GlocalNet

In the Middle East, a beard is good. In the Far East, a beard is not good. At home, it doesn’t seem to matter one way or the other. Niki and I go back and forth on this all the time.  She likes it, somewhat--I don’t, somewhat. What do you guys think? I was feeling crazy one morning and put mascara on it to cover up all the gray! I can do goatees, full on beard--you name it.  What say ye?

I just returned from Hong Kong and didn’t have a lot of time to write. It was a productive time of networking, evaluating, reflection, and organization of some global stuff I’m involved with. I’m pretty excited about it. Some random thoughts having returned.

My favorite blog is my journal - it’s my real blog - but it’s for me and others in the future that I’m close to. I’m often asked how I journal - this is it - good or bad, simple, whatever - I read Scriptures, jot down thoughts - you can’t read the opposite page - too personal - for now I’ll keep it that way. At the end of the year I’ll read over this, remember stuff - and it will actually be used as a source help me determine what happens next year.

Found a new artist I like a lot - Len Fengmian - you can see some of his work. I found it at the Hong Kong museum of art - he’s pretty incredible. Also influenced by France, where he studied for a period - man did he pay a price - just for being an artist.

At the art museum they had a show on Chinglish - it was with words, artist, etc. I loved the one of the guy with the words - you can enlarge the picture and see what it says. The other one is a picture of Chinese history, where it is, from showing a pig and calendar to showing China like a big steak waiting to feed everyone. I love art - wish I could do it beyond just appreciating it. Erwin McManus tells me my speaking is my art - maybe so - not so sure about that.

You hear of all the stuff going on in China - no doubt it’s changing in every way. Economics, development - even faith. It was interesting and somewhat disappointing to see how little of what we read about China and the explosion of faith is not present in Hong Kong. Maybe I just didn’t meet enough people. The open city, the open Gospel, the not so visible or massive impact - also the head of mission agencies in China as I was …

// Continue Reading //

Bobb Biehl says:

“Leadership is
Knowing WHAT to do next
Knowing WHY that is important
Knowing HOW to bring the appropriate resources to bear on the need at hand

As a leader keep asking yourself …
What next?  Why?  Where will I get the resources? ”

Whether you focus on community development, global engagement or planting churches, constantly use these questions to help stay on course.

I can’t stands it no more - this has got to be said!!!!! I grew up dispensational premillenialist - it sounds good - great for adventure novels - great for scaring the snot out of everyone - great for high adventure preaching and keeping up little kids all night - but not so good in terms of being Biblically accurate. So what is my position? Jesus is coming back - things are going to get better and worse at the same time - he expects us to share the good news and love people in words and deeds.If we follow the logic, things are going to get worse and worse and worse until he returns - then the church is acting properly. She is isolating herself from the world. She is putting up us against them mentality. She is getting people to pray the sinner’s prayer and to just hold out till Jesus comes.

But what if Wesley, Whitfield, Edwards - and others were right? What if Jesus wouldn’t return for an unprepared bride? What if it isn’t enough to just pop the question and get the bride to answer yes? What if we have to prepare the bride?

Is the Gospel powerful enough to change a single life? No doubt. Is the Gospel, when planted in a society, enough to transform that society? Scripture says it is, going so far as to say God will hold nations accountable as a result.

So why don’t we preach this and live it? It’s a heck of a lot easier to isolate than integrate. It’s less stressful to just say the world is going to hell and let it - than to actually try to do something about it.

So what if I’m wrong? I’ve lost nothing - but if right - I’ve obeyed the Father and made the world ready. I’ve also been thinking - I’m not a Fundamentalist or Liberal - both of which may wind up in hell - one is a Pharisee and one is nothing. The Fundamentalist goes about his way on the road to hell full of anger. The Liberal goes about his way on the road to hell full of laughter - which would you be? Not mind you that any of us are either - we’re the ones that are always right. It’s late, I’m on …

// Continue Reading //

I’m in Taipei on my way to Hong Kong. I’m working on a keyboard that may post all this in Chinese. If so - may the Chinese enjoy this - but - on the plane read a book, Engaging God’s World by Cornelius Plantinga, Jr. - the guy is brilliant. Never read a current theologian that so clearly articulates global engagement - hey guys and gals you gotta gotta gotta gotta read this guy. No I’m not reformed - YES I know I read a lot of their stuff and agree with it. I’m from East-Texas, we’re all deformed!

C.S. Lewis writes:“ If all the world were Christian, it might not matter if all the world were uneducated.  But, as it is, a cultural life will exist outside the Church whether it exists inside or not.  To be ignorant and simple now — not to be able to meet the enemies on their own ground — would be to throw down our weapons, and to betray our uneducated brethren who have, under God, no defense but us against the intellectual attacks of the heathen.  Good philosophy must exist, if for no other reason, because bad philosophy needs to be answered. ”

Bob says that the pastor of today must function as a general and a diplomat.  Consequently, we must be able to have meaningful conversations with intelligent, hard-working people.  The pastor of today cannot afford to be lazy or ignorant.

You can get a jump-start on your cross-domain education by watching TED Talks.  TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design.  Innovators from all over the world converge on Monterey, California, once a year to exchange ideas.  Many of these innovators give 25 minute talks on a wide variety of subjects.  You can view their talks at http://www.ted.com.  Keep one question in mind as you watch the talks and read their books: “How can I equip and mobilize members of my church to minister within this domain of society? ”

(PS.  Please do not think for a moment that we support every idea covered in TED Talks.  If you do, and you are angry, then you’ve missed the point.  Read the C.S. Lewis quote again and get back with me.)

Thanks to Sherman, we now have this incredible guest house in Hanoi. It’s located in a private compound in a relaxed area where neighbors know each other and enjoy visiting in the courtyards. It’s also located very near the Birla Orphanage… within walking distance. This is a place where families can go and stay as a family and not have to worry about making hotel accommodations in downtown Hanoi.

A regular personal time audit is important for all church planters.  Let’s face it — Pastors and church planters have a bad reputation for being lazy. How can we minister to people if we don’t have credibility?  What can make us more Kingdom effective in our time usage? 

Here are two ways to build credibility:

1. Personal accountability:  Regularly audit your time.  Jordan Fowler, the Worship Pastor at NorthWood, posts about time management on his blog, Worship Trench (http://www.worshiptrench.com).  He also provides a great tool you can use to audit your time.  Here is the link: http://www.worshiptrench.com/?p=78.  If you don’t audit your time your time will get away from you.


2. External accountability:  Open your calendar to your accountability team.  Keep a list of appointments.  Your accountability team is your first line of defense when people grumble.  Keep them informed and they’ve got your back.

Stay accountable.  Stay consistent.  Then you will earn credibility. 

I’m so proud of all of you--you were an awesome group of interns that became a group of friends that I love deeply. I’ll be here for you, and I know you’ll be there for me. Having communion together last Wednesday was just awesome. When I came to the station with the picture I told Bobby I had to have that picture. The Red Dao of Taphin Vietnam are a group I have prayed for and tried to help for many years. To see the child with an outstretched hand towards the camera was just too powerful to me--you’ve heard the stories . . . . I had no clue what you guys were doing--putting our fingerprints on the edges during communion we prayed for God to use us. I didn’t know those would be given to me to remind us that we are all working together. You know me well--things like that have massive value to me. Thanks for saying thanks--I’ve told you before, most people don’t, if you live a life of gratefulness it will set you apart so much because most people aren’t. It will also keep you in a mindset that God is the provider; therefore, every act of gratitude is ultimately directed towards Him.

Little brothers and sisters--stay on your knees. You are only as great as your prayer life. Preachers, singers, writers, etc. all come and go. Great Souls live throughout eternity. There are some who believe discipleship starts here and what we do with Jesus here determines intimacy and usability throughout eternity.

Young men and women--stay the coarse. Fads, books, ideas, models etc. all come and go, only the Kingdom of God will remain throughout eternity. Find yourself in your twenties, grow yourself in your thirties, change the world in your forties. After that leverage everything you’ve got for ultimate meaning and radical transformation. Stay on the same path. Don’t be tempted and allow yourself to jump around--you wind up starting over again and loosing so much time and maturity and sadly sometimes credibility. The greatest stories and lives that bring about the most change and are the deepest are not the imitators of fads but those who obey a word that God gives them and God blesses it beyond their expectation. They know …

// Continue Reading //

Yesterday was a blast with several of the pastors that NorthWood has helped plant over the years. We’ve never had a meeting strictly of planters who have come out of NorthWood and I have to admitt it was pretty cool. We spent the day with movement Eddy Leo from Jakarta, Indonesia. In 1979, he planted, along with 2 other guys, Abba Love Church that today has over 25,000 in attendance. I first became acquainted with the church during the Tsumani on Banda Aceh. This church is the real deal--they do the stuff and “are” the stuff.

Eddy isn’t like most American mega-church or any church pastor for that matter. He’s one of the most humble and unassuming men I think I’ve ever met in my entire life. He loves God, and so does his wife Rose--and it comes out naturally. He held all of us spellbound as he explained why the church in the East is exploding and why in the West we are not. It was a very candid and blunt conversation but one that I wish every American pastor could have heard. I know about 15 guys like him--they’ve rocked my world and taught me more about God and mission and ministry than anyone ever has.

Here are some highlights from his teachings... I have no magic key for you always learn..but here are some things:

1. Be like Christ. How do we know what that looks like? Matt. 5-7 2. Walk in God’s Covenant...The key is meditation upon the Bible3. Be a healthy church...UP/IN/OUT or T-Life--it’s the same thing.

Next Page »