One of the guys on staff with me and a good friend for many years, Chris Bell spoke this weekend on what the Orchard is becoming. He used Psalm 1 to talk about the Orchard in comparison to a real orchard. This was Chris’ last time speaking at the Orchard as part of the staff and I pray blessings for him and his family as they continue to lead, but now in a church in VA.
Here’s our music setlist from that weekend (with links to purchase the original recordings from the artists listed):
La Grange – ZZ Top (instrumental)
Your Grace Is Enough – Chris Tomlin
Hosanna – Hillsong United
You Are The One – Lincoln Brewster
Point of Difference – Hillsong United
All Because of Jesus – Fee
Steven Furtick up on the mic next…
Relating the story of David being anointed as king to leaders who feel like they are being overlooked by God.
You are called by God
It always starts small.
Jesus using a small amount of fish to feed thousands.
Has time talked you out of your dreams?
Hold on to the audacity to fulfill God’s promises.
Sometimes the process is the point.
Lessons from Lifechurch.tv’s DLT:
An organization is the reflection of its leadership.
A team is a reflection of it’s leader. A vision/mission oriented leader creates a very vision/mission oriented team, which is good but also need to be self aware of the things you miss. Take time to celebrate. If there is a character trait in a leader that is a negative, that too will be reflected in a team. Know what you’re good at and what you’re not good at.
“We’ll do anything short of sin to lead people to Christ.”
Everyone has a unique personality and there are ways for us to integrate and playoff of each others strengths and weaknesses. Self awareness of this issue helps to develop a good team.
Willingness to “get naked”
More on self awareness… really understanding who God has called you to be as a church and sticking to it even when others try to tell you otherwise. Trust that God is going to do big things through your faithfulness.
[My thoughts: Be real with who you really are... seems to be a consistent theme thru the conference though it's not the topic. I think that's cool that even within the scope of "Stop Talking, Start Doing" that this sub-theme has emerged. Very pertinent to those who come to conferences and then think they are going to go home and do exactly what they saw done.]
The difference between where you are and where God wants you to be is the pain you’re unwilling to endure.
Sometimes it’s easy to keep doing what you are doing or to not change but change is difficult and many times painful. It’s difficult when the decisions you make impacts families and others, especially when the decision is a mistake, but you can’t be afraid to step forward and be willing to make mistakes [and then willing to admit when you've made a mistake]. The impact on lives is also true when it is not a mistake – there is also an impact.
God will not give you more as a leader until you obey what he’s already asked you to do. Our capacity as leaders will be found in our ability to endure pain. What decision is God calling you to make? IS there a decision God has asked us to make that we have avoided?
Rob Wegner on the mic at Innovate this morning.
Here’s the skinny of it…
Most people think being a christian is how we get out of trouble with God.
Jesus spoke about the kingdom of God… what is a kingdom?
Most either answer external things or internal realities.
Thy kingdom come -> Jesus definition is the place on earth where God’s will is done as it is in heaven. Bringing the up there down here.
Missional move 1: from saved souls to saved wholes.
- verbal proclamation – what happens on the weekends through message and arts.
- demonstration proclamation – doing something about the things that are broken in this world: the lost, the hurting, the dying, the hungry, the homeless, the poor.
Missional move 2: from “flashlight” to “laser” focus
More is not better. Don’t confuse the great commission with the great commotion.
Narrow our focus – Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, Ends of the Earth (local access, domestic access, cross cultural, international)
Narrowing our focus dramatically increased our impact.
Narrowing our focus helped build ownership.
Missional move 3: Professionals to full participation.
Mobilizing people to get them out of their seats and into the story.
Things that keep people from doing this: Fear and Busyness.
God is calling us to a bare-fisted brawl with evil – calling us to live dangerously for him.
Our God reigns! May we proclaim that in our communities.
Missing my family very much.
Enjoying seeing my team get excited about the environment here at Granger and some of the things we’ve discovered and connected with.
Tim Stevens is now speaking… here’s what I’m getting from him:
Reality #1: Most churches aren’t impacting their communities. Churches are known for what they are against more than what they are for [something we've talked about at The Orchard].
Reality #2: Spiritual interest is growing in our culture. Sadly most don’t know where to begin. Church attendance dropping but spiritual interest rising.
Acts 17 – Tim talked through the theological background for leveraging culture to reach culture. In this section of scripture, Paul acknowledges that the men of Athens are looking for spiritual answers. He quotes from their poets and pagan philosophers to talk to them about Jesus. Why so that people connect and are willing to listen to what he had to say about Jesus.
How do you look into culture and see Jesus in the culture so that you can use culture to reach culture 
- Use pop culture to package a topic and attract a crowd.
- Use pop culture to get people thinking or laughing.
- Providing a new interpretation for a popular cultural element.
- Use Pop culture to encourage the people who are making the ministry happen.
Why do all this? So that… lives are changed.
Thanks Tim! Always great being a part of one of your talks.
