Catalyst Day One Highlights

Just wanted to go through the day, covering all the speakers and the top nugget or insight from each...I ranked each with a star rating system (just like how I rate my friends) 4 stars is out of this world. 3 is exquisiteness. 2 is very beneficial and 1 is a time frame I'd like back.

***Perry Noble

Perry kicked us off at 8:30 a.m. with a dynamic talk on Vision out of Acts 26. A really compelling statement..."As the Church we don't want to try to close the backdoor (unhappy people leaving the church). The Church is referred to in the Bible as the Body...and you know what would happen if we closed the backdoor of that?" Not pretty...This was helpful...If we are to really to go with God and lead toward the changes He wants, we need to expect and embrace that people to leave.


**Reggie Joiner

Reggie dealt with a shift in discipleship recognizing that it will never happen if it is dependent solely on the influence of the time when the people are in the Church. On average, leaders have 40-80 hours a year to impact the typical church goer...This does not even compare to the amount of time parents have to influence their children at home (about 3000 hours a year). The Church will not ensure that your kids know who God is. It's your job as a parent!


**Mark Batterson
I follow this guy on his blog www.evotional.com and I really think he is doing some great things in Church Leadership. He had some great points. The big take away for me was that Insecurity will sabotage our anointing. We aren't appointed, hired, selected, or any other manmade notion of positioning. If we are called by God, we are anointed and we had better be secure on this. Are you called and anointed by God in the area(s) you are serving?

****Reggie McNeal
Absolutely a hoot to listen to this guy. He is funny and dynamic, but above all else, he is a gifted and clear communicator. Reggie challenged that we must reorient ourselves about Church...Church cannot be considered a "what" or "it" anymore like it has for the last 1700 years. Church is a "who". The People of God must recapture what it means to be the people of blessing (Genesis 12).

**Ed Stetzer
Church planting is the hardest but greatest thing in ministry. The guy knows his stuff in regards to Church Planting!

**Jessica Jackley
Microfinance and ending poverty. She told the story of the founding of KIVA. If you have not heard about this...you need to learn about it. It is a microfinancing loan program where you can support entrepreneurs all over the world with launching their microbusiness and helping defeat poverty and the repayment of these loans is about 99%! Unbelievable, simple, practical way to invest and receive blessing.

****Matt Chandler
The highlight of the day for me. Fantastic, deep, profound speaker, who unpacked the Gospel in a way that made everyone connect with Christ. Everything about what we do and who we are had better point to the saving power of the Gospel or we are off track.

The worship led by Christy Knockels and the Northpoint Community Church worship leader was Spirit Led...It has been a long time since I have been moved like that in corporate worship.

Good first day and the real conference begins tomorrow! Time to get some rest!