I am in Nashville for the weekend, at Youth Specialities National Youth Worker’s Convention. I am a first timer, but this won’t be my last time.

Oddly, just after I sat down in the little turbo-prop puddle-jumper on which my journey began, I looked up and saw a colleague in ministry. As he sat down I realized this was also the weekend of the AAR-SBL Annual Meeting, held in Pittsburg this year. That was the meeting toward which my colleague was headed.

As we travelled together from Waco to D/FW Airport, I couldn’t help but ponder the irony in having these two separate meetings at the same time. At one, the academic study of religion will be recognized, even glorified. At the other, ministry within the Christian tradition will be celebrated and practiced.

Can you imagine a weekend of meetings where both of these things happen?