This past week I had the opportunity to spend a couple of days hanging out at Catalyst. As always it was an incredible opportunity to connect with friends from all over the country and hear from some incredible leaders who are influencing all of Church-World. Below are some of the highlights and take-aways from my notes. If for some reason you missed it purchase the DVD’s…seriously…it was that good this year.
Andy Stanley
When it comes to our appetites, all we know is “more.”
Our appetites were created by God and distorted by sin
Our appetites are never fully and finally satisfied
Our appetites always whisper now and never later
Who would trade their future for something as simple as a temporary fix of an appetite that always wants more? Who would trade their birthright for a bowl of stew? You and I both would if it were the right bowl of stew. (Genesis 25:19-34)
In these moments our brain does two things to us:
#1 Impact magnification: we think it’s going to be better than it really is
#2 Focalism: we block out everything except the one thing our appetite is fixed on
Seth Godin
Making a light-saber is not hard, what’s hard is inventing Darth Vader.
Are people sorry to see you leave the room?
Art is different than painting. Art is a human act of generosity that changes someone.
Change is made by people who eagerly accept responsibility, without demanding responsibility, and give others the credit.
Leadership = let’s agree to where we’re going and the playing field, then I trust you to help get us there
Management = let me tell you how to do everything
Perry Noble
The best ministry advice I could give you is to simply do what God tells you to do
It’s easy to follow God when everything is going well and he’s doing amazing things among you that you can’t explain
When we get the invitation to follow God we always think it’s going to go well, but after the invitation usually comes the disruption
Have you ever been to a place where the brook went dry?
God brought Elijah to the brook to prepare him, not to punish him.
One chapter later Elijah is on top of the mountain, it’s raining, and Israel is experiencing revival.
Don’t ever run from a situation that got reigns over
1 Kings 17:1-7
Craig Groeschel
The enemy wants to divide us, and that includes dividing us generationally
Division is bad, but tension can be good.
The younger generation is able to do what they’re doing now because of those who have paved the road before them, we stand on their shoulders.
Older Generation:
Don’t resent, fear, or judge the next generation, but believe in them and invest in them. They aren’t on deck, they’re in the batters box. They are not the Church of tomorrow, they are the Church of today.
It’s difficult to invest in the next generation because of our own insecurity. You don’t have to be cool, you just need to be real.
Delegating tasks creates followers. Delegating authority creates leaders.
If you aren’t dead, you’re not done.
“Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.” Psalm 71:18
Younger Generation:
The most common word used to describe the next generation is “entitled.”
The younger generation tends to over estimate what God wants to do through them over the short run and underestimate what God wants to do through them over the long run.
This could be the generation to finish the job.
The greatest leadership skill the younger generation needs to learn is the art of leading up.
Leading up begins with honor.
Honor publicly leads to influence privately.
Be teachable and willing to learn.
Respect is earned but honor is given.
Posted in Leadership
