December 19, 2005 - Chicago Area Men's Conference 2005

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Chicago Area Men's Conference 2005
By Jim Hidlebaugh
December 19, 2005

The Trip
After driving the distance from Central Illinois to Northern Illinois for about one-and-a -half hours, the landscape did not change much until we were almost to the Chicago suburb of Tinley Park. By then the traffic had picked up considerably, and the area had much more of a large city feel, especially after remembering that you could not get to anything directly off the highway. There always is some barely marked winding access road two miles away off of where you want to be that you had to backtrack on to get to your hotel/restaurant.

After finally nailing the right road (in between a fast food place and a gas station), we headed down what looked like Hotel Town. There were several hotels down this little subdivision with a connecting road between all of them and restaurants positioned in their own little roads. There was “Cracker Barrel Street” right next to our hotel on down from “Hot Wings Blvd.” I wondered why everything was grouped together like that until we tried to leave for the conference that evening. You can check out at any time, but you can never leave. We like to have never gotten out off that little access road, the traffic was so brutal. I am sorry, lady in the white Honda (you know who you are), but we had to get out of there. I hope you are not in traction too long.

The Second Trip
Finally we are on our way to the Chicago Area Men's Conference. We had met a nice gentleman on the way down the elevator in the hotel who said to just get back on I-80, and you can't miss it. I should have known when my brother-in-law Ron had a puzzled look on his face we were in trouble. So I started out back towards the interstate. Ron told me to hold on. Said that the church was in 183rd and we were on 183rd street. I told him “Yeah, but the guy said to get back on I-80.” (Right here, I want to note that I had never been there before, and he has been there twice.) He tells me, “I think I can get us there from where we are.”

I learned something about 183rd street after going East all the way to the boonies, and then back West to a dead-end—it does not go all the way through. I also learned never to listen to my brother-in-law again. We finally got back on I-80 and got there in plenty of time. Every time I mentioned that evening that we were lost, my brother-in-law would change the story. How typical…

The Church
I need to mention that it was not held at an Apostolic church, but a non-denominational. It was nice. The entryway and vestibule were absolutely gorgeous. There were these huge pillars going down a long promenade with couches and little conversation nooks along the way with expensive-looking tables and leather chairs, and interspersed were doorways into Sunday School rooms. I think each student had their own classroom. And each one had its own bathroom. Wow. I was very impressed. Until I got in the sanctuary.

I do not want to be unkind, but it looked like the Red Hat Society picked the color schemes. I mean all the seats were these bright purple theater seats, and there was this red and purple carpeting going down each row; the platform had these white filmy curtains with red and purple lights behind them. But I digress . . .

The Conference—November 11, 2005
The ministers of the northern UPCI district led the service, and started out with worship being led by Rev. Tom Trimble, who did an outstanding job. I think the best moment was when we sang “Here I am to Worship,” when finally everyone forgot about everything around them, their own ‘issues’ and worshiped God fully.

That night we also found out that every one of the speakers for the conference had cancelled, including Rex Johnson. I admit we were disappointed. I will have to say this, the speakers that we ended up with did an excellent job despite the fact that they were “second string.” (You know that it had to be playing over in their little tape recorder in their mind.) I have the utmost respect for them that they did not act like in any way that this bothered them.

Revs. Johnny Godair and Michael Chance brought forth the Word that night, and did very well ministering about issues that Apostolic men are facing today with our careers, relationships, finances, and personal walks with God. Godair nailed it when he said that we have to go back to when our commitments used to be the church, and not to all of our outside interests, and how to be a good father and husband when we get back home. Chance preached in the context of Paul to Timothy, as a spiritual son and compared it to when his own son was leaving home to start his own ministry. He struggled and prayed, and laid himself out prostrate in his home agonizing over what he wanted to impart to his son. In passing the torch from one generation of ministers and church staff to another, he preached that we cannot let go, that we must hold fast to the truths that we have as Apostolics. The poor fellow did not get the pulpit until 10 p.m., yet he preached under the anointing. It was really our fault that he did not get the pulpit until then. After Godair preached, Trimble sang a song he had written that made everyone openly weep and caused several to lay themselves at the alter. (Sorry Bro. Trimble, for making you sing for about 45 minutes straight. What a trooper!) There were five men filled with the Holy Ghost in this intermission, and I have no idea how many were filled after it was over at the end of the service.

It was wonderful, and I don't know why I did not start going to men’s conferences sooner. I encourage any man to attend conferences in your own area, or this one, if it is within a reasonable distance. You will be strengthened and encouraged.

And I won't mention about the theater seats, how some men thought it was so funny to hold their neighbors up when they were trying to sit back down…

ninetyandnine.com

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Jim Hidlebaugh is still the music director of Villa Grove First United Pentecostal Church in Villa Grove, IL and I want a power washer for Christmas if anyone is listening.