Why the Global Leadership Summit, Why Norway, and Why Me

The mission of the Global Leadership Summit  is “Transforming local churches around the world with an annual injection of vision, skills development, and inspiration in the lives of Christian leaders.”  For three of the days that I will be in Norway, I will be helping to prepare the church in Oslo for the Summit and working with the staff of Willow Creek to present the Summit.  The rest of the time there will be filled with travel, local serving opportunities, prayer, some sight-seeing, and a lot of relationship building with the Norwegians.

From the Willow Creek Association and the Global Leadership Summit’s website, “The Global Leadership Summit is a two-day, world-class leadership event experienced by more than 170,000 leaders around the world, representing more than 14,000 churches. It's telecast LIVE from Willow's campus (near Chicago) every August. Throughout the fall, Summit events take place in an additional 300+ cities, 92 countries—and translated into 42 languages. This event is crafted to infuse vision, skill development and inspiration for the sake of local church transformation.”

A year ago, I would have answered why I want to go to Norway completely differently than I now answer it.  I probably would have said something to the effect of “it sounds cool”, “I liked Denmark, this can’t be that different, right?” or maybe even to make an impression on the people in my life. 

 
Now, however… I have grown and am completely different person.

    -    I’ve experienced the deep loss of close relationships

    -    Experienced first-hand the amazing power of prayer (Have you ever tried a 30-day prayer challenge?)

    -    Watched God work miracles (read my previous post of 360 on 694 for just one example)

    -    Have seen and experienced restored relationships

… and most importantly, I want other people to be able to experience the same kind of living faith that I have.  

I also feel very strongly about the verses in Matthew where Jesus is commissioning His disciples.  Maybe it’s because these verses were emphasized while I attended Northwestern. Maybe it’s because I love international travel. Maybe it’s because it’s simply because it’s the way God has wired me.

Matthew 28: 16 – 20, The Great Commission verses read:

“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on hearth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”

Jesus is speaking to his disciples after he has resurrected.  He is telling his disciples to spread out past Jerusalem.  Many of them went to Judea, Syria, Cilicia (Paul went here to Tarsus).  They didn’t stay still.  The disciples and apostles went beyond the boundaries of comfort into nations that were new, spoke different dialects, and would have had to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit, their faith, and prayer to have their most basic needs met.   God didn’t say only go to the poor nations or neighborhoods to build wells and houses; although he did say to take care of the poor.  What God did say is (1) GO TO ALL NATIONS, (2) MAKE DISCIPLES, (3) BAPTIZE, and (4) TEACH.  So, if all of us go to Africa, Haiti, the inner city, etc… who will reach the nations that have material goods, yet are spiritually bankrupt?  Me.  The underdog… except in this case, it’s the spiritual underdog – not the social underdog, not the financial underdog, and not the week underdog.  It’s spiritual.  I want the Norwegians and the leaders there to have the same kind of joy that I have. I want to share my faith story with them.  I want them to know the unbelievable and immeasurable power of prayer.  I want them to have an opportunity to have the same kind of real relationship with Jesus that I have.

Even though I know that I have God on my side, I still need your support.  Prayer support for preparing the trip, staying strong and overcoming spiritual warfare, and safe travels.  Another way to support me is through financial support.  I have about 20% raised, but still need your help. The last day to contribute to my trip is October 15th.   If you can help support me financially, you can click here. And then, finally, I will need someone to help me out with Osakis the weekend I am gone (November 1, 2, and 3rd).  I could use your help taking him outside and feeding him.  Just let me know if you can help out!

Here's some more info about what the GLS is...

Highlights from the Global Leadership Summit in August 2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2NuCZtxiAw#t=88

Additional Resources

http://www.willowcreek.com/events/leadership/about.asp

34 Days Until Take-Off

In January, earlier this year, I knew that I was being called to go on this trip to Norway.  I didn't know when or how, I just knew, somewhere deep in my soul, that I was going.   But then my friend Bianca came and went to Haiti, and went again (! - so proud of you!); and the seeds of doubt loomed in my mind... there was no way I could go on a missions trip.  In fact, I blogged about being jealous of people who could go on missions trips.  Then the dates for Norway arrived. There were two weeks to choose from - the first week was the week preceding my formal concert with the Army Band, and the second week was the week of the formal concert.  I took the plunge, sent in my non-refundable deposit with the small amount of money I had saved, and applied.

In just 34 short days I am going to be taking off an adventure that I didn't think would be possible.  I am going to be traveling to Norway with a team from Eagle Brook Church to help put on the Global Leadership Summit in Oslo.

While this isn't my first time traveling overseas, there are still many pieces that need to fall into place in order for this trip to be successful.  The first one is prayer support.  I have long struggled with doubt and trust, and so far - even the preparation for this trip seems to be challenging me to overcome those.  So far, the emotions that I've experienced preparing for this trip run everywhere from nervous to excited, anxious to doubtful, even overwhelmed (that seems to be the most recent one!)  The second one is financial support.  Tonight we learned that our estimated cost has been reduced by almost $400!!!  I have about 20% raised, but still need your help. The last day to contribute to my trip is October 15th.

If you can help fund my trip, go to:  http://ebcgiv.convio.net/goto/Becky

For those of you that have contributed, I have been overwhelmed - thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

I have a poem hanging above my desk right now, given to me be a dear friend.  It reads:
    I was regretting the past and fearing the future.
    Suddenly God was speaking: My name is "I am."
    God continued:  When you live in the past, with its mistakes and regrets, it is hard.
    I am not there.  My name is not, "I was."
    When you live in the future with its problems and fears, it is hard.
    I am not there.  My name is not, "I will be."
    When you live in this moment, it is not hard.
    I am here. My name is "I am."


And with that, I hope that my story and experiences, and yes - my pictures too!!! are an encouragement to you and I hope that I can share them with you when I return!  I will be writing more as we get closer to the trip, and hopefully, while I am there as well!

In response to President Obama's Speech

In Response to President Obama’s speech – in essence, his “Call to Arms” of the American people…

In high school I remember Mr. Anderson trying to teach us world history and politics, learning about government, the Geneva Convention, and the various schools of thought on how different countries’ governments are run.  Throughout history we’ve seen the rise and fall of great nations, and yet out of tyranny and repression people rise stronger together than they had ever been before living under an iron fist.  And now, as a nation of great power, the United States is challenged by the actions of individuals in Syria; a country that was an original member of the United Nations, when it was formed in 1945. 

According to the United Nations' official webpage (www.un.org) the UN has 4 main purposes:

1. To keep peace through the world

2. To develop friendly relations among nations

3. To help nations work together to improve lives of poor people to conquer hunger, disease and illiteracy, and to encourage respect for each others' rights and freedoms

4. To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations to achieve these goals.

 And so I ask myself, what do other UN countries think of the United States involving themselves in the politics of another country?  Countries like China, Japan, Israel, and the United Kingdom don’t seem to be jumping at the bit to keep Syria in line.

And then I get to thinking about my upcoming Norway trip and the Norwegians general opinion of Americans.  Without the experience of living there and without the cultural knowledge or of what the political climate is there, I wonder what the people of Norway think about Americans in general; the American system of government (compared to their parliament), and why we, here in the United States, don’t tend to hear about the Scandinavian countries supporting the United States’ military efforts.

And then I think about how the choices that are being suggested mirror the current political climate of a nation who continues to rescue its own people again and again. When will we, as Americans and as a country, stop rescuing our citizens from the choices that they make or stop rescuing the nations of this world from breaking?  But then there is another question that comes to mind about the separation of church and state; and countries being defined as “Christian” or “Muslim”, or in the case of Syria, the country is run by Alawites (“ethnically Arab but follow a smaller branch of Islam” – whatever that means?!).

Thankfully, Max Fisher, someone far more educated in Middle Eastern politics than I am; wrote an article entitled “9 Questions about Syria you were too embarrassed to ask” that was published August 29 in The Washington Post.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/08/29/9-questions-about-syria-you-were-too-embarrassed-to-ask/

And maybe the above reasons are why you don't talk about politics or religion unless you want a fiery debate!