WOW!! What do you do after you have just heard two of the most dynamic leaders in the church today on the same day, at the same conference, from the same stage (often at the same time)? That is how I am feeling this morning after hearing Craig Groeschel and Andy Stanley at Catalyst OneDay. A little history first. Catalyst has been around for several years (not sure how many) and was the brain child of Andy Stanley and his crew. I have never been able to attend for various reasons and this year had given it some thought but had already registered for theSticks so I nixed that idea. Then I heard about One Day and when I saw who was speaking I immediately registered. If you read my blog yesterday you already know how I feel about Craig’s leadership in my life. To put him and Andy on the same stage for one day had to be incredible. I am here to tell you…it was awesome!! (I am not saying this to make you jealous DesertJim but…did I?) Ryan (techgeek) from OVCF also went with me. I think it is safe to say he was “stunned” by what he learned. I can’t tell you all that was said (obviously) but I can give you several highlights. I hope these may help you in your current situation (whatever that may be):
Andy: “You know when you have momentum (“Mo”) and when you don’t. If you have “Mo” and don’t know why you are one stupid decision away from killing it.”
Craig: “Organizations tend to settle in and when they do they create their own limitations. If a church is stalled, and the longer it is stalled the more dramatically it will take to break out.”
Craig: “We need to ask ourselves the question ‘What do we do best?” and focus on these!!” (Note: Lifechurch delineated 5 things they were good at and did away with everything else that didn’t fall under those 5 things. Sure makes a pastor stop and think about all the programming and whether it is worth it).
Craig: when discussing people leaving the church he said, “We need to develop the church culture where we make it easy for the wrong people to leave.” (Note: This is a hard one for every many pastors. We often find ourselves begging and pleading for people not to leave when it is clear that they are a misfit to the culture of the church).
Craig (quoting bill Hybels): “The way I was doing the work of God was killing the work of God in me.” (Craig used this in his talk on creating personal spritual momentum).
Andy: “Programming is always designed to answer a specific question or meet a need or to solve a problem.” (Many churches are programmed to death. They look at a calendar and see a full schedule of events for every night of the week and feel good about it. Andy’s point is also that many leaders fill their schedules the same way).
Andy (using an old couch as in illustration): It may be ugly. It may have been my grandmother’s then my mother’s couch but it is still ugly. Problem is that memories develop around the couch. Many churches have that same difficulty. The couch (program) was good in its day. It is old. It is ugly and needs to go but people have memories wrapped up in it. The challenge is for the leader to see the “couch” for what it is.
I could say more but you would tire of that. 🙂 While driving back last night Ryan and I were “debriefing” each other. Talking. Brainstorming. Honest. Raw. Evaluative. He has access to this blog through the admin side of it so I give him permission to add whatever he wants to co-exist with mine. If Catalyst OneDay is anywhere in your area, please make every effort to go. If you get people like the Granger folks to host it you will be triply blessed. Did any of the quotes I used say anything to you at all? Are they applicable to your situation? I would like to hear from you. Have a great weekend!!
Glad you got to go. My favorite 2 speakers.
You would have loved it Kevin. Just them two speaking alone and then in interviewing each other.
I don’t know if your church is old enough (stuck in its ways) for this to be relevant. But, the question for OVCF after this conference:
What ministry do you need to cut in order to more effectively reach the community?
I’m glad you got to go.
Hmmm… I don’t know what to think about these two statements: “…make it easy for the wrong people to leave…” and “…clear they are a misfit to the culture of the church.”
What does a “wrong” person or a church “misfit” look like? Maybe I’m missing the point, but that doesn’t sound right.
DJ: This was a question that Ryan and I tossed around on the way home. At this point, there is not a sacred cow but there is the potential for one to develop. We will be keeping an eye on it. Wish you could have gone also.
Will: I just gave you the quote. I did not give you the stuff around it. There are people in churches who will never be happy. They want things the way they used to be and they cause grief. Sometimes they are even the best givers. So pastors pussyfoot around or beg and plead for them not to leave. In this case, Craig is saying it is best that they leave and that we create the culture for the “wrong” (those who don’t fit) to leave. Does that help?
Check your email.
Bill…sounds like you have been to the mountaintop the last few weeks…glad you’ve had these times to recharge your battery!
I hope God blesses that time and energy for great things for His kingdom!
Sounds like it was a good take! I was fortunate enough to make it to Catalyst this year (1st time) and felt the sam way you do now. It was an amazing experience.
Big question – did you get to meet Craig?
I ahve a phone interview with LC on Monday. If all goes well I could be a staffer.
Steve: mountain is the tip of the iceberg. 🙂 It was a good recharge. Thanks for the prayers. Glad you stopped by. I always welcome your comments.
Bill: Man, was it a good take! Yes I did get to meet Craig. I walked up to meet him and one guy was there and he talked about 10 minutes so I talked to Bobby. Session started to so I sat down. At the book signing, I told him my name and then said, “I’m cycleguy” and he said, “Man you are the guy I want to hug from.” Talk about feeling great! We talked for a few minutes but I excused myself because of folks behind me. He was really cool. I wish you the best and hope it works out if it is of God. That would be awesome.
I don’t know if I can add anything additional other than simply WOW… By far one of the best conferences I have been to. — of course I haven’t been to many… but hey… If I were to package all that was said into one big long run-on sentence… It would be this:
Whatever you do in life or ministry, do not allow people, things, programs, traditions, etc… stand in the way of doing what God has called you to do.
Now that doesn’t mean to go in and brow beat your way through to get things done… That means never lose the dream, the vision, that God has given you to accomplish what He has laid before you…. In His time and His will, all that He has set before you can be accomplished… You just have to be willing to step out in faith, learn from your mistakes, adjust when adjustment is needed, and first and foremost put God first in all things.
Ok, maybe I had a little more to add… 🙂
I am honored to have been asked to go and blessed that I attended.
Thanks for the input Ryan (techgeek). It was an honor to have you along. Next year we will take more. 🙂 So there you have it folks…straight from the horse’s..errr techgeek’s mouth…Catalyst OneDay was well worth it.
“the challenge is to see the couch for what it is”
Love that!
Andy Stanley is just awesome. One of my daughters goes to Buckhead Church…glad you got to go… 🙂
Robin: that was a wise and good statement. The day was awesome and I am glad I got to go also! 🙂 Buckhead is off the charts from what I understand. I think Los is there.