GlocalNet

Yesterday, you heard from some of our staff about how NorthWood does what it does.  Today, hear some stories from our members about how they got involved in making a Glocal Impact and what got them onboard by clicking here!  You can see pictures of the project here.

The number one question I’m asked when I speak somewhere on community transformation or global engagement is “How do I get my church doing this?” Pastors ask this question, but believe it or not, the laymen in the church ask me this question even more. I was going to post an answer to that today, BUT instead, I asked the NorthWood staff to give comments to this all day long…so NorthWood staff, who’s first? Tell them your name and ministry and just give a couple of comments and try not to repeat unless there is something you’re just so passionate about you can’t help it—and I know for most of you that’s true!

This past week has been all over the page for NorthWood. There are the usual things happening on a micro level in people finding God, getting their families back together, and many using their jobs for God. But, on a macro level, as we continue to work together things continue to expand. Last week,  our staff and I were involved in meetings with other government leaders from around the world as well as our “country of preference” Vietnam. I also had the priviledge of meeting with several global pastors in different meetings on engagement and partnership and what that would look like. I sense God is up to something so, so, so big, it’s no secret - it’s in His Word.

The highlight of the week, however, was not meeting with a high official or incredible pastor, but watching our members refurbish four homes. I came home and got off the plane in time to go to a worship service together on Thursday night as people fill the church dressed in T-shirts—four colors, one for each team. Then Friday at noon the work began as the families receiving the makeovers were picked up in limos. The homes were picked from essays the kids did in their class of a Title 1 school in a depressed area. We’ve worked at that school the past few years in many ways. Hundreds of our people swarmed those houses like bees working together. The struggles that the four families faced are no different than others in depressed communities.

As the last familiy arrived with their five kids, they got out of the limo.  The man was a hard worker, you could tell it by his hands. They went into the home and there was incredible joy. I wept I was so happy for them.  I wanted to do every home in the neighborhood. Driving home, it was hard to talk to Nikki.  We were both just so moved. I told her, this is what the church is - all the meetings, all the organizations, all the institutions - when it’s all said and done something like this represents the church better than any logo, song, preacher, document, whatever - this is the church.

This isn’t an easy time to do something like this - we’re about to enter a new worship center and need money - this detracted from the building financially - but …

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I could not be more proud of you NorthWood!  There was over $100,000 worth of goods provided for this and hundreds of volunteers from NorthWood!  Great job guys!

Click HERE to read an article written by the Ft. Worth Star Telegram.

I’ve been in several meetings the past two days and they have each been a biography of the person I met with in and of themselves.  I tried to take notes, then reorganized them, just because I don’t want to forget.  I’m learning so much right now.  I’ve come to believe the greatest way to learn - at least for me - is to be around people with different life stories and to listen.  Someone told me yesterday, “When the westerner speaks, even if he whispers, he does so with a megaphone - whereas when we speak, we are on mute.”  Listen to what people are saying . . . .

One of the many lawyers working on a peace process in a particular country briefed a small group of us about the strategy for peace and reconciliation in that country.  He told me, long term, there are political issues that have to be addressed for there to be sustainability.  HOWEVER, according to him it will not start with the political solution but with a relational response to people being connected to one another.  “Americans when they see how bad things are - they will be shocked - and demand change.”  I’m convinced the television (Old Testament) & internet (New Testament) is our Bible and lens through which we interpret the world - therefore it is only as good as the reporter or source the information comes from - and all sources are jaded.  But - Americans have to see it - out of sight out of mind.  America - where 90% claim to believe in God - a global God - have made him a tribal God - big enough to help me out - big enough to assist in my interest - not big enough to change things without me first seeing it. 

The Arab is a Palestinian Christian.  He lost his dad in one of the wars with Israel.  He now is a major religious figure in the Middle-East.  He is a passionate evangelical.  He reminds me that Palestinians were among the first Christians and that in the next decade people who recieved the Gospel literally directly from the Apostles may be extinct if the evangelical church in the West doesn’t hear their cries and give them support just like they do Israel.  Their unabated and unquestioned support of Israel has left them challenged by …

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Today I filmed all day at Zondervan - glad it’s over!  I don’t see how people stare in that camera so long.  In DC - meeting with lots of people - a couple of pastors from the other side of the world and thought leaders and policy makers for different parts of the world.  One thing remains consistent - Jesus is the hope of the world.  The ONLY answer and hope of all that stares us in the face is him.  Things are too complex and people too self-centered.  However, there are those that are getting up on their feet to make a difference.  I remain convinced - those in their early to mid-twenties - are going to inherit a very different world than any previous generation.  It will be the greatest opportunity for transformation - I believe they are up to task.  Rock on young guys.

This is a recent photocopy of the English version of Vietnam News.  I continue to see signs of progress and am very grateful for it.  I strongly believe this will continue.

The past few months, I can only describe what I’ve been going through as transitions. Yesterday, was another one. The majority of our interns are non-Anglo and many are headed to other countries to plant churches. No way that we can teach them the mechanics—each culture is different. But, we can teach kingdom culture and what must be present regardless of the “presentation.” I continue to focus our church on Hanoi, Vietnam and Puebla, Mexico, but I pray the day will come when the majority of churches we start are from around the world. The “white guys” I work with I want to focus just on leaders of leaders who will see multiples of leaders and planters raised up. One thing I’ve learned and observed is networks and movements are not the same. Planters and multipliers are not the same. Society and church—not on the same page. We have a lot of shoptalk going on out there, but we don’t get how it all meshes.

Not all of our interns could make it this weekend, but we have 12 Church Planters this year!  5 from S. Korea, 2 Hispanic and 5 Anglos!

Yesterday, I talked about how we must learn how to talk to one another of like faith as the Gospel goes global. Some of you know I’m the Chairman of the Board of Institute for Global Engagement of which Chris Seiple is President. Chris is an evangelical who has learned how to communicate in his words “in the logic and language” of others.  The Institute for Global Engagement and Fairfax Community Church recently partnered to host IGE’s annual Global Leadership Forum. This year’s forum considered what it means for Christians to steward their Heavenly, Global, and National citizenships. To understand those identities better, Ahmed Younis and Hadia Mubarek, recognized leaders from the Muslim-American community, provided their own view of these identities, what it means to be a Muslim-American in a post 9/11 America…    You have to watch the whole video—the ending is just incredible. As followers of Jesus, we need not compromise our faith and convictions.
I love the book “The Dignity of Difference” by the Jewish Rabbi in London. In it, he says all of us must hold on to our convictions with passion and not synchronize them or they loose their power and ability to bring about healthy change. He goes opposite what most people say is the key to making people of faith get along and respect each other.  Christianity started as a Jewish movement to Jesus, and if its mission is fulfilled, it will be completed from a Muslim movement to Jesus. It will not happen by force of words or law, but by love and treating people with respect—not because we are trying to convert them, but because we are converted.

I think I was in a very significant meeting yesterday. I was in a room with around 15 pastors from all over the world. Many of these men have churches in the tens of thousands. You wouldn’t know their names. They’re leaders from the global church. Very different from American church pastors. No one talks numbers unless asked. No one talks building projects or any of that. Their primary metric is how many churches planted and how is it transforming the society. They all start house churches and mega-churches. They see absolutely no conflict in the two. They love everything and everyone that’s sharing the Gospel.