NACC Ministry Families Find Encouragement Year After Year
Brent Storms reflects on a childhood memory from the North American Christian Convention and why the gathering has remained meaningful for his family across decades of ministry. From reconnecting with friends to finding encouragement for difficult ministry seasons, the NACC has offered renewal and community year after year.
- A memorable childhood convention story highlights the Storms family’s long connection to the NACC.
- The convention served as a source of encouragement during challenging seasons of local church ministry.
- Storms continues attending and serving because the NACC remains good for ministry families.
by Brent Storms
Our family attended the North American Christian Convention in Louisville in 1981 when I was 8 years old. My brother was 6, and our sister was a baby.
My parents wanted to attend the Ozark Bible College reception to reconnect with some of their classmates and friends. They did not want to keep my brother and me up late. So they locked us in our hotel room. Really, they did.
They explained to us that they were not leaving the building. They would be right downstairs in one of the hotel ballrooms. We were instructed to lock the door, activate the dead bolt, and swing the latch over as soon as they left the room. We were to stay in bed, not open the door for anyone but them, and call the hotel operator if there were any problems. (Obviously, this was way before cell phones!)
After they spent an hour or so downstairs at the reception, they would come back up to the room and knock on the door. When we had confirmed it was actually Dad and Mom, we could open the door.
When we had gone over the instructions a hundred times, Dad, Mom, and our baby sister left my brother and me alone in the room.
Our first taste of freedom!
You’d think we’d have made the most of it—but apparently we fell right asleep. Sound asleep.
When my parents came up and knocked on the door, they didn’t get an answer right away. So they knocked again. No answer.
They started gently calling our names through the door. “Brent, Andy, Brent, Andy, Andy, Brent.” Then more of the same, only louder, with some door-pounding in between. Still no response.
My dad even got down on the floor in the hotel hallway so he could yell under the door. He’d shout our names a few times and while he caught his breath my mom would bang on the door. Andy and I continued to sleep soundly.
Eventually my dad decided to go down the hall and use the hotel phone to call the room. He let it ring 20 or 30 times. My mom lay on the floor and shouted our names in between rings. Still nothing.
Finally they had to get a hotel security officer to come and try to take the door off the hinges. Due to the dead bolt and latch, he finally had to just break through the door, splintering the door jamb.
We never woke up!
I’m now 36 years old. It’s a good thing this event happened so long ago. This account won’t get my parents arrested, I’m pretty sure. There has to be a statute of limitations on this sort of thing, right?
That may be the most memorable NACC our family attended, but it certainly wasn’t the only one. If I’m counting correctly, I’ve been to nearly 30 conventions. I hope to make it to at least 30 more.
Here’s why I loved the NACC as a kid and why I still love it today: it’s good for our family.
Good for My Family
My dad and mom have had some wonderful ministry assignments in local churches. Through 35 years of ministry my dad has served as the senior minister in four churches, leading small to midsized congregations through periods of healthy growth. But some seasons in ministry have been challenging for them—both personally and professionally.
My parents lost a son to sudden infant death syndrome. He was 13 days old. A 15-year ministry at a local church they loved ended with some deep disappointments.
There were times when serving God and people seemed lonely to my dad and mom.
One thing I knew, even as a child, was that they would arrive at the North American Christian Convention every summer with joy and anticipation and leave refreshed, encouraged, and ready for the next season of ministry. They still do.
They’re not alone.
That’s what I love about the NACC.
Attending Every Year
I’m now serving on the NACC Board of Stewards, doing whatever I can to contribute to the ongoing health and vitality of the convention. I attend the convention every year, reconnecting with friends I made in college, colleagues from previous ministries, and meeting with folks in my current role with Orchard Group.
Every summer I arrive at the convention with joy and anticipation. The conversations, worship, workshops, and sermons send me home refreshed, encouraged, and ready for the next season of ministry.
I’m not alone.
That’s what I love about the NACC.
Whenever I can, I bring my family with me to the convention. I haven’t locked my kids in the hotel room, though.
At least, not yet.
Brent Storms is managing director with the Orchard Group, New York, New York.
Related 2009 NACC Articles:
- “Still Amazed!” by 2009 NACC President Jeff Stone
- “Why Is the NACC Important? Let Me Count the Ways” by Ken Idleman
- “NACC Women’s Conference Returns for a Second Year” by Jennifer Taylor
- “2009 NACC Program”
- “Other 2009 NACC Events”
- “The Minister & Spouse Retreat” (Aug. 11-13 in Ridgecrest, NC)
