C3: Ed Young…again

Ed Young took the platform to wrap up this year’s C3. I’m not sure what’s cooler–Ed’s shirt or his belt buckle. It kind of makes me want to become a cowboy just to wear a belt buckle like that. I’m going to have to ask Emily if she thinks that would be sexy.

Here’s what Ed had to say:

• Ed opened the session by showing a video testimony of a Jewish man that he led to Jesus.
• Ed explained that he caught the value for personal evangelism from his father.
• There’s power in personal evangelism.
• The church should be comfortable for the unchurched and uncomfortable for believers.
• “Take people where they need to go, not where they want to go.” That’s the crucial role of leaders.
• You have to do the hard things first. Discipline.
• You have to have zero partiality in your life. “How do you treat someone who can’t do anything for you?”
• You need to be disciplined in your study. 80% of the game is the preaching game. So goes the weekend, so goes your church.
• There’s power in the absence. Take that day off. Take breaks. When you’re away, people step up.
• 17,000 pastors leave the ministry every year. It’s burnout.
• Hospitality happens. I Peter 3:9. Romans 12:13.
• Promote. Promote. Promote. “This little light of mine…”
• “Have a funeral for negative people in your mind.”
• Generosity starts with the leader.

Ed brought Mom and Dad Young up on the stage to ask them some questions. Here are some thoughts from that conversation:

• Dr. Ed’s top spiritual gift is personal evangelism. “I particularly love lost people.”
• Jesus was a friend of sinners. Become their friend.
• Schedule time for breaks. We have to withdraw.
• When the leader makes sacrificial gifts, the rest of the church will follow.
• “We are blessed to be a blessing.” That principle applies to all gifts from artists to those that have been gifted financially.
• “It’s important for us to gear our church for those that aren’t there yet.” That’s a church that’s evangelistic.