As it’s almost time for the third The Idea Camp coming up in Portland, OR on 11/20-21, I have been reflecting back on my experiences from The Idea Camp I attended back in February. In an interview I did this morning with Charles Lee, the creator of The Idea Camp, I was reminded about the networking aspect of the event. As someone who was new in ministry and unknown even in my city, The Idea Camp was a huge event for making lasting connections I never imagined I would have. I, as an introvert, was exposed to so many people that knew me before I even showed up that I couldn’t help but talk with them and share on the experience.
Twitter was the tool that allowed me to make connections via my computer, but The Idea Camp was where I had to come out from the digital world and enter into relationships in-person. The Idea Camp was such a welcoming venue with a lot of caring, friendly and genuine people that it was easy to be someone I am not ordinarily--an extrovert.
While I remember and have been impacted by the Idea Sessions on church planting in suburban communities with a heart for urban areas, social networking and using technology in ministry, it is my relationships with people that have changed my life the most.
I’ve posted on The Idea Camp several times on my blog, but being connected with the people I met there--even some I met via dialog on twitter, yet never met in-person--on a continual basis really makes me pause and reflect on the amazing things that happened as a result of my attending a free conference called The Idea Camp.
For those of us introverts that know we have to make a better effort to connect with others, The Idea Camp is a perfect place to do so. The focus isn’t on celebrity speakers, it’s on the attenders. You will be asked (not forced) to engage in discussions with a roomful of other attenders and share your insight as well as take away insight of others. You will have a chance to hear someone speak about something to the audience, yet walk up to them and ask them some follow up questions. The Idea Camp is a great place to learn from others, but it’s an even better place to see others learn from you. It’s a humbling experience, but one that changed my ministry and the way I look at conferences and networking. Thanks to The Idea Camp, I’ll never be the same.
Did you attend a previous The Idea Camp in Irvine, CA or Washington, D.C.? What were your experiences? Did you build lasting relationships as a result? Please share some of your impressions for the sake of those that may not be familiar with The Idea Camp or may be uncertain as to whether they should attend or not. Also, you can learn more by watching the interview I did with Charles Lee and reading the overview of the upcoming The Idea Camp here.
PS. If you’d like to attend The Idea Camp in Portland, OR 11/20-21 for free, there is a link on the right sidebar where you can click-through to the registration page.
Related posts:
- The Idea Camp: Post-camp thoughts…art of networking
- Why The Idea Camp?
- The Idea Camp: Post-camp Thoughts…Technology And Social Media
- The Idea Camp: Post-camp thoughts…Q&A with Charles Lee
- My thoughts on The Idea Camp Pacific Northwest
Tags: portland oregon, the idea camp
