top quotes from catalyst '07

Catalyst is probably the greatest leadership conference on the planet! You need to check it out here. I had the privilege to attend the conference this past October along with the Catalyst labs. It was an amazing 3 days that I'm sure I will write more about later. In fact I filled up an entire notebook with what I learned! This post will only be a quick download of the top quotes/one-liners from some of the greatest leaders and speakers in the world. Hope you enjoy!
(**Make sure you leave some comments on what you think of some of the quotes - which was your favorite? Which one inspires you to action?)

- "This is the best conference you have ever dragged me to." - Crystal, my wife (on the drive home)

- "The most dangerous prayer we you can pray is 'USE ME.'" - Rick Warren

- “it’s not so important that believers agree, but that we disagree well.” – Shane Claiborne

- “live your life in a way worth telling stories about.” – Mark Batterson

- “too often the right answers have produced the wrong actions.” – Chris Seay

- "A practical atheist is someone who ‘believes’ God exists, but does life as if He does not.” – Craig Groeschel

- “everyone who wins at anything has written goals.” – Dave Ramsey

- “most church people have the right answers, but they’re mean… so, who wants to talk to them?” - Shane Claiborne

- "The 1st Reformation was about our creeds. This reformation needs to be about our deeds. We believe the right stuff... we just don't do it." - Rick Warren

- “1 child dies every 15 seconds because of lack of clean water.” – Chris Seay

- “prosperity is having the freedom to do God’s will.” – Dave Ramsey

- “isn’t it worth my little discomfort to feed and clothe Jesus?!” – Francis Chan (reflecting on Matthew 25:31-46 & his decision to build an outdoor church)

- “There’s a gap between what we’re teaching kids and what’s really happening out there.” - Reggie Joiner (quoting Kevin Costner in The Guardian)

- Bumper sticker idea = “tithe if you love Jesus, anybody can honk.” – Rick Warren (someone will be stealing that idea soon)

- “I was trying to lead people to Christ and not letting Christ lead me.” – Craig Groeschel

- “stewardship is about managing God’s stuff for His glory.” – Dave Ramsey

- “we must manage God’s money the way He wants us to or we don’t get to manage it anymore!” – Dave Ramsey (reflecting on the parable of the talents)

- “If I want God to use me in Huge ways then get on board with His agenda. He’s already promised to bless His agenda… not mine.” – Rick Warren

- “The church is like Noah’s ark… it stinks sometimes, but if you get out you’ll drown.” – Shane Claiborne

- "When you create a context/system where leaders are free to lead... guess who flocks?" - Andy Stanley (um... leaders?)
- “if you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.” – Mark Batterson

- "We're addicted to buying stuff." - Chris Seay (reflecting on the unhealthy consumerism dominant in America)
- “… if we don’t, I doubt our Christianity.” – Rick Warren (speaking about whether the church will truly act like the church in matters of social injustices - AIDS, poverty, water crisis, etc...)

- "God seems to act most largely through the people who act most courageously." - Erwin McManus

- "What are you gonna do when it dawns on you that you're the most powerful person in the room?" - Andy Stanley (answer was = do what Jesus did and be a servant!)

- “people need to be reminded more than they need to be instructed.” – Patrick Lencioni (quoting Samuel Johnson) [***SO true in preaching and other ministry contexts!]

- "People despise the church, but have you ever heard of an anti-clean water group?" - Chris Seay

- "Don't be like the guy in the gym who always does bench press and never does squats... he's got the massive chest but you can push him over with your pinky." - Matt Chandler (reflecting on balance in ministry)

- "Reality is always more complicated than we would like it to be." - Gabe Lyons

- "Jesus never talked to a homosexual or a prostitute... He just saw broken people that He loved." - Shane Claiborne

- “if the church didn’t have payments the kingdom might explode.” – Dave Ramsey

- Whenever God asks me a question, it’s never for His benefit.” - Rick Warren

- "to recover our heart for Jesus Christ we must recover our heart for outsiders." - Dave Kinnaman
- “Play offense with your life.” – Mark Batterson
- “I don’t know how anyone got saved in the 80s.” – Matt Chandler (reflecting on his own salvation in the '80s at a corny Michael W. Smith concert.)
- “We should be the ‘spittin’ image’ of Jesus” – Shane Claiborne (borrowing the "spittin' image" phrase from his east Tennessee grandma)

- “you have no idea how God might want to use you! – Andy Stanley
- “The term ‘Christian’ needs to be redeemed.” – Dave Kinnaman

- "I think God gets the most glory when the church takes on the biggest problems." - Rick Warren

- "The way I was doing the work of God was destroying the work of God in me." - Craig Groeschel (quoting Bill Hybels)

- "We trust God with our eternal salvation but not with our money!" - Rick Warren (whassup with that?!?)
- "because I care more about what people think than what God thinks.” - Craig Groeschel (the answer to why he would get so nervous before preaching)
- “most good things are easy to understand, but hard to do.” – Dave Ramsey

I'm sure Lanny Donoho had some really funny ones too as the host... I just didn't write them down. You should get his book God's Blogs - it's really funny. Based on the comment he left on my last blog post... I need to move about 10 of his books for him. So, if you need a laugh and some encouragement, go pick it up.

*Let me know how you liked this post chocked full of powerful quotes.