News Archive
Day 10 (Thursday)
Willow Creek is the most extraordinary place. Think of a building the size of Heaton Manor that includes various huge spaces including bookstore and coffee shop, add a seven thousand seat venue, plus a car park at least 10 times the size of Sainsbury’s, plus a large lake and fountain a bit like the one at Chatsworth (if you’ve ever seen it), and lovely grounds, you get the idea. Gave me one or two ideas for the new build!! Sat next to a guy who leads a Dutch reformed church in Capetown who was feeling a little daunted by Willow’s size given that his church only has 6,000 members!! He couldn’t quite get his head round me saying that Heaton was a fair size church by UK standards. But big isn’t always beautiful, and whilst the quality of the ministry here is of the very highest order, I did miss the freedom to worship we have at Heaton. Bit different to Bethel; I guess, just different.The sessions were really stimulating, sometimes moving, and all, in their own way, inspiring. Best of all was the last session from a black leader in Minneapolis who had a touch of MLK about him. He certainly knew how to preach up a storm. Spine tingling stuff when the power of oratory gets a crowd this size on its feet. Looking forward to tomorrow, especially Chuck Colson, who was dramatically converted in prison after being imprisoned for his part in the Watergate scandal as a key guy in President Nixon’s government. The influence some of these speakers wield is frightening; they really do have the power to bend history. Bill Hybels was brilliant, as per, on ‘decision making.’ Really nice for Zoe and I to be taken out for dinner by Sir Peter Vardy, who’s here with his son. Great end to another Stateside smasher of a day. Thank you Lord.
“To you O Lord, I lift up my soul,” (Ps 25:1). Heard a variety of inspiring stories today of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Can’t beat it. For me, the starting point as a leader (and a person), is the place of the inclined heart; of the lifted eyes; of the yielded life. The surrendered life is an awesome thing in the hands of our beautiful saviour.