I wonder if Christians in other areas work to connect people in their churches together? It seems to me we can be so "turf" conscious, and believe me, there's nothing I take harder than a person in our church saying, "I want to worship over in that church now." Nonetheless, we work and have worked for years to connect a family of like-minded churches together in a region with few large evangelical ministries. In Dallas in January I attended a class in a church facility which houses 18,000 church members in four locations. So very different from where I have ministered now for 26 years. I appreciate the pastors, leaders, members and distinct opportunities that each of the sister churches possess. I stopped wishing we could all be in one church about 15 years ago. No, each church ministers to more than their people would minister to if enveloped in a larger ministry. A smaller church needs every resource more vitally. And each testimony shared and evidence of Christian growth is more precious when seen in a humbler context. My fellow pastors are far different from me and from each other. But there is a mutuality and togetherness that we feel. One is very "missional" and another is kind of Pentecostal. Another is a simpler minded man who just loves those who need to be loved. Yet another is very musical. And I am perceived somehow, in my own uniqueness too. And as I like to say, "they haven't thrown me out yet."