Connections

Hinge 2009 Recap Video

Refresh Dinner

Last night was an appreciation dinner hosted by Thrive called Refresh for Youth Workers, Pastors and Church leaders at the Commerce Club. Since I am on the Board for the Festival, I had the priveldge of inviting 5 couples to sit at my table.

I had Howard Frist of Newspring, Dustin Hughes of CRCC, John Reeves of Radius Church, and Stuart Fuller, Youth Worker and leader at Radius Church. We had a blast. We were the last table to leave out of 70 people.

We even mingled into the parking lot and spontaneously decided to go to Stax Omega for some late night food with the Reeves, Hughes and Fullers....taking advantage of having a baby sitter.

We laughed, talked about the city, God's Kingdom and our journeys that lead us to where we are now. My wife even talked to a college singing group into singing in the middle of the restaraunt for everyone to hear.

At 12:15 a.m. we returned home. This city and it's church leaders are awesome!

Married For The Sake of a City

Much has been written and talked about in regards to City Transformation over the last decade. We have seen movements like the prayer and intercession movement and the social justice movement target cities for the result of transformation.

I read a quote from Eric Swanson from Leadership Network, that really has been rocking my skull today, hope it does yours as well.

"Spiritual transformation is taking place when God's people, the church, begin viewing and acting toward the community as compassionately as God does and societal transformation takes place when the society at large begins viewing and acting compassionately towards the community as much as the church (and henceforth God) does."

- What if we married the two movements for the sake of a city?

- What if we didn't engage the community just so that it would be Christian, but rather engaged because we are Christian? (question birthed from Eric Swanson quote)

- What if intercession was ongoing to dismantle the darkness of a city, while acts of service and justice rebuilt the city?

Just some thoughts on this sunny Wednesday!

Plowing the Field Together

Had lunch today with Chris and Howard. These two guys Pastor multi-site churches here in Greenville. They both have a tremendous heart for our city and want to see the Kingdom of God advance like a punt in the enemy's teeth.

All 3 of our churches have a very different vision and systems to how we accomplish that vision, however we all share the same DNA....to see people come to know Jesus in our city.

I'm grateful that NewSpring is coming to Greenville and am so thankful that Chris and his SeaCoast team are already here plowing the ground.

Howard...thanks for the guacomole, bacon burger....still tasting it!