Leading with Courage

Last week I attended the Catalyst West Conference in Irvine, CA.  I’m not blowing smoke when I say it was the best conference I’ve attended in years!  For me, that’s a pretty big statement to make.  I’m not a conference junkie.  Although I’ve been to many in over 12 years of ministry, it’s been awhile since I’ve gone to a conference that had a significant impact on my life.

In the early days, conferences were life changing.  But after awhile they become predictable, losing their luster.  But not Catalyst West, which was fresh, creative, diverse and relevant!

Over the next few days, I will be sharing with you what I experienced at Catalyst West.  I hope to relive the experience with you, offering my twist on what some of the speakers had to say.  It’s going to be fun!

Andy Stanley was one of the speakers.  My favorite quote from him:

“A single act of courage is often the tipping point of extraordinary events.”

Let me give break down what this means and give you my spin on it.  Often, one act of courage changes everything.  It sets you on a new direction in life.  I’ll share a few of mine with you.

In my early 20’s I was working full-time as a sales rep while also working part-time (30 hours plus a week) as a Children’s Pastor (I was paid for 10 hours/week).  After about a year of working 65-70 hours a week between the two, I had a decision to make. Something had to go.  I chose to quit my full-time job and career as a sales rep in order to be a Children’s Pastor.  However, I wasn’t making enough money part-time as a Children’s Pastor to support myself.  So, it was scary and risky.  But within 30 days of quitting my job, I was given more money (enough to support myself) & responsibility at the church.  That one decision affected the next decade of my life and beyond.  It was the launching pad to making a difference in the lives of hundreds of kids and an amazing team of leaders over the years. It was the springboard to pointing hundreds of preteens to Jesus.  That one act of courage changed everything, bot for me and those around me.  I felt the fear, but did it anyway.  Why? Because I knew it was God’s plan for my life.

One more example.

Over three years ago, I decided to launch PreteenMinistry.net.  I scraped up a few hundred dollars and paid somebody to design the website.  Found somebody in India to do it cheap. The design wasn’t that good, but it was a start.  I had an intense desire to share what I knew about preteen ministry with others.  I wanted to give preteen leaders practical, creative and relevant resources.  As I looked around in the resource world, there was nothing for preteens.  So, I launched PreteenMinistry.net.  I stayed up countless nights adding content.  I often got barely any sleep and had to wake up early the next morning to go to work. It was a slow start, but eventually people were stumbling upon the site.  In the last year, things have exploded!  It’s exciting!  People from around the world are logging on and getting top notch preteen curriculum from us.  I can go on and on about our growth and my excitement!  Thousands of preteens around the world are being impacted by what we do at PreteenMinistry.net! I’ll have to tell the full story one day.

But, you want to know the interesting thing?  I almost quit.  Not once, but at least a hundred times!  Especially in the early days.  It was much more time consuming launching and maintaining the site than I originally thought.  I thought it was going to be an overnight success. It wasn’t.  The first year only a handful of people were interested in what was being offered.  Another interesting thing…my pastor (also my boss) wasn’t excited about it.  He didn’t want me to launch it. Good thing I didn’t listen to him!

Looking back, my decision (with God’s leading) to launch the website took courage.  My decision to persevere through difficulty took courage.  Those acts of courage was the catalyst for something great.

My point in sharing those two examples is to illustrate the point that Andy Stanley made.  One simple decision can lead to God doing great things through you.  When you feel the fear, but step out on faith anyway, that one decision can be the launching pad to having a huge impact.  It can be a launching pad to a great future!  A launching pad to amazing and wonderful things!

So, what is it for you?  What thing have you been thinking and praying about, but haven’t yet moved toward?  What have you been sensing God speaking to you, but haven’t done?  What is God whispering to you?  How do you need to lead with courage today?

It takes courage to lead and to step out of your comfort zone.  It takes courage to do what God is speaking.  It takes courage to do great things for God.  He gives you the power to do courageous things, so what are you waiting for?