The Nines

Last Thursday, I drank from a firehose.  For nine hours on 9/9/10 (thus, The Nines) I watched the video conference with nearly 100 speakers at 6 minutes each.  I was thankful for the break every half hour.  (By the way, I need a new comfortable chair for my desk.  Donations accepted.)  I wasn't sure I would last the entire day, but it was so encouraging and challenging that I couldn't pull myself away.

I just wanted to share with you some one-liners I gleaned over the nine hours. I can't guarantee that these are direct quotes.  They may just be what I heard rather than what was actually said.  I won't post everything I learned.  If you want more, click the title to this blog entry to view the videos or read the notes. 

If you follow me on Twitter, I apologize for bombarding you last Thursday.  Here are some nuggets that didn't get tweeted:

Dino Rizzo: God will bless what honors Him, not what honors you.
Jenni Catron: If life decisions were black and white, we wouldn't need leaders.
John Bishop: Risk everything to reach everyone.  (Wow!)
Thomas Hyatt: In bad times, ask "What does this situation make possible?"
Mark DeYmaz: Decision time? Ask, "Which way requires faith?" Without faith it is impossible to please God.
Stacy Spencer: Find Christ in your crisis.
Kem Meyer: We tend to overestimate what we have to say and underestimate how it's going to affect the other person.
Patrick Kelley: Psalm 25:3
Dave Ferguson: Yes
Eric Bramlett: No
Toby Slough: To be fully loved, you must be fully known.
Jonathan Falwell: God created me and called me to be ME.
Eric Geiger: Ministry should never over-rely on clergy.
J D Greear: The goal of a sermon is for people to leave worshiping.
Craig Groeschell: Less is more. Less time = more creativity. Fewer resources = greater innovation. Less structure = greater ministry.
Scott Wilson: The church should be the solution center for our communities.
Jud Wilhite: Don't miss the moment you're in while trying to get where you're going.
Laura Koke: Include young people in everything.
Brian Bloye: It's all about God's glory.  24/7
Greg Holder: Healing/Transformation/Change is a process. Wait for it.
Chad Hunt: You cannot grow your church until you grow your leaders.
Rick Rusaw: Not "come to us" or "go to them" but "BE WITH THEM."
Margaret Feinberg: You ask not because you have not. You have not an idea what God wants to do in your community.
Steven Furtick: When you tap into your uniqueness, God will use you to change the world.

Ok, I'll stop here.  This is just the tip of the iceberg.  Check out The Nines website for more information.

This week is another firehose week for our staff.  Chris, Joshua, and I will be at NewSpring this Thursday to hear from Perry Noble, Steven Furtick, Mark Driscoll, Jud Wilhite, Judah Smith, Francis Chan, and Rick Warren.  What a line-up. 

Transformation House will not be built because we mimic any of these men of God or because we use their methods.  However, God is using them to bring us encouragement and to challenge us to live by faith.  That's where we are; living by faith in the One who is able to do so much more than we can do and so much more than we can even expect.