GlocalNet

Thank You Father for people from different denominations, networks, backgrounds, organizations, races . . . who have labored the past 3 days in earnest about what it means to engage their cities and the world. Thank You for the power that comes from Your Body being united and centered around Your mission. Thank You for the fun, the laugher, the passion, the prayer, the weeping, and the movement of your Spirit among us. Melt us, mold us, prepare us, and use us. Thank You for people who want to do more than lecture and talk, but get up on their feet and move out. Thank You for the businessmen, the educators, the doctors, the plumbers, and even the pastors, who come together to look holistically at what the kingdom should look like here and now.

Ten months ago, 17 cities gathered to examine what it would look like to partner to engage the world and multiply churches. Last night, we met for worship and will be spending 3 days together rolling out processes, systems, etc. But, man, was the kickoff awesome! John Jenkins from the DC area preached the house down and had the crowd preaching back to him! Matt Chandler took one little verse and made it really big! Brent Mentor led the worship and our student ministry was present. I can’t remember when I’ve been to a wilder, more exciting and intense worship experience than last night. Could it be that it was powerful not because of the event but because of what we were coming together to do? I think so.

When movements begin, there is no doubt about it, there is “cult-like” “apostolic” leadership. Each movement tops out at a certain point. At that point, institutionalism plays a larger role. In my study of church planting movements (cpm) I’m convinced it’s really not a cpm, it’s a Jm or Jesus Movement. The church is the result of the Jesus movement and not the other way around. I’ve also discovered that where the Gospel really goes deep within a culture or nation there is NOT one Jesus movement--but several. Often, we have the idea our church, network, denomination, etc. is going to be “the one.” I don’t believe that anymore.  Hopefully it will be “one” of the “ones.” The unity and oneness of the body of Christ is huge.  We tend to think of it in terms of just getting along. But imagine what the body under the Apostolic leadership of Jesus could do if all those little sub-movements were focused into intentionality on a given city, country, nation--the world. This has, and does, happened where the Gospel is emerging around the world, but generally not in developed places--there’s just too much “religious” competition. It goes contrary to branding, and western religious marketing. I see two key things that are obstacles for the church fulfilling her mission. First, it is still in the hands of far too many religious professionals--the entire church will have to get up on her feet. Second, we don’t know how to work together. I have no doubt our fallen flesh and pride is the biggest challenge, after that a willingness to relinquish control and work as a unit. This will be learned, I’m convinced. Why, you might ask do I believe it’s possible? Because the church was given our mandate by Jesus and for it to happen we will all have to get on our feet and all have to work together. Hug now, hug later, or die hug-less, but the huggin’s coming! The only question is when and what will it take to make us one.

I’m always asked this. What are we going to do with all these dead and dying churches. My response--not much. You can’t make a church want to live or be vibrant. Only those local “disciples” can make that call for a local church. Why?

First, the church is an institution--an entity. It’s not the lowest common denominator. The LCD is the disciple. What you see in that church is a direct reflection in the lives of the disciples that influence that local church.

Second, the church is made up of disciples. If you revitalize anything--it’s the disciple. That’s personal and organic. If you revitalize the disciple, you revitalize the church. It doesn’t start church and go down--it starts disciple and works up. This is what Masterlife with Avery Willis and Experiencing God with Henry Blackaby are about--personal, organic, living out your faith by responding to what God puts in front of you. They wisely don’t get into church strategy, programs or structures. The idea is if you’re listening to the Father, then each church is called to do specific things so the focus is on living the life and recognizing the activity of the Father around you. Only the disciple is viral--not a “church.” A church is only as strong and as “vital” as the disciples. It can’t be a “church program.” It has to be a disciple focus.

Third, there are such things as Ed Stetzer writes in Comeback Churches. BUT, that generally happens through a pastor who is ignited and gets the hands of the membership dirty in the community or in a “project” where faith is being lived out, not just spouted out.

Fourth, discipleship is the life--not the program. The community of believers comes from living out the life of Christ. The best form of discipleship is engagement. Something happens from engagement of the poor, the suffering, the least which changes the disciple unlike information transfer.

My first book from a marketing focus was towards pastors due to publisher marketing and concerns. The reality is, it’s a discipleship book. T-life is living out your faith through an interactive relationship with God (worship), transparent connections (community), and glocal impact (serving the least through your vocation). You have to have all 3 to see transformation. Hearing God’s voice is key. Opening up another box …

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I sit in the middle of my life in my 40’s and it feels really interesting. Friday, Nikki and I ate supper with Ben and his wife Ashley. We went to a movie, listened to them talk about their jobs and their new marriage. It was a lot of fun remembering when we started . . . and now our son. Saturday Nikki and I drove to Tyler, saw our old stomping grounds, saw my parents . . .and then remembering back from where we came our world is so, so, so, different now and frankly better than we would have dreamed. Sunday, Nikki and I drove to Baylor and visited our daughter Jill.  We went to her church--the same one Nikki and I went to nearly 30 years ago. Seeing all those college faces made me remember how I moved forward not really knowing where it would take us feeling so insignificant and insecure. It’s good I couldn’t see where it was going then--I would have messed it up doing something in my own strength not realizing a straight line isn’t always the quickest way to somewhere. Looking forward, dreaming out, I get so excited about all that has come together and what could be in the not too distant future. Here’s my biggest lesson in all of this. I followed a path, but it took me to a different place than I had planned, but the place it took me was more fascinating than any place I had imagined. It wasn’t easy--and still isn’t--but man , what an adventure. I couldn’t imagine living life without adventure.

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I don’t blog on Saturday’s - but the current issue of Mission Frontiers is just incredible.  It is a must read of theology and history that Ralph Winter’s combines with reference to personal transformation and social transformation.  I can’t figure out how to make this link thing work - but here’s the web address - http://www.missionfrontiers.org - and it’s the Sept.-Oct. issue.  You can read it online.  The title of the article is “The Future of Evangelicals in Mission.  Read eagerly!

One final John Morgan story from Sagemont.  He’s a world class hunter who has hunted in 28 countries. We pastors were talking about the complexity of churches as they grow larger. He said the larger a church grows the more complex it gets - to about a thousand - then you have to restructure at that point and then it gets simple again. If you don’t change your mode of operation, you won’t survive and neither will the church. He said when he goes on a hunting expedition and someone gets off the plane with with all kinds of bells and whistels hanging off them, a dozen guns, looking like they just walked out of the L.L. Bean catalogue he knows that guy probably isn’t that much of a hunter. He said you only need 2 maybe 3 guns that take down anything in the entire world. A serious hunter travels light and keeps it simple. A man spanning the savana with binoculars to see the lion coming is too late. By the time he sees it, he then has to drop the binoculars then focus through his scope before he can shoot. That scope is the greatest set of binoculars you can have. If you see the lion with the scope, you have time to shoot. If you don’t, you’ll use your scope, you probably won’t see the lion in time, but he may see you and guess who gets who! Not bad advice for anything with reference to complexity.

I finished my time with several leading Southern Baptist mega-church pastors and enjoyed it at the Soderquist Center for Leadership and Ethics. That was the first time I’ve ever been involved with mega-church pastors from my historic roots and, candidly, I was a little apprehensive about it. Most of the time, when I am with mega-church guys, it’s a different group. It was fascinating, interesting, intriguing, confusing at times, but overall fun and very beneficial. Some of those guys really have incredible senses of humor which came close to getting me in trouble a couple of times. Getting to hang out with Don Soderquist and learn from one of the greatest living businessmen alive was a rare and incredible opportunity.

One pastor I really enjoyed a lot was John Morgan from Sagemont Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. He’s been at his church for 42 years! It’s easy for people to develop opinions about some of these men who are key leaders of huge churches from seeing them from a distance, but when you get up close to them they can be pretty cool. Most of them didn’t ever anticipate what their future would be let alone expect it. Therefore, they’ve tried to manage it as best they can.

John is friends with Stewart Morris, the President of Stewart Title. I’m good friends with his son Malcolm, the CEO, who also started Living Water, the premier water NGO for the world. Malcolm and his wife Becky will be with me in Vietnam later in November. John is close friends to Stewart who is now 90. Stewart called John to come eat lunch with him--a subway sandwich! He told John he was going to give him something he gives only to employees when they come and it’s only been given out only one other time outside the organization--the personel manual. He asked John if he would he like it. John said, “Well Stewart I’d love to have it, I’d be honored!”

Perspective--based in Houston, Stewart Title has 13,200 offices world-wide, 47,500 employees, and processes a billion dollars a day through its offices.

Stewart carefully hands John a little piece of paper and on it are two words, “Do Right!” He said, “That’s it--ever since I’ve been leading this company that’s what we tell our employees.” I wonder if Stewart knew Ken Lay? I wonder …

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The past 3 days I’ve been in some incredible meetings.  Been checking my emails as I can.  Several exciting issues are happening with several planters that have come out of NorthWood.  Everything from meeting Howard Schultz, to multiplying a church, to getting land, to you name it.  One thing that I’ve realized is, you plant a church for only the first 2 to 3 years max then regardless of where you meet you’re a church.  However, once a church planter, a church planter always thinks of himself as a church planter.  I think of myself as a church planter.  That was 22 years ago!!!!  I’m glad to say I’m a church multiplier, and that keeps us up on the edge.  What sets a planter apart is vision, desperation, risk, and experimentation.  Those are 4 things that should stay in a pastors life until the very end.  I did a ropes course yesterday with several pastors. The guy who cracked me up the most was a guy named Ted Trailer.  He had to balance himself, and it was hilarious seeing this red-headed, white-legged, skinny, knock-kneed man trying to hold on for dear life, but he was doing it!  When we “settle” in whatever ministry we’re in, we’ve lost the “ethos” of a church planter.  Rock on little bros - Big Bobby is rootin’ for ya!  Come on you young punks--you just try to keep up with me!

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