Month: February 2018

Lois Warren, co-executive director for Willow Creek Canada, has been involved with The Global Leadership Summit for the last 13 years, first as a pastor and a promotional strategist, and most recently in her role as director. Through her involvement, her passion grows to see leaders encouraged and strengthened, ultimately, to allow the Church to thrive so more people can come to know Jesus.

Lois’ four main reasons to be a part of The Global Leadership Summit resonate across the board: It reminds people that they have influence. It provides a platform for key relationships in the community. It encourages people in their calling. It transforms leaders.

1. The GLS reminds people that they have influence.

“I have always loved the way the Summit values the influence of people,” says Lois. “When I was a fulltime Mom, my main role was investing in my kids, raising them with integrity and raising them to love the Lord with their whole heart. Even in those years, the Summit reinforced those messages that what I was doing was valuable.

“Even without a salary or a title, God uses us mightily when we are fully surrendered to Him. To steward that influence well is important. The Summit provides an opportunity for all of us to get better in all of those different areas of leadership.”

2. The GLS provides a platform for key relationships in the community.

“I deeply value the relationships that have come from being a part of the Summit,” says Lois. “For those of us who come year after year, we have become a family, even in our city. People who wouldn’t normally cross paths, from different churches, different denominations, this is a chance for us to get together, to encourage one another, and that’s important. We’re better because of this community.

“Walls have come down. Even in some regions of our country where the conversation around following Christ is not popular, The Summit has bridged a gap. It created an opportunity for people to really get to know and see the relevance of what it means to follow Christ. To me, that is one of the most important roles of the Summit.”

3. The GLS encourages people in their calling.

“The GLS is encouraging people,” says Lois. “I love the people who are drawn to the Summit. We share a similar heartbeat and the value to see the church be effective and relevant. I love the opportunity for us to be able to encourage each other.

“In this particular role I have right now, I have the opportunity to work with our host sites from across Canada that all share the same values, and are willing to make sacrifices and invest their time to see others get better for the sake of God’s greater Kingdom and for their city. It’s about being available to step into that gap where there is a need, and being able to fill that. We’re encouraging one another.”

4. The GLS transforms leaders

“My life has been transformed by this,” says Lois. “God has used the Summit time and time again to help me put a stake in the ground on a new direction or to see a new perspective I hadn’t seen before. And every year, God seems to use it in such a rich way to transform my heart and give me a new perspective for His sake and for His Kingdom.”

Be a part of The Global Leadership Summit, you won’t regret it.

“I want to encourage people to take advantage of the opportunity to bring as many people as you can to take part in the GLS,” says Lois. “You will be surprised and delighted time and again by how you are inspired, what you learn, and how your perspectives are broadened. Don’t waste that opportunity. And don’t live with the regret of wishing you had invited a friend to be a part of that with you.”