Road Trip!!!

Perhaps you have never heard of Exponential?

It promises to be an incredible event taking place next week in Orlando, Florida. The speaking line up will include people like Rick Warren, Andy Stanley, Alan Hirsch and Dave Ferguson. Other special guest will include Dr. George Yancey, Mark DeYmaz and this guy i know named Mont Mitchell.

Well over 2,000 people (including several from our church staff) will gather for four days to dream, envision and to prepare themselves and their teams to engage in the most significant task in human history.... planting and nurturing new churches. If you don't think this is critical work, think again. This is not just about new churches in the United States but around the world!

Some of you might be thinking, why do we need new churches... don't we have enough already ?!? The answer to that is simply... No. There are so many people around the world, we are no where close to having enough churches currently in existence to impact their lives!

i am particularly excited about this year's conference because there is a track designed especially for those who are interested in multi-ethnic/ multi-racial church planting. i am absolutely convinced that the future of the church will need to focus on creating communities of faith that celebrate and embrace racial and ethnic diversity. The material that will be presented in this track will challenge and encourage... and i can't wait!

As a result of not being in town next week my next blog entry will be May 1st.... between now and the next time i visit this blog again, i plan on "suffering" through 87 degree weather with partially sunny to sunny skies... someone has to do it... i am glad to volunteer!

The Most Segregated Hour of The Week.... Sunday Mornings@ 10AM

The last few weeks have absolutely flown by as we have launched back into a very busy season of the year here in Chicagoland!

Probably the most one of the most exciting things that has happened in the last two weeks was a recent weekend seminar called "CLD: Tier 2" led by sociologist and author Dr. George Yancey! As a part of our continuing look at what it means to be a "Kingdom Citizen" here at Westbrook, Dr. Yancey spent time with us discussing "The Multi-Racial Church & Kingdom Citizenship".

Using his newest book Beyond Racial Gridlock as a starting point of sorts we spent Friday evening taking a look at:
1) How We Got to Where We Are (in terms of racism) &
Secular Approaches to Racism

On Saturday morning we examined:
1) A Biblical Response to Racism

It was an eye opening experience and a great challenge to us all! One of the most intriguing things that Dr. Yancey shared with us is the powerful catalytic, pace setting example that the church in the United States could set for the rest of our society if Christ-followers would truly commit to creating multi-racial and multi-ethnic churches all around our nation!

We hope to have him back in our area soon perhaps as part of a regional Mosaix conference within the next several months!

If you are interested in finding out more about our recent event here at Westbrook, drop me a line and I'd be glad to share more with you about this fantastic Tier 2 event!

Nothing To Talk About?

This is crazy... i am sitting here having made the commitment and attempting to follow through on writing for my blog at least once a week thinking to myself... "i really don't have anything to say this week" which is sort of strange because typically i have something to say or at least write. But not this week.

Don't know why, but it's true... even as i write this i am thinking...."No one is going to read about how you have nothing to write about...you numb skull..." More of that negative self-talk... i thought i had worked through that but it comes back every now and then... it's a little like that really annoying relative that you know every few months you're going to have to deal with at the next family gathering.

Anyway, while there is a lot going on in our home, in our church and in our lives... generally speaking we continue to enjoy our transition to life in Chicagoland. i haven't forgotten about getting photos posted to this blog of a couple of recent missions trips that different folks in my family took to Mexico and Atlanta, Georgia. As soon as the photos are ready there will be a link directing you to the photo albums, i appreciate your patience.

Oh one more thing... next week i hope to make a trip to Lincoln, IL where i will participate in a Seminary Orientation day... i am planning on picking up where i left off a few years ago with regard to my graduate degree. i am looking forward to the challenge of graduate studies this fall. i am continuing work on an MA in Leadership Studies. One of my dreams is to eventually complete a Doctorate degree in Leadership Development (i know, i know, i know... at heart i really am a geek). The concept of leadership in general is intriguing to me... i think part of the reason it is so interesting to me is that for a long time i had a very hard time grasping what it meant or even what it looked like to be a leader. i am still learning and am excited about getting back in the "academic" saddle so to speak.

The fall season is already upon me and while i didn't have much to write about today, in the next few weeks i look forward to sharing about...
1) An upcoming six week all church small group initiative, IntersectCulture
2) A weekend with sociologist and author Dr. George Yancey
3) Ongoing and upcoming Mosaix small group curriculum writing projects and opportunities just to name a few things!

Hmmm, isn't that interesting? i didn't think i had anything to write about although some of you are probably thinking...."Dude, don't kid yourself... i just wasted five minutes reading your silly blog because you really didn't write anything!"

Have a great week!