Tag: Conference

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2008 Orange Conference Session 4

The 2008 Orange Conference

Session 4

Reggie Joiner and Andy Stanley

  • Tensions – There is a lot of similarities in the life of believers and non-believers. Christians are of the mindset that we have a lot of differences in our lives, but on everyday levels we all face the same stuff.
  • If you create irresistible environments, people will come.
  • When you capture “the tension” you have everyone’s attention.
  • Churches have to define what spiritual growth is. – Ask yourself, how did you grow spiritually?
  • 5 Elements of Spiritual Growth Identified by North Point:
    1. Practical Teaching
    2. Providential Relationships
    3. Private Disciplines
    4. Pivotal Circumstances
    5. Personal Ministry
  • Small Groups are Pivotal to living out these 5 Elements.
  • Do what God calls us to do without criticizing other models and other churches. That is not the way to get traction for your ministry.
  • Jesus, “Who do people say that I am?” – “Who do you think that I am?” – Peter responded that Jesus was “the Christ, the Son of the living God” – Jesus said that he was going to build his church on that…
  • Compassion, Missions, Social Justice, Etc…are all great, but at the core of all these movements, and what we do to answer those issues have to come back to Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Evangelism cannot be removed! – The hope of the world is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
  • Choosing to Cheat: Your only Unique role is a Father/Mother and Spouse. Your church work was probably being done before you got there and will be done by someone else at some point. Don’t trade what is unique to you for something that is common and average.
  • If our marriages are in trouble then we become a part of the problem in our culture and society.
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Do

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziOG_GHNVq0]

I’ve been thinking about this commercial for a while now. I have had the privilege of attending some of the greatest conferences in this Country for church leaders, yet it seems that year after year we discuss some of the same issues with ministries in the church and in the Christian culture as if nothing is changing. Research data shows that nothing much has improved. This is in no way to take away from what a lot of churches are doing, trust me, there are a lot of churches who are rocking it for God! However, we as an “unified” body are doing nothing, and it bothers me.

This post or video is not to take away from what I am learning at the Orange Conference. Some of the key words reminded me of this commercial today. “ReThink” “Programs” “Processes” “Innovate” “New Ideas” – All great terms, but meaningless unless there is substance to back them up. There was one breakout that confused me today, but that is not to take away from the conference as a whole, everything will not be 100%, but it seemed that people were sharing a lot of their Ideation, but no solid “hows” to move the Church and Christian culture in a direction to answer these issues that we are focusing on. I think there has to be a time and place to quit discussing and thinking and start doing.

I think it is time that we as the “Church” stop Ideating and start DOING! I am passionate about this, but feel I do not know what I can do to influence people to ‘do,’ except post this on my blog. Will you start doing with me? Maybe if a few of us join together we will see some changes. I heard Rick Warren say this past week that he wants to be a part of starting the 2nd Reformation of the church. The first Reformation was about Creeds (we know what we believe now) so the 2nd Reformation will be about “deeds.” – If your ministry, or if you are doing something personally to “Do” versus “Ideate” please share with me what you are doing…If you are Ideating and not doing, please share with me what you are praying God will use you to do – Then we can do it together…

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2008 Orange Conference Session 3

The 2008 Orange Conference
Session 3

Donald Miller:

On Leadership…

  • How Donald sees Leadership: A person who gets to know you in such a way that makes you want to take ownership or part in their vision.
  • Jesus influenced many, but led 12.
  • A leader gets to know people.
  • A leader invites people to own their vision and to take part in the vision…gets people involved in fulfilling the vision.
  • Leaders need to be following someone, if they are not being led, we need to be cautious about following them.
  • A leader’s ambition should be huge and absurd.
  • Attempting BIG things will emulate a process of thinking big in those that we follow (I.E. Our Children)
  • Leadership does not allow people to watch “the vision” happen, but to be a part of “the vision.” (Donald told of a story with an annual San Diego Parade and how it began…great story!)
  • Leaders speak something into nothingness.
  • God has asked us to lead; he has invited us into the vision.
  • Eventually when you have an idea, you give it away to the place where people don’t even know that the original vision and idea came from you, it grows and expands because of ownership.
  • My Challenge: To lead like Jesus led.
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2008 Orange Conference Session 2

2008 Orange Conference by ReThink Group

Session 2

Francis Chan:

  • Is the success in churches from God and the Holy Spirit moving, or is it good marketing?
  • With the right team, Francis can build a Mormon church, a Jehovah’s church, maybe even a Baptist Church
  • Francis doesn’t want to preach another message, he wants to experience something supernatural…something God! – Acts was of God.
  • Does it bother us that we walk into our neighborhoods and the lost have more evidences of the fruits of the spirit than those in the church? Shouldn’t there be a difference between someone without the Spirit and the one who is the Temple of the Holy Spirit?
  • We can create church attenders and some disciplined people, but we cannot create Christ lovers, people filled with God’s spirit.
  • Is it God that we are experiencing in our ministries? Are we sure? Are we experiencing God because we know its God, or are we just excited because “we” pulled something off.
  • There is a huge difference in what the Bible says and what we see in the church – yet we are crippled to say anything because everyone seems so happy. So we do not even try to hold our churches to the Biblical standard. (Yep!)
  • **Francis: If Jesus planted a church in Semi Valley California, Francis’ church would be bigger, because people do not want to follow the standard that Jesus calls us to. (Lose our life for his sake, deny father and mother, sacrifice, death) Continue reading “2008 Orange Conference Session 2”
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2008 Orange Conference Session 1

The 2008 Orange Conference

Opening video…Wow!!! Makes you proud to be a part of the “Church”

Steve Fee – Loved the new song!

Sue Miller

  • After last year’s conference she was challenged in a new way, she was told she had cancer.
  • After arguing with God, she was compelled that God asked her, “Who’s driving?”
  • Challenge to ask God to show us what investment/impact we’ve made.
  • God started to reveal to her how he had used her. – God told her she did exactly what He told her to do.
  • Challenge to realize that you do not need a cancer diagnosis to give your all to God.
  • A note to volunteers…Sue usually hears people say things like, “I just hold babies” “I just lead a small group” “I just greet people”
  • Don’t ever say I just anymore.
  • You get to be Jesus with Skin on to people who are walking through the doors of the church, who needs someone to hug them, to relate to them.
  • This is a very important responsibility!

Reggie Joyner – “Uncensored” Reaching a Prodigal Generation

  • There is one thing that is important in our ministries.
  • Its not truth or message – It’s not family – It’s not leadership.
  • Without this one thing, you do not have a basis for genuine community.
  • Going through a paraphrase of the Prodigal Son
  • This is definitely the Message version of the Prodigal son!
  • Only two people were unhappy about the younger son returning, Older and the fatted calf.
  • What if the older brother got to the prodigal son before the loving father? How would the story be different?
  • Reggie grew up in an “older brother” church! (Me Too!) – This produced a mindset that it took time to unravel.
  • Luke 15:1-2 – “But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” – Jesus hears them and tells them 3 stories; the final story was the Prodigal. He showed them 2 different perspectives to the Prodigal.
  • There are 2 different approaches to sinners: 1. The Pharisee way (The older brother) or 2. Jesus’ way (The loving father)
  • Challenge: Treat every prodigal in the way a loving father would treat his own son! Continue reading “2008 Orange Conference Session 1”