FAIRFAX, Va. – Church leaders attending the Leadership Summit at sites across North America were left with a sobering reminder of the world's woes and the difficult task they have at hand in carrying God's calling.
They were asked if they could be fully yielded to God as one of the most famed humanitarian figures in history had been.
More than 50,000 leaders stood up at the conclusion of the two-day annual summit, hosted by the Willow Creek Association, repeating some of the proverbs Mother Teresa had lived by for over four decades of her life.
"God, I yield myself fully to you," they said. "I will do your bidding without delay. I will refuse you nothing ... I will seek to love You as You have never been loved before.
"Here am I, send me."
After studying for months about Mother Teresa, Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Ill., painted a powerful picture of the "pint-sized" Catholic nun, who had given herself fully to God even during periods when she could not feel God's presence.
"Even though I don’t feel His presence, I will seek to love Him as he has never been loved," Hybels quoted her as saying.
The megachurch leader admitted that such words were "foreign" to his spirituality. Noting that no one has affected him more deeply than Mother Teresa, he said the entire summit was worth it for him just to do the research on this woman.
"Are you lighting up the radar screen in heaven by your yieldedness?" Hybels asked. "If you were God for a day, would you pick you?"
Although it may seem nearly impossible to many to see another figure like Mother Teresa come along in history and make an impact the way she did, Hybels reminded the leaders that God continues to search for a yielded heart and that He has planned something greater for this generation.
"Greater things have yet to come," the thousands of leaders sang following Hybels' talk.
The 13th annual Leadership Summit was broadcast live Aug. 7-8 to 123 locations in North America and will be videocast to an additional 108 cities worldwide in the fall. It is dubbed as one of the world's most premier leadership training events and draws world-class speakers from a variety of sectors.
In 2006 and 2007, the conference featured former president Jimmy Carter, former secretary of state Colin Powell and U2 frontman Bono in its speaker line-up. Hybels acknowledged that many people carried doubts about this year's conference because of the lackluster line-up compared to previous years.
But many affirmed with applause that they weren't disappointed this year and Hybels assured them that the summit staff work hard to discern their speakers.
Among Friday's speakers were Chuck Colson of Prison Fellowship Ministries, Craig Groeschel of LifeChurch.tv, Catherine Rohr of Prison Entrepreneurship Program and Brad Anderson, who heads Best Buy.
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Daniel Paul,
You are so right! I'm ashamed of many Americans when I travel overseas. They act poorly, they expect too much, and want to pay too little. I once was part of a short term mission of teens to Mexico and I kept having to remind the kids (16-18 yo) of what manners are. One was so 'picky' he did not want to eat what the host provided for meals. He ended up basically fasting much of the time we were there, but not for spiritual reasons. I had only met him for the trip, but I was ashamed of him. Our whole culture is like that.
I have watched people live in boxes because they had no better, scrounging for food where they could beg or find it. I did what I could, but people worldwide are selfish or lazy or wicked and it affects our kids and those around us. Most of us in this society have no idea how lucky we are to be blessed with so much.
Most of us have no idea of how bad it will get when the tribulation comes. And it will come. Sooner or later, the day God has set for judgment will arrive (Acts 17:31). I only pray we practice true religion to those around us (James 1:26-27; 1 Timothy 5:3-5).
WB--you got that straight. If in heaven those who served the best are closest to the throne, I think many Americans will find themselves in the 'rafter seats'.
We complain when gas gets to be $4.00/gal but that has been the norm in many parts of the world for years. We complain when our food isn't hot when it's served but in many parts of the world they would consider it a blessing just to have that food. We are spoiled. It's that simple. We want but we do not have....
I think that none of us in the USA have done enough. It does not matter how much we teach English, give to the poor, help build homes or churches, preach, teach, evangelize, have people come live with us, visit the elderly and sick, it will never be enough until the whole world knows Christ and realizes the value God puts on people and how He sent His Son to die for them and they can help others learn the same.
I was born in India to a middle class family. Every time
when the plane took off from Bombay, I could see the
filth and hell in a slum life from the plane, and I have
cried without control, hiding my emotions from
other passengers. Finally, I went to visit the slums
of Delhi. Human being created in God's image living
9x12 ft or more of less size rooms, as their home with
a big or small family. Every visit makes me to think
twice: is God an unjust God? But the small and still
voice I heard was " I have given you an avenue to show
my love to the suffering world, so that I can bless you spiritually". Every time when I visit, I feel greatly
blessed by helping them some humble way.
Those fundamental Bible holding believers who are in the
forefront to quote verses from the Bible and to throw
mud at a saint like Mother Teresa, let me ask you a
question, whether any of you have read the verse from
James 1:27 " Pure religion and undefiled before God and
the father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows
in their afflictions, and to keeo himself unspotted from
the world". Mother Theresa has fulfilled the real
definition of religion in her life, and we need to have
her heart of Jesus to wipe the tears of the widows and
fatherless. Only God knows, who will enter heaven, but
some people are clarmoring about a furturistic event
while enjoying life in a very comfort zone while emitting
the hot air of " fundamentalism ". It is time to stop
preaching but doing something in the practical way to
give life and hope to a hopeless world. When we can see
the sufferings of the world through the eyes of our Lord,
we will jump into action to help the humanity.
once in a while a story comes along that warms the heart and uplifts the soul. The story of Bill Hybels is one such story. It shows the bigness of heart to see the truth outside of one's own corral. It honestly saddens me to read comments like ConeWone 2 who seems to reach far too quickly for the damnation stick. What kind of image of Jesus do you espouse? He will damn you because you feel inspired to reach a little higher than our average grasp. What then are we to make of texts like: "Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect"? Which is better: not to strive because you won't make it, or to strive and fall short, but have sought a deeper love?
Sometimes, Christians can learn more from their enemies than they do from their friends. Enemies can be brutally honest.
Did Bill Hybels read the review below when he was doing his months long studies of Mother Teresa? Did Bill Hybels read the book; "Mother Teresa: The Final Verdict?" while studying her for months?
Book Review - Mother Teresa: The Final Verdict
Quote:
"The other critical biography is entitled Mother Teresa: The Final Verdict and is written by Aroup Chatterjee. This title is several hundred pages longer than Hitchensâ
"They were asked if they could be fully yielded to God as one of the most famed humanitarian figures in history had been.
More than 50,000 leaders stood up at the conclusion of the two-day annual summit, hosted by the Willow Creek Association, repeating some of the proverbs Mother Teresa had lived by for over four decades of her life.
"God, I yield myself fully to you," they said. "I will do your bidding without delay. I will refuse you nothing ... I will seek to love You as You have never been loved before.
"Here am I, send me.""
What if someone fails to live up to all that, will they lose their salvation? How do they know if they are fully yielded to God? How do they judge whether they are fully yielded to God or not? Just because their pastor says so? What if someone says "I yield myself fully to you" and then does not keep that oath? What if someones says; "I will do your bidding without delay" and fails to keep that oath for one reason or another? What will happen to them? What if some who says; "I will refuse you nothing ..." and then refuses something? What happens to them for breaking that oath? What is the litmus test for what is refused? What if someone cannot live up to this oath; "I will seek to love You as You have never been loved before?" What if they fail to love God as He has never been loved before? What happens to them if they fail this oath? What happens to those whom make this oath; "Here am I, send me" and then they break that oath? What are the consequences for breaking oaths made unto God?
What a legalistic trip the whole "seeker sensitive, Purpose Driven, church growth, Willow Creek movement is. It ties people up in bondage all over again.
"After studying for months about Mother Teresa, Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Ill., painted a powerful picture of the "pint-sized" Catholic nun, who had given herself fully to God even during periods when she could not feel God's presence."
Studying for months about Mother Teresa??? Where is the study of God's precious Word for months in all of that? (2 Timothy 2:15Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.) The most desperate need for the world today is the Gospel of the LORD Jesus Christ. People may die fully clothed and with full bellies yet completely empty and devoid of the Gospel and end up in the lake of fire.
"Noting that no one has affected him more deeply than Mother Teresa, he said the entire summit was worth it for him just to do the research on this woman."
I cannot believe Bill Hybels has said that??? No wonder there is a deadly disease and much deception within the professing church today. What about prolonged research on the LORD Jesus Christ, the KING of Kings and LORD of Lords?
The Myth Of Mother Teresa
Quote:
"Mother Teresa, as goes without saying, was a devout Roman Catholic. As such, some of her beliefs would necessarily have to stand at odds with core Christian beliefs. This has not appeared to trouble many Christians who continue today, even in Protestant churches, to uphold her as a prime example of Christian virtue, love and self-sacrifice. Her devotion to Catholic theology is obvious in her speeches and writing. In a speech she delivered to the Worldwide Retreat For Priests in October of 1984 she made the following quotes:
a) "At the word of a priest, that little piece of bread becomes the body of Christ, the Bread of Life."
b) "Without a priest, without Jesus going with them, our sisters couldnâ
wrhalver,
You made some excellent points. Faithful to the responsibilities that God has given us is the key.
Some are full-time mothers or fathers. That is God's calling for ministry.
Others are full-time caregivers for an elderly parent or disabled family member. That is God's calling of compassion ministry.
Others are full-time public servants serving as legislative or political leaders. They may serve God, whole-hearted, for just causes in the fight to save unborn babies or to preserve traditional marriage.
Some are single without children and are able to devote their energies with a single focus, like Mother Theresa. Such persons are faithful to their callings in ways unique to their circumstances.
"After studying for months about Mother Teresa, Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Ill., painted a powerful picture of the "pint-sized" Catholic nun, who had given herself fully to God even during periods when she could not feel God's presence."
It needs to be noted here that Mother Teresa never married. She is the example of the kind of committment spoken of by the Apostle Paul.
But I'm not sure if this is the kind of committment that Hybel's is suggesting to these church leaders.
We are to be faithful with any responsibilities, including marital, as God has entrusted to each of us.