Well, I am back in Greensboro after two days at the Catalyst Conference last week in Atlanta.  To say it was inspiring and rich in content would be a HUGE understatement.  It was incredible in so many different ways!  Next year, I would love to get a bus and take down as many PBA peeps as possible because of the value it has.  I am still breaking down everything I learned and took away from the conference.  Until then, I thought I might just highlight some of the sessions that really spoke to me.  When I say highlight, I mean find somebody else who blogged a recap of the session and connect you to it…along with a couple of my takeaways. 

The first one I will hit is on day 2, Matt Chandler.  He was the last speaker we saw before we left and I thought he wrapped everything up very well.  He is a gifted communicator and just came out and spoke some truth!  What really got me is at the very start…he was telling a story from one of the baptism services they had at his church.  He said he was backstage meeting everyone and he ended up talking to 3 people who were being baptized that day.  One was a former witch.  One was an atheist.  One had grown up in church all their life.  He said as moved as he was that they had reached a witch and an atheist, it was the one who had grown up in church that really stuck with him.  He said “I know there are witches out there.  I know there are atheists.  But what really bothers me is that there are people who have grown up in the church but have totally missed the gospel.  What do I do with this?”  He then went on for the next 30 minutes digging deeper into how we, as pastors and church leaders, live out and teach the Gospel.  In the words of one of the pastors that was with us, he preached the Word!!

So to get a full recap of his session, click here.  Quick disclaimer…I am sure Will Johnston is an awesome person, but I have no idea who he is.  All I know is that he wrote a great recap of Matt Chandler’s session which I am connecting you with in the link above.  So thanks Will, whoever you are!!  :)