John Burke in Bracknell, UK

At the invitation of the Willow Creek Association, I recently spent two weeks in Europe with my friend and founder of the Emerging Leadership Initiative, John Burke.  As we met with leaders in Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Norway and the UK, a growing sense that God was up to something kept emerging.  One could easily argue that God is always up to something, but it is particularly exciting and encouraging when you can see it and sense it; even more thrilling when you get to come alongside of what He is doing and actually be a part of it.

In the middle of this growing sense of God’s activity I noticed a pattern – a willing leader taking big risks in faith that God would come through. We met veteran leaders with a vision for starting new churches to transform their city. We met young leaders ready to give their lives to see their friends follow Jesus. We met established leaders willing to risk their credibility to bring renewal to their churches. We met not yet leaders who soon will be as they ignore the risk to follow the vision God has given them. Jesus made it clear God can use rocks if he needs to, but he is most often up to something through leaders who trust Him enough to dream big dreams and take big risks.

Which got me thinking as I made the long flight home – maybe I don’t need to fly half way around the world to see what God is up to. Maybe God is up to something big right around me. Maybe I just need to be willing to trust Him enough to take a big risk to see it.

What about you? Do you sense God inviting you into something big? Do you have the faith to trust Him?
By: Craig Whitney (@craigwhitney)
Director, Emerging Leadership Initiative