GlocalNet

I can’t believe it!  I didn’t think I’d live to see the day, but it’s true. It’s here, and I’m now a minority!  I kind of like it.  What new rights do I get with this?  It happened some time over the last year, but I just read about it in the paper.  Texas is now 50.2% non-Anglo.  Its minorities are the majority--Asian, African, and Hispanic.  Globally, Anglos have been a minority for a long time. Being a state of minority frankly positions us for a fantastic future if we won’t fear it but, instead, take advantage of it. 
Texas has always been a minority place--that’s why it thinks so big.  It’s a big place and it takes big risk-takers with big dreams to tackle this place.  For centuries, there weren’t many Indians here for the space of the land.  Spain couldn’t tame it after 300 years.  The French lasted only 3 years!  Mexico couldn’t get enough Mexicans to come, so they got this guy named Austin to come and bring the first colony.  Even the Texas army was made up of many Mexicans, some of which were generals and leaders.  After the Vietnam War, the Vietnamese came in droves to Texas to the Gulf Coast to shrimp--nearly started another war.  I meet people from all over the world who have moved to Texas and when I’m in other parts of the world and tell someone I’m from Texas, they all have heard about it!  Cowboys, cows, oil, and lots of “big ” in every form and fashion.  I’ve even taken boots from Texas as gifts to warlords in Afghanistan who just had to have a pair along with cowboy hats and boots to Vietnam to government officials there.
Recently, the biggest church in America just opened in Houston at the former Compaq Center--packed every service!  The pastor, Joel Osteen, seems to be every bit as humble as the church is big.  Already he’s encouraging his son to dream big--take the church over one day and take over the Reliant Stadium.  By then, that will probably be too small.  His church, by the way, is filled with “minorities. ” I don’t know which ethnic group is largest--you certainly can’t tell by watching the television.  Every ethnic possible is there.  I have a friend who found God there through Joel’s dad, John.  His name is Saleim--he’s Palestinian.  …

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Sunday, I began a series on “Raising Winners ” with the idea being how do we prepare our children for the future in our parenting.  It’s parenting beyond the typical 3 steps for this and 3 steps for that.  Instead, it’s trying to connect people with the world in which their children will live.  What impact should that have on their parenting now?  I’ve gotten passionate responses both ways.  Some would say, “it’s too far out there, why worry, ” or “don’t complicate my life today just help me make it this second, ” which is what I call parenting by the moment and circumstance.  Others have said, “right on, preach more, why haven’t we heard more about this, ” and even comments from some of our more global business people, etc., like “I can do something with this with my kids. ” The responses have been fascinating.
Nikki and I were talking at breakfast--she’s more the pragmatic and I’m more the idealist--a good balance.  As we were talking, it hit me some of what is going on.  I love Keith Green’s old song, “Asleep in the light. ” It’s about the church that’s been called into the world but continues to sleep even though the light of Jesus is supposedly in them.  How can that be?  I remember when we first began our church 20 years ago.  We were one of the first “innovative ” churches in Texas and I was one of the least likely candidates.  Having been raised very traditional, it wasn’t easy.  The culture had shifted, but no one recognized it.  It took me going to meet Rick Warren in California in the mid-80’s to see it expressed.  Today, 20 years later, no one wants to be called traditional, a few liturgical--but no one traditional--at a minimum you’re blended! 
The shift the world is facing today is global and societal and it’s as if the rest of the world has “globalized ” but the West, except for business, is still very “localized ” in its perception of life.  Dave Gibbons is a friend who pastors a multiethnic church.  He met a while back with several significant Angelo businessmen (Dave’s Irish-Korean--you’d never know it except for his blazing red hair) and David was telling me how even now some Angelo still “just don’t get it. ”
I’m convinced this shift will …

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I’ve had this mole in my yard for years--probably many moles!  I’ve only seen it once, and then just the tip of its nose.  This mole has dug all kinds of holes in my yard.  It can’t handle the light, so it burrows under and never comes out--living on worms and insects, I guess.  When it really gets hot, you can tell where it is--the tunnels leave streaks from where the grass doesn’t have enough dirt beneath it--thus moisture--to stay green.  Another way you find a mole is when you’re walking, the ground caves in--people have actually broken their foot or ankle by stepping on the ground and it shifting from moles.
I used to think that moles could always be caught.  You wouldn’t believe some of the crazy formulas.  Put a water hose on your exhaust pipe on your car and stick the other end of the hose down in the hole.  Put gum in the hole.  Then there were these inhuman traps, I confess, I used once where they stabbed the mole--I never got one that way.  If I were in East Texas and out in the woods, I’d use my 12-gauge and shoot up some holes! 
A friend of mine was going through some tough stuff, not of his own doing--some moles were giving him headaches--someone happened to send him this passage--it was good.  If you’ve got moles, it may not do away with them, but it will help you not forget who wins!

Ps 5:7 But I, by your great mercy,
will come into your house;
in reverence will I bow down
toward your holy temple.
8 Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness
because of my enemies--
make straight your way before me.

9 Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
their heart is filled with destruction.
Their throat is an open grave;
with their tongue they speak deceit.
10 Declare them guilty, O God!
Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,
for they have rebelled against you.

11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection …

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