GlocalNet

Yesterday at NorthWood we had one the greatest worship we’ve ever had.  It was nothing short of phenomenal.  We continue to try to tweak things to get us more into the presence of God and keep us true to our DNA - but sometimes God just shows up and does things in spite of us!  We did the offering, announcements, etc. up front and then came back and had a long song set that was powerful. 
We had our members of different ethnic and national backgrounds to stand up and each read a verse of Psalms 150 in their own tongue.  On the big screens English was beneath the native tongue so everyone could read it - we then went straight into the singing.  Our members of different ethnic backgrounds then sang the “Revelation Song” in 5 different languages, all scattered across the front of the stage.  One of our members from India played the “Indian” drums - everybody was singing at the top of their lungs and worshiping.  I had several tell me that it was like heaven - all of us there.  Over the past three years, but particularly the past few months, we are seeing a lot more people of different ethnic backgrounds in our church - and it’s exciting - especially when you realize we are in suburbs where 85% are Anglo.  I don’t know what our percentage is - I’d guess we are around 70% Anglo, and the rest everything else mixed in. 

We then team preached - 5 of us - James 1:19-27 - you can see it at northwoodchurch.org - most had churches and movements of 25,000 or more - some 200,000.  These were humble men - some through interpreters - all with something to say that was powerful.  For our members to see Africans, Indians, Australians, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Indonesian - and hear their stories of hearing and obey was powerful.

Finally we had the communion service patterned after a group of Hindu priest who became Christians.  Now that they are believers they came up with their own method of it.  They break the coconut representing how Christ was broken on the cross - as the milk pours out they speak of him being our sacrifice that was poured out, and then the inside part is white - showing what he did on the cross makes us clean.  So Jossy Chacko led us, and instead of grape juice and wafers, it was coconut milk and shredded coconut.  It was powerful.  It was communion with the global church.  I also had the pastors line the front of the stage as people came forward. 

The design of the service, the communion, the worshippers - all of which are a part of Northwood, was very, very powerful.  I believe we will continue to see more ethnicities show up at Northwood.  In our area though only 15% are non-Anglo that represents 50,000 - where do those people go to church?  Most don’t.  What if they did?  Can there be a global church in local communities?  What if there were?  How would our ministries and our global work be radically different? 

This is a fun road - not sure where it’ll take us - but we will keep traveling down it - coconuts, blue bell, pho - and all.