Catalyst Atlanta Speaker Spotlight // Matt Chandler

We are so excited about Catalyst Atlanta 2012. If you haven't entered for a chance to win new kicks or a dream vacation do so NOW! You also get 35+ songs as a FREE download gift from us & a few of our favorite musical artist friends.

Continuing through to October we will be featuring a different speaker answering some questions about the MAKING of a leader. We are really pumped for YOU to get to know these leaders on a deeper level & have them answer some tough [and some fun] questions about leadership. We had such a great response from our speakers we are excited to be able to share two speaker spotlights with you each week, on Tuesday & Thursday.

Matt Chandler serves as Lead Pastor of The Village Church in Highland Village, TX. He describes his eight-year tenure at The Village as a re-planting effort where he was involved in changing the theological and philosophical culture of the congregation. The church has witnessed a tremendous response growing from 160 people to over 8,000 including satellite campuses in Dallas and Denton. Alongside his current role as lead pastor, Matt is involved in church planting efforts both locally and internationally through The Village and various strategic partnerships. Prior to accepting the pastorate at The Village, Matt had a vibrant itinerant ministry for over 10 years where he spoke to thousands of people in America and abroad about the glory of God and beauty of Jesus. His greatest joy outside of Jesus is being married to Lauren and being a dad to their three children, Audrey, Reid and Norah.

Who is someone that inspires you today to be a better leader?
I have always been moved by Larry Osborne's faithfulness to the Bible, his family and the church God has called him to lead. He is self aware, generous and the most gifted man at making and empowering other men I've been around.

How would you describe yourself as a leader?
I use the phrase all the time, "influence not control" I want the most gifted and passionate men around me as possible and if you're controlling then these men will get frustrated and bail. I've never had a problem with gifted high level men leaving to plant a church or revitalize a church but I don't want them leaving because I haven't given them room to grow and fly because of my controlling tendencies. I always want to influence at the highest level the philosophies that drive our practices but there needs to be other voices and I have to be willing to defer at times.

What did you want to be when you grew up?
In 1986 the movie "Top Gun" came out and I was sold. I wanted to be Maverick and fly a fighter plane and fight the Russians. I laugh now because I'm 6'5 and couldn't fit into one of those planes to save my life but until I got into High School and hit my growth spurt I would have answered this question "Naval Aviator"

What is one mistake you witness leaders making more frequently than others? What are the steps to avoid this mistake?
What we do can be difficult and it can be really, really busy. When you get an achiever or type A guy in a position that is difficult and really, really busy he will make it work by cutting things that they feel aren't as pressing. I most often ask leaders to tell me about how they organize their weeks and months and the big gap I find in most of the leaders I talk to is solitude with God. It is simply not a priority to pull away and pray, think and engage the Lord by themselves. They end up serving the Lord rather than knowing Him. The steps to make to avoid this are really simple. Find a day a month and schedule a day for just you and the Lord. Regardless of what comes up or what is pressing protect that day. It's never going to happen if you don't schedule it. Days won't just magically open up. I don't believe there has been anything as important as "The Day" for me over the past 10 years.