Something occurred to me when Ed Bastian, the CEO of Northwest Airlines, was hanging out in the Catalyst offices... CEOs are easier to meet than pastors. Why? Because church leaders are in love with leadership. We're infatuated with gatekeepers, and putting "lead" in front of our job titles, and saying "no" as a personal discipline. Hey, it's not a bad thing, but pastors have only recently discovered "leadership" as a discipline, thanks to Bill Hybels, and we're binging on it like college freshmen at a frat party. We're like my four year old who can't help but show people his new shoes. And yes, in the interest of full disclosure, I work for a church leadership conference. =)
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so true. i always find it much easier to connect with a CEO at a major organization than frankly some of the local pastors in my area, not to mention the pastors of large multi-site churches.
side note: thought catalyst was now a "community" not just a "conference. " :)
Posted by: daniel d | December 12, 2008 at 10:29 AM
Can't help but notice that you are still referring to pastors as "we." It's still in the blood huh...
Posted by: Chris S. | December 12, 2008 at 10:32 AM
Great post -- I'll have my assistant follow-up with reasons why it's great later... ;-)
Posted by: Steve Bradley | December 12, 2008 at 11:06 AM
Great post -- I'll have my assistant follow-up with reasons why it's great later... ;-)
Posted by: Steve Bradley | December 12, 2008 at 11:08 AM
Great post -- I'll have my assistant follow-up with reasons why it's great later... ;-)
Posted by: Steve Bradley | December 12, 2008 at 11:10 AM
I'd love to hear your thoughts about what made the CEO "easier" to meet.
Posted by: Scott Marshall | December 13, 2008 at 06:13 PM
just imagine how effective Jesus' ministry could have been if he had discovered "leadership"!
Posted by: david | December 13, 2008 at 08:30 PM
Scott, the business community doesn't take the discipline of leadership quite as seriously. Leaders emerge out of circumstances, rather than declare themselves to be such. The fact that Northwest's CEO was sitting in the Catalyst lounge should tell you something. Notice we weren't sitting in his office.
Posted by: Ben Arment | December 14, 2008 at 07:55 PM