GlocalNet

I’m over the pacific and going crazy as you read this.  I’m hyper, but I’m in this chair and sick of sitting here--with no where to go.  By now, my battery for my lap-top is down.  By now, everyone is sleeping.  By now, I’m sick of the movies.  By now, I’m asking God to somehow make me sleep.  Can’t wait to see that city, but man to get there--ain’t no fun.  Sometimes, the best places take a long time to get to.  Once I’m there, I’ll eat Pho, I’ll drink coffee, I’ll walk around the lake, then I get in this sleeper car and head to the mountains.  God, stay near me--long trip ahead.  I never get grouchy, but Dave Small sure does--I’ll stay cheerful just for him (right)!

As I was runnin, I saw a sign--"free kitten!” Is there any other kind?!!  Garage sales--I hate’em.  It’s all about pawning your junk off on someone else and getting them to pay you for it.  Make it look exciting and wonderful--right!

Last Thursday, my little brother called me on his cell phone very concerned. He lives in central Houston and had been on the road since 8 am and it was now 6 pm. He had less than half a tank of gas in his truck that he was driving and less than half a tank in the car his wife was driving with their two girls. “Bobby, I don’t know what to do.” He had come only about 60 miles north of Houston. I told him to stay calm, keep moving north, I’d figure something out.
I had an idea--I’d fill up a lot of gas containers, put them in my trunk and head to him. I went to Lowe’s and found they only had the one gallon variety left, so I bought 24 of them, used my 5 gallon jug, and two of my neighbors 5 gallon jugs. I filled all of them up. It was kind of embarrassing. I could just see the news, “Local pastor hoards gas!” A little while later, I opened the trunk and was nearly knocked over by the fumes. I was told to drive with my windows down and to keep the trunk cracked where it could ventilate.
Finally, I got Mark on his cell and told him to keep moving north and when he had a third of a tank to call and I’d get to him. At 10:44 pm, he called and said they had a third and he was concerned. I told him I’d get to him. “But you can’t drive south!” “Don’t worry Mark, I’ll intersect you at 59 and 287.” It was an adventure too long to write--stuck in traffic, going down Farmer-Market blacktop roads, but at 3 am, I made it to him. I’d also found gas at a station in Crockett and was able to fill my car before I got to him. When I got to him I told him to keep following me 45 miles I knew where gas was. I was somewhat nervous about opening my trunk with everyone needing gas!
We made it. At 7am, he headed the 30 more miles to Tyler and I headed back to Fort Worth. I began to just pray and I thought, he could have found that gas and made it without me--so what was that really about? Why did …

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At our 20th Anniversary, I totally departed from my sermon--which is why I posted it on my blog. I started out about talking about our DNA and what had been passed down to us through Paul, St. Francis, John Freeman and Noah T. Byers, Texas Rangers and church planters extraordinaire from which our church descended!
As I was talking about all of that, six of the seven most significant women in my life were in that service and I had each one stand and thank them for what they had brought to the table for me and our church.
Carol Childress — one of the smartest researchers I’ve ever known who has worked with Leadership Network and the Baptist Convention early on watched out for me like a big sister. She would introduce me to people she thought I should know and inform me about things that mattered in the ministry that I should be thinking about and giving attention to. She was a gatekeeper for me and the ministry at NorthWood. It was because of her I met Rick Warren and Thom Wolfe and lots of other people who have massively shaped my life.
Carol Davis — the first person to help NorthWood understand missions and how it should be seamless in the church. She defined and has continued to model “glocal ” for me. Over the years, and most of the time for nothing especially when we used to be so broke, Carol would fly out and help us with our children’s ministry, small group ministry, and especially our missions ministry. I quote her often.
Linda Stanley — works with Leadership Network and has been a part of a learning community NorthWood and I have been a part of. Because of her, Bob Buford and Leadership Network, they helped us move from planting a couple of churches a year to ten a year in addition to the establishment of GlocalNet.
Johnnie Morgan — what an incredible blessing to NorthWood and to me personally. I come in like a whirlwind with 3000 things going on and she has the ability to stay calm, focused, and keep me and all that’s going on prioritized. She loves God and reminds my children of my mother. They’re both Mississippi women--and class acts.
Jill Roberts--my daughter. She loves God and has …

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I wish to thank those original families who helped us begin this journey 20 years ago:  Bob and Jo Arthur, Robert and Nancy Berman, Steve and Pam Brewer, Rick and Charlene Colorado, Ray and Audrey Higgins, Jerri Hill, Randall and Judy Mayne, Ronnie Morgan, Dorothy Payne, Charlie and Carla Perry, Phyllis Richardson, Jerry and Sally Smith, Elaine Weaver and Juan Wright. There were so many of you that came and are here today to celebrate — I see Phyllis Richardson and Elaine Weaver, Steve & Pam Brewer, the Grants, Sally & Jerry Smith, Dorothy Payne, Ronnie Morgan--we’ve come a long way

At the first location on Willis so many of you--Gene and Barbara Hollingsworth, Bill and Suzanne Gardner. 

I could go on and on.  it’s interesting to see all of you here today in this room filled to capacity.  You’re not a small church are you!  At least not in attendance.  You see us in that 600-700 worship center in four services and now it’s hard to believe this is who we have grown to--let’s get that new worship center built!

No church is what it is because of a person--but because of many people.  And staff, you are exceptional.

I want to say to you that I am so proud of you NorthWood.  You are an exceptional place.  You have impacted your city, your community, your state and your world.  It’s only fitting that today our biggest concern is how do we help the Hurricane victims--this isn’t new for us.  You have made NorthWood 20 years of exceptional ministry.  Churches like NorthWood are what they are because of the people, the vision, the passion, the commitment. 

People ask me all the time did it turn out like you thought?  My answer is always the same, “No, I figured we’d have 10,000 people by now!  But I never dreamed we’d have planted close to a hundred churches with nearly 30,000 in attendance, have one of the strongest community development ministries around, and work in Vietnam and the world at the level we have.  Or that my network would be what it is.  Last week I met with the Queen of Uganda.  Next week I’ll be with Ambassadors and diplomats at the UN. ”

I remember when asked if I’d be open to starting a church vs going to …

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