Dear E-news Family,

It is very early Sunday morning. I am in my office looking out over our campus pond where we will baptize 785 people today. As the sun slowly climbs over the tree line, I can see the 4 sets of stairs that Willow Creekers will use to go into the baptism waters. Most of them have no idea how powerful an experience this will be. I was 17 years old when a Camp Director asked me if I was ready to “go public” with my new found faith in Christ. It did not take me long to respond to his challenge. If God’s only Son would spill blood for my redemption, I could get wet to demonstrate to a watching world that I was grateful. My lingering memory of my baptism is the feeling of being washed from head to toe. Going down under the water and then being lifted back out of it was a permanent reminder that my sins have been laundered forever through what Christ did on the cross. I can’t wait for all our new brothers and sisters to feel that feeling. This truly is one of the high points of the ministry year for me.

Shortly after the baptism, Lynne and I will load up the plane and head over to South Haven where we will spend most of July and August. I have to tell you that leaving for my summer study break always puts me in a state of conflict. It is extremely difficult to drive off the campus of Willow knowing that it will be weeks before I will return. I love our church so much. I love what I do and I am crazy about the people I get to do it with. Every year leaving gets a little tougher.

On the other hand, our family has developed a life on the other side of Lake Michigan that brings us great joy. Twice each week we have seeker dinners with our sailing team and any “strays” that any of us can attach to our elbows. The format is always the same. Everybody brings something for others to eat and everybody brings whatever it is they want to drink. While the food is cooking on the grill everybody chats with old friends and tries to meet the new folk.

When dinner is ready we all sit at a long table and I am asked to pray. For many, this is the first time that they have prayed in years. I always pray that our conversation will encourage everyone who is at the table. The dinner conversation is usually around the question, ” What were your highs and lows of the last 7 days?” Obviously some people just provide surface responses, but more often than not someone will open up, and then we all sense the miracle of community happening around the table. Really friends, these are holy times. Watching God slowly thaw out the hearts of people who are very far from Him is a wonder of which I will never tire. Often I follow up at a later time with those who are struggling.

At 8:30 pm we jump to our feet, leave everything on the table and pile into cars to go down to the marina to board someone’s boat so that we can head out on Lake Michigan and watch the sun set. This group savors every sunset. Missing a sunset for them would be like missing church for most of us. After the sun slides beneath the horizon, we head into the harbor, put the boat away and bee-line back to the host house and everybody pitches in to clean things up. Even this task has a tradition. The guys do the dishes and the gals put the food away and clean up the place. As dishes are being done, music from the 60’s or 70’s is played at a deafening decibel level and guys that should never sing in public do…unashamedly. As everybody says goodbye to one another the question is always–“Where is the next party?”

In South Haven, I am not viewed as a public person. Many people aren’t sure what I do, and few would care anyway. In South Haven I get to sailboat race with seekers, jog with seekers, and watch sunsets with seekers. In South Haven I get reminded of the precious truth that I matter to God even when I am not leading a big church or speaking in front of large crowds. In South Haven I get recentered in God in ways that serve me well for the whole ministry year.

Many Creekers ask me how they can pray for me on my break. This year I would ask for 2 prayers. First, that God would refill my tanks and replenish my soul. Second, that He would guide my preparation for the talks I am giving at this summer’s Leadership Summit. We expanded the Summit to 51 satellite sites and we are expecting somewhere between 20-30 thousand leaders.

I will pray every day for all of you at the church. We have outstanding teachers coming this summer, and Greg Hawkins our Executive Pastor is fresh back from his sabbatical so he will lead the everyday operations with great energy.

Thanks so much for this gift of time. Your generosity to me and my family is one of the greatest blessings in my life.

Bill

PS If you have left over prayer energy, pray for our sailing team to win our regattas! ( Just kidding! )

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To find out about this weekend’s service or what’s happening around Willow Creek Community Church, visit http://www.willowcreek.org.

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If you have questions about Willow Creek, you can e-mail or call (847)765-5000. Thank you.