The Global Leadership Summit - Not Just for Leadership's Sake

My first experience with the Global Leadership Summit was several years ago when I volunteered to be a car park attendant at the Auckland site. I didn’t know much about the Summit back then, but got to sit in for a couple of sessions and was blown away by the quality of the teaching and diverse range of speakers. I am now on staff at Willow Creek New Zealand and still continue to hold the GLS in high regard.

This year I had the privilege of attending the Summit in Chicago with the NZ team and was truly blessed and inspired throughout this two day event.

As Bill Hybels says, “The Summit is not a hyped up motivational seminar where speakers gloss over the rough and tumble realities of the leadership struggle and pump hot air over the crowd until they levitate into the place only to crash on Monday morning when the real stuff hits the fan. We are realistic leaders who are trying to lead better in the real world.” The Summit exists to empower and equip leaders, and not just for leadership's sake - but for the sake of the cause we are serving - in the church, school, business, or home. We need great leadership.

The Summit is specifically designed to stir and provoke - to challenge different thoughts and beliefs and to raise different points of view. The Willow Creek team are adamant that the GLS will never be an event where people just turn up, sit through some ‘nice’ messages, agree with everything and then leave unchanged.

The Summit is unashamedly Christ-centered and that it is a supernatural event that people pray for year-round. God knows what leaders need. More specifically He knows what you need. When you attend the Summit I believe the Spirit of God is ready to speak to you personally where you are at. My prayer is that you will join me in attending a Summit site and be as impacted as I have been by this year’s Global Leadership Summit - for the sake of those you lead, and the local church, the hope of the world. See you there!

Tom Atkinson

WCANZ Staff

Ps. Don’t overlook us young emerging leaders. We need to be there with you!