PDX Day #1 - Straight from the Notepad to you!

As promised - straight from the notepad to you! Now, you would think I would have my digital act together and I would just "cut and paste"...nope, didn't work that way today...maybe tomorrow. For now, you want to know about the discussion/conversation going down at the Tracking the Spirit/Faith Communities Conversation? Here are a few insights hot of the interaction - still fresh!

Denny Langston and Denny Lorenz started the day with some reflections on the history of Tracking...what started as a church planting initiative with a series of measurables eventually became a ministry that was "highjacked" by the Holy Spirit. And I quote, "there's nothing wrong with church planting, but the Holy Spirit changed our direction - "discipling disciples who disciple others" became the new emphasis. Isn't it amazing, sometimes when you are following the Holy Spirit, you end up in a different place than you believed you were going...something about the "Spirit blows where it will" (i.e. John 3).

Dr. Paul Ford joined the conversation for a majority of the day...bringing his passions, experience, ministry perspective and wisdom to the group. A few of the highlights that I picked up:

• "God is tired of our tactics"
• "When you are living in the Holy Spirit there are many things that you planned to do that you discover didn't work - but then there are all sorts of things that really worked that you didn't plan"
• "The ministry Leader is primarily called to be a good steward - a trustee of the collective gifts of God revealed not only within their own lives but in the lives of others"
• "In Body Life - personal significance is NOT in stuff, position, money, reputation, or accomplishements - there is nothing you can do, preach, earn, write or say that will make you more significant than who you are already in Jesus Christ"
• "We have a specific design to live out in the Body of Christ - in other words, you and me are not only significant but we have a significant role to play"
• "Our role in ministry is NOT our salvation or our significance"
• "We have ONE part to play in the drama of God - we don't multiple roles nor especially all the roles to play - when we play more than the role God has given us, we rob others of their precious significance in God's story"
• "Team - God calls us to the will or desire for relationship...in other words, the Spirit moves us intentionally and dramatically from the "I" to the "we"...unity is not something we "trip" over but rather it is a choice"

Was there more shared and taught? Were there more insights? By all means...and I might have an opportunity to share more of what other people noted during today's conversation in the coming days on this blog...in the meantime, feast on these dear friends! Check out Paul's work - go to his website and see the types of things that he has dedicated his LIFE to communicate and mentor to the "Church" at large. One of the major components of the Tracking the Spirit journey is the discovery of our significance and identity in Jesus Christ through a thorough understanding and living out of our giftedness in Christ.

More to come tomorrow...