GlocalNet

You’d better want a global church - the new local is global - we are all connected.  I was on a flight and watching the movie “Up in the Air” I think it was called - George Clooney, etc. - in the movie a lady gives a talk on Glocal!!!!  This week I’ve been with leading global pastors of major churches/ministries from all around the world - only 2 of us represent the West - us in America and another in Europe.  I enjoy it - because these men are way ahead of me, live their life like I do and so much more - and I can learn from them.  They face some of the same headaches and challenges I do and it’s so neat to be in a room of guys that can help me.  Here are some things common to us all that you pastors and church planters and even church members should be aware of as your church becomes global.

1.  You have to always tie the global to the local experience.  We’ve done good at times and not so good at times at that.  If people see it as purely global with no definite impact on them here and now - be it shallow, immature, uninformed, or self-centered - you won’t get a lot of traction.  Always tie how it impacts you where you are.  When we had the global pastors last Sunday - it was our various ethnic members that led in worship, the reading of the Scripture, etc.  From Arabic, to Hindi, to Romanian, to Vietnamese to Texan!!!  Our multi-faith service earlier in the year did so much to help the church get the whole Islam, Jewish, etc. conversation.

2.  You have to have a strong team that all buys into the vision.  It can’t be - we focus on the fort here and they focus around the world and we all go to the same church.  No, we all focus around the world and we all focus here.  Otherwise you bifurcate your vision and build an us against them mentality. 

3.  Your people have to be the story - what they are doing around the world and locally - they are the heros.  If it’s your preaching, and your relationships - its about you.  It’s OK to talk about some of those, but make your people the heros.  I love sending news reporters to various members of Northwood and seeing them in the news instead of me or our staff. 

4.  You build credibility over time by staying focused in a very few places - over the long-term - engaging that community.  For us it’s Keller, Haltom City, Puebla Mexico, and Hanoi Vietnam.  We’ve been in Vietnam since 1995 - that makes a huge difference.  This is why engagement can’t be an add on - it has to be a long term commitment and vision. 

5.  Move from a project approach to a people approach.  A lot of churches call themsevles “missional” because they’ll have a local project and global.  We use our projects as fishing experiences for others to get to be a part of so they can then use their own gifts and abilities.  Your strategy is in your pews.  Release them - bless them - encourage them - watch them flourish.  Your landmark isn’t your project but the masses of people you are moving into an area to do “their” projects!!! 

6.  Read REAL-TIME CONNECTIONS - that’s all that book is about - it’s what we’ve learned over the past 15 years but it’s written for the disciple not the preacher.  It redefines the Great Commission and then how do we live it out. 

Gotta run, gotta jog, gotta get with those pastors - May Jesus be glorified in all of you today my friends in Christ.  May Jesus be near to you and you sense his presence my Jewish friends, my Muslim friends, My Communist Friends, My Hindi Friends, and my Texas blood brothers!