I've just returned from the Willow Creek Summit and am once again blown away. I am not an every year Summit attendee. I've been a few times and really should go every year. My mind is on a bit of overload and I'm refecting on all that I heard over that past two days but I do know one thing right now...God thinks I can.
Willow Creek takes some hits for doing certain things and making certain decisions but what I experienced over the past 48 hours was a clear and present impact by the Holy Spirit. The leaders of Willow Creek have pursued Christ's best and tilled a fertile garden for the Spirit of God to reach me--and I appreciate it.
I've found that leadership chips away at your will power and your confidence. It breaks down your resolve and can get you off center. I am so thankful for God reminding me (and some 100,000 other leaders who attended the conference) that HE thinks we can.
He thinks we can innovate. He thinks we can lead. He thinks we can change the world. He thinks we can survive failure. He thinks we can overcome sin. He thinks we can...
As part of the excitement of the Summit, a group of leadership friends joined me at the retreat. It was great to share the experience with my wife and our friends at church. I don't want our church to stay the same. For that matter, I don't want to stay the same. It'll be cool to see where we all go as a result of this.
Now I'm home watching the Olympic opening ceremony. Kinda interesting to come home after a Christ-centered setting to NBC airing an hour+ long religious ceremony. The religions of China were in the fore of all the presentations and network TV seemed to really enjoy it. (It makes me wonder if they would enjoy airing an Olympic ceremony that was laced with Christianity, its symbolism, and its meaning.) Technologically and the people involved in the ceremony were phenomenal! I think they said a 500 ft. LCD screen was used. Crazy. Should be a fun several days of watching.
Makes me think..."Just how are people going to know that God is good?" Gary Hougen of the IJM asked this question at the Summit. Millions of people need to know that God is good and He thinks we can let them know.
