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:

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.

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…