Catalyst- Day 1

Hey all. Catalyst was off the chain. OFF THE FREAKIN’ CHAIN.

We got there and it was still dark outside, OK? It was EARLY. And RAINING. My hair was a MESS!

Like you care about my hair.

Anyhow.

We were walking from the parking lot toward the entrance and we saw this stretch hummer come by…and then it stopped. And invited us in. And that, my friends, is how our Catalyst experience began. We got dropped off by the front doors in a stretch hummer.

We were shown into a tent, where they were giving out gift bags (w/ tissues, gum, chapstick, etc.) and pancakes! FREE PANCAKES! There was also a sick jazz band playing. The atmosphere was incredible.

Once we got inside, they had 5 DJ’s spinning at 1 time. The theme is “together” this year, so almost everything was done as a team. The speakers were absolutely incredible.

I am going to give you a quick summary w/ big ideas from each speaker and a brief explanation.

Andy (Freakin’) Stanley: The confidence people have in me depends on the Alignment between creed and deed (what I say and do). He calls that your “moral authority.” In other words, discrepancy between what you say and do makes you lose influence.

Jim Collins: I can’t narrow this down to just one thing.

• Greatness is not a function of circumstance, it is a function of conscious choice
• An undisciplined push for more is hubris, it is over reaching, and it will derail your flywheel
• There isn’t a “what” strategy for things you can’t predict– but there is a “who” strategy
• Level 5 Leaders have the signature characteristic of humility
• Make a to do list and a “stop doing” list
• Don’t confuse values and practices: “Each generation needs to create its own practices to passionately exemplify the eternal values that pass through all generations.”
• Don’t spend 5 years getting 2 years experience
• Greatness is not a function of success, but of choices no one can see
• Good intentions are no excuse for incompetence

Steven Furtick: Between the prayer and the promise is the process. Just because you can’t see the promise being fulfilled, don’t give up! Between God revealing His will to you and the promise being fulfilled, there is always a process. STICK WITH IT. God will complete the good works he began. God is preparing you for what He’s preparing for you.

Brenda Salter McNeil: To get from here to there, God will shake things up (Acts 1:8, Acts 2)

Seth Godin: People want to know the answers to 2 questions: 1) Who else is going to be there?, and 2) Who’s going to lead us? We are all a part of a tribe. No one is seeking a safe leader.

Then, from a freaking COMMERCIAL, we get this big idea: Justice is what love looks like in public.

Craig Groeschel: Drastic is the answer. Little tweaks don’t work or you would’ve fixed it already! Pray 3 prayers: God stretch me, God heal me, God ruin me. Pray those three prayers to get the “it” factor back in your life.  THERE IS MORE IN YOU. Don’t give up. When you think you are done, there is more in you.

THAT IS ONE STINKING DAY OF AWESOMENESS RIGHT THERE BLOG PEOPLE.

My head hurts.

Goodnight.

I am so tired I did not spell check this, so don’t judge me.

‘Night.