Catalyst Atlanta 2013 Andy Stanley First Session

andy-stanleyAndy Stanley: Known Survivor – Surviving your appetite for known

These are rough notes but I wanted to let you know what’s happening at Catalyst Atlanta.

Everyone has an appetite to be known

If you feed an appetite, it grows

An appetite is never fully or finally satisfied. It always comes back.

The more you get, the more you want. You’ll never have enough retweets, followers, or mentions.

You’ll never say:

My student ministry is big enough

My church has enough attendees

How to survive your appetite to be known

There is no amount of known to satisfy your appetite for known.

We all wanted to be famous with our fathers.

What complicates being known is that we’re leaders

We move on from our fathers and mothers to our coaches and teachers. And then onto that cute girl or guy. Now it’s the people you’re leading.

You’re always wondering if they like you.

You take it personally when your group grows or shrinks.

It’s in you and me to be known.

We tell ourselves different message when we’re in front of a crowd. We wonder why people are doing what they’re doing. And then we wonder if we’re doing a good job.

Andy – There’s a little Lady GaGa in all of us.

We live for the applause.

When it’s all said and done, your appetite will become bigger

3 Laws of applause:

1. What’s applauded as exceptional the first time will be expected the next time

Exceptional becomes exceptional

2. Applause is intoxicating

Intoxicated people make bad decisions

Those most applauded for feel most entitled – Reserved seating, reserved parking, green rooms, special drinks, special treatment. A lot of the time publicly given.

3. Applause is addictive

You get it once, you want it more and more. You search it out. And you begin to manufacture it.

You begin to wait for the applause if it’s not given. You use baited questions to get the feel good feeling.

You become a victim of known

You don’t become a hermit. You still have to go out into the spotlight.

A side-effect of being a leader is you have to become known.

The question is: How do we keep it from ruining us? That we don’t become a victim of the laws of applause?

John The Baptist said: I am not the messiah. I am not Elijah. I am not the prophet. I am the voice calling out in the desert.

He then points to Jesus and says LOOK… John loses his followers to Jesus.

People called out Jesus for doing what John had previously done. They tried to show how John was losing people.

John replies: A person can receive only what is given them from Heaven.

Profound

The reason I’m known is because God in Heaven has gifted me with this to me at this time.

It wasn’t me. It wasn’t for the sake of my being known.

He was okay with his time being up.

Mark 1:4-

Whole of Judea and all the people went to see John The Baptist. He became a phenomenon. He became known.

The key to survive being known.

John understood from day 1 that he was known to make HIM known.

When you focus on the amount of known, you become history.

Surviving Known

Remember who it’s from.

Remember who it’s for.

Those are the two keys to surviving known

Get rid of the arrogance. Don’t get caught up in the fame.

Dr. Charles Stanley response to how he avoids getting a big head: I know that God could get it off in a minute.

A number will never satisfy your appetite for being known. Only by a name.

Andy Stanley preached to the president and heard compliments from those in attendance. But he wanted to hear how the president liked it. The appetite for being known wasn’t satisfied.

He shared with us a letter he received from the president weeks later.

What if the parable of the ruler and talents were actually true. We were excited to show what we did with the talents He gave us. We never forgot where it was from. How would that change you?

A person can only get what is given from Heaven.

Do everything in your power to leverage your gifts but remember who it’s from and for.

Listen for the applause of Heaven, not of man.

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