When heated properly, a small handful of corn can fill a large container to overflowing with warm, delicious popcorn. The 200-plus who attended the Creating Vervent Congregations Symposium on Aug. 27, in Ontario, Calif., in conjunction with the union constituency meetings came away with an earful of freshly popped ministry ideas that fell into one of the eight Natural Church Development quality characteristics.

The day included a keynote presentation by Dr. Robert Logan of CoachNet, and presentations by pastors and lay leaders from around the country involved in creative ministries.

Ministries featured included:

(1) A video/Internet production team in Santa Barbara, Calif.; (2) A dynamic prayer ministry from Miracle Temple in Baltimore, Md.; (3) A unique approach to small groups from the Silicon Valley; (4) An exciting church plant at Cooper Mountain ski resort in Colorado; (5) A church-based television ministry from East Palo Alto, Calif.; (6) A unique ghetto church in a New Jersey gang-ridden neighborhood; (7) A tattoo removal ministry in Burbank and Culver City, Calif.; (8) An Adventist church in Mount Dora, Fla., with nine worship venues.

Sponsored by Pacific Union Conference Church Support Services and the Church Resource Center for the North American Division, the event was video-taped for future distribution.