GlocalNet

Most churches in the West are local with a global emphasis - they call that missions.  I believe the church should be global in its mindset, communication, mission, values, theology, and its ministry.  What does that look like?

First, a global church starts with the end in mind.  It is a global focus with a local base and ministry.  That’s a big difference.  A local church with a global emphasis is defined more by local demographics, psychographics, tribal culture, and agreed upon rituals - those are the chief drivers.  Those things matter - but it isn’t the end all of what a church should focus on.  If you stop there, you get cultural local churches and localized Christians who never connect with the mission of God.  A global church is driven more by the mission of God in every area and every domain of life seeking reconciliation and healing.  It’s Colossians 1:15-20. 

Second, a global church communicates, ministers, mobilizes, and engages both locally and globally through realizing the connectedness of the world and the implications of the Gospel.  The reality is, there is no isolation anymore - everyone is connected.  Some are deaf and blind and don’t see all the people in the room that technological connectedness has brought in.  Some don’t care - they are so tribal it’s more about their tribe than it is the mission of God.  What we do locally impacts what happens globally.  From burning Qurans to ignoring the starving in Somalia, makes huge statements about what we believe, what we practice, how we view others, and sadly more our politics than our faith - and I’m not just speaking of governmental politics.  It’s a scary time to be connected when people are either ignorant or arrogant and they speak, not realizing how it impacts others.  Ignorance can be cured - there’s not a good cure for stupidity at this time. 

Third, a global church listens and learns from the church around the world.  Today in the West we are trying to reinvent church in multiple ways in multiple contexts - and sadly most of it is ignorant and disconnected from the global church.  The Global church is exploding.  We think of connecting with the global church by helping them - the reality is they have far more to offer us than we have to offer them.  If God is working around the world, we need to understand how.  What are the common denominators?  What does the church look like?  What do disciples look like?  How are churches growing in places where historically Christians have been minorities?  If it’s true, as some missiologists say, that America is the 3rd largest unreached nation in the world today, then we need to get busy and start learning.  Our history of “church” in America influencing the world lulls us into believing all is well - it’s not. 

I’ll write more later, but that’s enough for a start.  If you are global - you will always be effective locally.  If you are only local - you will be like Jerusalem who loses her voice to Antioch.  Our “millennials” are now called our first globals.  “Doing” church for the world, will be doing church for them.  In the past you could build a ministry only by local demographics and psychographics - local demographics and psychographics are now global.  Welcome to the 21st century!  This is why we do multi-faith projects, domain engagement globally and locally.  Everything I say and do has to be informed by the world with Jesus as the primary focus of life and ministry Thus http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/09/16/3372013/theres-no-room-for-hate-at-christian.html