The first day of labs/classes are done. I heard lots of good stuff today, but there is much to be processed. Here are a few of the notable notes from the day:
1. If you are leading.... people will get mad and leave. - Perry Noble
2. Inspiration will only take you so far. You must lead by revelation.- Perry Noble
3. If we hold too tightly to an ideal picture of family, we set up families to become disillusioned.
- Reggie Joiner
4. Influencing families is about teaching them to cooperate with God and His plan; not about
conforming to the picture of a model family.
5. The word of God has to be a part of our leadership in worship. -Aaron Keyes
6. When I invite people into my stuff, they invite me into theirs. -Jamie Tworkowski
7. How are we forming people into the image of Jesus? - Jon Tyson
8. Imagination has been taken captive by the world. -Darren Whitehead
9. People were not created to handle planetary suffering day-in day-out. -Shane Hipps
10. Church has missed the boat on teaching the gospel, and has taught moral theism.
-Matt Chandler
Well there you go. The top 10 nuggets of the day. I'll probably have much more to say tomorrow. Main sessions start up early and go all day. Can't wait...gonna be awesome!
I'm out.
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Catalyst Day 1
Well... got to the ATL safely yesterday. One of my favorite restaurants anywhere is Daddy D'z BBQ Joynt in downtown Atlanta. If you are ever here you have got to get by there. The 4 bone plate with red beans and rice and fired okra can't be beat. The only problem..... I usually hurt myself before I leave and wind up miserable the rest of the day. I'm still hurtin' this morning. I don't even feel like eating breakfast. But for a once or twice a year visit to Daddy D'z.... it's worth it.
So the conference itself doesn't start till tomorrow. Today we'll be heading up to the Gwinnett Center to attend some labs (specialized, smaller venue discussions) with some key leadership figures from around the country. I like the labs because you get some good q&a time that you don't ever get in the main sessions.
Yesterday... we had some good staff time. I love sitting and talking with the guys I work with, trying to figure out what needs to be done to bring our body at Firewheel to the next level of spiritual growth and leadership. There is just so much to be done to reach the community that we live in daily. As a growing, mid-sized, church we have to make sure that we are constantly working to move ourselves, and our people to the next level and not get comfortable with where we are at in any part of the ministry.
I look at the incredible group of volunteers that I have in the student ministry and want to make sure that I am giving them every opportunity to follow God's call on their lives. If that means challenging them to raise their game, or moving people to different seats on the bus, raising my game, whatever...... we've got to do it. There are so many moving parts to ministry. What is it that needs to be done to make us move and not get complacent and comfortable? That's the question that I am constantly asking myself.
It's so easy to get comfortable. When things are familiar. When things are routine..... we can operate without even thinking about it sometimes. I remember when I was leading worship at camps and stuff week-in and week-out, it got real easy to just go through the motions sometimes. I would have to remove myself from things at times and really get my heart and mind focused on what we were there to do, because the music came easy.... it could've been easy to just wing it at times.
I don't want us to be "wingin' it." That's not the way to disciple and grow leaders in the church. One of my goals would be to train a team of leaders to do what I do. A team that is actively pursuing relationships with students and parents outside of the walls of Firewheel Church. One of the many things I learned about ministry when leading worship for so many different things is that about 90% of our ministry was always done off of the stage. It was about the relationships that were made at times off of the stage.
Well.... if the church building is our "stage." For each of us involved... it's about the relationships that are made off of the stage that will draw kids and parents into a closer relationship with Jesus. We've got to do whatever possible and whatever needed to lead students into a growing relationship with Jesus. What needs to be tweeked? What needs to be changed? What needs to be better? Hmmmmmm.... I'm sure I'll hear some insights this week while I'm here.
I always enjoy the time with the guys in this setting. We have a lot of fun. I like it when we challenge each other and talk ministry. Good week ahead.....
Stay tuned for pics, funny stories, updates, etc....... sure there will be plenty of that.....
I'm out.
So the conference itself doesn't start till tomorrow. Today we'll be heading up to the Gwinnett Center to attend some labs (specialized, smaller venue discussions) with some key leadership figures from around the country. I like the labs because you get some good q&a time that you don't ever get in the main sessions.
Yesterday... we had some good staff time. I love sitting and talking with the guys I work with, trying to figure out what needs to be done to bring our body at Firewheel to the next level of spiritual growth and leadership. There is just so much to be done to reach the community that we live in daily. As a growing, mid-sized, church we have to make sure that we are constantly working to move ourselves, and our people to the next level and not get comfortable with where we are at in any part of the ministry.
I look at the incredible group of volunteers that I have in the student ministry and want to make sure that I am giving them every opportunity to follow God's call on their lives. If that means challenging them to raise their game, or moving people to different seats on the bus, raising my game, whatever...... we've got to do it. There are so many moving parts to ministry. What is it that needs to be done to make us move and not get complacent and comfortable? That's the question that I am constantly asking myself.
It's so easy to get comfortable. When things are familiar. When things are routine..... we can operate without even thinking about it sometimes. I remember when I was leading worship at camps and stuff week-in and week-out, it got real easy to just go through the motions sometimes. I would have to remove myself from things at times and really get my heart and mind focused on what we were there to do, because the music came easy.... it could've been easy to just wing it at times.
I don't want us to be "wingin' it." That's not the way to disciple and grow leaders in the church. One of my goals would be to train a team of leaders to do what I do. A team that is actively pursuing relationships with students and parents outside of the walls of Firewheel Church. One of the many things I learned about ministry when leading worship for so many different things is that about 90% of our ministry was always done off of the stage. It was about the relationships that were made at times off of the stage.
Well.... if the church building is our "stage." For each of us involved... it's about the relationships that are made off of the stage that will draw kids and parents into a closer relationship with Jesus. We've got to do whatever possible and whatever needed to lead students into a growing relationship with Jesus. What needs to be tweeked? What needs to be changed? What needs to be better? Hmmmmmm.... I'm sure I'll hear some insights this week while I'm here.
I always enjoy the time with the guys in this setting. We have a lot of fun. I like it when we challenge each other and talk ministry. Good week ahead.....
Stay tuned for pics, funny stories, updates, etc....... sure there will be plenty of that.....
I'm out.
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