Departing for the Q Conference

          Almost seven years ago, I had graduated from a music conservatory and I thought I knew what I wanted to do with my life: I wanted to be a successful service producer. I’d compose and arrange songs, put together service order, and seldom lead worship or participate in any pastoral duties. I was convinced that certain new ideas (including mine) for theologically-informed musical/artistic excellence, from the pulpit alone, could bring anyone into the church doors.

          But then I went to seminary. I learned about the temptation to consumerism in American churches and the depth of impoverishment and depravity (spiritual and otherwise) in the world we’re called to reach. Also, my ideas for service production were fleshed out in an internship, only to fall flat in a failing church plant. To me, it was a humbling realization that there’s more to serious ministry than just producing content for services within a church’s walls.

          In seminary, I also was truly inspired by the story of the Church of pre-Constantine Rome, and I started trying to think about more things that the Church (myself included) could do in ministry. As Dallas Willard said, “Shouldn't a quarter pound of salt be having more effect on a pound of meat?” Then, I was particularly challenged by Jamie Smith’s defense of the “Christian hipster,” when he criticized portions of evangelical subculture as being “the sort of thing you can add to your life without really disrupting the rest of it. It’s a style, not a way of life.”

          So, that’s where it needed to start. Am I letting the Gospel disrupt every aspect of my life? How would that play out in my ministry? And what about the ministry of Christ-followers in their non-clerical employment?

          That’s what the Q Conference is about.

          I learned about the Q Conference after picking up the book from which it was conceived, The Next Christians by Gabe Lyons (which I reviewed), while on my aforementioned journey. And after reading a very good review of Q’s vision and content, I just had to see if I could make it to the next conference. And I’m going. (When you register, they ask what you hope to glean and learn from the conference, for statistical and grouping reasons. I answered that I desire my life and ministry to be more multi-faceted in their outreach.)

          So, needless to say, there won’t be any blogging early this next week, but there will be a lot of tweeting. My wife and I are going to Los Angeles. In addition to wise and engaging discussions about the Church’s role in our postmodern culture, I’ll also be enjoying, with my wife, the warmth, sights and food of Los Angeles (can we say In-N-Out Burger?). The last of which I’m particularly excited about, because I’m going back to diet and exercise next week, now that my son is sixth months old.

          I’m very excited for this conference, and will likely write a “post-” blog as well.