Seattle: Tuesday

The Reform & Resurge conference is on full force.  Three speakers today.  First was Darrin Patrick of The Journey Church in St. Louis.  Darrin is an SBC'r and a church planter with Acts29.  His talk was just perfect for me, exactly what I needed. 

He said that your biggest challenge in ministry is yourself.  He used James 1:1-4 to talk about how those who walk with God will be a mess because God wants to build our character through trials.  The process of going through trials is painful, but we need to focus on the product of trails not the pain of trails.  Why would we want to avoid trials when it's the trigger to God's power?

The second speaker was Anthony Bradley.  I didn't like it.  Seemed like a good guy with something to say, but he didn't get it out. 

The third speaker was Ed Stetzer, the church planting and church researcher with NAMB.  Great missional stuff.  He used Acts 17 to make four points.  1. Acknowledge spiritual questions in culture,  2. Understand culture, 3. Acknowledge the positive and rebuke the negative inside the culture, and 4. Proclaim Christ. 

Stetzer said that the HOW of ministry must be determined by the WHO, WHERE, and WHEN of culture, but that the church is currently answering questions that no one in the culture is asking.  The church has then become a culture in itself.  But what the church needs is to hold two truths in tension, that we mus be contending for the faith (Jude 3) and contextualizing by becoming all things to all men (1 Cor. 9). 

Great quote: "Preaching against culture is like preaching against somebody's house.  It's just where they live."

Second great quote: "The stumbling block of the cross has too often been replaced by the stumbling block of the church."  Most people aren't being recruited by other religions, they are being repelled by ours.

Today I was able to sit with Kevin Cawley and Brian Brown.  We had some discussion after the day ended with Kevin, Brian, Bruce Chant, Bill Streger, and Pete Williamson.  I also met a handful of other bloggers and blog readers.

Sidenote: I'm reading and planning to blog-review Stetzer's new book Breaking the Missional Code soon.  The book is about how Tom Hanks finds the code for missional theology in the glow of Thomas Kinkade paintings.  Okay, not really. But it's very good so far. 

For lunch we had it catered by a local barbeque restaurant, Porter's Place.  Wow, was it good.  We were told to be sure to "meet the man."  So we saw a guy who we figured was "the man" and asked if he was.  He said no but went and got "the man."  "The man" is no man, but one of the most powerful hot sauces I've ever experienced (and I've experienced a couple of very hot ones).   That's "the man" that I tasted a drop of on the toothpick (see pic).  Literally burned my mouth and made my eyes water for 15 minutes or more. 

Tomorrow, more Ed, Josh Harris (who I met tonight at the hotel), and Tim Keller.  It's gonna rock.  For now, the donger need sleep.  G'nite.  Oh!  And be sure to keep up with my Seattle pictures.

Comments

[Jason Allen]

Those were some good quotes. It seems like I have heard the first one before somewhere (maybe from Stetzer). Anyway, thanks for keeping us up to speed on the conference.

Have you checked out Vivace Cafe yet? It's good stuff.

[billmelone]

Steve, thanks so much for your blogging of this. Is it possible to get more details of the messages? Even if you didn't like Anthony Bradleys message, I'd still be interested in hearing more (if possible, I know the conference keeps you busy).

[Anikisan]

I have two friends who are Reformed Uber-bloggers who are there: Mark Horne and John Barach. Say "hi" if you see them.

Pax

[Myron Marston]

Ah yes, "The Man" and his sauce. I've been to Dixie's BBQ in Bellevue (which Porter's is the Caterer for) and that sauce was incredible. The tiniest amount burns in your mouth for a very long time.

It's nice to see your Seattle pictures--as a local, I always wonder which sights vistors like best. I especially like your Pike Place Market pictures. It brings back memories, since I used to work there, right next door to Pike Place Fish...

Anyhow, thanks for the updates. It's good to hear about the conference. I'll be particularly interested to hear about what Tim Keller speaks about, so please blog on that if you have the chance.

[sacred vapor]

Tomorrow you will hear 'The Man' and his name is Tim Keller. Enjoy...

vapor

[Ariel]

I especially like Stetzer's points. Seems like he has some excellent insight into cultural contextualization. Thanks for the updates!

[Rae Whitlock]

I'm a bit weirded out right now. Just about everything you report Stetzer as saying was discussed tonight at my small group . . . from the four main points to the church (or individual Christians) becoming a stumbling block instead of allowing Christ to be that stumbling block. I guess I feel a little better for missing the conference now. (a little)

Thanks for the report, Steve.

[Steve McCoy]

Bill, I literally have no notes on Bradley. I'm trying my best to be kind to not discuss his talk. He bombed. No content worth mentioning.

Anikisan, I met Mark today. Thanks.

[michael bells]

i know some people who would kill you for the reference to kinkade... but i love it