I was in Dallas this week with Pastor Mark Driscoll and Pastor Rick Melson at a Leadership Network conference. I’m bummed it was colder there than in Seattle, but nevertheless it was a good trip for us, both to think through our future plans at Mars Hill Church and to interact with others.

I really appreciate the mixture of people you find within the greater church at events like this, and the variety of relationships we’ve developed with other churches and leaders around the country. Here are some thoughts from the experience:

1. I’m looking forward to Heaven, where all races and nations gather together in worship of Jesus. All methods and styles of church will fade to the background as we collectively bow in adoration to Jesus our King.
2. I appreciate the eagerness to share resources and build relationships between churches that truly want to help each other learn and grow so that Jesus’ kingdom can advance. I made some great connections with a few churches of various stages and size. We have a lot to learn from places like Community Christian in Chicago.
3. While the variety of people and churches is really encouraging to see, it also forces me to wrestle with various matters of theology and discernment. Why do we do what we do? Why do others do what they do? Where is that in the Bible? Does that line up with sound teaching? No matter how confident or compelling a teacher might be, you can’t ignore these vetting questions in order to ensure that what you learn is rooted in Scripture.
4. I was able to learn something valuable from each of the main session speakers. It seemed to me that they tended to gravitate towards one of three themes: methods, inspiration, or theology. Those that speak on methods usually have a good line or two, and a few tips and tricks to take home with you. Those that use inspiration make a big impression in the moment, through humor or emotional appeal, but when it’s over, the actual content can fall quickly from memory. Those that speak from a foundation of deep, gospel-centered theology encourage lasting transformation. All three styles accomplish something, but most powerful to me are those that work out of the gospel, creating heart change which naturally leads to faithful and fruitful methods, as well as inspiration through Jesus’ good work on our behalf.
5. Context matters a lot. Driving through Dallas, I saw megachurches galore—most sprawled out on huge plots of land, some upwards of 150 acres. This is a very different place than Seattle, where our largest “plot” is less than one acre and boasts a whopping twenty parking spots. The foyer of the church that hosted the conference could literally house three or four of our campuses.
6. More people are actively using social networking technology. I’m officially on the bandwagon, and you can now find me on Facebook and Twitter. The world is shrinking, and it’s much easier to stay connected with friends and peers around the country and the world. This is a huge benefit with a lot of potential for our shared cause of the gospel.

Thank you Leadership Network for pulling together this conference, I and many others benefited greatly.