Christian Conferences?

I have been to more Christian conferences than I could ever count. This has certainly blessed me in ways but at times I wonder if I should just stay home and get the MP3's. The upside is that usually it's a great time to get away, reflect, and connect with people I love, but the downside is that it often is quite costly financially and I leave my wife at home to care for four small kids by herself.

Doug Wilson has some wise words as well on this topic:

“The widespread availability of media-savvy Christianity, conference Christianity, talent-cluster Christianity, and so on, is that it has precisely the same effect on the attendees that going to the Husbandly Perfection conference had on that poor, murmuring wife earlier. When people visit a place that is rich in resources, teaching talent, and so on, like your average mega-conference, there are two possible results. One is that it makes the attendee more equipped to be a loyal and faithful parishioner to a faithful but average pastor back home. If that is the case, then have at it. Go to the conferences. But if all it does is set up invidious comparisons, then that person needs to quit going to conferences.”

(HT: DashHouse)