Leadership Summit Day 1

It was a year ago, at the summit, that I decided to enter the blog world. It has been an amazing year filled with growth and self-reflection, along with following a path I had no idea God would lead me down. In looking back, I can't believe how far God has brought me. All is well in my world and I am thankful for the opportunity to share and process through this blog as well as the friends that support me in so many ways.


I had the privilege of attending the Willow Creek Leadership Summit at a satellite location in Sparks, NV, at The Rock Church. (http://www.willowcreek.com/Events/Leadership/2008/, http://www.therockchurchonline.net/). This is my second year of attending this conference, and it was an exceptional day yesterday as I expected. Some highlights of Day one are:

Bill Hybels

• Check out your decision making with the bible, advisers, past experiences and spiritual prompting
• Take FULL responsibility for your own decisions
• Get the right chairs around the table (wow!)
• As a leader, call fouls, on others and yourself

Gary Haugen

• Leadership that matters to God is wrapped around endeavors that matter to God.
• Are Jesus and I really interested in the same thing
• WE are the plan (scary and humbling), the plan being showing the world God
• Lead in the things that matter to God
• Rather than speaking platitudes such as "It's all good", in my heart I must know and own that because God is in control, all is well... Really, all is well
• God, rescue us from fear and lead us into a world yearning for you.

*I want to unpack his teachings more in depth. He has started an amazing ministry that makes my heart pound with compassion. (http://www.ijm.org/)

Bill George

• Don't lose sight of who you are, be authentic
• When leading: align, empower, serve, and collaborate
• Follow your compass, not your clock
• Build a support team
• Lead an integrated life, be the same person everywhere you go
• If you fail as a leader, you have failed to lead yourself

Wendy Kopp

• Be purposeful and relentless in your passion
• Address the problem

John Burke

• Making and maintaining good soil is everything
• Get your hands dirty
• Does the soil you are creating encourage questions
• Stay connected, fruit happens

Efrem Smith

• Are you willing to be invaded by a force that will equip you to lead
• Jesus is the ultimate justice, until then, it's JUST US
• Be an abiding leader
• Be a confessing leader
• God wants to perfect us, some things may need to be pruned

I'm looking forward to today's sessions. I am sure that there will be much more learning and that it will stick with me. I already have some things to wrestle with as far as where I think God is leading me. I'll delve into that later.