kicked off the conference with a plea for parents to identify influential spaces or seasons, regardless of age, when they can speak into the lives of their children most effectively. Using the acronym TALK to describe communication, Hunter encouraged parents to Try, Ask, Listen, and Konnect with their children, admonishing: “Some conversations you have with your kids they will never remember, but not having those conversations with your kids they will never forget.”

Christina Embree, a Kentucky children and family ministries director, tackled the challenge of balancing busy calendars with the need for daily discipleship.
She pointed out the “mundane moments” in Deuteronomy 6, as families sit, walk, sleep, and rise.

She encouraged parents to remember that generational discipleship is not about doing more but inviting Christ into what they are doing already, noting: “Christ can take the most ordinary, mundane thing and make it sacred through His Spirit.”

Dr. Gary Chapman, author of The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts (which has sold more than 11 million copies) encouraged parents to be deliberate in their parenting, understanding their children are deeply influenced by their example. He challenged parents to ask themselves regularly, “What if my children turn out like me?” and then parent in light of that reality.

Dr. La Verne Tolbert, editorial vice president for Urban Ministries, reminded attendees that Jesus rooted His teaching in His character. To follow His discipleship example, we must guard our own relationship with Him. “Sometimes, we are so busy working for God,” she observed, “that we forget to spend time with God.” She urged leaders to model Jesus, who understood the people to whom He ministered and tailored every encounter to each specific person, addressing social concerns and meeting the felt needs of those He encountered.

Dr. Richard Ross, professor at Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, and founder and spokesperson for True Love Waits, suggested a new paradigm—ministry in thirds. He suggests three factors common to young people who stay in church as adults: spiritually alive parents; a healthy church congregation family; and Bible-drenched, age-group ministry. He encouraged student ministers to “get out of the event-management business” and to be deliberate about equipping parents, students, and churches—ministry in thirds—for optimum discipleship.

Dr. Vern Bengtson, research professor of gerontology at the Roybal Institute on Aging at University of Southern California warned listeners that the faith foundations of families today are declining. Using research data from his own 45-year study (1969 to 2016), he traced the transmission of faith of 356 families. Parents continue to have substantial influence over their millennial children’s faith. Emotional bonds are the most important influential factor for passing faith to children, coupled with a child’s warm relationship with his or her father. Bengtson also noted the influence of grandparents has not declined but increased since his research began in the 1960s. He told listeners that faith transmission continues to be stronger in Christian families than generally assumed, that Christian families “aren’t doing such a bad job after all.”

Candace Payne, better known as viral social media sensation “Chewbacca Mom,” delivered her unique message of joy and humor. After recounting the spur-of-the-moment video that led to a global platform as the “joy ambassador,” she shared principles for living with joy from Romans 15:13. She encouraged the audience to stop working for God without God. Instead, she urged a return to the cornerstone of their faith, their joy in Christ and the marvelous salvation He has provided.

Michael Bayne, founding pastor at the soon-to-be-planted Greenville Community Church in South Carolina, offered encouragement for tired, discouraged workers who haven’t seen family ministry take root in their own congregations. He encouraged workers to stick with their ministries, understanding that God has trusted them with a critically important role.

Dr. Josh McDowell, well-known author or co-author of 147 books, joined his son, author and speaker Dr. Sean McDowell, onstage for a candid interview. After sharing the testimony of his journey to Christ from the home of an alcoholic family where he also experienced sexual abuse from a family friend, McDowell acknowledged he came to Christ because he finally realized the Heavenly Father was nothing like his earthly father. He encouraged parents to live in such a way their lives point children to Christ rather than keeping them from Christ.

Mighty Minis

For the fifth year, rapid-fire main stage sessions called D6 Minis gave a number of speakers an opportunity to deliver short, powerful messages with a single theme or takeaway.
Dr. Edward E. Moody Jr., interim associate dean of education at North Carolina Central University and pastor of Tippett’s Chapel in Clayton, North Carolina, acknowledged bad things happen to good people, the harsh truth of living in a sin-cursed world. He encouraged listeners to communicate the reality of sin and its consequences to children. At the same time, he urged parents and leaders to introduce the Lord as the great Deliverer, the One to whom we can turn, no matter what we face.

Dr. Timothy Paul Jones, professor of apologetics and family ministry at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, offered three words of wisdom for the “road trip of ministry” to unchurched parents. First, don’t “take the bypass,” going around parents to get to kids. Instead, build relationships with parents for stronger long-term relationships with kids. Second, don’t be driven by urgency, but plan “stops” to fit your purpose: providing every child a family-in-faith at church, sharing a meal with every unchurched family at least once a year, and expressing gratitude to unchurched parents for allowing their children to attend church. Finally, he reminded listeners God is working, even when the results are not obvious.

Dr. Joshua Straub, marriage and family strategist for LifeWay, reminded parents and grandparents they don’t have to be a mega pastor, household name, or Fortune 500 success to be rich. They only need a healthy discipleship relationship with children and grandchildren. Where does this start? Prayer. “Prayer changes families,” he encouraged. “It changes generations; it changes kids. But that’s because prayer changes us.”

Kristie Christie, frequent speaker for Compassion International, recounted third-world illustrations about children who freely share the little they have, in contrast to American children who refuse to share anything, when they have much. She offered five simple messages for kids to help overcome this current “epidemic” of entitlement: life is hard; you will get through this; people matter most; choices have consequences; and you are loved.

Extra Pieces

Between main stage sessions, attendees enjoyed networking and exploring the latest resources for home and ministry. Eighty-four breakout sessions provided up-close access to speakers, while Connect Groups teamed up leaders from ministry types—student, family, children, and leadership—for brainstorming, networking, and sometimes just encouraging conversation with new friends.

Jon Forrest, youth pastor at Bethel FWB Church in Ashland City, Tennessee, brought witty, goofy, crazy humor to the conference, with games on the main stage and throughout the conference center. Conference emcees Tommy Swindol, lead pastor at The Donelson Fellowship in Nashville, Tennessee, and Megan Marshman, associate dean of YouthMin Academy, kept the conference moving with high energy interviews, crowd breakers, and pointed interviews with speakers. According to Tommy, the emcee role gives him a unique perspective. “It is a beautiful thing to see our God move among ministry leaders and families at D6,” he notes. “From the view on stage to hallway conversations, it’s obvious what God is saying to everyone I meet: the magnificent love of Jesus cannot be reduced to one hour a week in a church building. It overwhelms every hour and every place we find ourselves!”

Throughout the conference, attendees sang along with Matt Papa, pastor and recording artist from North Carolina, and laughed at the antics of D6 favorites Tommy Woodard and Eddie James, The Skit Guys.

During the final main stage session, Conference Director Ron Hunter shared exciting news that D6 Conferences will be held in Singapore, South Korea, and Malaysia in 2018, along with the D6 Conference in North Carolina, September 19-21.

About the Writer: Eric K. Thomsen is managing editor of ONE Magazine and president of the Evangelical Press Association. Learn more about the D6 Conference.