Today, I’m live-blogging from the Infinite Energy Center in Atlanta, Georgia. I’ll be sharing insights from speakers at the best leadership conference around, Catalyst Atlanta.
The first guest is Andy Stanley. Andy is the senior pastor of North Point Church in Atlanta. He’s also the author of Ask It and Deep & Wide.
A single act of courage often becomes the single action that changes history. When Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat. Her act of courage changed the course of the United States.
Martin Luther, breaking with the Catholic Church. An extraordinary act of courage.
Or Bill Hybels telling his father that he wasn’t going to continue in the family business. He was going to work with teenagers and build a different kind of church.
No one knows what is on the other side of a single act of courage.
If we knew the outcome, it wouldn’t take courage.
Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, the other Joseph (Jesus’ father), Jesus, and Paul… Each of these Bible characters took the steps of courage. Now, their stories are told all around the world for the rest of time.
The problem though with these stories is that once we take our eyes off of their stories, we look at our stories. We see our problems. We don’t see the solution. And we forget the courage it took to change the world.
But don’t despair.
Your day may have already come. Your day may yet be to come. One thing is for sure, it is possible.
Leaders rarely regret the risk they took. They always regret the opportunities they missed.
Four Specific Difficult Circumstances Leaders Will Find Themselves In
You don’t know what hangs in the balance.
1. The courage to stay when it would be easier to leave.
2. Courage to leave when it would be easier to stay.
3. Courage to get help when it would be easier to pretend.
4. Courage to submit when it would be easier to power up.
Andy has two big concerns for the church. One of those concerns is the idea of the pyramid of power. Everything begins with me.
The goal is to be the dumbest person at the table. If you’re the dumbest person at the table, you will look like the best leader in the world.
It takes courage to surrender.
So… What story do you want to tell?
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