Catalyst

A sit down exclusive conversation with Mark Driscoll

My friend Mark Driscoll has a new book out entitled Who Do You Think You Are?   I recommend you check it out. It's practical, real, challenging, and helpful. The new book officially releases on January 8, but you can actually purchase now.

Plus, you can win a copy of the book by tweeting quotes from the website here.

You can also enter to win a signed copy here.

Watch my interview with Mark regarding the new book Who Do You Think You Are? Finding Your True Identity in Christ below

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6s-gGzFfD4[/youtube]

Be a Finisher

I love leaders who execute. Leaders who get it done.

Leaders who can take a project across the finish line.

When it comes to hiring new employees, no other characteristic is more important than someone who can finish. It is the #1 trait related to work ethic that I look for in a new hire.

Anyone can come up with a new idea, a new concept, a new pithy word, a new organization, or a new perspective. What ultimately matters is whether you can take an idea from concept to completion. And to do that, you have to have finishers on your team. The folks who are intrinsically wired to make things happen, and bulldog their way to the finish line. They find joy in checking things off the list. But not just a task machine. Anyone can take an order and then go complete it. What matters is whether you can carry the ball all the way down the field and cross the finish line.

Take a moment and think about who that is on your team. If you don't have someone in this role, go find them immediately. This is incredibly important if you are the leader- you have to have someone on your team in whom you have ultimate confidence that if you hand them a project, they will get it done... and without your constant management of them. The answer can't constantly be "we're still working on it....". That is an excuse for either being lazy or unfocused. You're either moving forward or backwards.

For our team here at Catalyst, it is imperative that everyone plays the finisher role. Now some have to more than others, but no one can only be the "idea" person. Everyone is required to execute and own projects from start to finish. It's a non-negotiable. We take incredible pride in being able to take a concept and turn it into a finished project. This is a distinctive part of our culture here. We're serious about it. It's part of our DNA.

Be a finisher.

Young Influencers List, November edition

Here you go, the November edition of the Young Influencers List. You can see all the past month's lists here. Check them out! 1. Promise Tangeman- designer, artist, photographer and blogger.

2. Stacy Spencer- senior pastor of New Direction Christian Church in Memphis, fastest growing church in US in 2012.

3. Jessie Simonson- co-founder & director of sales for 31 Bits, using fashion and design to help women in Uganda rise above poverty.

4. Chrishan Jeyaratnam- youth pastor at Hillsong Church in Sydney.

5. Sajan George- founder and CEO, Matchbook Learning, turning around underperforming schools in the US.

6. Brianna Glen- pro athlete, sprinter, Olympic long jumper and model.

7. Josh White- singer, songwriter, and pastor of Door of Hope in Portland.

You want to speak at a Catalyst event?

**NOTE: this is a Re-Post from back in 2010. I have many folks contact me about speaking, so thought this might be helpful to provide this list again.** We are always looking for new speakers/presenters for all of our Catalyst events, whether in Atlanta, LA, Dallas, (or soon to name other cities...!) or providing articles and interviews online. I wanted to give a bit of perspective on how we find new speakers/communicators.

If you think you might be one of those, or know someone who is, here are a few tips:

1. Be a Powerful and engaging Communicator. Great communicators get moved to the top of the list.

2. Have an amazing story. Inspirational, courageous, tear-jerking, changing the world type stuff. True Catalysts. These also get moved to the top of the list. This one is not as easy to create or work on for you.

3. Content is king. Great content always wins. Especially content that inspires, and moves leaders towards action and application. There are lots of great communicators, but not all of them have great content. Start here. Develop great content first.

4. Be a Catalyst. Closely related to #2. We love finding the leaders who are out making a difference, and actually living out what God has called them to do. They are practitioners. They're not trying to build a platform so they can speak and write books one day. They are just out having an impact and influencing those around them. Inspirational practitioners is what I call these leaders.

5. We start with friends and "Catalyst family" first. If we are friends, that helps alot. Seriously. We feel like Catalyst is a big family, and we rarely invite speakers in without first having a friendship with them and getting to know who they really are. If we are friends that means we actually know each other and have worked on something together or at least connected in person.

6. Not all authors should be speakers. Just because you've written a book, doesn't mean you can communicate. Books give you credibility, but only as a content creator, not as a communicator. I know lots of authors who've sold millions of books and are total sleepers when asked to speak. Writing a book is good, but doesn't automatically qualify you to be speaking.

7. Leadership matters. We have all kinds of different speakers at our Catalyst events, but we are still at our core all about leadership, and all about gathering leaders. So have something to say about leadership.

8. If you contact me and tell me how great YOU are, you get moved to the bottom of the list. Believe me, I (we) know who you are. We spend thousands of hours a year looking for the new voices, researching, asking around, watching videos, reading the blogs, getting feedback from leaders all over the world, etc. If in doubt, have someone else contact me on your behalf.

9. If you contact any of our team after you've contacted me, especially my assistant Michelle, and tell HER as well how great YOU are, you get moved off the list. Feel free to contact us and recommend others you may know, but please don't recommend yourself.

Just to give perspective, I currently have a list of around 700 names who are potential speakers/communicators/articles/interviews at upcoming Catalyst events in 2013-2016!

Young Influencers List, October edition

Here you go, the Young Influencers List for October. You can see all the past month's editions here. 1. Chad Veach- youth pastor at Puyallup Foursqaure Church in Washington.

2. Caitlin Crosby- LA based actress, entertainer, and activist, founder of The Giving Keys.

3. Alex Nifong- Atlanta based songwriter, musician, guitarist, worship leader, and creator of recent album Nothing is Impossible.

4. Pattie Mallette- author of Nowhere But Up, and mother of the Biebs (Justin Bieber)!

5. Dave Lomas- Pastor at Reality San Francisco.

6. Bobby Duran- songwriter, Catalyst DJ, producer and creative consultant for UYWI, Mosaic and more.

7. Josh Kwan- co founder of Praxis, and director of International giving for David Weekley Family Foundation

8. Moriah Peters- 19 yr old singer, songwriter and artist.

16 Things to Know about Catalyst Conference Atlanta this week

A few tips for those of you attending Catalyst for the first time this year, or maybe it’s your 2nd or 3rd time, or maybe 13th in a row!!. Hopefully these are helpful and allow your Catalyst experience to be the best ever! 1. Arrive early. Especially on Thursday morning Oct 4. The pre-show starts up around 6:55 am, so we’ll try our best to entertain you while you wait for the doors to open around 7:50 am.

2. Attend LABS. LAB sessions occur on Wednesday, October 3rd, and are a great way to dive deeper into practical topics. We still have a few tickets left for LABS (and pre-labs with Reggie Joiner and Perry Noble on Wednesday morning), so you can register online or walk up. Labs officially start at 11:30 am on Wednesday with the opening session featuring Bob Goff. Can't wait.

All of the LAB sessions will be great, and I recommend every session that we’ve created. But just want to give you a few names of some of the LAB speakers you may not know but will want to hear:

** Lynne Hybels, Joel Salatin, Rashid Nuri, Charles Jenkins, Eugene Cho, Esther Havens, Dhati Lewis and Sho Baraka, Jonathan Merritt, Herbert Cooper, Nick Vujicic **

3. Listen to the Catalyst Podcast Roadtrip Edition on your way to the event. The episode includes a special interview with Perry Noble, as well as helpful tips, entertainment, and even recommendations on how to MAKE your roadtrip experience even more memorable. Download here.

4. Bring food with you. Because parking is free, and there is now plenty of it because of a new parking deck, you’ll be able to get to your vehicle no problem at lunch and dinner. So with that in mind, plan to tailgate! Bring the grill, or just an ice chest and some extra food. It’s really a pain to drive somewhere for lunch or dinner, so just hang out and soak up the sun! We will also have food for sale onsite outside, so that is also an option.

5. Attend the evening session on Thursday night. Do not miss Thursday night! Francis Chan, plus the Gungor band. It will be a great time. You’ll be tempted to go back to the hotel room and turn on the baseball game or Thursday night college football, but stick around!

6. Download this special APP to be part of the CATALYST experience!! Download the Dan Deacon App from itunes to your iphone or other smartphone. Just do it! Download here. We need your help!!

7. No reserved seating. Because there is no reserved seating, you’ll want to arrive early. And if you are attending Catalyst with a big group, make sure you bring some 5 x 7 cards or paper (and tape) to be able to tape on the seat so that you’ll remember where you are sitting!

8. Sing loud. 13,000 voices together worshipping our God is epic. Don’t stand (or sit) idly by with arms crossed and lips closed. Join in. Stand up, Hands held high and voices raised.

9. Catalyst Backstage- if you can’t attend, no worries. Join us on CatalystBackstage starting on Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 pm EST, and then on Thursday and Friday mornings at 8:30 am EST. We’ll have interviews with speakers, behind the scenes footage, and several LIVE look-ins for some of the sessions.

10. Purchase t-shirts and jackets early at the resource centers. If you plan on buying a t-shirt or jacket, purchase them at the first break. They sell out fast, so don’t wait. And it will be a bit chilly in the mornings this week, so you'll need a new tee or jacket anyway!

11. Bring items to give back and help others. In partnership with ATLANTA MISSION and CONVOY OF HOPE, we are asking EVERY Catalyst attendee to bring Deodorant, Underwear (men's, women's and children's), Razors, and Pillows and Pillow Cases to give back to those in need in the city of Atlanta. Please stop on your way into Atlanta and the Gwinnett Arena and pick up these items. We want the collection bins to OVERFLOW! There is a Kroger right across the street from Gwinnett Arena if you forget!

12. Bring an extra bag for all the Catalyst swag. There are lots of great partners at Catalyst all around the lobby and concourse. Bring an extra bag to collect all the goodies.

13. Hang out in the Reflective Prayer Tent- allow yourself some time to hang out in the reflective worship tent. And, we’ll have a prayer team available the entire conference that will pray with you, for you, and over you. Some of us just need a fresh dose of God’s provision and goodness, so take advantage of this area.

14. If u tweet, use the hashtag #CATALYST. And follow Catalyst on Twitter @CatalystLeader. 

15. Purchase the Catalyst Experience Kit. Every year we try and put together the best of the best so you can take the Catalyst experience home with you. This year is no exception.You can purchase it before you get to the event and then pick it up onsite without having to mess with the lines. I highly recommend this! Includes all kinds of great stuff, including the talks from this event, plus a best of set from Dallas and West Coast earlier this year.

16. Engage. Meet other leaders. There is an incredible amount of wisdom and influence gathered in one place at one time, so take advantage of the other leaders who are present. Many of us go to leadership gatherings and conferences and never really connect. We get distracted by things going on around us. This year we want you to truly Laugh. Listen. Sing. Pray. Engage. Connect.

Can't wait to see you there!

Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel in Seattle and Sacramento this fall

TODAY is your last chance to get the best rates on these 3 exciting Catalyst events coming up later this fall. Register your team today. CALIBRATE on Wednesday, October 24 - will include Mark Driscoll, Judah SmithBrenda Salter McNeilRyan MeeksRick McKinleyEugene Cho, and Jo Saxton, all teaching and presenting on Missional Leadership, specifically as it relates to the Pacific Northwest.

CATALYST ONE DAY SEATTLE on Thursday, October 25 - will feature Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel focusing on the topic of Healthy Organizational Culture. This practical leadership experience includes multiple sessions of content, Q and A, dynamic music, and a day of practical insight from two of the principal voices on leadership in the Church today. Whether you are a pastor, non profit leader, business professional, or entrepreneur, the leadership principles you'll hear taught by Andy and Craig apply to all of us in whatever leadership capacity we serve in. So pastors- bring your business leaders with you!

All of these leaders together over 2 days at The City Church in Seattle October 24-25. A can't miss leadership experience! You can register for both of these events today. 

 

CATALYST ONE DAY SACRAMENTO on Thursday, November 29 - Catalyst is finally venturing into Northern California!! Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel will be teaching on the topic of Healthy Organizational Culture. Rates as low as $79 still available.

 

Again, register TODAY for any or all of these events coming up later this fall to take advantage of the lowest discounted rates available. Use Rate Code FOB when registering for additional savings.

If you have additional questions, feel free to call our Catalyst Concierges at 888.334.6569.

Hope to see you there!

Catalyst One Day is coming to the NorthEast!

4 Important things to know Today! 1. Catalyst One Day Pennsylvania- that's right, Catalyst One Day with Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel is coming to Pennsylvania on Thursday, November 15, 2012!

Catalyst One Day Pennsylvania will be happening on Thursday, November 15 at LCBC in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Leaders from all over the Northeast US will be joining us. New York, DC, Philly, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Baltimore, Boston and more.

Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel will focus on the topic of Healthy Organizational Culture. This practical leadership experience includes multiple sessions of content, Q and A, dynamic music, and a day of practical insight from two of the principal voices on leadership in the Church today.

Whether you are a pastor, non profit leader, business professional, or entrepreneur, the leadership principles you'll hear taught by Andy and Craig apply to all of us in whatever leadership capacity we serve in. So pastors- bring your business leaders with you!

TODAY is the super early registration deadline, so make sure and register NOW if you plan to attend. (You can get tickets as low as $79). Use discount code FOB when registering for additional savings. 

 

2. Catalyst One Day Seattle and Calibrate- Also, this fall, we'll be in Seattle on October 24-25 for the combination of Catalyst One Day Seattle and CalibrateBest rates for these two events expires September 27, so make sure and register today

As a reminder, Calibrate on Wednesday, October 24 will include Mark Driscoll, Judah SmithBrenda Salter McNeilRyan MeeksRick McKinleyEugene Cho, and Jo Saxton, all teaching and presenting on Missional Leadership, specifically as it relates to the Pacific Northwest.

All of these leaders together over 2 days at The City Church in Seattle. A can't miss leadership experience! Again, register for either or both of these events now.

 

3. Catalyst One Day Sacramento- we'll also be in Northern California later this fall on Thursday, November 29, at Bayside Church in Sacramento, CA. So all of you leaders in southern Oregon, California, Nevada, the Bay area, and even Idaho and Utah, we're coming to you! Andy and Craig will be sharing on Healthy Organizational culture.

You can register for Catalyst One Day Sacramento here.

 

4. Catalyst Conference Atlanta- still time to register for Catalyst Atlanta (East) coming up on October 3-5, 2012, at Gwinnett Arena. 13,000 leaders together. It's gonna be epic! And if you're already registered, don't forget about Catalyst LABS on Wednesday, October 3, featuring David Platt, Bob Goff, Mark Batterson, Lysa TerKeurst, Michael Hyatt, Jon Acuff, Nick Vujicic and many others.

 

Make plans now to attend any or all of these Catalyst One Day events, Calibrate, or Catalyst Atlanta.

If you have additional questions, feel free to call our Catalyst Concierges at 888.334.6569.

Hope to see you there!

8 Mid Week Thoughts for Leaders

1. Learn it, relearn it, and then learn it again. Just because you are out of school doesn't mean you quit learning. Be a lifelong learner. 2. Being an "expert" is quickly fading in the current culture. Everyone is an expert these days because of technology and connectivity. Don't put your hope in being an expert, since now more than ever there is someone else who knows way more than you do. Just constantly get better. Improve daily.

3. We have to reclaim a sense of Biblical understanding, wisdom and practice. Our Biblical illiteracy as a generation is staggering, sobering and frustrating. Gotta get back in the Word. This starts with pastors and Christian leaders embracing and constantly teaching the Scripture.

4. Humility rules.No explanation needed.

5. As always, making it happen and "shipping" as Seth Godin says is still an incredibly fashionable attribute. If you can execute on a project... if you can get things done.... if you can take an assignment and drive it to completion.... You're still valued and incredibly needed.

6. Put the Xbox up, turn off facebook, get out a book (or your iPad), and start reading. Seriously.

7. Understand what you are FOR. Don't be defined by what you are against, but instead by what you are for.

8. Embrace your role. No one said leadership is easy. Your job is to make decisions, including the difficult ones, and carry more responsibility than the rest of your team.

Andy Stanley, Craig Groeschel, Judah Smith, and Mark Driscoll together in Seattle

All together in Seattle on October 24-25! Really excited about Catalyst One Day Seattle and Calibrate coming up on October 24-25 in Seattle. Best rates for these two events expires tomorrow on Thursday, August 16, so make sure and register today

Catalyst One Day Seattle on Thursday, October 25 will feature Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel focusing on the topic of Healthy Organizational Culture. This practical leadership experience includes multiple sessions of content, Q and A, dynamic music, and a day of practical insight from two of the principal voices on leadership in the Church today.

Whether you are a pastor, non profit leader, business professional, or entrepreneur, the leadership principles you'll hear taught by Andy and Craig apply to all of us in whatever leadership capacity we serve in. So pastors- bring your business leaders with you!

AND... Calibrate on Wednesday, October 24 will include Mark Driscoll, Judah Smith, Brenda Salter McNeil, Ryan Meeks, Rick McKinley, Eugene Cho, and Jo Saxton, all teaching and presenting on Missional Leadership, specifically as it relates to the Pacific Northwest.

All of these leaders together over 2 days at The City Church in Seattle. A can't miss leadership experience!

Again, register for either or both of these events by tomorrow, Thursday August 16 to take advantage of the lowest discounted rates. As low as $79 per ticket. Use Rate Code FOB when registering for additional savings.

Make plans now to attend this combination of great leadership training on Wednesday and Thursday, October 24-25 in Seattle.

If you have additional questions, feel free to call our Catalyst Concierges at 888.334.6569.

Hope to see you there!

 

2012 Challenge for our Catalyst team

Here are 10 points we discussed and committed to as a Catalyst team earlier this year in January. Thought I would share them so as to motivate or inspire you to challenge your team as well: 1. Authentic. Be Real. Human. approachable. Guard against hubris.

2. No sideways energy. Communicate. Focus. Guard against silos and wasted energy.

3. Stewardship. Each of us embracing and understanding our role in what we've been given and required to manage and uphold through the Catalyst platform. Not just the leader.

4. Expertise. see myself as an expert. Individual responsibility and organizational responsibility.

5. Receive what we create. Become our own customer. That God would speak to us like He would any attendee at our Catalyst events. Guard against the mundane.

6. Guard against cynicism. Behind the curtain we have to guard against this. Fight it at every turn. And call it out if we see it.

7. Excellence. We are the best in the world. Confidence not arrogance. Act like it. Maintain a standard. Guard against being lazy and pessimistic.

8. Serve one another. Jump in and help. Get it done mentality. Not just at events. All the time. Be willing to do whatever it takes.

9. Protect and maintain a "make it happen" culture. Guard against the phrase "it's not my job." and guard against creating clicks.

10. Get better every day. Guard against complacency.

Tuesday's inspiration video: Rachel's gift one year later

One year ago, 9 yr old Rachel Beckwith was tragically killed in a car accident. Since then, because of her commitment to giving up her birthday for helping others, over 60,000 people have been provided access to clean water. Her life continues to be an inspiration to so many. We interviewed Scott Harrison (founder of charity: water), Samantha Paul (Rachel's mom) and Ryan Meeks (Samantha and Rachel's pastor) at Catalyst Atlanta last October, and committed to send Samantha to Ethiopia this week to see up close one year later the wells that Rachel helped build.

Here is that story:

[vimeo]http://www.vimeo.com/46300983[/vimeo]

You can also read the full blog post from charity: water here.

 

MAKE plans Now to attend Catalyst Atlanta- BEST Rates on tickets end TODAY

Make plans now to join us for Catalyst in Atlanta October 3-5, 2012 at Gwinnett Arena. The BEST rates on ticket prices end TODAY (Thursday, June 28), so go ahead and register your group today.

You won’t want to miss the Catalyst Conference, where 13,000 young leaders will converge for the leadership experience of the year, including high-octane speakers, powerful worship, innovative programming, and an experience unlike any other. I'm really excited about this year's theme of "MAKE." We'll be tackling the process of "The Making of a Leader," and how the process of being "MADE" is so important to leaders.

Hear from leadership authorities including Andy Stanley, Patrick Lencioni, Francis Chan, Matt Chandler, Christine Caine, Craig Groeschel,  and Perry Noble, along with several innovative thinkers and practitioners like Emmy award winning Executive Producer of Survivor Mark Burnett, Harlem Children’s Zone founder and TIME 2011 Most Influential People list Geoffrey Canada, Equal Justice Initiative founder Bryan Stevenson, musician Israel Houghton, uber blogger and best-selling author Jon Acuff, and best-selling authors and TED Talks sensations Susan Cain and Simon Sinek.

Plus, Catalyst Labs will feature innovative thought leaders like David Platt, Reggie Joiner, Michael Hyatt, Mark Batterson, Tim Elmore, Lysa Terkeurst, Carlos Whittaker, Eugene Cho, Bob Goff, Lynne Hybels, Tullian Tchividjian, Jen Hatmaker, Jon Acuff, Leonce Crump, Bianca Olthoff, Esther Havens, Britt Merrick, Joy Eggerichs, Ian Cron, Charles Jenkins, Kevin Palau, Herbert Cooper, Leroy Barber, Jonathan Merritt, Bobby Gruenewald, and others. 

special registration rate of $199 is being made available to you (over $120 savings). To take advantage of this Exclusive offer, call 888.334.6569 to speak with the Catalyst Concierge team, or register HERE and use RATE CODE FOB.
Again, Best Rates on Catalyst tickets end TODAY- Thursday, June 28th, so register now. Call 888.334.6569 to speak to a Catalyst Concierge, or register online. Catalyst will sell out, so make sure and register early!

Register Today for Catalyst One Day Arkansas with Andy and Craig

Catalyst One Day is coming to ARKANSAS! Make plans now to attend this great day of leadership training on Thursday, August 23, at Cross Church Pinnacle Hills in Rogers, Arkansas, in the heart of Northwest Arkansas. TODAY is your last chance to get the best rates on tickets for this event, as low as $79. Register TODAY to get the best rates and bring your whole team!

If you are a leader in Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, and even Louisiana, make the drive and join us.

Our presenters are Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel for this one day leadership event focused on the topic of Creating Healthy Organizational Culture. This practical leadership experience includes 4 sessions of content, Q and A, dynamic music, and a full day of practical insight from two of the principal voices on leadership in the Church today.

Whether you are a pastor, non profit leader, business professional, or entrepreneur, the leadership principles of Creating a healthy Organizational Culture taught by Andy and Craig in this unique format apply to all of us. So pastors- bring your business leaders with you! And we'll also have the North Point Worship band with us for this One Day event.

Visit the Catalyst One Day Website to register to attend & get the best rates available! Use Rate Code FOB when registering to get tickets as low as $89.

Again, Best rates end TODAY, Thursday, June 14, so register today to reserve your spot!

[vimeo]http://www.vimeo.com/17821342[/vimeo]

12 Reasons to attend Catalyst Dallas 2012 + new speakers added

I'm so excited about Catalyst Dallas coming up May 9-11, 2012 in north Dallas. If you are considering attending, you'll want to go ahead and REGISTER TODAY to get the BEST POSSIBLE RATES on tickets. 

Tomorrow, Thursday April 12th is the final registration deadline for discounts on ticket prices, so go ahead and get your team or staff signed up at the lower prices. And when you register, use Rate Code FOB for an additional 10% off. Just for being a part of this blog community.

Here are 12 reasons why I am excited about Catalyst Dallasand why you should attend:

1. The speaker lineupAndy Stanley, John Maxwell, Matt Chandler, Katie Davis (best-selling author of Kisses from Katie), Judah Smith, Perry Noble, Kirk Franklin, Nancy Duarte, Bob Goff, Jud Wilhite, Jon Acuff, and Rudy Rasmus.. Seriously. I'm pumped!

2. ***We just added Tony Romo and Jason Witten from the Dallas Cowboys as speakers for a special segment on Thursday afternoon on May 10 on teamwork and leadership.

3. Musical Guests include Gungorone of my favorite bands on the planet, and Israel Houghton and Kari Jobe, two of my favorite worship leaders on the planet.

4. Tripp and Tyler- funny guys. funny videos. they will be funny. And Chris Seay as our host, truly representing the state of Texas and the city of Houston!!

5. OPEN YOUR FREE PRESENT- there are 30 songs and other great resources available to you for FREE on the Catalyst Dallas Website. Go and open your free present NOW!

6. BE PRESENT- this is our theme. And I love it. You can find out more about the theme. Your Presence is Requested!

7. LABS- wow, the wisdom and know-how that will be presenting on LABS day is humbling. Come a day early and hear from thought leaders like Michael Hyatt, Reggie Joiner, Jon Acuff, Lysa TerKeurst, Mark Batterson, Herbert Cooper, Margaret Feinberg, Tullian Tchividjian, Pete Wilson, Jeanne Stevens, Claire Diaz Ortiz, Brandon and Jen Hatmaker, Esther Havens, Jeremy Cowart, Bob Goff, Chris Seay, Carlos Whittaker, and many others!

8. Opening and Closing Session at LABS- Mark Batterson will be presenting in the opening session of Labs, and Reggie Joiner will be presenting in the closing session. Mark is the author of The Circle Maker and Wild Goose Chase, and Reggie is founder and CEO of Orange, and author of Think Orange.

9. 3000 Leaders- Catalyst attracts the doers, the influencers, the cultural architects, and change agents. And when you get 3000 leaders and influencers who are intent on making a difference together, great things happen.

10. Bent Tree Bible Fellowship- a great campus in Carrolton, TX (North Dallas). Top notch facilities, wireless, and a staff that is incredible to work with. The Bent Tree team is family, and we love working with them!

11. Our key partners and causes - at Catalyst we are always intentional about highlighting great organizations and leaders who are making a difference and impacting communities all over the world. Once again we'll have a number of organizations present that you can talk with and get involved with, including Hello Somebody, Art House of America, CitySquare, Gift Card Giver, Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee (free coffee!!), Compassion International, TOMS Shoes, Veritas Fashion, Mission Year, Amazima, and many more!

12. The Unexpected- Our prayer is always that God would move in the hearts of the leaders who are part of Catalyst in ways we don't expect or plan for. We love creating what we consider to be a great event, but we trust and know that God shows up in unexpected ways and meets each leader in specific ways. We love hearing stories of life change, of moments of clarity, of great conversations, of powerful times of renewal, of leader's walk with Jesus becoming stronger, etc. The experience of Catalyst is what we all look forward to.

Make sure and Register TODAY. Can't wait to see you there!

 

 

 

 

11 Reasons to attend Catalyst Dallas 2012

I'm so excited about Catalyst Dallas coming up May 9-11, 2012 in north Dallas at Bent Tree Bible Fellowship. If you are considering attending, you'll want to go ahead and REGISTER TODAY to get the BEST POSSIBLE RATES on tickets.

TODAY, March 8th is the early registration deadline, so go ahead and get your team or staff signed up at the lower prices. And when you register, use Rate Code FOB for an additional 10% off. Just for being a part of this blog community.

Here are 11 reasons why I am excited about Catalyst Dallasand why you should attend:

1. The speaker lineupAndy Stanley, John Maxwell, Matt Chandler, Katie Davis (best-selling author of Kisses from Katie), Judah Smith, Perry Noble, Kirk Franklin, Nancy Duarte, Bob Goff, Jud Wilhite, Jon Acuff, and Rudy Rasmus.. Seriously. I'm pumped!

2. Musical Guests include Gungorone of my favorite bands on the planet, and Israel Houghton, one of my favorite worship leaders on the planet.

3. Tripp and Tyler- funny guys. funny videos. they will be funny. And Chris Seay as our host, truly representing the state of Texas and the city of Houston!!

4. OPEN YOUR FREE PRESENT- there are 30 songs and other great resources available to you for FREE on the Catalyst Dallas Website. Go and open your free present NOW!

5. BE PRESENT- this is our theme. And I love it. You can find out more about the theme. Your Presence is Requested!

6. LABS- wow, the wisdom and know-how that will be presenting on LABS day is humbling. Come a day early and hear from thought leaders like Michael Hyatt, Reggie Joiner, Jon Acuff, Lysa TerKeurst, Mark Batterson, Herbert Cooper, Margaret Feinberg, Tullian Tchividjian, Jo Saxton, Pete Wilson, Jeanne Stevens, Claire Diaz Ortiz, Brandon and Jen Hatmaker, Esther Havens, Carlos Whittaker, Jeremy Cowart, Bob Goff, Chris Seay, Carlos Whittaker, and many others!

7. Opening and Closing Session at LABS- Mark Batterson will be presenting in the opening session of Labs, and Reggie Joiner will be presenting in the closing session. Mark is the author of The Circle Maker and Wild Goose Chase, and Reggie is founder and CEO of Orange, and author of Think Orange.

8. 3500 Leaders- Catalyst attracts the doers, the influencers, the cultural architects, and change agents. And when you get 3500 leaders and influencers who are intent on making a difference together, great things happen.

9. Bent Tree Bible Fellowship- a great campus in Carrolton, TX (North Dallas). Top notch facilities, wireless, and a staff that is incredible to work with. The Bent Tree team is family, and we love working with them!

10. Our key partners and causes - at Catalyst we are always intentional about highlighting great organizations and leaders who are making a difference and impacting communities all over the world. Once again we'll have a number of organizations present that you can talk with and get involved with, including Hello Somebody, Art House of America, CitySquare, Gift Card Giver, Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee (free coffee!!), Compassion International, TOMS Shoes, Veritas Fashion, Mission Year, Amazima, and many more!

11. The Unexpected- Our prayer is always that God would move in the hearts of the leaders who are part of Catalyst in ways we don't expect or plan for. We love creating what we consider to be a great event, but we trust and know that God shows up in unexpected ways and meets each leader in specific ways. We love hearing stories of life change, of moments of clarity, of great conversations, of powerful times of renewal, of leader's walk with Jesus becoming stronger, etc. The experience of Catalyst is what we all look forward to.

Make sure and Register TODAY. Can't wait to see you there!

 

 

 

 

Recent Interviews on the Catalyst Podcast

Check out some of the recent Catalyst Podcast episodes, featuring interviews with: - Lecrae, award winning hip hop artist and co-founder of Reach Records and ReachLife Ministries.

- David Platt, pastor of the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham and best-selling author of Radical. David will be speaking at our Catalyst West event coming up on April 18-20.

- Nancy Duarte, founder of Duarte Design and best-selling author of Resonate and Slide:ology. Nancy will be speaking at our Catalyst West and Catalyst Dallas events coming up April 18-20 (West) and May 9-11 (Dallas).

- Judah Smith, pastor of The City Church in Seattle, and one of the best communicators in the world. Judah will be speaking at our Catalyst Dallas event coming up May 9-11.

- Joshua Dubois, director of the White House office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

- Anthony Bradley, associate professor of theology and ethics at Kings College in New York.

You can download all Catalyst Podcast episodes for FREE directly from iTunes, or listen on the Catalyst Website.

10 Reasons to attend Catalyst West 2012

I'm so excited about Catalyst West coming up April 18-20, 2012 in Orange County (Irvine) CA at Mariners Church. If you are considering attending, you'll want to go ahead and REGISTER TODAY to get the BEST RATES on tickets.

TODAY, February 16th  is the early registration deadline, so go ahead and get your team or staff signed up at the lower prices. And when you register, use Rate Code FOB for an additional 10% off. Just for being a part of this blog community.

Here are 10 reasons why I am excited about Catalyst West, and why you should attend:

1. The speaker lineupAndy Stanley, Erwin McManus, Tony Hawk (skateboard legend), Marcus Buckingham (Strengthsfinder), Craig Groeschel, Brenda Salter McNeil, Nancy Duarte, Donald Miller, David Platt, Dave Gibbons, Charles Jenkins, and Bob Goff. This lineup has me jacked. Seriously. I'm pumped!

2. Gungor- one of my favorite bands on the planet.

3. Tripp and Tyler- funny guys. funny videos. they will be funny.

4. OPEN YOUR FREE PRESENT- there are 30 songs and other great resources available to you for FREE on the Catalyst West Website. Go and open your free present NOW!

5. BE PRESENT- this is our theme. And I love it.

6. LABS- wow, the wisdom and know-how that will be presenting on LABS day is humbling. Come a day early and hear from thought leaders like Michael Hyatt, Jon Acuff, David Kinnaman, Rick McKinley, Charles Lee, Jeremy Cowart, Bob Goff, Lysa Terkeurst, Chris Seay, Carlos Whittaker, and many others!

7. Opening and Closing Session at LABS- Jon Acuff will be presenting in the opening session of Labs, and Britt Merrick will be presenting in the closing session. Jon is the author of Quitter and Stuff Christians Like, and Britt is the author of Big God and soon to release God Speed.

8. 3500 Leaders- Catalyst attracts the doers, the influencers, the cultural architects, and change agents. And when you get 3500 leaders and influencers who are intent on making a difference together, great things happen.

9. Mariners Church- a breathtaking campus in Irvine, CA. Lots of green space, and a staff that is incredible to work with. The Mariners team is family, and we love working with them!

10. The Unexpected- Our prayer is always that God would move in the hearts of the leaders who are part of Catalyst in ways we don't expect or plan for. We love creating what we consider to be a great event, but we trust and know that God shows up in unexpected ways and meets each leader in specific ways. We love hearing stories of life change, of moments of clarity, of great conversations, of powerful times of renewal, of leader's walk with Jesus becoming stronger, etc. The experience of Catalyst is what we all look forward to.

Make sure and Register TODAY. Can't wait to see you there!

Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel together in Atlanta

Catalyst One Day is coming to Atlanta! Make plans now to attend this great day of leadership training on Monday, March 26, at North Point Community Church. Register TODAY to get the best rates on tickets. Join Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel for a one day leadership event focused on the topic of Creating Healthy Organizational Culture. This practical leadership experience includes 4 sessions of content, Q and A, dynamic music, and a full day of practical insight from two of the principal voices on leadership in the Church today.

Whether you are a pastor, non profit leader, business professional, or entrepreneur, the leadership principles of Organizational Culture taught by Andy and Craig in this unique format apply to all of us. So pastors- bring your business leaders with you! And for the first 500 to register, there will be a special Night of Worship following the One Day event with the North Point Music band, so make sure and sign up for that special session when registering.

Visit the Catalyst One Day Website to register to attend & get the best rates available! Use Rate Code FOB when registering to get tickets as low as $89.

Best rates end TODAY, Thursday, January 26, so register today to reserve your spot!

5 Great Leadership interviews on the Catalyst Podcast

Just another reminder about the Catalyst Podcast, which is FREE on iTunes or on the Catalyst Website. Over 150 episodes from the past 5 years, but wanted to highlight 5 recent interviews/episodes you should check out.

Again, GO TO iTunes to download all of these and more for Free.

John C. Maxwell - best-selling leadership author.

Bill Hybels - founding pastor of Willow Creek Community Church.

Jim Collins - best-selling author of Good to Great and management guru.

Marcus Buckingham - best-selling author of Now Discover Your Strengths.

Michael Hyatt - chairman of Thomas Nelson and one of the top leadership bloggers in the world.

bonus: Priscilla Shirer, Francis Chan, Joel Houston, John Piper and Jon Acuff. Just to name a few. All available for Free.