GlocalNet

Bob speaks at Wheaton Bible Church’s “Missions on your doorsteps” Conference March 1.  Read about, and register for,  the conference here.

Mazhar Mallouhi and Paul Chandler were simply incredible to hang out with.    Though Chris and I had been up all night, “except” for a 5 hour nap,  we hit the ground running and asked him so many questions.  He more than lived up to what I expected.  I felt like I was meeting a kindred Spirit with Mazhar.  He’s a small man in his 80’s and so very full of life.  He told me all he cared about was “living the life of Christ” and he explained to me how so many of his Muslim friends had taught him so much.  Paul Chandler was brilliant. We sat around and played “what if” theology games and “what now” no kidding, no game, no nonsense discussions on engagment.  What I most took away from my meeting with Mazhar.  He told me how he had been arrested and in jail in Syria and thought he’d never get out.  He thought it was all over.  He was so upset and told God how he should deliver him and how he had let him down.  Then he heard Jesus telling him, “It’s because I love you Mazhar that I am letting you share in my sufferings.  I’m letting you in on my deepest pain.”  After that, I was so grateful and it made me know God at a radically different level.  So, suffering was to him discovering who God was.  We see it as a curse, and thereby miss God.

Just preached three times at Dr. Lee’s church Global Mission Church. Wow! What a church.  I really enjoyed it. He went through a similar experience as I did and God broke him.  He has been preaching glocalization and transformation. We’re talking about doing some serious mischief together.  I enjoyed preaching in Asia—my first time in a church here.

I’m at the airport at Tel Aviv. I soon depart for Amman where Chris and I will spend the night at the airport. Hopefully, we’ll find some business lounge. All up in the air—part of the adventure, then on to Beirut where we’ll meet with Paul Gordon Chandler and Mazhar Mallouhi. I can’t wait.  I’ve endorsed and told many people to read Paul’s book, Pilgrim’s of Christ on the Muslim Road. He’s the Anglican Bishop of North Africa—he writes about Mazhar.  Mazhar would be like a Muslim E. Stanley Jones.  E. Stanley Jones is the person who has impacted me the most and helped me in understanding the world and culture.  From there, tomorrow night, we sleep economy to Dubai.  Then, Chris returns in business class (the dog) to the US and I head to Seoul Korea in economy!!!  So, that’s two nights without real sleep.  But no matter, as my wife can attest, when I don’t get sleep, I’m in really good moods—it doesn’t affect me at all.  (Could I be lying?!!) 

Nikki, so glad we came in January. We ran to the church of the Holy Sepulcher to see Golgotha and the empty tomb. Then, toured the Al-Aqsa Mosque (Dome of the Rock). Then, saw David’s Tomb.  I once again met with the Grand Mufti of Palestine—great meeting.  We, then, met with the Israeli State Depart—all good meetings where we listened and learned. 

My brother in Christ, Randall Mayne, who helped us start our church, went home to be with the Lord.  How I loved him and will miss him.  He was always steady, faithful, and, to me, Randall.  He lives on in the lives of those of us who knew him and loved him. 

Keep me in mind. I’ve a ways to go.  I’ve had several great reports about last Sunday at NorthWood—that’s what it’s all about. Not a one-man show; never has been and, if we are the church God has called us to be, never will be.

On pda—don’t like this but only way to blog. President Abbass was very gracious and encouraging—will write more later.  His chief encouraged us to fill up the churches—he’s Muslim. Sad—Christians are losing their voice and once gone not good.  Great meeting with pastors in Bethlehem. On my way to visit with Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, then Israelis.

I made it to Bethlehem. Chris and I had to fly all night to Istanbul, Turkey and then here, but we made it.  Was I in for a shock.  When I arrived I got to meet one of my childhood heroes—Brother Andrew of God’s Smuggler.  He used to smuggle Bibles behind the iron curtain.  He always prayed, “You made blind eyes see make seeing eyes blind.”  He meets with some of the most controversial figures in the West Bank—be it Hamas or Jihad.  He has been reaching out the past few years trying to show the love of Jesus to people most would write off.  As he was speaking to one of those leaders today who has suffered massive loss of family and other things, he spoke of forgiveness.  The man shot back, “You only forgive those who are worthy!”  It gave an incredible opportunity for him to share with him about grace and what forgiveness is really all about. 

We’re sitting in Bishara Awad’s office with Don Anderson from Kensington, along with other leaders here trying to figure out how we can be a blessing and servant to the Palestinian people. 

I wound up hanging out a lot with the Grand Mufti of Bosnia, Supreme Islamic leader of Bosnia, and I like him a lot.  I’m going to do a whole blog on him when I can. One statement he said was, “Our worst fighting is reserved for our own, not those most opposite us.”  It’s time for us to really “fight” for things that are right and no longer spend our time on petty non-eternal things.

Keep us in mind - many significant meetings tomorrow.

Wow, what a morning! Here at the World Islamic Forum sponsored by Brookings and the Sheikh of Doha—they brought us as together as faith leaders.  I met an Egyptian Muslim who views development and enagement much like me.  He’s the equivalent of a “televangelist,” yet he’s Muslim.  I explained what we’d done in Afghanistan and asked how he would feel partnering on different projects. He was very open.  We ate lunch together and really connected.  I’m convinced the future will not be us showing up doing our thing, but living the life of Jesus as we connect to see radical transformation in the world.  We will not do it apart from other religions, but respectful all the while not compromising who and what we believe.  This was illustrated by an Assembly of God pastor and an Imam from Nigeria who used to literally fight one another.  God convicted the pastor, they started a ministry of reconciliation.  It reflects Jesus and is good for the church.  Globalization, communication, all of this has, for good or bad, put us in the same playing field.  We need not fear the power of the Gospel to stand strong on its feet around other “religions” - it was born out of Judaism, in a polytheistic Roman empire.  The Grand Mufti of Bosnia was in our meeting.  He said he was so tired of meetings and inter-faith dialogue.  It was time to move beyond that to doing some projects together.  Sweat equity is what we need.

I got to visit with Ambassador Zalmay Khalilizad—one of my heroes. He’s an American Afghan who is now the Ambassador to the UN.  President Karzai speaks tonight.  Last year’s conference was good, but this one is even better. 

Thoroughly enjoyed visiting with Rabbi Peter Knobel—he also would like to partner in some type ministry.  All of us agreed, our faith should be active and we should be at the forefront of leading out in peace.  Can you imagine it, Jew, Muslim, Christian, African, Etyptian, Palestinian, American—all of us wanting to do something together.  None of us wanting to be Universalist—all of us committed to our faith—every one of us willing to try to make a difference. 

I’ll write as I can. Those of you who know me well know how hard it is for me to sit still . . . but so far so good. 

HEY …

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As I speak and write, and at the same time engage in the world, I’m often frustrated that the American church, in particular, doesn’t get the global issues and how it’s affecting what they do at home and around the world.  Even the most “progessive” and “contemporary” and “emergent” expressions of the church in the West today don’t really address this.  It often shows up in my writing and speaking.  There is a sense of arrogance and the coolness factor of being the “IN” crowd and yet how “OUT” we really are to lunch when it comes to the world and how it is impacting us without realizing it.  Postmodern world, etc.—those kinds of words and phrases generally show our ignorance—postmodern west, yes—postmodern world, absolutely not.  HOWEVER, at this conference there are people from so many domains of society, and what we are experiencing in the church is no different from what communication is experiencing (open and closed formats), what business is experiencing (Starfish and the Spider), what education is experiencing (West vs. Rest) and every other domain.  The whole world is in flux, each domain is struggling to find itself—what an incredible opportunity for the church, or a nightmare that will lead to old metrics that no longer measure what really leads to change or old paradigms that were new 30 years ago—still based on a dream of modernity. 

I just came out of my task force in which I learned a tremendous amount.  It dealt with Democracy in the world and America.  Jason Brownlee, sharp young international relations expert from UT, made the most profound statement about America and Democracy “Those places we did less wound up leading to more democratic reforms, and those places we did more wound up with less.”  I begin to insert America for church and Democracy for church planting in my thinking.  The lessons were incredible—some of which I’ve already known—some not.  Democracy (CP) must be contextualized.  Democracy (CP) must not be tied to money, yet incentives.  Democracy (CP) should facilitate the emerging leaders not set up her own tied to America.  Democracy (CP) in each country must have her own heroes.  This stuff is big!  There is much cross-disciplinary learning to be done here, and I’m learning a lot.

Randall Mayne & Craig Fresch—I’m praying for you two men—and Brenda.  Kick cancer hard.  Do what the doctors recommend, yet don’t count …

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Wow, what a morning.  Here at the World Islamic Forum sponsored by Brookings and the Sheikh of Doha—they brought us as together as faith leaders.  I met an Egyptian Muslim who views development and engagement much like I do.  He’s the equivalent of a “televangelist” yet he’s Muslim.  I explained what we’d done in Afghanistan and asked how he would feel partnering on different projects—he was very open.  We ate lunch together and really connected.  I’m convinced the future will not be us showing up doing our thing, but living the life of Jesus as we connect to see radical transformation in the world.  We will not do it apart from other religions, but respectful all the while not compromising who and what we believe.  This was illustrated by an Assembly of God pastor and an Imam from Nigeria who used to literally fight one another.  God convicted the pastor; they started a ministry of reconciliation.  It reflects Jesus and is good for the church.  Globalization, communication, all of this has, for good or bad, put us in the same playing field.  We need not fear the power of the Gospel to stand strong on its feet around other “religions” - it was born out of Judaism, in a polytheistic Roman empire.  The Grand Mufti of Bosnia was in our meeting.  He said he was so tired of meetings and inter-faith dialogue.  It was time to move beyond that to moving to doing some projects together.  Sweat equity is what we need.

I got to visit with Ambassador Zalmay Khalilizad—one of my heroes.  He’s an American Afghan who is now is the Ambassador to the UN.  President Karzai speaks tonight.  Last year’s conference was good, but this one is even better. 

Thoroughly enjoyed visiting with Rabbi Peter Knobel—he also would like to partner in some type of ministry.  All of us agreed, our faith should be active and we should be at the forefront of leading out in peace.  Can you imagine it, Jew, Muslim, Christian, African, Egyptian, Palestinian, and American—all of us wanting to do something together.  None of us wanting to be Universalist—all of us committed to our faith—every one of us willing to try to make a difference. 

I’ll write as I can - those of you who know me well know how hard it is for me to sit still . . . but …

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I don’t know where to begin.  So much has happened.  I’ve been in Syria - both Damascus and Hama the past 3 days.  I spoke at a women’s Islamic Seminary and it was awesome.  There is a reformed pastor who spoke along with me and Dr. Rafaida who started the institute.  Her family is incredible - she is a scholar, her husband is an electronics expert and they have 2 sons and a daugther all in their twenties.  We spoke about the similarities in our faiths and how we can work together towards peace and reconciliation in the world.  Her son Ghiath, is 28, married and a little boy - he reminded me of my own son.  This is a class act family.  I know that our governments may have some differences - but I must tell you, I’ve not been around a sharper family and people than the Syrians - they’re sharp.  When it’s all said and done - we all want the same thing.

  I especially liked Dr. Mustafa Kanaker.  He’s in his thirties - studied at Malaysia - a Phd. and Islamic and media scholar.  I could ask him anything and everything - and I did.  If you’re reading this Mustafa - I’ve read all the books you’ve given me.  I want these people to come see me in the US.  I want my wife Nikki and my daughter Jill to get to know the women at the seminary.  They would be happy to partner with us and build relationships.  I’ve yet to find people who would reject us - the problem is we show up on our terms - not theirs.  We ignore their culture, history, and beliefs without understanding that we have as much to learn from them as they do us.  Furthermore, if we would be students first - maybe they would be open to our ideas.  It’s the old Oscar adage “When the world speaks, she’s on mute - when you speak as an America - it’s like a mega-phone. 

The first night there we went to a Christian/Islamic gathering where they sang songs together.  There was a beautiful song they sang,  “The night is long, but even though alone - I am not lonely I am filled with love.”  I didn’t understand the meaning, so I leaned over and asked Mustafa was this about a man and his lover, “Oh …

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Bob’s newest book, “The Multiplying Church: The New Math for Starting Churches” is now available on Amazon! Click HERE to get your copy today!

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