It was a long day.  Off The Map Live was challenging yet again!  This isn’t your normal SBC conference.  It wasn’t bad just different.  I have been exposed again to different thinking.  The different thinking isn’t bad or wrong I would say but just different.   The way I would explain it is this….

Remember a time when I sat down with you and tried to explain this “new” thing, or new way of doing something.  You looked at me with that blank stare and thought to yourself, “is he serious?  There is no way that 1) it will work, and 2) that what he is saying is right.

Well that is where I am.  Here is an example….

The Bridge – this church is a little nuts but, I think they are on to something that is so good here.  I think that their work is being run and rerun on the highlight reel in heaven.  They are connecting with people that I am not connecting with.

The Refuge – this church was shaped by a guy, Carl Wheeler.  He was involved with Dare2Share.  This church too, from the sound of it, reaches those I am not reaching in the burbs.

I look forward to the last day of the conference.

At night we traveled to the island just off of Seattle.  Now that was really cool.  The only thing that could have made that better was if I had my family with me.

Actually seeing my breath was really awesome! This morning as we left the hotel the air was so crisp and cool that for the first time in a long time I saw my breath.

The boys and I traveled to the original Starbucks at Pikes Place this morning. Then something really crappy happened. Yes, I said crappy. As we were walking back to the car from the SBux somehow I was able to step into some doggy doo. Not your normal amount either. It was HUGE! 1) I can’t believe that I didn’t see it. 2) I have never been able to track the whole shabamm into the car before. At first we thought Sean was letting some bad gas go. I kept yelling at him saying, “DUDE, THAT IS BAD. COME ON JUST CLAIM IT”. I then noticed I has some leaves attached to my shoe so I pulled the leaf off and whalla! I officially placed my hand into poop.

[slideshow=3]

This is what I am wondering about…

Is the Kingdom of God bigger that what I think? Maybe I will unpack that or you can comment and let me know what you think.

Good times.

We all a little tired. A full day of travel. The best part was I took a direct flight from Tucson to Seattle. Left at 11:30 and got here at 2:30. The other three guys left their houses at 5:30a and arrived in Seattle at 1:30p but had to hang around the SeaTac airport for me. How sweet huh?

After the OTM Live event the boys and I went for a drive to a cool local joint. I think it was in the Fremont area.

[slideshow=2]

The conference was good… Here are some random gleanings from last night….

When being right means more than being kind.

I know I am a baptist but how do I know that I am a follower of Jesus. I know I am “in” the SBC world but how do I know that I am “in” in the Kingdom?

No Christian ever made a mistake acting out of love.

When the chips are down the buffalo is empty

Why if we are all about love, community and acceptance are we so segregated?

Lets see what Seattle hold for us tomorrow.

The flight was good getting here. I flew by myself and that was surprisingly great! I was able to compose over 20 emails to various friends and partners.

Upon my arrival stepping off the plane I was shocked by feeling sub 50 degree weather. Seattle is a wonderful area. When the 4 of us traveled to our hotel in downtown Seattle we drove by Pike Place Market and saw the first, yes the FIRST Starbucks. It was a spiritual experience. I hope to visit it tomorrow.

I am here in Seattle for the next three days attending a conference called Off the Map . I am hoping to learn some new thoughts about connecting when those Jesus misses most.

I hope to share some thoughts here with you so stay tuned….