Josh Gagnon - Momentum - ReThink Leadership 2016

Joshua Gagnon is the founding and lead pastor of Next Level Church, one church with multiple locations throughout New England and the surrounding region. His session was about momentum.

• We have 5,470 people on Easter (in NH). Only 3% claim they are Christian. It is the most unchurched location in our country. We started with $200 and 12 people.
• You will always go through seasons of higher momentum and lower momentum. Why don’t we ever define our ministries in the greatest moments of momentum? The worst thing you can do is define your ministry by the lowest points of momentum. @joshgagnon #OC16 #RL16
• When we stay true to who we are we gain momentum.
• A success story is usually 15 years old, so stay consistent.
• As a leader you have to have seasons where you’re not running 100 miles per hour. If you do this, your people will not have it in the bank when they need to run 100 miles per hour.
• We circle dates on the calendar which are momentum builders.
• Focus on the need and communicate the “Why” behind the need to generate momentum.
• It’s not our job to look at culture and try to change it. It’s our job to live in it.
• You did it for nothing. You would have done it for one. Why are you now disappointed with not getting what you think you want? #RL16
• Never launch new locations out of a position of weakness but of momentum and strength.
• You have to a culture of change, a culture of openness.
• You’re teachable and willing to change that helps us keep momentum.
• We used to hire out of need.
• Instead of asking “when” and “where”, ask “who?”
• We understand where we live.
• 100-200 takes shepherding. To go beyond that takes the gift of leadership.
• Transition can always be messy. Transition must be done wisely but no seat on the bus is sacred.
• We’re not delegating tasks. We’re empowering people.
• This isn’t about you. This is about doing what God has called us to do in this area. #RL16
• The conversation needs to change from What does a lifetime of faithfulness look like vs. what does a lifetime of fruitfulness look like. The conversation needs to be more about more about faithfulness above fruitfulness. @joshgagnon 

Kevin Myers - Seasons of Momentum - ReThink Leadership 2016

Kevin Myers is the Senior Pastor of 12Stone Church in Gwinnett County, Georgia with 9 campuses, serving 18,000 a weekend. 

1. Soul momentum: It’s the soul of the leader. When Jesus is not just changing other peoples lives but you changing yours as well. Jesus is changing everyone around you, but Jesus is still changing your life.  

“The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.” Leviticus 6:13 NIV

• Keep the fire burning. Don't let it go out. Keep the fire on the altar burning. You do not let that fire go out. Attend to that fire. It can never go out.

“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” Romans 12:11 NIV

• Paul didn’t say someone else is responsible for your zeal (Romans 12:11). We are responsible for that. We are responsible for our zeal and our soul momentum

2. Smoke what you're selling, and sell what your smoking. If momentum is going to work and keep the fire burning. Keep the momentum burning inward. In other words, if we're selling Jesus, we need to be smoking Jesus. 

3 questions to keep my soul momentum:

1. What is my current word? What is my current word from the Lord? What has God been whispering to you lately? The longer it's you have gotten a word from the Lord, the lower your zeal. When God speaks to you it puts a fire in your soul and that word is Powerful. The lower the word from the Lord is from you the lower the fire is in your soul.

2. What’s my current obedience to the Lord (very personal)? FV Videos: kid hiding Oreos. When nobody is looking, what are you hiding? There can be sacrifice without obedience, but rarely can there be obedience without sacrifice.

3. What is my AWE before the Lord (very personal)? If you get on God's agenda, He will take care of your agenda. God saying, if you get on my agenda, I can get on your agenda.