December 30, 2011 12:00 AM
Another year of conversation is coming to an end on Out of Ur. Thanks to all of our writers, contributors, and commenters. It's been a great year. Like many others, Urbanites were caught up in the controversy surrounding Rob Bell...
October 24, 2011 12:00 AM
The latest edition of our free digital magazine, Catalyst Leadership, is now online. In this issue we have almost doubled the number of pages and articles, and with all of that new space we're tackling a critically important question:...
October 7, 2011 5:52 PM
Andy Stanley’s final message at Catalyst stressed one big idea: the vitality of Christian leadership depends on apprenticeship. Stanley defines apprenticeship as the process of “selecting, modeling, and coaching for the purpose of replacing yourself.” As Stanley said in an...
October 6, 2011 3:48 PM
I realize I’m surrounded by young Christian leaders, but I have a confession to make: as a general rule, I haven't always fully trusted leaders under 29. I know many who are brilliant, creative, fun, and spiritually deep, but I...
October 6, 2011 11:47 AM
BE PRESENT. That’s the theme for Catalyst 2011. I love the theme. I’ve spent most of my life learning how to show up—I mean really show up—and be present to God, my own heart, and of course people—church people, lost...
October 5, 2011 8:58 PM
Okay, so I've never read any of David Platt's books. And, quite, frankly, I didn't know what the fuss was all about ... until tonight. I'm not sure what happened, because I came here to "cover" Catalyst--as a detached, objective,...
October 5, 2011 8:55 AM
I'm just heading out to Atlanta for the 2011 Catalyst Conference. Stay tuned for updates from the conference over the next few days. Based on the theme for this year's conference--Be Present--the upcoming participants have posted the following "reasons to...
October 3, 2011 12:00 AM
The Catalyst Conference is later this week in Atlanta, and we'll have some reporting from the event here on Ur. But first a quick lesson in how to be a Christian hipster...a species commonly found roaming the arena at Catalyst....
September 14, 2011 12:00 AM
For years I’ve been trying to help people see that popular consumer culture is a form of religion. It offers us a sense of value, identity, and context that traditional religions once provided. Similarly, pop culture has sacred symbols. How...
August 25, 2011 12:00 AM
The latest issue of our free digizine, Catalyst Leadership, is now available online. This time we're covering "Authority Issues." You'll hear from authors like Eugene Peterson, Richard Foster, Charles Swindoll, Andy Stanley, and Skye Jethani. As always, we've included some...
July 7, 2011 12:00 AM
The next Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit is around the corner (August 11-12). For those of you unfamiliar with the event, its list of speakers (or "faculty" as the WCA likes to call them) has tended to follow a tried...
April 27, 2011 12:00 AM
“Welcome to Portland. Have you gotten high yet?” That was how Donald Miller welcomed the 600 participants of Q to his hometown. As a very “progressive” and “post-Christian” city, Portland is a colorful backdrop for this year’s Q Gathering. Much...
April 26, 2011 12:00 AM
The new issue of our free digizine, Catalyst Leadership, is now online. This time we're covering how technology and entertainment values are changing the way we worship. The issue includes articles and videos by Andy Stanley, Britt Merrick, Louie...
April 25, 2011 12:00 AM
Leadership's senior editor Skye Jethani will be in Portland later this week for the Q Gathering. He'll be giving us a few live updates and reports from the event. While there is no shortage of ministry events around the country,...
March 7, 2011 12:00 AM
The latest issue of our free digital magazine is now available. The March/April Catalyst Leadership focuses on "Conflict: When to to take charge, and when to take cover." You'll hear from Ken Sande from Peacemakers about how to prepare your...
November 11, 2010 12:00 AM
Catalyst One Day is coming to Phoenix! Next Thursday, November 18 at Christ’s Church of the Valley in Phoenix, Arizona. Join Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel for a one day leadership event focusing on the topic of Momentum. How...
November 5, 2010 12:00 AM
While in Cape Town last month for the Lausanne Congress, I met with a number of friends who each participated in the 12 Cities | 12 Conversations tour leading up to Cape Town 2010. About half way through the congress...
October 12, 2010 12:00 AM
Last week Leadership's editor-in-chief, Marshall Shelley, brought you live posts from the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta--one of the most influential and popular ministry conferences for younger church leaders. Next week senior editor Skye Jethani will be attending the Third Lausanne...
May 19, 2010 12:00 AM
Spring weather means graduation is coming, ushering in a season of new beginnings for students finishing high school, college, and graduate school. After three years of seminary, I’m a master of divinity. At least that’s what the diploma will...
January 26, 2010 12:00 AM
March 25, 2010 at Willow Creek Community Church Early Registration Ends Thursday, January 28 Go to www.catalystoneday.com and use the Rate Code: BLOG for a special $99 discounted rate. Catalyst One Day features Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel in...
January 19, 2010 12:00 AM
Two things in short supply for nearly every church leader—time and money. Unfortunately both are necessary if we hope to buy and read the numerous books intended to help us in our work. That is why Leadership created the...
November 2, 2009 9:00 AM
According to data from the National Congregations Study (2006-2007), 38% of people in the United States associate themselves with liturgical churches (Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopal, etc.); while 46% associate themselves with free churches (Baptist, Pentecostal, non-denominational, etc.). The 14% of...
October 20, 2009 12:00 AM
What makes a leader? Ideas. Courage. Contact with great thinkers. What makes a Christian leader? Great ideas, courage, and contact with great thinkers shaped by the gospel. So, I offer to you a list of my top ten books for...
October 19, 2009 12:00 AM
Skye Jethani will be presenting at the STORY Conference next week, Url will be blogging from the event, and Leadership's editors will be hosting video interviews with the speakers. Be sure to check out more at StoryChicago.com....
October 9, 2009 2:04 PM
> Professor Splash dives 35 feet into a kiddie pool with 1 foot of water....
October 9, 2009 11:33 AM
1) Whatever you do, do more with others and less alone 2) Whenever you do it, emphasize quality not quantity. 3) Wherever you go, do it the same as if you were among those who know you best. 4) Whoever...
October 7, 2009 3:28 PM
When the Republicans went to Washington about a decade ago, their mantra was “we’re going to change Washington, not let Washington change us.” Nice idea, but it didn’t exactly turn out that way. David Kuo, former Special Assistant to...
October 7, 2009 9:50 AM
Catalyst is here. We'll be blogging for the next three days from the event in Atlanta. While the main event starts tomorrow, today the pre-conference "Labs" will feature multiple tracks and a lot of speakers/leaders. We'll be in and...
September 24, 2009 12:00 AM
In just a few weeks we'll be down in Atlanta for the Catalyst Conference. And we're excited to announce that Out of Ur will be the official blog for the event. We'll be posting throughout the conference with exclusive...
August 27, 2009 12:00 AM
This year's Catalyst Conference (October 7-9) will include a lab track hosted by Skye Jethani, Leadership's managing editor, featuring Nancy Ortberg, Mark Batterson, Reggie McNeal, and Scott Belsky. He will also host the evening “unplugged” lab session with Matt...
July 8, 2009 12:00 AM
Eboo Patel is not the most likely seminary professor. His credentials are not the issue. Patel earned his doctorate from Oxford University, and he is a respected commentator on religion for The Washington Post and National Public Radio. He has...
June 9, 2009 8:00 AM
The final day and a half of Advance 09 built upon the themes started on the first day, brought another talk from Mark Driscoll, and marked the arrival of the Baptists - researcher and author Ed Stetzer, local Durham pastor...
June 5, 2009 10:10 AM
A few months back, I noticed that a big conference featuring John Piper, Mark Driscoll, Ed Stetzer and others, and sponsored by the Acts 29 Network, was coming to a neighboring city. I don't quite consider myself Reformed enough to...
May 20, 2009 10:02 PM
My post from yesterday elicited a couple of comments asking for further information about the Moody Pastors' Conference going on this week. It wasn't my intention to be unhelpful, but I was. So, thanks, Jarrod and PastorM. You asked good...
May 19, 2009 3:57 PM
Skye and I are at reFOCUS, Moody Bible Institute's pastors' conference, this week. Skye is leading a breakout session, and I'm making the rounds to see what's what. This is my first time at a Moody event. The last conference...
April 6, 2009 12:00 AM
Leadership editors Marshall Shelley and Brandon O’Brien, as well as yours truly, will be attending the Catalyst West Coast event April 22-24, and we’d love to connect with a few Urbanites. If you’re planning to be there, give us a...
February 10, 2009 7:49 PM
Skye and I arrived in San Diego this afternoon for the 2009 National Pastors Convention. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about the opening evening of headlining sessions was the variety. The evening started with a short routine by acclaimed comedian...
November 5, 2008 1:17 PM
In the Fall issue of Leadership journal, you'll find David Swanson's review of Consuming Jesus: Beyond Race and Class Divisions in a Consumer Church, by Paul Louis Metzger. Metzger, a professor of Christian theology and theology of culture at...
October 22, 2008 8:51 AM
A couple of weeks ago, Leadership assistant editor Brandon O'Brien spent a day talking with Out of Ur friends and contributors in Chicago. The result of his efforts is a series of podcasts we'll be releasing on Ur over...
October 9, 2008 2:14 PM
by Skye Jethani 6:20pm Groeschel encouraged us all to believe that there is "more in you." And to focus on a simple prayer: "God stretch me." But, he added: "Before God can stretch you, he's got to heal you. Before...
September 30, 2008 12:00 AM
Next week I'm sending two Urthlings, Marshall Shelley and Skye Jethani, to the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta. They'll be blogging live from the event October 8 - 10, and mixing it up with 15,000 other church leaders. Whether you’re...
September 4, 2007 12:00 AM
Few books in my library have offered more quotable material than Jean Vanier's Community and Growth (Paulist Press, 1989). Here's a nugget: "In order to be able to assume the responsibility for other people's growth, leaders must themselves have grown...
February 2, 2007 12:00 AM
I have just finished reading James Martin's The Meaning of the 21st Century. And - in my opinion anyway - every person who seeks to influence others to the Christian way ought to be conversant with this book. Don't expect...
January 23, 2007 12:00 AM
For all you women out there, I'm thrilled to announce the launch of Gifted for Leadership. It's a new resource designed specifically for Christian women who are capable, called, and gifted leaders. Unfortunately, many Christian women in leadership feel alone...
November 28, 2006 12:00 AM
In the old nursery rhyme "all the king's horses and all the king's men" tried to put Humpty Dumpty back together again. Likewise, when a pastor falls, a great amount of energy can be poured into the leader's restoration. But...
October 18, 2006 12:00 AM
"Most Christian leaders sense that there should be something different about our leadership than what is offered in the secular marketplace, but we're not always sure what that is." -Ruth Haley Barton is a spiritual director, teacher and retreat leader....
June 13, 2006 12:00 AM
In 2000, Bill Hybels invited President Clinton to speak at Willow Creek's Leadership Summit. The controversial move was based on the assumption that pastors could learn from Clinton's leadership experience - both his triumphs and his mistakes. Following this tradition...
May 17, 2006 12:00 AM
Andy Stanley, pastor of North Point Community Church, is interviewed in the current issue of Leadership on his leadership style. Highlights from the interview were posted on Out of Ur in March. Stanley defends the incorporation of secular business practices...
March 27, 2006 12:00 AM
How is ministry leadership different from other kinds of leadership? In the next exciting issue of Leadership, Pastor Andy Stanley and business expert and author Jim Collins (Built to Last, Good to Great) offered answers that left me scratching my...
March 7, 2006 12:00 AM
How do we organize a church without becoming "organized religion"? Dan Kimball, author of The Emerging Church and pastor of Vintage Faith Church in Santa Cruz, California, wrestles with this paradox in the upcoming Spring issue of Leadership. Here is...
October 7, 2005 7:21 PM
Leadership editor Marshall Shelley offers this report on his conversations with young leaders at Catalyst. "It's funny. It's like theology is back," said Rusty, who is planting a Methodist church near Auburn University in Alabama. The church is meeting in...
October 7, 2005 11:34 AM
Leadership editor Marshall Shelley reports from Catalyst, a conference for young leaders. After two days at the 2005 Catalyst Conference in Atlanta, I've picked up the mixed feelings that the emerging generation has about leadership. Even though Catalyst is billed...
