Another Hilarious Video from Catalyst: Craig Groeschel Interview

Ministry Highlight: Prison Entrepreneurship Program

I’m still getting over jet lag from my flight back to L.A. – I’ll be posting highlights from the trip shortly. However, one thing I do want to start focusing on is ministry highlights. There were all kind of ministries represented at Catalyst West Coast. I’d like to highlight a few in hopes that they will capture your heart and your attention. Who knows, maybe it will strike a passion in you and you’ll end up pursuing a job in a similar ministry or supporting them… So here we go:

Prison Entrepreneurship Program

Founder: Catherine Rohr

What is it: A ministry that educates prison inmates, graduates them, and helps them become entrepreneurs when they go back into the world.

Website: http://www.prisonentrepreneurship.org/

It’s Impact On Me: Catherine spoke at Catalyst West and lit a fire in my heart for prison ministries. She talked about grace and how nobody wants to be known for the worst thing they’ve done, and neither do prisoners. She talked about how most people view them as animals, but we need to view them as human beings. What if we viewed everyone the way God does?

She brought two prisoners who had graduated her program and when they got out of jail they started their own companies. These men came out in business suit, (you’d never have known they ever prison inmates), and shared their stories (including their crimes, which made people a little uncomfortable), and how this ministry changed their lives. Their lives have been transformed, they now have families, kids, an education, and their own business, all because of PEP. Amazing… Check out their website for more information.

If you’d like to support PEP - Click here

You can listen to Catherine’s story and heart for this ministry here:

Great Video From Mosaic… “Carlos”

This is a great video – it is hilarious, but at the same time shows us that we all can do something that can make the world a better place.

Catalyst West Coast: Day 3 Recap

So Catalyst West Coast Has come and gone… What an incredible conference! Changed my life.

Here are some highlights from the talks in day 2:

Craig Groeschel

• Romans 12:2 – Don’t be conformed to the American dream!
• Don’t rely on the package of your church… Trust in the power of the Gospel
• Lukewarm Pastors build Lukewarm Churches
• Church should be a safe place with a dangerous message
• Build your church on what you’re about, not on what you’re not
• Don’t build your ministry and church – build the Kingdom
• Don’t blame yourself for the declines, you might take credit for the increases
• When your identity is in the numbers, you won’t obey God
• How can you accept the term ” ” when there are 4 billion people that don’t know Christ?
• We’re a small church with a mega vision
• People want to join a big mission, not a big building
• Level 1 Believers – Believe in the Gospel enough to benefit from it
• Level 2 Believers – Believe in the Gospel enough to contribute comfortably
• Level 3 Believers – Believe in the Gospel enough to give their lives to it

Erwin McManus

• Our job is unleash people to do good, not just stop them from doing bad
• At your church, can people discover the power to be who they are?
• Before we were pounded into the ordinary, we dreamed of the extra ordinary
• We need to be more committed to the dreams of other, than to our own dreams
• Small acts may not change the world, but they can tilt it to go in the right direction
• Our job as spiritual leaders is to detonate obstacles in the way of others dreams

Rick Warren

• Healthy churches don’t grow fast… fast growth= cancer
• If you don’t  care about numbers you’re telling people  to go to Hell
• We need to Divert daily, withdraw weekly, and abandon annually – the world can get along without you
• A crowd is not a church
• Nobody is the model… Jesus is thee model
• Never Compare – Foolish comparison: 1.) Find people better – discouraged 2.) Find people your better than – Pride
• Jesus isn’t going to ask you “How come you weren’t more like your hero? He made us to be us… He doesn’t need doubles
• Learn from Everybody
• The simpler you get, the more God will use you
• Judge your church on it’s sending capacity
• We need to be interested in an army, not a crowd
• You can fake love for a year or two, but you can’t fake it for 30!

Francis Chan

• If you hear pastors name more than God’s name when people are talking – we’re missing it
• We’re picky about going to ball games, plays, restaurants, etc…. People are the same way with our churches
• You can talk people into making a decision… but you’ll have to keep talking them into everything else
• I hate the book of Acts, you never put it down and say, “That sounds like our church!”

Perry Noble

• The size of the vision God will give me is directly related to the amount of pain and discomfort I’m willing to endure
• W/o pain and discomfort – we don’t know how much we need Him
• Dry times allow you to experience God’s provision
• When we learned to be obsessed and desperate for God and trust Him, that’s when we’ll succeed
• We don’t give into God’s vision because of: 1.) Fear 2.)  Laziness 3.) Being obsessed with being discovered instead of Development
• If you’re still where you are, you’re not ready for the next level
• Leadership is as easy as listening to God!
• If you haven’t had a sleepless night over vision – you don’t have a vision from God
• What would you do for God if you knew you couldn’t fail? -> Your a coward if you don’t do that
• Are you scared? If not, God isn’t in it, because you could do it yourself
• Listen to Jesus and when you’re ready – He’ll blow your freaking mind!
• Don’t you dare give up on a God who’s never given up on you

I’ll  probably have a post or two on my whole experience at Catalyst – God changed my life… man! So excited!

Catalyst West Coast: Day 2 Recap

What an incredible day… I’m literally blown away and I stand in awe of what God is doing in the world through the body of Christ. I literally can’t put into words what God is stirring up in my heart…

Here are my highlights from the talks:

Session 1: Andy Stanley

• Uncertain times are the arena where great leaders are born
• You don’t learn anything in good times or in times of certainty
• It’s ok to be uncertain, it’s not ok to be unclear
• To be clear in uncertain times, go back to the vision that God put in your heart
• The clearer you are on what God’s called you to do, the less uncertainty will matter
• Would you do what God is calling you to do even if nobody came with you?
• We need to be more concerned about the people we haven’t met, then the ones we have
• Leadership isn’t about making decisions alone, it’s about owning the decisions once they’re made

Session 2: Guy Kawasaki

• You’ll never appeal to everyone, when you try to, you create mediocrity
• Making people happy or unhappy is a lot better than making them indifferent
• If people won’t get your message in 15 minutes, they probably never will
• Ignore the bozos…

Session 3: Catherine Rohr

***Catherine runs an amazing ministry…. you need to check it out!

• Are you known for the worst thing you’ve ever done? Neither should other people… (Grace)
• A lot of times we need to look at people as human beings instead of animals
• We need to do life with people and help them achieve their “proudest moments” in life

Session 4: Jud Wilhite

• Until you settle the identity issue – you’ll never be or have enough
• There is no “There” so learn to enjoy the journey
• Surrender your view of you for God’s view of you
• We should talk to ourselves more than listen to ourselves
• When you believe something other than what God says about you, you’re calling God a liar

Session 5: Ravi Zacharias

*I need to listen to this talk again… Ravi is amazing and he said so many amazing things…

• What you applaud you encourage, be careful what you celebrate
• People can’t argue love

Session 6: Brian Houston

• Be a church planter and builder, not a church critique
• WE are the Church… the Church is so much bigger than one person
• If we don’t believe in what the church is supposed to be, how will the world?
• When you’re a part of the house of God -> you ALWAYS Flourish!

Session 7: Nick Vuljicic

• “It’d be dishonoring to God to live my life and not believe that I could change the world
• God uses people based on availability, not ability
• FEAR – False Evidence Appearing Real
• 2 Questions Jesus will ask us: 1.) Do you know me? 2.) Who did you bring?
• FAITH = Full Assurance In The Heart
• You’re a miracle to someone when you give them Jesus
• Satan wants to take your joy from you… period
• Just because you can’t see something, doesn’t mean it’s not there
• Trust is a daily choice

Overall a great day… really looking forward to tomorrow…

Catalyst West Coast: Day 1 Recap

Wow… I am loving the West Coast so far! The conference is being held at Mariners Church in Irvine, CA in Orange County. The church has probably the most impressive campus I’ve ever seen.

You can check out pictures of the church along with pictures from day 1 here courtesy of Ben Rath.

Day One was amazing! Here are some highlights:

Opening Session with Erwin McManus Highlights:

• Unfortunately there is usually no connection between doing church and changing humanity
• Do we pretend we’re reaching the world when in reality we’re only loving and reaching people that are like us?
• An atheist asked me a question I didn’t know and I said, “Just because I can’t answer your question, doesn’t mean God doesn’t exist, it just means I’m stupid”
• Is your ministry an exclusive club just for Christians or can anyone come and feel welcome?
• Is your life leading people to God?
• Problem – everybody wants to be popular… you’re going to have to give up popularity in order to influence the world around you
• Jesus is the instant path to enlightenment

Session 2 with Eric Bryant Highlights:

• When people have a need do they think of you as someone who can meet it? Do they think of your church?
• We need to allow people to belong before they have to believe
• The church is not here to meet our needs, its a place to take care of the worlds needs
• Are we befriending people different than us?

Session 3 with Dan Kimball Highlights:

• Who is the last person (Non-Christian) you hung out with outside of church? Prayed for?
• Jesus first Words: “Come follow me” Last Words: “Go”

Session 4 with Mark Batterson Highlights:

• The greatest blessings in life often come out of nowhere!
• In the long run your competence will have less and less to do with your success… Your success will depend upon your ability to get competent people around you
• Numbers 11 – Moses and God…. Sick chapter… God made things happen out of nowhere – Moses knew God would come through…
• How big is your God?
• You’ll never be more than 80% certain
• Church – You’ve got to Grow More so you can Give More

• You can’t take credit for things that happen “out of nowhere”

Session 5 with Erwin McManus Highlights:

• Are we earning the right to have meaningful conversations in peoples lives?
• We don’t “bring” Jesus to the World… He’s already there… we just get to jump in and be a part of what He is already doing (Wow!)
• People are more committed to success than they are spiritual transformation
• If you refuse to define yourself, you’ll get defined by others

What an incredible day… tons more happened that was fun, but I’m done….. Good night from Orange County!

Happy Earth Day! (Enjoy!!) Haha..

This is a video our Church put together for Earth Day… enjoy haha…

Catalyst West Coast: Here I Come

Catalyst West Video (2 min) from Catalyst on Vimeo.

So tonight I’m leaving for Orange Country, CA with some awesome people… I’ve always wanted to go to a Catalyst Conference and now I’m finally crossing it off my bucket list! I’m so excited it’s not even funny! I know God is going to do some big things while I’m there… Check out the website

After the conference I’ll be spending the weekend in Hollywood/LA/Orange County with a great friend – we’re going to go to Mosaic Church and see what God is doing through Erwin and his team there…

Anyway… I won’t be blogging while I’m gone, but expect some recap posts when I return…

Love you guys!

Free From Sin, Addiction, and Bondage (Part 7) – The Other Side

Because of the joy^[b] awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

Hebrews 12:2

The Other Side of Bondage

We’ve talked about this verse before, but I want to point out the latter part of it . . . Because of the joy (seeing you live the life He intended you to live) awaiting Him, He endured the cross. NOW, He is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Jesus is now on the “other side” of the cross.. Do you think he ever looks back and regrets it? No Way! Would you not agree that He is living the life right now (He is seated on the right hand of God in Heaven!)

I want to conclude this series with a few encouraging words for those who may be in bondage:

There is an “Other Side” to your Bondage – Listen to me, the bondage your in right now is temporary, and if you’ll focus on Jesus… you’ll be on the other side of it in no time.

When You’re Free, You Won’t Need Anything – James 1:2-4 changed my life! The end result of going through trials is that you’ll “Be Perfect and Complete, NEEDING NOTHING!” It’s hard to put into words, but you have not lived until you have lived in the freedom Christ has provided for you.

When You Don’t Need Anything, You’re Free to Give Everything - Perhaps this is the greatest joy in being free… When you’re free… you no longer need to focus on yourself. You can focus on others and help lift people out of their addictions, bondage’s, etc. by pointing them to Jesus.

If you’re bound to anything my prayer for your today is that you’ll realize the freedom that is available to you through Christ. He died so you could live a life free from sin, free from addiction, and free from bondage.

If you’re bound, please listen to me, you do not have to live like this anymore… There is another side and another life that God intended you to live – Don’t go another day without seeking Him.

If you have questions or would like help with something you’re going through – let me know and I’ll try and get the right resources in your hands and help you in anyway I can.

Free From Sin, Addiction, and Bondage (Part 6) – Never Quit

So don’t get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing IF WE DON’T GIVE UP.                                                                                          -Galatians 6:9

People who get free are the people that do not quit…they don’t stop believing….they keep pressing on regardless of the circumstances… they refuse to live at a level lower than God’s best.

Keith Moore said this and it’s had a huge impact on me, “Do you know you can believe God for 3 weeks and quit and get the same results as someone who never believed at all?”

No matter where you’re at in your Christian journey you’re going to face things that will make you want to throw in the towel.

The key is recognizing that God is faithful…He’s a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, He isn’t a respecter of persons, what He’ll do for one, He’ll do for you. In fact, He’s already provided everything you need to live a life of victory you just have to receive it.

Your victory, your freedom, and God’s will for your life will all come when you make the decision to never give up.

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