(Recently I went to the first ever Catalyst Conference in Dallas. This is the second in a series of posts based off reflections from that conference.)
On the docket today is the first three sessions of Catalyst Dallas. If the experience of Catalyst was not enough - with all its energy, games, amazing worship, and hilarious antics - these first sessions were filled with content that was truthful and challenging to everyone in the seats. The theme for this conference was Take Courage, so let’s collect our strength and jump into some of my key points. (I have also linked each speaker to their website so you can find out more about them and their organizations)
Session 1 - Andy Stanley:
• A single act of courage is often the tipping point for something extraordinary.
• Step into the strength of the Holy Spirit
• Don’t miss the opportunity to act in courage
• Three areas to take courage:
• Courage to stay, when it would be easier to leave
• Courage to leave, when it would be easier to stay
• Courage to ask for help, when it would be easier to pretend that everything is okay
• The only thing we should fear is waking up and realizing we are not in the center of God’s will for our life
Session 2A - Dr. John Perkins:
• Stop accepting being mediocre
• Unity among the Church has incredible power
• The world is in pain for the Gospel
• Go to our cities and other places that need Jesus
Session 2B - Gary Haugen:
• Our response to fear is either: seek to be safer or seek to be braver
• God is in the business of making His children braver
• If following Jesus is not dangerous, you may not be truly following Jesus
• Am I willing to follow Jesus to the dangerous areas?
Session 3A - Scott Belsky:
• Most ideas never happen. This is largely due to loss of energy and enthusiasm once the project gets started and all the other important things in life/work begin to demand attention. To counter this:
• Create pockets of time in your day where you can unplug
• Be intentional about organization
• Minimize the things that don’t move the idea forward
• Never stop optimizing - getting better
• Release the idea to people, but only the right people at the right time
• Tolerate failure as a lesson
• Gain confidence from doubt
• “Nothing extraordinary is ever achieved through ordinary means.”
Session 3B - Christine Caine:
• God created us to take risks, to live counter to that is to resist part of our purpose
• The issues of this life are like a vapor. For those of us in Christ’s house, we must live with an eternal perspective. With that perspective risk becomes less risky, but more freeing.
• Am I the Samaritan or am I the Levite or Priest?
These sessions were really challenging to me. They pushed to get out of the rut I have dug in life. Not to say that it is a bad rut – there are many good things in this rut – but it is not the full extent of what God has planned for me. I need to ask for help, begin actual work on some of my ideas, and move into the uncomfortable areas to start loving on the people God wants me love on.
The Gospel is not just about my salvation, it’s about the world’s salvation. We all need to remember that God has called us to GO and share His truth. That means both far and near. Go to your neighbor. Go to your co-worker or boss. Go to your family. So let us all courageously take some risks in our life and step onto the faith that was planted in our hearts on the day of our salvation. GO!!
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