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Last month, we hosted EuroSummit 2009 in Alcala Spain. The location’s past was an appropriate backdrop for the conference. Surrounded by hundreds of years of European history, we walked the medieval streets. It was here, Miguel de Cervantes the creator of Don Quixote, was born. It was here an Italian explorer shared his dream with Queen Isabella, and with her backing, Christopher Columbus sailed to the New World. Now it is our turn to share our dream!

NLI is going through a metamorphosis, we are birthing a new dream. After 18 years of work primarily in Eastern and Central Europe, the ministry has now set sight on expanding into all the nations of Europe. Yes, all 48 of them at current count. This dream is well worth sharing and totally worth being part of, it’s too big for any one ministry. It will take partnerships from the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, across the borders of Europe – from every corner of the world!

Over the course of Eurosummit, 140+ delegates from over 15 nations not only heard the dream, but connected with how they could contribute and be part of the change! Youth Leaders from Bulgaria began planning training schedules with pastors from across the border in Albania. Church planters in Romania shared their heart to reach out into neighbouring Moldova. BOOST! (the NLI kids team) recieved invitations to work alongside churches in four new nations to help national leaders reach children in their communities. Hearts and minds opened to ideas on connecting with gypsy populations. Tears formed as the plight of the lost was shared.

It doesn’t finish here at one individual event, EuroSummit was merely another staging point; a snapshot of things to come. Many hours of planning, praying, traveling and implementing lie ahead, but great opportunities await us!

This year Ian Green and Steve Melnichuk (NLI) were in Spain together with Pastor Ian Watson and Dave Harvey from the Bridge Church in Bolton, UK. This was for the first module of the Advanced Leadership Training for this small but growing network of Churches called Salem.

NLI has been building a relationship with them for over 3 years and this was an incredibly exciting opportunity to see the primary senior leadership of their churches come together just outside of Madrid. It was to begin to bring impartation of vision and alignment of resources to the direction that they sensed they were going. The intensive 3.5 days was very well received. One component part was how to bring vision and values to the local church. This had such a remarkable impact upon those present. During their General Conference a few days later, they changed the whole agenda of the week, so that they could brainstorm clearly on what they felt the vision and future was for the network of churches in Spain.

Leadership Development is currently training their emerging leaders. There will also be a large iTeam outreach across Spain in the summer of 2008 together with innovative discussions on planting post modern 21st century churches in the land of the bull.

We are sitting in Valencia airport waiting to return home to Bedworth after 4 very quick days in Spain. We stayed in a quaint little villa in the town of Oliva, some 70kms south of Valencia. From there we were able to day trip into the Costa Blanca area as well as head inland. Spain is a truly amazing place, I will post some photos in the next few days to give you a taste. NLI will start a project here in the next couple of years so that should prove popular with all the staff!