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How Would You Respond?

Over the weekend, I received the following email from a young woman who has attended Mosaic. Consider her circumstances and request, then post your comment. What would you say in response? I'll forward your encouragement to her, along with words of my own. I think she will be encouraged to know so many fellow believers are interested in speaking into her life. Here's what she wrote ...

Hi Mark,

I really don't know why I am writing you but for some reason I feel the need to express my feelings to you (and I don't like to do that often).

I have been trying to figure out what it is that God wants me to do with my life. It seems like lot of Christians know what God's purpose is in their lives and I walk around clueless. I know I am supposed to let everybody else know how great God is and try to expand his kingdom, but I get tongue-tied. I don't know how to tell people why is it that I believe in God (in Jesus) - especially my family.

I was a Hindu and then I became a Christian and I recently got baptized. I have tried to talk to my family about my choice and why they should attend church, but it seems like they cut me off when I try to talk to them. They were mad at me for becoming a Christian and I am afraid that if I talk to them about it, they will abandon me. They are the only family I have in America and I do not care to lose them. Yet I fear that they might be condemned if they do not believe in Jesus.

I just don't know what to do and how to tell people why is it that I believe in Jesus. It's just a feeling I have and I don't know. I don't even know how to write all this to you. I am hoping you can somehow help me out. It's so strange because I am surrounded by people; yet I feel alone. Probably because I am so worried about my family and doing the right thing. I don't know if you can help me or not, but maybe you can give me some guidance.

Thanks.

So, what would you say?

Saddleback's Community Gathering, Day 3

I've already talked to several leaders around the country who have been checking out the sessions online; and by all accounts, this conference was something special. According to high placed sources:-), I happen to know that a great deal of prayerful planning went into this event by all involved (especially Rick); and not just planning, but really a lot of listening on his part over the past year to pastors around the world seeking to know who they (we) are, where we're at, what we need and how best we can be helped. All of this came together in what was for me, perhaps, the very best conference I have ever attended both from a personal and professional standpoint. Thanks to the entire Saddleback team and especially, to Rick, himself, for a job well done!

I leave, then, filled with renewed vision for Mosaic; with keen new insights, freshly motivated and personally encouraged to return and strengthen the church in the days ahead. With this in mind, pastors everywhere should purchase the entire conference on DVD for review with their staff teams. Once you do, I'm sure you all will feel the same.

Saddleback's Community Gathering, Day 2

This conference is strong! One thing that strikes me about Rick Warren is his commitment to the basics of local church development and particularly, his passion for training other pastors like me. In many ways, it's not rocket science; yet, in a day and age when far too many pastors have an over-inflated sense of ego - and these more often than not speak without real knowledge or proven experience concerning what the church is and should be - this man (with an indisputable annointing and mantle) is committed to Biblical, relevant evangelism, discipleship, fellowship, lay-leadership development and worship. I am learning much and being refreshed; the timing for Mosaic could not be better.

For after spending five years pursuing the theology and commitments of multi-ethnicity and with such DNA set, we are now pursuing (with passion) a more healthy church from top to bottom so that we can reach even more people for Christ! Again this conference is providing the encouragement, motivation and practical help to save us time and energy in the process.

For more specific conference info, my good friend DJ Chuang is blogging, etc., live from Saddleback; check out DJ's live links to the conference.

Saddleback's Community Gathering, Day 1

Well, I'm here, blogging live from the 2008 Purpose Driven Community Gathering at Saddleback Church in Lake Forrest, CA. Wow, what a campus; and more importantly, what a privilege it is to be here at this event.

Linda and I are the guests of Dale and Judi Dawson, founders of Bridge2Rwanda. Dale is one of the conference speakers, as are others such as Mark Driscoll, Miles McPherson, Dave Ferguson, Jonathon Falwell, Mark Batterson, Dave Gibbons and, of course, Rick Warren.

Billed as a "invitation only" community gathering of senior pastors and businessmen, Rick Warren writes, "The goal of this summit is action, not merely discussion. We live in critical days. So each church will be asked to select a country and begin a P.E.A.C.E. project, working directly with an overseas church. We will provide a list of P.E.A.C.E. project requests from around the world. As James said, we must be 'doers of the word, not hearers only.'

Mosaic's work within the local community in Little Rock, including food and clothing distribution among the poor as well as it's involvement in "Antioch" of Asia, etc., make it a church well in mind and positioned for partnership w/the new P.E.A.C.E. Coalition that is being launched with this conference.

So, over the next few says, I'll do my best to keep you informed wharing once a day one or more of the more significant things we experience and learn here this week.

Connecting Global Worship to Global Mission

The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary offers a new, interactive workshop May 31-June 6, 2008 in ethnodoxology, the cutting-edge field integrating ethnomusicology and the arts with worship applications. The course “Introduction to Ethnodoxology: Connecting Global Worship to Global Mission” will be taught by a team of scholars and global song experts from the International Council of Ethnodoxologists (ICE). The course equips students to cultivate culturally appropriate, biblical worship in international or multi-ethnic contexts. Early registration fee for the Workshop (postmark by May 15) is $375.00, postmark after May 15 is $475.00. Workshop Fee is noncredit. Graduate credit (3 hours) is also available.

For more information, call 1-800-626-5525 (extension 4115) or email [email protected]

The Third Transition

On my nightstand at the moment is David T. Olson's new book, The American Church in Crisis (Zondervan, 2008). Olson is the director of the American Research Project and director of church planting for the Evangelical Covenant Church. Loaded with charts, graphs and sidebars, his research is based (as are his conclusions) on his study of a national database of some 200,000 churches.

And there is cause for concern.

For instance, despite some optimistic polls that otherwise suggest the American church is thriving, Olson writes, "On any given Sunday, the vast majority of Americans are absent from church and if trends continue, by 2050, the percentage of Americans attending church will be half (of what it was in 1990)."

To avoid this dismal future, "the American church must engage with...three critical transitions...which have altered the relationship between American culture and the church." Namely, Olsen defines these as:

1. The transition from a Christian to a post-Christian society;
2. The transition from a modern to a post-modern society;
3. The transition from a mono-ethnic to a multi-ethnic society.

Of course, transitions 1. and 2. have long been foreseen and understood. It's transition 3. - the new kid on the block - that's getting increased attention from researchers, writers, theologians and practitioners, etc., alike. Indeed, we are making the case for the multi-ethnic church as a Biblical response to address the changing times!

According to Olson, it's not only what's needed; it's the future.

He writes, "In the mono-ethnic world, Christians, pastors and churches only had to understand their own culture. Ministering in a homogeneous culture is easier, but mono-ethnic Christianity can gradually become culture-bound....In the multi-ethnic world, pastors, churches and Christians need to operate under the rules of the early church's mission to the Gentiles."

And I really loved this: "As the power center of (global) Christianity moves south and east, the multi-ethnic church is becoming the normal and natural picture of the new face of Christianity."

It's what we've been saying; it's what increasing numbers of churches are now striving to become.

There are many more insights that make the book well-worth its cover price. But listen, don't read it simply for more stats and info. I recommend you read it with a desire to make personal and corporate changes that will be necessary for the American church - and, ultimately, the Gospel of Jesus Christ - to truly thrive in a changing world.