Last night I found out from Gavin that Will Willimon is in town as a keynote speaker for the Congress on Evangelism Conference that's being held here in Nashville this week. For anyone that doesn't know, being the theology stalker that I am- Will Willimon is one of my BIG heroes. There's little that I've read or heard him say that I disagree with. In fact, much of what Willimon has to say usually gets me really excited about being in ministry in today's culture.
So when Gavin said that I should come crash the conference today, although I told him I might- I knew immediately that I would.
I heard that Willimon was les than inspiring yesterday, but this morning he was bringing the house down with his subtle yet ironic sense of humor along with needle sharp prophetic words.
I have to admit that when I got there I felt a little like I was sitting in the audience of the 700 club. It was sort of bizarre. The music leader sang to inspiring prerecorded tracks that would have put any karaoke bar to shame. As he moved across the stage yelling that he "is a masterpiece in progress and SO ARE WE", I watched as the M.C. along with Willimon sat in chairs in the background slightly bobbing their heads to the tracks. I knew that I was not in Kansas anymore, at this point. (DEFINITELY WORTH THE MONEY SPENT).
In all honesty, I absolutely loved the morning!!! It was the best money that I've never spent. Crashing conferences is much fun. And Gavin made a great point as I was leaving (I only stayed to hear Willie)- had I been kicked out, it would have reflected poorly on the hospitality of a group that had gathered for evangelism. Wonderful words. Thanks be to God.
I should have a video clip up of Willimon speaking by the end of the weekend. Gavin, our new friend Jeff, and I are off to the mountains of East TN to lead worship and contemplative prayer for the Youth Ministry Institute this weekend. Shalom all!!
8 comments:
sounds like you had fun
looking forward to the clip
you had to bash the karaoke segment. that's wrong. you know you are a closet 700 club member &:~)
i hear the mountains have wi-fi.. i'm hoping the mountains have wi-fi.
That's what I want to see, a pirated Willimon video! I have this image of you sneaking a camera in to the lecture under your bow tie. ;)
dude!!! joel!!! you were at the conference and in nashville and you didn't let me know? i would have loved to have met you face to face. bummer.
i wasn't there the first day to hear willimon speak- which is when i'm guessing he made the remarks about larger cities. his use of irony definitely goes overboard and you have to take those remarks with a grain of salt.
but his critiques on modern society and church ecclessiology is usually right on target.
i imagine if you peel the layers back on what he was speaking about in context to chicago and san francisco there might be a place for conversation. i dunno though, i didn't hear him on that one.
shalom.
thanks joel for the insight. i always appreciate what you have to say. my my aren't you the nightowl this evening ;-)
sorry that i've made that impression on you wesley. i agree with you that the guest's life overall and what he has overcome may be inspiring- yes. i'd much rather hear that story.
but i'm sorry- i'm just calling it how i heard and saw it- the singing was not as good as karaoke, and the whole thing was a bit narcissistic with video clips of just him. understand me that it is one thing to overcome great odds and to share the story and inspire people- but the whole thing just seemed a bit out of place for worship. it invited us to focus on him completely and not on God which usually ought to be the focus of worship.
by now i probably sound cold and heartless and i'm sure pat robertson is conspiring something against me as we speak. so again, sorry that i offended but please know that i was critiquing the performance and not the person himself or what he has been through.
cheers,
jonathon
hey wesley,
when ya gonna start blogging again?it's been almost 2 years now.
wesley,
sorry to hear about your heart attack. may i put your name on my morning prayer- prayer list?
please don't take what i say too seriously in these matters. but i do suppose that the "extreme cynical" side of me came out and i i painted some people with very broad strokes.
i really didn't mean it in a way that would be a personal attack or offensive.
i look forward to reading your blog once you are able to write again.
shalom,
jonathon
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