I just experienced one of the more significant cross-cultural events of my life and I never left the United States. Memphis, TN was the site of the second Missional Gathering that WorldVenture Church Connections Division had with a number of African American pastors and leaders. We met for two plus days building relationship, trust and a partnership that will activate African American churches to get their people into missions. We saw God move as we worked on ways to flesh out a covenant we had drafted last year. Specifically, we made plans for two trips overseas; one to Senegal with my colleague, Andy Spohrer, and one to Ghana led by me to connect with our WorldVenture African American missionaries, Lloyd and Jan Chinn. We also jumped on Pastor Ross Cullins' suggestion to host a missions conference for people of color in Houston, TX this October. Man, was that exciting as we discussed appropriate speakers and the logistics needed to pull it off. I found my experience with Mission Connexion Northwest to be so very valuable in giving input. But it was especially exciting to see these African American pastors leading the way!
One afternoon we visited the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis where Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated and where the history of the civil rights movement is documented up to the assassination. I was deeply moved as I walked through the interactive displays. I left overcome with sorrow at the way my race had oppressed these people. Maybe in some small way our WorldVenture efforts to assist African Americans in being used of God overseas will begin to right some of those horrific wrongs.
Perhaps the highlight of the trip was visiting Pastor Ricky Floyd’s church for his Wednesday night meeting. Even the name of his church, “The Pursuit of God Transformation Center”, told me I was in a unique setting. And then to be greeted in the parking lot by the main usher dressed in a coat and tie and brought down to the FRONT ROW told me we were in for a treat. Pastor Ricky led us in worship with his incredible voice. We sang songs I’ve sung in my church but not the way Ricky and his team sang them! It was so loud that I sang at the top of my lungs and no one heard me!! At the same time, Ricky kept motioning to the sound guy to turn up his lead mic! We sang, swayed, raised hands and praised Jesus as the clock got thrown out the window! Several times the video camera focused on us white guys up front who couldn’t seem to sway, shout and sing like the rest of the congregation. After Pastor Ross Cullins gave his greetings to the congregation, Andy and I shared about our short term trips and encouraged the people to join us. Then David Korb, my colleague from Chicago who has built the relationship with these churches and is now called “Uncle Dave” by many, gave a very white presentation about The Missional Church! But everyone clapped enthusiastically as he was introduced and when he finished. They especially seemed to appreciate it when he had Pastor Ricky and another African American leader join him on the platform and he introduced the three of them as the church that he desired to represent us overseas… black and white together! Finally, Pastor Terrance Autry from Dallas, TX got up and preached. Oh, man! Did he ever rock!! The message was solid and insightful but the delivery was like nothing I’ve ever seen or heard before. He preached; the people talked back. He screamed out the truth and the people moved with him with their loud amens, watch outs and hallelujahs. At one point he was so active and the people so responsive that they began to throw folded dollar bills on the platform! At the end he challenged them to take their stories to the world and get involved with WorldVenture in reaching the nations. Pastor Ricky gave an invitation and some 20 to 30 people came forward to give themselves to missions. Ricky asked them to sign up for Andy and my trips and we immediately had our trips filled. In fact, I got one bishop and three pastors who signed up. Bishop Immanual was a man and the pastors were all women. This will be a trip like I’ve never led before!! One single mom came forward and said she couldn’t go but when she found out the trip would cost around $3,000 she said, “That’s one of my paychecks! I’ll SEND somebody!”
Two and a half hours later we left the church after many hugs and expressions of love. Pastor Ricky teased the main usher about bringing the car to the door saying, “Hasn’t been that long he’s used keys to start a car!” We all laughed and thanked God that the church was well named. This WAS a transformation center. Many lives have been changed and mine was too that night. Now God will use these brothers and sisters in the faith to transform the lives of people around the world. Glory!!