GlocalNet

Hello EVERYBODY!!!!  No I haven’t dropped off the face of the earth - I’ve been super busy - right at home.  The past couple of weeks various ones of us on the staff of Northwood have been working hard on our ministries, the back to school calendar, and all the stuff that Northwood does and how we continue to take it to the next level - both inside Northwood and outside Northwood.  It’s exciting to see God move the way that he is.  For the past 18 months we’ve been studying all of this and gradually getting things in place and seeing some really good results.  We still have a ways to go - but we have clarity and focus and that counts for a whole lot.  I’ll write more about that later . . . especially for some of you pastors that are planting churches, working globally, and leading initiatives.  I’ve found though that’s the norm around the world - it isn’t here in the U.S. but I see all kinds of good stuff happening with some young pastors currently in these arenas.

This has been an interesting week.  Sunday I preached to probably 75 people in Lindale, Texas at Bethesda Presbyterian Church where my wife’s mother is buried.  She was killed in a car accident along with their newborn baby when Nikki was 5.  They asked me to preach so I did and really enjoyed seeing some old friends and family.  The past two days I was with a group of church planters in Sherman having a blast at a retreat with their wives.  In a little while I’ll go running then go to the airport for DC where I’ll be speaking at Georgetown University.  Country church, emerging pastors, and global leaders, what does that say with regards to faith? 

First, faith is about life and belief.  As I was at the little church I knew many of those families.  Their whole lives have been committed to God, and though many had never ventured out of Lindale that much, they are people of great and deep character.  They each have a story, faith holds them, guides them, and keeps them as they move forward in life.  It is their belief system but it is more than that, it is the substance that carries them through life. 

Second, faith is about dreams and visions.  As I listened to some really sharp young pastors each had their own vision, dream and direction and each was incredibly excited about it.  One couple is starting a church in their 70’s and is a part of what we do - they have to win the award for the oldest couple starting a church.  They are every bit as enthused and excited as the 20 year olds in the class.  My wife absolutely loved the lady - her name is Jane - and she was so excited about a person that had visited their church who needed Jesus.  Faith makes us dream and moves our feet forward.
Third, faith is about the unexpected and unplanned.  Who am I that I get to speak at Universities like Georgetown and work with some of the people that I get to work with around the world?  Neither my training, my background, and certainly not expectation was to be doing some of the things I’m doing today.  What is that about?  It’s about recognizing daily moments of God at work and joining him in it wherever and whenever and when that happens - get ready - you never know what’s coming.  This is faith as adventure. 

Faith - I’ve come to believe is an open system - not a closed system.  It works best when released and the direction is not toward the object but towards the Father.  Let me explain.  For some people - faith is a closed system.  They gain faith like the people in the first category.  This is what I believe, this is my life, and I believe in God and trust in him.  Sadly, some don’t stop there - to them instead of creating opportunities - faith builds walls.  If you don’t believe like me, if you don’t practice like me, then you’re not right with me.  This kind of faith isn’t faith at all - it’s walls that isolate us based on our own criteria.  It’s a system that says who we let into our circle and who we don’t. 

Other people see faith as a dream fulfiller or problem solver.  If I direct my faith towards a situation God is going to do something great!  That’s true a lot of the time - but not always.  Sometimes his greater work is inside of you making you into his image instead of outside of you making you famous!  If they can imagine it - faith makes it come true - but faith is much more than this.

When faith is seen as a relationship with the Father - where he has secured all I need to walk with him - then faith is about the moment, the recognition of God at work and following him in that.  Faith is an open system so it takes us places we never dreamed of.  People who are always fearful of “the other” or something new often have faith that is closed - not open.  They think they know all they need to know and have their system in place as the grid of who’s in and who’s out - and wind up maintaining their system instead of living out unplanned adventures.  I’ve told church planters often - when I was in my 20’s I wanted to know everything - now that I’m older - I’ve come to love the mystery, the adventure - the excitement - about what is going to be around that corner that I can’t see now that God is preparing!!!  Let your faith be open to God - not just a system or an object - and wow - your life will be an incredible adventure that can touch everyone everywhere in everyway!!!!!!!