What a week! NTLC was great as usual. I have said it before and I will say it again…Pastor Gerald Brooks is one of my heroes. It is just such a staggering investment that Grace Outreach makes into the lives of pastors. As a matter of fact the whole thing kicked off with these two sentences by Pastor Brooks, “I love pastors. I want you to realize that you are some of the most important people in the world.” If you can’t feel loved after starting a conference like that, then you might want to check your pulse. Moving on…

Did I take notes? Are you kidding me? I have tons of great sound bytes from the conference from different pastors…

Pastor Gerald Brooks – “Shelf Life”

• What people say that don’t go to your church matters…
• God is eternal, your church isn’t.
• Vision has a voice…it’s called prayer.
• People you love…organizations you inspire.
• Vision is a tool to get someone else to see where you are going.
• Airports never say destination unknown…but many churches sometimes do.
• Leadership is not longevity…it’s productivity.
• Jesus gave thirty years to become like us…and then spent only three to change us.
• Long before someone follows you…they watch you.
• The job of the church is not to have services…it’s to transform lives.
• The day you realize that ministry is a marathon…is the day you become a pastor.
• Few people live to see two revivals…because they fail to let go of the first revival.

Dr. Samuel Chand – “Worst Case Scenerios”

• Pastors fail when they replace faith for wisdom.
• Pastors have to be able to preach beyond this season.
• My Church grew because I was a foreigner…I was like a panda at the zoo!
• What is bad for the world can be the most incredible time for the church.
• If we can’t be an example in how we live…let us be an example in how we repent.
• Your church will respect you for your accomplishments…but they will love you for your pains.
• The time to be ready is not the time to get ready.
• Hurting people…hurt people.
• A crisis can change your theology…so speak softly…you might have to eat your words some day.

Pastor David Swann – “Large Influence in Small Places”

• You are seven people away from knowing everyone on the planet.
• I define salvation as three things…Repent, believe, and follow.
• 60% of churches in America have less than 100 people in attendence.
• What you waiting on? God wants growth more than you.
• Treadmill churches: Lots of movement…little progress.
• Four killers of predictably good services: Bizarre service, legalism, long service, boring service.
• I don’t want to quench the Spirit…I want to quench stupidity.
• Teach servanthood and watch your leaders appear.
• Leadership combined with servanthood make for a successful combination.
• Winning isn’t the goal…improvement is the goal.
• As pastors, it’s about the team improving…not the individual.

There was a lot more…and I am sure over time I will make time to reflect over it…but college football is on today and I’ve got rest and relaxation on my mind!