I took two classes on preaching from Dr. Ron Hall at the University of Valley Forge. As a college student, I developed a passion for learning theology and the intricacies of the Bible. In each of those classes, I had the opportunity to show my research and then preach in front of the class. Dr. Hall would often say, “Peter, great job on the background, but help the listeners apply the Bible more to their lives.”
Since coming to Browncroft eleven years ago, I still notice this challenge. Pastors struggle each week to provide practical and tangible ways for individuals to respond to the sermon. Small groups can be a wonderful place for people to learn more about God and connect with others, but many individuals still feel lost about their purpose and calling. Deep beneath our desire to know God is a hope to figure out how the Bible meets us in our life experiences. How is God leading me to make a difference? Is there something more God is calling me to do?
On top of that, when we lean too much into “application” of theology and scripture, we can make the mistake of letting a list of rules and regulations disconnect us from the Good News of the Gospel – also known as legalism. We often find ourselves living fragmented lives on Sunday, and Monday through Saturday, rather than experiencing the wholeness in the Gospel Jesus invites us to live out.
This past July, 324 individuals participated in the Next Step Church Assessment from the American Bible Society. The results revealed areas of strength in Bible engagement, doctrinal beliefs, and spiritual practices like prayer. On the other hand, the results revealed growth areas in helping people belong, applying the Bible to everyday life, forgiving others, and being willing to risk everything important in one’s life for Jesus Christ.
Our heart and prayer is to bridge the gap between spiritually mature beliefs and spiritually mature practices and behaviors.
Browncroft’s next Spiritual Formation Conference will take place on Saturday, March 14, 2026, with the theme Everyday Theology: Applying the Way of Jesus Monday-Saturday. Our heart and prayer is to bridge the gap between spiritually mature beliefs and spiritually mature practices and behaviors. Our keynote speaker will be Pastor Wally Fleming, who has served as a pastor in the Rochester area for multiple decades and at Roberts Wesleyan University and Northeastern Seminary as an adjunct professor and chapel speaker. He will offer a pastor’s heart along with a depth of theological understanding to help you grow.
Our focus on applying the way of Jesus to our everyday life will revolve around purpose and calling. We want to help you connect the dots from what we learn in scripture to how that influences where God might be leading you in your life. Our workshops will be rooted in the Bible with the hope of helping you better connect God’s Word to the specific purpose He has for you.
This year will mark our fourth Spiritual Formation Conference. Our Family Ministry team will again offer a set of workshops for kids from kindergarten through 5th grade. We welcome 6th through 12th grade students to join the adults in the workshops offered. Childcare will be available for kids pre-school and under.
We want to invite every individual of every generation to participate in this experience as a way to grow their faith and go deeper in relationship with others.
Save the date on your calendar. Registration will open in January 2026, with details about the workshops. Stay tuned for more.
