Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit -- Craig Groeschel

(Here at the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit praying for God to give me new insight to help me in leading with Operation Christmas Child)

Craig Groeschel -- Expanding Your Leadership Capacity

Eph. 3:20 -- Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and forever.

Mark, inventor of the Koosh ball, dared me to hold my breath underwater for a minute.  At 40 seconds I'm rededicating my life to Jesus--at 60 seconds I exploded up out of the water.  Mark said "I'll bet you could do it twice as long if you do what I tell you.  Breathe in and out deeply four times . Your brain does not understand what your body is capable of.  Trick your brain into thinking you are about to give it oxygen."   He did 2 minutes and 45 seconds.   There was way more in me than I ever understood.  

I came to the summit this year to tell somebody there's way more inside of you than you can imagine.  Our God wants to do more than you can imagine.  You can apply this to every area of your life.  

To run a family with six kids we have to have a different mindset.  As your organization grows your mindset has to change.  If your number of volunteers grows you have to change.  Any time my organization starts to settle or struggle I always assume my leadership capacity has to expand.  Many of you are facing a leadership lid and you need to change the way you operate.  

Five "C"s to expand your leadership capacity:  I challenge you to choose one that is yours.

1.  Building your confidence

2.  Expand your connections

3.  Improve your competence

4.  Strengthen your character

5.  Increase your commitment

Building your confidence-- Too often we speak the "language of the lid"--saying "There aren't enough hours in the day.  I can't get it all done.  There's not enough of me."  Change your self-talk.  One of my early fears was public speaking.  I said, "I'm too young.  I don't know enough, etc...."  Now before I speak I take one step forward and in my mind I step out of my insecurities and into the calling and authority of God.  Someone here needs to take one step forward.  I'm not talking about being confident in yourself but confident that God will give you everything you need.  The pathway to your greatest potential is through your greatest fear.  Replace your negative self-talk with the truth of God. 

Expand your connections -- You may be one relationship away from changing the course of your destiny.  For example, after Saul's conversion he met Barnabas who believed in his conversion and vouched for him.   For me it was a guy named Lyle Schaller.   We were considering going to three services and I asked him if it was possible.  He told me I was thinking too small.  Now we have 136 services in various states.  You can learn from legendary geniuses.  Don't try to copy what they do; learn how they think.  Bill Hybels' vision gave me "the gift of disorientation."  Whenever you find yourself wanting to push back and say, "That's not true where I live," you need to expand your connections.  You need a mentor. 

Improve your competence -- You need to decide a specific area in which you need to improve.  People around you know what that area is.  Examples:  communication; listening; delegation; receiving feedback; work ethic; hiring and recruiting; firing; how you run meetings.  

Strengthen your character -- Talent can get you to the top but only character can keep you at the top.  If your character is not strengthening your future potential is weakening.  You and I need to check our lives for leaks.  Are we neglecting a spouse or time with the Lord?  Are we telling 'white lies' or allowing greed to get into our lives.  Are we living with unconfessed sin in our lives?   Why would I try to resist some temptation in the future that I can eliminate today?  (lock out computer sites, etc.)  

Increase your commitment -- There's a big difference between "I kind of want this" and "Nothing will stop me."  Some of you need to stop kinda doing something and increase your commitment.  Examples: imparting faith to youth; reaching our communities for Christ.  There is MORE in you.  Your brain does not understand what your God is capable of doing through you.  You need to step into that commitment.  What you want determines what you will do in order to get it.  

What is your one thing?