I've Been Thinking About This…

Mark Batterson:
“I’d rather have 1 God idea than 1,000 good ideas.”
Everything that’s been created is a product of somebody’s mind.
Ideas are incredibly important.
2 Cor 10:5 – take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ.
We tend to think this applies to bad thoughts, but maybe we should consider good ones disciplined into His work.
Example – the Christmas catalog at NCC.
So – how do you get a ‘God Idea’?
Oliver Wendell Holmes – “a mind stretched by a new idea never returns to its original shape.”
Every leader needs a watchtower – Habakkuk. A place to go where the Holy Spirit can impress the idea on your mind then take it captive.

Rich Nathan:
We should be a “both/and” church, not an “either/or” church.
social justice should not preclude evangelism and vice versa.
Micah 6:8 – be both.

Sam Chand:
What is the difference between mega-church leader and a growth-challenged church?
Pain threshold.
About %10 of the church is there just to help our prayer life – the complainers.
Growth = pain.
Economic pain.
Staffing pain.
Relational pain – which ones to hold onto.
Leadership pain – never stop being a leader.
View pain as a teacher. Don’t allow leadership leprosy.

1. reflect on your pain
2. hang with people with high pain in their life (assume every major leader has a high pain life)
3. Take care of yourself. Pace yourself
4. listen to your spouse.
5. Don’t ask God to grow your pain threshold – He might!

If you’re hurting, that’s not all bad – you can’t grow without more pain. You only grow with pain.

Dan Kimball:
In the church tradition should never get in the way of mission or it is a sin.
We should be desperate for others to be part of the kingdom of God – without compromising Scripture.

Mark DeYmaz:
I believe that God is less interested in healing the race problem in America, and more in healing the church through the race problem.

Jim Tomberlin:
9 myths

1. Multisite is just a fad – reality – the new normal; 2000 churches embraced it and the number growing. 10% of Christians already attend a multisite church
2. MS is a vehicle for ‘celebrity pastors’.
3. MS is a video-driven model. Actually, only 1/3 are.
4. MS is just a space solution.
5. MS is neither incarnational and non-communal. Actually each campus is more personal.
6. MS is a church growth engine. Actually a vehicle; can’t fix a broken church.
7. MS is not a church plant. New congregation sure thinks it is.
8. Video teaching doesn’t work in my church. Actually, it is adopted very quickly.
9. MS inhibits raising teachers.

Chip Henderson:
Take care of yourself.

Assume responsibility for yourself. Stay away from ‘bad stuff’.
You’re the only one who can.
God doesn’t work through programs, He works through people.
Take care of yourself spiritually, relationally, physically.
“I can look into the eyes of your wife and tell the kind of man you are”
Look after your kids and make sure they grow up respecting the Lord.

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