Catalyst ’16 Labs – 28 Leadership Quotes From Scott Sauls On Loneliness

As a member of the Catalyst Blog Team and INJOY Stewardship Solutions, I will be bringing you live updates from the much anticipated Catalyst Conference in Atlanta, GA.  The theme for this year’s conference is Uncommon Fellowship.

The Wednesday sessions consisted of Catalyst Labs.  The afternoon’s final speaker was Scott Sauls.  Scott serves as senior pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, TN. Prior to Nashville, Scott was a Lead and Preaching Pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian in New York City after planting two churches in Kansas City and Saint Louis.  He is the author of the great book Jesus Outside The Lines: A Way Forward For Those Who Are Tired Of Taking Side and Befriend: Create Belonging In An Age Of Judgement, Isolation and Fear.

Also, as a special gift to everyone reading these posts, INJOY Stewardship would like to invest in your leadership by inviting you to a FREE Thursday October 13th online event entitled “How To Overcome The Challenges Of Leading A Growing Church.”  Click HERE or on the image below to sign up.

The following are 28 Leadership Quotes and Lessons from his challenging session on loneliness:

1. The tension point in culture will not be resolved without being in life together.
2. There’s great things about social media that triggers connection but does not complete connection.
3. The more isolated we are the more digitized we become.
4. When social media usage goes up, depression and anxiety goes up. When you counterfeit something good, it doesn’t end well.
5. When a relationship starts and ends on a device it leaves a lot to be desired.
6. When you’re a public person, people know a lot more about you than you do about them.
7. We’re lonely not because there’s something wrong with us. We’re lonely because there’s something right with us.
8. Transparency terrifies us because we have sin and shame.
9. We are motivated to control what other people think about us.
10. There is a part of us who are more comfortable having fans and followers than friends.
11. Why is Alcoholics Anonymous so successful? It is based on honesty.
12. True friendship begins when one person looks at another and says, “You too?”
13. The ones who had the greatest impact on me were those who led from weakness. In the end, it may be my weakness, not vision or teaching, which will have the greatest impact in my ministry.
14. Differences should bring out the best in us. Not the worst in us.
15. We’re all after the same thing. We’re all after empathy.
16. We’re all don’t want crumbs from the table. We want a seat at the table.
17. True friendship is also confrontational.
18. It takes courage for a majority to speak into a minority environment.
19. Membership in a local church means embedding your imperfect self and other imperfect people.
20. You don’t get to choose your family in the Kingdom of God.
21. Your church has to irritate you because if not, you’re not in community and it’s just a show.
22. The church is a family, not a consumer good. And it is good when there are things about your church you don’t like because only then can you learn to love.
23. Pat Benatar said, “Love is a battlefield.” Pat was right.
24. Words have power.
25. Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can cut me deeply.
26. Be kind because everyone you meet is fighting a hidden battle.
27. It is a blessing of old friends because you can afford to be stupid with them. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
28. America is not the center of the Christian story.

I cannot wait for the main sessions to begin tomorrow morning at 8:30 AM EST.  Be sure to check back for more leadership insights throughout the day.

On Thursday October 13th, INJOY Stewardship Solutions is hosting an online event entitled, “How To Overcome The Challenges Of Leading A Growing Church”.  You will able to learn church growth lessons from experience pastors like Shawn Lovejoy, Marty Schmidt, Josh Pennington, Mike Linch and Jeff Maness himself.  Click HERE or on the images provided to sign up.