I had the opportunity to attend a Senior Pastors’ Round Table on Friday. It was great having dinner with these pastors on Thursday night and hanging with them all day Friday. I learned so much. Today and tomorrow, I want to share with you some of the things that impacted me from my time with Senior Pastor, Brian Houston, of Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia.
1. Humility: Pastor Brian Houston was the most humble man. This is a quality I have seen in almost every pastor the Lord has given national or worldwide influence. He was down-to-earth. He was easy to talk with. He was just a normal guy. He looked you in the eyes when he talked to you. He didn't make you feel like you were less than him. He responded to every question with grace and sincerity. He was quick to point out if he didn't know the answer to a question. You could definitely tell that Pastor Brian Houston walks with the Lord.
2. Pain: Pastor Brian Houston has been through some major pain in his life. We see people who God has raised up and given major influence to, and most of the time we don't have a clue of what they've been through to get to where they are. Many people look at Pastor Brian and desire to have his influence, but most aren't willing to suffer and go through pain to lead at this level. Many people want the glory, but don't want the same story of pain, brokenness, attacks, disappointment and loneliness. What challenged me the most was the purity of heart that Pastor Brian still has after all he has walked through. He wasn't jaded. He wasn't bitter. He wasn't upset. Instead, he was grateful, broken, kind and deeply loves the church of Jesus Christ.
3. Transparent: I was blown away by how transparent and open Pastor Brian was with the Round Table participants. He was raw. He shared from his heart. He opened up areas of his life that many would sugarcoat and pass over. He didn't put up a front or wear a mask. He shared his pain and struggles. He shared his challenges. He shared his successes. I was greatly impacted by how real, authentic and transparent he was.
More tomorrow!
