Boiling Down 15 Years of Journey Into a One Hour Talk

This Thursday I get to speak at a workshop at a convention in Phoenix about the journey we've been on. As I've thought and prayed, I think I'll outline my journey from the past fifteen years by talking about:

1. Generational Issues (from Baby Boomers to GenXers). During this stage of my journey I was focused on making the church more relevant.

2. Cultural Issues (from being a pastor to being a missionary). During this stage of my journey I was focused on seeing the church be on its mission first and foremost.

3. Theological Issues (from an organizational church theology to an organic church theology). During this stage on my journey, I discoverd that church was more like a family than a business.

4. "Me" Issues (from focusing on religion to focusing on relationships). This most recent stage of the journey can best be summarized by some outtakes from a Wayne book:

"Jesus' followers were not focused on liturgy, tradition, or growth strategies, but on the power of simple God-centered friendships, both with believers and with those still trapped in the world. The early believers didn't see themselves as an institution; they saw themselves as a family. Church wasn't something they went to; it was a way of living in relationship with the Father and his other children. When the apostles summed up the early believers' lifestyle in their letters, they didn't mention much about their ogranization or their meetings. Instead, they wrote about their relationships and the joy of treating one another the way God had treated them."