Yes, it’s true. I have a confession. Beyond this catchy title that made you look, I’d like to share with you what our team’s been going through in preparation for the Idea Camp in Las Vegas later this month (and why I almost gave up on this event).

First of all, let me say that we have been completely floored by the caliber of Camp Guides and participants that are signing up for this event. While working on the final details of the program yesterday, I was reminded as to the privilege our team had in working with these walking embodiments of God’s grace, restoration, and love for humanity. I have rarely seen a collection of people who have gone through so much yet find themselves in the middle of divine care.

In addition, I have been thoroughly encouraged by the amount of interest and traffic to our site and current blogging series. (Side Note: Dan King is doing a phenomenal job coordinating one of the best blogging series I’ve ever seen leading up to an event!) Our team has been moved by the openness of people to not only discuss some of their greatest pains but also provide hope for others who may find themselves in similar situations. Simply powerful!

So, why almost give up on sex? (Yes, I’m referring to the Idea Camp in Las Vegas…commonly known in the Twittersphere as #ICSEX.)

• All of the interest online has not resulted in the number of registrations we had originally hoped for in order to meet our budget. We were looking for a minimal number to cover all of our expenses while keeping the conference affordable. We are pretty far from hitting that mark. In fact, this is the first event I’ve ever organized where we have not hit anywhere close to our projected target. This has definitely been disheartening.
• I’ve also come to realize that Vegas still has a strong, taboo stigma attached to it. In speaking with other conference organizers, Christian events in Vegas have not done that well for the most part. Many traveling conferences like ours have seen significant drop off in attendance when hosting an event in Vegas. I suppose that some churches may be hesitant in sending their team to an event in Vegas. I can only imagine what some of the responses may have been when we made “sexuality” the theme of our event in Vegas. Nice, I know.
• In addition, some began to communicate to me that the issue was either too close to home personally or something that their church was not ready for. Most agreed that it was an important topic, but weren’t ready to engage it up close. I began to wonder whether some were wanting to deal with some of these issues voyeuristically (Yes, a word I made up.), especially as it related to sexual addiction and porn.
• Finally, other personal and ministry related issues of urgency began to come to the surface these past few weeks. It has been difficult to concentrate at times in the midst of so many things that needed attention. I began to question whether or not I took on too much. Even though we were way ahead of schedule in planning and marketing, doubts began to arise.

These reasons and a few others all culminated in a moment several days ago where I said maybe it’s just too much. I was ready to take a financial hit and apologize to everyone for their time and energy.

So, why not give up? After my slight depression and crying to my wife, I began to deeply sense God in the midst of what we were embarking on through this particular Idea Camp. There was an uprising within me that brought much needed clarity. Here are some thoughts that many others involved have reaffirmed and articulated without prior knowledge of what I was thinking:

• This particular Idea Camp will address a core issue for humanity that the Church must continue to platform and bring to light. There’s no easy way around it. It’s uncomfortable yet necessary. Brokenness and false perceptions in the areas connected to sexuality will significantly alter the potential of any ministry.
• Although I have never been one to be overly spiritualize things, I recognize that this is an area that darkness would not want addressed openly. The number of things that have come to the surface because of our efforts have exceeded the probability of coincidence. Something is brewing in the spiritual realm as we gather for this. I have no doubt that God will bring about healing, perspective, and hope for all who will be impacted by this event.
• The Idea Camp has never been about numbers or money. God reminded me of this again. I have no doubt that he will continue to meet our needs so that we can move forward as a conference. The favor thus far around our conference has been amazing. We’ve been humbled by the openness of other entities to work with us. There’s a deep sense within those who consider the Idea Camp their tribe that God is up to something absolutely unique for our time together in Las Vegas despite our fiscal needs.
• Also, the Idea Camp has always been about people connecting with people. I couldn’t find it in myself to cancel an event in which I knew the caliber of people participating could potentially not meet for much needed networking and friendship. The relationships that would be begun and/or nurture was too important for the Church. Even if the event were to come at a personal cost, I knew collaboration and networking is something I could invest in with complete peace.

All this to say…Sex is back

In closing, I’d like to personally thank all of you who have believed in some of my crazy ideas and dreams enough to be supportive and provide encouragement and wisdom. You have no idea how grateful I am for you. The biggest personal gain for me through the Idea Camps has been the new friendships I have developed in the short time of our existence. You continue to inspire me to no end.

Thank you, thank you, thank YOU! for allowing me to be the person I was created to be.