The Power of Forgiveness

Johannesburg, South Africa.At the conclusion of Wess Stafford’s Summit session on the power of forgiveness, hundreds of leaders responded by taking communion and forgiving those who had sinned against them by nailing their hurts and burdens to wooden crosses in the auditorium. The sound of hammers hitting nails was audible as people did business with God.

"Forgive those who brought my sister’s life to an end.”

“I was raped at the age of 15. Please, Lord, help me forgive and forget.”

“Forgive our church leadership and help us to build trust between each other.”

The Holy Spirit’s presence was palpable as this went on for 40 minutes.

By: Janine Couchman (@janineraecouchy)
Event Director, WCA South Africa

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Wess Stafford’s Summit session was a turning point towards forgiveness for many attenders. His words remind us that God has a plan and a purpose for us… to give us a future and a hope.

Resources on forgiveness:

• Summit Follow Up: Wess Stafford and Henry Cloud [Free MP3]
• Wess Stafford’s Reflection [Free PDF]
• Henry Cloud’s Diagram [Free PDF]
• Leveraging Your Past DVD: Summit Message by Wess Stafford
  

Heard by a Pastor

After being impacted by Jeff Manion’s teaching and leadership, Shauna passed on one of Jeff’s messages to her father, Bill Hybels. When he heard the message Jeff gave titled “The Land Between,” Bill quickly put him on the list of ‘must-have’ speakers for this year’s Summit. Below are Shauna’s words about the impact Jeff has had on her life.

Jeff Manion was technically never our pastor. We never attended his church on a regular basis. But he has pastored us in so many ways. When I was producing services and Aaron was leading worship at a church across town from Jeff’s church, he came to speak about once a year.

In between services, I’d check in with him, see if he needed anything. He’d ask how we were doing. He’d ask about our jobs and our church and our marriage. He’d ask about our families and our hearts, and at the end of the day, Aaron and I would get in the car and shake our heads. He pastored us.

It was my job to help him, support him, give him space and food and feedback in the very small moments of rest on a busy day of preaching. And in those moments, he chose instead to pastor us. That’s all you need to know about who he is.

I think Jeff is a pastor not just by vocation but by nature. Being a pastor is part of who he is. I fully believe that he could drive a truck or sell mortgages or teach high school math, and still the way he would interact with the world would be as a pastor.

He listens and connects. He offers wisdom and comfort and challenge when most people are talking about sports and weather. He remembers parts of your story, and when he runs into you at the coffee shop, he asks how your mom is or how the training is going or when you start the new job.

When you’re with Jeff, you feel like you’re being seen, like you’re being heard, like your words and life and story matter, and they’re connected into a big, beautiful, important story, the story of how God is moving in each one of us and in the world we live in.

Who do you turn to when you need to be heard? Are you taking the time and creating the space to ‘pastor’ someone else?

By: Shauna Niequist (@sniequist)
Author of Cold Tangerines and upcoming release, Bittersweet

Q & A with Jeff Manion

We asked Jeff Manion, Senior Pastor of Ada Bible Church, to take a minute and answer a few questions. Enjoy!

Summit Team: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Jeff Manion: From the age of about 12, I believed that I would someday be in ministry.

ST: Favorite vacation or favorite vacation spot?
JM: Backpacking in Great Smoky Mountain National Park

ST: Who are some of the leaders you admire? Why?
JM: George Washington. Fell in love with Washington while reading 1776 by David McCullough. I was captivated by Washington’s resilience in defeat, and his capacity to “see things as they were and not as he wished them to be.”

ST: What is your favorite thing about what you are leading?
JM: A great joy of leadership is the privilege of seeing vision realized when you have led effectively.

By: The Summit Team (@wcagls)

It’s About the Weekends, Stupid

When Palm Valley Church took the Spiritual Life Survey a few years ago, they ranked as one of the top 5 percent of spiritually vital churches. (Today, we’re hosting a member webinar with Rick Gannon, pastor of Palm Valley Church in Mission, TX. more info)

Palm Valley is a church that has small groups, but they are admittedly not a church OF small groups. After several tries, they realized that small groups weren’t working. Today, only 17% of their congregation is in a small group, which is significantly less than most churches. Instead of a focus on small groups, Palm Valley has put incredible focus on the weekend services, with 90% of their congregation attending every week.

In the 90’s a political strategist coined the phrase “It’s the economy, stupid.” For Palm Valley, “It’s about the weekends, stupid.” Their weekend service is the primary vehicle for discipleship—and it’s working. The church is above average when it comes to people reflecting on scripture, confessing their sins, and tithing. People are coming to Christ, growing in their faith, and becoming Christ-centered.

The Palm Valley team thinks differently about weekend services. Every week, they focus everything on one thing, and ask five questions before planning each service or sermon.

1. What do they need to know?
   
2. Why do they need to know it?
   
3. What do they need to do?
   
4. Why do they need to do it?
5. How can we help them remember it?

As a community of church leaders, there’s a lot we can all learn from what God is doing at Palm Valley.

What are the questions you ask when planning your weekend service?

By: Andy Cook (@wca_andycook)
WCA Membership Leader

The Value of Leadership

Bill Hybels, Senior Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, talks about the value of leadership for the sake of the Church.

by: the Summit Team (@wcagls)

Q & A with Tony Dungy

One of the most admired and beloved figures in professional sports, Tony Dungy's name is synonymous with character and integrity. A former professional football player, he coached the Indianapolis Colts for seven years, becoming the first African American coach to win the Super Bowl.

Q & A with Tony Dungy

Summit Team: What is your favorite food?
Tony Dungy: Florida Grouper

ST: What is your favorite junk food?
TD: Chocolate Cake

ST: What is your favorite film?
TD: Coach Carter

ST: Who is your favorite actor?
TD: Denzel Washington

ST: Who is your hero?
TD: Jackie Robinson

ST: If you could waste one day, what would you do?
TD: I would go fishing somewhere.

ST: What is your favorite vacation location?
TD: Italy with my wife.

ST: What is one phrase that describes you?
TD: Old School

ST: Who is your favorite person in the Bible?
TD: Paul

ST: What is God teaching you right now?
TD: God is in control of all phases of life.


By: The Summit Team (@wcagls)

Are You Second?

I'm struck by the power of the stories in the I am Second movement that's designed to inspire people to live for God- to live as the co-pilot, not the driver.


"Every decision I make in life will be through the lens of Jesus. Jesus is first. Are you second?" - Tony Dungy

Tough and blunt question. Do I live that out every day? In every decision?

In our team’s prayer time, we asked God to remind us that He is in control. A big ask that requires our obedient submission. When Tony Dungy is interviewed at the Summit, I’ll be listening to how he lives as second.

Blessings.

By: Steve Spoelhof
Development Team Lead, WCA

Where There Is Vision

Organizations and churches that stay static start to die. You’ve got to have a vision to move people into the future. – Bill Hybels





By: the Summit Team (@wcagls)

Leaders Around the World

Regardless of a country's history, culture, or wealth, we know this: leadership matters and the development of Christian leaders is critical in God's plan to restore our world through the power of the local church. Below are pictures of leaders who have attended one of The Global Leadership Summit sites around the world. In 2010 the Summit will be in 400 cities, 72 countries, and translated into 37 languages.

By: The Global Leadership Summit Team (@wcagls)

Daily Office

I’ve been inspired each time I’ve met with Pete Scazzero. As the founder and Senior Pastor of New Life Fellowship Church in Queens, New York, Pete ministers to a growing, multiracial, multinational congregation represented by over 65 countries.

While recording this month’s Defining Moments, Pete Scazzero and Bill Hybels discuss Emotionally Healthy Leadership. “It’s not possible to be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature,” Pete says as he shares his story about the ways his life and ministry were running at breakneck speed while his soul was shriveling. When Pete finally hit a wall, his journey of reinventing the way he does life with God began.

“For many of us, our lives are out of balance. Sometimes we don’t have enough of being with God to sustain all of the activity in life that we’re doing for God.” - Pete Scazzero

Pete uses the ‘Daily Office’ as a way to build in time to connect with God each day. More than just a quiet space- the Daily Office is about being with God- about communion with Him. In the book, Daily Office: Remembering God’s Presence Throughout The Day, Pete writes:

“When crafted to fit our unique personalities, temperaments, life-situations and vocations, it (Daily Office) offers us an anchor powerful enough to slow us down amidst the unceasing demands of our lives…. The Daily Offices are about creating a rhythm of stopping to be with God in order to cultivate our personal relationship with him throughout the day – that we might prefer the love of Christ above all else.”

Are you building in time to ‘be with God’?

How is the balance between the time you spend with God and the time you take to do things ‘for God’?

5 things to include in the Daily Office to help you get started:

1. Silence, Stillness, and CenteringScripture
2. Devotional Reading
3. Pondering a Question
4. Prayer

Also, Pete's Emotionally Healthy Spirituality website provides free Daily Office downloads


By: Lori Finnegan (@LoriHermFinn)
Ministry Development Lead, WCA

I Love Helping Other Churches

Sr. Pastor of Discovery Church, David Loveless traveled with Bill Hybels to South Africa to coach and invest in pastors and church leaders. Below is a repost from David's blog about the trip... and his passion for other churches.

Don't ask when it happened... don't remember...why it happened... don't remember. I just know that for as long as I can remember, I have loved seeking to help other churches & their leaders.

It has never made any sense to me, why a church would only care about itself, and not other churches that are trying to advance the kingdom of God, just like them. I've asked the Lord, over the years, for Him to give me His heart for others- and that includes churches down the street... across the country...and around the world. The past 10 days, serving leaders from various parts of Africa, has been such an honor. I still have several days left here, but it has made me so grateful for my home, Discovery Church. For more than 20 years, the elders of Discovery have generously allowed me to use my apostolic & leadership gifts, as I've sought to "strengthen the journey" of other leaders- across town...across the country...& across the world.

As Bill Hybels & myself were wrapping up a session today, we got in the car & just smiled at the realization, that once again, to help others succeed...grow...be envisioned, is one of the greatest thrills in life.

Who are you helping succeed these days?


By: David Loveless (@DavidLoveless)
Senior Pastor, Discovery Church, Orlando, FL

Reposted from David Loveless' blog with permission.

Starting with Silence

Isaiah 58:6: "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?"

Sounds nice, but what does that actually mean for us, in our day?

For Gary Haugen and his 400+ staff team at International Justice Mission (IJM), it means that every single day, IJM lawyers, case workers, staff, and volunteers choose to go where evil lurks — into some of the darkest corners of our world. They are literally in harm's way as they challenge the forces of systemic evil.

Recently, we had the opportunity to sit down with Gary and a few others from IJM to hear about one of the most important (Gary would probably say THE most important) ways they equip their team for ministry on a daily basis. The entire team starts each day with silence.

On any given day, if you call the IJM headquarters in Washington, DC before 9am, you won't be able to get through to the staff team since the office shuts down for "morning stillness" to connect with the God of Justice — the One who ultimately empowers and leads their work.

Is this a waste of time? Not according to Gary. In fact, this is just one of the many ways prayer plays a vital role in IJM's mission. It left me wondering how vital prayer is in each of our own missions? Do we take time and shut down the computer or turn off our super sweet iPhones?

How can we practice giving ourselves over to God each day? Could you take time right now — surrender this day to God and ask the God of Love, of Justice, of Forgiveness, of Grace… to empower and lead you today?


by: Mindy Caliguire (@MindyCaliguire)
Transformation Ministry Team, WCA

Leading From a Place of Hope

As I travel the world and see the plight of humanity, I note above all else the absence of hope. People are despondent, without a sense of purpose, future or destiny. Hopelessness permeates the media, politics, arts, finances and society at large.

I am so grateful that the Scripture teaches us that no matter what is happening around us, it is what is in us that matters. We must never forget that Jesus is this hope we have as an anchor for our soul both firm and secure. We live according to a different set of principals than people who do not know Christ therefore no matter how bleak things seem we always have an eternal hope. In the midst of uncertainty we can hold on to the certainty of Jesus.

I am involved in helping to rescue, restore and rebuild the lives of young women who have been trapped in the horror of human trafficking. If our team was not full of an eternal hope we could easily get discouraged and give up hope. The problem seems too overwhelming, the disappointments are many, the statistics are stacked against us and so on. We have determined that we will remain prisoners of hope and focus on each ONE life that is rescued. We will not be defeated by what is not happening by focusing on what is happening, and each one life rescued continues to give us HOPE.

Here are some things I have always done and continue to do no matter what is happening around me and this has helped my leadership journey:

1. Stay focused on Jesus (Heb 12:2)
2. Draw near to Jesus (Heb 10:22)
3. Hold fast the CONFESSION of our hope (Heb 10:23)
4. Stay confident in Christ (Heb 10:35)
5. Pray (James 5:16)
6. Listen to the right voices (Rom 10:17)
7. Remember God's faithfulness thus far (Josh 4:7)
8. Remain steadfast (1 Cor 15:58)
9. Remain generous (Prov 11:24-25)
10. Be thankful (1 Thess 5:18)


By: Christine Caine (@Chrstine Caine)
Speaker at The Global Leadership Summit
Director of Equip & Empower Ministries
Founder of The A21 Campaign

2 Tips for Emerging & Experienced Leaders

Jessica Jackley, co-Founder of KIVA.org, spoke at last years Leadership Summit. Her interview with Jim Mellado, President of the WCA, gave insight to both emerging leaders and experienced leaders.

In the interview, Jessica gave advice to the next generation of leaders:

1. Don’t be afraid to start small. KIVA’s founders didn’t apologize for starting with just seven entrepreneurs. You can talk all you want about an idea, but once you begin and actually do something—even if it’s small—people respond to you differently. The best way to create big change is to have the patience and attention to focus on one particular area and to serve that area as well as you can.
2. Get going. You’ll learn more in the first few days of experimentation and implementation of an idea than you will from working on a business plan. Planning is good, but you have to act.

When asked how experienced leaders can connect with a new generation, Jessica gave the following advice:

1. Co-creation, collaboration, informational diversity and different perspectives create the best outcomes.
2. The best solutions emerge by being open to each other. A dream team should be made up of experienced leaders and younger leaders without prejudging each other or coming in with preconceived notions about the problem or solution.

Enjoy a free download of the Summit session: A Leadership Case Study: Jessica Jackley and the KIVA Story (MOV,101.4mb)

By: The Summit Team (@wcagls)

Leading Beyond a 7th Grade Education

At the young age of 34, Edwin Colon became the senior pastor of the oldest Baptist church in Brooklyn, The New Baptist Temple. Given that he had only completed the 7th grade, Edwin realized that he lacked the skills needed to meet the leadership challenges facing his congregation. He constantly read books and attended events to develop his leadership capacity.

Church life also was messy as existing and newer church members clashed on how to move the church forward.

"We were together in one building, but not one in unity," says Edwin.

He heard about the Willow Creek Leadership Summit, which is facilitated by The NYCLC. Edwin proposed their church leaders not only attend a regional satellite site, but also camp-out in the church during the course of the event. Thus began a bonding and training experience which they've continued every year since.

Exponential Impact: Edwin and his leadership team have participated in the annual Leadership Summit each year since 2005. During and after the Summit, they spend extended time discussing the leadership principles learned and together determine the vision and direction of the church for the upcoming year. Because of this, there is a spirit of unity and ownership within his leadership team and throughout the church.

We would love to hear your leadership story! How has the Summit affected you? What changes have you made to your life and leadership?


Reprinted by permission from “Engaging Leaders for Exponential Impact,” a publication of The New York City Leadership Center, Fall 2009.

How Engaged Are We With the Poor?

Some leaders are further ahead on this journey. Yet for all too many of us, our everyday lives are insulated from the harsh realities of poverty. Not long ago I was walking back from an incredible evening of ministry in downtown Chicago. As I walked with a WCA pastor, we talked at length about our dreams and theories for the church and its role in society. He shared about his church’s passion for the poor and how it was creating wonderful challenges for his ministry. Then someone along the walk asked us for some money. This happens all the time in downtown Chicago. What made this different was that I was with a pastor. What would he do?

What followed was a graduate-level education in how to get interrupted by God and put faith into action. We sat for a while. We listened to this person's story. We learned about the injustices and felt her pain. This experience rocked me. I was proud of this pastor—he is the real deal.

Here are a few questions for journaling/commenting about:

When did you last spend time with the poor?

• What did it feel like? If it’s been a while, why?
• Bill Hybels talks about the need to regularly get out of the bubble of everyday life. What habits do you need to form?

Here are a few questions to process as a team:

• Describe your experiences with the poor. How have they impacted your ministry?
• Does our church have a pocket of fired-up people engaging with the poor (a “compassion ministry”) or is it part of the DNA of our whole church?
• Where is the nearest geographical area to our church that is under-resourced?

In this months Defining Moments, both Bill Hybels and President of World Vision, Rich Stearns describe times that awakened them to the plight of the under resourced. You may find the resources below helpful as you process this topic.

According to The Hole in Our Gospel by Rich Stearns, 26,575 children die every day from preventable causes. In Defining Moments, Bill and Rich mention a new church-wide campaign tool called The Hole in Our Gospel Six-Week Quest, which provides tools that remind us of that the power of the Gospel is much more than a private transaction between us and God- it's living outside of the church walls.

Listen to "Celebration of Hope," a recent series by Willow Creek about compassion and justice

• Celebration of Hope - Week 1 (click to download mp3)
• Celebration of Hope - Week 2 (click to download mp3)
• Celebration of Hope - Week 3 (click to download mp3)

By: Andy Cook (@wca_andycook)
WCA Membership Leader