A total of some 450 attended the Abba Conference in Southern California, which took place at two locations this year.
Christians would readily agree that the gift of salvation and a relationship with Christ is one that is freely given by God and received by an individual by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. However, in the midst of discouraging circumstances, and life experiences that have shaped a person's outlook and perspective, it seems that actually living that truth out in freedom is more of a struggle rather than an easy endeavor for many Christians.
The Abba Conference is a conference that hopes to equip Christians to be able to live out that truth in freedom, by focusing on the fatherhood of God and how it affects four aspects of a Christian: purpose, identity, nature, and mission.
"Most of us Christians spend a lot of our time trying to figure out, 'What am I? How am I supposed to function in this world?'" said Pastor Benjamin Robinson, the senior pastor of Living Hope Christian Center, located in Emeryville, CA. "It's because many people first think of God as a Creator, or an inventor, as though he created us to function in a certain way. But when you see how Jesus taught his disciples to pray in Luke 11:1, Jesus says, 'Our Father.' Jesus always refers to God as Father."
"When we understand God as a Father first and foremost, that radically changes the way we think of our purpose," said Robinson, who is also the main speaker of the Abba Conference. This year, the conference took place in Southern California for the first time, and in two locations: first at Grace Ministries International in Fullerton from April 10 to 11, then at Choong Hyun Mission Chuch from April 24 to 25. Previously, the conference had usually taken place in Northern California since its beginnings in 2008.
Robinson shared his own experiences with his five-year-old daughter, Aletheia, to relate the idea of God as our father.
"We began to delight in her even before she came to be," Robinson said. "My wife and I weren't thinking of what she can do for us once she's born. I was dreaming about what I can do for her."
Similarly, Robinson emphasized that a Christian's performance does not affect God's love toward him or her.
"God's pleasure toward you goes before your performance," he said. "Jesus saves us not because he wants us to do something for him, but because he wants to save us."
"God created you to love you in eternity, not to task you in time," said Robinson. "And loving you brings him the greatest delight."
Pastor Benjamin Robinson spoke at the recent Abba Conference, which took place at Grace Ministries International from April 10 to 11 and at Choong Hyun Mission Church from April 24 to 25.
In regards to identity, Robinson further explained that as God is the Father, the Christian's identity is in being a child of God, and emphasized that this identity does not change under any circumstance. He gave the example of Joseph in the Bible, who was highly favored by his father Jacob.
"Even when Joseph was sold as a slave by his brothers, he was in a slave situation, but he was not in a slave condition internally," Robinson said. "Every place that Joseph went, he carried the favor of his father in his heart."
Similarly, Robinson said, "Whatever happens to you externally should not affect your heart and identity internally, nor what we believe about God internally. What others think of you does not change who you are."
Robinson explained that he based the sessions of purpose and identity on Ephesians 2:8-9, which says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast." The latter two sessions on nature and mission were based on verse 10, which says, "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
Robinson shared with attendees that each individual has a unique nature, which is the collision of his or her gifts and passions, and encouraged them to take time in prayer and asking other believers to better understand their gifts, passions, and the collision points between the two. He also shared that an individual's mission has to do with "the sense of destiny" that God has placed in his or her heart. Unlike purpose and identity, which "are effortless and given to us," "there is rigor, and trials and tribulation involved with our nature and mission," Robinson added.
"Sometimes, you've gotta go to Pharaoh ten times to witness God breaking through," Robinson said, using the story of Moses to illustrate the trials that may come with obeying the mission that God gives. "But there's purpose in the delay, and that is the greater revelation of God. The plagues of Egypt put to death every idol in Egypt and showed that only God is the true, living God. God doesn't let you out of Egypt until he's finished revealing that He is greater, and that He is God."
Robinson emphasized that a believer should not derive his or her identity from the results of any work or endeavor, reminding attendees that purpose and identity are unchanging regardless of the results or the circumstances.
"I don't identify myself with my ministry ventures," Robinson said. "And your sense of self should not be dependent on whatever you're working on."
About 250 people, most of whom were Korean American high school students, college students, or young adults, attended the conference in Fullerton, while some 200 attended the conference in Los Angeles. Peter Ha, who pastors at Lighthouse Mission Church in Los Angeles and who was the main organizer of the Abba Conference this year, shared that there are plans to have another Abba Conference in the Southern California region next year.
For more information, visit www.abbaconference.org.
