In 2008, BIG Impact started a partnership with Willow Creek Association to bring to Romania the Global Leadership Summit, which is regarded as one of the best leadership training tools worldwide. Since then, we have been able to offer, year after year, this two day event designed to challenge church, organizational and business leaders to lead in a better way, to lead where they are, to take people from ”here” to ”there” towards the desired future.
This year the Romanian Summit was planned in five venues throughout Romania – Cluj Napoca, Bucuresti, Craiova, Hunedoara and Timisoara, in order to facilitate as large of an attendance as possible, with church, business, and nonprofit leaders.
This year’s edition is already perceived as having a major impact, with quality and relevant content, coming from speakers such as Bill Hybels, Senior Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church; Henry Cloud, well known psychologist; Erwin McManus, pastor at Mosaic Church; Mama Maggie Gobran, Cairo, Egypt; Wess Stafford, president of Compassion International; John Dickson, director of Centre for Public Christianity; Cory Booker, major of Newark, New Jersey; and Steven Furtick, lead pastor of Elevation Church.
Many participants were challenged by the messages, gaining a better understanding of what it really means to be a humble leader.
Following are some of their insights:
I want to change, following my exposure to the truth; I want to tell the truth in love, after I understand what God has in store for me, and I want to do it with determination, no matter the obstacles.
Change begins with me – I have to do what I can, and God will do what only he can do.
One participant commented on the practical tools Psychologist Henry Cloud gave for dealing with the wise, the fool and the evil in their organizations:
I hardly waited for this year’s Summit. Since 2009, every time I attended, I regarded it as the highlight of the year, for refreshing, for relevant information, for spiritual growth. Every session has pleasant surprises – the speaker, the shared experiences, the challenge to grow in faith and the level of dedication to Christ. No other spiritual event seems more complex and welcomed than this. This year’s Summit was an example of courage in tackling the topics. There are so few moments the Christians are naming the issues, because, they say, Christ asks us to turn the other cheek. But the session about the wise, the fool, the evil was excellent, so that you realize you have a responsibility towards God’s ministry, to intervene if someone tries to destroy it – Christianity does not mean to be weak, but stand for the Truth.
I was very excited about the session that dealt with emphasizing the importance of creativity in sharing the Word of God. It helped me be confident that God knew why he gave me certain talents, that he expects me to use them and not be accountable to anyone about how I do his work…The creativity can be seen anywhere in Creation. The session emphasized this and I received wings for the projects I had, but was reluctant to approach.
For me, one of the most encouraging things I got from the GLS, this year, was the message in which Wess Stafford shared the story of a Christian in Ethiopia, who was persecuted and close to getting killed because of his faith. This message raised the level of responsibility regarding the freedom that I enjoy. I have a Bible that I am free to read whenever I want…they have only pages that they have to memorize! I have a local church where I can go freely…they are only meeting in secret! I have the freedom to share the Gospel with whoever I want..they don’t, they can be killed for this! I now appreciate all these blessings and want to use them more!