Our New Home

It is with great excitement that we would like to announce our new blog home. International GLS stories will be combined with stories from US leaders. Also coming soon will be leadership tips from WCA leaders, Summit speakers, stories on crucial church topics and much more. We are so excited to announce this blog and hope you will check it out.

www.wcagls.blogspot.com

Thanks to you all as you've followed us throughout The GLS this fall. It has been quite an adventure and we are grateful you have taken it with us. We are looking forward to sharing even more of the journey with you in months to come!

"The best leadership conference yet in Germany..."

So said Bill Hybels at the close of the 2010 German Leadership Summit. Final numbers are still forthcoming, but an estimate of 8300 German and Swiss leaders were impacted by this life-changing event. Here is a report from Marty O'Connor, one of our representatives in the field.

Friends,

“O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven or on earth—You who keep your covenant of love with Your servants who continue wholeheartedly in Your way.”

I’m missing words… don’t have a word(s) to describe how God showed up here. That’s one of the ways I know God was in the house… I’m at a loss for words.

Last night, I spend an hour with a couple of world church leaders who described this conference as one of the most powerful events in Germany… in the nations in this area. It’s estimated that at least another dozen nations were here. Dozens of denominations. “This (conference) will impact generations” one leader said. There is an entire seminary here… profs too! They are here because of one student who attend this conference two years ago went back and lived what he learned… then when asked, he spoke. The theme repeated after the conference was “this changed my life!”

Bill said in his last session he thought this was the best leadership conference yet in Germany. Bill has made a commitment to have the team return again in two years!

One church leader said, “we’re writing church history”
Your prayers have helped write the history of the church in this part of the world… thanks for being a part of the team. What we do together none of us could do alone! We did it together by God’s grace and anointing!


For His fame!
Auf Wiedersehen

Marty O'Connor

Just from hearing this, you can imagine all the incredible ministry which happened here for church leaders who don't always have access to the world-class leadership teaching that the Summit provides. These leaders will truly never be the same.

Some quotes and pictures:

Via facebook:

"I attended the conference in Karlsruhe with 26 christians from my church and I´m sure, that we all left the conference touched, motivated and with a reshaped vision. Thank you Willow Creek for serving us." ~Michael Schulze

"Let me tell you, it was an overwhelming expierence. Seeing the Holy Spirit at work at least in my own life. Thank you very much!" ~Rainer Horn

"Be sure that you've truly impacted me. Thank you for coming to Germany again and again. Thank you for being so obedient to God. May He reward you a hundred times." ~Kirsten Seitz

our Swiss satellite site

Day 1: The German Leadership Summit

Today, 8300+ German and Swiss leaders have been envisioned, equipped and inspired. From the reports at the site, as soon as the doors to the venue opened, these enthusiastic leaders literally ran to grab the best seats for the packed line-up they had to look forward to. Here is a report and some pictures sent by Marty O'Connor, one of our representatives there:

Friends,

Day 1 is done… 4 sessions completed.

The Psalmist says it this way in Psalm 75…
We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds.

God was in the house here in German and in Switzerland!

Worship, Drama…
Hybels,
Jessica Jackley,
Dr. Fredmund Malik,
… and we finished with Craig Groeschel.

What a sight and a gift to see this. The place is FULL. This HUGE barn is full! The teams have stepped up to the plate today… across the board. Sound, lights, video, streaming, graphic and the stage teams. People were blessed… I was blessed. What a good day… thanks for partnering with us in prayer… God heard and answered!

BIG day tomorrow… John Ortberg, Nancy Beach and Larry Crabb.
Please continue to pray…

Blessings from Karlsruhe,

Marty

Check in again tomorrow for a full report on all God has done here...

The German Leadership Summit

Today, 8300 German and Swiss leaders are preparing for the Leadership Summit taking place in Karlsruhe, Germany and at a satellite site in Winterthur Switzerland. Our teams in the US and in Germany have been working to prepare for this event for months now, and they are so excited as the registrations pour in. Below are a couple pictures from the empty venue our tech teams are preparing.

These seats will soon be filled with eager German leaders. Will you pray that God will encourage and equip each one of them? Watch this space for more updates. Or, if you are on twitter, you can check the hashtag #lk2010 for tweets directly from the attendees.

We can't wait to see what God will do.

Haiti Update

Praise God. According to an update we just received from our US partners who help with the work we do in Haiti, all involved with the Global Leadership Summit are alive and well. Pastor Jeanty, who leads the Global Leadership Summit, and his family are all accounted for. There are, however, members of Pastor Jeanty's church who are still missing. We ask your continued prayers for them.

Check the above link for more detailed information on the situation in Haiti. They are able to get information directly from their partners on the ground and are updating this page regularly with information.

For church leaders who wonder how best to respond to this situation, tune in to the conference call being hosted by WorldVision along with Bill Hybels and Max Lucado. There will be a Haiti update and tips on how best to mobilize your church to help in this devastating situation.

We are so grateful to God that our friends in Haiti are accounted for and safe. Keep praying for all those who are injured and awaiting aid.

Haiti

We were heart-broken to hear of the news of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. We are waiting for word from our partners in Haiti. Until we have further news on their well-being, we wanted to leave you with this, a glimmer of light on this dark day. This video, taped at the GLS in 2007 paints a beautiful picture of the hope that we have for Haiti. With God's power, we believe this vision can be realized, even still.

The GLS 2009 Comes to a Successful Close...

We hope you all had a blessed Christmas season and a very happy New Year.

With the exception of a couple more events, the 2009 GLS season has come to a close. We are so grateful for all the work God has done in and through this ministry and we continue to see the stories of those impacted pour in. Now that the GLS is through, keep checking this space as we will continue to tell those very stories.

Here is a taste of what is coming in the next couple months:

• A Namibian pastor who caught the Summit vision and the continued impact the GLS is having on his church and community.
• The state of the church in Brazil and what the GLS is doing in this increasingly secular society.
• The GLS through the eyes of a couple of videographers travelling on behalf of the WCA in southeast Asia filming the GLS.
• And much more as the stories of life transformation continue to pour in...

We are so grateful you have taken this journey with us this fall and we can't wait to see how God will use this ministry to advance his Kingdom. Keep checking back here for all those stories...