We’re here to help change the stats

KGF was blessed to have 26 of our staff, board members and lay leaders together for the 20^th annual Global Leadership Summit.  We were part of 7,000 leaders who gathered from around Canada, and over 100,000 leaders around the world who sought to hear from God on the issue of leading our churches well.  Two of our team members, Marcus & Amy, share their reflections here.

Part 1 – Marcus Schmaling

I think it would be impossible to walk away from the Global Leadership Summit unchanged—without being profoundly encouraged and spurred on to follow Jesus with renewed passion. From the two days of listening to some of the world’s most gifted Christian leaders, sharing our thoughts and ideas, and praying together as a church (the KGF group gathered together during lunches), I am taking with me three things:

First, Thursday night, after the first day of the summit was over, I had some time to reflect and pray about the day. What struck me was the generous, Spirit-given unity (Phil. 2:2) that was tangible as everyone from KGF shared a bit about themselves and some thoughts from the sessions. I sensed no personal agendas, no hint of competition, only a joyful eagerness to join together our hearts so that we could prayerfully move our church forwards into what God has for us. It is a privilege to serve alongside such diverse and beautifully gifted brothers and sisters.

Second, I felt a heavy sense of responsibility this same night, that God has called me to lead people, to influence them towards Jesus. Moreover, this influence is not from a title (pastor, president, CEO), or a degree, but from shape of my life as I follow Jesus Christ. And like every call God gives, and every gift, we cannot live these out on our own. I am too weak! One of the speakers, Craig Groeschel, shared how he grew into his leadership and pastoring by the love and belief from a mentor. Like him, I need a mentor to keep me in line and to call out the gifts God has placed in me. I need someone who can incarnate God’s love for and belief in me. Don’t we all?!

Lastly, I was deeply impacted by a young woman named Pranitha Timothy. She works for International Justice Missions, where she risks her life to help the oppressed get out of slavery and prostitution. The question was raised, “What makes a leader courageous?”, willing to sacrifice and risk, and she offered a text from Isaiah that transformed her own life: “Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen…I have put my Spirit upon her, she will bring forth justice to the unbelieving…in faithfulness she will bring justice.” If you were to see this woman you would not think of words like courageous or powerful. But, as she said, in “His hands”, her feebleness makes way for God’s power. Because of her faithfulness, humility, and trust, many children and parents have had their chains broken and have experienced God’s good news. Lord, help us all to walk by Your Spirit that we may see your Kingdom come here in Kelowna and abroad. Not by our strength, but by Your Spirit. Amen.

Part 2 – Amy Wiersma

As I reflect on our time at the Leadership Summit these words come to mind: Challenged… Inspired…  Grateful.

I am challenged.  I am challenged by the humility, the persistence, and the God-dreams of men and women who have sought hard after God and followed wholeheartedly.  Their stories challenge me.  They seek hard, they listen well, and they allow no obstacle to get in the way of the vision God has planted in their hearts.  Certainly there are stories of discouragement and seeming failure, but they continued to cling to Christ and arise to what God called them to.  This is a challenge and encouragement to my sometimes discouraged heart.

I am inspired.  After listening to people like Marc Kielburger, Bill Hybels, Condoleezza Rice and others, I am inspired to be faithful in what He’s called me to now, seeking what He’s called me to next, and dreaming God-dreams for the future.   I find myself searching the gifts He’s given and the dreams He’s planted in me, some long ago, and some more recent.  Since the Summit I find myself praying and seeking God in them to discover what He might be calling to, and what initiative and opportunities I may have pushed aside in thinking they were far too big of dreams for a person like me.  The exciting thing is, His strength is made perfect in our weakness.  If He calls us, He will equip us.  And I believe He is a God who is in the business of using small people to do big things for His glory.  I am inspired.

Lastly, my heart is overwhelmed with thanks.  Thanks to the KGF Board for being supportive of and investing in leaders.  Thanks to God for the incredible leadership our church has been blessed with for this season.  Thanks for the growth and excitement in our church.  Thanks for the leaders locally and globally who are following God and are impacting businesses and people far beyond what they could have orchestrated on their own.  Thanks for the God-movements that are happening all around the world to bring His salvation to people and glory to Himself.  These are truly things to be thankful for!

Read the original post on the KGF blog here.

Why do some organizations prevail within struggle while other leaders fail?

Jim Collins opens his session with a very interesting story about Ronald Amundsen and his team that travelled across Antarctica while another team that went at the same time all died.

This is the question that his newest book, Great By Choice addresses.  They studied small companies that went from small to great 10x faster than other similiar companies.

What makes a leader win?

A. The Leader is a Level 5 Leader.  A Leader with ambition but humility.

B. But there are Three Distinctive Leadership Behaviors that are present in these winning leaders.

1. Fanatic Discipline
2. Empirical Creativity
3. Productive Paranoia

A passionate speaker with an intense stare and great mind, Jim is a relentlessly curious student of enduring great companies. He is the author of the leadership classics Built to Last and Good to Great.   http://www.jimcollins.com/

SESSION RECAP

1. Fanatic Discipline

• The “20 mile march” approach.  The idea that if marching across the nation, don’t go more on a good day and less on a bad day but be disciplined to march a consistent 20 miles each day!
• Every individual would benefit from having a 20 mile march.  Turning good intentions into great results.
• Manage yourself in good times so you can make it through the bad.
• Commit to your 20 mile march and hit it consistently.
• “The signature of mediocrity is not an unwillingness to change but chronic inconsistency.” 
• But discipline alone is not enough.

2. Empirical Creativity

• “Empirical” is the key word.  Not just creative ideas alone. Do the research.
• It is the genius of the “and.”  Blend creativity and discipline.
• Creativity is not the hard part.  Discipline is.
• The real skill is to marry creativity and discipline in such a way that discipline adds to creativity rather than destroying it.

3. Productive Paranoia

• Take the paranoia and translate it into preparation
• It is what you do before you are in trouble, before difficult times come that makes the difference.
• Consider how you manage in good times so that you can be strong when people most need you.

Great leadership is not about what is done to us but what we do.  It isn’t what happens to a leader that sets them apart but what they do when the unexpected, surprising, difficult, miraculous, or “lucky” times occur that makes the difference.

QUESTION TO COMMENT ON:

1. What stood out most to you from Jim’s talk?

2. 20 mile march idea.  What is an area of your life that you think you need to apply this principle of consistent discipline to?

Favorite Collins Quotes:

• “I have been married for 32 years and I consider that a great start.”
• “The signature of mediocrity is not an unwillingness to change but chronic inconsistency.”
• “even I can’t quantify an aura” 
• “Greatness is not primarily a function of circumstance.  Greatness is firstly a matter of conscious choice and discipline”
• “your organization is not truly great if it cannot be great without you”

Contribute your comments on this post via the original post on Brett’s blog here.

Let us Marvel at Jesus:

Jesus gave the world its most influential movement

• Imagine a world with no Church.  No Notre Dame, no Augustine, no Mother Teresa, no house churches in China…
• Where before the church was there a movement that wanted to include every human regardless of age, ethnicity  or gender?  There wasn’t one.
• The 12 Steps came from an Oxford group who focused on personal transformation.  No Jesus, no 12 steps.  Jesus has changed the world.

Jesus changed how we think about history

• We take progress for granted. In ancient time, history was thought of going in cycles. Time was measured in terms of rulers, i.e 2nd year under rule of….
• The creation of the calendar was made in light of the fact that life has meaning and is leading somewhere.  A monk proposed the new calendar because of Jesus’ influence.
• Every nation is dated in reference to Jesus. For every ruler who dies, their death is dated in relation to Jesus.  A.D = in the year of our Lord.

Jesus gave the world its strongest vision.

• Look into the roots of any schools, orphanages, hospitals, hospices or any organization that cares for the lowly or weak where they cannot repay – it probably is rooted in Jesus.

The Jesus movement shaped education.

• In the Greco-Roman world education was reserved for a few. Not girls.  Jesus’ final command was to go and teach everyone.  Jesus changed education.
• Monasteries for centuries were the only institutions throughout Europe that preserved both religious and secular texts.  Monks started schools.
• Cambridge, Oxford, Harvard are linked to Jesus. 92% of all colleges and universities founded in the U.S pre-WW2 were founded in the name of Jesus.
• Mechanical clocks were invented by monks so they would know when to pray.  Eyeglasses were created because monks needed to read over texts.

The Jesus movement revolutionized art.

• Dante, Bach, Gregorian chants all are rooted in Jesus.

The Jesus movement changed political theory.

• In Roman Empire, it was assumed that the State controlled religion.  Jesus introduced a new concept: “give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (Mt. 22).  

Favorite Quotes of John:

“We need to stop arguing about Christianity and instead, we need to marvel at Jesus.” “2000 years ago, who would you guess would have more impact? Jesus or the Roman Empire?”   “The real question is not “who was this man?” but “who is this man?””  

Related to being a church planter & urban missionary with CityLights Church, I blog on mission, leadership, and various aspects of church ministry. Follow me on twitter @brettgd or subscribe to this blog here.

JOHN’S BIO

John is a senior leader of a thriving multi-site church in Northern California, and is one of those leaders with the great combo of smarts and speaking ability. He is a prominent voice in the worldwide spiritual formation movement and his latest book is Who is This Man.              blog   twitter

QUESTIONS TO COMMENT ON: