All Access 2010: Night One, Session One with John Maxwell

I had an incredible time tonight at the opening session for the Association of Related Churches‘ All Access 2010. The evening session started out with thousands of pastors, their wives, their staff, and future church planters worshiping God to the awe-inspiring music of Hillsong United. The evening was broadcast worldwide on Media Social and Daystar Television.

The evenings opening speaker was leadership guru John Maxwell who called on those in attendance and the global audience to begin connecting with people because “Everyone Communicates, Few Connect“.

Maxwell gave three simple connecting points:

1. Connection is all about others.

The common misunderstanding is to try to get others to buy into you and to your vision. But as Maxwell put it,” If you help people get what they want they will help you get what you want.” Investing in people and realizing that ‘it’s not about you’ will help you connect. He mentioned how so many leaders say that ‘it’s lonely at the top’. If that’s the case, they haven’t led anyone because they made no connection and there’s no one at the top with them. “They’re not leaders, they’re just hikers.” Leaders will have invested so much in others and connected with them so well, that they’ll bring the people they’re leading to the top with them.

2. Connecting Requires Energy.

Maxwell pointed out that people work much harder at relationships when they are dating than when they get married. Real relationships- real connections require energy and work. If we plan to connect and show personal attention to individuals, a connection can be made.

3. Connectors Find Common Ground.

This was the most powerful part of Maxwell’s message. It was powerful because he spoke of the way he’s connected with the secular business world. Maxwell has done so by teaching them Biblical principles and values, and using Biblical stories in His seminars and books, while taking out the  Biblical book, chapter, and verse references so that his audience will listen to what he has to say without closing their minds due to the concepts being Biblical.

He stated that it is when we find common ground with those we are leading, that we can then lift them to higher ground as opposed to being on higher ground and calling people to join you there. This idea got a loud affirmative ” Mmmmm….!” from the crowd.

A memorable quote from Maxwell’s talk came when he was referring to the traditional  ways of a church he used to pastor. He said,” Their idea of progress is moving backwards slowly.” Whether that was an original Maxwell quote or not, it was awesome and led to a solid laugh from the audience.

In the morning I will post my notes from Brian Houston’s talk of Session One, who challenged believers to spice-up their prayer life.