Four Lessons from the Best Leaders in the World

Do you remember last Christmas? It seems like long ago. Life was “normal” back then. Since January, though, we went from “normal” to “there is this virus in China,” to “this may turn into a pandemic,” to total lockdown, to global economic crisis, even starvation. Now it is the middle of May, and we are in the middle of a global humanitarian crisis.

Response

What happens when an unprecedented global crisis emerges? The best leaders rise to the top and start making a difference. At ILI, we are seeing this happen right in front of our eyes. This week, we had our 9th weekly global leaders call with over 60 leaders from all over the world. As we heard testimony after testimony of how leaders shifted their focus to the online world and rallied to help those in need, I learned four important leadership lessons.

1. There Are Great Opportunities in Times of Crisis. When it was clear we were going into a pandemic, ILI suspended all face-to-face training. The essence of who we are as an organization and a movement – the ILI leadership conference, grinded to a halt. Yet, only one week after the decision to suspend face-to-face training, the first live online conference started using video conferencing apps.  As you read this, there are dozens of events planned or ongoing. And, there is more. Unlike the local reach of our regional training, there are no geographic boundaries with online training. These events are equipping leaders from different parts of the world. 

2. Responding to a Crisis Requires Hard Work. Although we can’t physically “go to the office,” every leader I talk to, says they are working harder and longer from home than they ever did at the office. Those who are leading conferences are having to put together teams, meet multiple times, and go through a steep learning curve to master online teaching. Some of our leaders are unable to lead trainings right now because they are consumed with feeding those who are hungry around them.

3. We Are Learning On The Job. One leader from Kenya told us she is just starting the process of learning how to use the online tools and lead videoconferences, although their conference has already started. And she is not the only one. We are all learning this as we go. The truth is we can not wait for all to be perfect before taking action. The world is available now! The world is in need now! The world is expecting leaders to take action now!

4. Creativity is the name of the game. Our leaders are learning how to think out of the box like never before. Just to give an example, we used to think online training was all but impossible in rural Africa. That assumption was crashed by the hundreds who signed up for training online in French-speaking Africa and by the brilliant idea of equipping leaders through a weekly radio broadcast augmented by interaction on social media in Liberia. 

These lessons are exciting, but it is not even the whole story. As you read this, history is being written by the best leaders around the world. Maybe next week I will have learned four more lessons from our global heroes who are serving the Church, feeding the hungry and serving the needy, while equipping hundreds of leaders to accelerate the spread of the Gospel.

Are you interested in joining the pack? Leave a comment and let’s join forces to serve the Lord and our brothers and sisters around the world during this crazy season of our lives.

Encouragement For You During COVID-19

As you enter Holy Week during a Global Pandemic, Wes and Joy Griffin, Founders of International Leadership Institute and authors of Dare to Ask God have a special message for you. 

Grow Through What You Go Through

I have seen many comments during this global pandemic reminding us that God is with us in difficult times. Psalm 91 is an important passage of Scripture as it reminds us to cling to God as our shelter and refuge. These and many other words of encouragement are important, particularly in times of difficulty. One of the very first verses of Scripture I memorized was Isaiah 41:10, which says, “Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious (or righteous) right hand.” This verse has been a great help to me throughout my life, as it reminds me of the basic truth that God is with us, and will help us in times of trouble.

When we are in the middle of difficult circumstances, we generally act in survival mode. It is all we can do to simply get through the current situations. We are comforted during these times that Jesus is called Immanuel, which means, “God with us.” We are reminded in Isaiah 43 that God is with us as we pass through the waters or the fire, and we take heart in the words of Jesus when He said, “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). In hard times, we are focused on going through deep waters or the fires, yet we can be encouraged to know that God is going through it with us.

When we stop and explore that thought however, we will realize that God is not only going through the circumstance with us, but He will actually use the circumstance for benefit in our lives. We not only go through hard times, but we grow through hard times, or at least we will if we are open to the work of God in our lives.

Consider James 1:2-4 which says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Or Romans 5:3-4 which tells us, “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” These passages tell us not only that we should have a positive attitude in difficult times, but they also share why we can. God will use the difficult circumstances we face to perfect us in many ways. We not only go through difficult times, we can grow through difficult times! We can develop an enduring faith that enables us to persevere in any situation. Our character is shaped in profound ways, and we find hope when others see hopelessness. Peter speaks of suffering having the result in us of being “perfected, confirmed, strengthened, and established” (1 Peter 5:10). God will not waste our difficulties!