From Catalyst:

1. Catalyst is headed to DALLAS again. Check out catalystdallas.com & get your FREE present today!
2. Why "Missional" Is Incomplete by Michael Stewart
3. Theology Matters by Josh Harris
4. Leading is Uncomfortable by Brandon Boyd

From the Web:

1. Leading Powerful Conversations by Michael Hyatt
2. You Don't Have To Be A Celebrity Pastor To Be Influential by Eugene Cho
3. The 6 Levels of Leadership by Thom Rainer
4. The Goal of a Leader by Perry Noble
5. 10 Things That Drive Me Crazy About Working For The Church by Tim Schraeder

Brandon, our @CatalystRacer, has taken the challenge to abandon his worldly possessions for 11 months (all except a backpack) and pursuit of the American Dream to experience how God is moving in 11 countries on the World Race.

Check out his Month Three blog below and follow him @CatalystRacer to hear first hand, real time accounts of his adventure and what God is doing in the nations through a small group of world changers and a lot of faith.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I am sitting in an internet cafe at 1:00am in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Two weeks ago I was in Nicaragua on a different team. Latin America almost seems like a dream. It's kind of crazy how hard change is.

Why is that? Are we creatures of habit?

I guess we get comfortable; we like that comfort and we want to stay comfortable.

So far on my Race, He is taking me out of my comfort zone by showing me how to lead. At first, I found myself bossing people around and trying to make decisions for everyone. Fail.

I am learning to lead by example, which gives others the option to follow. When I do this, an atmosphere of trust and empowerment is created. The outcome isn't always what I thought or hoped it would be, but that's part of the learning process.

Oftentimes there is a constant internal struggle. We build up walls and defense mechanisms throughout our lives to shut out the pain and suffering-personal and others. But there is a growing want in my life to let poverty, sorrow and prayer pierce my heart into action.

The latter is winning!

I love Thailand. It's the darkest country, spiritually, that I have ever been to, but Papa has a plan. There is idol worshipping on literally every corner. (But the food is amazing!) Thailand is a center for human trafficking and the Kingdom is making a move. We say no more!

My ministry contact is part of the solution. He is a family man that has a vision for discipleship. He has integrity flowing out of him and always has a joy-filled smile bursting forth. Tomorrow we are going to a mountain village where we will be staying the night with the people we are evangelizing.

I'm learning through experience and through the people we serve alongside that leadership in missions isn't always comfortable, but it's worth it.

Blogs:

1. 40 Great Leadership Books to Read by Brad Lomenick
2. A How To for Producing Events by Brad Lomenick
3. Why Artists Are Fleeing Your Church & How You Can Change It by David Santistevan
4. The Generation That Is Redefining Generosity by Briad Dodd
5. 5 Tips for Assimilating An Effective Team by Tyler Merrick

Articles:

1. The 8 Best Worst Ideas for Leadership Growth Ever by Margaret Feinberg
2. What Matters Most by Dave Ramsey
3. Jesus + Nothing = Everything by Tullian Tchividjian
4. 3 Words & Jay-Z: The Beauty of Saying I Don't Know by Dave Gibbons
5. Wow, It's Been 21 Years by Christine Caine

Theology isn't for a certain group of people. In fact, it's impossible for anyone to escape theology. It's everywhere. All of us are constantly "doing" theology. In other words, all of us have some idea or opinion about what God is like. Oprah does theology. The person who says, "I can't believe in a God who sends people to hell" is doing theology.

We all have some level of knowledge. This knowledge can be much or little, informed or uninformed, true or false, but we all have some concept of God (even if it's that he doesn't exist). And we all base our lives on what we think God is like.

...I've come to learn that theology matters. And it matters not because we want a good grade on a test but because what we know about God shapes the way we think and live. What you believe about God's nature-what he is like, what he wants from you, and whether or not you will answer to him-affects every part of your life.

Theology matters, because if we get it wrong, then our whole life will be wrong.

I know the idea of "studying" God often rubs people the wrong way. It sounds cold and theoretical, as if God were a frog carcass to dissect in a lab or a set of ideas that we memorize like math proofs.

But studying God doesn't have to be like that. You can study him the way you study a sunset that leaves you speechless. You can study him the way a man studies the wife he passionately loves. Does anyone fault him for noting her every like and dislike? Is it clinical for him to desire to know the thoughts and longings of her heart? Or to want to hear her speak?

Knowledge doesn't have to be dry and lifeless. And when you think about it, exactly what is our alternative? Ignorance? Falsehood?

We're either building our lives on the reality of what God is truly like and what he's about, or we're basing our lives on our own imagination and misconceptions.

We're all theologians. The question is whether what we know about God is true.

Excerpted from Dug Down Deep by Joshua Harris Copyright © 2010 by Joshua Harris. Excerpted by permission of Multnomah Books, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Catalyst West Coast is going to be here before you know it! What you might not know is that you can download ALL NEW FREE PRESENTS from the site. 

An ENTIRE CATALYST GROUPZINE.

Talks from FRANCIS CHAN, KAY WARREN, & JUDAH SMITH.

Books from BLAINE HOGAN & PETE WILSON.

Music from amazing artists such as: SERYN, CARLOS WHITTAKER, EDDIE KIRKLAND, & so many MORE!!!

Oh yeah & if that wasn't enough you will also be entered to win an iPad 2 or a Republic bike.