GlocalNet

I received this and throught some of you might like reading it.

The Gallup Center for Muslim Studies today released a new report, Religious Perceptions in America: With an In-Depth Analysis of U.S. Attitudes Toward Muslims and Islam.  The major conclusions of the study were:
- Of the four faith groups asked about, Americans express the most prejudice toward Muslims
- Self-reported prejudice toward Jews is the variable most strongly associated with expressed prejudice toward Muslims
- Frequent religious service attendance is associated with reports of “no prejudice.”
- A favorable opinion of Islam is associated with “no prejudice”, whereas personally knowing a Muslim is not.
To read the full report, including an executive summary, please visit:
http://www.muslimwestfacts.com/mwf/125318/Religious-Perceptions-America.aspx

We made the news. Here’s the link and the story has been linked to by USA Today and other newspapers. 
For all the details go to NorthWood’s website.

Guest Blogger: Bobby Vaughn, Church Planting Administrator - NorthWood Church

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8
Do Justice (how can you, today, bring justice to an unjust situation?)
Love Kindness (mercy) (Where and to whom do you need to show mercy?)
Walk Humbly with your God (Walking by faith - hearing AND obeying)

This holiday season, remember this verse in the midst of the holiday crowds and madness.  People are watching your behavior whether you know it or not.

Guest Blogger - Bobby Vaughn
I have a confession to make.  As a pastor, this isn’t easy for me to say.  5 years ago I would have rather have gone to Vietnam and love the people “over there” than go to my next door neighbor and get to know them.  It’s so much easier, cleaner and gives me that warm fuzzy feeling inside.  But my confession doesn’t end there.  Here’s the long and short history of my adventures on Latania Lane.

My wife and two daughters (at the time… I now have 4 daughters, but that is a story unto itself) moved to Keller, Texas December 23, 2005 from Grand Junction, Colorado.  On one of the first evenings in our new home we were sitting on the floor unpacking boxes when we heard what seemed to be a mob outside our front door.  I eased over to the blinds, trying to be sneaky… ‘cause, you know, you don’t want to look like the nosey neighbor, and peeked through.  There, on my front lawn was a group of about 8 to 10 people just standing there talking and laughing.  Now, I’m from Colorado - the “rugged individualism” state - and this sort of behavior was just peculiar.  I couldn’t figure out why all these people were just standing there… having conversations! 
My wife, being the more curious of the two of us, ventured out to see what the commotion was all about.  She was gone for almost an hour.  When she returned she says to me, “They just hang out and talk… almost every night!”  The Church Planter side of me immediately thought, “Wow! We don’t have to work at community here!  They do it for us!”  But my second thought was, “Uh oh.  If they’ve already built community among one another, what’s left for me to do?” Crazy thought, I know.  In the following months we learned that our street celebrates holidays together, we play together, we camp together, we laugh together and cry together… Latania Lane is our family and home away from home.
Like family, we fight, but also like family we forgive. 
Over the last 4 years, I have had several people call me their pastor, even though they do not attend church (some of my neighbor’s scars from “church” run deep).  You see, I learned something from Bob Roberts and …

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When I was 15 I began to preach - this is the first church I preached at, Harris Chapel Methodist Church.  There’s a lot of talk about “simple” church and “house” church - but as I was home over the weekend and reflecting I was stunned at how many of the things some people want the church to be today, in many ways, it was yesterday.  No one would have called them house churches - but look at all four of these buildings - they were all the size of a small, very small house.  Each will hold only about 75, if that many, packed out.  This church is on the trail that opened up Louisiana to New Mexico - running right through Lindale, Texas.

This church is around the corner from where my wife grew up, Sabine Methodist Church.  Her step-sister is buried here.  The church was in the neighborhood - you walked to it - you didn’t drive half-way across town.  The people were your friends in worship - not people you didn’t know or weren’t tied to during the week.  They really did “do life” together!  They had to - or they’d die.  Whatever people needed - they provided it.  In a sense all churches were community churches and missional.

This is St. Mary’s Baptist Church - the African American church in Lindale.  I remember when having finished preaching at Harris Chapel Methodist one Sunday me and 2 football buddies drove over to the church and sat in the back and worshipped.  The preacher began to preach loud and say, “We knew one day white folk would come and sit together in worship.”  I didn’t have a clue about civil rights and minorities - I was white, and in East Texas - life couldn’t be better - for me.  That one experience would one day have a profound impact on how I thought about race and justice, not just in the world, but in the place I grew up in.

This is Bethesda Presbyterian Church, where my wife’s mother and baby sister are buried.  Last weekend we had a family gathering around the corner.  JB Hicks still goes there - 87 …

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My daughter Jill is in Vietnam for the summer working at our NGO Glocal Ventures.  You can visit the site at glocalventures.org.  She’s having a blast.  We learned to do “SKYPE” and have been skyping and it’s just a blast.  There’ s something about seeing someone’s face when you talk to them. 

I was so proud of her.  Her flights were all screwed up but she made it, and, though a lot later than anticipated, she arrived and is settled in.  She called me “Hanoi” time Sunday morning - Saturday night here, to wish me happy Father’s Day.  She rocks!!!

It’s a pretty significant thing when, as a pastor, church members name their children after you.  I’ve never had that happen.  However, this past week, I had a goat named after me.  Kinda got to me if you know what I mean - I love them Byrd kids! 

Matt is right on.  This is what I was saying yesterday.  I’m always asked how did our church get so missional and global . . . where are your sermon series on that, etc., The answer is by doing it - it isn’t found in a class - it’s found in the field.  Matt ties this to his small group ministry and it’s really good.  Proud of you Matt - keep rockin’ little Texas bro!

THE SHOW - for May 19, 2009 - Guest Matt Carter from Todd Rhoades on Vimeo.

Cody comes to the Revive program at NorthWood for special needs children.  You have to watch this video.  I have always believed, a society should be judged - not by what it does with it’s most gifted, but by what it does with its most challenged.  I also believe those “most challenged” often wind up showing those “least challenged” what life is all about and how to tackle it.  Proud of you Cody!!!!!
http://www.teamcody.com/

Whether you agree with his politics or not – no if ands or buts about it – President Jimmy Carter is a very, very sharp man.  He knows his stuff – so if you disagree with him – you’d better know yours.  He doesn’t speak from opinion or preference when it comes to international affairs, but history, accords, maps – all of it.  I was with him and a small group of people, of which Ron Sider was there, Lynne Hybels, Jim Wallis, Ambassador Andrew Young, Greg Khahil and others.  We were talking about the whole Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

Obviously, I was there because of domain engagement and what that can look like for churches in terms of people-to-people projects, etc.  I also met with some churches that want to work there and are trying to get our tracks laid so others can follow.  It’s exciting.  President Carter told me he’d like to come to our church and hear me preach – I told him “No way, I want you to come and preach.” 

Been thinking a lot about inter-faith – the word describing how we relate to other faiths.  I think there are three words that have described its evolution, and a fourth I would propose.  There were Muslims and Jews with us – and we spoke on interfaith. 

First, in reflecting since the meeting, historically people have focused on “My Faith.”  All the world is see through my personal faith, values, and worldview.  My agenda is to get every person to see life through my lens.  Even though people try that – it hasn’t happened in the history of humanity.

Second, “One Faith.”  This was the idea of universalists and liberals – we are all on the same path.  All roads lead to God.  This is still advanced by an older, declining group in interfaith circles.  The goal is minimize our differences, come around where we can agree, and hopefully build a kind of “human faith” that all religions subscribe to.

Third, “Inter-faith.”  Historically, as I’ve heard Eboo Patel talk about and others with his organization, it meant liberalism and syncretism.  Not anymore.  It’s beyond tolerance, and even respect, to collaboration.  How do we work together in this world?

My next book will be release real soon, but I need your help! First, what do you think about the two cover options? Really, I want your help with this.  Cover A or cover B?

Also, the current tag line is “Impact the world for Christ right where you are” - I don’t like it.  It sounds too much like you don’t have to move with God to reach the world.  Here’s one idea I had - “Transform the world doing what you do with the love of Christ” I don’t know… Give me your ideas!

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