Month: November 2015

Faces of the Global Leadership Summit

Posted on November 6, 2015 by - Africa, Europe, Middle East, 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:

 

Rewis Awadalla 2“I’m a priest. I was serving in Egypt. Now I’m serving in Wisconsin. (I love the snow!) I think we need to develop our leadership all the time, not just in serving a church, but also at the family level. Leadership involves every aspect of your life. It’s about how you live your life.

If you read about Egypt these days, you can see that we are still suffering from persecution. People have been martyred. We need a lot of prayers for the church to be steadfast and faithful. Pray for how we influence others. When you live your life as a Christian, you sacrifice your life. This is a message of faith. It’s a way of preaching that is more than using words. It’s about how you live your life. We need your prayers.”

– Rewis, GLS Attendee, Chicago

 

 

 

 

 

Markus Ostesrlund 2“I want to see a movement where church leaders wouldn’t be afraid, and would be influencing society. Most Christian people today are living as if they were an atheist, and do not believe in God. They go to church, are active in the choir, will listen to a sermon, but it will not play out in their life with their family and in their workplace. Basically, that is not what Jesus taught. That was a very relevant message that impacted my personal life.

How do I live my life? Am I a submarine going to church and putting up my periscope, and then take down my periscope when I go out from Monday through Friday?”

– Markus, GLS Attendee, Finland

 

 

 

 

 

Michel Schneid 2“There have been major changes in the world, and the Summit has inspired me through the teachings, examples, and testimonies. France used to be a Catholic country, and now the second largest religion is Muslim, with about 5 million Muslims in France. Being a Christian leader in this environment means you to need to be aware of cross-cultural situations and take care of people.

We have seen a servanthood through the Summit I have never seen before, and it has helped us to take risks in service, helping many refugees and prostitutes entering our city. My dream is that our whole church will be involved in servanthood for our whole city.”

– Michel Schneider, GLS Attendee, France

 

 

How have you been impacted by the Summit?

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

Summit Highlights from Brazil | Harvey Carey Inspires Leaders

Posted on November 5, 2015 by - Latin America, South America, Stories

Your Life Can Be A Great Story

Posted on November 5, 2015 by - Articles, Calling, Leading Yourself

What’s your life story?

When I meet people for the first time, as soon as the introductions are out of the way, I ask them to share their stories—to tell me who they are and where they’re from, where they’ve been and where they’re going. I want to understand what matters to them. Maybe you do the same. The telling of our stories becomes an emotional connecting point for us. It bridges the gap between us.

Why is that?

Everyone loves a good story—we always have. Stories tell us who we are. They…

inspire us.

connect with us.

animate our reasoning process.

give us permission to act.

fire our emotions.

give us pictures of who we aspire to be.

Stories are us.

Every day millions of people watch movies, read novels, and search the Internet for stories that inspire them or make them laugh. Every day we listen to our friends tell us about the dramatic or funny things that happen to them. Every day people take out their smart phones to show pictures and share stories. Stories are how we relate to others, learn, and remember.

I believe that no matter what “plot” each of our stories may follow, deep down we all want one thing. We want our lives to matter. We want our stories to be of significance. So here are two more questions:

Do you believe you can live a life of significance, that you can do things that really matter? Can you make your story great?

With all my heart, I believe the answer to these questions is yes. You have it within your power to make your life a great story, one of significance. And don’t let the word significance intimidate you. I’m not talking about being famous. I’m not talking about getting rich. I’m not talking about being a huge celebrity or winning a Nobel Prize or becoming the president of the United States. There’s nothing wrong with any of those things, but you don’t have to accomplish any of them to be significant. To be significant, all you have to do is make a difference with others wherever you are, with whatever you have, day by day.

So what’s the secret to filling the pages of your life? What’s the key to a life that matters?

Living each day with intentionality.

When you live each day with intentionality, there’s almost no limit to what you can do. You can transform yourself, your family, your community, and your nation. When enough people do that, they can change the world. When you intentionally use your everyday life to bring about positive change in the lives of others, you begin to live a life of significance. Intentional living is the bridge that crosses the gap to a life that matters.

If you’re like me and want to make a difference and have a significance story to tell by the end of your life, the first thing you need to do is be willing to take an important step forward. And that comes from a willingness to start writing your story by approaching your life differently. Here are three things you can do right now to start making your life a great story:

Evaluate Your Story So Far

How would you characterize your life story so far? Take some time to think about it by writing about it. You can do that any number of ways. The how isn’t that important. What matters is that you take the time to do it, and be sure to think about whether your story is headed in the direction you want it to go by the time you’re done living.

Start Outlining a New Chapter

If the direction of your life isn’t all that you want it to be, then take some time to write out what you want to accomplish to make the world a better place. It doesn’t need to be lofty or earth-shattering. It just needs to make a difference in some way that’s important to you. What would you like people to say at your funeral? Write it now.

Step into Your Story

Now try to discern what it would mean for you to become more proactive in making your life matter and stepping into your own story. Identify what single action you could take today and every day for the next week or month to start rewriting your own story. As Doug Horton says, “Be your own hero. It’s cheaper than a movie ticket.”

To begin to create your own story, visit intentionalliving.johnmaxwell.com/get-intentional-now, a resource that we created to help you not only to learn about living intentionally, but to practice it through small but significant daily challenges, starting today.

Celebrating the GLS in Cambodia

Posted on November 4, 2015 by - Asia, Stories

In Phnom Penh, where Christian leadership resources are extremely limited, we celebrate the GLS held there last week, where more than 300 leaders were able to attend. One of those leaders was a young man who grew up in a Buddhist home. After becoming a devout follower of Jesus, he has been disowned by his Buddhist family. He and is wife and children have joined a new spiritual family, and he is now serving in full-time pastoral ministry:

 “This GLS teaching will change my life, and especially the way I mentor the 100+ pastors I work with in my region!”

As the GLS grows in Cambodia, he is part of the team planning to host the GLS in his city in 2016. Thank you for your prayers and support for leaders in Cambodia!

Summit Faculty in the News, Autumn 2015 Edition

Posted on November 3, 2015 by - News & Updates

It is always fun to catch up with Summit faculty alumni – and to see what they are up to. They are activistic leaders – always moving their causes and organizations forward. Here are some stories caught our attention this fall.  

  • Craig Groeschel (2015, 2012, 2008) announced that LifeChurch.tv will change its name to Life.Church.
  • Brené Brown (2015, 2013) launched courageworks.com, an online learning community that offers eCourses, workshops and interviews to bring her research on courage, vulnerability, shame and worthiness to a global audience.
  • Common (2015) has joined the cast of The Wiz Live! as the gatekeeper of Oz. The performance is set to air on NBC on Thursday, December 3 at 8 p.m.
  • Sallie Krawcheck (2015) landed $10 million from angel investors to launch Ellevest, a new investment platform for women.
  • Tyler Perry (2014, 2013) announced that he purchased the closed Ft. McPherson Army Base outside Atlanta as the new home for Tyler Perry Studios.
  • In the run-up to the Republican presidential primaries, Carly Fiorina (2014, 2012, 2009, 2007) has had her ups and downs, including several breakout debate performances.
  • Woodlawn, a faith-based movie produced by Mark Burnett (2013) and Roma Downey aims to bridge the racial gap in America.
  • Geoffrey Canada (2012) was named by Governor Andrew Cuomo to a State Task Force to review the Common Core learning standards in the state of New York.
  • A self-titled album by the a capella group Pentatonix, that includes Kevin Olusola (2012), charted at number one on Billboard. This was first time that an a capella group has topped the all-encompassing albums chart.
  • Cory Booker (2011) helped broker the bipartisan criminal justice reform bill in the U.S. Senate aimed at reducing mandatory sentences for non-violent offenses.
  • In Greece, Christine Caine (2010)’s A21 Campaign built a mobile water station in a shipping container for Syrian refugees crossing the border.
  • WIRED and Nokia announced Catherine Hoke (Rohr) (2008) as one of its #MakeTechHuman Agents of Change, a global list of influencers who are shaping how technology is expanding human possibility.
  • Jimmy Carter (2007) celebrated his 91st Birthday in Georgia, despite his cancer diagnosis.
  • Trash, a new film starring Martin Sheen and written by Richard Curtis (2007), was released in the United States with a limited release and through video on demand.

 

Written by Liz Driscoll · Categorized: News & Events · Tagged: summit faculty alumni, craig groeschel, brené brown, common, sallie krawcheck, tyler perry, carly fiorina, mark burnett, geoffrey canada, kevin olusola, cory booker, christine caine, catherine hoke (rohr), jimmy carter, richard curtis

The Ripple Effect of Great Leadership | Transforming the Lives of Children in Zambia

Posted on November 3, 2015 by - Africa, Calling, Stories

David Temfwe works for an organization called The Jubilee Center in Zambia, a location where many leaders have been impacted and blessed by the Global Leadership Summit. Among those leaders is a local pastor named Francis Bweupe, who because of the Summit, started a feeding program for the children in his community. In this story, David shares his encounter with a volunteer named Idah, who has benefited from Francis’ extraordinary leadership and has herself become an example of servant leadership to us all.

It is seldom disputed that “a picture is worth a thousand words.” However, I would like to propose that occasionally, without a story, a picture is merely a visual representation of ambiguity that can either be interpreted through our individual worldview or simply disregarded, never to be payed a second thought.

Two colleagues and I went on a field visit to a community that Jubilee Centre serves in Lusaka. We were at one of the churches in our network and my task was to take photos of the children’s feeding program and henceforth, my natural focus was on them. My colleague reached out to me and requested I record the story of one of the volunteers.

JubileeThe volunteer’s name is Idah Musole. She is the epitome of the statement “go the extra mile.” She has been a volunteer at the Apostolic Faith Mission Church for the past four years and prepares meals for the kids in the feeding program. This church has no kitchen, stove or fridge, but she is tasked with preparing each meal, which she does from scratch, and by scratch I mean from the inception of the fire all the way to serving the kids with a succulent meal that is arguably the highlight of their day.

There are 75 children who come every day. She knows them all by name. But it goes beyond that. She has a personal relationship with each of them, and you can see it in the way their faces light up when they see her. It doesn’t matter if she is greeting them with a smile or scolding them for cutting the line, she is a mother to them and loves each of them unconditionally. She knows that a substantial amount of the kids are coming from challenging situations at home and she strives to give them a slice of paradise for the few hours she has with them each day.

She arrives at the church every day at 8 a.m. and doesn’t leave until after 4 p.m. because she chooses to help sweep the classrooms after the kids leave on account of her relentless desire to see them succeed. Her love for them is so influential that her 9th grade daughter chooses to volunteer with her too. Mrs. Musole helps support her family by making doormats, selling cooking oil and making and selling a local beverage called munkoyo.

Mrs. Musole shared with us how she is unequivocally called by God to serve him and this is the way she shows her commitment. She has an authentic gift with people; she loves with a selfless spirit that warms the hearts of each individual she encounters. I can attest to this because although much of what she shared was translated to me, her personality just radiated.

By virtue of us being Christians, we have the immeasurable force of the Holy Spirit that accords us the ability to love unconditionally. At the Global Leadership Summit, Greg Groeschel talked about how “There is so much more in you!” Contextualizing his statement, we need to share more, care more, seek more, observe more, and love more. We need to learn from Idah Musole’s selfless spirit.

Lawrence Temfwe, GLS pioneer in Zambia, reflects on the rippling impact of the GLS in Zambia, “We just do not have any idea how GLS is changing the way we do church in Zambia.” Everyone wins when a leader gets better. Pastor Francis, inspired by the GLS, encourages and empowers leaders under his influence to be all that they can be, and people like Idah flourish in their gifts and service, and ultimately transforms the lives of children in her community. And it all circles back to the GLS, where God spoke to one leader and inspired him with a grander vision.

Good, Good Father | Connecting to God Through Music

Posted on November 2, 2015 by - North America, Stories

 image2Danny Best is a newly appointed campus pastor at Christ Fellowship in New York City, a multi-site church out of Florida. Danny shares his moving experience at the GLS this last August, when Brian Houston used music to help people connect more deeply with God.

 

This past year and a half since we planted here has been one of the most challenging times of my life. Our organization as a whole doesn’t have a lot of experience with church planting so it is new to everyone. It’s easy to feel like what we’re doing isn’t working. It doesn’t always look ‘successful’ and we feel very alone a lot of the time. We are separated from our parent organization by thousands of miles, and with all the fantastic things going on down there with new buildings being bought and opened, hundreds coming to Christ on a regular basis and tens of thousands in attendance, it can feel a bit disheartening to us having 80-90 people at church on a regular basis, celebrating our small victories. I think God is using this time to break some performance things in me, redefine what faithfulness looks like and deepen my idea of what trust is.

Though I am also a musician, I don’t always connect with God deeply through worship. In recent years, my connections with God have tended to be more cerebral in nature, but this past year I have had difficulty connecting with God at all…until recently.

I stumbled upon the song Good, Good Father and something broke loose inside me. That song has been on repeat for me lately, and that is not something I tend to do often. Then to hear about that practice when he was with Brian Houston at the Summit in August was a very emotionally moving time for me.

I am realizing that God connects with us in different ways during different seasons. The session with Brian Houston gave me permission to pursue God in a new way. As soon as I saw where he was going with that segment, I was sure that the song Good, Good Father was going to make the list. To have set aside that time to talk about music connecting with the heart, and  use that song specifically was confirmation to me that God was using different means to get to me in this season of my life. Interestingly, it was connecting with me about trusting God through this difficult season we are going through as a family as we plant this church in very infertile ground. Even as I type this, I am having trouble holding back a flood of emotion.

What connects with me the deepest is that God is a good, good Father. The process that my wife and I have been going through during this season is harder than we expected. The progress is slower than we expected. It has been frustrating, emotional and lonely, and I battle feelings of inadequacy regularly. This song reminds me that I can trust the process that God has us going through. He is good and knows what he is doing with us, with His church, and with these people. He is GOOD. It also levels my feelings of inadequacy because it reminds me that above all else, I am His child, and I am loved.  What I DO for God is not what matters, but it’s who I AM to Him.  I know that is a simple truth, but when it sinks in, it is very moving.

My dream for our church community is that our hope would catch fire. This city is full of people chasing after things that will never satisfy and sadly, many who go to church look just like everyone else. I would love our church community to be so radiant with joy and peace that they stand out like beacons in the night. My hope is that we would then be able to draw others in so that they can know what they are truly searching for. My dream is also that people would find a home. This is a city of millions of people who are almost like orphans here. It can be the most crowded, lonely place in the country. People feel very alone and they need community. I pray that we could be a place where people can belong—that they can find the deep community that we were born for. My biggest prayer is that I would be deeply soul satisfied with whatever God wants what we are doing here to look like. That I would have passion and vision to carry this forward no matter the cost, no matter the outcome, and that in doing so, it would be always well with my soul.

I have found that I have needed to give myself freedom to allow my relationship with God to change and develop over time. I have learned that the disciplines that allowed me to stay healthy and connect with God in previous seasons might not be what God uses to connect with me in new seasons. I have also learned that though times are very challenging, things often don’t look the way I expect, and that following what God has called me to often costs me far more than I thought it would, I can trust my Father in heaven and the process that he has for me.

He is a good, good Father.

Listen to the song Good, Good Father.