I’ve never been away from the church I was pastoring for as long as I just was just now: 3 Sundays…almost 4 weeks.  To me, that’s a WOW.

Kelly and I were celebrating our 10 year anniversary, which actually falls on August 21st.  We left our 3 kids with Kelly’s parents in New Orleans.  Then, Kelly and I traveled from Paris to Milan to Florence to Cinque Terre to Naples to the Amalfi Coast to Rome to Sicily to Greece to Turkey back to Rome then Madrid and back home.  We backpacked all over the place in adventure like we’ve never had before.  We traveled by plane, train, foot (a lot of foot), and boat.  I didn’t touch a phone once.

Our experiences on the trip varied widely.  We packed super light with all of our possessions on our backs.  I took one pair of socks, two pairs of shorts, jeans, and three shirts.  We routinely washed our clothes in sinks.  Sometimes, we slept in hotels…some in hostels.  Once, we slept in a stairwell in Paris (or at least tried to sleep).  It was cold.  We ended up bundling up and watching episodes of The Closer on my iPod.

My favorite experiences were visiting the Areopogus/Mars Hill in Athens with the Acropolis in the backdrop (Acts 17:16-34), the ancient city of Ephesus in Turkey (Acts 18:24-20:1, Ephesians, Revelation 2:1-7), and the Colloseum in Rome where early church father, St. Ignatius was martyred-eaten by lions (though to this day, the official line at the Colloseum in Italy was that he was guilty of treason against Rome).

During that time, I read a good bit (Outliers, an Edmund Burke bio, and 50 Ways Italian Genius Shaped the World).  We played cards.  I never touched a phone.  I journaled a lot and had plenty of time to think without any demands placed on me by myself to share what I was thinking.  It was an adventure worthy of 10 years of marriage.  Kelly and I made memories on that trip we’ll never forget.  We’ll talk about how our plane was struck by lightning, how I almost passed out while hiking but was saved by a 70 year old German woman, and how much we griped over $7.50 cokes in Paris.

It was an adventure that a lot of pastors don’t feel free to have because their churches rely on them to do all the work.  So, getting away is hard to do.  I feel unbelievably blessed by a church that carries ministry with me as co-laborers instead of spectators sitting in bleachers.  Life Pointe Church is a family to me…incredibly loved and appreciated.  I don’t take you for granted.  You have enriched my life.  You’ve blessed my family with piles of love and arms of acceptance.  You allow me to be fully myself with no need for pretension.  How unusual a church community you are.

Well, Sunday, I walk through the doors at Life Pointe Church for the first time in a while…excited.  I’ll begin a series through the book of Joel called Devastation and Redemption.  I actually have butterflies.  Now, I’m wondering if the adventure of a lifetime wasn’t just the trip.  I think the adventure is my life- interrupted by another adventure.  Sometimes, I have to pinch myself and thank God for allowing me to live this life.

Things aren’t always easy.  We’ve faced some big challenges since we started.  We’ve also had some big wins.  In the time I’ve had to reflect, it isn’t primarily about the wins and losses.  It’s about the people who are with you as you win and lose.  There’s no doubt.  This is certainly the adventure of a lifetime.

PS. If you want to see more pictures of our trip, you can on my facebook account.  I’ve got a ton posted there.  Otherwise, I’ll see you this weekend.

Tonight, I gathered around a room with some pretty decent people for the first week of our summer life group semester as we began reading “Vintage Church” by Mark Driscoll.  The first chapter was dripping with theological short-hand.  The book will be challenging.  But, it begins to lighten up next week as we get beyond the first chapter.  It’s a good read, challenging, and will lead to good conversations with some good people I’m getting to know better.

Why is life group so good?

• new relationships develop.
• we pray with one another.
• Biblical conversations.
• we distribute leadership.

After the first week, I won’t lead it again.  I’ll just attend and participate with the group as leadership is shared and people step into their roles of leadership.

It’s inevitible that over the course of the next several weeks, strong leadership will begin to be expressed by people in the group…helping me to indentify future leaders in our church or groups.  What we study is important.  But, what emerges out of this group in the lives of the participants is as important.  That’s exciting.

If you haven’t registered for a group yet, it isn’t too late.  You can do it online here.

Thank you for your extravagant service.  I honor you for your sacrifice.

• I taught the first part of 1 Peter 3 this morning as we talking about Rebel Love- specifically about women of the Revolution.
• As we talked about the sexes, mutual submission, and authority as a posture of humility and servanthood, I was able share cleanly about my life and my marriage with Kelly (now approaching the 10th anniversary).
• As we went and in both services, I stepped full force onto verbal landmines left and right with more than a few blush-inducing verbal gaffes.
• Crazy.
• After trying not to do that kind of thing my whole public speaking life, I’ve basically come to accept the fact that that kind of thing is going to happen.
• It’s largely from my heart, who I am…and that’s really the only way I know how to lead.
• On top of that, I really do enjoy laughing with you while you laugh at me.
• The really cool thing beyond that is following the services, a couple shared that they were ready to pull the trigger on their marriage.
• It’s a beautiful thing when really decent, quality people come face-to-face with a revolutionary Jesus…who changes their world!  POWERFUL.
• I’m organizing my thoughts now for the Plantation Key services…excited about what God is doing in us.
• Another cool thing about tonight is that uber-blogger, Chris Day is going to be hanging with us on this raucous Memorial Day weekend!

REGISTER ONLINE

The summer life group registration campaign is now underway!  We actually are going into week 2 of registrations in a 4 week campaign.  So, check out the catalog and fire up your registration.  And, if you have any questions, ask me here.  I’ll either chime in or someone who knows the answer will beat me to it!

1. High Quality version of the Francis Chan AC DC intro! http://www.youtube.com/watc… #exponential09 Thanks to @Matt_larson6 minutes ago from web

2. Were about to watch the disney parade. Kourtney is dressed as cinderella. Mckenna is snow white. I feel like i’m about 2 turn into a pumpkinabout 14 hours ago from txt

3. I’m sitting in front of cinderella’s castle w/ 3 beautiful princesses & 1 mountain man. Meeting up w/ @bobfranquiz & fam 4 lunch @disney.10:33 AM Apr 24th from txt

4. Francis Chan Song by @billshazar at #exponential09 MUST WATCH!!! http://bit.ly/zKovP Thanks to @mlpayne for the vid (& 4 being a good bro)10:27 PM Apr 23rd from web

5. @daveferguson and @troymcmahon i’m down the row from you at the house of blues. @bobfranquiz is around here somewhere too.8:26 PM Apr 23rd from txt

6. Kelly and I are rolling into downtown disney…going to cause a ruckus6:13 PM Apr 23rd from txt

7. The closing of exponential conference was sacred…God is here. God is in me. #exponential0912:06 PM Apr 23rd from txt

8. Francis Chan: “we need to believe in the Holy Spirit again.” #exponential0911:46 AM Apr 23rd from txt

9. Francis Chan: “people are attracted to gangs because they do family biblically.” #exponential0911:32 AM Apr 23rd from txt

10. Francis Chan: “there should be a noticeable difference between people who are dead and people who have the Holy Spirit.” #exponential0911:27 AM Apr 23rd from txt

11. Francis Chan: “i’ve been preaching exegetically for 15 yrs but I haven’t been living it exegetically.” #exponential0911:25 AM Apr 23rd from txt

12. Francis Chan: “ACTS CHURCH equals uneducated and bold. TODAY’S CHURCH equals over educated and not bold.” #exponential0911:09 AM Apr 23rd from txt

13. the stage just got rocked with a massive intro by @billshazzar for Francis Chan. I’ll upload video later…incredible #exponential0910:57 AM Apr 23rd from txt

14. Chandler: “everyone falls in love with the version (style) of christianity they were saved in. Be flexible.” #exponential099:53 AM Apr 23rd from txt

15. Chandler: “you can’t just celebrate maturity. You must celebrate transformation.” #exponential099:50 AM Apr 23rd from txt

16. Chandler: “the moment your mind grows and ministry practice stops is the moment you grow cold.” #exponential099:35 AM Apr 23rd from txt

17. Chandler: “the weight of teaching doesn’t haunt me…making disciples haunts me..” #exponential099:22 AM Apr 23rd from txt

18. Chandler: “the greatest enemy to deep siritual transformation is fast growth.” #exponential099:17 AM Apr 23rd from txt

19. We are starting a session with matt chandler on “the leader’s capacity to make disciples.” #exponential099:11 AM Apr 23rd from txt

20. @stevebrown67 no prob11:55 PM Apr 22nd from web in reply to stevebrown67

21. @shawnlovejoy would have loved to have come over there with you guys tonight…raincheck?!11:17 PM Apr 22nd from web

22. @darrellbjr you got it, Darrell.10:50 PM Apr 22nd from web in reply to darrellbjr

23. @stevemolton no sweat10:49 PM Apr 22nd from web in reply to stevemolton

24. @trippbattle enjoyed lunch.10:47 PM Apr 22nd from web in reply to trippbattle

25. @Braddy9 Shawn Lovejoy pastors Mountain Lake Church (http://www.mountainlakechur…) in Cumming, Georgia. Also, http://churchplanters.com9:37 PM Apr 22nd from web in reply to Braddy9

26. I could use an extra twitter follower about now…currently have 666 followers.9:34 PM Apr 22nd from web

27. @rosswiseman you got it, bro.9:33 PM Apr 22nd from web in reply to rosswiseman

28. at T-Rex in downtown disney with my clan…blake is roaring at all the dinosaurs.6:19 PM Apr 22nd from txt

29. derek duncan: “you will not be allowed to do it on your own.” #exponential095:28 PM Apr 22nd from txt

30. derek duncan: “the Holy Spirit does the work. That means I’m not in charge.” #exponential095:26 PM Apr 22nd from txt

31. derek duncan: “i love to preach the Gospel. But, I don’t want to die .” #exponential095:15 PM Apr 22nd from txt

32. Lovejoy: “most churches are one staff member release away from explosive growth.” #exponential093:42 PM Apr 22nd from txt

33. Lovejoy: “when people are out of line with the three C’s and it can’t be resolved, they need to be let go.” #exponential093:40 PM Apr 22nd from txt

34. Lovejoy: “venting to another staff member is not biblical.” when it happened with Jesus, He said “get thee behind me satan” #exponential093:36 PM Apr 22nd from txt

35. Lovejoy: “Jesus told His team the truth…pastors struggle telling the truth to their team. afraid to confront honestly.” #exponential093:35 PM Apr 22nd from txt

36. Lovejoy: “4 qualifiers 4 picking A-team: 1.Love Jesus 2. Love me 3. Be loyal when they disagree 4. do what u said u would do. #exponential093:32 PM Apr 22nd from txt

37. Lovejoy: “jesus didn’t try to keep everyone on His team.” #exponential093:28 PM Apr 22nd from txt

38. Lovejoy: “how do we select the right team? Competence. Chemistry. Character.” #exponential093:21 PM Apr 22nd from txt

39. Lovejoy: “we need to lay our hands on our A-team slowly.” #exponential093:18 PM Apr 22nd from txt

40. Lovejoy: “half of your time should be invested in building, recruiting, and deselecting the team” #exponential093:16 PM Apr 22nd from txt

41. Lovejoy: “Jesus didn’t lower the bar for volunteer staff.” #exponential093:12 PM Apr 22nd from txt

42. Lovejoy: “teams do not impact the survivability of a church. But they do impact the growth of a church.” #exponential093:11 PM Apr 22nd from txt

43. Lovejoy: “key to success is to build, select, and deselect the right members of the team.” #exponential093:09 PM Apr 22nd from txt

44. Starting a talk with shawn lovejoy, michael lukaszewski and david putman on “team and staffing” #exponential093:05 PM Apr 22nd from txt

45. Roberts: “never villify another religion. Paul always started where they were. Talk about how good Jesus is #exponential09.2:27 PM Apr 22nd from txt

46. Roberts: “we cannot prove our love for people when we are busy villifying them.” #exponential092:17 PM Apr 22nd from txt

47. Roberts: “every believer is a church planter.” #exponential092:12 PM Apr 22nd from txt

48. Roberts: “why are we such shallow risk takers?” #exponential092:11 PM Apr 22nd from txt

49. Roberts: “Christianity started as a Jewish movement to God and will end as a Muslim movement to Jesus.” #exponential092:09 PM Apr 22nd from txt

50. Roberts: “we need to be obsessed with Jesus.” #exponential091:57 PM Apr 22nd from txt

51. Roberts: “the Sermon on the Mount is the Christian’s Manifesto.” #exponential091:55 PM Apr 22nd from txt

52. Roberts: “for the first time in our history, the world wants our economics but not our culture.” #exponential091:53 PM Apr 22nd from txt

53. Bob Roberts, author of “Glocalization” is now speaking. #exponential091:49 PM Apr 22nd from txt

54. Leo: 3 rules in kingdom living: 1. Jesus rules in me. 2. Jesus rules among us. 3. Jesus rules through us. #exponential091:17 PM Apr 22nd from txt

55. ready for a session with Eddie Leo, pastor of Abba Love Church in Indonesia. #exponential091:13 PM Apr 22nd from txt

56. I’m grabbing lunch and sitting by the lake in a few minutes…love the community vibe…old school “dinner on the grounds” #exponential0911:54 AM Apr 22nd from txt

57. Groeschel: ” don’t you dare sacrifice your children on the altar of church success.” #exponential0911:49 AM Apr 22nd from txt

58. Groeschel: “no matter what happens, God is still God.” #exponential0911:48 AM Apr 22nd from txt

59. Groeschel: “step into the pain.” #exponential0911:45 AM Apr 22nd from txt

60. Groeschel: movement leaders are always criticized, always misunderstood, always fail, always dissatisfied. #exponential0911:44 AM Apr 22nd from txt

61. Groeschel: 3 things to lead a movement- 1. See what others don’t. 2. do what others won’t do. 3. hurt like others don’t hurt. #exponential0911:40 AM Apr 22nd from txt

62. groeschel: “What if we didn’t believe the church existed for us, but instead existed for the world?” #exponential0911:18 AM Apr 22nd from txt

63. groeschel: “what if what happened in here (new testament) happened in here (the church)?” #exponential0911:12 AM Apr 22nd from txt

64. Groeschel: “we are not a mega church. We are a small church with a mega vision” #exponential0910:19 AM Apr 22nd from txt

65. Groeschel: “don’t take credit for the declines or you will be tempted to take credit for the successes.” #exponential0910:17 AM Apr 22nd from txt

66. Groeschel: “your identity cannot be based on the numbers.” #exponential0910:16 AM Apr 22nd from txt

67. Groeschel: “you will not lead a movement based on the old measurements.” the scorecard has changed. #exponential0910:15 AM Apr 22nd from txt

68. Groeschel: young pastors build your churches on what its about not on what its not about. #exponential0910:10 AM Apr 22nd from txt

69. Groeschel: “preach the dangerous message of full surrender to the cross.” #exponential0910:01 AM Apr 22nd from txt

70. Groeschel: the church has become too safe.” #exponential0910:00 AM Apr 22nd from txt

71. Groeschel on romans 12:2: “do not be conformed to the patterns of the american church.” #exponential099:59 AM Apr 22nd from txt

72. Craig Groeschel talking about korean christians: “these people don’t know what can’t be done.” #exponential099:54 AM Apr 22nd from txt

73. Choy: horace underwood brought the Gospel to korea in 1891…willing to lay down his life #exponential099:52 AM Apr 22nd from txt

74. Choy: korea is #2 in missionary sending. 11 of 12 largest churches in the world are in seoul. 29 percent of koreans are christians. #exp …9:48 AM Apr 22nd from txt

75. Choy: when the japanaese get together, they make cars. Chinese make restaurants. Koreans make churches. #exponential099:27 AM Apr 22nd from txt

76. Getting ready for a talk from mark choy from Onnuri Church, an exponentially multiplying/sending church in seoul, korea #exponential099:21 AM Apr 22nd from txt

77. We’re at the polynesian hotel eating at Ohana’s. My oldest, Kourtney (5) is in the limbo line w/ Luke. I’ll whoop ‘em if I have to!7:00 PM Apr 21st from txt

78. Shawn Lovejoy: “there is a difference between being mean and being .mean about the vision.” #exponential094:53 PM Apr 21st from txt

79. Hodge: 3 questions U need 2 ask- 1. Who has God called us 2 reach? 2. what’s it going 2 take? Are we willing 2 pay the price? #exponential094:50 PM Apr 21st from txt

80. Lamb: “there’s a Judas at every table and he’s close enough to kiss you.” @garylamb #exponential094:34 PM Apr 21st from txt

81. lamb: “above all else, be mean about the vision.” @garylamb #exponential094:25 PM Apr 21st from txt

82. Heading into “the leaders capacity to stay on course” with @scotthodge and @garylamb #exponential094:16 PM Apr 21st from txt

83. Burke: think teaching as being catalytic…inspiring them to next steps. #exponential 093:50 PM Apr 21st from txt

84. Burke: “tolerance is a cheap substitute for grace.” #exponential093:27 PM Apr 21st from txt

85. Burke: it is not our job to fix people. Our job is to the soil…to cultivate a church culture that facilitates seed. #Exponential093:17 PM Apr 21st from txt

86. What are the biggest questions to consider if you’re going to raise a church up out of the culture? #expoential093:13 PM Apr 21st from txt

87. John Burke: “church planting requires tenacious leadership and perserverance.” #exponential093:05 PM Apr 21st from txt

88. Getting ready for the session “starting a church out of the culture” with john burke #exponential092:56 PM Apr 21st from txt

89. Follow all exponential conference tweets at #exponential092:32 PM Apr 21st from txt

90. Mcnanus: “when you are invited into the 3rd space, you will be ostracized in the 1st space.”2:23 PM Apr 21st from txt

91. 3 spaces u need to be aware of: 1. The space we create for others 2. The place we live 3. the place you can’t go unless you’re invited.2:18 PM Apr 21st from txt

92. Mcmanus: “the marketplace doesn’t need a watered down Gospel, it wants a Gospel that makes sense.”2:15 PM Apr 21st from txt

93. Mcmanus: “we need to be a city of others.”2:00 PM Apr 21st from txt

94. Mcmanus to an 25 yr old atheist: “if I can’t answer your questions, it isn’t because there isn’t a God. It’s because i’m stupid.”1:57 PM Apr 21st from txt

95. McManus on FBC and his salvation experience: “love covers a multitude of irrelevance.”1:54 PM Apr 21st from txt

96. MCMANUS: Paul @ mars hill- if he was distressed over people worshiping pagan gods, why did he go 2 synagogue? We need movements for pagans.1:53 PM Apr 21st from txt

97. Erwin McManus speaking in the church where he first met Christ 30 years ago1:39 PM Apr 21st from txt

98. an FYI for the @lifepointe crew that would like to follow exponential conference with me. Follow @marksimiley also.1:19 PM Apr 21st from txt

99. Within 2 minutes of being at exponential conference, i’ve run into a ton of friends…feel at home in this tribe of decent human beings.12:56 PM Apr 21st from txt

Every year, I attend Exponential Conference.  It’s a gathering of about 3,000 church planters.  If I only get to go to one conference per year, this would it.  So far, we’ve been in session with Erwin McManus, John Burke, Gary Lamb, and Scott Hodge. Good stuff.

If you’d like to follow along with my Twitter thoughts/notes/quotes, you can here.

If you’d like to follow along with all Twitter comments tracking Exponential 09, you can here.

As the first installment of “Serendipitous Saturday,” the maybe-weekly blog entry (inspired by Chris Day’s Saturday Morning Shenanigans) where I share mostly meaningless personal minutiae with you, I thought I’d introduce you to one of our quasi-family members.  Sure, he doesn’t live inside with us and we don’t feed him.  But, we do hang out from time to time.

This is one cool cat- about 4 feet long.  He lives in the Bougainvillea on our fence line.  He jaunts across the yard like he owns the place.  He does.  We are the guests.  Anyway, his name is Iggy.  So, say hello.  This first photo is his suave, “I’m-in-control” look.

This second photo is after I asked him ssome fairly probing questions.  He’s pretty private and reserved…didn’t take to kindly to the intrusive questions I had for him about his past.  So, he gave me a forboding stare.  I have the video footage of what happened next.  I think I’ll save that for another time.

After an intense period of stretching (6 months), I’ve had a bit of a contraction (speaking as though I’m a rubber band).   It’s nothing big…just normal days off.

I know I can’t live outside of the margins forever.  I thrive during extremes.  But, left there too long and I find myself a bore, more easily frustrated, and easily distracted.  The last two days have been a bit of a breather for me.  I’ve enjoyed Kelly and the kids.  I read “The Way of the Heart” by Henry Nouwen this morning.

At one point while reading, I looked up and saw my kids playing on a sand hill and realized that everything I needed in the world was in the sand with me.  You’ll never hear me advocating laziness.  I love work.  But, stopping and coming away from the busy-ness to breathe is beyond needed.  It should be normal, systematic, reptitive, and enjoyed with family.

I’m thanking God for the days and time to breathe.

About like this.   Great smiles!  I was grinning from ear-to-ear yesterday too as God did some really good things at both campuses.

• Phil, Chris, and Mark have their thoughts.  Check them out.
• Check out more of the pics from yesterday here.
• Bottom line, we had a monster day.  We didn’t do a mailer in Homestead.  The schools were on Spring Break.  Still, people mobilized like crazy nd brought their friends with a great crowd in the 9 am and completely packing out the next two services we had yesterday.

PLANTATION KEY

• This campus is continuing to shape up into a beautiful community! I love it.
• There have been tons of improvements almost entirely at the hands of some amazing volunteers.
• The service was packed.  We actually had to bring in chairs.  It was perfect.
• We also had our new LPC-PK Kids Life Director, Danielle Ovando on the job for the first time.
• She and Rafael both grew up in the Keys.  She’s been a part of our Kids Life ministry for some time.
• Rafael has done a ton of electrical work for us on this campus.  They’re fully vested and I dig that!
• Matt continues to connect with God and our people as he leads worship…very proud of him and what he adds.
• We had a ton of new friends here.  I can really sense that this is going to be an amazing faith community.  We haven’t seen a glimpse of what God wants to do through us here.

HOMESTEAD

• The Homestead campus was on fire!
• You never know what’s going to happen in a service.  During the 10:30, there were dueling preachers for a minute.
• I felt like I was on Mystery Science Theater 3,000 for a bit.
• Fortunately, the Homestead campus is generally a group of overly agitated, recovering road-ragers.  So, the person was told to shut up by a few people…one of the reports was a little more colorful than others.
• One of my favorite parts of the morning was a special celebrity appearance by Ela Ortega.  She has a servant’s heart like no other person I’ve met…and in the face of unbelievable physical obstacles.
• When she shows up, you would think that Michael Jordan was there.  She has fans.
• Jesse introduced some new songs yesterday.
• Curtis co-lead a portion of the worship set for the first time and rocked it!
• We had awesome crowds and a lot of people choosing to take first steps with Jesus!!!