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Connecting Pastors in Indonesia

November 11, 2011 in Asia, Follow the GLS, Oceania with 0 Comments


The Global Leadership Summit (GLS) has become a bridge to connect pastors and leaders within Indonesia who are from all different denominations. They are brought together by the GLS to learn how to grow and mature their leadership skills and take it to the next level. Julian Foe, GLS leader in Indonesia, is excited about this year’s GLS in Indonesia as it provides the opportunity to have relevant topics and biblical leadership, while creating a movement for a leadership learning culture.

Julia says, “In our culture, there is often a reluctant ‘save face’ attitude toward leadership – People have a fear of what other people might say, and have a tendency to hide their differences and feelings”.

Over the years, our team at the WCA has seen that the GLS provides a space to encourage and raise up leaders to step out of their comfort zone. In Indonesia, there is a growing need for the church leaders to focus more on how the church can impact the communities. After one of the previous GLS events a group of leaders in Indonesia collaborated as their hearts overflowed with compassion. The group started an “Adopt a School” program as a social movement for the betterment of education in Indonesia. And another leader started an entrepreneurship, development, and mentoring program.

Join Julian as he prays for the GLS in Indonesia this year, and that more leaders will be moved to step out in faith for the sake of their communities. Pray also for unity, passion and commitment to take up GLS event to bless other cities. And that GLS event will influence broader spheres of influence – Government, schools, and the marketplace.

    “I’ve learned that if I have poor leadership practices, eventually my whole organization will suffer. Participating in the GLS, and learning from other leaders has enlightened me to bigger opportunities. It has inspired me to develop and grow as a leader to increase my impact in my community.”- Julian Foe, GLS leader, Indonesia

By: Willow Creek Association (@wcagls)

A Sick Jesus

February 22, 2011 in International Leadership, Oceania with 0 Comments

This article first appeared in the WCANews magazine in Australia, and was reprinted with permission.

Recently, my life has been changed completely and forever. No, I’m not talking about the moment I committed my life to Jesus, or the day I did the same to my wife. Don’t get me wrong, these are the two most pivotal and significant moments of my life.

But the change that has happened to me recently is no less radical.
That’s right, I became a father.

At this point you are probably wandering what all this has to do with the somewhat curious title of this article. It’s amazing what parenthood does to you. Amidst the sleepless nights (which I have to say have been minimal), and the great highs and occasional lows, I have found myself contemplating all manner of wondrous and peculiar thoughts.

During one particular crying session (the baby’s, not mine) I was struck by the thought… did Jesus cry as a baby? According to the writer of one certain Christmas Carol, ‘but little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes.’

Surely the answer would be yes. Baby Jesus was still a baby, and like all babies, he would have been hungry. As I have discovered, there is only one way for a baby to get mum’s attention, and it’s not by asking quietly and politely.

Of course, this led me down the path of the age old question, did Jesus ever get sick?

I found myself pondering whether the boy Jesus ever caught a cold? Did He ever fall and break a leg while playing with His friends? Did he ever eat too much at Passover and get a stomach ache? Did He ever get a bit too excited with his hammer and chisel and end up with a bruised and swollen thumb?

We know that Jesus was fully God, and therefore never sinned. So we can also deduce that any physical sickness Jesus may have experienced was not a result of sin. At this point, I must stress that I by no means believe all human sickness to be a result of sin.

But He was also fully man, as John says, the Word became flesh. So therefore He would have experienced everything we experienced, and would have been subjected to the conditions of a fallen and sinful world.

We know that Jesus got hungry in the desert after fasting for forty days and nights. Surely He would have been verging on malnutrition? And of course on the cross, above and beyond the obvious excruciating pain and suffering, one of the last statements Jesus made was a cry for water. 6 hours under the hot Jerusalem midday sun would surely dehydrate anyone.

I don’t seek to answer this hotly debated question. But I do wish to add a very somber challenge.

I believe that, to this day, there is something that makes Jesus sick. And I’m not talking about the everyday cold here. At the risk of sounding graphic, there is one thing that makes Jesus so physically ill, that he is forced to throw it up. In the book of Revelation Jesus Himself says these incredibly confronting words, So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth (Revelation 3:16).

Jesus cannot stomach lukewarm, half-hearted followers.

My prayer is that we, you and I, will be so passionately hot for Jesus that we will be an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord (Leviticus 1:13).

By: Ian Anderson
Creative Director
Bill Newman Ministries, television@billnewman.org.au

GLS 2009 Adelaide, Australia

August 14, 2009 in Follow the GLS, International Leadership, Oceania with 0 Comments

Finished GLS in Adelaide, Australia – Personal Reflections

This ‘report’ is not like usual. It is not a list of the amazing moments of the GLS in Adelaide…although it has been an amazing time! More than anything…apart from the highlights evident amongst everyone else, my heart has been ministered to over the past 24 hours.

I came into this Summit run a few weeks ago feeling weary. Months of emails, vision-casting, planning, strategising has left me feeling drained and tired at the thought of leading another event.

Today, as Stafford spoke, God began a process of melting and then strengthening. I was facilitating this session and we had a ‘ministry moment’ planned. After Stafford, people were going to be invited to write their burdens down on a small piece of paper they were given as they entered the auditorium for this session, and then come to a cross that had been set up at the front of the stage area and place them there at the feet of Jesus. They would then be able to move to tables/ushers situated around the room to partake in communion. Even as I spoke to the delegates about allowing God to carry our burdens, the Holy Spirit began to speak to my heart. The worship team began to sing ‘Breathe and the presence of God settled on us all. It was hard to stand and lead the people in this time as indeed my heart was touched so deeply. I was able to place my ‘piece of paper’ at the cross and then spend time watching others move all over the auditorium to do the same. The team began to sing ‘Amazing Grace, my chains are gone’ and there was a sense of victory in the room. I felt the Lord reach down and just fill me afresh.

We sat while over 600 people moved gently and reverently through the room…laying down burdens and taking communion whilst worshiping…and I was very much not overseeing them, but amongst them. The other facilitator finished the session and dismissed everyone to lunch, yet many of us just sat as the sounds of the worship team and the musicians gently washed over us. There was no hurry to lunch, no rushing to leave this moment where God supernaturally spoke and restored hearts.

So often in leadership and in our roles, we give and give and give. We don’t always have the privilege of the time to withdraw from this…however, we do have the opportunity to engage in the midst of what we do. We can either sit and plan the next thing, checking run-sheets, making sure people are ready for the next task…or every now and then we can turn our eyes toward Jesus and allow him to ‘renew us on the run’. The message to me more than ever was about where my heart is when I am leading. If it truly remains on Christ and a readiness for Him to touch my life and the lives of others [in amongst the role I hold] then He becomes my strength. He becomes my motivation. He renews and restores as I serve. I live what I am asking others to do. Only God!

During this ministry moment, I lay burdens at the cross today that I will not pick up again. They belong to the Lord. Different ones knelt, others stood with arms in victory. All different expressions of a God who is alive and strengthening His Kingdom. Praise Him and Him alone.

My heart is full and the calling is strong.

Karen Wilson
GLS Australasia