Catalyst 2009 Highlight Video from Catalyst on Vimeo.

After that hilarious video, Andy brought one of my favorite sessions of the conference on creating a culture of trust in your organization.

• There’s a gap between what we expect people to do and what people actually do.
• What are we choosing to put in that gap?
• The church should be the best run organization in the world.
• Some church staff are the most incompetent and lazy workers out there.
• Healthy people are attracted to healthy organizations.
• Silos are necessarily bad; communication just needs to be fluid.
• Organization should become like a family.
• Developing trust is a leadership strategy.
• Communicating around authority in order to get things done in an organization with trust is ok.
• Confront fairly and quickly. Ask for the facts before assuming the worst.

Andy’s last session from other bloggers:

• Church Relevance
• Tim Schraeder

A passionate communicator, Louie Giglio is the Visionary Architect and Director of Passion Conferences, a collegiate movement calling students around the world to lives that refl ect their Creator. Through international gatherings, Passion invites students everywhere to live for what matters most: the glory of God. Louie is the Pastor of Passion City Church in Atlanta, a local community of faith with the DNA of
the Passion Movement. He also heads sixstepsrecords, a label partner with EMI CMG. Louie is the author of The Air I Breathe and I Am Not, But I Know I AM and is widely known for the Passion Talk Series DVD messages: Indescribable and How Great is Our God. He and his wife, Shelley, who is a partner in Passion Conferences, Passion City Church and sixstepsrecords, live in Atlanta, Georgia.

• It’s all about Jesus.
• Leadership is all about knowing and following Jesus.
• We have to know where we’re going.
• “Your life is shaped by the end you live for.  You are made in the image of what you desire.” -Thomas Merton

Other blogger’s notes on Louie’s session:

• Church Relevance
• Tim Schraeder

Professor Splash Breaks World Record! from Catalyst on Vimeo.

Catalyst 2009 Compassion Moment from Catalyst on Vimeo.

First, Backstage Leadership is an amazing concept.  It is a coaching network consisting of small groups and a coach with an online forum.  But the coolest part is the opportunity to ask questions of well-known and successful leaders who speak to the group via audio or video chats.  I wish I could afford to be a part of this program…  maybe in the future.

The lunch itself was great.  Wonderful food and atmosphere.  Very well done.

Greg Darley from Backstage Leadership emceed the Q&A with Michael Hyatt.  Here’s are some of the things that Michael said that struck me the most:

• Love your spouse and family.
• Make time for yourself.  You must take care of yourself.
• Live out of your strengths, not other’s expectations.
• How can I put myself in a position to learn in a way to pass on to others?  It’s important to lead the next generation of leaders behind me.
• Surround yourself with real people who can keep you accountable and humble.
• Hire a coach if you can or gather a group of peers together.
• Find your passion by experimenting.  What makes you angry?
• Time management – Be intentional.  Know why you’re doing what you’re doing.
• Have a giant vision that looks impossible.
• Learn to lead as a team.

Michael surprised us all with a free copy of Donald Miller’s new book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years.  Looking forward to reading that book!

Thank you to Backstage Leadership, Michael Hyatt, and Greg Darley for an experience that will stick with me for a very long time and influence the way that I live my life.

Two passions have directed the life and ministry of Chuck Swindoll: an unwavering commitment to the practical communication and application of God’s Word and an untiring devotion to seeing lives transformed by God’s grace. Chuck has devoted more than four decades to these goals, and he models the contagious joy that springs from enthusiastically following Jesus Christ. Chuck’s pulpit ministry has emphasized the grace of God alongside an uncompromising commitment to practical, biblical truth and its application as he has served numerous congregations. In October of 1998, Chuck founded Stonebriar Community Church where he continues to serve as the senior
pastor. Chuck’s congregation extends far beyond the local church body. Through the Insight for Living broadcast, Chuck’s teaching is on the air in every major Christian radio market in all fifty states and through more than 2,100 outlets worldwide.

• When God wants to do an impossible task, he takes an impossible person and crushes him.
• Leaving room in your life for crushing.

10 Thoughts from 50 years in ministry:

1. It’s lovely to lead.
2. It’s dangerous to succeed.
3. It’s hardest at home.
4. It’s essential to be real.
5. It’s painful to obey.
6. Brokenness and failure are necessary.
7. My attitude is more important than my actions.
8. Integrity eclipses image.
9. God’s way is always better than my way.
10. Christ-likeness  begins and ends in humility.

3 Additional Nuggets from 2 Corinthians 4

1. With every ministry a special mercy is needed.
2. In every ministry the same things must be rejected: Hiding shameful things, doing deceitful things, corrupting truthful things.
3. Through every ministry a unique style should be pursued: Don’t preach or promote self, declare Jesus as Lord, see self as bond-servant for Jesus, never forget who we are and who He is.

5 Additional Thoughts

1. Whatever you do, do more with other and less all alone.
2. Whenever you do it, emphasize quality not quantity.
3. Wherever you go, do it the same as if you were among those who know you best.
4. Whoever may respond, keep a level head.
5. However long you lead, keep on dripping with gratitude and grace.

Additional notes from other bloggers on Chuck’s session:

• Church Relevance
• Tim Schraeder

• Momentum: It is created; it doesn’t randomly exist or appear.
• Pour yourself into something to create momentum.
• You’re got a part to play.
• Focused intensity over Time x God = Unstoppable Momentum
• Focus is lost for two reasons – Fear and Greed
• James 1:8 – Double-minded man is unstable.
• Focus = can’t see anything else, being intentional (Warren), being proactive (Covey).
• Focus = Happening TO things.
• Eccl. 9:10 – Bring excellence
• Intensity causes things to move.
• If I persist long enough, I will win.
• Story of the tortoise and the hare – Slow and steady wins the race.  The tortoise wins every time.
• I’m finite.  God is infinite.
• Luke 18:27
• Get plugged into what God is doing.
• Never quit!

Dave’s session from some other bloggers:

• Church Relevance
• Tim Schraeder

Priscilla Shirer is a popular conference speaker for major corporations, organizations and Christian audiences around the world. A graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, she is also a Bible teacher and an author whose books include A Jewel In His Crown, A Jewel In His Crown Bible Study & Journal, and And We Are Changed: Transforming Encounters With God. Priscilla is the daughter of pastor, speaker, and well-known author Dr. Tony Evans. She is married to her best friend, Jerry, and the couple has two sons: Jackson and Jerry Jr. They live in Dallas, Texas.

• Life interrupted…
• Sometimes God surprises us with His plans for us.
• Joshua 3:1
• Rise and act immediately.
• Act fearlessly.
• Acknowledge the presence of God and only follow Him.
• Anticipate God’s miracles.

Other posts on Pricilla’s session:

• Church Relevance
• Tim Schraeder

• Ephesians 2
• Romans 5
• 1 Peter 5:6-11
• The God of all grace; other people won’t forget out mistakes, but God is the God of all grace.
• God Himself restores and confirms and strengthens and establishes you.
• Rejoice in Jesus and enjoy his grace.
• Galatians 4 – You’re known by God and not a slave any more.

Other posts on the session with Francis:

• Tim Schraeder