Andy Stanley spoke at the first session this afternoon. I have not heard Andy speak that much, but what I have heard I have been impressed with. Today was no exception.

Andy’s talk was about power and how when you are a pastor you have a power, whether you like it or not. But the question is how will you leverage that power. Will you leverage it for your own good or will you leverage that power for the good of the other people.

It was really interesting to hear from a guy who is pastor of one of the larger churches in America. And so he has a lot of power at his church and in the Church at large, because there are many other churches that look to him and his church, and model their churches after that. I always find it interesting to hear from the pastors of those influential mega-churches, because I think you can get a real feel for their heart and why they are doing what they are doing. And with Andy it seemed to me that really just wants to serve his church and his community the way that Jesus served. To me that is more important than any book, teaching, etc. that these guys could ever do.

I loved the comment that was made by the person who came up after him. She said that she attended his church and was on staff there as well, and that he not only talked about what he said but that he modeled it. That is great to hear.

I did not attend Shane Claiborne’s talk, but I heard that all he did was read from the Sermon on the Mount. And I heard lots of opinions regarding it, so I will have to get the CD and listen to it for myself. But I must say that I do not know how you can criticize someone for reading the very words of Jesus in one of the greatest sermons of all time.