Episode 66: Bill MacLeod - The Great Commitment: What Jesus Spent Most Time Teaching
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What happens when God gives you a vision that takes 16 years to fulfill? Bill McLeod's journey from seminary student to mission mobilizer reveals the patient, often unexpected path of kingdom work.
Bill's story begins during the Jesus Revolution when he came to Christ just before college. Through divine connections—from working with Luis Palau's crusades to directing Promise Keepers events—God prepared him for a larger calling. When faced with a critical career decision, Bill fasted and prayed, receiving a vision that would take nearly two decades to fully materialize.
This conversation challenges our Amazon Prime expectations of immediate results. As Bill shares, building Mission Connection required eight years before launch and another eight before going full-time—contradicting our cultural impatience. "It's not the microwave approach," he explains, "but the crockpot approach" that God often uses to develop both us and our ministries.
The heart of Bill's teaching centers on what he calls "the three Cs" of discipleship: the Great Commandment (love God), the Great Commission (make disciples), and the Great Commitment (die to self). This final element—Jesus' challenging teaching that unless a seed falls to ground and dies, it remains alone—proves particularly transformative for listeners.
Perhaps the most penetrating question raised: "Who are you willing to die for?" Your mission field becomes the people for whom you're willing to spend your life, endure hardship, and potentially suffer. This counter-cultural perspective reframes mission not as achievement but as sacrifice—just as Jesus modeled.
Mission Connection events now operate in both Portland and Phoenix, remaining intentionally free and prayer-driven. Bill's humble approach ("Jesus is the CEO; I'm just sales") has created space for God to work in unexpected ways through collaborative, denomination-spanning partnerships.
Whether you're waiting on God's timing, seeking your place in mission, or wondering how to develop deep character for long-term impact, this conversation offers wisdom from a leader who has walked the patient path of kingdom work for decades.
Chapters
1. Welcome to FBC Missions Podcast (00:00:00)
2. Bill's Journey to Mission Mobilization (00:07:20)
3. The Vision for Mission Connection (00:16:05)
4. The Three Cs: Command, Commission, Commitment (00:21:15)
5. Embracing Suffering in Kingdom Work (00:24:30)
6. Mission Connection Events and Philosophy (00:31:05)
7. Closing Encouragement and Purpose (00:38:40)
67 episodes