I’m currently in Atlanta, GA live blogging the Catalyst Conference. During this time, I’ll be dropping the leadership wisdom shared by the amazing speaker lineup.
Communicator, author, and pastor, Andy Stanley founded Atlanta-based North Point Ministries in 1995. Today, NPM is comprised of six churches in the Atlanta area, serving more than 36,000 people weekly, as well as a network of 30 churches around the globe. As host of NBC’s Your Move with Andy Stanley, which reached over 36 million viewers in less than two years on the air, and author of 20-plus books including Ask It, How to Be Rich, Deep & Wide, Visioneering, and Next Generation Leader, he is considered one of the most influential living pastors in America. Andy Stanley and his wife, Sandra, have three grown children and live near Atlanta.
Was It Worth It?
This is the question Andy Stanley finds himself asking himself as he’s sitting in his car, driving back from Sunday service. Was everything they put together worth what people went through to get there and to get home.
Why aren’t we asking ourselves this question more often?
The programs we put on, the products we put out, the activities we are participating in… Will people say that it was worth it?
How To Awaken Culture To The Wonder Of The Local Church
Something said about Jesus: He embodied grace and truth.
There’s something that brings wonder with this statement. He brought 2 seemingly opposing things: Grace and truth.
Yet that’s what’s wondering about Jesus. He didn’t balance grace and truth. He WAS grace and truth.
Meanwhile, the church tends to lean towards one more than the other.
We have grace, grace, grace churches and we have truth, truth, truth churches. We need churches that embody both.
Jesus never dumbed down the truth and never turned down grace
Something Jesus said while never saying it: Distinguish between theology from ministry.
Theology is what we believe. Ministry is what we do for others as a result of what we believe.
When we distinguish between theology from ministry, we liberate ministry without compromising our theology.
What does this mean for you? This means we are to approach people with love and grace. People were not created for the law. The law was created for the people.
People are going to screw up. We all sin from time to time (sometimes all the time). That’s who we minister to! Fallen and broken people.
If you have bad theology, it will limit who you can minister to.
Something Jesus didn’t say: Never give up influence unnecessarily
There are questions you should never answer out loud. It’s not because you don’t know the answers. It’s because there is a time and a place to expend and spend your influence.
Never make a point at the expense of making a difference.
The conservative church does the opposite far too often. We push a point. We an agenda. All without making a difference.
Something Jesus actually said: Love your enemies
It’s hard to label who our enemies are. Can you think of anyone who you would consider an enemy? You probably can’t think of any either.
But think about it this way: Who’s pushing back against your local church? They don’t love the fact that you’re changing things in the community, they think you’re too loud, they have some other issue with your local church.
These could be considered your enemies These are the people and groups you need to love.
How can you begin to love on these groups?
Donate to these charities or organizations
Volunteer with these organizations
Serve the community
The church should be seen doing so much good that communities cannot wait for us to get there.
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