IT: How Leaders Can Get IT and Keep IT - Craig Groeschel

Craig Groeschel is the lead pastor of LifeChurch.tv and the author of numerous books including, "It," "Chazown," and one of the best books I know on dating: "Going all the Way."

- At Lifechurch, every person contributes together toward seeing one life changed.

- The key for any church maxing out is its leaders understanding who they are.

- We're not about being multi-site; we're about leading people to Christ. When it stops working or slows down we'll try something else.

- "It" is not the Spirit, because it's wrong and untrue that churches who don't have "It" don't have the Spirit.

- The campus that my family attends is the only one of 13 campuses that is smaller [over the past few years.]

- What is "It?" The answer is, "Don't know."

What we know about "It":
- God makes "it" happen
- We can't create it, reproduce it, manufacture it.
- It is rare that one person will bring "it," but it's common that one person will kill "it."
- It has an upside: transformed lives.
- It has a downside: critics.

Ministries that have "it" have a laser focus.
- Many people think more ministry=better. I think better ministry=better.

- What can you be the very best at in your ministry or organization?

- To reach people nobody else is reaching you have to do things nobody else is doing. To do things that nobody else is doing we can't do things that everyone else is doing.

- Basically what we were doing with a lot of our ministries was entertaining Christians from other churches.

- What are you doing that you need to stop doing? Take that home and let it keep you awake.

Churches with "it" see opportunities where everyone else sees obstacles. They see potential when everyone else sees problems.
- You have everything you need to do exactly what God wants you to do. (2 Peter 1:3)

- Lots of people say God provides by what He provides. We've found that God often guides by what He doesn't provide.

- What is God trying to show you through your greatest limitation?

Churches with "it" are willing to fail when those without "it" tend to play it safe.
- Failure is not an option; it's a necessity.

- Failure isn't missing God. It's often the first step into seeing God.

- God may be giving you a vision to do something and there are three steps of failure you need to do before you get it right.

- What has God called you to do that you're afraid to attempt? Now when are you going to do it?

Churches with "it" are led by people who have "it."
- You need to have "it" for your ministry to get "it."

- Sin is fun for a while and then it will mess. You. Up. Like a good sneeze. It feels good, and then there's stuff everywhere that needs to be cleaned up.

- [At one point in my life,] God showed me I had become a full-time pastor and a part-time follower of Christ.

- If you don't have "it," what are you going to do to get "it." I pray you don't sleep until you get "it" and fall in love again with Jesus.

"May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and turn their pain to joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.
Amen.”