Catalyst 2014 Notes: CHANGE (pt 1)

Jennie Allen 
Catalyst 2014: Labs
IF: Gathering

IF: Gathering exists to gather, equip, and train a generation.

Numbers 13
Joshua
12 spies...



We {kind of} believe that God can use us for a purpose

...but there are Giants!

We {kind of} feel like a grasshopper.

We are grasshoppers and there ARE Giants ....

But-God!

We will lay down our grasshopper insecurities because..YOU.(God)

I don't want to be a generation that missed it.

Go fight the Giants! Take the land!

EVEN IF we don't think we can!

IF: Gathering Question

What could you God do in YOUR land for YOUR ppl?

{make a list}

Cute Quote:
We all think we are going to be janitors in Heaven

Mark Batterson
Catalyst 2014: Labs

Book: Grave Robber
We trust God for the BIG miracles
We need to trust him in the "little" ones.

We all want miracles-we just don't want a reason for one.

Thomas Jefferson cut out the miracles in the Bible....

What promises have you stopped believing?

How much better would you be if you would believe in a God who is bigger than your box?

Don't seek miracles
Seek Jesus

Never put a comma where God puts a period.
Never put a period where God puts a comma.

God can't bring back to life what is not dead.

Sometimes it looks like God is missing the mark bc we are too short sided of what what he is aiming for.

Maybe God is preparing you for something you haven't thought of.

Ie the Story of Lazarus.

Allow moments and space for God to show up.

Don't give up on something unless God releases you.

Exodus:
Stand still and you will
See the deliverance of the Lord

Don't Panic

If one thing doesn't die another thing can't come to life.

Be willing to look foolish
Take the risk!

Work like it depends on you
Pray like it depends on God

Andy Stanley
Catalyst 2014: Session 1

Q: who are you?
Q: what breaks your heart?

There is a correlation between leadership and change.

Great leaders make things better.
Status Quo drives leaders crazy!!!!!...

-leaders hate to see broken things continue.

Leaders don't blame.

Blame is the most effective change avoidance strategy.

Broken hearted leaders change things that go beyond their generation.

The thing that breaks your heart may be THE THING that God wants to do through you.

It is possible that what breaks yor heart is Devine Design

You have NO idea who/what hangs in the balance of your decision to embrace the burden on your heart.

Don't Fear!
Don't choose "purposeless" over fear.
Ie: don't think that you are not good enough to do whatever it is

Many years from now- what would you like for people to thank you for?

What God originates, God orchestrates.

HOW is not an issue

Who are you?
What breaks your heart?

Christine Caine
Catalyst 2014: Session 2

Change Yourself: Strengthen your core.

Love the Lord Your God with all your (core) heart, mind, and soul. Love your neighbor as yourself.

We love others as we love ourselves-we just don't love ourselves that much.

You do what you WANT in passion....
You do what you HAVE to out of obligation.

Skinny jeans and a ratio does not make you a leader.

Don't go from burn out to burn out fill yourself with Jesus.

Soul:

Our souls are damaged and it takes hard work to heal them.

We can't accelerate what takes work.

Ex. You may decide to follow Jesus and walk down the aisle to alter with cellulite on your legs but after you say amen, doesn't mean the cellulite will be gone!

You have to do the work.

We must go through the pain of recovery

We put on a good show.
(How you clean your house for guests. You hide the mess)

Same with our souls.

Same with church.
(Oh snap)

Mind.
Take control of your thoughts.
Fill them with the truth of God.

God has not given us a spirit of fear

Cancer is not terminal
Life is!
Christ is Eternal!!

If you see the devil tell him I'm
Going to bed bc God's got this!

Find HOPE in Gods Word!

This Is Today..

(This is not my picture, I do not own it.)

I have grown up watching The Today Show.  I remember Jane Pauley, Bryant Gumble, Matt Lauer, Katie Couric, Ann Curry, Willard Scott, Al Roker, and the whole he-haw gang that have followed.  

Over the last year, I have been watching how The Today Show has been transforming how they do the news.  It is my understanding that ratings have been down and they are trying some new approaches to grow their audience.

I have noticed these 3 things.

1. ENVIRONMENT. They changed the entire set- what use to be a more library feel,is now a modern and colorful stage, with several elements.  The big  window, where fans stand out and wave at people back home.  The new "Orange Room" that is made especially to catch up on social media buzz with one time time host of MTV's TRL (Total Request Live) Carson Daly.  

2. AUTHENTICITY/CONNECTION. The broadcasters engage with each other, with the viewing audience, and with the crowd outside differently than they have in the past.  I have noticed that everyone seems to be less uptight and rehearsed.  Each person on the show seems to have a refreshing authenticity about them. Each, having their own personality and style.  They seem like real life people instead of robotic talking heads.
They laugh!  They are willing to do things that they aren't comfortable doing- they talk about their personal lives such as weddings, marriage, parenting, pregnancy, childhood memories, personal experiences that we, the viewer can relate with!

I trust them more knowing that they are everyday people like you and I.

3. FIRST IMPRESSION. 

 Listen, as I type this, I am wearing a sweatshirt that has survived at least 2 of my pregnancies.  Its old, stretched out and ugly.  I have no reason to judge how anyone dresses, but I can tell you that, I will connect to someone wearing fashionable trendy clothing over someone wearing a suit.  

Every single time.

As church leaders of the next generation, there is something that we can learn from watching how The Today Show is rebranding.  They are trying to reach a new generation.  They see that our generation has razor sharp "fake indicators."    We are craving authenticity.  We want to learn and grow from hearing other's stories.  We want to know that we are all just people and none of us actually know what we are doing.

Researchers show that somewhere between 60-80% of my generation has left the church.

I believe it.

....and I love the church.

We/they left because we/they are sick and tired of legalism and fake people.  This generation sees that the church is swarming with those kind of people.


The church is losing their audience.

But, hey! I think there is good news! Aren't WE the church?   The church isn't a building-the church  is people!  

Buildings can't make changes and pick up their crosses and carry it with them daily!  Buildings can't be  the hands and feet of Jesus...but people can!

Can we make church a place where un churched people like to come to?

Is it worth it? (the answer is yes.)

It is not about our personal preference.  It's about our hands and feet reaching out to those who haven't heard, haven't seen, haven't tasted the good news of Jesus!

To those of us who are already followers of Jesus: it's our responsibility to grow OURSELVES.
 Jesus didn't say
"Hey, those of you that are in this with me, all you need to do is go to church on Sunday, sing songs  that you prefer, drink coffee, eat cookies, dress up and only hang out with other Christians. It will be like a fun social club! Oh! ...and  make people who don't believe in me, feel really uncomfortable when they visit your church. Your only job is to be comfortable until you die."


Instead he said GO!  GO tell people!  He even showed us how!  Jesus  never sat around and waited for people to come to him, Jesus went to them! Jesus knew that people connect best with stories and so he told them RELEVANT stories that they could relate to.

If  He were here today, I believe Jesus would take a look around the community that he was in, and figure out the best way to relate to those people-then he would do it.

Case and point: THE WELL 

How do we do that? Well, it's not going to be by the way we did in the past.

(Insert the definition of insanity here.)

I think that we start by removing our preferences and creating a place that is not intimidating and doesn't feel like a funeral home.

Lastly, the one thing I notice the most about The Today Show transformation is that their message is still the same.  They are still giving us the news...  they have just packaged it differently.

We need to carry the next generation on our shoulders and cheer them on!  Make banners that say

"GO do whatever you need to do to tell others about Jesus!  We support you!"  

It's worth it.

It's not about me-or you.
Steal my show.

OrangeLeader's July Book Study

For July, I had the honor of leading a study of Brad Lomenick's  new book The Catalyst Leader for orangeleaders.com

(Brad runs Catalyst)



July Week 1

July Week 2

July Week 3

July Week 4

July Week 5