What is IF:Gathering?

January 09, 2020

Jennie Allen

Bible teacher, founder of IF:Gathering

I want you to know everything there is to know about IF:Gathering and IF:Local because it's coming. Amy Bay is in the house, and we're going to talk about all things IF:Gathering today. So get ready. It's going to be awesome.

First, I want Amy to share what IF:Gathering is because some of you out there have never heard of it.

Okay, so my name is Amy Bay, and I am the Director of Strategic Initiatives at IF:Gathering. IF:Gathering is a ministry that you founded so it's weird that I'm telling people what it is. But basically we exist to gather, equip, and unleash women to make disciples. And really it's because we believe so much in you and the influence that you have in people's lives. My life has been deeply impacted by discipleship, and I know yours has, too, Jennie. And at the end of the day, we just think that people are going to remember the people that changed their lives, that told them about Jesus, that told them about difficult things in their lives, and sin and brokenness and the redemption of Jesus. And that is what changes everything. And so we create tools and resources and experiences that help women realize that influence and begin to live that out.

Yeah. Because I always say that the five people that have changed your life probably aren't people that are famous. They're probably people that have sat across from you in real life. And we want to give you tools to help facilitate that because that's how Jesus changed the world. He could have done it any way, at any time in history, and he came and he discipled a handful of people. And that's how the world changed. So we do, we believe in discipleship deep in our bones. The gathering is coming up, and that really is the entry point for so many people with IF:Gathering. It is hundreds of thousands of women across the world literally that are going to gather together at thousands of events, and it always blows our mind. I don't think we've ever been able to get our head around it or sit in the reality of how many people are actually joining us at that time in Dallas, Texas. We'll be live-streaming from that spot, and there'll be over 3000 people in the room there. 

Then all these little gatherings, and they're going to be happening in homes. They're going to be happening in churches, but some of you listening right now, you are going to go look at iflocal.com, and there's not going to be a gathering in your small town or your place or your country, and we would just say our hope is that you would still sign up. There's plenty of time. We've got weeks. In fact, most people register their events in these weeks, and all you have to do is sign up. Then we will send you emails, a series of emails of really basic ways that you can bring your people together. Because in the very beginning we had a choice to make. Are we going to be an organization like Women Of Faith was where we throw huge events and everybody comes to us in big cities? Or are we going to put tools in your hands to host in your neighborhoods, on your college campuses, in your workplace? We really opted for that. We thought that's the way the world changes is life-on-life. So let's put tools in your hands. So our hope is that you would host an event. 

And so Amy explains what it looks like for you to do that.

Yeah, like Jennie said, it's super simple and really accessible. So all you need to do is go to iflocal.com, sign up, put your home or your church on the map, and we will give you a livestream. We will give you conversation cards. We will give you an attendee guide that allows your attendees to kind of know about speakers, know what's happening, and we'll give you literally a day and a half of incredibly powerful teaching, conversations, and actually not just conversations that are happening on the live stream but also in your own living room. Conversations that happen over in the break time and as well as over meals are some of the most important parts of the weekend. 

Everything is digital, everything is available for you to print off at home. And really the work is sending out a text message to your small groups, sending out a text message to your neighbors, or just people that the Lord put on your heart, and inviting them over to your house in their pajamas. Make sure they bring a snack or some sort of like potluck type situation. And then just distraction-free. Hang out, get in front of the live stream, and do everything you can to make it a priority. Because I promise you, I have never been more convinced that the Holy spirit can move through technology, and can move through a computer screen, and can move through you being vulnerable and inviting people into your home, and stepping out in faith.

And the reason Amy says, "we've never been more convinced of that", is because we've watched it happen. Now we're at year seven, and so many people's lives have been changed by this. And it's wild because almost to a person, everyone we've ever talked to is so nervous. Nobody's going to come, and it's going to be a failure. And all of a sudden, their house is overflowing, and they need a bigger space. Like this is what happens, and we can't believe it either. So we do not want you to miss it. We want you to be a part. 

The dates are February 7th-8th and so it's coming right up. But even if you're listening to this afterward, or even if you cannot do February 7th-8th, you can get the digital download, and you can watch it anytime with your friends. You can plan a weekend around a different date and bring your people together.

Yeah, and I really want to encourage the church leader out there because we are passionate about serving the local church. I know what speakers cost. I know what throwing an event costs, and I'm telling you that using the digital download from our event, and putting on your own event, having your own IF:Local--all you need is your own local worship, your own space, and you're going to have the most incredible teaching. Again via this digital download anytime in March, April, May, whatever fits with your church rhythm or your schedule. 

Doubling-down on that, if you're a RightNow Media subscriber, and your church knows about that, you can actually do it totally for free. If you go to rightnowifgathering.org it's 100% accessible to you. And it's one of the coolest things that we get to come alongside churches that don't have budgets for big women's events like this and bring together the women across generations for this special event. And it's an awesome retreat option.

So we have several incredible speakers this year, we always do, but this year we're going to have Beth Moore, Sadie Robertson, we're going to have Jada Edwards, Joe Saxton. It's stacked, and we've got more, Bianca Olthoff. It's going to be an incredible, incredible few days. So you do not want to miss it. 

I think the most important thing you hear us say is that this has been a series of steps of obedience from the day that IF:Gathering was a dream, without a name in my heart and head till today. And I'm not talking about obedience from me, I'm talking about obedience from all of us. It has been just this giant group project of so many people saying yes to God and wanting to see their people grow and they want to be on mission together. There's an ache in people to bring together a team and to be on mission together and to not feel so lonely and isolated. And I think that's what this has been, is IF:Gathering this huge sisterhood, so many friends that are stretched out. I always told Zach if he makes me move somewhere to some random town, but there's an F gathering there, I know I'll be fine. Because every town we go to, which we get to go to a lot, the people we meet there are just in love with God and on mission and spending their lives well. So yeah, this is what our hope is, is that even if you're scared, all of us have been scared. We've been scared from the very beginning. We still get scared. When I think of all the local leaders that have said yes to this over the years, thousands and thousands and thousands of you, you've been scared, and yet you've said yes and people's lives have truly been saved. I mean physically saved. 

We've had people tell us stories that they were suicidal and they came to an IF:Gathering, and it changed everything. We have heard of people that just got out of prison and they heard about it and they show up on the back row of an event and they get saved. Like this is the stuff we hear. And so that's why we do it. We believe it's actually helpful in building the kingdom of God because our team, there's about 15 plus of us that lead this thing, and it is so fun, but also, the only reason we're doing it, the only reason we get up in the morning and do what we do is because we really believe it's helpful in changing lives. So we want you to be part of this sisterhood. We do not want you to miss that. So come on, sign up, see what God does. And some of you may click on your city, and you've got one in your city and you're going to have to show up at some stranger's house. Thousands have gone before you and done the same thing.

That's exactly right. Just this past fall, I believe we were in Ohio. It was after you had spoken, and this woman came up to us with about five other women, and they had never met each other until they all showed up at this woman's home. Some of them, like maybe a group of two, had come together because they were genuinely concerned about their safety, and they showed up. They were all from a different decade. So there was a 30 year old, a 40 year old, a 50 year old, and a 60 year old. And ever since that time, they had stayed in contact. They stayed in community and they had been praying for each other and they had been a part of each other's lives ever since. Just checking in on the things that God did that weekend and accountability for what their next step was. And it was just magical to see it come together. 

And just this past week we were talking to a woman named Laura, and Laura was in Washington DC. She attended an IF:Local there, and in this last year she moved to Northern Michigan. And she's haunted by God right now of, "This is your next step. I want you to open up your home, and I want you to invite people to join your IF:Local". And she's like, I'm not even really sure who I'm going to invite because I just moved to this town. But I know that it's what God wants me to do. And it's stories like that that just make me realize that even after seven years that it's not only the Lord who leads us to our next step of obedience, but that genuinely I feel bad sometimes asking people. I know you're busy, like I know that you're looking at 2020 and it's hard and there's lots of things coming down the pipeline. But then I think about the Laura that I talked to this past week, and I've realized that inviting you into this work is actually going to be one of the most life-giving decisions that you make this year. Because it is, it's outside of yourself. It makes you rely on God. It makes you trust and believe him at his word. And I can't wait to see what God has for Laura in Northern Michigan and who shows up at her house. 

But also there are women with huge dreams for their city. There are women in Kansas that we met this past year who dream of denominations coming together, and they dream of community division breaking down and are spearheading that. It's not anything strategic that you or I thought up. It's truly the visions and the dreams that God has put and knit into the hearts of women, and that this is just a great excuse to follow through with that.

So when we built IF:Gathering, we built it to go to you and your local places because we wanted to serve the local church. We didn't want to pull you out of your communities and your churches. We wanted to help you and to serve you and to put tools in your hands, in your places because we believe in you. We think you are the best person to reach your neighbors, to reach your friends, to reach your fellow students on your campus. We believe in you. They don't need to come hear a fancy speaker. All IF:Gathering is is a tool to put in your hands to gather people around to talk about Jesus. And our hope is that in doing so that more and more people want God, that more and more people are on mission together for the kingdom of God. And it's been quite a ride.  

I will say this: there were years there in the beginning, Amy, we both would've been just fine if our doors closed, and we didn't go forward. We were tired, and it was hard. And the first years of this thing cost everybody that worked with it a lot. And looking back in that season, we always kind of felt like maybe one more year. Let's do it one more year. And now we really don't feel that way. Now we look ahead, and we see this existing for many years. And I think the reason we feel that way is because of how big this team is, and by "team", I mean y'all out there hosting and attending. It just feels like, gosh, what could we accomplish together in the years to come? Instead of feeling exhausted and overwhelmed by what's happening at this moment, we're kind of like, what else could happen? 

And so we want to keep putting tools in your hands. Some of you are like, that's not my style. We've got Bible studies, IF:Equipped studies, that we've built for you to lead with your people. We have resources like IF:Table for you to host a meal and have people over. And all of that you can find at ifgathering.com. But our heart is whatever tools we're building that they just help you make disciples. 

And the other thing is this is a non-profit. Some of you are IF:Gathering year seven. You've been with us from the very beginning. We depend on your support. The way that this ministry exists is through donors. And we don't talk about that very often. But our hope is that as our vision continues to exceed our resources, that God will keep growing our resources so we can reach the world. I mean, we've always dreamed of translating into different languages and reaching different countries and different ethnicities. And all of that takes money. So our heart is to keep dreaming bigger dreams. And we need partners to help us do that.

And keep building old school tools, bringing back those. Getting into your Bible, understanding your Bible, understanding prayer, understanding the role of the church in your life--all that good stuff. Just in really pretty designed ways that we can access on our iPhones.

That's the goal. Lots of technology because it's how we reach the world. Amy, if anybody wants to get in touch with us or wants to give or wants to host, where do they go?

Everything can be found at ifgathering.com. I'd really encourage you to subscribe to our newsletter. And if you're interested in partnering with us in deeper ways, you can email giving@ifgathering.com

And if you want to host an IF:Local, not only can you sign up at iflocal.com, but we actually have this team of experienced hosts all over the country who are ready to jump in with you wherever you are and help you out. So as soon as you sign up, you're going to get a guide with those women's name and contact information. And I can't begin to stress enough just how simple it is. As long as you've got a little bit of internet and a really comfy living room. So join us!