Day One

We’re safely checked in to the Wellesley Inn and Suites in Duluth. I booked two rooms with double beds, and we eventually got them, but not before they tried to give us two rooms with one king bed each. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. It’s amazing how many times the movie Planes, Trains, and Automobiles has come up so far. (“That’s not a pillow!”) We attended 7:22 last night at Northpoint. They supersize everything down here. Everything is way bigger than anything you would find in Canada, but they do big well. Pretty direct, not a lot of hype. Even the building is built pretty simply. Last night, we filed into the auditorium. The band started, with smoke and amazing lights, and they did quite a few sets with professional musicians. Louie Giglio came out and spoke – a no-nonsense talk about the prodigal son. A lot like a megachurch service. A lot like a rock concert. It’s interesting to think of the models we use for church these days – concert has got to be right up there. What does that do for our experience of God? Can small groups or any form of community make up for the fact that the primary community event involves probably a million dollars of sound equipment, light and smoke machines, and super-talented musicians? Compare that to Leighton’s thoughts on interchurch relations becoming more relational and decentralized, less about what’s happening on a stage and more about what’s happening with each other. Worth thinking about. Next year, I’m tempted to attend Soularize. Bold prediction: Megachurches won’t exist in their present form in fifty years. It may not look like it right now, but they’re a dying breed. It’s only a matter of time. I’ll be attending Catalyst Labs today. Time now to read USA Today. By the way, if anyone wants me to pick up a Maxwell Leadership Bible for them, I’m on the job.