GlocalNet

I’ve been in several meetings the past two days and they have each been a biography of the person I met with in and of themselves.  I tried to take notes, then reorganized them, just because I don’t want to forget.  I’m learning so much right now.  I’ve come to believe the greatest way to learn - at least for me - is to be around people with different life stories and to listen.  Someone told me yesterday, “When the westerner speaks, even if he whispers, he does so with a megaphone - whereas when we speak, we are on mute.”  Listen to what people are saying . . . .

One of the many lawyers working on a peace process in a particular country briefed a small group of us about the strategy for peace and reconciliation in that country.  He told me, long term, there are political issues that have to be addressed for there to be sustainability.  HOWEVER, according to him it will not start with the political solution but with a relational response to people being connected to one another.  “Americans when they see how bad things are - they will be shocked - and demand change.”  I’m convinced the television (Old Testament) & internet (New Testament) is our Bible and lens through which we interpret the world - therefore it is only as good as the reporter or source the information comes from - and all sources are jaded.  But - Americans have to see it - out of sight out of mind.  America - where 90% claim to believe in God - a global God - have made him a tribal God - big enough to help me out - big enough to assist in my interest - not big enough to change things without me first seeing it. 

The Arab is a Palestinian Christian.  He lost his dad in one of the wars with Israel.  He now is a major religious figure in the Middle-East.  He is a passionate evangelical.  He reminds me that Palestinians were among the first Christians and that in the next decade people who recieved the Gospel literally directly from the Apostles may be extinct if the evangelical church in the West doesn’t hear their cries and give them support just like they do Israel.  Their unabated and unquestioned support of Israel has left them challenged by the Muslims in Asisa and ignored by the Christians in the West.  They are truly a forgotten and ignored people.  In his area alone there are 20,000 in refugee camps with a 60% unemployment rate - so as an evangelical it makes it very difficult for him to share his faith because no matter what he says, he’s tied to the West in their minds.  He told me how he became a follower of Jesus.  A few years ago he and his sister were in a market in California speaking Arabic when an old lady heard and came over and told them she spoke Arabic.  She told them she was a missionary in Israel for 40 years and never saw a single convert but she had always prayed for this girl who was promising in her English class - you guessed it - it was his mom!  Now this man is a leading Christian figure there. 

The African - this guy and I could do some serious damage together!  He’s starting churches, engaging society.  They don’t know words like “missional” “emergent” etc., they just do it.  He became a Christian when studying in another country that is developing.  Went back home, took a dead and dying church - has grown it to thousands and started lots of churches.  “Recieving Christianity from the West is like drinking from a chalice laced with poison.  It’s dying - why copy it?”  Sounds harsh?  Get used to it.  He doesn’t mean to sound harsh - but he told he is so so weary of the American pastor showing up telling the whole world how to do it when he can’t even see his own country reached.  He told me the image of the church is the body - not dependent - not independent - but interdependent.  We all need one another.  He gave me some incredible advice - one of the best things he said was for those of us in the West, “Share the vision, but don’t define the agenda.” 

The communist is a good friend of mine from one of those 5 remaining Communist countries in the world - doesn’t sound like much until you realize one of them is China - and China’s kinda big.  Not saying this guy is from China.  Anyhow I’ve spent a lot of time with him and it’s the last time I’ll see him here in the U.S.  He’s finished his diplomatic mission here and heads home.  This man, is a world citizen.  He gets the big picture.  I’m astounded at how well the big picture is seen by so many who would not consider themselves followers of Jesus, and yet how it is seemingly obscured to those in leadership of the church who say they follow Jesus - how can that be?  I sat on the plane home and reread E. Stanley Jones - Christ on the Indian Road.  I know he’s heard the good news of Jesus and that seed has been planted.  I just hope he’s seen the life of Jesus in me and those he’s been near enough to counter how former Christians treated him and his country.  Father be near my friend and I pray he will hear you at the door of his heart and invite you in soon.  He fears I want to baptize him - I don’t understand why!

I am so average yet with such access to situations and people that can change the world.  How can that be? I’m convinced - we just don’t care that much - so when I walk in the room, or am asked to sit at the table, and I sit down - people are shocked because most of the “Christians” they know just walk on by.  NorthWood, interns, V360, glocalnet, pastors, followers of Jesus - stop, sit down, listen, and as Len Sweet has taught me - be there.