The first time I ever heard of Steven Furtick was last Thursday. The timing was right before he was to go on stage at Catalyst, a Cultural Leadership Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Craig Groeschel introduced him as a 28 year old who started a church in Charlotte, North Carolina... and in the following year or two it grew to over 5000 people.
So, of course, I wanted to hate him. No one can do that unless they sold their soul to the devil, right? Or even worse... compromised the message of the gospel. Surely! Right?
But if I heard them right, they said that through their ministry over 1000 people were baptized in the last year. Kinda killed the "transfer growth" theory. Then they mentioned other ridiculous things that were happening there which honestly, made me jealous to the core (not really, okay kinda) ... so I just decided to wait and cast judgment after he took the stage.
Then He took the stage. Yup, I hate him. He had on a sweet jacket. Jeans were suspect. bleached and spiked hair. I mean, who does this guy think he's fooling? We're veterans for crying out loud and this guy is a kid (okay, I got him by 8 years, can I say that?) Worse yet, he kinda has that side-ways Matt Damon smirk.
And He started talking. What first looked like arrogance quickly sifted into the confidence of a strong leader. He was brilliant. Anointed even. And he moved me to the core. There were some fairly simple thoughts shared. But the Spirit and energy was fresh and it was real. If anything... as a church planter... I was encouraged. I was also reminded of the journey... and of hope.
Here's my deal: It takes all kinds. Whether that manifests itself as a rapid growing church or one that gives away more than it keeps... as long as Jesus and those that don't know Him is center... whether that's attractional, seeker, missional, whatever... I pray we all use our gifts and CALLING in the way God intended. On this day I was encouraged... a gift that I don't even know if Steven has.
Thanks Steven. Good stuff.
Some quotes…
· Between the promise of God and the pay-off is the process.
· When you are struggling through what seems insignificant to you, hang on to the promise of God.
· Be faithful in the process. Don’t get your eyes on the “big” thing or the “successful” place—just be faithful in the process.
· After David was anointed, where did he go? Back to the fields to be faithful in his role as a shepherd boy.
· There’s got to be more to life than putting money in a 401, buying a boat, and then dying.
· Be faithful. Be faithful Be faithful.
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Hey bro. Funny, I had very similar pre-speech thoughts as you did! Of course, I had a good, faithful, more-encouraging brother with me who (typically) took the encouraging angle of "I hope that there are some older guys who will pull up alongside of him and help him stay the course - I want to hear from him when he's 40." Great perspective - and one I wish I had first...
ReplyDeleteI leaned over to a friend sitting next to me after the "...grew to XXX thousand..." introduction and said, "he just pulled the plug on the balloon of 80% of the guys in this place". And, while jaded with a cynicism that I continue to struggle with, I think there's some truth to that. Honestly, if they had left that part out and I just got to hear our brother speak I THINK (hope?) I might have heard him better initially...
Just the night prior, Chandler was doing his "unplugged" lab and said some profound, encouraging and insightful things:
(1) He was on stage speaking b/c, due to circumstances outside his control and with which he had very little to do, his church grew from 150 to thousands in four years (then pointed out that there is no WAY he's on the stage if, doing the same things and valuing the same things his group and gone from 150 - 40 in four years...)
(2) Though he's never been there, he imagines in heaven the guy that, for 30 years, faithfully ministered the Word to a group of 50 - 150 people with every bit of effort, sobriety and passion (my words, not his) hearing, "Well done... GREAT is your reward!"
(3) Before we heard about a lot of best practices, it was worth taking time to be awed by the God who causes us to even care WHY we want to practice well...
Loved the conference. Bummed I didn't remember / realize you were there!
Be encouraged, bro. There are no grand introductions of any but ONE when our race is run... And all who were enamored by Him will be well pleased.
I think I am going to enjoy reading you bro. I tried not to like you, but I can't help it ;)
ReplyDeletegood read. nice to see you branching out into some philosophizing; honest. sounds like Cattle-List was a good conference, a nice recharge. "faithful in the process" is a good goal.
ReplyDeleteBrandon, thanks for sharing. I really needed to read this today. The process is where we are tested. We must stay focused on what God is doing. We get caught up in what we are doing and what we are not doing. When we take our eyes off God, we fall. When we are not focused on God will look at the storm around us. Then we fall and it is so easy to let circumstances take over and not allow us to focus on Him. Our's is not to be big or popular or cool or successfull. God has all those covered. Our's is to be faithful.
ReplyDelete