Catalyst

I got home a few hours ago from my first Christian conference...Catalyst Atlanta.

Going into the event I wasn't sure what to expect.  I was both excited and apprehensive.  I left very early on Thursday morning with over 40 guys from my church and 36 hours later, I left elated.  It was an amazing, energizing, renewing experience.



I loved how the conference was geared towards church leaders.  While I am not in vocational ministry, I found the messages to be highly relevant for my own personal ministries to my family and my workplace.

I want to share a few things that were said, and which stuck with me, during the two days...my hope is that these short quotes will give you the impulse to dig deeper into the original messages, which should be available from the Catalyst webpage soon.  Powerful stuff from a great variety of speakers who love Jesus.

Andy Stanley
Pastor, Northpoint Church

"When facing the tension of 'limited time v. all people', remember this: do for one what you wish you could do for everyone."

"Fairness ended in the Garden of Eden."

"If you point your finger and blame the generation after you, its only because you have abdicated your leadership to that culture."

"Success isn't measured by how capable you are in handling your responsibilities, its measured by how well you left your responsibilities in capable hands."

Jim Collins
Management Consultant

"Signature of mediocrity is chronic inconsistency."

"Go after Big Hairy Audacious Goals."

"Be rigorous, not ruthless, with people decisions."

Joel Houston
Hillsong

"Being out of your comfort zone is an opportunity for God to work."

"Everyone has their own platform or stage...use it."

Dave Ramsey
Author, Speaker


"Be so great that people want to know WHO you know."

"Opportunity is attracted to excellence."

"There are two numbers on a tombstone, what are you doing with the dash between them?"

Francis Chan
Former Pastor, Cornerstone Community Church


"If we could look at a transcript of all your prayers in the last month, what is the one thing you kept praying for?"

"God does not hear all prayers."

"Are you present enough in prayer that God hears you?"

Judah Smith
Pastor, The City Church


"Jesus is the Glory of God"

"Since when is Jesus not enough?"

Mark Driscoll
Pastor, Mars Hill Church


"Fear isn't always a sin, it is always an opportunity to either SIN or TRUST GOD."

"Are you committed to things and people that God didn't call you to?"

"God keeps saying 'Fear not, for I am with you' because we keep forgetting!"

Dr. Cornell West
Professor, Activist

"Hating injustice isn't the same as loving people."

I'm a Christian who still has gangsta proclivities.  Nothing but the Holy Ghost holding me together."

"The blood of Jesus isn't watered-down Kool-Aid."

MUSIC

And...I don't want to forget and mention the awesome music that played a huge part of the experience.  Eddie Kirkland, Hillsong, and my favorite, Seryn...

Check out Seryn here:


Ultimately, God was honored, leaders were repurposed, and I was hooked on the blast of motivation you get from being in a place with so many believers who are singing to, and learning about Christ.

It was like a inadequate glimpse into what heaven will sorta be like...to join my voice to so many others in praising God.  I really can't imagine how much more awesome heaven will be as we all sing "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lamb."

Excited for that, and in the meantime, excited for Catalyst 2012.