GlocalNet

In a few hours I head to Seoul, South Korea. I’m ready. This has been a near perfect week. Spent a lot of time with staff the past two weeks narrowing down directions. NorthWood has grown substantially the past few weeks. The ministries of NorthWood are growing even faster. Our staff is called on frequently for counsel, advise, direction not just from our members but from outside NorthWood. My role as pastor/ambassador/mobilizer continues to grow, as well.  So many young pastors are wanting their churches to engage glocally like we teach. Many have come asking for help. This is a wonderful thing.  We just have to always be adjusting to be able to get it all done--and we are. This is proving to be the most exciting, thrilling, growing time in the history of our church and I would have to say mine and Nikki’s lives, as well.

I would say to you young pastors, “God put those dreams in your heart for a reason, don’t give up on them.” The question is not are we going to grow a church or change our communities and the world. It isn’t an “either or” question--it’s a “both and.” Any church that is growing numerically has a higher standard and expectation of engagement than a church that isn’t. Any church that is engaging should be reaching lost people at a higher rate and more intensive rate than one that is merely a Sunday event. How can you have one without the other. When we split the two, we either have a Sunday event which allows people to deny and ignore God in comfort while absolving guilt because the sacrifice of church attendance was laid down, or a humanitarian organization which feeds the stomach but not the soul.

So, the books I’m taking are organized. My fourth book should have its outline completed on the flight over the Pacific sometime in the next 15 hours. My five sets of papers are organized to study and work on the plane. My lectures are organized. My IPOD is loaded. Nikki is going with me - YYYEEEAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!! David Grubbs is going with us - our techno-guru-brilliant-web-master-to-change-the-world guy that I’ve known since he was a snotty nose little squirt in the nursery area of our church--not anymore--he’s a grown man.

One regret - Nick Boring from Kensington had this “cleansing” thing he recommended me do. I did it. I will never again. Getting on the plane today, I feel like I felt the first few times I began to work around the world--only when I was coming home--not going. Nick, with the love of Jesus--You are a DOG my friend! Something kicked in last night, and I wish it would kick out fast!