Goodbye, Chi-town!

Picture 78895, originally uploaded by John Foong.

(photo from Willow Creek, Chicago City Campus; held in this lovely theatre auditorium thingy)

So I bid fare thee well to Chicago, my home for the past three weeks. It's been a great time - and the weather (By Chicago standards) has been AWESOME!

Perhaps most importantly, I've been able to add a lot of value on this project with Willow Creek - helping them think through some strategy stuff - and had some good time and conversations reflecting on my own future, and how I fit in with working in the church.

The short of it? Working at a church - even one as excellent and professional as Willow Creek - is NOT like working at McKinsey or Google - surprise, surprise. People are less career-minded, ambitious ... just as committed to the cause, perhaps more so, but they express it in different ways. There are those like, um, me - people who like deadlines and accountability and all that stuff - but this is the minority.

What does that mean for me? I still very much feel called to be a pastor, and being a senior pastor greatly appeals to me at a high level. On the ground level, there are more questions I am asking: how well will I work in an environment where most people are not like me? Will I be frustrated? Or will that round me out, help me adapt?!

Am heading down to Orange County (yes, the OC) in 10 days' time to help out another church and visit Saddleback. More data ... :)