Notes:
Session 5: IT: How Leaders Can Get IT and Keep IT
Craig Groeschel
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  • [Video: Lifechurch.tv multisite, church with teaching via satellite. Founded by Craig because he was a non-Christ follower in a church and was never challenged]
  • IT: Have you ever walked into a church that was just dead? They don’t have IT. Have you ever been to a place where people are just excited? They have IT
  • Started a church in a garage, with felt chairs and a big closet for children’s church. Not great surroundings, but people met God and were changed, so they brought more people. Had the spirit of God.
  • After 13 years, all campuses, no main site, intentionally
  • I have no idea what IT is
  • Some things we know about IT
    • God gives it
    • Rare for one person to bring it, but one person can kill it
    • Not a model (not emergent, charismatic, multi-ethnic, seeker sensitive, etc.)
    • Causes lives to be changed
    • Attracts critics
  • Some four things that accompany IT
    • Laser focused
      • Met someone with 287 ministries. How can you do any of them well?
      • More ministries is not better. Better ministries are better.
      • In order to reach people no one is reaching, you need to do things that no one else is doing.
      • What are you doing that you need to stop doing?
        • You have everything you need to do what God wants you to do. If you have a need, maybe God wants you to see an opportunity where none exists.
        • What is God trying to show you through your greatest limit?
    • Sees opportunities where others see obstacles
    • Willing to fail
      • Failure is not an option. It is a necessity. We need to be broken.
      • Decided to start two locations at one time. Failed. But learned lessons that opened doors that would for some things later on.
      • What has God called you to do that you are afraid of?
    • Lead by people who have IT
      • You need to have it for your ministry to get it.
      • Got it by Eph: For by grace you are saved.
  • Had IT, but ministry started to kill it. Started off being about building God’s kingdom and slowly became about building my church.
    • Started imitating others. Started giving sermons where the jokes were calculated to get the right reaction.
    • God showed me that I had become a full-time pastor and part-time follower of Christ.
      • Took a year: had to read only God’s word (to avoid the temptation to copy), fasting, death in the family
  • If you don’t have it, what are you going to do to get it? I pray that you won’t sleep until you get it, if that’s what it takes.

Copyright © 2008 by Geoffrey Prewett