During Catalyst Conference, Seth Godin discussed resisting compliance.

The masses couldn’t know what time it was until 200 years ago. We didn’t get time zones until 150 years ago.

Our economy drives our culture. When the Roman empire showed up, it demanded a different way of living. The economy changes the way we see things.

School was created by Andrew Carnegie and other industrialists to train kids to do what we want. Doing what you are told was invented to feed the factory system. Our systems have been built to run on interchangeable people that can be replaced.

Do you know why the factory wants you to fit in? So they can ignore you.

The fact is that in the world of Google, competence is no longer a commodity. When based on competency, I can always find someone to do your job cheaper.

The problem with factories is they will die because they are racing to the bottom. Stores are racing towards the lowest price. Churches are racing towards the nearest building. But often there is someone cheaper or closer.

What we can count on now is because we are more connected than ever before… because we can make more than ever before… all that is left is doing work that matters. So what is left is:

1. Are you going to be more obedient than everyone else?
2. Are you going to be more graceful than everyone else? (that is doing work that matters)

What we have created at work, at school, at church is a mindset that we must be more compliant than everyone else. But reality is we need to be more connected. Because in a world where people have choices, people will leave if they don’t want to do something.

The more change we can make, the more likely the tribe will join us. If you were gone, would people miss you?

Change is made by individuals who stop seeking deniability (proof it wasn’t your fault). Change is made by people who can accept responsibility.

When we think about what art is, is it really important that we prove we are better than everyone, or is it more important to just be on the winning side?

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During Catalyst Conference, Christine Caine of The A21 Campaign discussed human trafficking.

We have a generation that is lost not because they chose to be but because of things that have happened to them.

In the world today, there are 27,000,000 victims of sex trafficking. It is hard to fathom this number, but all it takes is understanding the story of just one victim.

Compassion is never compassion until you cross the street and begin to invest your own time and talent and passion.

We, who have been rescued by Christ, have a message of hope and rescue. Let’s not just do church. Let’s be church. Let’s find darkness in the world and illuminate it.

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During Catalyst Conference, Daniel Pink, author of Drive, discussed motivation.

Human beings respond very well to rewards and punishment within our environment. But we also do things for other reasons like purpose, faith, etc.

However, too often we stop at motivating people by only using rewards and punishment. The problem with this approach is it is wrong. It is simply not scientifically true. There have been hundreds of studies verifying this, but we will focus on two:

STUDY #1

A Duke University study separated people into three groups with varying levels of cognitive difficulty and assigned small, medium, and large financial rewards. What was discovered was:

As long as the task only required mechanical skills, financial bonuses were directly related to performance. A larger reward led to better performance.

But with higher cognitive skills, the larger the financial reward, the worse the performance.

STUDY #2

In another study, commissioned artwork was found to be rated less creative than noncommissioned work, yet they were not rated as different in technical quality.

SO HOW DO WE APPLY THIS?

Fact: money is a motivator.

You must pay people enough. Once you pay people enough, than additional units of money have very little effect on additional levels of satisfaction or performance. The best use of money as a motivator is to pay people enough to take the issue of money off the table.

Once people are paid enough, three factors motivate them:

1. Autonomy
   Autonomy is our desire to control our own destiny. Management is a technology from the 1850s for organizing people that is designed to get compliance. But we don’t want compliance. We want engagement. And the only way we get engaged is if we get there under our own steam. Let people control when they do something, what they do, and who they do it with in order to get the desired results. Carve ut time for noncommissioned work.
2. Mastery
   Mastery is our desire to get better at stuff. The single most motivating thing at work is making progress. We have to start doing our own performance reviews.
3. Purpose
   People want to do things that matter.

So ask yourself, “Am I improving?”

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During Catalyst Conference, Scott Harrison of charity: water discussed his pursuit of clean water.

After 10 years of living as a night club promoter, Scott Harrison transitioned to medical missions for two years. During that time, he learned how dirty water was the root cause of most of the diseases his team treated. When he came back, he started charity: water to build wells and train communities about clean water.

We live in a world where people will pay $16 for a margarita. They’ve just been being told the wrong story. However, charity: water’s story could not be about guilt.

1 billion people (1/6 of the world) on the planet do not have access to clean water.

Many people did not trust charities, so Scott Harrison and charity: water decided to build trust in 3 ways:

1. Put 100% of donations into the cause (pay for administrative costs separately).
2. Prove where the money went by adding GPS and photos to each well site.
3. Create a brand.

As charity: water grew, it was clear that it was not about the brand but about the stories of the people raising money and the stories of the people getting clean water. The solution was mycharitywater.org.

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During Catalyst Conference, Andy Stanley of North Point Community Church (Alpharetta, GA) discussed the internal tension that we all carry because of our appetite for more.

God has designed us to be big bundles of appetites and desire. But each one of our appetites create a tension because each appetite demands more.

When it comes to leadership, I think there are some appetites that are heightened more than the average person. No matter how much your appetite is fed, you always want more.

Leaders have an appetite for:

• Progress
• Greater Responsibility
• Respect (recognition)
• Winning
• Growth
• Fame
• Achievement
• To Be Envied

There is something in all of us when it comes to our opportunities that want more.

3 Things You Need to Know About Appetites

1. God created them and sin distorted them.
2. Appetites are never fully and finally satisfied.
3. You appetites always whisper now and never later.

Your response to your appetites – you management of them – will determine the direction of your profession, your family, and your life.

People almost never lose their ministry because of bad theology. But many have lost their ministries because of their inability to manage their appetites.

The whole story of Jacob and Esau in Genesis 25 is built around the birthright. A birthright was valuable for three reasons:

1. Financial
   The oldest son would get significantly more than the other siblings.
2. Authority
   The oldest son gained authority over the rest of the family.
3. God’s Blessing
   There was an association/belief that God would bless the oldest son because of the birthright.

So in Genesis 25, Esau gives into an appetite and trades his birthright for a bowl of stew.

Older brothers rarely need or want anything from the younger brother, but when they do the younger brother takes advantage of it. Who would trade a birthright for a bowl of stew? It happens all the time. Who would do that? You will if it feeds the right appetite.

When you have an out of proportion appetite, scientists have discovered that your brain chemically changes in two ways:

1. Impact Bias
   Takes a simple appetite and magnifies it out of proportion. Your brain lies to you and tells you that it will feel way better than it actually will. This is why we have buyer’s remorse.
2. Focalism
   Focuses our mind on one thing and blocks out everything else.

This happens every time an appetite gets blown up out of proportion. Esau did not have anyone to reframe his appetite. And we will not have anyone standing next to us to reframe our appetites.

Whatever you want, you will only want more. Your only hope is to reframe your appetite within the context of what God wants you to be.

There are opportunities that you should never take advantage of because they will pull you away from what God wants you to do. Appetites are valuable, but if you allow them to dictate your future, then you will one day sell it all for a bowl of stew.

So ask yourself…

What do I want to see God do 10 years from now?

Answering that question will reframe your appetites. The clearer your answer, the more control you will have over your appetites.

So what is your bowl of stew?

You have no idea what God wants to accomplish through you. You have no idea what God wants to accomplish through your children. You have no idea what God wants to accomplish through your grandchildren. But God knows.

So whatever you do, don’t trade your future for a bowl of stew.

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During Catalyst Conference labs, Alan Hirsch and Debra Hirsch discussed missional discipleship.

DISCIPLESHIP REDUCES IDOLS

The big issue of the Christian faith is discipleship. If we fail with discipleship, we fail everywhere. We have been very good at winning people to faith but not discipling them.

Discipleship is increasing our resistance to idols. Idolatry is a big issue of our day.

Worship is offering your whole world back to God.
Discipleship is offering your whole world back to God.

C.S. Lewis said, “I can’t love my wife enough, but I can love her too much by loving her more than I love God. That is idolatry.”

OPEN FAMILY

We have bought into the nuclear family as the one true form of family. And some ministers believe that if we strengthen nuclear families that we will be spiritually healthy. However, the nuclear family was actually popularized during the Industrial Revolution. The global Kingdom idea of family incorporates a much more open concept of family that includes orphans and widows and others.

In Western culture, we have become focused on protecting and caring for our spouse and children rather than opening that up to include serving others.

DISCIPLESHIP AS DIRECTION

We disciple everyone not just Christians. Discipleship’s role is to point people toward Jesus regardless of how close or far away they are from a relationship with Christ. God looks at the heart, but we look at the external.

There can be someone close to Christ but looking the opposite direction. And there can be someone far away from Christ that are looking towards Him.

When does conversion take place? When we see the missional task as discipleship, it will change our world.

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For the opening session of Catalyst Conference labs, Michael Hyatt, the CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers,  spoke on the importance of platform and how to build one.

Platform is the most common reason why even really good writers can’t be published. If you want to say anything, you need a platform.

Things are changing, but people are bored. People still need direction. Without it, technology is just entertainment. People need purpose. People need leadership to help them to find fulfillment, to organize them as a family, and to mobilize them.

Good leaders influence their audience. Platforms are all about influence.

Good leaders influence people who are already listening. Great leaders influence the world.

A platform is not a pedestal. Fame is a corrosive influence that very few people can handle. Rather a platform is a place where active individuals can interact within their movement. If your cause is important, your influence will grow with your platform.

3 Ways to Grow Your Platform

1. Establish a command center.
   This is a place that you own and control that communicates a concise message. An example is a blog. The number one thing that will drive people to your blog is compelling content.
2. Set up embassies.
   Communicate with others using various tools. Examples are Twitter and Facebook. Often connecting on social media leads to connecting in real life.
3. Create an intelligence center.
   Monitor what others are saying about you. Examples are HootSuite and Google Alerts.

3 Questions to Ask

1. What are you going to do?
2. What are you passion about?
3. Why do you need a platform?

If you can answer these questions, then you have what you need. Essentially, you are answering, “How can I use my platform to connect my passion to solving a problem?”

Without vision, technology is useless.

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Brad Lomenick, director of Catalyst Conference, has extended last week’s special discount of 10% off of the October Atlanta conference through this week (Aug. 30 – Sep. 3) for Church Relevance readers.

10% Discount Code = FOB

This year’s Catalyst Atlanta is October 6-8, 2010. Speakers include Seth Godin, Daniel Pink, Craig Groeschel, Scott Harrison, and plenty more. Be sure to register this week to get better rates.

I’ll be there this year. Leave a comment if you are going, too!

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