Month: December 2016

Leadership Training Brings Hope to Nigeria’s Most Dangerous Regions

Posted on December 31, 2016 by - Africa, Stories

In northeast Nigeria, in a city plagued with insecurity, poverty and the violence of the Boko Horam terrorist insurgency, a group of 348 pastors, church leaders, business leaders and even government officials gathered for a GLS event.

Though it is quite challenging to hold a GLS event in a city whose people face suicide attacks, and destruction of their property and churches, the local team is willing to take the risk to encourage their leaders in the midst of such tragedy. In their context, millions of people are still displaced. Christians are facing particular hardship under a Muslim dominated government, leaving the most vulnerable among them in deeper strife, including orphans and widows.

The local church hungers for a solution.

Many of the churches in this region were previously being led by pastors from the Christian-dominated southern part of the country. However the pastors relocated back to the south when the crisis became unbearable, leaving many inexperienced leaders caring for the church, not knowing how to best lead, care for and encourage their people.

Local leaders are hungry for leadership training to know how to address the needs of their community.

Many of the pastors and leaders said the GLS is the only form of training they have received since the insurgency began in 2009. It has been a major source of encouragement and a critically important resource for their leadership development.

Not only did people leave encouraged and inspired to continue their ministry, the GLS also helped build bridges among the leadership of the church in the city. People also left with a greater understanding that leadership is all about adding value to what God treasures the most—people.

These local leaders were invigorated by what they heard through the GLS, and desire to take it deeper into their region, despite the difficulties to carry on.

Follow-up training is scheduled in the first quarter of the new year, and plans have been initiated to take the event into the local universities in order to empower and train the emerging leaders of their country with the kind of leadership they would like to see change their country for the better.

Thank you for your support and prayers for the GLS in Nigeria.

We praise God that the Nigerian team remained safe after two suicide attacks in the market where they had been just the previous day to purchase materials for the projector for the event. God has protected this event and the Nigerian team.

Only eternity will reveal the impact of this event on the local church and their community. To God be the glory.

To learn more about how to give toward bringing the GLS to regions of the world like Nigeria,
go to www.willowcreek.com/give

How a Pizza Cook from California Became a Change Agent in Southeast Asia

Posted on December 30, 2016 by - Asia, Stories

 

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Robert Kalatschan made pizzas for a living. He barely graduated from high school and the court system once told him he should spend the rest of his life in prison. But Robert has been transformed. He has a grander vision to transform Vietnam and Southeast Asia, challenge a nation and an entire culture. He has also been an integral part of helping bring the Global Leadership Summit into Vietnam, and blessing thousands of leaders and their communities.

“For me to even voice my vision seems silly,” he said. “How does a guy like me do that?”

“God tricked me,” said Robert. “When my wife and I were not able to have children, we decided to adopt.”

They adopted a son from Vietnam and three years later, they were in Vietnam to adopt another child. “I was hit with the heat, humidity, sites, smells, sounds and everything I was not used to. I hated it,” he said. “I grew up in the Vietnam War era, and it was not on my map of places to go. At the time I thought my ministry was going to be working with guys with guy issues in a local city. But there I was in Vietnam looking at little kids. I remember sitting at a temple and seeing a bunch of kids, and saying, “You need to get a bunch of Christians here to do this. And I heard God’s voice say, ‘You’re it!’”

Even though he knew he had heard God’s voice, Robert was ready to run away.

He and his wife planned to depart for home on September 11, 2001, but the 9/11 attacks left them stuck in Vietnam for another week. Robert was certain that when they finally left the country, he would never go back. But when he got home, he was haunted by the faces of the kids. “I realized that I would rather be called a fool one more time than miss something that God had called me to do. It was so far off my map of things that I thought I knew how to do that I knew it had to be God,” he said. Fourteen years later Robert is committed to serving God in Vietnam—and joining the local community to make Vietnam a Christian nation.

There’s no other way than God. Robert says that just as the donkey that carried Jesus in to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday would have been a fool to think the palm waving and cheering was about him, he knows he would be foolish to think transforming a culture is about him.

Giving it Back

Robert lives in Southern California, and runs an NGO called Giving it Back to Kids based in Vietnam that serves both Vietnam and Cambodia. “We transform lives through education, medical care, and nutrition,” he said.  “We help kids achieve their maximum potential through those areas. Truth be told, kids will not receive their maximum potential until they receive Jesus Christ. We also work with churches, and try to build them up. Being in a country like Vietnam, where it’s illegal to be a Christian in many circumstances, we help provide humanitarian aid to the churches and get approval from the government.” And in partnership with the local community, he is doing just that. But he knows that transformation must start with leadership.

The Crossing, Robert’s home church, supports him and the NGO he runs, including encouragement to attend the GLS. “I am rocked by the quality of the speakers,” he said. “I am a front-row sitter and the first year I attended, I was in tears for two days. So much of what I heard resonated in my heart and what I’m going through, and I knew that I was on the right road.” Robert understands the value of leadership development in his effort to be an effective leader himself, but also to equip and empower leaders in Southeast Asia to transform their communities. Robert knows that change begins with leadership, and has been an integral part of helping bring the GLS to leaders in Vietnam.

Robert’s Grander Vision

Robert’s grander vision is to build religious freedom and change Vietnam from a culture that 10-20 percent Christian to a 90 percent-plus Christian nation. “I want to train up the leadership in the country to where they’re able to be better leaders not only in churches, but also in the government,” said Robert. “I want to train up leadership in government where it’s not based on position, but on character. And how do we do that? We have to build character starting at home—starting in their hearts.”

Robert sees the GLS as one of the tools that can be used to bring change in Vietnam. The GLS offers valuable content that presented in a way that is palatable, even by those who are not believers in Christ—yet.

“The hope of the world is the church when its working right, and so much of what we experience in Southeast Asia is that the churches are more inwardly focused, especially in Vietnam because of the persecution,” said Robert. “One of the other memorable things that we heard was from Steven Furtick, where he talked about digging ditches. I don’t like dirt! I hate dirt! I picture hot, dusty, dirt in every part of my eyes, but knowing that the water was coming, that resonated, and keeps me going through the tougher times,” said Robert.

“I want to encourage people to get hungry for leadership,” said Robert. “Devour it, pray and say, ‘God, help me to be hungry for this.’”

How the GLS is Expanding Leadership Capacity & Stretching Visions to Battle Corruption in Ghana

Posted on December 28, 2016 by - Africa, Because of the GLS, Church, Church & Faith-Based, Confidence, Stories, Vision

int-1146When Fred Tiako, pastor at his church in Ghana, started attending the Global Leadership Summit five years ago, he didn’t anticipate how it would redirect his life and stretch his leadership capacity. He was satisfied with where he was as a leader in his role as district pastor, pastoring a number of congregations in his community, but God was calling him to something more.

“When I started using the principles I learned at the GLS, my leadership was recognized by the top supervisor, and he asked me to take on more responsibility,” Fred shares. “Since then, I’ve been asked to direct the children’s ministry globally for my church, and have committed to a second term. I give the glory to God and the credit to what I learned from the GLS.”

The GLS is not only stretching Fred’s leadership capacity, but it is also stretching his vision.

“My dream for my church is to get the Lord’s mandates working in order to spread the Gospel to all the corners of the earth and strengthen Christian lives,” Fred shares. “My focus is especially on children, and strengthening their relationships with Jesus. I also want their parents to cherish and love them. That is my focus.”

In order to accomplish this dream, Fred knows the leadership that is required, which is why he volunteers his time to help more people experience the GLS in Ghana.

“Ghana needs the GLS, because we need sound, strong leadership,” Fred explains. “I realized the more we organize this GLS for the leaders in my country, the more transformation we will see. When we organize the local GLS we invite leaders from all sectors and they come and listen and they learn.”

“As a result, corruption is being dealt with seriously. Leaders who are going to the GLS see change in their leadership. They are taking the lessons they learn at the GLS, and their communities are changing.”

When you invest in the GLS, you are empowering and encouraging leaders like Fred to expand their leadership capacity and stretch their vision. As a result, lives are being changed, corruption is being dealt with, and communities are experiencing transformation.

Thank you for supporting leaders like Fred.

“On behalf of GLS in Ghana, I would like to give a very big thank you and God bless you for all your kind thoughts. We want to assure you that what you are spending is not in vain. It goes to deep levels and helps people come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Leaders are improving in terms of integrity and strong living. Please do not stop giving your donations or assistance. We can multiply your gifts to bigger things. I wish you could come see the impact you are bringing to my church, community and the Church at large. May God richly bless you all. Thank you!”

To support leaders like Fred, consider a year-end gift today. Learn more at www.willowcreek.com/give.

4 Questions to Consider on Your Calling

Posted on December 27, 2016 by - Articles, Calling, Leading Yourself, Wellness

Before we had children, my wife Karen and I dreamed of what our family would look like: two boys two years apart. After Trevor was born, our second pregnancy was timed just right to fulfill the family we had envisioned, but ended in grief.

Losing a child in pregnancy caused us to consider how God wanted us to expand our family.

Adoption had always been on our hearts, though we figured it would be in response to a family member or someone in our church who needed parents for their child. Now, we opened our hearts and looked at international adoption as just the right way to complete the dream of adding a second boy, two years apart. Easton came home from Russia a few days after his first birthday and our hearts were filled with joy as we realized our dream.

We thought we were done having children.

But as it turned out, God wasn’t done. He had more expansive plans for us. Who knew that three years later God would turn our lives upside down!

We didn’t know it at the time, but our openness to consider four questions prepared us to be ready to accept an expanded calling.

  1. What do you have?
    Our church was in the midst of a message series on injustice and my wife and I were wrestling with how God was prompting us to play a role in bringing justice to extreme poverty. We knew we didn’t have millions to invest in drilling wells all over Africa. But we took an inventory of what we had: a great marriage, a home, access to clean water, food, education, health care and experience with international adoption. For weeks we considered options, dancing around the possibility of adopting again.
  2. Are you listening for God’s whisper in unexpected places?
    At the 2007 Global Leadership Summit, British filmmaker Richard Curtis shared his journey of bringing justice to extreme poverty (watch the video HERE). Imbedded in his session was a short video clip of a little girl in a yellow dress. Clearly in the developing world, night falling around her, she spread a tattered blanket out on the sidewalk. Pedestrians and street traffic passed her by as she curled up, alone, on her bed for the night. With tears in our eyes, God used that video clip to confirm his calling for us to adopt again.
  3. Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone?
     We set out to research agencies, considering countries and envisioning the addition of an infant girl to our family. Our research landed on a specific agency and revealed Ethiopia, a country lying in extreme poverty, had a bureaucracy supporting international adoption. As we completed the “paperwork pregnancy,” we wrestled between two options for our next child: an infant girl or an older boy. Then the agency called us with a possibility that we had not considered—an infant girl…and her five-year old brother. That seemed way beyond our comfort zone, which is exactly where God prefers we live.
  4. What are the people around you saying?
    We told the agency yes and started preparing to double the number of children we had. Skilled friends added walls and relocated light switches to transform our dining room into a bedroom to accommodate the unexpected jump to four children. Within months Josiah (age five) and Kenzie (10 months old) came from Ethiopia to their new home. The relationships around us rallied, which only affirmed the calling.

So – what happened next?

It was Karen who first spoke the words that God had another child in our future. Both of us knew how hard it is for older children to find homes, and it didn’t take long to confirm that calling together. With so much experience in adoption, why wouldn’t we add a fifth? Ayelech came home from Ethiopia at age 12. Our neighbors provided bunk beds to make the most of the square footage in our home’s small (by US standards) girls’ room.

Today, we are done saying we’re done. I am absolutely convinced of God’s calling to adopt each time. It was clear, unshakable and somehow made sense in our hearts each time. Five children is not the life we envisioned. It’s not the parenting we talked about. The cute little family of four with rainbows and unicorns is now a beautiful mess causing people to speak the words, “You are insane,” which somehow come from their lips as, “What you are doing is amazing.” To us it’s not amazing. It’s a calling to God’s Grander Vision.

It’s likely the thing that others will find amazing, you will simply see as doing what God asked you to do.

Walk through the questions above. Discern and listen.

Then take the plunge to experience God’s Grander Vision for you.