Buzz Reflections
Alright folks. Here are my raw reflections on Buzz.
First of all, I felt good about last year but not great. I didn't really feel like we hit on all eight cylinders last year. I have a totally different feeling this year. The atmosphere was totally different. Much more social and natural. It almost felt like a family reunion. One of the highlights for me was just hanging out during breaks.
We had one objective this year: just be ourselves. That's why we decided to limit attendance and stay at Union Station. That's us! I think we were trying to impress or trying to keep up with the conference jones last year.
The key conference measure to me was the question I asked at the beginning of the last session. I felt impressed by the Holy Spirit to ask the question. I asked how many people felt like Buzz was more than a conference--they felt like it was a divine appointment because of something that happened or something that was said. My rough guestimate is that more than 60% raised their hands. Something sacred happened today!
To be perfectly honest, we went into Buzz 07 leaning away from hosting a Buzz 08. We'll host lots of conversations over the next year. We'll do a few NCC Undercovers. I'm going to do a 48-hour experience for lead pastors. We're tag-teaming with Dave Ferguson and Community Christian Church to host a Big Idea practicum in DC. And I think we'll do a small group practicum at Ebenezers in the fall. So we'll host lots of conversations in 08. But Buzz 07 was so conversational and transformational that I'm rethinking things. Once the adrenaline wears off we'll pray about it, talk about it, and decide whether or not to do a Buzz 08.
A few final thanks.
I honestly think that Craig Groeschel's session today may have been the most powerful conference talk I've ever heard. I'll be digesting it for weeks and months! I feel like he kicked our butts then helped us back up! Craig is a pastor of pastors. So grateful for his friendship and leadership! What a down-to-earth visionary!
And huge props to Juliet Main, Chief Buzz Agent, and the entire crew of staff and volunteers! I kept thinking to myself: what a team effort.
That's a wrap!
First of all, I felt good about last year but not great. I didn't really feel like we hit on all eight cylinders last year. I have a totally different feeling this year. The atmosphere was totally different. Much more social and natural. It almost felt like a family reunion. One of the highlights for me was just hanging out during breaks.
We had one objective this year: just be ourselves. That's why we decided to limit attendance and stay at Union Station. That's us! I think we were trying to impress or trying to keep up with the conference jones last year.
The key conference measure to me was the question I asked at the beginning of the last session. I felt impressed by the Holy Spirit to ask the question. I asked how many people felt like Buzz was more than a conference--they felt like it was a divine appointment because of something that happened or something that was said. My rough guestimate is that more than 60% raised their hands. Something sacred happened today!
To be perfectly honest, we went into Buzz 07 leaning away from hosting a Buzz 08. We'll host lots of conversations over the next year. We'll do a few NCC Undercovers. I'm going to do a 48-hour experience for lead pastors. We're tag-teaming with Dave Ferguson and Community Christian Church to host a Big Idea practicum in DC. And I think we'll do a small group practicum at Ebenezers in the fall. So we'll host lots of conversations in 08. But Buzz 07 was so conversational and transformational that I'm rethinking things. Once the adrenaline wears off we'll pray about it, talk about it, and decide whether or not to do a Buzz 08.
A few final thanks.
I honestly think that Craig Groeschel's session today may have been the most powerful conference talk I've ever heard. I'll be digesting it for weeks and months! I feel like he kicked our butts then helped us back up! Craig is a pastor of pastors. So grateful for his friendship and leadership! What a down-to-earth visionary!
And huge props to Juliet Main, Chief Buzz Agent, and the entire crew of staff and volunteers! I kept thinking to myself: what a team effort.
That's a wrap!
7 Comments:
hey mark, got a question.
i've read the big idea and i know you use it, but i was wondering if you could talk about how ncc chooses what series topics to do. in other words, how do you plan out a series/sermon calendar for the year? what principles do you keep in mind when doing so?
Hey Mark,
Excellent job with the conference. This definitely was a divine appointment for me. I hope you do decide to do this next year, because we will definitely be encouraging our senior pastor and all the leaders in our area to be here.
Hey Mark,
How can we get our hands on Craig's last session?
Mark,
Great conference and enjoyed spending time with you and your folks. I have so much to process. And I appreciate the humility of just being yourselves. But today I kept coming back to the thought: What would Buzz '08 look like as an *uncontainable event*?? :)
Hey Mark:
Glad to hear the Buzz is humming in DC. You recently spoke with my good friend, Brian Kitchen - Generations Church in the SF area of California. He really appreciated the time you took to encourage and inspire.
I want to speak with your Executive / Administrative Pastor (not sure of the title you use). I am the resident "MInistry Catalyst" on staff at The Crossroads in Anthem, Arizona. Steve Wyatt is the lead.
Could you give me a name of your guy that oversees moving the ministries forward in line with NCC's vision? Just want to gleen a bit. I met David Russell at MinistryCom 06 (is he the man?)
We admire what your doing for the Kingdom. Keep chasing! Thanks man . . .
Doug Lake
The Crossroads
Good to hear from you, Doug. Joel Schmidgall would be the contact. He's Joel (at) theaterchurch.com.
Blessings,
Mark
Hey Mark -
I'm still processing and being "disturbed" from the aftershocks of Buzz 07!
Totally loved NCC Undercover!!
Didn't get a chance to talk with you, but had a blast talking to Joel (love that guy!), Dave R, and others on staff along with all the other amazing men and women of God who participated.
Challenging and encouraging at the same time. Definite divine appointment for me.
Sung
Ann Arbor, Michigan
(south of Hell - yikes!!)
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