I just returned after about 11 days in Portugal with friends from Christian Associates International. It was, for me, the best Summit ever with my friends.
I come away meditating on Shalom…
Some highlights – getting to share about my friends on the streets with all my CA brothers and sisters, meeting new friends and having good talks in the night life spots of Portugal, getting to see my young Russian kingdom creating friends, beating Katya in a game of pool 
, encountering controversy (not too serious) but being in the middle of forward thinking for the kingdom, getting into Lisbon and going to the castle as well as a late night with friends on the beach…
So, shalom?
I have alot of study to do, but seems like we are here to bring the incredible peace of God to our cities. Check Jeremiah 29:4-7 out!
4 “This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”
The idea is Shalom – holistic well being. Emotional. Physical. Psychological. Spiritual.
You cannot neglect one, you must embrace them all.
And so, we start in the sub-cultures in our city where no one else wants to go (though, that is changing!) There are brave souls who have love at the center – and the way is opening for shalom – strong and powerful peace.
We are in the middle of conversations in my organization – somewhere between church planting and kingdom creating. I am interested in kingdom creating, and if churches happen to support it, then I am behind it. And, I think we can raise up an army of loving kingdom creators.
In one week, 70 Westmont students will be entering the city to become kingdom creators, bringing shalom to whoever they might meet. They are taking their spring break to bless the city. Jeremiah 29 in action!
The Uffizi will enter a new phase as this word is embraced fully – and the work will be both difficult and wonderful. Peace Making in the sense of shalom takes us to a whole new level – but if we persevere these “exiles” will see peace. It will be worth it.
I look forward to it.
Jeff