the power of travel

I've always respected folks who were willing to travel. And what I mean by that - is someone who is willing to go...rather than wait and hope that people would show up. I worked with a group for a long, long time and that was constantly out.
That's what I was trained to do. That's what we did. We went to where the kids were...at the schools.

I rarely ran into anyone else putting in time at the school -outside of the school staff. Every school I worked with (7 in all) had dozens of churches, synagogues and groups around the area - and yet I only bumped into 3 people in 18 years that were going to the school more than two or three times a month. (if you don't count the drug dealers - they were more than willing to go to the schools)

I don't blame them. It's not how they were taught. Their leaders didn't do it for them and they came out ok...so why should they? And it's hard to go - it's uncomfortable and I'm not being sarcastic - you're way out of your comfort zone.

There's a difference between missional living and cranking out meetings - they're just very different. I think the willingness to travel is one of the distinguishing features of missional living.

Going to where the people are is a great thing. I also think taking the people away is occasionally a good thing. For some reason there's something that happens when you take off for the weekend. Have a group over for a meeting - that's pretty good. Go to the folks and have a meeting - that can be better. Take them away for an overnight -and it's gold. There's power in those trips. I think the power is in the incidental conversations. It's the late night talks - the early morning breakfasts - the shared experiences. You give room to those experiences during the unplanned hang out times.

Back to this whole incarnational idea - it's harder - but it sure seems to make sense.