These are my notes from watching the Exponential Conference Live via interenet…if they seem a bit unclear its because I am trying to keep up. http://live.exponential.org/
Jim Putnam
Shift to “You can do it we can help” from “we can do it you can help”
Francis Chan
Paul Preached Christ Crucified. Emptied himself and preached the gospel only.
Church at Sardis – “Strengthen what remains and is about to die”
Larry Osborne
Author of Accidental Pharisees
Discipleship includes all of the people following Jesus …. not just the people at the front of the line.
Haughty eyes are dangerous…Keep your eyes on Jesus
Are you looking down on those who haven’t “arrived” yet?
Joseph of Arimathea – What he did was not a small thing
Isaiah 53:9 Joseph fulfilled this prophecy
First step of Jesus exaltation? being buried in the tomb of the rich man.
Joseph was Rich and a Genuine Disciple.
He was a prominent member of the Sanhedrin, part of the group that condemned Jesus
He was bold and courageous.
He was Good and Upright, but had NOT consented to their decision to condemn Jesus.
John’s account: Joseph a disciple but secretly because he fears the Jews.
Joseph was at the back of the line….and yet at the right time he stepped forward to take Jesus Body.
Those at the back of the line still need us and may step forward at the right time.
We were all struggling at one point or another in our walk.
Craig Groeschel
Winning in Ministry…but losing your first love!
“The way I was doing the work of God was destroying the work of God in me” – Hybels
“I was too focused on being a leader of people not enough focus on being a follower of Christ.”
Obstacles to following before Leading:
- More concerned with what People think than what God thinks.
- Being concerned about what people think causes you to forget what God thinks about you.
- People are too big and Our God is too small.
- I cannot please everyone but I can please God
- More concerned with your public image than you private devotion
- Became a full time pastor and a part time follower of Christ.
- From Isaiah: People who honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me.
- Its the things that no one sees that results in what everyone wants.
- More concerned with bringing people in than bringing glory to God
- Build People into disciples, don’t build the church – God builds the church
- If you blame yourself for the declines, you will someday take credit for the increases…It must be HIS!!!
Some are Trying to Make a “NAME”……..BELIEVEING “I’M GOOD”……”ANYONE” WHO STANDS IN THEIR WAY IS THE ENEMY
Some are Trying to make a “DIFFERENECE”…BELIEVING THAT “WE’RE GOOD”…OTHERS IN THEIR “FIELD” ARE THE ENEMY
Some will make “HISTORY”…BELIEVING THAT “GOD ALONE IS GOOD”….”SATAN” IS THE ONLY ENEMY
Conversation round table
The Ability to Learn, Unlearn, Relearn…new definition of literacy!
Wayne Cordeiro
From Teaching to Modeling.
From One to many, to one to one.
God can use a mind to reach a mind, but he also uses a heart to reach a heart.
The disciples first responsibility was to be “With” Jesus.
You can teach what you know, but you can only reproduce what you are.
Proximity is important to reproduction.
Duplication is a danger of technology. Incarnation is better than duplication.
Andy Hawthorne
Matthew 9:36–38 (NLT) When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38 So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”
We must move from Attraction to Deployment
- See – Lift your eyes and see the crowds.
- Have Compassion – He felt their pain deep in his gut.
- Pray – to the Lord, ask for workers.
Leaders Job description….Keep Prayer and Mission in the forefront.
My Own thought….we are reluctant to send people out, because we set them up to be Faith Leaders, but their mission is to introduce people to Jesus who is the leader of their faith. We should not expect them to have “arrived”, but rather celebrate the fact that they are journeying, and can take people along with them to start their own Journey. Dependence on clergy has placed a ban on sending out, on fire, newly converted, believers who have many friends that need Jesus. Some will fail but many will succeed.