Baylor University Serves as Satellite Location for the 2011 Willow Creek Leadership Summit

Follow us on Twitter: @BaylorUMedia
Once again, Baylor University will serve as one of 140 satellite locations for the Willow Creek Leadership Summit, which will take place Aug. 11-12 in Waco Hall.
The summit exists to transform Christian leaders around the world with an annual injection of vision, skill development and inspiration for the sake of the local church, according to the organization's website. Church leaders and volunteers are encouraged to attend the conference.
"Baylor has hosted this event since 2005 as high-profile, high-powered leadership training conference for the benefit of both Baylor and greater Waco leaders," said Paul Carr, senior pastor for the Global Leadership Summit and director of student publications at Baylor. "Our belief is that if a local leader who attends this summit gets five percent better, then his or her impact on the community will get better. If 250 leaders in Waco get 5 percent better each year, then their effectiveness improves both Baylor and Waco."
While the target audience for this leadership event is those who are active in a local church, either on staff or as lay leaders, "anyone in a leadership role in any organization or capacity will gain insights and ideas from this event," Carr said. "Everyone wins with more effective leadership and vision."
Speakers from various disciplines - including sports, academia, government and nonprofit - are chosen to lead the summit based on their ability to deliver practical skills and help church leaders grow in their leadership abilities. This year's speakers will include:
Bill Hybels, founder and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church for 35 years, has authored more than two dozen books and is dedicated to fostering leadership among Christians.
Howard Schultz, founder, CEO and president of Starbucks, has returned to Starbucks as CEO after stepping down eight year ago. He is focused on growing the company financially without sacrificing its humanity.
Erwin McManus, activist, filmmaker, innovator and cultural architect, works in the fashion and entertainment industry in Los Angeles. He has produced Super Bowl commercials and created clothing lines, but also can be found teaching at Mosaic on Sunday mornings.
Michelle Rhee, founder and CEO of StudentsFirst and former chancellor of D.C. Public Schools, has spent the last 18 years working to equip children with the skills needed to compete in a changing world. She has served with Teach for America and founded The New Teacher Project to help change how districts recruit and train teachers.
Henry Cloud, clinical psychologist, bestselling author and leadership consultant, knows that different personality types require different leadership approaches. He has had 20 years of experience coaching top businesses and churches on how to accurately assess and manage each person in a team.
Cory Booker, mayor of Newark, N.J., is focused on urban reform. He has lived in a troubled housing complex in the city's Central Ward, advocated for education reform, served on the City Council and founded the non-profit organization Newark Now. As mayor he has created many changes in the city to help the underprivileged.
Seth Godin, bestselling author, renowned marketing blogger and Squidoo founder, has perpetually re-invented himself and his businesses for success. He believes that remarkable things can be done with creative prowess to get past roadblocks.
Brenda Salter McNeil, founder and president Salter McNeil & Associates, is passionate about preparing the Church for the impact of globalization by changing the way the next generation of Christian leaders think and act in a diverse world.
Len Schlesinger, president of Babson College, former Harvard professor and former vice-chair of Limited Brands. He believes entrepreneurial thinking that changes how leaders face unpredictability, can be taught to anyone.
Steven Furtick, 31-year-old lead pastor at Elevation Church, started a group to plant a church in Charlotte, N.C. Now Elevation Church has more than 8,000 in attendance and is one of the fastest-growing churches in the United States. Furtick is the author of Sun Stand Still.
John Dickson, director of Centre for Public Christianity and senior minister at St. Andrews Anglican Church in Sydney, Australia, is a historian and author of Humilitas: A Lost Key to Life, Love, and Leadership, which investigates the crucial role humility plays in a leader's life.
Mama Maggie Gobran, founder and CEO of Stephens Children Ministry, has spent 20 years serving the poor and is a Nobel Peace Prize nominee this year. Gobran came from a prominent Egyptian family in Cairo. She taught computer science and lectured at Cairo University until she felt a call from God to serve the poor in her city.
Online registration ended Aug. 9, with registration at the door open until Thursday, Aug. 11. Seating is limited. Cost of registration ranges from $105 to $269.
The summit will run 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Check-in will begin at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, with doors opening at 8:30 a.m. Check-in begins at 8 a.m. Friday, with doors opening at 8:30 a.m.
More information about the summit can be found here.
For directions to Waco Hall, visit: https://www.baylor.edu/map/index.php?id=11624.
by Emilly Martinez, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805