About 10 days ago, I took a couple guys up to Northern Baptist Seminary in Lombard to hear Brian McLaren. Brian was the featured speaker for the annual William W. Brady Lectures. As always, Brian was both challenging and inspiring.
I got to know Brian while I was serving at International Teams and have memories of challenging discussions in cafe's in Seattle and the DC/Baltimore area, at a conference center in Costa Rica, and in our own board room in Elgin at the IT USA office. His questions and thoughts have been postive markers in my own journey with God.
The lectures were a good experience for all three of us and our brief conversation with Brian before the lectures started was encouraging. I took away from the day his challenge to be engaged in contextual theology, a narrative hermeneutic, a missional vocation, and a deep global conversational ecclesiology. I am looking forward to his next book which focuses on the contemporary global crises and how we apply the gospel to them. Should be an interesting read.
I snapped this quick photo of Brian on my cellphone following the lectures. Thanks for a great day Brian!
