Yesterday, our team returned from the awesome Velocity Conference at Mountain Lake Church. I think it’s my 4th conference with them. It always provides a great leadership boost, right when I seem to always need it.
Often, my favorite parts of these conferences are the small-group breakout sessions… They provide some of the most practical, useable takeaways for me and our ministry.
It was one of these breakouts where I met Matt Evans, the pastor and founder of Rockbridge Church in Dalton. He led the breakout session “Small Town, Big Impact.” Not only did I learn a lot, but Matt became my friend, and in many ways a mentor of mine. (I’m excited to have lunch with him next week!) He has spoken into my life and into this church in lots of ways.
Here is what I learned at this year’s conference… If you are leading a breakout session, PLEASE DO NOT spend the hour reading off your list of “10 laws of leadership,” or “7 ways to cast vision,” or “21 ways to plant reproducing churches.” What happens is that we get a really scant overview of stuff that feels really stale and doesn’t impact anyone. Most of it feels like a retread of something else that we already know, and it causes the listeners to leave a little frustrated, wondering what they missed in the other breakouts going on at the same time.
Instead, give me your list on paper, or (even better) on a web page. As you talk, give me some overview… But spend the bulk of the hour sharing your heart about ONE or TWO of your 21 points. Pour out your heart about how God has really impressed THIS PARTICULAR TRUTH into your life, and tell me the story of what you have seen as a result of applying this particular principle. I want to hear YOU… Not your list.
I promise… If you INSPIRE me with just one of your principles, presenting it to me in a compelling way that makes me really want to implement it in my own life and ministry… I will trip over myself to buy your book with the rest of your principles in it! Think of the exponentially larger impact you will have on my ministry, and of the number of books you could sell!
It’s really a great lesson for me as a speaker, also. Rattling off countless good points does little good. Each message should ultimately point to ONE TRUTH, which should be easily transferrable into someone’s life. All the facts and figures in the world don’t matter if they don’t compellingly lead someone into life transformation.