Category Archives: Conference

Conference, Discipleship, Heroes, Leadership, Leadership Axioms, Ministry, Personal Leadership, Preaching

Catalyst Dallas Highlights

I had a full weekend.

I had the opportunity to attend both The Catalyst Conference in Dallas with some of my team and than a Men’s Conference with some great dudes from our church. I am exhausted, inspired, spent, fired up, sleepy, and wide-awake. Many of you in ministry and leadership know exactly the kind of tension I am feeling right now. These events are often like trying drink from a firehose. With so much information and inspiration coming at you you grab what you can, take some notes, sing loud and proud, and then find some time over the next few days to ruminate on and incorporate what you’ve learned into your real world.

The theme of Catalyst this year was A Community of Change Makers. I attend the Atlanta event back in October and was excited to take a handful of our ministry leaders to the event at Gateway Church here in the metroplex. The major emphasis from every speaker was that to truly lead others effectively, a leader must lead him or herself first.

Here is a fundamental truth that is so important for us to learn and live out:

Who we are as leaders is more important that what we do.

For today, I just want to share a few of my favorite quotes from the weekend – with a couple of Don Miller & Bob Goff quotes from the Men’s Conference. I hope that these thoughts give you some motivation for your week ahead. Be sure to comment on the exit question at the bottom.

Whatever you have to do today, Love. Everybody. Always.

Andy Stanley

  • 2 questions every leader must ask: 1) Who am I? 2) What breaks my heart?
  • Great leaders make things better for their people.
  • You have no idea what hangs in the balance of your decision to embrace the burden God has put in your heart.
  • Many years from now, what would you like people to line up to thank you for?

Lisa TerKeurst

  • External Change requires Internal Shifts.
  • The 1st Five – give the first five minutes of your day to the Lord.
  • God is good and God is good at being God.

Dr Caroline Leaf

  • Your brain is nothing compared to your mind.
  • Change you mind and you can change your brain.
  • You can listen to God or Google and Gossip. (Non-toxic thoughts vs. Toxic Thoughts)

Eugene Cho

  • God doesn’t want to change the world. He wants to change us.
  • Act upon the thing that God puts on your hearts.
  • Don’t be more in love with the IDEA of change. Actually Change.
  • Don’t quit. Persevere. (Note: Apparently Cho had been ill and traveled from Seattle to Dallas. He had to stop part way through to take a breath and recover.)

Robert Morris

  • We may be born selfish but we are re-born generous.
  • Do not GIVE in order to GET. Wrong motivation.
  • Mammon promises us things only God can give. Life. Peace. Joy.
  • People don’t need money. They need God.
  • Abel gave of his first fruits. Cain gave what he wanted, when he wanted, in the way he wanted.
  • We are the most like God when we GIVE.

Robert Madu

  • When you encounter Jesus you always walk away with more than you expected.
  • Fatherhood is the best ‘hood.
  • There is a vast difference between knowing Church and knowing Jesus.
  • Jesus wasn’t just a good man but a God-Man.
  • When someone is lowered through the roof… you should probably shut that sermon down.
  • When your EXPERIENCE doesn’t line up with your EXPECTATIONS God is probably giving you a REVELATION. Pay attention to what he is telling you.

Danielle Strickland (The Highlight of Catalyst for me)

  • Everyone wants to change the world. Not everyone is willing to get up (early) to do it.
  • You know which surfer catches the wave? The one in the water.
  • Posture yourself/Posture your life in such a way that when the wave comes, you can catch it.

Rich Wilkenson Jr

  • God hasn’t called us to hard things. God has called us to do IMPOSSIBLE things.
  • Don’t let your past failures or your fear of future failures keep you from following where Jesus is calling you.
  • Don’t take a fragment of failure with you to the next place.
  • Criticism can get on you but don’t let it get IN YOU.

Bob Goff

  • You are not defined by your worst day or your greatest success. You are defined by LOVE.
  • When we live under the banner of Christ it doesn’t just change some things, it changes EVERYTHING.
  • I’m just trying to be the next humblest version of myself.
  • Love. Everybody. Always.
  • People turn into who others say they are.
  • You get the green lights you get.
  • God wants us to live right on the edge of YIKES.
  • It’s not about MANNING UP. It’s about SHOWING UP!

Don Miller

  • Tie your dreams with the dreams of others. Good stories involve other people.
  • Think of Joker’s face and Vader’s limbs. They didn’t do the hard work needed to bring about real healing.
  • We are in the middle of Act II. It’s difficult. There is no resolution. In the midst of conflict.
  • Look at the people God calls into LEADERSHIP. You have not done worse than them.
  • Heroes are in it for the sake of others.

Exit Question:

What is the most important leadership lesson you are currently try to live out in your leadership context?

Conference, Discipleship, Leadership, Ministry, Mission, Remarkable, Resources

Present at Catalyst 2011

I just returned from my 9th Catalyst Conference in Atlanta. Hands down, this is always my favorite weekend of the year. It is an opportunity to hear new voices, reflect on my calling, and cast vision for the future. This year was no different except…

Now I’m no longer the youth minister but now I’m the team leader. I’m the senior person on staff. I’m responsible for other leaders and volunteers now. The game changed since last October. It’s a freeing, scary, awesome, terrifying place to be. I am loving it.

What I love about Catalyst is that I don’t return with a series of new plans or programs that I’m ready to implement this Wednesday. Catalyst isn’t the kind of conference where you change everything about your ministry and programs 10 minutes after stepping off the plane back home.

Catalyst is a slow burn. The thoughts, concepts, challenges, and exhortations go to work in your own heart and mind first. Then, over time the things I have heard in October will begin to guide and change my approach or thinking. The change has to start within me as the leader.

Here are a few of the thoughts or concepts that are currently marinating in my soul from this weekend. I don’t know what they all mean for my context right now but I’m trusting that God will use them to make a big change in me so I can lead where I am more effectively.

  • Don’t be fair, be engaged. – Andy Stanley
  • Go deep rather than wide. Go long-term rather than short-term. Go time, not just money. – Andy Stanley
  • Life is people. – Jim Collins
  • 3 Behaviors that allow leaders to thrive: 1) Fanatical Discipline, 2) Empirical Creativity, 3) Productive Paranoia – Jim Collins
  • The Signature of mediocrity is not an unwillingness to change, innovate, or grow; it’s chronic inconsistency. – Jim Collins
  • Fire Bullets, then Cannonballs. – Jim Collins
  • What is my “20 Mile March“?
  • Learn to marry creativity with discipline so that disciple amplifies creativity. – Jim Collins
  • We live in a world that is holding on for dear life to straws. – Joel Houston
  • An incredible team in a culture of excellence matters. – Dave Ramsey
  • Bring it everyday. – Dave Ramsey
  • Readdress your calling everyday. – Dave Ramsey
  • “If I could get a transcript of your prayers over the last month, what would be the one thing you kept praying for?” – Francis Chan
  • We make the things we are afraid of functional gods that we worship. – Mark Driscoll
  • Fear makes us false prophets. We predict a future that will never happen and cause ourselves fear, stress, and anxiety over these things that will never happen.- Mark Driscoll
  • Fear is vision without hope. – Mark Driscoll
  • FEAR NOT! Fear not, your Daddy is with you. – Mark Driscoll
  • Hatred of injustice is not the same thing as a love for everyday people. – Cornel West
  • Love is about going on the offensive. – Cornel West
  • We are who we are because somebody loved us. – Cornel West
  • Messiahs are crucified; prophets are assassinated. – Cornel West
  • Be intentional about pouring into those leaders that are coming behind you. It’s not about filling their cup. It is about emptying yours. – Andy Stanley
  • MEDs– Model, Explain, Demonstrate – Andy Stanley
  • Success is ultimately measured by whether or not you leave your responsibilities in capable hands. – Andy Stanley
  • Let’s hand the church better off than it was handed to us… to those who can do it better than us. – Andy Stanley

These are just a few examples of the leadership challenges and questions that are currently running laps around my head and heart. I walked away from Catalyst 2011 just like every other year thinking:

I am so blessed and honored to have experienced what I just experienced. Thank you Father for the Catalyst Team and for all that they do.

It is my prayer that God will give me the wisdom I need to do something with what I heard and experienced.

See you in Dallas, Catalyst Team!

 

 

 

Conference, Experience, Leadership, Ministry, Remarkable, Resources, Worship

Leavin’ On a Jet Plane

I’m off to the ATL in the morning for the Catalyst Conference. I’m looking forward to a challenging conference, hanging with good friends, and waiting hours in soul crushing lines for gasoline. Wait…

I guess I’ll settle for two out of three.

Catalyst is the highlight of my year. I cannot wait!!! I wonder what magic is in store for us all at the Gwinnett Center?

Conference, Discipleship, Ethos, Leadership, Ministry

Session V: The Creativity Challenge

Session V: The Creativity Challenge
Learn to be a good steward of your mind
Love God with the Left side (logical) and the Right (creative) side of your brain

There is a natural shift from Right to Left. When we learn something it begins in the right side- fun, mystery, new, exciting. As we become more familiar with the action it natural moves from imagination to rote behavior. From excitement to simply going though the motions.

Five ways to stay creative.
1) Cross Pollenate– Read like crazy. Read anything and everything. Master your domain but have the guts to move outside your comfort zone and learn something new and challenging

2) Do Recon– go to conferences, visit other churches, download multiple podcasts

3) Exegete Culture– the Athenian Approach (Acts 17)

4) Allow for Mistakes– learn to adjust and find the sweet spot

5) Notice Details– Anything says something about everything. 1% of what you makes 99% of the difference

Change of place + change of pace = change of perspective

Creativity is exceeding expectations.

Conference, Discipleship, Ethos, Leadership, Ministry

Session III: The Personal Challenge

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Session III: The Personal Challenge- Who are you becoming?
5 Thoughts from Mark Batterson

1) Establish Boundaries- helps to maintain sanity
Mark doesn’t travel more than 30 night away from his family each year
Doesn’t check email on his day off
Uses all of his vacation days (owes that time away to his family)

2) Put Family First- do not sacrifice your family on the altar of ministry
One way Mark puts his family first is through his Father/Son challenge (FSM): as his son becomes a teen Mark and his son are participating in a spiritual challenge (reading the NT together), an intellectual challenge (reading books together), and a physical challenge (running a 10-k together)- all this to be intentional about raising his kids

3) Set Life Goals-
Family goals
Travel goals
Physical goals
Influence goals
Financial goals

4) Focus on personal growth- ministry comes from the outflow of your heart (true that!!!) and that is contagious to your people

5) Create Margin– breathing room
Mark takes Mon. off, schedules meeting days on Tues/Thurs, and focuses on study/prep on Wed/Fri

Personal Challenge Q&A
What does your Sabbath look like?
a) Carves out time for spiritual reading
b) Time with family (if you can discipline yourself during the week then it will create more time for you ad your family)
c) connects with wife over coffee- go through important conversations- fill each other in- calendar issues

What does your work week look like?
20 hrs (min.) for sermon prep
Learn to manage your energy- when; at what time are you at your best?

What is the most important thing you do each week?
Speed of the leader determines the speed of the team
Jud- 1) soul care; 2) strategic leading of the leadership team
Mark- 1) Team meeting- Asking the team, “Where have you experienced wins?”; 2) Sermon prep

You talked about FSM, what about your daughter?
Reading together- Chronicle of Narnia
Create open lines of communication
Shemah- as you rise, walk along the road
Notice how your kids express their love to you give insights into how the receive love

Conference, Discipleship, Ethos, Leadership, Ministry

Session II: The Vision Challenge

In session 2, Jud Wilhite of Central Christian Church in Las Vegas spoke about the need to stay on mission and to keep our people focused through vision casting.

People need to know where they are going. Over time people/churches drift. Mission —> Memorial —> Monument —> Mosque

They start On Mission. They know their purpose, why they are there. There is excitement, mystery, and challenges. They are on fire and gung ho for the mission at hand.

Then comes a time where the church moves to a time of Memorial. The past was effective and we memorialize past victories. We celebrate the past and ignore the future.

Next comes the Monument phase. This old church is now a monument to the past. Nothing has changed for years and there is no growth. I think of the great church buildings in Europe.

Next is the Mosque phase. Jud explained that he added this phase after a prominent older baptist church closed its doors and was purchased by a Muslim group and turned into a mosque.

The point is that without vision the mission dies.

Vision can unify or divide and that’s ok. People must choose between being 100% on board or moving on.

Vision Challenges:
A) Clarity of Vision– clarity is more important than inspiration
clarity in words, practices/ there is no excuse for your people to not know what the specific mission of your church is

B) Vision Consitency– Jud says that about every 30 days he is teaching/praching/reminding his people who they are and what the vision/goals of the church is

Think through applications —> How can the church as a whole apply the lessons & how can individuals personally apply the lessons —> this naturally leads to vision

C) Culture of Vision– is your church a cruise ship or a battle ship?

Cruise ship– On cruise ships people are served. They are not asked to do anything, sacrifice anything. Activities are presented to them. Behind the scenes few serve the many.

Battle ship– All hands on deck. Working together for a common mission. Training, recruiting, brotherhood, victories, adventure.

“You will have to talk about vision 1000 times more than you think you will have to.”

Vision Q & A
How do you serve under a (self-described) non visionary leader?
Gene Edwards- A Tale of 3 Kings – Which king are you? Saul, David, Absolem?
2 options- stay or leave. There is no option 3.

How do you know your vision is from God? Visioneering resources.
Read like crazy & pray like crazy. This keeps you sensitive to the Spirit of God. Pay attention to the matrix around you- the people, your passion, the timing. Ask yourself, “What am I compelled to do?”
Resources: Visioneering by Andy Stanly; Holy Discontent by Hybels

How do you bring clarity to your vision?
State of the Church address each January (at least once a year)
Ask, “What’s the next step?”
Personally stay fired up about the vision.

Conference, Discipleship, Ethos, Leadership, Ministry

Session I: The Motivation Challenge

This week I’ll be posting my notes from the Unplugged Conference. There were five sessions on the greatest challenges leaders must face and I’ll post a different challenge each day this week. We’ll start with Session 1: The Motivation Challenge.

I wish that we had discussed ministry motivation more when I was in college. In fact there are two sides to the motivation challenge. There is so much power behind figuring out, focusing on, and remembering the reasons why we do what we do.

We concentrated on Matthew 10:5-16 when discussing the challenge of motivation.

“Jesus sent out (the twelve) with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near. ’Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

“Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts—no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for workers are worth their keep. Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at that person’s house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your blessing. If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”

“Go”– go out into the world rather than expect them to come to us

“Freely you have received, freely give.”– Minister out of the joy that you’ve been given. Giving much returns much.

“As you enter the home, give it your blessing.” Goes back to Abraham that we are to bless the world. Mark talked about that too often we give our blessing to people/things long after we deem it worthy. Jesus told the twelve to bless first, evaluate on the go.

“shake the dust off your feet”– I know I’ve felt the need to shake off the dust after meeting with certain people or after many situations. Nothing like a good old fashioned dust shaking to get you back to the things that matter.

Innocent as Doves
“Innocent as Doves”– Do things with the right motivation; continually checking the motives behind your actions

My will vs. THY WILL 1Sam. 14 & 15 – In ch. 14, Saul builds an alter to the LORD. In 15, he builds an alter to himself. In one chapter Saul’s motivation for leadership went from honoring the LORD to honoring himself. It happens that quickly.

The Comparing Game with distort your heart and lead you down one of two ways. First, you will compare yourself to people less talented and gifted than you are. This will lead you to believe that you are better than everyone else- we call that Pride.

Secondly, you’ll compare yourselves to people who are more talented, more gifted, and have better resources than you leading you to believe that life’s not fair and how you really deserve all that they have– we call that Jealousy.

Kill the selfish ambition inside of you.

Shrewd as Snakes
“Shrewd as snakes”– Like the men of Issachar. Men who knew the times and knew what to do. (1Chr. 12:32)

Definition: Outsmart the enemy at its own game; understanding the times; redeeming culture rather than consuming it blindly.

Contextual Intelligence– learning the times an discovering ways to harness new media for the kingdom. Podcasts, social networks, webcasts, invite cards

“Church is a tag-team sport.” When people bring friends/family to services they are tagging the leadership to answer questions, point to God, honor Jesus. Then each week leaders tag their people to move out from the doors of the building and take the message of the kingdom to the streets. “Tag you’re it.”

Awesomenessness, Collecting Experiences, Conference, Discipleship, Ministry, Youth Ministry

DC is for Conferencing

I’m making my way to the nation’s capital for the Unplugged Conference today.

I am so stoked. The conference should be a very intimate and challenging two days of conversations and dreaming. I’m looking forward to hearing from Mark Batterson and Jud Wilhite and I’m looking forward to a cup of Ebenezers in the morning.

I’ll be staying with my bro-in-law and will take the metro into Union Station each day. I like taking mass transit too bad there is no subway in my little town here at home.

I’ll post my thoughts and experiences each night. You can also follow me on Twitter. Keep me in your prayers for safe travel, rest, and growth. Thanks.

Peace,
Felker