It’s been almost a week since James and I took our trip down to Atlanta for Catalyst 2008. I’m still in the process of typing out my notes from the event and our discussions, but I thought I’d go ahead and start a series of posts about what I got out of Catalyst. This series is probably going to focus more on what touched me personally than what I think necessarily has implications for LifePoint. As James and I get together and distill the information from my notes, I’ll put more of that stuff online.

The first day of the Catalyst Conference was filled with amazing speakers:

  • Andy Stanley opened the day with a great message on the idea of Moral Authority. 
  • Craig Groeschel talked about some of the stuff from his book It. He also got a little choked up on stage. It was awesome.
  • Jim Collins explained that what created greatness for businesses could be applied to non-profits and churches.
My favourite speaker, however, was Steven Furtick, Pastor of Elevation Church in Charolette, NC. Man, Pastor Furtick brought it. Hardcore. Tears. Seriously. To really explain what I got out of his message, let’s rewind to the day before.

If you ask, James and I will freely admit that we aren’t your typical church planters. Sometimes I forget just how atypical we are until I get into a room full of other church planters. On the Wednesday morning before the conference, we had the opportunity to attend a pre-conference lab for just such people. It wasn’t a wasted hour and a half (I got to meet Dave Ferguson there, and got him to sign James’ copy of his book, which he signed with my name. :) , but James and I definitely felt out of sorts.

After the lab, we ate some lunch and talked about what we had learned. We came to the conclusion that it was easy to look around at what God was doing at Catalyst and become discouraged if it didn’t match what you saw at home.

Ok, so fast-forward back to Pastor Furtick’s message. Like I said, I think that it was my favourite message of the day. Pastor Furtick talked about staying faithful to God during the process. Too many times we can become discouraged because the process doesn’t seem to be leading to the promise. David was promised the kingdom, but spent the next few years of his life as a fugitive. Elijah prophesied that the drought would end, but the initial sign wasn’t pouring rain, but a cloud the size of a man’s hand. To use a nice pentecostal term, it was like he was reading our mail. (If you don’t come from a pentecostal tradition, ask one of your friends who do what it means. If you don’t have a pentecostal friend, go to that weird church next Sunday Morning where they jump up and down and ask them.)

I had a hard time choking back the tears as Pastor Steven encouraged everyone to stay faithful to God, even when you don’t see the payoff that God has promised. Be faithful. And, because I was encouraged by the message, I pass the same one on to you. Maybe God has promised you something. Maybe it’s something big and you really don’t see it yet. Stay faithful. Maybe you think God has called you to something small, and you can’t even see the fruits of that. Stay faithful.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Gal. 6:9 NIV)