Francis Chan is stepping out in faith…
This is a re-post from the Catalyst Blog.
Last Tuesday I had the honor of interviewing Francis Chan at Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, CA. I was asked to wait to post this video until today because of the sensitive nature of what Francis shared…
After 16 years of serving as senior pastor for Cornerstone Church Francis is sensing the Lord leading him in a different direction. Despite not having complete clarity on what this means or exactly what is next Francis is stepping out in faith, something he has done for so much of his life. He announced this decision to the church yesterday no doubt solidifying the start of a huge transition for both the Chan family AND the Cornerstone Church family. The beauty of this announcement is that it comes in unified peace and hopeful harmony.
When I asked Francis, “what’s going on with you right now, what are you learning,” I had no idea that he would share all of this…needless to say the remaining questions I had prepared were thrown out the window as Francis spoke from his heart and offered a vulnerable glimpse into his own personal journey…
“I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t go…”
Why do I fear following in faith? What risk is too great if the voice of the Lord is leading?
Francis, thank you for your tangible example of trust and surrender…
Difference Maker: Shaun King
Ok let’s be honest, we hear all the time that one person can make a difference, but is that just something we say to encourage and motivate people, or do we really believe that? I completely believe it and I can prove it. I want to introduce you to Shaun King. He’s a 30 Year Old Husband, Father, Grad Student & Lead Pastor of The Courageous Church (www.Courageous.tv) in Downtown Atlanta, and he is making a difference.
I started to follow Shaun over a year ago as I heard he had planted a church in one of the toughest neighborhoods in Atlanta and I had a chance to meet and talk with him at Catalyst [although I am pretty sure he would have no remembrance of me]. The things that stood out about this man was his humility and his willingness to talk to someone who is pretty insignificant in the global perspective of the church world. One minute with him and you can tell his passion and excitement. I highly recommend following him on his many social networks. Below is a list of the tweets that he made last night about what is going on in Haiti. Shaun is using Twitter to mobilize, impact and create an awareness in Haiti and it is incredibly impressive.
- Setting out my Soapbox. About to step on it for a few tweets. 1st my opinions then quotes from leaders on the ground in Haiti
- ALL OF THE EXPERTS ARE DEAD WRONG…..
- When the earthquake 1st hit, thousands of you immediately wanted to go and help BE the solution, be the hands & feet of God…
- But you were told by the experts NOT TO COME. You were told to wait until some magical time when things were much better…
- The experts were wrong. Some probably meant well because they didn’t want you to get hurt or be in the way, but let me tell you what…
- Is missing in Haiti -passionate, hard-working, unskilled, loving, non-experts. They are in SHORT SUPPLY. I mean RARE…
- Consequently, the MAJORITY of supplies are sitting unused & the teams of unskilled non-experts I am advising are regularly…
- 9 days later, regularly the first people to have ever visited orphanages and disaster sites. They ALL tell me that we should have…
- IGNORED the experts. Let me tell you a story that will kill you. The caretaker of the Notre Dame orphanage told @SpenceNix…
- She heard dozens of dying babies trapped in the rubble scream & cry for 5 whole days before they all died. 55 babies died. Nobody ever came…
- One more tweet from me then I want to type you a quote from our team on the ground…
- It is NOT TOO LATE. If you feel CALLED to go to Haiti GO. GO! GOOOO! It is tough work, but GO! I will help you…
- Next tweets are direct from our teams on the ground…
- “The growing feeling here in Haiti is that the BIG ORGS & government don’t really care. It’s like they are here b/c the world is…
- focused here. If they care, little passion is ever displayed. Seems like a job or obligation. Even my sponsoring organization…
- (name of large Christian org) pretty much just set up a tent, gave us a vest and stickers and said go. No support. No passion. No questions…
- Large amounts of supplies are just sitting in boxes everywhere. I have seen them there for days while hurting people & doctors…
- Need them. This has opened my eyes wider to the wastefulness of large charities and benefit of small, nimble, passionate groups…
- I have been in Haiti for 6 days and I still have not seen one large Red Cross presence. I honestly think social media has…
- Saved more lives since the earthquake than all but 3-4 great organizations here now. Passion. Relationships. Technology has changed…
- the game. We saved so many lives today and it was just us doing it bro.” <<<<<End of quote
- Thanks for listening.
Thought it was incredible to hear hands on what is going on in Haiti and see one person making a difference. How can you make a difference in your circle of influence and in the world?
Human Trafficking Awareness Day
In case you didn’t know, January 11th is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. To be honest with you a year ago I had no clue this existed. I watched the movie Taken where Liam Neeson beat everyone down [I'm convinced he even took Jack Bauer over his knee in that movie] because his daughter was taken and sold into sex slavery in Europe. I watched and something happened in me where I wondered if that really went on. Over the last year I have heard more and more about it and God has really turned my heart towards these social justice causes. Really God has opened my eyes up to many social justice issues such as: poverty, homelessness, slavery, clean water, free/fair trade products, all things that I didn’t even know were issues a year ago.
Today I want to focus on this Human Trafficking and want you to check out a 3 minute video to simply make you aware of the issue and cause you to ask yourself the question, what can I do? The reality is this is a huge issue in the United States and affects so many woman and children.
Disclaimer: This video is edgy and may be offensive to some and this video does not reflect Fellowship Church and anybody affiliated with Fellowship Church. This is simply my attempt as an individual to get you thinking. This video is taken from the site Sexandmoneyfilm.com, which is one of several sites that brings to light the issues of Human Trafficking.
What are your thoughts? Did you know this was an issue? What are your thoughts on social justice issues?
Here is a link to a PDF, 11 Practical Ideas to Combat Slavery.
PDF was taken from Charles Lee blog that was promoted through Catalyst.
Coaching Network
I have had the privilege to be a part of Backstage Leadership since September and to be honest I didn’t know what to expect. I had never been a part of anything like this but I knew I was passionate about leadership and developing not only myself but taking what I was learning and applying it to my circles of influence.
I have been blown away by the line up of speakers that I have gotten to interview such as: Chuck Colson, Michael Hyatt, Andy Andrews, Carlos Whitaker, Gabe Lyons and Brad Lomenick. The first semester line up was incredible and challenged me in such areas as; time management, dream casting, social networking, leadership development and family being a priority.
Here is the line up for second semester if you are interested in signing up: Mark Batterson, Dan Cathy, Catherine Rohr, Mike Foster, and Ken Blanchard. Once again I guarantee that you will be challenged in leadership and lifestyle buy some of the best communicators, authors and leaders there is.
Backstage was started by Greg Darley and has gone from concept into an idea that is transforming young leaders by giving them opportunities to learn from those who have blazed the path before us. I can honestly say I am a different leader and approach leadership differently because of this program and hopefully one day have the opportunity to pour into others like Greg has poured into me.
If your interested in joining Backstage Leadership, check out their website at www.backstageleadership.org
Make Your Mark
Everybody has a story and yet not everybody makes a mark. All of us want to be significant and all of us want to make a difference. Sometimes what separates us from being significant and leaving our mark is simply the faith to take a leap.
Doctor Splash at the Catalyst conference did just that by taking a leap of faith and leaving his mark on history in the record books. By jumping 35ft. 9in. into 12 inches of water he left his mark on history.
Captain Splash at Catalyst ’09 from Greg Davis on Vimeo.
Catalyst Worship Day 1
Catalyst Day 1 – Worship Sample 1 from Ryan Geiger on Vimeo.
Catalyst 2009 Pre Lab Take Away
Catalyst 2009 – Lab Day from Ryan Geiger on Vimeo.
Catalyst West 6 of 6: Perry Noble
Over the next couple blogs you will see quotes done by those who spoke at Catalyst West in LA over this last week. Each of these guys are leaders in their field and have the ability to shape us with their quotes. Just remember we were not there so some quotes are incomplete and we don’t know the context in which they were made.
- 8:38 PM tonymorganlive - Perry started talking about the other speakers. It was funny. You missed it.
- 8:40 PM tonymorganlive - “On the third situp I parted her hair.”
- 8:42 PM tonymorganlive - “Hey man, have you seen my Twitter?”
- 8:43 PM tonymorganlive - “The size of the vision God will give me is directly related to the amount of pain and discomfort I’m willing to endure.”
- 8:45 PM tonymorganlive - “The reason we experience pain is to understand his provision.”
- 8:46 PM tonymorganlive - “Trust him.”
- 8:48 PM tonymorganlive - “If you’ve been called to ministry, God’s hand is on you.”
- 8:50 PM tonymorganlive - “If you walked up to me and said ‘I like you but your wife is ugly,’ I’d punch you in the throat.”
- 8:51 PM tonymorganlive - (Perry just did his TV evangelist impersonation.)
- 8:52 PM tonymorganlive - “God said, ‘I don’t like those people either, Perry.’”
- 8:52 PM tonymorganlive - “I got to go to my first deacons meeting.”
- 8:53 PM tonymorganlive - “Dryness will always lead to desperation.”
- 8:54 PM tonymorganlive - “The Savior is trying to teach you and me who he is.”
- 8:57 PM tonymorganlive - “I don’t want to preach nice sermons.”
- 8:57 PM tonymorganlive - “Believe him.”
- 9:01 PM tonymorganlive - “God said, ‘I need you to feel what I feel, so you can do what I need you to do.’”
- 9:03 PM tonymorganlive - “Why do leaders run from big vision from God?”
- 9:03 PM tonymorganlive - “Leaders, we don’t have a hard time teaching on the sovereignty of God. We just have a hard time believing it.”
- 9:04 PM tonymorganlive - “There are people who are obsessed with discovery rather than development.”
- 9:05 PM tonymorganlive - “You feel stuck because you’re not ready for the next level.”
- 9:05 PM tonymorganlive - “Leadership is as easy as listening to God.”
- 9:06 PM tonymorganlive - “We don’t know what we’re doing?”
- 9:06 PM tonymorganlive - “Moses didn’t have a 40-year strategic plan.”
- 9:07 PM tonymorganlive - “God led Moses one step at a time.”
- 9:08 PM tonymorganlive - “If we got more concerned with repentance rather than attendance, revival would sweep our nation.”
- 9:08 PM tonymorganlive - “If you haven’t had a sleepless night about vision, you haven’t heard from God.”
- 9:08 PM tonymorganlive - “Cheese biscuits bring you closer to God.”
- 9:09 PM tonymorganlive - “What would you be willing to attempt for God if you knew you couldn’t fail?”
- 9:10 PM tonymorganlive - “Only when we surrender do we experience the supernatural.”
- 9:10 PM tonymorganlive - “I believe that God still heals people.”
- 9:10 PM tonymorganlive - “I dropped out of cemetary. I didn’t even finish.”
- 9:13 PM tonymorganlive - “We just consistently obeyed Jesus and, when we were ready for it, he blew our freakin’ minds.”
- 9:13 PM tonymorganlive - “We’re the church that’s known as the place where the ’sinners’ go.”
- 9:14 PM tonymorganlive - “The kid said, ‘I want to go back to the damn church.’ I said, ‘Get his name because he’s going to be on staff someday.’”
- 9:15 PM tonymorganlive - “Do you believe God has spoken a vision into your life?”
- 9:15 PM tonymorganlive - “Honor him.”
- 9:15 PM tonymorganlive - “Finish what you started.”
- 9:18 PM tonymorganlive - “She just stood there waiting for something to happen.”
- 9:18 PM tonymorganlive - “Don’t give up.”
- 9:20 PM tonymorganlive - “Don’t you dare give up on the God that’s never given up on you.”
Catalyst West 5 of 6: Craig Groeschel
Over the next couple blogs you will see quotes done by those who spoke at Catalyst West in LA over this last week. Each of these guys are leaders in their field and have the ability to shape us with their quotes. Just remember we were not there so some quotes are incomplete and we don’t know the context in which they were made.
- 3:54 PM tonymorganlive - Jud is introducing Craig from LifeChurch.tv.
- 3:55 PM tonymorganlive - (Just in case you didn’t know, Craig is the most handsome pastor in America.)
- 3:55 PM tonymorganlive - “I was taught and I thought” that’s the name of the talk.
- 3:57 PM tonymorganlive - “What believe determines what we do.”
- 3:58 PM tonymorganlive - “Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of the American church.”
- 3:59 PM tonymorganlive - “I was taught the church should be a safe place, but I’m learning the church should be dangerous again.”
- 4:00 PM tonymorganlive - “We’ve been inviting people to a very safe God.”
- 4:02 PM tonymorganlive - “You are called by God to preach a very dangerous message.”
- 4:02 PM tonymorganlive - “Preach Christ.”
- 4:05 PM tonymorganlive - “He was different in the presence of God.”
- 4:05 PM tonymorganlive - “Don’t trust the package. Trust the power of the Gospel.”
- 4:07 PM tonymorganlive - “Practical Athiests = People who believe in God, but act like he doesn’t exist.”
- 4:07 PM tonymorganlive - “Lukewarm pastors build lukewarm churches.”
- 4:09 PM tonymorganlive - “I was taught was to build my church, but I’ve learned my highest calling is to build His Kingdom.”
- 4:11 PM tonymorganlive - “My pastor says your pastor doesn’t preach the Truth.”
- 4:12 PM tonymorganlive - “I was competitive with churches in my community.”
- 4:12 PM tonymorganlive - “I was building my own little kingdom more than I was building His Kingdom.”
- 4:13 PM tonymorganlive - “Build your church on what you’re about and not what you’re not about.”
- 4:13 PM tonymorganlive - “Don’t put others down.”
- 4:14 PM tonymorganlive - “One of my important missions in life is to unite the Church.”
- 4:15 PM tonymorganlive - (LifeChurch.tv offers all of their resources for free.)
- 4:16 PM tonymorganlive - “We can do more together.”
- 4:18 PM tonymorganlive - “I was taught that success is only found in the big numbers, but I’m learning that the scorecard is changing.”
- 4:18 PM tonymorganlive - “You can offer free beer and draw a crowd.”
- 4:19 PM tonymorganlive - “I was driven by the numbers.”
- 4:20 PM tonymorganlive - “Don’t blame yourself the declines, or you might be tempted to take credit for the increases.”
- 4:20 PM tonymorganlive - “Find your identity in Christ.”
- 4:21 PM tonymorganlive - “Otherwise, you’ll be preaching to bring people in rather than to glorify God.”
- 4:21 PM tonymorganlive - “We have to redefine the win.”
- 4:22 PM tonymorganlive - “There are 4 billion people who need Christ. How can we claim to be a megachurch? We are a small church with a megavision.”
- 4:23 PM tonymorganlive - “People want to join a big mission.”
- 4:25 PM tonymorganlive - “You may agree or disagree. I don’t really care a whole lot.”
- 4:26 PM tonymorganlive - Line 1 = “I believe in the Gospel enough to benefit from it.”
- 4:27 PM tonymorganlive - Line 2 = “I believe in the Gospel enough to contribute comfortably.”
- 4:27 PM tonymorganlive - Line 3 = “I believe in the Gospel enough to give my life to it.”
- 4:28 PM tonymorganlive - “What kind of message am I preaching and living?”
- 4:29 PM tonymorganlive - “If you stay the same, maybe you don’t really know Him.”
- 4:30 PM tonymorganlive - (Craig just did the worm.)
- 4:30 PM tonymorganlive - (That was a pretty powerful message.)
Catalyst West 4 of 6: Erin McManus
Over the next couple blogs you will see quotes done by those who spoke at Catalyst West in LA over this last week. Each of these guys are leaders in their field and have the ability to shape us with their quotes. Just remember we were not there so some quotes are incomplete and we don’t know the context in which they were made.
- 1:43 PM tonymorganlive - Erwin just took the platform. He has an interesting suspender thing happening with his wardrobe.
- 1:45 PM tonymorganlive - “There has never been one ordinary child born on this planet.”
- 1:45 PM tonymorganlive - “Why is it that so many of us end up leading ordinary lives?”
- 1:46 PM tonymorganlive - “We’re supposed to be unleashing people to do good.”
- 1:46 PM tonymorganlive - “The church has become more of a prison than a portal.”
- 1:50 PM tonymorganlive - (There’s a dance team performing right now. I think I should be on a dance team.)
- 1:54 PM tonymorganlive - “We can awaken God-given dreams inside others.”
- 1:56 PM tonymorganlive - “There are a lot of people who are pursuing dreams that don’t fit their lives.”
- 1:56 PM tonymorganlive - “There are other people who aren’t pursuing dreams that do fit their lives.”
- 1:57 PM tonymorganlive - “Is there a dream inside of you that’s waiting to come to life?”
- 1:58 PM tonymorganlive - (He just took a shot at the Cleveland Browns. That’s not right.)
- 2:04 PM tonymorganlive - “All of us have dreams inside of us that will never come to fruition unless we come together in community.”
- 2:06 PM tonymorganlive - “There was nothing wrong with me physically. I was just soul sick.”
- 2:18 PM tonymorganlive - (There’s power in story.)
- 2:18 PM tonymorganlive - “What would happen if all of us chose to live heroic lives?”
- 2:20 PM tonymorganlive - “I love when it looks dangerous but it’s not.”
- 2:24 PM tonymorganlive - “We must jump and step into that moment of fear and trust God.”
- 2:25 PM tonymorganlive - “In small packages, there are great dreams.”
