A special luncheon was held at the 2016 BBFI Conference in Cape Cod. Mark Batterson, pastor of National Community Church in Washington D.C. was the speaker. What a visionary! He challenged us with reaching our community effectively. Below are some of the highlights I jotted down. They may appear random, but I couldn’t catch everything.
The blessings of God complicate your life. Like the parable of the talents, making good use of talents leads to more work.
It is not about the name above the door of your church. It’s about the name above every name.
If you stay humble and hungry there is nothing God can’t do through you.
In Joshua 14:6-12, Caleb wanted the mountain Moses promised him. He wanted the highest and hardest peak in Israel. He had a sanctified stubborn steak to wait long to get it. It was all “according to my convictions.”
Convictions are what you would die for! Convictions are more important than predictions (vision). Show me your convictions and I’ll show you your future.
Mark Batterson’s 3 Core Convictions:
- The church ought to be the most creative place on the planet. There are ways to do church that no one has thought of. We may get an A or B in Biblical exegesis but often a D or F in cultural exegesis. As we get older we shift from left brain (creativity) to right brain (cognitive) We stop creating the future while repeating the past. Some of the worst critics of what God is doing now is from those who were on the cutting edge of what God was doing then.
- The church belongs in the middle of the marketplace. Their small groups are free to come up with ways to reach into the community. The Apostle Paul didn’t stand outside the Areopagas and protest, he went inside and fought with truth.
- God will bless the church in proportion to our helping the poor and give to missions. My heart can’t be in the right place if my treasure isn’t in the right place. God’s not a slot machine. You can’t play God, but you can’t out give God either.
Life Hacks from Mark
- Success is that those who know me best respect me most. Spend time with family cultivating relationships. Ministry, like sports, we need rest to repair usage. We need rest and margin.
- Prevent burn out by meeting with other pastor couples, guard your Sabbath, use every vacation day you’re given.
- Leaders are readers. Read across all genres. Study the great communicators. Listen to others, even different from yourself.
- Say old things in new ways.
- Communicate in the medium the people are using.
- Have a Pray & Play staff retreat with spouses and kids.
My favorite thought of the day is to commit to treating people in a balance of two words: Grace – I’m going to love you no matter what. Truth – I’m going to be honest with you no matter what.
You can about the other sessions: BBFI in Cape Cod 2016.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks