GlocalNet

Ah…the joys of getting to fly in business class!!!!  I’ll speak anywhere for Brookings!!!  Great flight.  Lots of reading.  Can’t get enough of Johnathan Sacks’ The Home we Build Together.  Another one of those scholars who is showing us the way.  Used my concordance and looked at all the phrases on the Kingom of God—learning lots of stuff there.  Great run here in Doha on the beach this morning.  Saw a group of guys from around the world—greeted them as I ran by saying, “Salam A Lakem.  Nameste.  Sinchow.  Howdy.”  The whole world is here in Doha.  More travel today.  Lots of reflecting.

(This is really from 2 interviews and other questions placed together to make sense.)

Bob - How did you become a Christian?
Bishara - My mother became a Christian and led us children to the Lord?
Bob - How did she become a Christian?

Bishara - It’s a moving story. But let me tell you another story to help you understand. I was in Fresno, California doing education work and I was in a market speaking Arabic with my sister. An older lady came up to us hearing us speak Arabic. She said she had been a missionary in Jerusalem but had never seen anyone accept Christ. I asked her what she did. She had been a school teacher. She said she had prayed for this one girl for 40 years, her name was Houda—did I know her? It was my mother. I asked her, “Are you Mrs. Brown?” “Yes” she said, “How did you know?” “Because our mother told us you led her to the Lord.” Now our family is in Christ.
Bob: How did you wind up going into the ministry?
Bishsara: My name means “Good News” and at the orphanage I grew up in (they were refugees and his mother could not afford to care for them, his Father was killed in the war of ‘48) they called me St. Bishara because I shared my faith with everyone. But the real turning point came when I was back in Bethlehem and leading an orphanage. I would speak in chapel every day, but realized that I was filled with hate and revenge for what had happened to my family. My mother would always say, “We will love as Christ, and not be filled with vengeance.” So, I realized I had become filled with anger, and hate - I asked God to forgive me. It transformed me.
Bob: Do you love Jews?
Bishara: Yes, and I love everyone?
Bob: Do you have Jews that are friends?
Bishara: Of course.
Bob: Do you know Messianic Jews?
Bishara: Yes, we are very close. We pray together and encourage one another. Their life is also difficult.
Bob: Do you agree with all the issues of the Holy Land?
Bishara: No, but we can still love one another.
Bob: Do you believe in Jesus—that he is God?
Bishara: Yes, …

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My friend, Dr. Bishara Awad, is in the U.S.  for the President’s prayer breakfast. He’ll be in our worship services tomorrow and I’ll briefly interview him in both services - we’ll also pray for him. He’s someone we’ve connected with and believe in very much. Sometime tomorrow I’ll also interview him on my blog.

I’ve received tons of emails and comments on the blog on the whole Israeli-Palestinian issue. I’m going to interview him on my blog and you can comment. I know there are many subjects going on at once—glocal engagement, community engagement, church planting, Palestinians, Kenyans, etc. Please forgive me for not being able to respond to all the comments. I’m getting comments on a lot of old blogs and so I’m trying to respond as best I can. If you want a response, and I can’t promise I can always give you one, then be aware you should put a comment on a current blog back to the one you’re commenting on.

I’ll be back in the Middle East soon. I’m going to try to blog frequently about where I am, what I’m learning, and what I’m doing. That may or may not be possible.

We do these little one-shot two-day things about twice a year where 20 to 30 people come together and we basically tell stories about our members, how they are engaging, our story in Vietnam and other places. We try to help them understand how church planting is more than just starting a church—that it’s engaging a culture and a community. Church planting is more than just starting a church—it’s making disciples. Church planting is more than my own turf,  it’s the entire world. We combine teaching the Kingdom of God with practical implementation on how you engage. I was kind of taken aback, last I heard, we have about 80 people who have signed up. We started doing this in response to having a smaller forum to really get to know people versus big event gatherings. Our staff has threatened to kill me if I keep letting pastors and their staffs show up—I respect that—we all have a lot of work to do. I’m convinced the greatest need today of church plantings is not how to get a core group, launch a church, develop a budget, all those things that we have taught and do teach—and they are important—the greatest need of the hour and hunger in our land today in young pastors is how do we effectively engage people and churches in society. I’m seeing some sleepy eyes open, a stirring in the room. I’m so proud of Matt Chandler—he’s one of those big dog big churches, but he doesn’t act like it. He’s starting churches, working globally, engaging his community. I’m hoping that he’s more reflective of a new emerging breed of pastor and planter. If he is, I’m pumped about the future. If he isn’t . . . The good news is, I see several of those guys - Mitch Jolly, Byron James, and the list goes on . . . . .

When something like this happens, I feel so helpless. You want to heal it immediately, but you can’t. It’s like going to the hospital bed of someone you love who is sick. You can sit near them and listen, serve them, but not much more than that; but your presence says you love them. Right now, we are praying and adjusting the pillows on the bed because presence matters.

Oscar is starting with the society.  He’s trying to get churches to use their resources to serve others regardless of religion or tribe. I want to help him do that. I don’t know who all my brothers and sisters in Christ are. I do know I am a part of humanity and God expects me, as the Samaritan, to serve them. Byron James is a friend of mine who pastors a church here in the U.S. and his church has adopted Kenya.  if you think God is calling your church to serve there, let me know and I’ll connect you with Shadrack, Oscar, and/or Byron.

I challenge missional writers, bloggers, churches, Christians to lead out—here is Jesus on CNN—follow him. Stop praying, and start acting. You “ain’t prayin’” - you’re rationalizing, procrastinating, hoping something or someone will save you from having to sweat. Out of the hundreds of thousands of churches in America and the millions of Christians, God is calling some of you to engage there.  Do it! Those of you working deep in other parts of the world stay focused.  Don’t leave your lines. God will raise up someone else on this front—they may not be Americans—which is great. Just pray and be open to people you can connect there.

This past week, I’ve felt overwhelmed because there are 3 major countries with 3 major issues taking place where I have close friends that are leading churches in all 3 places in the middle of all that’s going on.  They all need help—not just encouragement. These are literally life and death issues that we never have to deal with here in the U.S. We want to take our plans to reach the world to the world, and have them join our plans; yet, we are so silent when they really need us. And, we say we don’t practice religious colonialism? . .  . Right. We serve the world on its terms in God’s power, not our terms with our …

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My heart continues to be heavy for Kenya. Other than Belize, it was the first place I visited in 1988. I fell in love with it.  I called my wife from Nairobi and told her we should move there—something I would do many times from many countries from around the world as I began to work. NORTHWOOD,  Oscar was at our church a few months back when Chris Seiple was here. His church was thousands and he divided it into 24 different churches spread out from the affluent to the garbage dumps of Nairobi. He and I have known one another for at least six years. He is the real deal—google his name with Christianity Today and/or Christian Vision project and you’ll read about him. More to come—I read his email and wept then called him - not sure yet what the response will be from here but there will be something . . . more to follow . . .

“Hi. I had promised to write and let you know how you can help us in these difficult days. On Thursday last week, a number of pastor’s met asking   “What more can the men & women of God do in our present crisis? What more can the church do? After much discussion they agreed to do 5 important things within the next 1 — 3 month.

1. Mobilize the church to spiritually cleanse this nation. Before the election several politicians engaged the help of a well-known witchdoctor from Tanzania, to come and pray over the towns and provinces they were claiming victory over. The witchcraft was conducted in Kisumu, Eldoret, Nairobi and Mombasa — the very epi-centers of the violence we have experienced. What demonic influence did that act unleash upon this nation? How do we close the floodgate or portal that he opened up? And what of the floodgates that have been opened out by the bloodletting, the killing and the burning of churches?

Our politicians will broker for peace; the business community to restart business, but only the church can cleanse this nation spiritually. If we do not do so — people will turn back to the old ways, charms and witchcraft for spiritual protection against the evil that has been unleashed.

In preparation for the spiritual cleansing, Christians will be called to a concerted, unified time of fasting and prayer.

2. Mobilize churches to …

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I’ve had the most incredible two days in Orlando - I’ve been with a group Call2All who are working to see the good news spread like crazy. It was like being in a room with modern day apostles and historic giants. It was very humbling for me to speak with some of the truly greats: Loren Cunningham, Steve Douglas, Avery Willis, Paul Eshelman, David Hamilton, Jack Hayford, Joel Hunter, Luis Palau, Mark Anderson—and I could go on and on. YWAM, IMB, CCCI, and many others who haven’t just talked the game, but played it the last few decades. To see them come together to work and plan to fulfill it. This was the first of 40 events. It wasn’t a preacher tag team, but strategy sessions around tables, action plans with dates attached - it was people beyond the hype of being fired up to being moved forward. They have a plan and strategy - yet publicly stated as they traveled to more nations, got more engaged, it would change and be shaped, and grown by people on the other side of the globe—that must be.

I had fun sitting at a table of East Africans from Uganda and Rwanda. I liked those men tremendously. I got to hang out with Koreans, Thais, Chinese, but sadly no Vietnamese that I met. I met this one super cool guy from India named Benny—a Postmodern? something kind of guy. I thoroughly enjoyed Armando - a South American Messianic Jew - living in Holland sharing the Gospel! I had fun with Graham Powers—we want to do Mount Kilimanjaro together. He’s just simply a cool dude in my book. Met Mike Bickle, have followed him from a distance—I think I really like this guy.

The other Congresses will have people from their nations primarily speaking. I was very encouraged by what I saw. When I was younger, often I’d go to conferences and everyone would get fired up to ? . . . . but then no action. I don’t need to be fired up, give me a shovel and help me dig! I’d rather spend my money on that.

Good start guys - now it’s suck it up time and move the ball forward!

For the past few months, I’ve been being coached by Admiral Ed Allen. He’s given me one of those slice and dice personality tests and leadership profiles followed by lots of sound counsel. It has been very, very beneficial. His style in coaching is different from what I’m used to, and took some getting used to. BUT, once I began to understand, it’s been really, really good. One of the big things he’s pushed me on is “constantly narrowing.” That’s nothing new. That’s always been a challenge. He’s helped me understand at a deeper level because of all I’m involved in how that when I don’t narrow my focus I wind up with less results and energy drains. The more effective you are at what you do, the more you have to constantly narrow because with effectiveness comes more opportunity.  The question is, is it the right opportunity. When you engage something you don’t just look for immediate productivity—which has to be there—but also multiplication of what you are doing that leads to future productivity.

I look at the teaching style of Jesus and our learning style here in the West and all our talk of “redefining” church is still incredibly sick.  After all the books, conferences, etc. where is the light at the end of the tunnel? Could it be that much of our attempt to “heal” the church is actually making us sicker? Are all the conferences, etc.  a drain? Jesus was a peripatetic teacher. That means He walked around as He taught. He was busy doing ministry and the way you learned was to hang out with Him—not go to His seminar, or read His book, or visit His blog!

There are two important questions we are not asking today that we need to be asking.  Where’s the fruit? Does the fruit remain? Books and seminars should be reflections of what we are living out and fruit that is remaining—not theories, ideas, or future projections. This is the Jesus way of learning. You learn by digging in the dirt and thinking while you’re out in the hot sun, following Him in bringing reconciliation to the world—not sitting in a cozy room or coffee shop snuggled up with a good “change the church” book. Does the church need to change? Would I look better if I dropped 20 pounds? Duh! I think we need to use conferences, seminars, …

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How could I have seen yesterday topped!!! We entered our new building with 3000 strong. The energy and excitement was just incredible. Perhaps it was because it’s been 22 years in the making and we did it. My big sister and her husband was here as was Chris Seiple, my son his wife, my daughter from Baylor and a friend, a young diplomat from Hanoi, Phuc, Shadrack, Aaron from Vegas and I could go on and on and on.

We did the right thing in having two services.  Our new Worship Center is three times larger than our old one—from 600 to 2000 seats. I remember when we moved to the site, within three months we were in two services.  We started with two services in this one! We had parking headaches but we’ll have those fixed by next week. The building was beautiful, even though very simple, and everyone was just walking around like a deer in headlights.  It will take some getting used to. We have two long hallways with incredible art—most people didn’t realize it, they just stumbled into them.

I’m so proud of all our staff.  They just did a truly awesome job, especially Mark Kimmel the Administrative pastor who put it all together.  He’s worked very, very hard and we are sending Mark and his wife to Italy. To top it off, Chris Grant brought me the first two copies of my book, The Multiplying Church, but I wound up giving one to my sister and one to Bob Buford.  I dedicated the book to Bob Buford and Al Weiss.

I’m a very grateful man.  The writing, speaking, preaching is all good—that’s what lots of preachers do. But, to get to see our church plant all the churches it has planted. To get to be a part of engaging a nation like Vietnam has been awesome. To see our members work in Haltom City in some of the depressed areas has been good. To be connecting specific churches and groups to specific nations has been beyond any dream I ever could have had. We spent a fair amount of time in prayer in the worship services yesterday praying for nations, people, ministries, and things we’re involved in—it was good.

Now . . .  down to business . . .

Sunday we begin our new schedule - we’ll have two worship services one at 9:30 am and one at 11:00 am. I can’t imagine what it feels like to preach just two times.  It may not last very long—I hope it doesn’t! Sunday night at 6:00 pm we will have a special dedication service. Lots of people will be baptized, the Lord’s Supper, lots of music, testimonies, celebration and I’m going to bring a short list of what God has done the past 23 years and what and where I see Him leading us the next ten. Any and all of you in the area are welcome to come. Get there early.  We’ll start on time and the doors will be closed for some special effects and things—you don’t want to miss any of it. It’s an incredible room.  Even though it seats over 2000, it feels warmer than our old facility of 600. It’s like an amphitheatre inside. The platform comes out to the middle of the room and the chairs look at one another—not necessarily head on to the stage. It was fun walking around, preaching, and interacting with people last week. We did a sneak peak for NorthWood people.

Thank you Father for this new room but thank you that no building has ever defined us. May we define the building by our ongoing mission with you. May we use that building not primarily to gather - but to scatter thousands. We’ve done hundreds - I pray now for thousands that are starting churches, serving around the world, touching society in all her domains through disciples who are transformed and transforming. I pray for our young sons and daughters - continue to raise them up Father - as doctors, lawyers, educators, plumbers, technicians, pastors, salesmen, politicians, diplomats, engineers, artists, all of them - may some of the greatest leaders of the next generation come from our ranks of mobilized disciples. May our greatest legacy never be a building or the attendance number on Sunday - but our sons and daughters, who emulate “your kingdom” here and now.

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