I still remember my trip to San Diego nearly a decade ago. On my flight, the woman sitting next to me asked why I was traveling. I told her that I was headed to a conference for my job as a youth pastor. She worked for the San Diego Zoo.
“No way!” I said. “That’s the one fun thing my coworker wants to do before the conference starts.”
“Is the conference not going to be fun?” she asked.
I laughed. “I really don’t know. This is my first time attending, so I’m not sure what to expect.”
I really didn’t know what to expect when I attended my first Rooted Conference in 2016. I had been a youth pastor for half a second (or so it felt), and I was looking forward to going somewhere new with my coworkers, but apart from that I had no context for what I was in for. The one thing I knew was that I could use all the help I could get, so I was along for the ride.
What surprised me was the refreshment, encouragement, help, and care that I would receive from my time at the conference.
Refreshment
I didn’t realize that even though I was only a few months into the job, my soul was weary. We hear the word burnout a lot in ministry. Often this is due to overextending ourselves at the cost of our spiritual and emotional health. The long break during the conference, intentionally placed on Friday afternoon, provided space for me to spend time with the Lord considering my own limitations and ways that I may be headed towards burnout. Clark Fobes ended the conference in his talk by asking, “What makes our ministry commendable?” He argued that a ministry is commendable first because it is God’s ministry. 2 Corinthians 6:1 says, “So, as we work together with God, we tell you to be careful. Remember that God has been very kind and he has forgiven you” (EASY). This reminds us that it isn’t actually our ministry. God is the one who makes reconciliation available through Jesus—not us. We are simply messengers.
I needed to be reminded of the truth of the gospel for myself and refreshed in receiving the Word of God to nourish my own soul. Every main session and workshop was deeply gospel-centered and grace-filled. Instead of feeling weighed down by all the things I needed to be doing better or leaving with a list of things to implement, I left loving Jesus more.
Encouragement
I didn’t know what it meant to be reminded of the value, dignity, and purpose of my role. Having someone say thank you for what I was doing and remind me of the importance of ministering to teenagers was something I didn’t even know I needed to hear, but once I did, it brought tears to my eyes. I felt encouraged to press on in the hard moments, the exhausting moments, and the discouraging moments, all for the sake of the kingdom. My heart was reoriented to why I was called to do this worthy job.
Help
I received a double major in marketing and management, and I never had any intention of becoming a youth pastor. So to say that I felt ill-equipped for my role was an understatement. I knew that I loved high school girls and I loved Jesus, but apart from that, I needed a good bit of hand-holding. The teaching and workshops were actually helpful. They both equipped me with tools I needed to do my job well while also educating me on the parts of my job I was inexperienced in.
I’ll never forget Liz Edrington’s talk about reconciliation with the self and how the way we relate to ourselves impacts the way we relate to others. Even more importantly, the way Jesus has related and does relate to us transforms the way we relate to ourselves. The practical wisdom, insight, and training that I received at the conference allowed me to be better equipped for my role in youth ministry.
Care
Not only did my soul feel refreshed, I also felt personally cared for. Youth ministry can be a lonely job, even if you’re working on a larger team. So to have the steering committee and Rooted staff take the time to get to know me, pray for me, and sit with me during mealtimes or throughout the conference was an intentional act that I won’t forget.
There is something special and intangible about attending the conference in-person as opposed to just listening to content on your own. As believers, we need the body of Christ, and we need to be in community with one another. The conference is big enough to find people that are in a similar context to you, but it is also small enough to connect deeply with others. Meeting people that I would see again at the conference the next year and year after that was more of a gift than I realized and something I still look forward to each year.
When I came onto Rooted staff in 2018 and started helping plan the conference, I can genuinely say that the conference is uniquely helpful and worth attending. I know this because I was first a recipient of all that it has to offer.
So if you’re on the fence about joining us this year in Chicago, go ahead and jump down and register today. The San Diego Zoo was spectacular, but it wasn’t the best part of that trip. And I can assure you that the deep dish pizza won’t be the best part of Rooted 2025 (although you can decide for yourself . . . because we’ll have some of that waiting for you too!).
Registration is currently open for the Rooted Conference, October 23–25 in Chicago. Register before August 15 to get a discounted rate!
