Here are some thoughts from Ed Young’s opening session.

“Little people with little vision attack big people with big vision.”

Here is an observation I’ve made over the years: a person who is sold out to God convicts everyone around them! But it’s a holy conviction. And there are one of two responses. Either people criticize the one who convicts them to justify their complacency. Or they accept the challenge and sell out to God themselves!

That’s what is happening in Nehemiah 4:14. Nehemiah has a God-sized vision. But a couple naysayers named Tobiah and Sanballat tried to diss-courage Nehemiah. But Nehemiah tuned them out. If you listen to the “wrong they” it’ll result in vision sway.

Here is a discovery I’ve made over the years. Most of the people who come to your church from another church want your church to conform to the church they come from. You might need to read that twice. Unchurched people don’t have an agenda. That’s why they never cause problems But churched people often want your church to conform to their church. It’s natural. It’s subconscious.

Don’t let anyone keep you from being you! I’m more and more convinced that part of spiritual maturity is resisting conformity and moving toward originality. It’s becoming more and more comfortable in your own unique skin. We’re called to conform to Christ. But we’re all called to become unlike anyone else who has ever lived.

You be you.

“I don’t want to rise and fall based on the opinions of people.”

For what it’s worth, Ed has someone screen his mail and email. And he doesn’t read unsigned letters We need constructive criticism, but that ought to come from the people who are closest to us! If you listen to the “wrong they” you become like them.

Nehemiah stayed above the fray!

Here’s a thought that really challenge me: “Leaders don’t take people where they want to go. Leaders take people where they need to go.”

Churches naturally become ingrown. I call them centripetal churches.

In the words of Ed Young, “People will lick the lint out of each other’s navels.” We’re not called to sing Kumbaya. If someone isn’t 100% on board with the vision of your church, no matter how much they give, you need their seat.

“I don’t want people who are for me. I want people who are with me.”

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