Back from Seattle

I’ve returned from the beautiful mosaic of industrial buildings, patchwork neighborhoods, dizzying roadways and clear waters of Puget Sound that is Seattle. The conference is over but my thoughts have only just begun. When I return from a conference I usually try to review what I learned and circle a few things to apply and work through. This conference has been different for me in that instead of writing down bullet point after bullet point I simply listened more for my heart instead of my head. This season I’m in has been one of deep stirrings, questions and thoughts that mostly have yet to surface. In other words, I don’t know what I’m thinking/feeling, I just know it comes from the depths of who I am.

I wouldn’t read too much into that because I can’t. Frankly, it’s another story for another time, a story whose plot has yet to materialize. There’s some cooking which still needs to be done.

However, I would say this, The Resurgence Conference was good for my soul. The theme was preaching but outside the initial message given by Mark Driscoll very little was said about preaching in my opinion. Like most conferences, the men who came to speak addressed what they wanted to address. For the most part, each did a great job! I was glad and blessed to hear what each had to say. But that wasn’t what made the conference for me. Like my last post alluded to – it focused mainly around relationships.

• I got to meet and hear men I deeply respect – C.J. Mahaney (I want to hang out with this man!), John Piper (a huge influence on my life), Mark Driscoll (I so appreciate both his boldness and sincerity).
• I hung out with guys I deeply appreciate – Bruce and Greg (fellow staffers and good friends), Chuck Land and Brandon Baca (sorry we missed you Tim, but Chuck and Brandon were blessings to be around), Darrin Patrick (you never know what a breakfast can turn into – here’s to hoping a partnership may be in the future by God’s grace – no matter how God lays out the future, I’m blessed to know you), and my brother Scott James (thanks for time, albeit brief, that you allowed me to have with you – seeing you made the trip for me).

The conversations, the laughs, the discussions – all of it was food for my spirit. Spending time with men like you makes the trip all worth it. It’s fellowship I not only want…it’s fellowship I need. In the coming days and weeks I’ll blog more about the different things I’ve learned but I wanted to begin breaking down my experience by writing about what mattered most to me – people.

More thoughts from my trip to follow…