Of the Top 25 box office earners '99-'01, 62% contained morally uplifting or Christian content. In '02-'03, that number rose to 80%. In '04-'05, 96% of the top 25 movies were morally uplifting. Meanwhile, the popularity of R-rated films has declined. In '97, there were 12 R-rated films in the Top 25 earners. This fell to 3 in '05. The number of Top 25 movies containing strong moral or Christian elements has increased from only 3 in '96 to 10 in '05. Movies with morally uplifting, redemptive, and even Christian content earn at least 3 to 7 times more money on average than movies with explicit, potentially offensive elements.

Well - Catalyst has come and gone and we are already working on next year. Before we just move on we wanted to let you see some fun moments from the conference. To view the infamous Pillow Fight click here and check out an attendee video. We are pretty sure we have broken the record we just have to finish the paperwork. We'll keep you posted. We also have a clip from our Dodgeball Chaos moment. The dodgeball team was amazing and they became good friends to the Catalyst team. If you are out there guys, thanks for coming and we really hope to see you next year. Thanks for posting your video - we LOVE it! Thanks again to everyone for all of the fun - we really hope lives were transformed. See you next year!

The number of American clergy under age 35 is dwindling. With increasing numbers of baby boomer ministers looking to retire within the next few years, churches need to move fast to find replacements. Funded by a Lilly Endowment grant, Calling Congregations, a nation-wide effort to help churches identify and educate young ministers within their ranks, hopes to recruit young clergy for 500 churches by 2009. They expect to find most of them within the congregations. The program will link participating congregations, provide technical support, and offer advice to churches searching their pews for new ministers. It will also offer up to $5,000 in matching funds to help defray the costs of educating young pastors. Ministers under 35 comprise 7% of mainline denominations? supply of pastors. 52% of today?s pastors are 35-54. 41% of the active pastors are 55 and older.

There is value in story-telling. Each of us has a story to tell. Box of magic 27 year old red rubber ball stands for courage, discipline, sacrifice, challenge, dream big Kevin?s story: He had three brothers with two alcoholic parents that moved everywhere and periodically abandoned them. One day mom leaves them for five days, Kevin leaves and the brothers go behind him to use a neighbors phone to call grandparents and the grandfather asks the lady to put them on a bus. Their grandfather says that they are getting old and they are going to have to raise themselves - Kevin goes to a playground and sees a ball. He is sad and frustrated and kicks the ball far away and runs after it - does it again and again and again. Eventually the kids from the neighborhood start playing with him, he was never asked his name, he just became "little fast kid." They welcomed him unconditionally and the same thing happened the next day. On that third day he decided he was going to have a career in sports, it was his moment of commitment. He went on to receive a Bachelor of Speech Communication and Sports Medicine and a Masters of Health. He spent ten years in the air force and speaks five different languages. He was the Head athletic trainer for the 76's, the translator for the Olympic team. Nike invites him to join with the promise that they will let him share his passion and ask him to figure out this role - at the time he was a single dad raising two sons he came up with "Katalyst" meaning excitatory or change agent, change agent. What is your red rubber ball? We allow our genius to atrophy. We need to exercise our creative muscle all the time. Keep reminders of play near you, keep things around you that help you to open your eyes like a child again. The lightbulb - Everyone of us has genius - creativity cleverness and ingenuity. Each of us has a unique light, talent and gift, how are you working on it? Work on your LIGHT! ENERGY: You need people to encourage you to chase your dreams - they should be lofty and audacious dreams - you need people to encourage you to do these things - if I hadn't had people to help me do this I wouldn't be here. ANYTHNG IS POSSIBLE: Human energy is boundless and endless There are 86,400 seconds in a day. Imagine if you got a dollar for this - you need to be present for these seconds. Remember jobs disappoint, careers never disappoint - they are a lifetime. No one can take your passion from you - recognize the difference between your job and your career. Will you create a movement of your own? Do you not trust in the fact that you have the potential to shift the world? DREAM: dedication, responsibility, education, attitude, motivation "A closed mouth don?t get fed" - Kevin's grandmother. Clarity of your vision - clear in your purpose.

God is sending us out to announce that the Kingdom of God is near, not that we have a cool church. Let's change the conversation from "the church let me down" to "Here's the way that God has empowered and inspired me to pick up the work of the church and carry it forward." God's plan will move forward. The truth is, we're doing good, maybe we paint a horrible picture because we think we need it to motivate people. But what God is calling us to is a dangerous thing, and it needs dangerous people. It's not at all safe, If we embrace the voice of God's Spirit, there are going to be some really difficult stories told. The disciples were God's first-gen leaders, they heard the voice of the Spirit. They didn't need to be told it was going to be dangerous, but they just headed into it. God is inviting you into the story - go for it. You don?t have to be sure if it is going to work - It's okay if you might fail. What idea is God calling you to that is bigger than you are? What is our life going to look life if we do this? (with apologies for the alliteration!) God lovers - people who above all else are in love with God and moved by an intimate connection with Him. Christ likers - Maturing into the character and likenesss of Christ in all we do - Those who are like Christ. Culture pacers - you don't have to be a preacher - what is in your heart that is a God-wired passion, and how can you run after it with everything you've got in the name of Jesus? Hell raisers - The idea here is that we are to engage the spiritual forces with spiritual power and authority, bringing the Kingdom of God to darkened places. Inside traders - we take a risk because we are pretty darn sure about the income - we have an inkling that Jesus will ultimately determine what matters for eternity.