leadership summit reflections

this past thursday thru saturday i participated in a simulcast conference known as the leadership summit. over 110 locations in the us brought together over 54k leaders from all kinds of churches in order to hear God's challenge to us.

i went into it wondering what it would be like to watch a big screen for 2 1/2 days, pretending i was a part of the action at the main location. i soon discovered that i was fully engaged in the conference and quickly forgot about the fact that i was watching a giant projection screen. the summit was great! i am truly energized for carrying out the leadership which i have been called to do - and i believe that God is receiving glory for my success and confronts me in my failures as a leader.

i look forward to next year's summit, but i have to make the necessary changes in my life now, so that at next year's summit i will be able to leap to even higher ground and meet greater challenges.

bill hybels asked us to find our "holy discontent," the thing that wrecks us about the church/christian life. he told us that the things that wreck us, wreck God and that we should go out and make a difference in the things that wreck us. i discovered that the thing that wrecks me is the missing 20 to 30-somethings in the modern american church. i discovered that i want more than anything to see my generation find its place in the church body and find a way to worship the living God with meaning and purpose. i am even more committed to seeing that an emerging worship service begins at trietsch during my tenure here. without offering a worship experience that resonates with the generation that is missing from our churches, i will not be able to stand before my creator and say that i did all that i could.

thanks to ken ulmer i was reminded that my passion will remain only pipe dream if i do not turn it over to God, so that he can begin to work on it and make it come alive in the hearts of those who need to hear his message. he said that it all depends on who's hand it was in - if it's in my hand, it can only do so much; but if it's in jesus' hand, it can work miracles and change lives and impact the kingdom of God forever.

one of the rituals i plan to initiate is the weekly devotionals for those of you who want them. they will be available on my new blog page each wednesday morning. i hope that your journey with christ is blessed because of them and i hope that you will make comments on them each week.

grace&peace