GlocalNet

I’ve been traveling throughout the world over the last 15 years, from Vietnam to the Middle East. I used to fear certain people – Muslims, atheists, communists. But from getting to know these people and working with them through the years, I have come to love them. I have learned so much from them that I wouldn’t have learned anywhere else, and for that I am grateful. It’s amazing to follow Jesus’ example of welcoming the stranger, and to find out how much this enriches both your lives.

I don’t know if everyone has been able to have these kinds of experiences engaging with people of other faiths and backgrounds though.  A few weeks ago, I wrote about my daughter Jill’s generation, where glocal comes so naturally. They volunteer together around the world, building beautiful relationships and bridges, interconnecting everyone, through everything from Facebook to serving together.  They have huge amounts of optimism that they can fix the mess we’re leaving them.

At the end I wrote that we need to do everything we can to help them, and make room for their ideas and energy, because supporting them is the best hope we have to build this world together.

This is partly why I love Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC), an organization based out in Chicago headed by my Muslim friend Eboo Patel. At IFYC, they’re all about training the next generation of leaders – from all religions – to be like my daughter, open to others, ready to work together, and make a world that they want their kids to grow up in. They do this by working on college campuses all across the country, training students on how to work across lines of faith to get to know each other, get their friends on board, and create projects that deal with real, local and global issues. I bet a lot more folks are hearing about IFYC these days, because there was recently an article in the New York Times about their interfaith work.

If we want to raise a new generation of strong, faithful Christians, we have to help them learn how to live side by side with everyone else in this world today. I’m thankful that my friend Eboo and his team in Chicago are working on that every day.

Several people have emailed, texted, or twittered me asking me how it was - I’m at the airport in Narita, Japan waiting to get on a flight to Korea, then to Mongolia so I thought I’d write a blog.  Not sure I’ll have wireless and internet coverage there.  So here are a few thoughts…...

First, the young pastor who ran it this year was Vance Pittman - a close friend I’ve known many years.  Vance heard me speak somewhere and came to a conference I was invited to speak at where I spoke to young emerging pastors.  Vance has been that.  He has a sharp mind, a soft heart, and a passion for Jesus.  I took him with me to Egypt a few years ago and he met many gatekeepers and handled himself super well.  I was glad they had a younger pastor heading it up – it’s about time.

Second, I literally rewrote my sermon on the plane to Phoenix.  I stayed with my opening talking about the RA pledge, etc., told about the 2 questions that have shaped my life and ministry, then went through 7 game changers that would be necessary were we to fulfill the Great Commission.  I don’t think I’ve ever spoke at ANYTHING I’ve been more nervous about.  I get to speak at conferences, universities, various state departments - large and small crowds alike - but sharing with my own tribe made me nervous - for some with a more traditional or isolationist view I’m viewed as a little “out there”.

Third, I got a lot of positive response and feedback from twitters, texts, emails, and people stopping me - most encouraging me to say more and push harder.  From being asked to get involved in projects to speaking at other things - people were genuinely curious and fascinated that you could be an evangelical yet friends with so many different kinds of people.  Frankly, I expected a lot of pushback - not affirmation - that excited me and made me grateful!  I was grateful to see Jimmy Draper sitting on the 3rd row - he was very encouraging. 

Fourth, with the mass of people and resources Southern Baptists represent - if they put their minds to it - they can do almost anything they want - for good or bad.  I think sometimes they get a bad wrap - like any other …

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  Come to NorthWood Church, June 18 @ 6:30 PM to learn more about human trafficking and what can be done to stop it. Click here for more details.

I absolutely love this young pastor and his wife - I was so excited when they did a story on his church in Long Beach.  Darren is one of the sharpest young planters I’ve seen coming along - rock on Darren . . . .  .

Pastor Darren Rouanzoin gives his sermon for The Garden Church in front of approximately 140 people setup on the dance floor of the Cohiba nightclub on Broadway in Long Beach. (Steven Georges/Press-Telegram)

With the church band behind him, Pastor Darren Rouanzoin gives his sermon in the Cohiba nightclub on Broadway in Long Beach. (Steven Georges/Press-Telegram)
LONG BEACH — It’s usually the church’s mission to get people out of bars, but what if the church is in a bar?

That’s the case with The Garden, a church started nearly two years ago by Darren Rouanzoin and his wife Alex. Each Sunday they meet at the Cohiba Nightclub and Cigar Lounge in downtown Long Beach.

The children meet in the cigar lounge, he said, not the best site for kids. “But the parents are so gracious and don’t mind us having some major air purifiers going on hours before,” Rouanzoin said.

“Right now, this is a church plant (moving from a larger church to start a smaller one), we’re working toward something else. I dream of getting a space downtown right where we are, but for now the club owners have been generous.”

With some minor decor changes, services go off without a hitch.

“We’re taking gargoyles down and putting Bible verses up for the kids and storing stuff for communion in the room where the dancers get dressed,” he said.

Club owner Mike Rosetti was introduced to Rouanzoin by a mutual friend who attends the church.

“They needed a space to do a church and we really don’t do anything on Sunday mornings,” Rosetti said. “I don’t mind. I think it’s great. Darren is a really great guy and they keep the place clean. It’s kind of different, but it works great.”

The story of the church began in India in March 2007.

“I was 22 years old, working for a church in Costa Mesa on a ministry trip when I felt God say ‘plant a church

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in Long Beach,’” said Rouanzoin. “I had no desire to plant a church, I had no idea what it would take and at the time I …

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One of the most amazing things I discovered, not from a theological perspective but from a practical perspective, is that Jesus is present in all places, at all times, in all situations.  People have the idea that they get up, pray and seek God - and then move out and do the best they can the rest of the day, dealing with challenges, circumstances, etc.  It’s not true.  You get up, get in God’s Word, on your knees, and worship with all your might asking him to sensitize you - but your time with God doesn’t end there - it only begins there.  Now, the real listening begins and the real recognition of God’s voice and action throughout the day begins.

You have to see him in everything.  If you are his child, and you are right with him he orchestrates your entire day to bring about his glory.  That doesn’t mean every event is for the “mission”.  Some things are for your benefit - even the hard things - they grow you in some way.  Some things he does simply for your joy - God loves it when you have recreation - he’s renewing your body, soul, and spirit. 

When you experience the concept of Jesus, he is always present - reflect at the end of your day not just on “missed opportunities” but even more so - What was he saying to you? What was he teaching you? How was he showing you his love, grandeur, and glory?  Those things make for a rich and deep life.  Mission flows out of your connection with God - the depth of relationship.  When that relationship is deep - it allows for deep interaction and a lot of wisdom and power you normally wouldn’t experience. 

On the other hand - if it’s just me and Jesus and forget the rest - that ain’t Jesus.  It may feel good emotionally - but it doesn’t start and finish with you.  When I see him in everything - then everyone matters and how we respond and treat others now isn’t a matter of how it affects me for good or bad - but what he wants. 

You can’t know the depth of God’s love and not be filled with joy, peace, and righteousness - marks of the kingdom.  Keep your eyes open today, at the end of the day reflect on …

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Even that statement sounds like a contradiction - how can you live in rest?  I was with John Dawson once - and he was telling me how in the midst of a lot of work, stress, and uncertainty God showed him he wanted him to rest.  Rest is the idea that I must withdraw and get away from it all to rest - that isn’t what the writer of Hebrews in Hebrews 3-4 was writing about. 

Its summer and we all try to take vacations - to get away and refuel - and that’s healthy and good.  But a bigger question is how do I rest in the midst of following God?  Especially those of you that are pastors and church planters, who have non-stop days and nights, there’s the work, the new initiatives you’re launching, the people headaches, the lack of resources, the over work of your spouse - it can be overbearing.  It’s one reason   ministry is an area that many start, but so few finish in.  I’m convinced one of the keys of long-term ministry and effectiveness is the full understanding of this concept of REST. 

Let me define rest in this context - putting your confidence and future in God’s hand, refusing to take it back.  When we put it all in God’s hand, we stay calm and we don’t operate in our flesh to make things happen that only God can do.  Much of the reason for the absence of rest is we try to do things to bring about God’s will.  That isn’t necessary.  God’s will cannot and will not be thwarted - we are servants, not messiahs.  Reminding ourselves of that when we begin to feel anxious or uptight at the very beginning keeps us from veering off track.  This is what happened to the Israelites in following Moses, they tried to make things happen in their own strength. 

When we are not at rest - it doesn’t just put us in a state of unease but it puts those around us in a state of unease also.  When we get uptight we make others uptight.  Uptight people rarely make the right decisions.  They do it based on what they think will bring ease, or what they think will help them accomplish their goal.  When we begin to work in the flesh - we lose the presence and blessing …

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This morning I watered my plants around the house.  The sprinkler gets most of them, but in the Texas heat you have to help your flowers out if you want them to make it.  I have a beautiful basket of petunias over my porch and in that hanging basket a cardinal has made her nest and has 3 little eggs.  I water very carefully because I want those chicks to hatch and make it. 

For years, whenever my wife sees a cardinal, to her it’s like a promise from God that his blessings are always present.  Something as profound and as bright as a cardinal in a hot bland Texas summer really adds color and light.  There is research that says the most successful people are also the most grateful people, they don’t walk around like everybody owes them, but they receive what they have as gifts from God and are grateful, not despising what they don’t have or what hasn’t happened.  That makes sense. 

I get discouraged like anybody else.  I feel like things are too hard.  They take too long.  People are too hard to lead.  I don’t understand things.  The headaches keep coming . . .  I’ve also learned if I stay there and dwell on those things NOTHING GOOD IS GOING TO COME OUT OF IT.  I get grouchy, moody, frustrated and God can’t speak and work when we focus on what we don’t like.  But when we focus on who he is - no matter what life throws us - and we focus on all he’s done for us and all the promises he’s made us, and we recount all that he’s done - how can we be discouraged? I don’t think we can. 

1.  The Father has created me and allowed me to live.
2.  The Son, Jesus went to the cross for my sins & redeemed me.
3.  The Holy Spirit has filled me with his presence.
4.  My family loves me.
5.  The Body of Christ surrounds me and supports me.
6.  The Bible instructs, guides, encourages, and teaches me.
7.  Nature is all around me.  God created the mountains, oceans, deserts, plains - and I get to enjoy them as if they were mine.
8.  History is headed towards reconciliation and peace - whether I can see that at the moment …

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The other night as I was channel surfing I watched the last part of Bill Maher’s Real Time program.  I’m not a fan - he even makes me mad most of the time - but I’ll listen just to see what he has to say and how some people are thinking in our country - just so you know Rush Limbaugh has the same effect on me.  There is no news here in America anymore - it’s all pundits.  You’re going to have to watch the BBC and believe it or not, some people are now saying Al Jazeera.  Anyhow, Maher’s comments were incredible.  It was like a sermon to Christians. 

Some of the quotes:
“I’m a non-Christian like most Christians.” 
“If you ignore what he says - you’re auditing.” 
“Martin Luther King gets to call himself a Christian because he actually practiced loving his enemies.” 

The word hypocrite is more tied to Christianity than it is any other religion.  Why? 

First, because it’s the word Jesus used.  Jesus “popularized” the concept more than anyone and talked about the subject more than anyone.  He would call people who like to pray and be recognized, yet
not follow him, hypocrites.  The word itself is a picture of one who has one face, but puts an acting face on front of it.  It’s similar in meaning to the term “two-faced” used regularly. 

Second, because Jesus spoke so much of what’s in the heart - the focus was on transparency and what is real.  He knew that his message would be seen more in the life of someone than merely a belief system or a process for finding God.  Unlike other religions, the idea wasn’t merely finding God - it was letting God live in you.  To put up a front when he isn’t, or to speak God’s truth but live contrary was to misrepresent the nature of God.  As crazy as it sounds - the concept of “What Would Jesus Do?,” plays big here - it’s responding to life as Jesus would.  Your life is your biggest testimony.

Third, Christianity lived in the life of a person - wasn’t just to bless the person, but to bless others as God works through them.  A hypocrite does the exact opposite - they use religion for their benefit thereby saying one thing, but …

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Our of our children’s Sunday School teachers - relayed the following story:  At the end of our study time we were running late for worship, so I was about to close in prayer without asking for those sweet, but sometimes long prayer requests of my 1st graders. However, a little boy raised his hand and told me he had something to pray about.  He was moving to another state. Then another hand went up and another and another. Almost every child had one. They were not the usual, “My friend’s dog broke his leg.” or “I want to go to McDonald’s for lunch.”, however important those may be!  No, these requests were, “to have a happy family”, “for my step Dad to be nicer”, “to not be nervous in court”, “for Father/son time soon”, “for my Grandpa to quit smoking”, “my parents are mad at each other and not living together anymore”.  I was stunned in two ways. One, that these little souls had such burdens!  Two, so grateful, they were sharing their worries with our group and asking for prayer!  We stood up, held hands in a circle and I began to pray (eyes open on each little one, so as not to forget the requests!)  It was a special moment that gave me goose bumps!  These kids are receptive and open. They are watching and listening.  They are getting it.  God is good.

Kids deserve better.  Money isn’t the panacea it’s made out to be.  If it were our kids would be the happiest kids on the face of the earth.  I’ve seen children and orphans in war zones, horrific tragedies, and impoverished nations who suffer tremendously.  In a nation where we are “educated”,  “financed”, and have more disposable income than any place on earth - still in the midst of these hard economic times - I wish our minds could catch up with our pocket books and our college degrees and we could be far more mature in how we relate as families. 

A famous preacher, Billy Sunday, said on his deathbed, “The world I’ve won, but my son I’ve lost.”  His son died an alcoholic.  If we can’t live a life of faith in Christ and pass that on to our children, it is truly tragic.  When I stand before God, I will answer for my children more than anyone else.  That doesn’t mean I …

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This is an incredible interview with my friend Sami Awad who is an evangelical Christian who lives in Bethlehem.  I thought you might enjoy it.

Click to see Interview with Sami Awad 

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