Leadership

As we are reminded almost daily these days, battles are raging all around us with fierce intensity, whether it be in battlefields overseas, in the heart of our inner cities, or even in our own homes. We leaders of local churches are also engaged in a raging spiritual battle for the hearts and the minds and the souls of human beings.

Our effectiveness, or lack thereof, seals men’s and women’s eternities forever. For us, it’s not just a life or death deal. In our leadership battles, the stakes are eternal life and eternal death. It’s always been that way in kingdom warfare.

Our battlefield is not limited to a jungle or a rice paddy or a patch of desert sand. Our field of engagement extends to every corner of the globe as we seek to fulfill the words of Jesus, who said that we needed to do everything in our power to reclaim the whole world for His glory and Lordship.

Those of us who are called to church leadership aren’t merely expected to put in our 20 years and then collect handsome pensions as we golf and retell old war stories until no one wants to hang around us anymore. Our calling is a lifetime challenge.

God gives us leadership gifts, and He fully expects us to get out of bed every day and go back into the battle until such time as He changes our orders or takes us home. Finding the strength to endure over the long haul, therefore, becomes a critical dimension of leadership. We are in the highest-stake battle ever fought on the broadest battlefield of engagement ever imagined.

Let every leader be reminded once again of the words of Zechariah 4:6: “‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord.” Not by cunning or seasoned leadership, not by high-octane vision casting or charming charisma, not by managerial precision or seamless organizational structure, but “‘by my Spirit,’ says the Lord.”

It’s the only power capable of overwhelming the opposition. It’s certainly helpful to have vision casting, managerial proficiency, and organizational structures that help. But never mistake for a nanosecond whose power it is that changes a human heart, that equips a convert, that renews a mind, or sets the captive free. Never forget whose power it is that gives birth to new churches or that rejuvenates dying churches. It’s the power of God, not of man, which is why it is so essential that we leaders pay as much attention to heart development as we do leadership skill development and that we read as many books about the “Christ factor” as we do the “leadership factor.”

Show me a leader with a growing heart of faith in God and a gradually improving set of leadership skills, and I’ll show you someone who can put the enemy on the run!

The fact that we are in a battle is inescapable. The question is, what battle would you rather be in, and who would you rather be in it with? For myself, fighting for the local church and ensuring it achieves its redemptive potential with other Christ-following brothers and sisters is the highest marching order I could ever receive. My prayer is that every leader would take this seriously, and would arm themselves for the battle around them and live their mission as the Spirit gives grace and power.

Bill Hybels is the senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church

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The Leadership Summit

Global Leadership Summit

“I don’t know of a better organised training seminar on leadership than Willow Creek’s annual Leadership Summit.” Rick Warren – Pastor of Saddleback Church

The Global Leadership Summit brings UK & Irish church leaders the top 8 sessions of The Leadership Summit via videocast. It provides an affordable and accessible opportunity for leadership teams to benefit from world-class training on an annual basis. This year - 14 UK & Ireland venues. More

This popular monthly series is for leaders who want to build prevailing churches. For 60 minutes every month, listen as Defining Moments host, Nancy Beach, asks Bill Hybels and other Christian leaders strategic and probing questions to help leaders discover transferable principles and practical strategies to maximize their church's impact. Listen to samples.
Defining Moments comes as a free benefit with WCA membership

Published by ChristianityToday, the Leadership Journal provides cutting-edge thinking for ministry leaders as well as tackling a variety of issues.
Leadership Journal is a WCA UK & Ireland member benefit.

The DNA of Effective Church Leadership

Top article by Bill Hybles in Willow's award-winning magazine for church ministry leaders:

What Leaders Must Do To Build Prevailing Churches

Here is a question many have asked me, and increasingly I have been asking myself lately: What kinds of things must church leaders learn to do very well if they are going to build prevailing Acts 2 churches for Jesus Christ?

God wants every church to prevail. He wants there to be a vitality and a movement from strength to strength. All of heaven is cheering for it to happen in our churches. So, the question I posed above — if God’s glory is at stake and He wants every one of His churches to prevail — then what do we as church leaders need to get better at to help our churches do what God wants them to do?

Based on my three decades in ministry and many of my travels to churches around the world, I offer the following observations. More

Leadership Training Resources for You and Your Team

The Leadership Summit Team Edition DVDs provide an excellent resource to use with your team. Many WCA member churches have also used the DVDs to reach out to their community, inviting other church leaders and even business leaders to special presentation evenings.
Individual session MP3s, CDs and DVDs are also available, plus make sure you check out the topical Leadership Summit Library series available on DVD and CD.

Consider attending the Leadership Summit in Chicago

Each year over 100 UK & Ireland church leaders and their teams make the investment to visit Willow Creek and attend the Summit. It provides an truly inspiring experience gathering with thousands of international leaders and learning from some of the world's top leaders. The trip includes 8 nights accommodation with a Willow family, plus special rates for WCA members. Click here for more details of the Summit and then following these booking guidelines.

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