This is like so late because the internet connection at the Gwinnett Center was worse than dial up. 

Orange 2008 is over.  It was such a great thing to see so many gathered with a heart for families and a heart for those who still don’t follow Jesus.

Day two and three reflections:

• Lanny Donaho and Reggie are so uncannily funny it’s still surreal.
• The worship was soul-stirring.  I loved seeing people caught up in Jesus.
• Apparently I say "amazing" a lot.  Thanks Fred.  That’s so completely amazing to know!
• Francis Chan went for the jugular.  A former gang member who Francis baptized quit his church after six months. His observation: he could find more community in a gang than in the church.  Do we really care for each other? Do we have each other’s backs?
• Donald Miller:  leaders speak something beautiful into the nothing, the way God spoke something beautiful into nothing to create.
• Andy Stanley forced my notebook open (every time I’m with him I get fresh insight).  I took copious notes.  Then I lost them after his talk.  Darn. I’m such a bonehead.  Good thing I’m at Drive next week. Andy did make me realize how unbelievably influential and important small group leaders are.  And every time I’m even near Andy, his deeply pure character shines through. Thanks Andy!
• Louie Giglio spoke passionately about the church needing to lift up the transcendent Jesus.  Bang on in saying relevance, worship and justice can easily become the golden calves of our generation, and this from the man who brings us the Passion movement.
• Reggie Joiner…I just love this man who not only won’t quit on the family, but who deeply pursues innovative ways to partner with parents across North American and the world in the name of Jesus.  Thanks Reg!

Hey Orange people, what did you love and what did you learn?

So it seems like right after going to bed last night, it’s time to his the shower and start again. 

Today we’ll hear from people like Francis Chan and Donald Miller.  I’m teaching on how to simplify your church ministry model and doing  breakout together with Reggie Joiner about what it was like to work with Andy Stanley and what we can learn from that (which is kind of interesting, since I’ve never worked directly for Andy Stanley, but I guess that means’ I’m the ‘here are the principles we can learn about this’ kind of guy.)

Plus, today our friends from Global TV are hanging out with me all day today.  They are filiming today as part of the one hour Kevin Newman special they are creating on what churches are doing to reach people who don’t go to church.

Hey, Connexus friends – once again your story is being told at Orange to encourage other leaders to take bold risks.  There’s a two page write up in the Orange Conference book about your incredible faith in starting Connexus.  Reggie also had fun explaining why we left a building we built to move into a theater church so that, like a loving father, we could reach more people who were missing.  I’m so grateful for you and proud of you!

If you want pics, check out Dan Scott’s blog.

Hey, one last but most important thing – happy birthday to my completely sweet bride, Toni! It will be great to hang out together again today.

Tonight’s opening main session at Orange was completely over the top and downright inspirational.

Worshipping with 3700 other people is pretty awe inspiring to begin with, but have Steve Fee lead us tonight was incredible.

I am so grateful for God sending Reggie Joiner into my life. He’s more than just a great leader to me – he’s a great friend.  Reggie hit it out of the park tonight with a message that was far more than just well-prepared and well-delivered, it was completely inspired. 

He talked about living in the midst of prodigal generation — a generation of people who grew up and ran away on God. (Read the original story here.) Many wish they could come home. Here’s the problem: they just don’t know who they are going to meet when they show up — a loving father, or their older brother.

Reggie encouraged every church leader to repudiate the attitude of an older brother when it comes to dealing with prodigals, and adopt the posture of a loving father. Among Reggie’s insights:

• Loving fathers are preoccupied with whoever is missing.  Older brothers are preoccupied with themselves.    
• Loving fathers forgive. Older brothers shame.

There was so much more in the talk than that, but as I thought about those two alone, how would they change our lives and our churches?

Reggie imagined church after church turning from an older brother mindset and becoming loving father churches.

Tonight rekindled my passion in a very personal kind of way.  As a former prodigal, I remember being greeted by grace, not judgment. I remember a loving father who welcomed me in my rebellion.  And I know that there are thousands of people within a heartbeat of every church on the planet who would stampede back in a second if they thought a loving father, not an older brother, might greet them.

I want to snuff out every last bit of older brother out of me. I want my life – and our church – to be the kind of environment that prodigal can’t wait to get home to.

It made me think of people in my life I really need to open up to completely – zero judgment, just grace.