The Global Leadership Summit is organized for the second time in Romania, as a result of the partnership between BIG Impact and Willow Creek Association. It began in October 30th, in Cluj, being the first session out of five planned for this Fall. The organizers sacrificed their time to facilitate this conference in different cities in order to reach a broader number of people, reducing the costs of the conference and the time needed to be spent by the attendees.
Manastur Baptist Church from Cluj has been a friendly host for about 150 attendees, making available a proper framework for the development of the conference. The coffee breaks were great in warming up the atmosphere and people interaction. Organized under the strong meaning of the words Lead where you are, the summit sessions from this year bring before the Romanian public the contribution of some of the most incontestable leaders of the Evangelical world, such as Bill Hybels, Ken Blanchard or John Maxwell. In addition, the very inspiring examples given by Craig Groeschel or Gary Haugen demonstrates, once again, if needed, that all things are possible to those who believe!
As expected, this event offers each participant something of value in a motivational and inspiring context, well planned to challenge them for initiative and transformation. We were the beneficiary of few principles of leadership theory, unfolded by some of the world’s experts in leadership, in such way all of us understood them. Living examples were given to emphasize the fact that the world can be transformed if you let yourself be led by the faith that God created you for a purpose. We were beneficiary of moments of fine biblical exegesis, as those offered by Tim Keller: he unveiled the prodigal son parable in an astonishing manner, producing a complete perspective of the biblical text in a reading context just few of us expected to hear.
Bucharest, November 6th-7th
The Holy Trinity Baptist Church from Iuliu Valaori street, has been a perfect host for the Summit, in Bucharest. Over 300 people attended with a maximum interest, not to mention the 40 volunteers helping in a precious way to make this event organized in the country capital, a memorable one. It has been obvious the interest of the participants, the conference hall being filled long time before the starting time. The public interacted very dynamic during the presentations.
Galati, November 20th-21th
Galati was the third city where the Summit recorded a major success. Over 200 people came to The Holy Trinity Baptist Church. After an impressive transformation of the conference hall (transformation happened in all other locations as well) this major leadership event began. Although people coming from different other counties attended the events organized in previous locations, this reality was more evident in Galati. Numerous groups of people were coming from Constanta, Tulcea and Braila to benefit this training. The organizers excelled in their care and details in preparing this event: this helped much in facilitating it in flawless conditions.
It is worth to notice that people from all these locations were profoundly impacted by what they heard and saw: the messages were impacting in real time for change and action.
Hunedoara November 27th-28th
The fourth session of Romanian GLS 2009 just happen at the very modern building of Maranatha Baptist Church from Hunedoara. With a growing experience, the building has been prepared to have a beautiful look by the BIG’s people involved in setting this cycle of conferences. Around 200 people were attending this event, enjoying the presentations and being motivated to action.
Timisoara December 4th-5th
Twenty years after the 1989 Romanian Revolution, “Vox Domini” Baptist Church in Timisoara, has launched the fifth GLS site in Romania in partnership with Aletheia, Metanoia, Deo Gloria, and the House of Worship churches. Timisoara site was an authentic happy end for the GLS organizing teams. The remarkable impact reached in Timisoara fully rewarded several months of hard work on the part of our teams. Stirring an unprecedented interest, Timisoara GLS forced the organizing team to stop the online registrations a week before the event and create a two digits waiting list. The Summit was fully appreciated by the lucky ones who were smart to secure the tickets long before the event.
The inspiring contemporary worship, the great but small facility, and the anointed facilitation helped delegates fully enjoy the Summit.
We are praying that both in Timisoara as well as in all the country, the flame of a spiritual revival will burst out of the hearts of those who understand that God is expecting them to lead wherever they are.
Next you can read some feedback from a few participants at the Summit:
- After the second session I had a strong feeling that God spoke to me and I realised that is not an accident I am studying the law. Finally I understood what is God’s plan for me and I really want to start use my gifts and my skills in order to let people know that God loves them. (Coroi Ioana – Cluj)
- It is amazing how these leadership principles delivered by the main speakers are extracted form the Bible, but without someone to put it in the right light we are passing near without to observe them. (Vasile Tomoiaga – Cluj)
- It was good for me to hear about how important are the relashionships in my life and especially the relationship with my boss! I want to know and to relate better with him. Also I want to think and to be careful about the motivations behind my good deeds. I want to know the Lord more and more and live the Gospel. I pray God will help me, I know He will do! Thak you very much! (Oprea Cristina – Bucharest)
- I’m in a turning point in my life, where I feel Jesus calling me into the unknown, onto a risky path and all this time I’ve been fighting His call. I felt like all my dreams and visions that I had for my life are crashing down. I felt totally out of my comfort zone. I came to this summit without expectations. But God spoke so powerfully to me… the circumstances have not changed but I’m irresistibly drawn to Him and I started seeing things differently. I’m still scared but I know I have Dad by my side. That’s all I need to know. (Mihaela – Bucharest)
- GLS is a great gain for Romanian Church and I was very pleased to see it being organized in Romania. One thing that I appreciate very much is the practical teaching from each session with a clear call toward living the full meaning of the Gospel in this Century. (Enescu Florian – Galati)
- It was the perfect time in my life for these messages. I have had the strange feeling during a few sessions that the speakers were articulating what it was in my heart for a long time! I feel that the passion for my Lord it is very powerful inside me but it is not released (yet) at its fullness because of my fears of all sorts. Thank you for encouraging and inspiring me! I am deeply grateful. God bless! (Chronic Lenuta – Galati)
- The first time I was ever exposed to the GLS was when I received a DVD and I watched Erwin McManus, „The Barbarian Way”. Then I got interested in learning more about the GLS.
After the first GLS event in Romania, last year in 2008, our whole yout team started watching the presentations together, asking God what he wanted to teach us as a team, and as individual leaders. This last school year (2008-2009), looked radically different because of what the Spirit stirred, taught and transformed in all of us through the teaching from the 2008 GLS. Thank you! (attendee from Timisoara)