Some Things Worth Thinking About...and Acting On

I realize that almost everyone and their mother has posted these thoughts from Andy's Stanley's presentation at Catalyst 08 this past year, but these are things I personally wanting to be thinking about often and I want my friends thinking about.

1) To reach people no one else is reaching, we have to do things no one else is doing (Craig Groeschel) We have 175,000 people within 10 miles of Northpoint, and we aren't reaching them. We aren't going to reach them by building another church building. We have to do something no one else is doing. Become preoccupied with those you want to reach rather than those you are trying to keep.

2) The best idea for reaching the next generation isn't going to come from the existing generation, it's going to come from the next generation. If you are over 45 years old, you aren't going to have any good ideas. It's your job to recognize the good ideas. Don't do to the next generation what the previous generation did to you.
Be a student, not a critic.

3) I'm looking for what can't be done in church, but if it could be done would fundamentally change the church. It always used to drive me nuts that the communicator and the leader had to be the same thing. Multi-site solved this. Now the great leader doesn't have to be the teacher. Like that, you may be the one to crack the code on something no one else has figured out that will fundamentally change our "business." Pay attention to people who are breaking the rules. It's the rule-breakers who are oftentimes the problem solvers.

4) If we got kicked out by our board, and they hired a new guy, what would the new guy change or do different? Let's walk out the door and walk back in, and make those changes. The problem with ministry is that we've fallen in love with the way we've done ministry. It's not "no pain, no gain" -- it's "no pain, no change." Without pain, there typically isn't any change. A question you need to ask is: Ask: "Where are we manufacturing energy?" What are the things we aren't very excited about that is taking energy to get it done, but the results aren't stellar? Now own up to why you aren't doing anything about it. What is it you fear? You need to deal with that. It is a leadership lid for you.

5) When your memories exceed your dreams, the end is near. You look back with smiles and lots to celebrate, but you don't have a lot to work forward to. Are you willing to be involved in the future more than the present? Don't let success overshadow your vision. Success breeds complacency and complacency breeds failure.
October 10, 2008

Which of these thoughts most grips you as something you and team really need to be thinking about?