GlocalNet

One of the people that I’ve admired a lot and worked with on church planting and community transformation here in the U.S. is Al Weiss.  He has a passion to throw gas on what God is doing and to serve pastors to see churches planted and communities transformed.  Recently he accompanied me to Korea where he met with a small group of global pastors that I am friends with and work with in different ways.  Al was received well by the leaders there.  He had some “ah ha” moments as he sat there with us and was really moved hearing the stories and catching the philosophy of what the global church really looks like. 

There are several things that stand out in my mind as I reflect on what I observed during our time in Korea, things that illustrate why he’s good at Disney.

First, Al approached it as a learner.  He readily admitted he knew little about the global church.  If someone is good in one area, they can think they are an expert in every area.  Not Al.  Al is in his 50’s and I like the fact that he is a constant learner.  Before we went I told him of at least two books he should read. He read them!  He put aside his preconceived ideas of what he thought things were or should be to realizing these guys knew better than he. 

Second, he was curious about many things, asked questions, and then listened.  He asked one pastor who has over 20,000 in attendance every Sunday, “How do you manage all that?”  The pastor explained cells to Al.  Al quickly saw the huge gap between what is happening in the church globally and what is happening in the U.S.  The day of the West showing up and telling others how to do church or that we are here to save you is over!  It really is. If anything we desperately need their help.  It’s one thing to read about this, hear about, and write about it.  It’s another when you are brought face to face with it.  Al isn’t a church planter but one thing I would say is he’s moving fast in the depth and breadth of his understanding of the nature of the church here and globally and, I would say, is ahead of the majority of pastors in their understanding of what is happening. 

Third, he was open to correction.  He would not be defensive, but when challenged, just wanted it explained.  He told me, “Be patient with me, it’s going to take some time to get all this but I’m coming!”  I believe it.  Al wants to serve pastors globally.  The way he wants to do that is very different from the way he started out doing that.  He listened, saw, observed, and flexed.  There is no “one size fits all” model for the world, and that’s not bad. 

Fourth, he was willing to get outside his comfort zone.  The cultures, the denominations, the styles, all of it, to see these guys all converge and have a conversation is a rare thing in and of itself.  For him to be there and be able to join in that discussion was a gift.  Churches and religion really are tribal in many ways.  When you sit with the global church you just don’t get the church but the “tribe” as well.  Some people only see their tribe.  A few people see their tribe across the globe and attempt connecting with it.  Fewer still, see and connect with tribes.  To do that, you have to be willing to accept and actually enjoy the differences.  Al did that. 

Fifth, Al recognized it is “all God.”  We concluded our meeting on our knees praying for one another, our ministries, different countries, people, situations, etc.  There were many forms of prayer in that small room and many of those forms were different from Al’s tradition.  I wasn’t sure how he would handle that, he handled it great.  He even loved all the different traditions and practices.  Passionate worship and prayer is one of the hallmarks of the global church and I love it. 

I’m convinced God is doing something significant in the world today, and I’m convinced that it will be lead by people like Al, all over the world connecting.