PTP
PTP.
What in the world do those three initials stand for?
At times you may hear people (including Donna and me) using these initials, but you may have no idea what we are talking about. While PTP is under the oversight of an eldership of a church of Christ in Alabama and is intended to strengthen and encourage churches of Christ, sadly (in my opinion), even some of “us” may not know that PTP stands for…
Polishing the Pulpit.
Contrary to what may first come to mind, we are not discussing what I guess could be called a piece of furniture used in some places during worship services. Rather, what is under discussion is an event that, according to the slogan used, is designed to do the following for God’s people:
Renew. Refresh. Recharge.
Thirty years ago, a very small group of preachers (I’ve heard anywhere between three and five) got together to swap ideas, engage in study and prayer, and do what they could to encourage one another in their work. Over the years, as they started inviting friends and friends started inviting friends, PTP grew – very significantly.
This year, for the first time, there were two PTP’s. The one in Sevierville, Tennessee was attended by 4,625 people and the (new) one in Branson, Missouri was attended by 1,937. Since they were held at two different times and were not “carbon copies” of each other, a few people attended both, but most did not.
As the attendance has grown, so has the scope. PTP is not just some sort of “preachers’ conference.” There are classes and activities that are designed to help all who attend. There are multiple times each day during which there will be classes, training, counseling, workshops, seminars, etc. going on. All of this is meant to help people of every age, both sexes, various parts of the country (as well as different countries), a variety of ethnic groups, people who have various areas of service in local congregations, etc. If there ever was an opportunity to be somewhere where there truly is “something for everybody there (including babysitting),” this is it.
By the time you read this, Donna and I will have been back from the PTP held in Sevierville for a little over a week. As is often the case, we have had to deal with some challenges since our return, but the experience of being at PTP again has helped a lot with all of that. We may no longer be “on the mountaintop of PTP,” but the view while we were there helps when we find ourselves “down in the valley of day-to-day challenges.”
In an effort to provide what some call “full disclosure,” I need to let you know that what I’m writing here was prompted by something that our seventeen-year-old grandson wrote about PTP. What he wrote helped me to understand a lot of things, but I will only mention a couple. First, a desire to know more about God and to serve Him is not meant “just for old people.”
Second, I need to be grateful for people of every generation who can love, appreciate, and work together in the church. Somehow, I think that’s the way that God intends for us to be.
So – with all of that said, I’ll “give the last word” to our grandson, Turner Faughn:
If you know me, then you know how obsessed I am with PTP. But so many people don’t know why. I’ve gone to PTP for almost 15 years, and let me tell you, it has had a PROFOUND effect on my life. I’ve gotten to meet so many people who have affected me in such positive ways. Whether it be friends whom I’ve known for as long as I remember, youth group members I’ve gotten to come with me, or people I just met this year, they have each shaped me into a better Christian through PTP. Because of that, it was so much harder to leave this year since it was my last year as a teen. It was heartbreaking to leave it all behind, all of the memories, long-distance friends, and my godly Christian family. And it’s not enough. A two-year tradition of eating with my childhood friends is not enough. Seeing my best friend one week out of the year isn’t enough. But instead of being sad that it’s over, I will look at all the fun times God gave me and be thankful for my Christian family.
AUTHOR: Jim Faughn