I’m recovering from a flying trip to Seattle to attend the Revolution conference. Keynote speakers were Brian McLaren and George Barna. The attendees were pierced, tattooed, old, young, dreadlocked, coiffed, white, brown, black, doubting, and certain.

I have never attended a conference where there was such wide disparity in belief and experience, yet where faith was freely discussed and upheld. The theme of the event and all Off the Map events was that dialogue is permitted and encouraged. Not argumentation–dialogue.

One of the highlights for me was hearing the story of the Loyds who went to downtown Portland to start a church, undergoing voluntary poverty in order to do so. The church they started is prospering, and their church is filled with every sort of person imaginable.

I am happy I’ve gotten to know Jim Henderson who is the mind behind all of this. It is abundantly clear that he loves people and risks everything to show them the love of Jesus. Amen.