The thing that impressed me most about Highlands Fellowship was their global vision. I have already written about my visit to Highlands and their multisite strategy. But, the most impressive thing about their church has to be their global vision.

I asked Jimmie to share with me about that global vision and he explained:

One of the most defining moments of my life happened on Monday night, May 12th 2003. It continues to shape my life and millions of others to this day.

Rick Warren walked into a meeting on the eve of the 2003 Saddleback Conference and said these words: "You're not here by accident. God brought you here for a reason. Your vision is not big enough. I looked around the room in that small gathering of pastors and thought, "I've got a big vision, and I know some of the people in this room have a big vision.�? About that time Rick said, "These are the very words God gave me to give you: 'For the Global Glory of God'.�?

When I heard those words, something happened. It literally felt like a knife had cut into my heart. I've never had anything like that happen to me before. In one moment, I'm lifted up in pride at all I thought I was doing for the Lord and the next I'm bent over having just been nailed by the Lord.

God opened my eyes. As much as He cared about the people I was trying to reach, He cared just as much about everyone else in the whole world. My vision was not big enough. For the first time in my life, I realized Jesus meant the Great Commission. He wasn't joking. I had a word from God and my life would never be the same, the people I pastor would never be the same and the millions that would be impacted by obedience to that word would never be the same. I began to share with the people of Highlands Fellowship over and over. Little did I know that in a few short weeks, God would test my obedience.

One summer day while spending time with the Lord, I read 2 Chron. 16:9 which says, "For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.�? As I sat there, I thought to myself, "Lord, no one would pick me. I pastor a church in a small town, in the Appalachian mountains of Virginia. No one would pick me, but you're telling me you would.�? So right there that morning I said, "Lord, I make my heart completely yours. Use me. Pick me. Here I am Lord, pick me! Whatever you want, I'm available.�?

That evening as I walked into my home, my wife, Lori, told me that I had received an e-mail from Mark Carver of Saddleback Church asking me to go to Egypt to speak at their first purpose driven church conference in the Middle East. The first words out of my mouth were "I ain't going to Egypt.�? God was laughing. That morning, here am I Lord send me, that night send someone else I'm to chicken.

Later that night when I was struggling with whether this was God's will or not, my wife gently reminded me of a commitment we made before we married. We promised God that if He could not find someone for an assignment He wanted done, we would be the couple that would go. In that moment, I remembered once again the Great Commission of Jesus - Go! I realized I did not have to pray. Over 2000 years ago, He had already told me to go by starting where I was and continuing until I had shared His good news with the whole world. I then replied to Mark's email with my willingness to go. if they needed me. Later that morning I regretted having said yes. I then told myself that they really didn't want me, God was just using this to test me. Two days later, the reply came your it, your going. Obedience to Christ is an amazing thing. When we obey, it's not closed ended but leads to greater opportunities to be used by God.

Just a few short weeks later, our church hosted an end of summer party to invite the unchurched to check out Highlands and to kick off a new series. While speaking during the Saturday night service, I remembered Rick saying that sometimes God has to bump us to get us to do what He wants us to do. I thought that sounded really cool, so I used it in my service that night and told those in attendance that we needed to ask God right then and there to bump us, if we needed to be bumped into what He wanted us to do.

Right after I walked off stage, I was greeted by several of my pastoral staff who looked almost ill. When I asked them what was wrong, they told me that the neighbors across the street had called the police and were charging us with disturbing the peace because they were upset with our youth who were having an outdoor concert. They also expressed their anger because they had been unable to sell their home due to our "ark�? that was practically in their front yard. The police had also informed the youth leaders that if they had to return the next morning, someone would go to jail.

I began to laugh. This was so cool. They were going to throw our youth ministers in jail. Wow! This was just like in the Bible. No one laughed with me. When I asked them why they weren't laughing, they told me that I would be the one put in jail, not the youth leaders. I then realized it wasn't as funny as when I thought the youth leaders would go to jail. We laughed and I took some of the pastors to a room to pray.

I asked what would Jesus do? How would He respond? I couldn't call off the service the next day as thousands were coming. Then it came to me. I knew what we had to do. We could call down fire from heaven and have the whole house and family consumed. Yeah! That's it! Then I thought that's not Jesus. That was James and John--the burn baby burn brothers. Jesus said to love your enemies, don't return evil for evil but good for evil, be like your heavenly Father.

I told the guys that we were going to buy their house. We had no money, but we were going to buy it. In fact, we would give them the full asking price of $403,000.00 so that no one could ever say Highlands Fellowship took advantage of its neighbors. We chose to love them.

I called the neighbors and asked if we could come over. They were a little reluctant after having called the police, but finally agreed. As we walked over to their house, I told the other pastors who were with me that we were going to turn the house into the Global Glory of God Peace House. We were going to invite men and women of peace from all over the world, people of great influence to spend ten days at Highlands Fellowship living in this home with other global leaders, learning God's purposes from people doing the purposes of God. We would love them and model for them what Jesus meant when He called us to be servants. During their time at the house, they would get a glimpse of God's Global Glory and God's invitation for them to carry it out. They would see first hand a church that has created environments to bring in those who do not know Jesus. They would learn with the people of Highlands how to take their next step in growing to maturity, training to serve in ministry, and being sent out to share their story, all for His global glory. The goal being that one day, you will not be able to go to a place in the world that has not been impacted by a witness from Highlands Fellowship.

As we arrived at the family's home, there was tension but I quickly encouraged the family not to feel bad for calling the police because God had bumped us. You could have knocked them over with an iPod. We bought the house and the people of Highlands were able to pay it off within 11 months.

Since that summer of 2003, over 180 pastors, business and Christian leaders representing over 40 nations have stayed at the Global Glory of God Peace House. We have chosen to house a small number so that their experience can be personal and practical. This May will be our tenth event with 25 to 30 global leaders hanging with us for ten days.

The leaders we have mentored have been able to return to their homes with ideas to better reach their culture and they are seeing amazing results. Pastors whose churches were running 4,000 jumped to 8,000 in a matter of months. Many, if not most, of the leaders who come to Highlands are pastoring or leading denominations whose congregations are much larger than ours. We can all learn from each other. The leaders God sends us continue to be people who have greater and greater influence. The combined representation of the leaders at any one event is into the millions. The impact is global.

Last year, through divine appointments with William Okoye at Saddleback's May Conference, they held their first Global Glory of God Peace Conference at his church in Abuja, Nigeria. This September will be their second conference. William is the former Chaplain to the President of Nigeria. His influence in Nigeria and Africa as a whole is amazing. Kings and Presidents call him by name. William gathered over 70 of the most influential religious leaders from that most influential African nation and we together taught them how to grow a healthy church for God's glory. Through William, I was invited to personally address the President of Nigeria in his chapel service on a Sunday and present him with a P.E.A.C.E bowl. Afterwards, I was invited to be a guest in his home for lunch. Thirteen members of the Highlands Fellowship team ate in his palace. Only God could orchestrate that.

This summer, Peace teams from Highlands Fellowship will begin visiting the pastors and churches we have trained to encourage them and help them with their practical needs. Highlands is building a peace village that will equip small groups and churches to help make the pastors and churches in impoverished areas of the world heroes in their communities as we train them how to dig wells for clean drinking water, plant crops, build businesses, and do what Jesus did by helping the poorest among us. These churches will become the most influential in their areas as they will be able to share the good news as they care for people's basic needs.

I have realized that the word I received from God in May of 2003 wasn't just for me. It was for every believer, every pastor, and every church. Jesus meant it. He wasn't joking. Your vision is not big enough. For the Global Glory of God. I invite you and your church to join us in finishing the Great Commission Jesus gave us. His eyes are searching for those whose hearts are fully His, so He can strongly support them. Say it with me, "Here I am Lord, use me�?.