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Testimonial of the Month

October 20, 2009

Scott Black & Empower U,

This last weekend (October 15th through the 17th) my life was radically changed. Your leadership training conference was perhaps the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. I was stretched, challenged, and taught more than I ever thought possible over a three-day period.

As a pastor, I was skeptical. I thought that change only came by the power of the Holy Spirit (I still do, by the way) and that going to a conference was some weekend of brainwashing. To my blessed surprise, God opened my eyes to areas that I needed to repent of so that I can be all that He desires of me. I repented of complacency and mediocrity. I saw that I was preaching to the minds of men and was missing their hearts by a mile. I saw that I was preaching to faces in the pews and not people.

Your conference challenged me to be a better pastor, husband, and father. My wife told me this morning, “Knowing who you are now, I don’t want the old Shawn ever again.” My kids know that I have a greater passion for teaching them God’s Word and to develop then into Kingdom leaders. My congregation knows that I want a church that is alive and active for the glory of God.

My whole life is radically changed, and as a result so is my church and my family. The first thing that I did when I got back was to get my youth pastor registered for a conference. My wife told me last night, “I want what you have, count me in.” My kids want to know if they have a retreat so they can learn to be better sons.

Thank you so much for blessing my church and my family,

Shawn Newbery
Senior Pastor, Glisan Street Baptist Church, Portland, OR