Arrived in Seattle last night and wanted to take a few moments to share more from this past week in Portland.  Huge thanks to everyone who made our time in PDX so much fun! 

As I mentioned before, these brief highlights pale in comparison to the beauty of all that was experienced.  Portland is full of some amazing leaders that have a HUGE heart for people - releationships rule here and to have influence in this city takes time, service, selflessness, and patience...

Brief overview of our time in Portland from Thurday - Saturday...warning, it was a PACKED week!

Thursday
Regional gathering of leaders at Living Hope Church in Vancouver, WA (just outside Portland).  Thanks to Wade Olinger, Matt Chapirison, Ben Culley, Josh Lee, Mike Magura, Johnny Driver, Paul Young, Kyle Zimmerman, & Brian Grant for such a great converation.  It was a surprise to have Paul Young, author of The Shack, join us and he added a lot of insight as we discussed what church culture is like in Portland and how leaders can be most effective in serving their community.  Sound bites from our time together:

• "We must stay away from sin management or behavior modification.  The gospel of spiritual formation has a HUGE place in our culture.  There is a tension between spirituality and biblical truth - people very much identify with authenticity and trust, and that must be the vehicle of biblical truth." (Mike Magura, New Hope Community Church)
• "This is a culture that says, if it doesnt work, throw it out.  There are no links to tradition or historical methods.  Real connections and relationships are critical; please don't organize it to death." (Paul Young, The Shack)
• "Unity is a unifying force for culture."  (Johnny Driver, Young Adults Pastor at Living Hope Church)

Grace Chapel in Wilsonville, OR (Aaron Foster's, our Catalyst West Concierge, former church).  Always great to spend time wtih Catalyst Conference alumni, will see them again in April!

Chuck Bomar, coffee with Church, he and his family started the college ministry at Francis Chan's church in Simi Valley, Cornerstone, before moving to the Portland area to plant a church in Tigard, OR.  It was nice to just grab a cup of coffee and talk with a guy who I quickly realized would be a good friend if we lived in the same zip code, love his heart for the church!

Allan White, dinner with Allan and his family.  Allan is the video Guru for the Luis Palau Association.   Allan and his wife have started a church in an area of Portland that used to be regarded as a pretty rough part of town.  The White family is making an impact in the heart of Portland!

Friday
Luis Palau, met with Luis, Kevin, & Andrew Palau.  The Palaus have a family legacy of global evangelism and outreach.  As I was asking Luis questions about what "evangelism" looks like in the culture of young leaders today I was shocked when he said, "I don't know.  I think you might have a better idea of that.  What do you think?"  The humility of a man whose legacy will last for years and years blew me away.  Few men of influence across the world have touched the number of lives that Luis has touched - the Lord has gifted this man as a leader and a voice for the gospel.  And he is so humble.  I am very much looking forward to having him join us at Catalyst West in April...

School Partnership Consultation for the Portland Youth Foundaiton.  Kevin Palau invited Wade Olinger and I to join them for a round table discussion focused on how community impact can be made by serving within the local school system.  17 people shared about how they are reaching into their local schools and offered practical insight on lessons they have learned.

Nike, tour of the Nike Headquarters in Beaverton, OR.  Mike Tatlock, Jordan Chesbrough, Wade, and I were treated to a first class tour of the Nike Headquarters by Dan Dehaven, Athlete Craftsman responsible for perfecting the fit of Nike shoes for players like Lebron James and Kobe Bryant.  Dan hooked me up with a gift that is unavailable ANYWHERE - because of my size 14 feet, he gave me a pair of never released Kobe Bryant special edition shoes.  The only other pair belongs to Kobe.  Dan loves his job but really loves his chance to serve the people responsible for one of the most recognized brands in the world.  We had a blast!

The Way, Wade and I joined 2,000 other young adults at Solid Rock Church's Friday night gathering for 18-28 year olds.  Great worship and great teaching from John Mark Comer.

Saturday
Kevin Carroll, met with one of the most inspiring speakers we've ever had at Catalyst & author of a new book, Red Rubber Ball at Work.  I was able to spend about an hour with Kevin; if you've never heard of Kevin or taken time to read anything he's written, please do yourself a favor and at least check out Kevin's website.  You have to hear more about how Kevin "helps people harness the power of sport and play as a vehicle for chasing and achieving their dreams."

click on the image below to see more pictures from our time in Portland!

Portland, OR - WOW. 

Not sure how to describe my thoughts as I get ready to pack up my stuff here at Panera Bread across the street from the K2 Building (Kevin Carroll's office) in Portland.  This has been one of the most amazing and FULL weeks of the Catalyst Road Trip. 

Yesterday I posted about the conundrum I face in describing the beautiful complexities of this road trip via a medium where sound bites rule!  Before the term was coined Mark Twain described the concept of a sound bite as "a minimum of sound to a maximum of sense."  With full admission that I will fail miserably, here goes:

(Part 1 of 2)

Rick Mckinley
I forgot my video camera when we rolled in to meet with Rick Mckinely, and it proved to be very fitting our time together...and a perfect beginning for the week ahead.  There would be no 2 minute moments caught on camera because what is happening in Portland cannot be captured in 2 minutes.  Ken Weigel and Rick Mckinley from Imago Dei took Kyle Zimmerman (worship pastor for Mariners Church in Irvine, CA & host for Catalyst West) and I to lunch and let us pepper them with questions...

Rick shared about his story with the church - 18 yrs old, had never been to church, didn't know ANYTHING about it.  One Sunday morning he woke up realizing he needed help...AA, church, something.  Rick left his house and just showed up at the closest church near his house; it was Palm Sunday, he didn't know what palm sunday was...thought it might have been something where they were going to read his palm.  A kid from the youth group came over and said asked Rick, "Why are you here?"  "I have no idea," he replied.  6 months later Rick was in bible college...now he is the Pastor at Imago Dei with a Ph.D and next week will be speaking at The Veritas Forum at Harvard.

Portland Culture?  Thoughts from our time with Rick & Ken:

• Individualistic Spirituality - the people that settled in Oregon made it to the END of the Oregon Trail - they traveled the furthest, beat the odds, and did it themselves.  They settled as far away from the east coast as possible.  The real spirituality of the great northwest is found in it's beauty - nature, wilderness, all that is before the eyes.  "I don't have to conform to what everyone else is doing...I don't WANT to conform."

• "There's no verse for this one..." - no formulas or standard answers for people here.  Some crazy stories and questions from people that would shock the "southern baptist culture."

• Time Tested - not interested in the fad or pop culture of church.  If it doesn't stand the test of time and lead to real spiritual transformation then it's rejected.  Must be real, and real is identified by long term impact.  Are you willing to to share your life along with your message?

• Patient - a culture that is not anxious or reactive to getting caught up in "what's next."

• Church planters beware - your "model" created in a strategy room will NOT work here.  Success is organic and often looks very different than what is initially planned.

• Rick, is the northwest a spiritually dark place?  "Well, I don't know what 'dark' is.  I mean, if you think about silicone enhancements, fake tans, fancy cars, and empty commitments to discipleship, well, then, that's dark to me.  These people know where they are and that they don't like church or Jesus.  The greatest hindrance to the church is the unconverted converted."

Raw thoughts and unprocessed highlights of our time with Rick McKinley.  I will will post more thoughts from a few gatherings we had with different leaders in the Portland area as well as one one one moments with leaders like Luis Palau.  More soon...

Hope you enjoy your weekend!  I am leaving for Seattle this afternoon...hoping the sun will come out in Washington!  :) 

LV

It's Friday morning, and I am once again greeted by another snow covered scene here in Portland, OR.  I haven't posted anything on the blog over the last two days because I find myself trying to figure out the best way to compress what I'm hearing and learning for a quick blog sound bite, and everythig I come up with falls so incredibly short of reality.  It just doesn't do it justice.  Maybe picrures and captions...who knows.  I wanted to at least offer a quick update and let you know that the week has been incredible.  From multiple gatherings of leaders across the PDX area to lunch with Rick Mckinley, it's been an incredibly full week of insight into what is happening in the Portland area.

Thank you for your patience as I process everything.  The roads are icy so I am going to get an early start on our journey over to meet Luis & Kevin Palau.  More soon from the Catalyst Road Trip adventure through what is often called "the least churched region in America."

Praying for another glimpse of the sun,

LV