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My thoughts on The Idea Camp Pacific Northwest

// November 24th, 2009 // 4 Comments » // the idea camp

Having now attended The Idea Camp in Portland, OR (ICPNW) as well as the initial event in Irvine, CA I must say that the two events were very different–in a good way. While most of the people that were in Portland were not at the Irvine event, it was clear to see that social media, technology, and networking were at play at ICPNW. There was kind of an interesting dynamic that took place with Asians seeming to congregate together and not interact much with the rest of the group. I’ve found that to happen far too often, and not just in faith-based communities. This was a bit discouraging as there were several conversation I overheard where people were discussing the whole Deadly Viper issue. Some were doing so in the form of gossip like, “Did you hear that deadlyviper.org got shutdown?” while others were talking about being confused by the whole incident. To have had the chance to cross cultural divides and just openly discuss that was something I had hoped to see happen, but in the end it never did.

Something that was really cool was having a chance to hear John Sowers, president of The Mentoring Project, share his story and his passion for seeing younger generations find mentors within the local church. Having made an appointment to speak with a new friend named Kyle Reed–who is also passionate about the subject of mentors–when I returned from ICPNW was clearly more than just coincidence. I had a chance to share some of that experience with Kyle today.

One of the other key things I walked away with from The Idea Camp was that Portland is a city in transition. It’s changed both culturally and demographically since I visited there last about 15 years ago. It’s a smaller city than my hometown of Sacramento and there seems to be a greater presence of ministries and organizations committed to help the problem of the houseless (homeless), yet I saw many more examples of people on the streets in Portland in 2 days than I see in Sacramento in a month. There were people on the streets every few blocks, in all parts of town I visited–even in the largest mall in the city anchored by Nordstrom’s and Macy’s. That deeply affected me and I’m still processing through how that will shape my heart and actions. It alerted me to a lot of the pain and discomfort that my friend Mark Horvath of invisiblepeople.tv must experience being an activist to people on the streets 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. How Mark can keep pushing for change and seeking to connect people to reach out compassionately is an amazing thing. He is a voice to those who may otherwise not have a voice. I have a new perspective on his work and lifestyle and appreciate him even more and am more-honored to know that he is my friend.

With the overall theme of ICPNW being “Being Present With The City” I was convicted about my role in my own community and how at this point much of my ministry has been based on my words with less action than I’m comfortable with. It brought out inner emotions of my struggle with conveying a clear vision and connecting people to the city through it. It encouraged me to know that in Portland and other cities people have pursued the dream of seeing the local church thought of as part of the city (rather than an exclusive enclave for the privileged people God loves more than others). People like Matt Payne and Brett Aljets whom lead churches well-connected with their local school districts and families. It is forcing me to re-think some things and to refine my goals. It’s causing me to be more about my actions rather than my words.

I got a chance to see a bit of a different perspective having had the opportunity to sit in on some of the leadership meetings preceding the event. It was a very organic process that begged to have more structure, yet obviously didn’t need it. Things flowed seamlessly, people knew their roles and fulfilled them well, there was a cohesiveness that was evident. The interaction that the team had hoped for was manifested with some great dialog and Q&A taking place that should lead to ideas coming to fruition down the road. It was interesting to have a behind-the-scenes peek at ICPNW. I was so appreciative of having the chance to experience the freedom of seeing collaboration take place. Thank you Charles Lee, Dawn Carter, Greg Russinger, Jake Schwein, Dennis Miclau, Jim Gray, Michael Trent, Becky Manning and Brett Aljets for welcoming me into the mix even though I wasn’t able to lend much…just watching you guys do your thing was a huge blessing!

Lastly, The Idea Camp for me has always been a place to meet new people and see how I might speak into their lives and connect them with others. As an introvert that has never really cared about networking, The Idea Camp has forever changed me in that regard. I cherish those opportunities I have to meet people I may have only known through online social media and look to see how our relationships can grow when we aren’t confined to tweeting in 140 character bursts or facebook messaging. I’m not one to drop names, but I was blown away at some of the people that came up to me and said hello or were open to converse with me. Some of these people have confirmed future connection times to pursue relationships and this has humbled me greatly. I had several examples of people tapping me on the shoulder (therefore, only seeing my back & not able to make eye contact) only to find that when I turned around I was speechless because I had no clue why they would intentionally come say hello to me when there were other more-important people they could be talking to. I was even able to make a quick connection with someone behind the scenes at a large-scale leadership conference that was open to sharing their first-hand perspective on the events in contrast to my perspective of being kind of an anti-hyped-up-big-conference guy.

Unexpectedly I got quite a bit out of my time at The Idea Camp in Portland. What are some of the things you walked away with or experienced during your time there? I’d appreciate reading your perspective in the comments below :)

an impromptu interview about The Idea Camp

// November 19th, 2009 // Comments Off // the idea camp

I was asked to be interviewed regarding The Idea Camp and some of my experiences leading up to the session happening in Portland on 11/20-21. As it was an impromptu interview, I didn’t have to prepare my responses.

One of the main points that’s missing in the interview has to do with the collaboration and creativity that went into the planning of the event. It was quite an interesting time having the privilege to sit in on some of the planning meetings via tokbox. The planning sessions were handled almost like one of the workshops at The Idea Camp. The facilitator of the meeting would throw out an issue for discussion and then everyone else would get creative with it. In some instances, ideas were vetoed by the group and dropped from the schedule. There was even one instance when some time in the schedule was trying to be filled, when someone mentioned it should just stay open and not structured beforehand. Have a couple of open mics in the room and let the attendees talk about what’s on their hearts and minds after having spent a little time at The Idea Camp. There is great power in collaboration and a freedom to be creative when encouraged by everyone else doing so.

I can’t really think of one thing I contributed that you’ll see when you attend The Idea Camp this weekend, but I am so appreciative of the experience and seeing people come together for a common cause and give of their time and efforts so willingly.

Here is the rest of the story:

For those of you that won’t be attending, The Idea Camp will be streamed live. I’ll post the site for that on twitter, so if you’re not following me there, please add me: @daveingland or you can follow all the events at: @theideacamp

Why The Idea Camp?

// October 2nd, 2009 // Comments Off // the idea camp

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.

When I think of friends, I am reminded of…

// August 12th, 2009 // 7 Comments » // friends, social justice, the idea camp

I’ve been thinking a lot about my friendships recently. No matter what I do from today forward, to know that I have such supportive friends is truly a blessing. They aren’t my friends because they think church planting is chic. They are my friends because of who I am, not what I’ve done.

When I think of my friends I am reminded of two things: 1) seminary; 2) The Idea Camp. Today I wanted to share a little bit about The Idea Camp. For the many of you that follow me on twitter or are my friends on facebook, you’ll know how much of an impact the very first The Idea Camp back in February 2009 has had on me. I can’t seem to say enough about it. Well, it’s time for The Idea Camp to spread its wings and travel to the east coast August 28th & 29th. Unfortunately, I won’t be attending this session which is being dubbed the ” justice edition,” but I am eagerly anticipating the updates from my friends that will be there. So many unexpectedly positive things come about when creativity and collaboration intersect and The Idea Camp is a perfect example of this.

Have you ever attended a Christian/leadership conference and gotten all hyped-up about all that the speakers proclaimed into your life and the crazy-good music that was performed? Then, even with the best intentions, you got home and everything sort of fizzled out a week later. As strange as this may sound, I have no idea what that is like as I have never gone to a ministry conference until my arrival at the first The Idea Camp back in February. That was six months ago and I still reflect back on that time and am amazed (and greatly humbled) at all of the relationships I am still actively involved in that came about from those two days back in February. As amazing as the interaction and discussions were at The Idea Camp last February, I experienced most of the meaningful aspects of the conference after I returned home.

creativity + collaboration = meaningful relationships

I have so many resources available as a result of The Idea Camp. Everyone that was there has made themselves available afterwards and have inspired and encouraged me to do my best and continue to be relational and relevant within this community. Most of my time on twitter is actually spent interacting with people I met during the first The Idea Camp. I’ve even since driven the 800+ miles round trip to the Los Angeles area three times since February to meetup with my The Idea Camp friends. I can only imagine what will happen as people converge in Washington DC in a couple of weeks to renew discussions and provide their insights into dialogs on compassion and justice.

The Idea Camp has presentations from some great minds and creative geniuses (of which I put Charles Lee–the facilitator & initiator of The Idea Camp–at the top of this list), but where it thrives is in the breakout sessions where leaders are asked to speak no more than a few minutes to introduce a subject and then open it up to free-flowing discussions from those in attendance. In essence, it’s not about the speakers–it’s all about you. Here’s how The Idea Camp is being officially described:

The Idea Camp is a collaborative movement of idea-makers who facilitate free hybrid conferences and develop resources for people who desire to move ideas toward implementation. Facilitated by a growing collective of innovative thinkers and practitioners from numerous disciplines, participants gather around topics of interest to encourage and inspire one another, share practical wisdom from the field, and develop intentional networks for idea-making.

What’s it take to be a part of this amazing open source collaboration? Just find a way to get there and then be prepared to listen, think, take notes, make (lots) of new friends, and jump into the conversations. The Idea Camp is provided to you free of charge. They just ask that you register in advance, which you can do by going to: http://theideacamp.com and clicking on the “upcoming events” tab. If you’re anywhere within driving distance, make time for this conference! If you can afford to fly out, your time there on August 28th & 29th will repay itself many times over. I can’t convey how valuable my time was in February and how important the relationships I made while I was there have been to me. I hope you’ll find a way to be there in Washington DC to learn more and offer input in regards to compassion & justice ministries and take away some powerful words of wisdom, time of worship, and potentially life-long relationships. This is even before knowing the list of speakers scheduled to present, which will include some high-level talent eager to share what has been placed in their hearts with you! Which reminds me. Know why The Idea Camp is free for you? Mostly, it’s because the speakers (past presenters include: Erwin McManus, Dave Gibbons, David Ruis, Matthew Barnett) agree to come out at their own expense…they pay for their flights, hotel, food, etc and take no honorarium because they believe in giving back to you.

Thanks to Charles Lee and everyone that has invested their time, money, and effort to see this event continue!

Event: The Idea Camp: Justice Edition DC

Dates: August 28-29, 2009

Location: Mt. Olivet Methodist Church, 1500 N. Glebe Rd., Arlington, VA 22207

Number of organizations participating: 40+ (complete list at http://theideacamp.com)

For more information: http://theideacamp.com & http://theideacamp.ning.com

Main contact: Charles Lee – charles@theideacamp.com or 310-995-1445

If after reading this you find that you can’t make it to The Idea Camp this time, would you please consider joining me in praying over the event, leaders, speakers, attenders, location, etc? There’s a lot going on to get ready beforehand and a ton of things happening during the event.

Creativity: The Monkey And The Fish and the church

// March 12th, 2009 // Comments Off // church planting, church relevance, multi-cultural, multi-cultural church, people, the idea camp

For my participation in the Dave Gibbons’ blog tour last week, I was given a copy of Dave’s new book The Monkey And The Fish: Liquid Leadership For A Third-Culture Church. Third-culture and the whole premise behind how Pastor Gibbons explains it has really spoken to me. I feel as if even though I feel more American than Japanese (in a cultural context), some aspects of engaging in various cultures connects with something in my inner being. At the heart of my soul I feel a kind of oneness with everyone. It’s as if I’m cross-cultural and multi-generational.

So, I eagerly sat down to read the book last night and felt a little disappointed. I wasn’t particularly fond of the writing style and felt as if Dave shared too many different voices in this book. Funny thing happens when I approach things like this with my own set of expectations. God always seems to hit me upside-the-head and show me the error of my ways. The more I read, the more it exposed questions I had. The more I wondered if the church is ready for this kind of culture shift. Finally, I realized what I believe the blessing of The Monkey And The Fish is going to be. I will be using it as a catalyst to facilitate conversation and deep thought within our core group of Revolution Church Sacramento as we prepare to gather for the first time tomorrow night. A lot of things I had thought of, but probably couldn’t quite express verbally or as concisely are presented in every chapter of Dave’s book. This is going to be a great tool that can be used to help us find our mission and do our part to embrace the third-culture concepts in a way that not only speaks to each of us in the church, but also causes us to be relevant to our community. As my friend Charles T Lee commented in an online chat last night, “The Idea Camp will never end.” How true (possibly prophetic) that statement really was!

My analytical, orderly mind saw randomness and too much input from other people in this book, but my creative aspect caused me to wonder “what if?” and to just listen and hear others speak to this and let Dave’s thoughts speak to them…to let Dave’s thoughts speak to me. Tomorrow is going to be a good night…a memorable night…a historic step forward for our community. I can’t wait!