I learned in Dallas ...

Tomorrow I fly home from Dallas. All week, I've been stretched at the annual YFC/USA staff midwinter conference. I can't wait to get home, but I wanted to write down a few highlights before I forget them ...

1) God is able to far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work within us (Ephesians 3). The challenge was do to less asking, and more thinking -- more dreaming and vision casting, recognizing that God will far exceed our dreams.

2) I was challenged to do less work out of obligation, and instead to be compelled by Love. This hit my heart (see my previous two posts). It's (long past) time to start serving out of love, rather than out of obligation.

3) Imagine being invited to a banquet, and while trying to have a conversation with your table host you quickly notice that the host is preoccupied looking for a more distinguished guest. This is not how it works with God. He has invited me to the table, and there are no distinguished guests that he would rather dine with. This reinforces that I can serve out of love and not out of obligation.

4) In order to be a healthy minister, I must have clear vision/purpose. I must also realize that the work is never done, and I must find a sabbath retreat day. This will probably not be Sunday, but I need to find this time.

Goals from this session:
i) Sabbath - one per week
ii) Abiding time - daily
iii) Exercise
iv) Phone off, no email during all of the above.

5) Change is not an event. Change is a process. Is it really about the Kindom, or have I made it about my name on the marquee?

6) There is a huge difference between Culture defense and Kingdom work. Culture tries to achieve outcomes, while the Kingdom trusts God for the outcomes. This Kingdom work cannot be assessed by our cultural methods of data analysis.

There's a lot more, but that's enough for now.