Dwell Conference reflections

Some reflections on Dwell:

• The strong emphasis on missional theology and practice was refreshing. You should really have theology without mission or mission without theology, but not many conferences balance the two well. Dwell Conference did.
• They also found a good balance between divine activity and human agency. Again, it’s hard to get this right.
• I have to repent – at least in part – about a couple of things. First, about vision: Stetzer said that the pendulum has swung too far as a reaction against CEO leadership, and suggested that we need to relearn vision-casting that avoids the extremes. Second, about pragmatism. Driscoll talked about the three worlds he lives within: megachurch guys who focus on methodology (kings), Reformed guys who focus on theology (prophets), and missional guys who care about people and justice (priests). Each group tends to distrust the others. Driscoll says we need all three. I guess you could say we still need vision and we need theologically informed pragmatism. I probably needed to hear this.
• Keller’s talks on gospel and persuasion were excellent. Run, don’t walk, to get a copy of his article in Leadership Journal if you haven’t already, or at least read my very short post on it. I hope that Keller’s work on the gospel will have a huge influence. We need it.
• Keller recounted the advice given him by Ray Bakke: Don’t try to create a great church in the city; aim for a great city. Aim at a great city and you’ll have a great church; aim at a great church and you’ll have neither.

There’s much more but that’s all I’ll share for now. You can read more about the conference at Ed Stetzer’s blog, or through Google Blog Search.

Tomorrow I plan on spending some time reflecting on how to apply what I learned at the conference. I sense some new changes and initiatives that will be coming out of my experience at the conference. I’d appreciate your prayers as I work this through.