GlocalNet

This past week has been all over the page for NorthWood. There are the usual things happening on a micro level in people finding God, getting their families back together, and many using their jobs for God. But, on a macro level, as we continue to work together things continue to expand. Last week, our staff and I were involved in meetings with other government leaders from around the world as well as our “country of preference” Vietnam. I also had the priviledge of meeting with several global pastors in different meetings on engagement and partnership and what that would look like. I sense God is up to something so, so, so big, it’s no secret - it’s in His Word.

The highlight of the week, however, was not meeting with a high official or incredible pastor, but watching our members refurbish four homes. I came home and got off the plane in time to go to a worship service together on Thursday night as people fill the church dressed in T-shirts--four colors, one for each team. Then Friday at noon the work began as the families receiving the makeovers were picked up in limos. The homes were picked from essays the kids did in their class of a Title 1 school in a depressed area. We’ve worked at that school the past few years in many ways. Hundreds of our people swarmed those houses like bees working together. The struggles that the four families faced are no different than others in depressed communities.

As the last familiy arrived with their five kids, they got out of the limo.  The man was a hard worker, you could tell it by his hands. They went into the home and there was incredible joy. I wept I was so happy for them.  I wanted to do every home in the neighborhood. Driving home, it was hard to talk to Nikki.  We were both just so moved. I told her, this is what the church is - all the meetings, all the organizations, all the institutions - when it’s all said and done something like this represents the church better than any logo, song, preacher, document, whatever - this is the church.

This isn’t an easy time to do something like this - we’re about to enter a new worship center and need money - this detracted from the building financially - but was worth every penny. It exemplified what a church is - not a building. There is so little emphasis on our new “Worship Center” because there is so much other stuff going on that people are involved in day-in and day-out. This has been pointed out to me often by our members. We see the building being built - and are giving - but it so does not define our church and I’m so grateful for that. We could have built a bigger worship service had we cut back our engagement - we decided not to - it was sooooo the right decision.

We aren’t the only church doing stuff like that. Irving Bible is doing some good stuff in reaching out to the community. Richland Hills Church of Christ where Rick Atchley pastors has long been a “hero” church of mine. Oak Cliff Bible where Tony Evans is leads aggressively in that arena. Recently, I’ve come to know pastor Mike Fetchner at Prestonwood Baptist. Many people would see their buildings and think that defines their church - it doesn’t. I was blown away by their clinics, home building, community ministries - some of the best I’ve seen anywhere. I visited some with Jack Graham about it - he cares. You see a big church like that - and a TV program and often form conclusions based on TV alone - Prestonwood is breaking the mold - you just don’t see all the other stuff in which they’re involved.

I’m often told Dallas is the most churched city in the US. I’m not sure that’s true. The recent stat is that 20% in the DFW area are involved in a church--ain’t much of a Bible belt. But let’s say it is--do you know why? Because 130 years ago, DFW was one of the most wicked and evil cities in the entire U.S. Gun slingers, rape, murder, child abuse, robbery, adultery, all of it - the crime rates here were worse than anywhere. It was the wild, wild west - we look on that with nostalgia, but a group of people looked on it with brokenness. Downtown Fort Worth was called “Hell’s half-acre.” We’ve romanticized it in Sundance Square, but it wasn’t romantic, it was hell.

So what happened? God moved! People found Christ.  Churches were planted. Social issues were dealt with. The church was deep in the fabric of society - not outside it. Where sin did abound grace more than abounded. All the churches here are the result of our great-grandparents finding God.  They literally changed the legacy of this place. I believe B.H. Carrol and Southwestern Seminary played a huge role. This was probably the only place a divorcee like Carrol could wind up being President of a Seminary! He wouldn’t qualify today, no doubt. And for you Southwestern students. Look closely at his portrait in the rotunda--his hand in his jacket with the finger sticking out was a cigar--they painted it as a finger later. That may be when we started our decline, trying to look holier than we were. I know.  I know someone will say - no, had he known all the dangers of tobacco he wouldn’t have smoked cigars. I doubt it. He was fat, and they knew back then being fat was bad for you and gluttony was a sin even if they didn’t the health risks associated with obesity! He was human, he was real, and God used him. Sanitized versions of sinners don’t inspire us a whole lot! Broken people make the best pastors and ministers. Now our churches and institutions are declining, some are empty, and some veritable institutions with walls so high they can’t see anything but their own self-interest.

What were trying to do in “missional” strategy today is not new, it’s what the early church did, it’s was the church did in the Middle Ages curing the plagues, it’s what our great-grandparents did, it’s time for us to step up to the plate! These are the kind of churches that Dallas needs.

I was with a very successful businessman a year ago. NorthWood starts a lot of churches and we partner with a group called Vision 360.  I was visiting with this businessman explaining to him what we’re putting together and asking for money. He has funded millions to church planting. He told me we’re planting all these churches but what difference are they really making. They’re growing big, filling up buildings, but not making a difference in the city. He’s right! It won’t be enough to start a lot of new chuches for DFW--it must be the right kinds of churches. Missional churches, churches that engage their community and live for transformation. Everybody wants to get together to talk about it, pray about it, strategize it - waste of time!!!!!!! Just get up off your feet and do it right where you are - tomorrow I’ll talk about how we can do that - if I have time . . . . .