Month: October 2015

Faces of the Global Leadership Summit

Posted on October 30, 2015 by - Europe, North America, Stories, Western Europe

Every day we hear stories of leaders from around the world who are taking what they’ve learned at the Global Leadership Summit and applying it to their lives and their leadership. Here are just some of the stories we’ve heard:

 

Gareth 2“I’m a senior pastor of a church in a town close to Belfast in Northern Ireland. One of the biggest things for us to apply to our church is the whole culture of welcome, and the idea that your product is service.

Our dream is to impact our time, and beyond. It’s the message of Christ. I want people to feel that they are a part of that. The invitation of God is that we partner with him to impact his world, and so it’s helping people to understand that they are a part of it too.

My biggest challenge is staying on top of the leadership challenge. That’s the bit that I feel like I’m chasing my tail with sometimes. I’m trying to learn, and I’m trying to grow, and develop myself. My church is growing, and we’re reaching more people. And as we do that, the organization is more complex too. The challenge for me is to keep my leadership up to that challenge as the organization grows. I need to grow with that.”

– Gareth, GLS Attendee, Northern Ireland

 

Steve 3 “I’m trying to put together a company right now from scratch with a different twist to it – A Christian twist. When you’re in sales, there’s no such animal. That’s my ‘hedgehog’.”

– Steve, GLS Attendee, Chicago

 

 

 

 

 

Cassidy Finnegan 2“Brene Brown talked about how courage is so uncomfortable, and that’s why it’s so rare. I think moving into college is a big thing, and having to step out and meet new people – I hated doing that. That is a time I had to be strong and courageous – to be by myself, and then meet people.

As a result of stepping out, and being courageous, I gained a lot of friends, and I had an experience where God really helped me grow into who I was becoming as a person. He helped me to discover who I was, and how to develop further in my college experience.”

– Cassidy Finnegan, GLS Attendee, Chicago

 

 

How have you been impacted by the Summit?

Tell us your story in the comments. Or send an email to story@willowcreek.com. Thanks!

150 Prison Officers Attend the GLS in Nairobi, Kenya

Posted on October 29, 2015 by - Africa, Government, Prison

IMG_1719Commander Wanini Kireri, famous in Kenya for her prison reforms, brought a team together of 150 prison officers at a mini GLS event in Nairobi last week. Leaders were moved by former Summit speaker, Catherine Rohr’s presentation, and how she transformed prisoners’ lives in Texas.

A window has opened for ministry with prison officers in Kenya. Continue to pray for the impact of the GLS on leaders who are transforming communities, even communities within prison walls.

The GLS in Myanmar | Never Confuse Limited Resources With Limited Capacity

Posted on October 28, 2015 by - Asia, Collaboration, Stories

IMG_7213Bob Seymore is on staff at One Life Church in Evansville, Indiana and as a partner with WCA for the last 10 years, has worked with GLS teams in Southern Indiana, Western Kentucky, Myanmar and Dubai. View original post here.

 

 

Never confuse limited resources with limited capacity…that idea continued to resonate with our team as we participated in Global Leadership Summit sites in the country of Myanmar just a few weeks ago.

It all began in Myanmar in 2009 when a team from WCA, Singapore and Evansville Indiana worked in collaboration to launch the first GLS in a Yangon church for a passionate group of 350 Burmese pastors and leaders. This year the GLS is wrapping up in 4 cities in Myanmar with over 2200 leaders in attendance. And these passionate pioneers talk of reaching 9 cities with thousands more leaders over the next few years.

I had the opportunity to personally participate in 2 of the 4 sites this year and while I enjoyed returning to be with the GLS veterans in Yangon in their 7th year, I especially enjoyed our experience with a brand new site in Kalaymyo, Myanmar.


Kalaymyo is located in the northwest section of Myanmar and was recently recognized in the national news because a monsoon which triggered a state of emergency due to flash flooding that displaced thousands of people and caused devastation for families in the area. Makeshift rescue camps were spread across the valley and people were surviving in tents with random water and supplies from various churches and agencies. We were able to tour the flooded area and even provide some assistance, but in this city of 400,000 this was a disaster of major proportion.

With that backdrop, we arrived in this city to join the launch of their first GLS. While we anticipated that the floods added to the ongoing resource challenges of this city might be a detriment to local engagement in a leadership conference, we found just the opposite. The local GLS team was hard at work when we arrived the day before GLS.

Producers were going over the script for the day line by line. Tech people were setting up audio and video systems and testing to make sure the message would be optimum. Ladies were cleaning and hanging curtains to darken the room. The highly skilled band was rehearsing the worship set to make sure it was ready. The event teams were hanging banners and making sure program books and name tags were ready and waiting. There was an army of people preparing food and all this was being done under the power of generators to provide electricity. It was amazing to watch the level of organized effort and their passion to serve leaders in their city.

And they came.

The parking lot was full of motorcycles as they exceeded their goal and filled the church with over 260 leaders from 69 different organizations including pastors from multiple denominations, politicians, businessmen, educators, leaders from social welfare, media and beyond. Never had such a diverse group gathered in this city. The GLS provided a resource that could be leveraged to bring leaders together from every sector to learn, grow and improve their leadership.

It is always a privilege to provide help to the under resourced. Food, clothes, shelter, financial support…may God enlarge our hearts for those with physical needs. But what became evident in our brief experience in Kalaymyo, Myanmar was that physical resources served some of the immediate needs, but leadership development provided long term skills to address solutions. The GLS provided skills for growth to some very capable leaders in a community where leaders don’t lack capacity, but lack opportunity. Leadership resources that can help them navigate and lead in the reality of a severely under resourced environment.

The GLS is a resource to be leveraged and in Kalaymyo they came, they listened and they learned. And experience tells us that everybody wins when a leader gets better. Churches win…. Cities win…. Countries win… everybody wins.

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Faith at Work: 7 Ways to Integrate Faith and Leadership

Posted on October 27, 2015 by - Articles, Calling, Culture, Leading Organizations

Our guest post today comes from our friends at The C12 Group, an organization that helps Christian business owners and CEOs grow their companies with an eternal perspective. This post explores seven best-practices for integrating faith and leadership.

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Keeping biblical values at the forefront of all you do can be a challenge. In fact, we believe it is one of the most persistent challenges a Christian business owner will face. Many leaders readily admit that they feel strong in their faith on Sunday, but come Monday, the focus shifts, and God’s priorities seem to become an afterthought. If you are looking for ways to live out your faith in your business, consider these ideas for a successful workplace ministry.

  1. Create a Culture of Transparency
    If you have a desire to run your business from a biblical standpoint, communicate that with your staff. Be open and honest about your convictions so that others understand your purpose. As the leader of your company, it is important to speak truth into the lives of those you encounter.
  2. Lead with a Christian Mission Statement
    Often, your mission statement is one of the first things your prospective employees and customers read. Let that important statement acknowledge your Christian values. Your mission statement not only lets others know your purpose, but it keeps you on track. Create one that is God-honoring and inspiring to others.
  3. Integrate Christian Values
    Values are at the core of your business operations. Do yours reflect Christian ethics? Think about how you deal with money, how you treat people, and the quality of your products. Consult Scripture for wisdom in these areas and integrate the values into your company’s culture.
  4. Create a Ministry Fund
    If you lead the way, your employees will get into the spirit of giving. Create a ministry fund for local charities, fellowship housing, or even for employees in times of need. This creates a sense of unity and purpose for your team, and shows them that you are willing to share the fruits of your business.
  5. Share Messages of Truth
    There are many ways to point others to Christ through your company. Consider keeping a Bible in your lobby, taking prayer requests, or hosting a weekly Bible study for employees. You can also share Scripture with your customers through your website, marketing materials, and company vehicles.
  6. Hire a Corporate Chaplain
    Corporate chaplains are comforters, pastors, teachers and counselors who demonstrate God’s grace and love in ministering to your employees. A chaplaincy program helps people discover spiritual resources during times of hardship and points them to Christ. Making this investment shows your team that you are care about their lives.
  7. Communicate at Company Gatherings
    Company gatherings, meetings, or holiday parties are excellent opportunities to reinforce your Christian mission. Use this time to lead the group in prayer, share a story about a mission trip, or invite others to share messages of the Gospel in action.

 

Written by C12 Group

To learn more about the C12 group, check out their website. And for an additional resource to help you grow faith at your workplace, you can download C12’s free e-book, Getting Started with Marketplace Ministry from the original post here.

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A Ukrainian Coffee House | Reaching Un-reached Youth

Posted on October 27, 2015 by - Calling, Eastern Europe, Europe, Stories

Ira Blaga was deeply inspired by the 2014 GLS in Ukraine. Patrick Lencioni spoke about servant leadership and humility, Jeffrey Immelt spoke about the importance of building a team so that everyone is heard and appreciated and Wilfredo de Jesus talked about “filling the gap” in your community. All of these messages spoke to Ira, and stirred a dream in her.

Ira realized she had to do something, and not just pray about what was wrong in her town, but join with Jesus to fix it. There are many youth in her community who are far from Jesus, so she decided to start a ministry called ‘Coffee House’ in order to reach the non-Christian youth in her community.

“The dream to do such a ministry appeared long ago, but I needed a sort of challenge and motivation to finally make a first step,” said Ira. “I had been afraid of not having a team, enough money and the courage to do something like this. But the GLS 2014 helped me get rid of all my fears. I realized that I should rely on God who had all the resources. My prayers should result in actions.”

When she returned to my hometown after the GLS, she began the work to recruit a team. “We prayed a lot,” she said. “God gave us start. We received a small donation from a woman in Germany, and later another donation that helped us buy a coffee machine.”

Coffee House gathers youth for bible study, music, games, drama, and messages from speakers. So far there are about 35 young men and women that attend. They are not just served with coffee and biscuits, but also receive the love of Jesus from this incredible team, inviting them into a relationship with Him.

“Our God is incredible,” said Ira. “I am thankful to Him for guiding me to GLS event to jumpstart this ministry and reach the youth in my community.”

A Grander Vision | The Bee Friendly Boot Camp to Banish Bullying and Save Lives

Posted on October 26, 2015 by - Calling, North America, Stories

IMG_2703 editedKristi Kennedy founded Bee Friendly Boot Camp, an all-digital elementary school program to help combat childhood bullying and suicide, and ultimately reduce human trafficking and domestic violence later in life. She is also author of Overcoming Obstacles: Turning Tragedy into Triumph, which talks about the journey of her son’s recovery from severe autism.

Kristi first became passionate about doing something to banish bullying after one of her five children, who had autism, was bullied severely. “About seven years ago, my five children and I were abandoned after being in an abusive situation for several years,” said Kristi. “Completely heartbroken and devastated, we set out in faith trusting God for every need. We were homeless three times and moved 17 times during our first five years, but never were without some kind of roof over our heads—even if it was our minivan! He is faithful!”

God gave Kristi the vision for the Bee Friendly Boot Camp in 2008. “I prayed about it and did some research, but felt it was impossible to accomplish,” said Kristi. At the GLS, she heard about how God gives us a vision that is often too big for us. That’s we need to lean on Him and move forward with it. Kristi began to work diligently on the program, even though she was holding down a full time job and caring for five kids.

During the R&D for the Bee Friendly Boot Camp, Kristi discovered that there is a link between bullying early in life that leads to domestic violence and even human trafficking later in life. “My husband had been bullied in school, as was I. I learned his behavior was an outcome of bully/victim experiences in his childhood,” said Kristi. She believed her God-given vision for Bee Friendly Boot Camp must be carried out to help save lives and break the cycle of bullying. But it was tough.

The transparency of one of the speakers sharing how he felt like quitting at times, and how he’s endured difficulty is one of the greatest things that impacted me at the GLS. I believe it’s one of the key things that God uses to show me I’m not alone in the way I feel about leading this organization.

“When she heard how the Willow Creek’s Care Center got started, they said, ‘What if we didn’t try? How would we feel at the end of our life? How many people would not have been helped?’ Thesewords hit me because I was a woman with five children who had no food at times. A program like Willow’s Care Center would have made a huge difference in our lives,” said Kristi. I thought about the children whose lives could be saved from suicide and from altering beliefs they carry with them into adulthood due to bullying. Even though I didn’t know how we would make the program work, I kept hearing, ‘What if I don’t try? How many lives won’t be helped? How would I feel at the end of my life if I gave up?’ And I kept pressing forward with the vision.

Funding the program is a challenge. “God has blessed us in amazing ways through in-kind contributions and the work of volunteers, which has allowed us to keep it functioning,” said Kristi. “My children and I work full time in our jobs plus on the program and our greatest challenge is being able to balance it all until we are funded enough and can focus solely on the school program.”

My prayer is to be surrendered to all God has for my family and this program and be obedient to His calling; not to give up but to trust Him and be very courageous. I pray that godly principles will be instilled back into the public schools and families would be drawn back together again and that the golden rule would reign in people’s lives. My greatest prayer is that my family and I would bring Him glory in all we do.

Kristi says the impact of the program and resources has been tremendous. “The need is far greater than I could have imagined,” she says. “Thanks to the program, parents are communicating with their children in healthy ways; children are learning to process and overcome obstacles in their lives and teachers are excited about the simplicity of its implementation.”

familyBut it’s her son’s story that inspires her the most. “He had autism and now has a severe form of dyslexia,” said Kristi. “We were told he would never read or get a driver’s license and because he did not have a father in his life, he was considered an ‘at-risk’ child. God intervened. The principles in this program were applied to his life. My son is now 18 years old and he’s got friends, a driver’s license and he works as a video engineer in the technical arts department at Gateway Church. He designed all the special effects for the Bee Friendly Boot Camp program, plus he directed the video and also played bass for the Bee Band! He and the rest of my children, who were also ‘at risk,’ are examples of God’s faithfulness.”

Because of the GLS, this year the Bee Friendly Boot Camp program launches pilots in a few states. It’s still an upward climb, but we are committed and with God’s strength, we are fulfilling the vision of bringing godly principles back into schools, families and communities!

There are more than 100,000 public elementary schools in the U.S. and Kristi has a dream to serve every one of them and then take it international. “Kindness is an international need,” she said. “Seeing people in every nation living out the Golden Rule is a dream of mine. Seeing special needs children no longer navigating life alone would make my heart happy. It’s my dream to have churches across the nation/world engaged as well to be the hands, feet and voice of Jesus sharing His love with others. To have others know and experience the miraculous God I know and serve is my greatest dream.”

THANK YOU cannot express the gratitude of my little family’s heart for the way the GLS has impacted our lives and this mission the Lord has given us. And by the way, I volunteered at the first few GLS events I attended because financially I was unable to budget for a ticket. God allowed me to hear and receive all I needed to impact me with what He has given me to do! This year I was able to attend with my oldest two children, and we all came away impacted, inspired and equipped to continue to grow our program!

 Never Give Up! Never let any obstacle come between you and what God has told you to do.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTqxoUbs8mI

 

The GLS in Dimapur, India | Opening Eyes to Possibility

Posted on October 23, 2015 by - Asia, Stories

This year was the third year for the GLS in Dimapur, India, the financial Capital of Nagaland. It is such a unique platform to gather leaders from various backgrounds. All the church denominations in the city came together under one roof to learn about leadership and how to see the possibilities for change in their communities.

 

Here is just one of the encouraging comments we heard:

“I am a senior pastor of a church. Four years ago, we started our church in a community where many migrants live. Today our church has grown to more than 200 people. We faced a lot of struggle in the beginning days and this Summit has given us new life in our ministry. The Lord has spoken to us very clearly. We were weeping and rejoicing over the call He has entrusted to us in our lives. The Summit has opened our eyes to see possibilities in our communities. Thank you for coming to Dimapur, India. Convey my love to all those who are behind this event.” – GLS attendee, Dimapur, India

 

Our producers in India expressed their huge appreciation to the people who provided equipment that made the Summit in Dimapur possible. “GLS India wants to say big thank you to donors. It is worth your investment. GLS India owes our heartfelt thanks to all those who stand with us in hosting 2015 GLS in Dimapur.”

The GLS in Nigeria | More than a Registration

Posted on October 21, 2015 by - Africa, Church & Faith-Based, Stories

When Piboere, Summit host site producer at House of Grace Church in Nigeria returned home after the Summit in August, she was excited to share with her community all she had learned. But she was disappointed to discover that the registrations were down, and only 167 people were planning to attend. Piboere decided to pray.

She gathered her team for fasting and prayer. After all, it’s not just registrations they were praying for—They have a dream to transform their community, and they know it requires great leadership. They see the GLS as an essential tool to equip their leaders, no matter their economic means.

After much prayer, they met with some of the pastors in their community and offered to sponsor up to half, and for some, all of their registration costs, allowing pastors who normally wouldn’t be able to attend an such an opportunity to be encouraged and equipped through the GLS. More than 60 people were sponsored. Their team also approached local companies that ended up registering their staff.

The result? More than 500 people gathered at the GLS at House of Grace. “This is indeed a miracle. God did exceedingly abundantly above what we imagined,” said Piboere.

I desired to attend the GLS, but I had no funds. When I got a message from my Pastor to confirm my attendance, I responded by saying I could not attend because of funds and to my surprise I was told to come and attend the Summit free of charge because I had been sponsored. WOW! I am so glad that I attended this year’s Summit as I have received so much that will help me be a better leader. Thank you.—Catherine Ekanem, GLS attendee, Nigeria

Please continue to pray for the impact of the GLS in places like Nigeria. One leader has the potential to impact thousands of people in his or her community with a grander vision to transform their country for the better.

Pray for righteousness, godliness, peace, and unity. Pray for good leadership and leaders. Pray for an economic and financial turnaround. – Sandra, Nigeria

Pray for salvation in our city. Pray that corruption, hatred and poverty would be eradicated. – Sambo, Nigeria

Pray that God will raise the realization that Lagos needs Christ and that people will move with one heart to redeem our city. – Uko, Lagos, Nigeria

 

Rookie Smarts | Transforming a Hospital, Overcoming Fear

Posted on October 20, 2015 by - Calling, Healthcare, North America, Stories

“How could a young 26-year old, with barely a lick of low-level management experience, lead a hospital?” This is the question Kevin was asking himself when a friend challenged him to apply for an opening for a director of nursing position at a local hospital.

Kevin’s leadership journey began a few years prior to this “dumb idea.” Within the first year of being a nurse, he was offered a full-time position in a rehab hospital. “I was so frightened at the thought that I would be leading nurses who have been nurses for 20 to 30 years that I almost didn’t do it. I was so afraid at the thought of failure. But I began my work, and I learned the role very well, at a rapid rate,” said Kevin. “I remember sitting in my car every morning talking to God before every shift, asking him to help and guide me through the coming shifts trials.”

A successful year led him to pursue a career in critical care nursing, which he was good at and comfortable with. But Kevin was being called out of his comfort zone.

“One of my good friends challenged me to apply for the recently opened director of nursing position at the hospital,” said Kevin. “I laughed at the thought of someone as inexperienced as myself being offered the position.” Despite his doubts, he submitted an application; someone else with more experience was already slotted for the promotion. But to his surprise, within 15 minutes of hitting send, he received an exuberant phone call, and they were eager to interview him. The interview went great, and they loved all of his ideas about some of the policy changes he would make if he were to get the position. They also liked his qualities, and felt that he would make the perfect fit. A second interview was scheduled.

But Kevin’s lack of self-confidence began to get the better of him. He began to doubt.

It was that week that he attended the Global Leadership Summit. “Even at times during the conference, my lack of self-confidence got the better of me,” said Kevin. “I found myself wanting to leave the conference early and just cancel the second interview and stay comfortable in critical care nursing—it is something that I get.” But Kevin stayed through the conference, and heard the story about starting Willow Creek. He was inspired by all the speakers, strengthened in his faith and empowered in who he was created to be. A “dumb idea” began to take shape. “Pastor Albert Tate’s talk on Jesus taking really dumb ideas and making them work better than anyone could have imagined really resonated with me,” said Kevin. “I decided that I am going to give what I have, and let God handle the rest.”

Kevin got the job, and has since taken what he’s learned at the GLS, and started to transform the hospital.

Some of Kevin’s biggest challenges since he’s taken the job have been around staffing. The previous chief of nursing created a culture where nurses began to leave due to lack of support. So Kevin knew that boosting staffing levels needed to be his top priority. “I knew this was not going to be something I would be able to fix immediately, so I had to do something previous directors never did, and roll up my sleeves and get out on the hospital floors and help staff directly,” said Kevin. And he began to engage in selfless leadership. “I associated with staff on a personal level. I got to know them beyond their licensure and employment status. I invested time in them. I made sure they felt appreciated. One of the first speakers at GLS this year discussed a term, ‘selfless leadership.’ I made this my mantra in my interview process, and carried it with me into the position and into my daily routine.” The change in culture boosted moral, and news traveled through his small rural town. Many of the people who had left the hospital before decided to come back. He rehired four nurses, and has been inundated with applications. But Kevin feels that his biggest achievement was transitioning a woman from a position that was being eliminated into a different role—a decision that required a lot of prayer, and difficult conversations with executive staff.

It hasn’t been an easy journey. Kevin shares that he has contemplated quitting. “I remember saying to myself, ‘fixing this is impossible’, ‘I can’t pull this off’, and ‘you were happy where you were before, you can still go back.’” But he was brought back to a verse in Philippians 4:6-7, Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. “After reading this verse, I could almost feel the weight of failure being lifted off my mind and my heart at that very moment; my anxieties were diminished almost entirely. It was at that moment when Scripture was speaking directly to me.” Kevin realized his Grander Vision for the hospital. “I was put here for a purpose—to reach out to a bewildered hospital team, to bring out the potential in a small, rural hospital that takes on some of the most difficult patient populations in healthcare and helps those afflicted by disease and trauma get back to their fullest potential.”

Craig Groeschel’s talk summarizes Kevin’s journey as a young leader. “The pathway to your greatest potential is straight through your greatest fear.” Kevin realized that if God is calling him, then He will provide what it takes to get it done. Craig’s words stayed with Kevin throughout the interview process, and helps keep him going every day in his new leadership role.

Kevin encourages leaders to stay strong even when things are difficult or seem like a dumb idea. “The most important thing you can do for yourself is to make time for daily worship, invest time in the Bible, let Scripture speak to you and bring your troubles and fears to the foot of the cross. Do not quit! You are strong!”

3 Indicators Your Leadership Requires A Tune-Up

Posted on October 20, 2015 by - Articles, Emotional Intelligence, Leading Yourself

Remember the power ballad “Who Are You?” made famous by the British rock band, The Who?

Many of us from that era can recall cranking up our 8-track tapes to hear Roger Daltry, Pete Townsend and the boys bellowing out the lyrics, “Who are you…Who, who, who, who?”

Yes, on the one hand, the lyrics are pretty inane.

But for leaders, these words pose a question that must be wrestled with on an ongoing basis.

You see, if a leader is going to have maximum impact, it requires a level of self-awareness. Leaders need to be able to fully understand:

  • Their strengths
  • Their weaknesses
  • Their areas of vulnerability
  • Their areas for potential growth
  • Tasks they can likely accomplish on their own
  • Tasks that will likely require them to call in some help.

In other words, it requires being able to answer that question asked by The Who, “Who are you?”

Here are 3 indicators you might need a self-awareness tune up.

  1. Your leadership style is more influenced by copying than it is by authentic learning.

Self-aware leaders will have a broad spectrum of leaders from whom they will seek to learn leadership principles.

But lack of self-awareness can result in mere copying—a fairly shallow means of attempting to replicate the styles or mannerisms of other leaders, and of adopting these as one’s own.

  1. You receive no positive feedback in areas you believe to be your strengths.

Do you believe you’re a great communicator? How come no one else tells you that?

Do you believe you’re a powerful vision-castor? How come people don’t affirm this in you?

You could be powerfully gifted in other leadership areas. But if no one is giving you high-fives for what you believe is an area of leadership strength, it might not be. And it might be time for a self-awareness tune-up.

  1. You always seem to have an excuse for lack of results

When projects consistently go off the rails, self-aware leaders will begin by looking in the mirror to see what role their own leadership played in the outcome.

But where there is lack of self-awareness there will instead be blame, excuses, and finger-pointing.

The good news is that lack of self-awareness can be overcome, and it might just begin by considering these three indicators.

And a pretty good starting place might be found in simply answering the question in the song lyric: “Who are you?”