Another Weekend in Philadelphia

Leah and I enjoyed three terrific days in Philadelphia this past weekend. Here are some random reflections.

• Several of our team members joined us for this trip. So good to introduce them to the five neighborhoods we've been focusing on.
• Leah designed a fun, interactive competition to help us tour the neighborhoods. It lasted Thursday and Friday and included trivia, neighborhood history, demographic info, and other random games. 
• I love my wife's creativity!
• After walking through each neighborhood, we'd gather on a street corner to share observations and pray.
• I can't even describe how helpful it was to get input from our team. I'm still processing much of what we experienced, but I think two or three of the neighborhoods emerged as our likely target.
• While we work to narrow our focus toward a launch neighborhood, we're simultaneously broadening our focus to see the city as a whole. One of the driving factors for our decision is to find a place from which we can launch our future church plants.
• In other words, we want to strategically position ourselves for continued multiplication.
• During this trip Philadelphia actually started feeling more like home. The weather was great, the city looked beautiful, and Leah and I talked a lot about what it will feel like to raise our family there.
• I'm also finding my way around the city much better.
• Being with some of our team members felt like being with family. This is a huge answer to prayer, since Leah and I are moving to a city without a pre-existing network of relationships.
• Philly has great food. I'm serious. Really, really good.
• I'm concerned about blowing up to 300 pounds.
• This trip was also the most exhausting so far. We started every day early and ended late. But spiritually and emotionally it was an invigorating three days!
• There is one thing that all five of our focus neighborhoods have in common--people! There are thousands of people everywhere!
• When Leah and I felt God calling us away from COTK, we decided it wouldn't be the size of an organization or ministry that would attract us, but the size of the opportunity. The more time I spend in Philadelphia the more my faith explodes. Planting churches throughout this city really is the opportunity of a lifetime!

There's a lot that will be developing with The Philly Project over the next few weeks. Stay tuned to the blog and our website to continue experiencing the adventure as it unfolds!

Comments

[Deneen]

Looking forward to having you guys in Philadelphia!