Month: September 2016

1,846 Leaders Attend the GLS in Burundi | Thank You For Your Prayers

Posted on September 8, 2016 by - Africa, Because of the GLS, Stories

“Thank you for praying with us and supporting us morally and financially. You have enabled us to have a very successful GLS event for pastors and leaders in the Ngozi province of Burundi, Africa. Our target was 1,500 hundred leaders, but we had 1,846 leaders attend on September 1 and 2, 2016.” – Painito Ambuka

Praise God! Please continue to pray for the impact and the way these courageous leaders take what they’ve learned and apply to their lives.

The story about how the GLS came to be in Burundi is inspiring. A couple years ago, Painito first attended the GLS in Kenya, and knew that he had to bring it to the many church leaders in his country, Burundi. The ripple effect of his listening to God’s call to encourage, bless and train pastors in this difficult region is incredible to witness. Be encouraged. 

Get Out of God’s Way | A Teacher’s Journey Into God’s Higher Calling

Posted on September 7, 2016 by - Education, North America, Stories

photoSady Mitchell enjoyed being the pre-school director at her school and felt equipped for her role, but she saw issues that needed to be addressed that would improve the school system and make it thrive. She was asked to lead the school at a higher level, but didn’t feel equipped. “I was comfortable where I was,” she says. “But God loves to get us out of our comfort zones.”

Sady’s pastor invited her to attend the Global Leadership Summit.

“I had been praying for two years for God to give me a sign to let the school go and not worry about what was going to happen to it,” Sady shares. “But something inside me would just not let it go. One Sunday in September, I decided I just couldn’t take it anymore. I decided I was going to fast and pray for God to show me a sign.”

That Sunday, in the midst of her despair, Tom Hansen, her pastor, approached her. “We missed you at the Summit this year!” he said. “You know we have the Summit sessions on video in the church library if you want to check one out.”

Sady checked out the session on 5 Steps to Changing a Ministry. “I thought I could share it with my boss and he could change the ministry,” Sady explains. “I was still thinking I was not the one to make the changes. I was constantly trying to find someone else to do what I didn’t realize at the time God was calling ME to do. I was letting my insecurities get in my way of seeing God’s path for me.”

As she took notes to give to her boss, she heard God’s call.

You do it. YOU step up and lead.

“I started crying. I knew this was the answer I needed to hear,” Sady shares. “I paused the video and prayed, ‘Okay God. I understand. I will step up and lead. I will do what you are asking me to do. I have no idea how, but you will guide me through.’ God will speak. We just have to take time to listen.

“I have been the principal now for more than two years. There are days when I don’t understand why God called me to do the things he called me to do, but it is not for me to understand; it is just for me to have faith and do!

“Attending the Summit helped me believe I could lead from where I am at anytime and anywhere,” Sady explains. “Sometimes we get in our own way of what God wants us to do. God already has a plan for us, but we let insecurities and self-doubt get in the way of following that path. God will lead us down in a direction that makes us better, even when it’s not an easy path.

“The Summit has given me excellent tools to help accomplish my goals at work and at home,” Sady says.  “You do not have to lead a school. You can lead anywhere. The Summit is very important to me, because it fills my bucket before I start a new school year. It gives me ideas for team building and tools I can use throughout the year. The best part of my job is helping the children and teachers at the school get out of their comfort zones. I love to see them grow in their own confidence and their own leadership.

“Because the Summit is so important to me, we set aside money for professional development so teachers can attend the Summit this year. We also moved our school’s starting date so all the teachers are able to attend. I am so excited to get to share this experience with them.

“I would recommend the Summit to anyone who is on the fence about going. Get out of your comfort zone and go…what are you afraid of?”

 

What is Your Grander Vision?

Posted on September 7, 2016 by - Stories

At the 2016 GLS, we featured the story of Rick Betenbough, co-founder of Betenbough Homes, a new home builder in West Texas.

How were you inspired by his Grander Vision story?

We asked Rick to answer some quick questions for our blog to help us get to know a little bit more of his backstory.

WCA: When did you first know you were a leader?

Betenbough: I don’t remember anything specific, but I have known for some years that I could see what needed to be done or where we needed to go and I could inspire and persuade others to join in. What a blessing and what a responsibility! I want to seek the Lord and His kingdom and lead people where He wants us to go.

WCA: Whose leadership has had the most impact on your life?

Betenbough: My father has influenced me in my business life with his high integrity and commitment to doing the right thing every time. Our partnership has been blessed by God. Dad is also very generous and has taught me to be generous in everything. My wife, Holly, has taught me much about love – God’s love for everyone. Holly loves everyone unconditionally and is great about leading everyone around her to “lead with love.” King David has been a great inspiration to my leadership over the years, as a courageous, faithful leader submitted to God.

WCA: What leaders do you admire and why?

Betenbough: I admire leaders who are more concerned about their team than themselves. I believe we only lead people. We manage tasks, but we lead people.

WCA: What was the best leadership advice you received as a young leader?

Betenbough: Develop your leadership! You must learn to lead effectively. Experience, both good and bad will teach us, but we must be proactive and seek out leadership knowledge and wisdom. Books, conferences and especially seeking out leaders willing to mentor you are how you do it. The Global Leadership Summit has been our “go to” leadership training tool for the past five to six years. It is Kingdom Leadership training from the best of the best!

WCA: What part of leadership gives you the most satisfaction?

Betenbough: Helping people grow in their confidence, courage and faith. I love helping someone discover their passion or gift and being there with them when they do something with it.

WCA: What are you reading right now?

Betenbough: Secrets of the Kingdom Economy by Paul Cuny.

WCA: In which aspect of leadership are you growing the most right now?

Betenbough: Transitioning senior leadership to someone else. I have stepped down from my role as president of the company I co-founded and passed it on to a very capable man anointed for the role. Doing that well over time is going to take some growing for me.

WCA: How do people around you respond to your openness about your faith?

Betenbough: People are encouraged and inspired when they hear what God has done and what He will do as we submit our lives to Him.

WCA: What have been the biggest challenges to integrating faith in your leadership?

Betenbough: My own fear that my faith would not be received well. Maybe that is actually NOT having faith!

WCA: What would you say to encourage other leaders to take the risk and to live out their faith in their leadership?

Betenbough: Be yourself and be bold. Your testimony of what you have learned and what God has done in your life will inspire others.

rickRick Betenbough is a co-founder of Betenbough Homes, West Texas’ number one new home builder. Throughout the years, the Betenboughs have established an employee-owned company committed to build, serve and impact the communities they call home.

First Time GLS Event in Conakry, Guinea is a Success

Posted on September 6, 2016 by - Africa, Church & Faith-Based, Government, News & Updates

Thank you for praying for this first time GLS site in Conakry, Guinea in West Africa.

For the event held on September 3 and 4, the local team expected 300 attendees…

…but a total of 837 leaders arrived hungry to learn! Wow!

Many of the leaders who attended had never before experienced such a high level of leadership training. Church and government leaders wondered why the GLS wasn’t brought to their city sooner.

Praise God for the impact! Continue to pray for the leaders as they apply what they’ve learned and use it bring change to their communities.

Is the GLS changing the way people view the Church?

Posted on September 5, 2016 by - Canada, North America, Stories

The Global Leadership Summit is an unapologetically Christian event. And yet, each year more and more, leaders from secular organizations are finding value in the leadership development content, and taking advantage of the skills training for themselves and their teams. As a result, not only are church leaders benefiting from the GLS, secular organizations are growing and thriving as well.

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Is the GLS changing the way people view the Church?

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Lois Warren, Co-Executive Director of Willow Creek Canada

We’ve heard thousands of stories about the way businesses are improving as a result of training received through the GLS and year-round through online platforms like GLSnext. But is the GLS changing the way people view the Church? Lois Warren, co-executive director for Willow Creek Canada, believes that the GLS is not only building into leaders outside of the Church, but it’s simultaneously and indirectly allowing people to see the Church in a new light.

The GLS strengthens the church, and unites leaders around a vision. “When we see strong leadership in churches and people being intentional about the way they communicate, we see impact and change,” said Lois. “I love the Summit, the staff and volunteer teams. We are united around the same passion—to see the Church thrive. We want the Church to be effective for the sake of God’s kingdom. Most of all, I love the Summit because it is an opportunity for people who are far from God to come to Christ.”

What happens when leaders outside the Church attend the GLS?

The GLS is giving people opportunities to come and experience God’s love and truth presented in a way that makes sense. Attendees express that the GLS is not a threatening environment for people of various backgrounds with various beliefs. Lois started attending the GLS as a business leader, and was greatly impacted. “I love the impact the Summit has had in my own life in my walk with the Lord. I can tell you where I was sitting when God and I put the stake in the ground around very specific issues in my life where I chose to be courageous. It has also had an impact on my friends and my colleagues.

“When we started to attend the Summit we brought our management team from the company we owned and several of those managers are now walking with the Lord!

“My biggest joy is seeing people come to know God’s love for them. Nothing brings me more joy,” Lois shares. “To me the Summit is one of those tools God is using consistently to make a difference in this world. I love getting to be part of that.”

One of the leaders Lois brought to the GLS hadn’t any desire at all to attend church. He came to the GLS for the first time last year. He left saying, “I want to know this God they were talking about. Because of this invitation, this opportunity to be a part of the Summit, I am now pursuing a relationship with Jesus Christ. Thank you for changing my life.”

Life change is happening! “We sponsored four teenagers to come to the Summit last year,” says Lois. “One of them came to a complete understanding of who God is and fully surrendered his life to Christ. He is a wholehearted Christ follower making a difference at his high school. Now as he is heading to university, he is a different person in a beautiful way and it is a delight to see this change in his life.”

Leading in a shifting culture requires courageous leadership

Int-0377“I would say our culture has become very secular,” Lois explains. “Sadly, so many people have had only poor experiences with the Church or Church leadership. I see such a need for the church to lead well, to love well and to be intentional about the message they share, because it is a message our culture needs so desperately.

“The leaders I love the most — the leaders I see making the biggest impact — are those who are sincerely humbled and are surrendered to Christ and are seeking Him, and seeking to give Him their best. They are constantly seeking to listen to how God wants to use them.”

In a culture that has grown more and more secular, the call for courageous leadership grows. And Lois is stepping up to that call to share the message of Christ with her peers through the Global Leadership Summit.