Andy Stanley at Catalyst 09

Andy Stanley is definitely one of my heroes in ministry and in leadership. I have learned so much from him. I've written about that SO MUCH and him "mentoring" me, etc... that I won't even bother linking to them... except for HERE.

Andy's nickname from the Catalyst directors & the whole Catalyst community is "Mr. Catalyst." I think it's appropriate. Catalyst started at North Point. Andy is the only speaker who gets 2 sessions. He always kicks Catalyst off by doing the 1st session and then he always ends the conference by doing the last session. He's the bookend.
*Andy is the greatest practical genius I've ever known. His last talk at Catalyst '09 evidenced that, but this opening talk was a little different... although straight up stellar!  
On Your Mark...

“What man is a man that doesn’t want to make his world better?” – (Orlando Bloom’s character in Kingdom of Heaven, one of Andy's fav movies.) Here were a few thoughts building off of that awesome quote:

-       obviously I wanna say our world was better because I was here. [I want that so bad that my heart explodes inside of me when I simply type those words. That's my heart's desire!]

-       leaders always leave a mark, the question is what kind of mark will leave?

-       I won’t really know the mark I leave until years later.

-       I don’t know the greatest mark I’ll leave yet. Who knows what it will be?

Andy read us the story about Joshua. Context = Joshua is set up to make his mark & be famous… set up for potential to be “big” on his own & not need God anymore.

Joshua 23:8-15 is the end of his life & Joshua 5:13-15 is the actual short story where the angel of God is standing there with a sword & Josh asks him "Are you for us or against us?" And in some translations the angel's reply is "NO". haha! That's awesome. He's really answering "neither. I'm not on either side."

            *It’s as if the angel of God came & said “Josh, I didn’t come to be part of your story or Israel’s story… I came to see if you wanted to be part of God’s story.” THAT is beautiful! And I think that's what God is doing with each one of us!

 

*This is a question few leaders wrestle with = "am I willing to submit my leadership gift to God & His story?" Joshua decided "he wouldn’t be a leader in authority, but he would be a leader under authority.” He wouldn’t be worried about who was for or against him, but he wrapped his whole identity around who he was for. 

**And I'm with Joshua. I've wrestled with that question and that's the whole reason I'm still in the "game." nothing to do with my story; it's all about THE story. I've gotta stop worrying about who's for me & just rest in the fact that I'm for Him!

*** “It’s not really about the mark I leave. It’s about being in a position where God can make His mark through me!” "It’s not really about who’s for me, but who I’m for."

"Our mark isn’t worth our life." That was an awesome statement and reminder!

“Living to make my mark is too small a thing to give my life to.” But to be positioned for God to make His mark through me is worth giving my life to. It is absolutely worth it!

When I settle this issue once & for all then I’ll be perfectly positioned for God to do the most extraordinary things through me.

 

The daily Q = “Whose mark is it gonna be?”

****I want to wake up every day and remind myself that it's all about His mark, His story, His name, His glory, His fame! I want to not be able to possibly care any less about mine.

And that was what we all needed to hear. That is what all of us leaders need to hear weekly and daily! Thanks Andy! Maybe the best talk of the conference!

What do YOU think? 

If you were there was this the best talk of the conference? If you weren't there how were you moved by these words?