This fall, I will be again presenting research at the Catalyst Conference main stage. The theme of Catalyst this year is built around the idea of "making a mark" and is tied in to the 10-year anniversary of Catalyst.

I would like to get your feedback about the questions we should ask in a survey of 1000 Protestant pastors. Here are some ideas we have-- help us to think of more or to make these questions better. If you could ask 5-10 questions of 1000 pastors that would help understand their views of leadership, the future, and making their mark, what would they be?

Here are some of our thoughts. As you can tell from the numbering they are part of a larger survey.

My friends at Leadership Network surveyed 232 pastors of churches with an average weekend worship attendance of at least 2,000. Here are 10 things you might not know about megachurch pastors. Read the whole thing here, with some explanation, and then come back to discuss.

1. They think of themselves more as teachers and directional leaders than as pastors.
2. Preaching tops the list of things they do best.
3. They haven't always worked in churches.
4. Being an extrovert isn't mandatory.
5. Family stays at the top of mind when it comes to prayers.
6. They usually like the people they work with.
7. They believe their top gift is leadership.
8. They are actively involved in sports.
9. They find worship at their church helpful for personal spiritual growth.
10. They're not thinking about quitting.

Surprised? Concerned? Pleased?

Leadership Journal provides an interesting interview with several well known pastors and leaders in "Biblical Authority & Today's Preacher." David Anderson, John M. Buchanan, R. Albert Mohler, Jr., Tullian Tchividjian, and Rick Warren are interviewed (bios are in the article) along with earlier comments from Billy Graham.

You can read the article here. It summarizes points of agreement as:

A calling to preach. All the pastors interviewed for this article believe they have been divinely called to a ministry of proclaiming God's Word, and their calls have been affirmed by their faith communities.

Passion for God's word. All are clearly passionate about communicating the Word of God.

Pastors' hearts. Each person evidences a deep love for the people they serve and lead. All are committed to ministering in the context of community, not as lone rangers relying on their considerable communication gifts.

A sense of awe and responsibility for the pulpit. Just as athletes talk about "respecting the game," these leaders all have a high view of the preaching office, which is a great burden and responsibility.

I just arrived at the San Diego at the National Outreach Convention.

It should be a good week and I am not bitter that the folks at Outreach don't know where I work (click here, right under Len Sweet, and see the "North American Mission Board," my FORMER place of employment).

The Christian Post explained:

Thousands have converged in San Diego for the self-claimed single largest gathering focused solely on outreach and featuring much of today's most innovative and fastest growing churches in the country.

The National Outreach Convention (NOC), presented by Outreach Magazine, opened Wednesday at the Town and Country Resort & Convention Center...

This year's convention, under the theme "Converge: Where Mission Meets Innovation," aims at energizing and refocusing outreach efforts to help churches reach their surrounding communities for Christ.

Then they quoted what I am going to be doing in the session I lead:

But before local church pastors and other leaders jump on the bandwagon for innovative outreach methods, a panel discussion on Friday will address some of the dangers and the temptation of going from one new ministry trend to the next. The panel, led by moderator Ed Stetzer - director of research and missiologist at LifeWay - will provide "an honest deconstruction of the potential tyranny, superficiality and idolatry of ministry innovation in search of its true missional core."

Sounds like I am supposed to be the killjoy, but I hope not. And, "deconstruction of the potential tyranny" is quite a mouthful. Grin.

The good folks at Regal gave 200 copies of one of my new books, 11 Innovations in the Local Church (with Elmer Towns and Warren Bird), so I will be signing and sharing. (If you want people to sign up for your book signing, and you are not famous, you have to give books away! Thanks Regal.)

My focus will be on how churches engage their context in fresh ways.