Man.
Today I may have consumed the most information I have EVER consumed in one day.
Q kicked off this morning at 10am with a brief introduction of the conference and the concept from it’s founder Gabe Lyons. The idea is this, the more questions we ask the better we are. It takes us places that we never thought we’d go and it brings us understandings that we never thought we’d have. So, the conference will exist to share thoughts on questions and present more. Each presenter has 18 minutes (good luck).
I’m not going to beat this to death because I heard from almost 15 people today, so I’ll tell you who was there and will bring out KEY thoughts that stood out.
Andy Crouch :: Stepping into Culture
KEY – Proper posture for stepping into culture is Cultivating & Creating. From this posture we can offer gestures of condemning/critique/imitation/consumption
Rick Warren ::
KEY – Keys to Engaging culture HUMILITY/integrity/generosity/civility/simplicity. “the reason we haven’t engaged culture is because of our arrogance. Humility is teach-ability, so learn from everyone.”
Catherine Rohr :: Redeeming Justice
“You pastors have a lot to learn from murderers. You might not think so, but you do. You learn and teach the stories of Moses, David & Paul… they were all murderers. I guess it’s ok to learn from old school murderers, but most of you want today’s murderers as far away from you as possible. They have a lot to teach and you need to learn from them.”
Kevin Kelly :: Christianity in 1000 Years
(Kevin scared us all by talking about artificial intelligence and asking what we would tell cyborgs who asked if they were children of God) Brilliant thoughts about the movement of the center of Christianity and the decrease in population that’s sure to come.
Donald Miller :: How Narrative Shapes Culture
“For a story to be any good there has to be conflict. We hate conflict. Learn to love conflict! Conflict drives our story.”
Jeff Johnson :: Hip Hop Culture
(still unpacking. brilliant)
Chris Seay :: Consumerism
As Christians we read stories of Adam and Eve or the Israelites in the wilderness and think “how can they be so unsatisfied, they have all they could ever want? They’re so stupid.” And yet it’s our story. We’re the richest people in the world and yet we obsess over what we don’t have and how much we want it.
Blake Mycoskie :: Social Responsibility
Blake runs TOMS Shoes. For every pair of shoes they sell they give one away to kids in Argentina. I’m buying these SOON. You should too. This conversation made me think about what I buy and who it affects… and more so how it affects them. I’m a jerk.
Donald Miller :: Q&A
Miller said a lot of what I’d heard him say on Saturday but right at the end he spoke something directly to me (because I asked him a question) that will change how we do ministry at 707. More on that later.
Mark Rodgers :: Political Engagement
Josh Jackson (Paste Magazine) :: Celebrating Good
David Batstone & Justin Dillon :: Human Trafficking
As the church we must become abolitionists. We must learn where there is slavery and work to free them (and here’s a newsflash, there is slavery where you live. You just don’t know it)
Jon Foreman (switchfoot) :: Good Music
“The best kind of art tells the TRUTH”
Bryan and I bailed on the screening of a film called Bella. Not sure what it’s about but my brain is full.
I’ll talk more about the community formed by this conference and how it might be reigniting my passion for existence later.
