Thursday, June 01, 2006
Three Movements--Four if You're Exceptional
NorthWood has never been a tight church with a model to which we strictly adhered. When I was in my twenties, I discovered Rick Warren and the not so developed ideas back then of the Purpose Driven Church. As a young guy, I grabbed on to them after wrestling with them--implemented them and our church grew. However, it didn’t totally fit me or our church--not that it was bad-- but I was learning you have to be yourself, not someone else. I felt the coming surge from post-modern and emerging churches and many of the elements of our church reflected that without me understanding or, for a long time, realizing what was happening. As I learned and read and experimented, I could get in the flow of what was going on and continue to see our church develop. Gradually I began to discover the impact of glocalization on society and how that has had a huge impact on our church. It has been the most redeeming factor of our church, and probably the number one issue to position our church and engage society. It ultimately led to my understanding of spheres, domains, infrastructures and how societies are developed and what God expects of us. I’m having so much fun as I’ve woven 3 movements together. But, I know as I walk in this vein, there will be at least 2 other movements I will see emerge--but what they are I haven’t a clue, yet. They will emerge out of what I’m currently involved in and I’ll have to be alert to detect them.
I was with Loren Cunningham when I put all this together. We were visiting a couple of weeks ago. I asked him how he had impacted the world so much. Obviously, there’s no one answer to that, but here’s what he said. First, God spoke to him about mobilizing the youth to engage the emerging generation. Second, he began to work with nationals--probably before anyone else--mobilizing them as missionaries. Third, he realized that 60% of the missionaries in the world are women, so he unabashedly worked hard to see women raised up in the ministry. He and Cho fed off one another on that. Fourth, he said, as a man now 70, that he had discovered sphere’s, domains, infrastructures, like me. That is what he is moving to drive now. BUT, he discovered it 30 years ago. It may be his best idea is the one he’s now doing at 70!!!!! Most people would have retired long ago and just become preachers reminiscing about the good ‘ole days. Not him.
Realizing this, there is this young pastor I believe will be a leader in the future. I tried to explain this to him. I told him, "You’re good for 3 movements, four if you stay really sharp. Don’t sign up for any of them, don’t brand your hide. Think of them as waves to surf to get you to the next wave to get you and God’s people where they need to be. Each wave is important but not an end to itself. The end is Jesus. The wave is the rise of a generation. The surfboard is the method of riding or communicating. Don’t stay with any wave too long-- use your momentum to catch the next one. If your life and ministry is defined by a wave, you go one distance, if it’s defined by surfing, well, that’s another story."
I was with Loren Cunningham when I put all this together. We were visiting a couple of weeks ago. I asked him how he had impacted the world so much. Obviously, there’s no one answer to that, but here’s what he said. First, God spoke to him about mobilizing the youth to engage the emerging generation. Second, he began to work with nationals--probably before anyone else--mobilizing them as missionaries. Third, he realized that 60% of the missionaries in the world are women, so he unabashedly worked hard to see women raised up in the ministry. He and Cho fed off one another on that. Fourth, he said, as a man now 70, that he had discovered sphere’s, domains, infrastructures, like me. That is what he is moving to drive now. BUT, he discovered it 30 years ago. It may be his best idea is the one he’s now doing at 70!!!!! Most people would have retired long ago and just become preachers reminiscing about the good ‘ole days. Not him.
Realizing this, there is this young pastor I believe will be a leader in the future. I tried to explain this to him. I told him, "You’re good for 3 movements, four if you stay really sharp. Don’t sign up for any of them, don’t brand your hide. Think of them as waves to surf to get you to the next wave to get you and God’s people where they need to be. Each wave is important but not an end to itself. The end is Jesus. The wave is the rise of a generation. The surfboard is the method of riding or communicating. Don’t stay with any wave too long-- use your momentum to catch the next one. If your life and ministry is defined by a wave, you go one distance, if it’s defined by surfing, well, that’s another story."
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