It's been a full day... a full, great day! But I'm tired.I thought it important to get down some highlights from the day and some thoughts on how it might shape our ministry on campus before I get flooded with more insights tomorrow!
So here we go...
Andy Stanley got things started this morning. Andy is the founding pastor of North Point Community Church. His job was to introduce the theme for the conference and set the frame work for the two-day event. Speaking on the theme: On Your Mark, Andy focused on the story of Joshua. The key to Joshua's success, and ours, as a leader? Choosing to allow God to make HIS mark through us... and NOT forcing our mark on the world! He also said that, "living to make OUR mark on the world is TOO SMALL a thing to give our lives to."
WOW! What a great word!
After a little break... and a chance to step outside and enjoy the beautiful weather... we (13,000
Christian leaders from around the country/world) got to hear from Malcolm Gladwell. Malcolm is a best-selling author of books like: Outliers, Blink, and The Tipping Point. This guy cut right to the heart! The topic: The Mistakes Experts Make. Our biggest mistake as leaders? Overconfidence. A lack of humility. Our overconfidence has a way of becoming a snare. A trap that keeps us from hearing the wisdom of others and seeing what's really going on around us.
There are some insights that need to shape us as leaders, as well as re/shape our approach to ministry with college students:
- we need to decide who's purpose we are serving - God's or ours
- we need to decide what kind of mark we want to make - God's or ours
- we need to decide who we want to be glorified through our ministry efforts - God or ourselves
- we need to decide who we will put our trust in - God or ourselves
- we need to decide who's strength we will work from - God's or ours
- we need to decide whether we will go the path of humility or overconfidence
- we need to decide if we will work with others or go it alone
- we need to decide if we will empower others or hold them back
The choices we make concerning these paths will either point those that we serve more and more to Jesus... or to us. Toward the Divine or the flawed. Towards Truth or something less. And God entrusts each of us with these significant decisions.
Will we be faithful?
What other REAL choice is there!?!
