GlocalNet

Recently I spoke at one of the many gatherings of the Southern Baptist Convention in San Antonio. It was neat for me, speaking a few blocks from where one of my “potential” ancestors died. We all talk about missional and what that means. I think of the men in the Alamo—when they fought, they fought with complete abandonment. They knew they were dead men so they hit it with everything they had. The damage a couple of hundred men did to thousands was just incredible. But, when you know you’re a dead man anyhow you take as many with you as you can—that’s Texan! The well-trained Mexican soldiers later wrote that they fought like wild men not normal soldiers. No time for them to read manuals, study tactics, the battle was on and their best hope of survival was using what they learned from living out on the front lines of the West.

When I was a little boy, my family always looked forward to the SBC because it’s when we got to take our vacation in the station wagon. We went to some of the sessions as kids, but not that many which was a blessing for everyone else—trust me! Last week, I sat in the big convention floor area and worshipped. I sensed the presence of God. I felt the history of God’s people, saw the faces of many of my heros, remembered chasing down Dr. Criswell as an 8-year-old boy to get him to sign my Bible, and Roy Fish (who would later teach me evangelism but more importantly show me how a Christian lives). I just had that Bible rebound! I’m so grateful for so many. When I was a teenager, I discovered the preaching of Adrian Rogers. Wow! I grew up as a little boy with Manley Beasley in and out of our home, and loved him. One of the worst spankings my brother and I got was for playing with John Bisagnio’s trumpet. It’s an honor for me to sometimes be on the program with him at different places! Jimmy Draper was a massive encouragement to me at different points when I first started NorthWood 22 years ago. I could go on and on. These are my roots and this is my history. We all find ourselves in different narratives, and I am what I am today and frankly do what I do because …

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Genesis 22:1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”“Here I am,” he replied. 2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” 3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” 6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together. 9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. 12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” 13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD …

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Michael Hyatt, the President and CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, posts a great entry on his blog (http://www.michaelhyatt.com) about using an iPod and audio books to stay on top of your reading.  Michael, like Bob, is a runner and he listens to audio books while running.  “Leaders are readers, ” as the saying goes.  Sometimes you have to get creative to stay ahead of the ‘thought curve.’

Check out Michael’s post and let us know of any tricks you use to maximize your time. http://www.michaelhyatt.com/fromwhereisit/2007/05/feed_your_brain.html

When you plant a church, you have to deal with reputation.  Specifically, the reputation held by the Church and Christians in the community.  There are three different types of reputation.

1.  A good reputation.  Obviously this is the dream of church planters everywhere!  Unfortunately, a good reputation doesn’t happen very often: especially in Western society.

2.  A bad reputation.  Bad reputations are easy to create and difficult (But possible!) to change.  Christians, or people calling themselves Christians, often make a mess of things.  In some instances, the reputation of Christianity may be historical -  something created one hundred or one thousand years ago.

3. No reputation.  Believe it or not, this is very possible.  There are many countries around the world that have not heard the Gospel or met a follower of Christ.  Your actions as a church planter will shape the reputation of both.

Church planters need to quickly identify the reputation of Christ and His followers in their community.  They must ask, “What do I need to do to create a good reputation of Christ and His followers in this community?”

What are some things you are doing as to establish a good reputation for Christ and Christians in your community?

Texas is known for its hailstorms.  When they do occur, the car dealers try to make extra good deals on the cars to move them. You’ll see signs on the road that say “Dent Removal” or “Hail Sale” or something like that. The problem is that when you buy a car like that, it’s yours.  You still have to fix it and that seemingly good deal isn’t always as good as you might think.

The other day I was at a car dealership and someone was about to come in to take delivery of a car. It was a very beautiful and expensive car. The dealership has a ramp that when you buy a car they put the car on it, and put balloons on the car so that it’s a big deal to take it home. As I was walking in the dealership and got near the car, even from a distance, I could see tons of dents and pings from a major hailstorm that seemed to have centered on that car. It was bad! BUT, it was still a good car—just the outside was messed up. Then the owner came. He would never have had this kind of car, except for a hail storm that make it work for him where he could afford it—he couldn’t get it fixed. He was so proud of it. But everyone else who walked by that car snickered. Imagine driving down a freeway in a brand new 25k car with a horrible case of car acne! BUT, he wasn’t snickering. He was glad to get it.

OK, forgive the preacher in me.  But, as I walked by I thought that’s how God sees us. He’s so happy to purchase us through the redemption that He brought through the blood of His Son. He buys us, knowing the pings and dents only to get us out on the open road and rev up our engines.

The children of Israel were dinged! I’ve been reading Exodus and it’s really a side story because despite the fact that the children of Israel were delivered, they never became conquerors. As a matter of fact, most of the ones born into slavery died as lost, wandering, frustrated “delivered” people, but not victorious. They never could escape the “hail damaged” tag that was given them. What is it that makes some people who are delivered “victims” and some …

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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 told. But - in other places - wow. There are some really …

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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 the other side of my world - and …

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