Iliteamtalk

Yousef is ILI’s director for the Middle East and North Africa.  His heart is for the Arab world.  He shares the opportunities that are multiplying throughout the region to extend Jesus’ heart of compassion to multitudes of refugees from Syria and Iraq.  We also discuss how God is moving through the dramatic changes taking place in Egypt following the revolution  centered in Tehrir Square in Cairo back in 2011. If you would like to get a hold of Yousef, email me at Kyle@ILITeam.org and I'll foreward your message to him.

Kevin is my twin brother.  He’s a community consultant serving a variety of non-profit organizations focusing on a variety of educational and recovery services. We’ve been talking about the Bible together for forty years.  We are both convinced that the Bible is God’s word for the whole world, and that, without doubt, the most important thing we can do is read it well and read it rightly. Kevin's email: kap121960@gmail.com

Mike Oakes is a global multiplier.  He is the Global Outreach Director for Oak Hills  Church in San Antonio, TX.  Oak Hills is the home of Max Lucado and Randy Frazee.  Under their leadership the church has embraced a clear vision for kingdom unity and reaching the lost both at home and around the world. We discuss the work and reach of Oak Hills Church, how Mike came to be burdened for the world, to know about ILI and all that the Lord has been doing since.   Website: oakhillschurch.com/   Mike’s email: mikeo@oakhillschurch.com  

Hal Perkins has a passion for discipleship.  A long time pastor in the Church of the Nazarene, five years ago he left pastoral ministry to invest in other pastors, leaders and congregations to coach them in the critical work of making disciples. Discipleship is what the Lord calls us to when he calls us to follow him.  For many, though, it is a lost art.  The Lord has called and equipped Hal to help the church get back on track.  He has been involved with us at a Leadership Beyond Regional Conference in Sacramento. He brings a special gift for coaching the work of disciple making. Hal’s email: halperkins28@gmail.com Hal’s website: Heartwalk.us

Henryk Krol is leading the way in develop ways to reach people through the internet.  In the last episode, Henryk introduced us to the amazing fact that millions are looking for God on the eighth continent of the world….the internet.  PeacewithGod.net is a key website many discover.  In this episode, Henryk talks through the process and experience of e-coaching.  He talks about the global potential, the challenges that come with recruiting and training e-coaches in every nation, and innovative, unique solutions in every context.  He shares the dramatic response in the Arab world and the rapidly expanding exposure of Christian media throughout the Middle East and North Africa.  www.jesus.net www.knowinggod.jesus.net  www.peacewithGod.net or org  Heryk’s email: hkrol@ccm.pl  

I visited with Henryk Krol at the 2015 Global Summit in Houston.  He lives in Poland where he leads the ILI movement through our familiar National and Regional Conference training.  He’s also involved with History Makers our training for young leaders. Henryk is a fascinating, innovative leader.    Our conversation begins with how he got involved in ILI and the value he sees in it and flows into the dramatic efforts of Jesus.net to reach people searching for God on the internet. www.jesus.net www.knowinggod.jesus.net www.peacewithGod.net  Henryk’s email: hkrol@ccm.pl  

Martin Durham is in Iceland leading a History Makers Journey.   With him is Chris Flanagan, a Chik-fil-A owner-operator from southern Indiana who is partnering with Martin to equip young leaders throughout Europe.  Chris shares how he came to embrace ILI’s History Makers as a life mission.  With them is a young Icelander named Einar who is carrying the vision of History Makers in his nation.  We discuss the barriers facing those seeking to reach the millennial generation in Iceland and throughout the West. Martin's email: martin@k180.org Chris' email:chris.flanagan@chick-fil-a.com  

Norival Trindade is responsible for the training resources and maintaining the quality of  leadership equipping as it multiplies around the world.  We discuss the importance and challenge of contextualizing ILI’s training around the world.  We also discuss how he got involved in ILI.  Norival gives fresh insight into how the Eight Core Values integrate together and how they function in the life of a leader.  The next challenge facing ILI is what we call the 100 Nations Initiative.  The goal is to equip and support leader equipping teams in one hundred nations around the world.  Norival reports we have solid teams in 44 nations.  The initiative motivates us to get into the hard work of equipping and inspiring multiplying leaders everywhere. If you’d like to get involved in the world of ILI, you can connect with Norival at Norival@iliteam.org.  

Florence Fokoua has a passionate burden to equip leaders throughout th 29 nations of French speaking Africa.  Christian resources are scarce in the former colonies of France in Africa, especially resources for equipping leaders.  When Florence discovered ILI, she realized she had discovered the tool she could use to spread the gospel through equipping leaders.  She translated the material into French and began the work. She shares some great stories of multiplying leaders serving the Lord in places like Cameroon, Chad, and Senegal. Florence's email: FlorenceFokoua@yahoo.fr Florence's phone: 237-699-675232

In Simply Good News, Tom Wright unpacks the power of the gospel for all who believe.  My good friend TC Robinson is a chaplain in the US Army, now stationed in North Carolina.  We share a passion for NT Wright’s contribution to the ongoing conversation into what God is doing.  We talk through Simply Good News.  TC’s blog: New Leaven, https://nleaven.wordpress.com/  Simply Good News on Amazon: Simply Good News

Tony Vasquez is our director for Latin America.  He shares how he came to a living faith while he was a banker in El Salvador.  He heard a man speaking from the Bible in an evangelical church, and he was captivated by the idea that the God of creation might be speaking in the Word of God. He married Brenda, and they went to Spain as missionaries.  He experienced there the great need of Western Europe, which many refer to as “the cemetery of Christianity.”  Seeing in Spain the results of a church that failed to raise up the emerging generation to multiply other leaders, God has given him a passion to live out 2 Timothy 2:2, “ and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful others who will be able to teach others also.” His vision is to see Latin American believers equipped and released to finish the task of bringing the gospel to unreached people groups all around the world. Tony can be reached at Tony@ILITeam.org

Jim Martin has just wrapped up six years as chairman of the ILI Board.  He lives in Fresno, CA where he runs a business providing water for farmers in the Central Valley.  We enter into the conversation talking about the draught affecting California and then move to talking about his experience touching the lives of leaders, literally, around the world. To support a national conference somewhere around the world email Norival Trinade at Norival@IlIteam.org.   Jim’s email: jimm@calwestrain.com   The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organization, by Ori Brafman and Rod A. Beckstrom  

Chris Flanagan is a Chick-fil-A  owner operator.  Ania Horochuk is a Ukrainian university student.  Ania comes to the Lord as a high school exchange student in the USA.   She returns to Europe and begins college at  a Christian university in Lithuania.  She seeks a job in the USA and begins working for Chris at Chick-fil-A in Louisville.  She hears about History Makers and gets a vision to equip leaders in Lithuania through History Makers.  It’s a true story of how God can do far more that we can ask or think.     Ania's Link:http://www.youcaring.com/ania-hanna-horoshchuk-362065#.VW43BplKM7E.facebook Chris Email:chris.flanagan@chick-fil-a.com Ania's Email: hanna.horoshchuk@yahoo.com

ILI's fourth core value is Culturally Relevant Evangelism.  Tim Keller, the thoughtful pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhatton has writen an excellent book entitled, Walking with God Through Pain and Suffering.  It was published in October 2013. In it, Keller’unpacks he dramatic secular frame in the West and its inability to deal with suffering. He gives real insight into where most people live spiritually.  Kyle Phillips and Andy Walker dig into to explore how we can care for the not yet believer, especially in times of suffering as we extend the hope that is ours in Christ.

Kyle talks with Darlene Franks discussing what leadership looks like not from an intimate relationship with God and the importance of developing a biblical cultural of discipleship.

Hollis Kimbrough is a math teacher.  He’s speaking at a Leadership Beyond Regional Conference on Obstacles to Leadership.  He shares a very personal story about a dramatic obstacle in his life and how the Lord miraculously removed that obstacle and released him for ministry. His powerful story reveals how God can move in our lives for his glory. Hollis' email: hkimbrough@aol.com

Juan Bravo serves as ILI's director for Colombia.  While Colombia is his focus, he has a passion for all of Latin America.  He was shot in the streets of Medellin when drug cartels ruled the city, and from there the Lord called him to raise up leaders equipped to spread the gospel and transform culture. Juan talks about how he came to Christ and to become one of our "leaders equipping leaders."  He has great insight into the need of Latin America for the gospel and how the gospel changes both lives and culture. You can contact Juan at Jbravo@ILIColombia.org.  The website: ILIColombia.org  

Bill Blackschaen identifies true Jesus followers as "faith walkers." Faith defines the experience of a disciple of Jesus.  With respect to leadership, faith undergirds the reality of vision.  Without strong faith, vision will be limited to what we think we can do with the resources at our disposable.  In the face of overwhelming need, without faith our vision will be too small.  Too often leaders lead from a position of self-reliance rather than a deep, authentic, vitalizing faith in God. Bill Blankschaen wants to challenge that reality. Bill and I discuss his newly published book, A Story with Telling, a great “field guide” for moving into a life of authentic faith.

Darren Reed leads the Tehachapi Nazarene Church in Tehachapi, Calfornia.   The Nazarene Church hosted a regional conference earlier this year, and Darren began the session talking about the "magic of vision." Vision is powerful in the life of a leader and the people he or she serves.  Darren is passionate about vision and I pick his brain to explore just how vision is so central in the life of a leader.

“Europe ablaze with the Gospel” focuses Martin Durham.  His Kyrgma 180 ministry (k180), trains and supports street evangelists in London and other cities.    He is a creative and passionate disciple maker with a clear vision for reaching Europe.   Martin is also ILI’s director for Europe.  He is implimenting an intentional strategy to equip the church through ILI's History Maker's movement.  His goal is to plant History Maker teams in every nation in Europe.   He’s in London, I’m in California.  We discuss the spiritual environment in Europe and the the great need for committed disciple makers across the continent. You can find Kyrgma 180 on the web at  http://www.k180.org.   Martin's email: Martin@k180.org