Wild Goose Chase

I was thrilled to get a sneak peek at Mark Batterson’s latest book, “Wild Goose Chase.”

Batterson’s previous book, “In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day” was such a huge hit and had a great impact on me personally.  But if I’m honest, I expected “Wild Goose Chase” to fall short because the expectations were so high.   But I was pleasantly surprised as I read it.  The book is a great sequal to “In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day.”

• This book is great for the person who needs to reclaim the adventure in their life.
• This book is ideal for the person who knows about their faith but needs a kick in the butt to live it out.
• This book is motivating for the person who is sick and tired of settling for less than God’s best for their lives.
• This book is useful for the person who needs to dream bigger dreams and set larger, more audacious goals.
• This book is encouraging for the person who wants to be inspired by a real person who struggles with real life issues yet dares to live a life in pursuit of God-ordained passions.

Personally, the book couldn’t have arrived at a better time.  With less than three weeks until the first gathering of Project Church, it helped put some wind in my sails and remind me why I’m doing what I’m doing.  To lead others to live the lives they were meant to live.

I was particularly moved by this section:

“Some of us live as if we expect to hear God say, “Well thought, good and faithful servant!” or “Well said, good and faithful servant!”  God isn’t going to say either of those things. There is only one commendation, and it is the by-product of pursing God-ordained passions: “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:23)

“Wild Goose Chase” ends with a motivational manifesto which has become a trademark of Mark Batterson.   I suggest you grab a copy of the book and check it out.  Also, check out Mark’s blog to view more snippets from the book and other thoughts from one of the premier authors of our age.

Thanks for the words and inspiration Mark.

________________________________________________________

Summary

Most of us have no idea where we’re going most of the time. Perfect.

“Celtic Christians had a name for the Holy Spirit–An Geadh-Glas, or ‘the Wild Goose.’ The name hints at mystery. Much like a wild goose, the Spirit of God cannot be tracked or tamed. An element of danger, an air of unpredictability surround Him. And while the name may sound a little sacrilegious, I cannot think of a better description of what it’s like to follow the Spirit through life. I think the Celtic Christians were on to something….

Most of us will have no idea where we are going most of the time. And I know that is unsettling. But circumstantial uncertainty also goes by another name: Adventure.” –from the introduction.

Author Bio:

Mark Batterson is the lead pastor of Washington, DC’s National Community Church, widely recognized as one of America’s most innovative churches. NCC meets in movie theaters at metro stops throughout the city, as well as in a church-owned coffee house near Union Station. More than seventy percent of NCC’ers are single twentysomethings who live or work on Capitol Hill. Mark is the author of the best-selling In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day and a widely read blogger (www.markbatterson.com). He lives on Capitol Hill with his wife, Lora, and their three children.

Tags: book, mark batterson, wild goose chase

08 Thoughts on 08/08/08

01. Project Church will have our planning session at our new venue this week.

02. I hope Brock Lesnar handles his business at this weekend’s UFC fight.

03. I get to review Mark Batterson’s soon-to-be-released book, “Wild Goose Chase.

04. If you haven’t checked out noisetrade.com or Pandora.com, you need to.

05. My blog needs a redesign.

06. You have to experience the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally to fully comprehend it.

07. It was surreal seeing Brett Favre hold a New York Jets uniform.

08. Here’s a snapshot of the updated homepage of projectchurch.net

Tags: brett favre, brock lesnar, Church, mark batterson, noise trade, pandora, project church, sturgis, sturgis motorcycle rally, ufc, wild goose chase

Churchplanters.com Evolve Conference Recap - Day 2

WOW! What a day. This conference has had major impact on me. Between the speakers, the breakout sessions, and the connecting with other church planters, this day simply rocked.

Some highlights from the conference.

First up today was Darrin Patrick, pastor of The Journey in St. Louis, MO and VP of the Acts 29 church planting network- of which I’m taking a serious considering planting through. That is if they’ll have me. I was so happy that Darrin was at the conference. He so strong theologically and with all the hype surrounding the conference, he brought it back to the what matters most- the message. His challenge to us was to examine ourselves and repent of our own sin and believe in the gospel in our own lives. It’s interesting how fundamental that is but how many of us forget it- or avoid it. This hit home with me. Here are three great quotes from Patrick:

1. “Pastors are terrible repenters.”
2. “See your sin for what it is which is how God sees it. Own it. AND then turn from it. This is repentance.”
3. “Jesus is perfect. He’s the good guy. Not me.”

Second, was Mark Batterson. Simply incredible. Mark’s the pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C., and he’s one of the most intelligent and articulate leaders today. I love this quote, “I don’t want God to do things that I can take credit for.” Mark has a way of making you feel like you’re sitting down at a table with him and just visiting. I really dig that. His message was titled, “Alters to God or monuments to self?” and it was taken from 1 Samual. I’m not going to share my notes from this session because Mark already posted his message on his blog. Go check it out. Great stuff.

Last up was Bil Cornelius. He leads Bay Area Fellowship in Corpus Christi, TX. His was the last session of the day and he brought it- BIG TIME! I seriously walked out of that session ready to “charge hell with a water pistol.” For real. It really connected with me. Here are some great quotes from Bil.

1. “Love the ones who aren’t there.”
2. “Swing the bat of risk until your hands bleed- everyday.”
3. “Become a terrible quitter.”

There are so many other quotes from these men that I could post. But if you want to order their messages, go to churchplanters.com and order them. Thanks to the crew at Mountain Lake Church for putting this together. I talked to a lot of people and we all agree, this rocked our worlds.

Tags: atlanta, Bil Cornelius, Church Planting, churchplanters.com, conference, cumming, darrin patrick, evolve, ga, mark batterson, shawn lovejoy, steven furtick

Churchplanters.com Evolve Conference Recap - Day 1

I’m still processing the first day of the Evolve Conference.  It wasn’t filled with new paradigms, tricks, or templates for church planting. In fact, if I were to sum it up, I would say it was about heart.

It began when I walked into Mountain Lake Church for the conference.  Along with my name tag and conference book was a book for church planting wives called, “My Husband Wants to be a Church Planter…So What Will That Make Me?”  The fact that this was the free resource given really says something.   It was about heart.

The first speaker was Shawn Lovejoy and he really hit home with me.  He talked about being a healthy leader spiritually, physically, emotionally, and relationally.  Frankly, I was convicted of several areas of my life that I need to be more disciplined about. Some areas are obvious, others are subtle- but all are critical.  What made this message so powerful was the fact that Shawn displayed raw authenticity as he shared about his life.  That was such a huge reminder that people respond to real stories about other people.   Thanks Shawn. Here are my three favorite quotes from Lovejoy:

1. “Show me a great leader and I’ll show you a someone who’s healthy.”
2. “Discipline is the grossest word in the English vocabulary.”
3. “Playstation saved my life.”

Next up, I attended a breakout session by Gary Lamb.  I love this dude.  He lays it all out there and doesn’t give a rip about what other people think.   He talked about how portability shouldn’t be used as an excuse for churches.  And while I went there to learn more about portability, I walked out more passionate about being a leader.  Gary- you rock dude. Here are my three favorite thoughts from Gary:

1. “The end result isn’t a building, it’s to reach people who are far from God.”
2. “If you have portability issues, you have vision issues.”
3. “I’d swing a KJV, wear a suit, sing hymns, and close out service with “Just As I Am” if that’s what it took to reach those far from God.”

Finally, the day ended with Steven Furtick.  All I have to say is, “Wow!”  He talked about being an audacious leader with the backdrop of Joshua 10.  Really powerful stuff that just floored me.  The worst part was he couldn’t preach longer.   Here are my three favorite quotes from Furtick.

1. “Courageous leadership is not the product of cut & paste- it must be born from the inside out.”
2. “I’m sick and tired of Mr. Potato head ministries.”
3. “The difference between a day-dream and a burning vision is the audacity to act.”

Looking forward to Bill Cornelius, Darrin Patrick, and Mark Batterson tomorrow.

Tags: atlanta, bill cornelius, Church Planting, churchplanters.com, conference, cumming, darrin patrick, evolve, ga, mark batterson, shawn lovejoy, steven furtick

Something’s In the Air

Backdrop: “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins.

I’m in Cumming, GA attending the Churchplanters.com Evolve Conference. For some reason, I sense a tension in the air and it’s making me antsy. I told my wife before I left that I expect my world to be rocked. And now I feel the weight of anticipation on me. I hope my sixth sense is right.

Church Planters are like a fraternity. I guess that makes us frat boys. There’s a brotherhood that unites us. And as I meet more and more of these dudes I realize that God is up to something. That my prayer, my mission, and my passion for Rapid City, SD is shared by other men in their cities. I love these guys.

Maybe this is all just some Chick-Fil-A I ate but I’m definitely feeling it. Stay tuned. I plan to post notes so you all can get a glimpse into what I’m experiencing.

In the meantime, go read Brad Ruggles post today.  Good stuff.

Next Post: Notes including thoughts from Shawn Lovejoy and Steven Furtick from today’s sessions.

Tags: atlanta, bill cornelius, Church Planting, churchplanters.com, conference, Cool People, cumming, darrin patrick, evolve, ga, mark batterson, My Story, Places, shawn lovejoy, steven furtick

Churchplanters.com Conference

In February, I’m heading to Atlanta, GA for the Churchplanters.com Conference. With limited time and resources available to attend conferences, I selected this one for several reasons.

First, I love connecting with the people in the seats. What sets this conference apart is how you can easily connect with church planters and pastors from all over the country.

Last year, I met a number of dudes who are doing what I’m preparing to do. I soak in everything they say. It’s not as if people like church planters grow on trees. Especially mission-minded ones who aren’t nut-jobs. I’m pumped to reconnect with some of the people I met last year and connect with some new friends too. (If you’re going, let me know).

Next, the line-up of speakers and breakouts is stacked. There’s not a single pastor speaking that I don’t have uber-respect for. I’ve listened and read stuff from all of the main speakers.

• Shawn Lovejoy, along with David Putman, leads the church that is hosting this conference. Both are solid leaders with real hearts for church planters. Their mantra “be mean about the vision” has stuck with me.
• Darrin Patrick, the lead pastor at The Journey in St. Louis, is a theological workhorse. Really looking forward to hearing him. He’s affiliated with Acts 29, one of the church planting networks I’m considering going with for my church plant.
• Mark Batterson is one of the best blogging pastors around, and authored one of my favorite reads of 2007, “In a Pit With a Lion On a Snowy Day.” Plus, I really appreciate his parenting thoughts. Mark leads National Community Church in DC.
• Steven Furtick is probably the rock star of this event. His passion is contagious. Incredible preacher. I read his blog and listen to his church’s podcast regularly. Furtick is the poster boy of a church planter. I hope he has his entourage ready because he will be mobbed the minute he steps in the door.
• Bil Cornelius leads Bay Area Fellowship in Corpus Christi, TX. He’s an authentic leader which is desperately needed in the church today. He co-wrote the book, “Go Big” which is terrific for church planters.

Plus, there are incredible breakout sessions with speakers like Gary Lamb, Gabe Lyons, Devin Hudson, Eric Bramlett, and the Mountain Lake Church staff. This should rock!

Is it February yet?

Tags: Bil Cornelius, Church Planting, churchplanters.com, darrin patrick, Dave Putman, Devin Hudson, Eric Bramlett, Gabe Lyons, gary lamb, mark batterson, Mountain Lake Church, Places, shawn lovejoy, steven furtick

Chase the Lion!

Read this manifesto by Mark Batterson.  These are compelling words to help launch the new year.

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Expand your horizons. Accumulate experiences. Enjoy the journey. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don’t let what’s wrong with you keep you from worshiping what’s right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze new trails. Criticize by creating. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don’t try to be who you’re not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away.

Chase the lion.

If you haven’t done so, read Mark’s book- In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day.

It will rock your world.

Tags: book, chase the lion, Cool People, in a pit with a lion on a snowy day, mark batterson