Sitting in the Airport in Charlotte…

Charlotte airport gives free internet access, just in case you were wondering. It is late. My US Scareway flight is really late, as is typical with them. My 9:00 flight now leaves at 11:40.

I am returning from the annual Executive Pastors Mega Metro Conference. It is a small gathering for executive pastors of mega-churches…mainly Southern Baptist churches. This is my third year to attend, and I always learn a ton from the other guys. I am grateful for their investment in me. A few cool thoughts that stand out:

I am no longer the youngest guy in the group! When I first attended a few years ago, I was 29 and by far the youngest (sorry guys). This year there was a pastor there who is 30 (I am 31). I do believe that God is placing younger leaders in key roles all across the country.

Several pastors and wives told me how they had been praying for Kaye to get pregnant. We prayed for her as a group last year, and it was great to share the news of God’s choice to step into the situation.

Next year the conference is going to be in the Florida Keys. I will be helping Larry Herndon, the executive pastor at the Church of Brook Hills in Birmingham, plan the deal. He is moderator next year. Side note about young leaders: The new senior pastor at the Church of Brook Hills is David Platt and he is 28 years old.

God is burdening pastors for their churches to be more missions-focused (missional is the new buzz word). For the last several years we have ramped up our commitment to missions locally and globally at CF. We are serving our city, supporting more missionaries, launching additional campuses, and sending more people on trips. God is doing similar things in churches all across the country. This fires me up. As God desired Israel to be a blessing to the surrounding nations, God desires the church to do the same. It grieves God when we stay within the walls of our churches doing just tons and tons of programs. And churches are stepping outside the walls.

Churches are becoming more multicultural. For years sociologists have said that our metropolitan areas are going to be more and more diverse. Churches have an awesome opportunity. Since the nations are coming to our cities, our worship services can look more and more like heaven. We can truly sing among the nations instead of just singing about the nations. Churches have a choice: they can embrace the diversity or they can resist it. It appears that more and more are embracing and celebrating a more accurate picture of the body of Christ. Bottom-line: the vibe of Miami is coming to all cities – eventually to your town and neighborhood. Hopefully that fires you up. If not, you probably won’t like heaven very much (assuming you're going), because every tribe, tongue, and nation will be there.

My wife is 11 weeks and 4 days pregnant.