how to enjoy an afternoon

Take a local coffee shop/bookstore, mix in an unseen DJ playing 80’s vinyl, toss in 4 pre-baptism interviews, add a brief walk & talk with a friend who wants to spend his life investing in others, top with a good, long conversation with a guy who loves Jesus and thinks systematically and strategically about how we can do a better job of being a church without walls…

That’s pretty much the recipe for an all-time great afternoon.

Yep, you read that right. That’s how I spent my afternoon.

I got to hear 4 people telling their stories of how they’ve come to experience the love and transformation of Jesus, how they want to live for his glory, how they want to stand up before family and friends to share their stories…

I took a brief walk with a young man who has not one but TWO degrees in music. He’s been experiencing a renewal of his faith and a deepening of his relationship with Jesus over the last year. He’s got prospects and potential in the world of music, but he’s more interested in helping other people connect with their Creator in the midst of his Creation.

I closed the business day with a good long talk with an impromptu church strategy consultant. My former pastor sent me a note to tell me this new guy was moving his family to Happy Valley, and that he’s a guy worth getting to know. Man, was he right! Not only does my new friend love Jesus, but he also thinks about church in ways that I probably never will. He had my head spinning, asking great questions, making wise observations, offering insight and perspective…I have a feeling that I’m going to be buying this guy a lot of coffee in the weeks to come!

At the end of a day like today I have to sit back and thank Jesus for the wonderful, inspirational, encouraging people he brings into my life. Add some vintage vinyl and a big mug of Old Fat Buddha coffee and that’s a win, my friend!