Threads

Well…. I don’t mean to start this out on a DOWN note but if you noticed and abrupt stoppage in my live catalyst blogging there was a reason. I did not include, in the last few lines of yesterday’s blog, that something was happening inside of my inner-most. I spent the rest of the afternoon and evening in other places. We’ll I’m back, about 24 hours later and I can see the light! My wife just sent me a text asking if I wanted something to eat and I (IN GREAT FEAR) said “yes, something light.” I won’t update you beyond this. 

 

So, as I look back at Wednesday thru Friday at the Catalyst labs and conference I have to respond to the INCREDIBLE stories, instruction, disciplines, and passion given us attendees. I, more or less, brought about 12 people who are involved, in some way, with North Cleveland Church of God. This is an amazing fact knowing that we only had about 2 or 3 people there last year. I personally convinced Brew-ah, Waters, S-Love, Daniel Samuelson, my wife, and Design-o-freak Cutrell to join me in ATL for the best conference out there, IMO. There are many great and not-so-great conferences around our country but for some reason this has an amazing balance of faith/church issues (the SUPERNATURAL, discipline, management, systems, leadership, finances, WORSHIP, etc). I am aware that I may be criticized for separating the above issues but it is probably because I can’t accurately articulate the passion and vision that I walk away with each time I attend Catalyst. 

 

For those of you are wondering about my title I will explain. In conferences like Catalyst there are many communicators, friends, and organizations that spur deep passionate thoughts and conversations. In the blur of all of the sessions and the information that comes with, you have to catch the strands of thread that connect to your heart. Pardon the corny pun, but those threads are often the beginning of a beautiful piece of work when you allow God to develop them into vision and discipline. This year those threads for me were as follows: 

1. Pastor Matt Chandler- there are many examples in the Bible of people being obedient to God and NOT having great success. We as leaders cannot only look to the successful churches and pastors for direction. We never hear stories of people being obedient to God and their ministry declining. None of them have best selling books! 
2. Gabe Lyons- the age of facebook will soon backlash. Online networking is slowly ruining face to face community. (I heard Lenoard Sweet say this recently also.) So we need to be prepared as churches to address community and intimacy. 
3. Perry Noble- Am I more concerned with being DEVELOPED or DISCOVERED? I currently feel the pain of development. I currently do not wish to be discovered (at least I’m not motivated by discovery) but I have to be careful or I will soon be consumed by it, especially in the town that I live in. 
4. Mark Foreman- Do our students know that they are agents of life-change, transformation, and wholeness in our broken world? Or do they view Christianity as a list of do’s and don’ts? Have we so diluted our role in this world as Christians that we find ourselves lost in a world of religion or legalism? 

~ by souperman4x on October 11, 2008.