Archive for May 18th, 2009

I met Mark Harris on my journey of trying to make sense of how Tucson got to this dysfunctional place.  During the months of endless meetings I ran across Mark. I was immediately taken by his passion and vision for creating a better Tucson. We were on parallel paths working for the same goal. I invited him to events and value his input.  For Mark, getting our community back on track is a mission, both religious and personal.

I relate to Mark’s business acumen (he’s the owner of two Intelligent Office locations in Pima County and Institute For Better Edcuation) I relate to Mark’s passion to make this community a better place and I relate to the uphill battle we are both facing. Meeting after meeting and group after group, Mark is there. He shows up, adds intelligent points and quietly leaves and keeps working in his own special way to call for change, point out where we’ve derailed and roll up his sleeves to do something about it.

A CHURCH THAT IS TRULY BUILT ON EVANGELISM

By Glenn Smith

This article is a reprint from October 2003.        

One of our early church plants was the Oasis Church in Tucson, led by pastor Mark Harris.  In December 1993 Mark, his wife Debbie, and their 3 children (the youngest just born) left Houston to plant in a fast growing, eclectic and extremely unchurched city.  Mark’s vision was not to be the “biggest” church in town but to be a “reproducing, sending” church, one that would multiply itself many times over!  He also had a vision to not only see individual transformation but to also see his city transformed.  Mark is the GlocalNet lead pastor for Tucson, Arizona.  This weekend I had the privilege to be with him at the Oasis Church – what I saw was incredible.

The Oasis Church has 2 Sunday services meeting in an elementary school.  Before the first service I talked to numerous people and asked about their stories.  I was overwhelmed by what I heard!  Almost every person I spoke with shared how they had come to know Jesus through the ministry of this church – one this past year, some 3 years ago, some 5 years ago, and some from the very first year of the church!  I don’t recall speaking to a single person who was a “transfer” from another church.

After a very worshipful experience in the 1st service I went out to talk to more people.  Again, it was just one story after another of not only conversions & transformation, but also unique ministry and service!  As I worshipped again in the 2nd service I was in awe of what God had done through this young church!  Practically every person was a relatively new Christian and was engaged in ministry!  Three of the businessmen that I met were preparing to plant new churches themselves!  In fact, in the past 9 years the Oasis Church has planted 17 churches and sent out over 200 “missionaries” from their congregation to other parts of the city!  Another man that I met was the chairman of the Old Pueblo Foundation, which Mark created to meet social needs and to help transform the city!  Their congregation was truly an eclectic, indigenous church!

As I sit here on a plane flying back to Houston I can’t help but reflect on what I experienced today!  I have the priviege of being in some great churches on a regular basis.  But tears fill my eyes and emotion overwhelms me as I write this article (I hope no one on the plane sees me!)  The Oasis Church may never be one of the largest churches in America, but I can’t help but think that this church may be more like the New Testament church than any U.S. church I’ve ever seen!  I know God is smiling because their impact for the Kingdom is beyond measure!

From Goldwater Institute.org – Phoenix–Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Robert H. Oberbillig gave Tom and Elizabeth Preston an opening round victory in their battle to open a tattoo studio in Tempe.

The court ruled that the Tempe City Council unlawfully revoked their special use permit to open a studio called Body Accents in a vacant storefront in a strip mall at 1524 N. Scottsdale Rd. in Tempe. The permit was awarded by a city hearing examiner and upheld by the city’s Development Review Commission before the City Council voted on August 28, 2007 to revoke the permit due to what Mayor Hugh Hallman called a “perception” that the studio would contribute to neighborhood deterioration. In the meantime, the Prestons had signed a five-year lease and invested between $25,000-$30,000 preparing the studio to open in reliance on the permit.
 
The court ruled, “Even the City’s own ordinances and rules reflect that this permit is valid,” and that the Council may revoke it only on a showing of “good cause or public necessity.”
 
The Prestons own and operate a tattoo studio in Mesa called Virtual Reality, which has not received a single complaint in over 15 years of continuous operation.
 
“The Council’s action was a travesty,” remarked Clint Bolick, director of the Goldwater Institute Scharf-Norton Center for Constitutional Litigation, which represented the Prestons. “The Prestons followed the city’s rules and made a significant investment, only to be sent packing by the City Council on the basis of crude, outdated stereotypes.”
 
The court sent the matter back to the City Council to reconsider in light of its ruling. Meanwhile, the storefront remains vacant, and the Prestons still would like to open a studio there.
 
“This ruling is a victory for the rule of law,” declared Bolick. “If the City can lawfully treat the Prestons this way, then every small business owner in Arizona is at risk of arbitrary government action.”
 
The Goldwater Institute is a nonprofit public policy research and litigation organization whose work is made possible by the generosity of its supporters.