SPEAKING MINISTRY: PURE LIFE MINISTRIES CONFERENCE 2021
What a great time in the Lord! I had the privilege to be one of the speakers of the 21st Annual Conference for Pure Life Ministries. This was the first year that it was held at the Ark Encounter in Williamstown, KY. Having outgrown the previous conference location, the new venue provided space to have around 700 attendees that came in from all over the United States to seek the Lord together.
The theme for this year’s conference was “Babel: The Tower is Nearly Complete.” There were four main sessions. The first message was delivered by Pastor Steve Gallagher, the founder of Pure Life Ministries. He spoke about the importance of being hidden away in the Lord. He shared testimony about how the Lord had kept he and his wife through the years as they stayed close to Jesus in the secret place. There was a real call to intimacy with God, especially as it relates to the evil days in which we live. Essentially, the message was, “If we want to make it through these perilous end times, we must develop a secret life in the Lord where we can be hidden away in His presence.”
I preached the second session. My message was based on a dichotomy between the Tower of Babel and the Temple of Solomon. I shared about how the motives behind the building of these two structures were completely different. Then I applied those principles to our own lives. I concluded the message by talking about the Judgement Seat of Christ, where every believer will one day have their works judged. On that day, will we bring lives that were built more like the Tower or the Temple? Anything that is not done with the right motives for the Lord will be burned up. We will only receive rewards for those things done for God with a pure heart. I challenged all of us to examine our lives in light of these truths. We opened up the altars and many responded by bringing their lives before the Lord and asking Him to search their hearts.
The third session was given by Brother Dave Leopold, one of the leaders of the Faith Homes in Zion, IL. He shared about the importance of two main truths. The first was about the need for the Body of Christ to come together in unity in these days. He spoke about setting aside our petty differences and joining one another in prayer, united by our relationship with Christ. The second truth was about the need to remain humble. He spoke about the lowliness of God, and the need for us to walk through these times in humility, which is the complete opposite attitude of the people of Babel.
The next morning, I moderated a Round Table discussion with four Pure Life graduates. The session was for the men, and the topic was “Overcoming: Going through in the Presence of the Lord.” We spoke about the life of victory that Jesus has made available to us. We then applied that to some of the main struggles that men have and the spiritual disciplines that help us walk in victory. I was a great time of discussion and insight from men who are walking in the freedom of the Lord.
The final session was given by Evangelist Glenn Meldrum of In His Presence Ministries. He spoke about the history of Babylon in the Bible and tied it into the Mystery of Babylon referenced in the book of Revelation. The same demonic world system that we experience today can be traced back to those ancient roots. He talked about the importance of having a real relationship with God, rather than just a religious experience. The altars were filled when the message ended, and many cried out to the Lord.
The final event was the Annual Banquet, which took place that evening. This is always a powerful time, especially for those who went through the residential program. They showed a documentary video that explored the history of Pure Life Ministries and how, from the beginning, the goal was to make the property a place where God’s presence can dwell. Many, including myself, can testify to the fact that the presence of the Lord can be tangibly felt at the Pure Life Ministries property. The men in the program sang three songs as a choir. It was a moving experience, to think that, ten years ago, I was a part of the residential choir. How the Lord has showered His great mercy upon me!
It is always a blessing to get to meet people who have been impacted by Make Way Ministries. Several shared with us about how our books and speaking ministry have touched their lives in profound ways. We are so grateful for all who are praying and giving to make it possible for us to do what God has called us to do.
Click on the video below to watch a brief video shot on site at the Ark Encounter during the conference.
DUSTIN RENZ is the President of Make Way Ministries, a non-profit organization that exists to see the world changed one Christian at a time. He has a passion to see the Body of Christ find rich intimacy in their relationship with Jesus and step out in faith to share the Gospel with the world around them. He is the author of Pile of Masks: Exposing Christian Hypocrisy and Something Better. He resides in Dayton, Ohio with his wife and three daughters.
