Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit...a quick look back

WOW! Something about receiving the wisdom of so many global leaders in their own niche, over just a couple of days just fills you up! I must admit I have an obsessive compulsive side, so here is what happened in a nutshell, and I promise there will be several more articles coming as I process this information and capture the depth of its meaning, layer by layer.

Going into the Summit, I was a little anxious about work, and a lot anxious about a project I have been working on in the background for the past couple of months. The project in the background had nothing to do with ministry, had a lot of potential, and would require me to step into the unknown at great risk. Risk of failure, risk of reputation, risk of embarrassment, risk of financial loss, and so on. You see to accomplish it, I had to learn things I had never even thought about before, use those new skills, and create an electronic platform that worked flawlessly in my "spare" time.

I had purchased the software I needed the day before the Summit, and was overwhelmed when I started configuring the different platforms required. That little voice in my head kept saying "this is confusing", "this is beyond my knowledge", "you could really screw this up and make a lot of people mad", and I really thought it would take me weeks, maybe months to complete.

Bill Hybels first presentation on Thursday morning was about how to move people from "here" to "there". He talked about casting a vision that made people want to move from "here" to "there" in the first place, because most people are quite content to stay "here" where things are familiar. The key, he taught, was to start by reinforcing the idea that "here" is just not acceptable, before casting the vision of what "there" will look like. Each successive speaker essentially hit on this same theme, but from another perspective. We heard about the peril that lies in "the land between" that will thwart our plans along the journey from"here" to "there", and we heard some pretty amazing people share how they were inspired to do one certain thing that propelled them into the journey that brought them to this place. (more on that in future posts).

Another continuing theme was that the most sustainable business models are those that incorporate giving at their core. This was a point that was driven home when we heard from Blake Mycoskie, founder of Tom's shoes. If you don't know who that is, remember the AT&T commercial about the guy who travels all over giving away shoes? That's him. His one for one model, for every pair of shoes sold, a pair is given to a child who needs them, is a most inspiring challenge to the way most of us do business.

In the aftermath...

After attending such an event, I often experience a "let down" feeling when it is over and I settle back in to all the stuff that I need to do, but this time was different! It was as if the Spirit of God settled on me and said "Here Lynn, let me show you how to get this done." No, I did not really hear Him say that, it just felt that way. But I went back to my daunting project and dug in. After 18 obsessive compulsive hours, with no sleep and no food (I don't recommend this method), it was done! I had set up an affiliate program, website, shopping cart, terms & conditions, affiliate agreement, and a couple of banners for the affiliates to use in promoting the site.

It was beautiful! At the core, and explained thoroughly in the terms and conditions of the affiliate agreement, is a business model based on giving. There is no taking in our program - it is free to join, free to stay, free to access superior training, no product purchase requirement, no stuff to stock and resell, and no matrix to build. My partner and I provide everything needed at no cost, and affiliates just share a superior product at a fair price, with people who really need it, and get paid when they buy it. Best of all, what I earn on this project will support me in establishing more sites like OneMonthofWisdom.com that will encourage readers to meet God, Grow in God, and Serve God in new and mighty ways.

The website is still in BETA, so I can't tell you all about it yet, but it won't be long. More to come soon on wisdom, the Leadership Summit experience, and the new project!

Blessings & Adventure,

lynnibug