If I had finished my blog posts about the Simply Youth Convention I went to, I would've told you about the Liturgists. They had an experience the Sunday night of the convention called Vapor. It was amazing. The Liturgists is made up of Gungor and some other musicians and artists. Their goal is to create new liturgies.
I'm not the most contemplative person....and yet something within this resonates with my heart.
ANYWAY...The Liturgists created a new Liturgy for Holy Week called Garden. Again....I'd highly recommend you take time out and just sit and listen. Just hit play on the first one and it'll play through all of them. Make time for it. You won't regret it.
If you absolutely don't have time for that.....just listen to the one entitled Saturday.
Just go do it.
Showing posts with label Thought. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thought. Show all posts
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Pursuit of Happiness
This is a thought, based on an event that happened last summer or so. I just slacked off on finishing it off....so here it is finally.
You already know, I am a paintball junkie. I buy and sell a pretty good amount of paintball gear during the course of a year. Basically it's a side hobby that funds me actually playing paintball.
Last year, as a way to help fund our adoption I started selling off A LOT of paintball gear with 100% of the money going toward our adoption...not just the profits. Most of the stuff I sold had been sitting around for awhile. Projects I never got around to. High end stuff.
I tell you this not to pat myself on the back, but to tell you this.....I sold a couple of markers to a paintball acquaintance from Pittsburgh, who I've only met in real life once. He bought things that I know he didn't really need...and he donated a larger amount of money than the stuff was worth. I really appreciated that.
In his paypal payment he left this comment. "Good luck in your pursuit of happiness."
This phrase has been sticking in my craw (which is an expression I've been enjoying using recently). I know that this was meant as a kind of nice thing to say in way of support for what we were doing. I know that he meant the best by it. But here are some things about that.
1. Having kids in general (by birth or adoption), should never be about your own happiness. This is a problem our society is having. People are having kids because they believe that it will bring them personal happiness. They're having babies to save their relationships. They're having kids to "be fulfilled". Parenting is hard. Parenting is not about your fulfillment. The attention cease to be about you and changes to your children. So instead of you personally feeling special, it is now about your child. So it's almost the exact opposite of this.
2. I know that he doesn't fully grasp this, but we didn't adopt any of our boys because we were pursuing happiness, but because God told us to. There's a blog post that's going to appear on our family blog about obedience. There's a huge difference between being obedient to God's plan, and pursuing my own happiness. The process of adoption is HARD, LONG, and frustrating. It's full of tears. If I were pursuing my own happiness, I would be way more tempted to quit.
3. Something God has been teaching me for quite awhile now is that God doesn't want us to be happy, he wants us to be filled with His joy. See happiness is based on the circumstance I am in currently.....and circumstances change....and thus my happiness would change. For instance.....if I buy a brand new car (yeah right)....i'm gonna be pretty happy. I might park it out front so people see it. I'd definitely post pictures on Facebook. I'd talk about it in the locker room with the guys at hockey. However....if I then total my car because I"m careless....i'm now not happy. But if I'm pursuing God's joy, the circumstances I'm in, don't dictate a change in that. I could be in a rough place....but still know God's joy. Why is the church growing in China, and Africa? Why is the church failing in the West?
You already know, I am a paintball junkie. I buy and sell a pretty good amount of paintball gear during the course of a year. Basically it's a side hobby that funds me actually playing paintball.
Last year, as a way to help fund our adoption I started selling off A LOT of paintball gear with 100% of the money going toward our adoption...not just the profits. Most of the stuff I sold had been sitting around for awhile. Projects I never got around to. High end stuff.
I tell you this not to pat myself on the back, but to tell you this.....I sold a couple of markers to a paintball acquaintance from Pittsburgh, who I've only met in real life once. He bought things that I know he didn't really need...and he donated a larger amount of money than the stuff was worth. I really appreciated that.
In his paypal payment he left this comment. "Good luck in your pursuit of happiness."
This phrase has been sticking in my craw (which is an expression I've been enjoying using recently). I know that this was meant as a kind of nice thing to say in way of support for what we were doing. I know that he meant the best by it. But here are some things about that.
1. Having kids in general (by birth or adoption), should never be about your own happiness. This is a problem our society is having. People are having kids because they believe that it will bring them personal happiness. They're having babies to save their relationships. They're having kids to "be fulfilled". Parenting is hard. Parenting is not about your fulfillment. The attention cease to be about you and changes to your children. So instead of you personally feeling special, it is now about your child. So it's almost the exact opposite of this.
2. I know that he doesn't fully grasp this, but we didn't adopt any of our boys because we were pursuing happiness, but because God told us to. There's a blog post that's going to appear on our family blog about obedience. There's a huge difference between being obedient to God's plan, and pursuing my own happiness. The process of adoption is HARD, LONG, and frustrating. It's full of tears. If I were pursuing my own happiness, I would be way more tempted to quit.
3. Something God has been teaching me for quite awhile now is that God doesn't want us to be happy, he wants us to be filled with His joy. See happiness is based on the circumstance I am in currently.....and circumstances change....and thus my happiness would change. For instance.....if I buy a brand new car (yeah right)....i'm gonna be pretty happy. I might park it out front so people see it. I'd definitely post pictures on Facebook. I'd talk about it in the locker room with the guys at hockey. However....if I then total my car because I"m careless....i'm now not happy. But if I'm pursuing God's joy, the circumstances I'm in, don't dictate a change in that. I could be in a rough place....but still know God's joy. Why is the church growing in China, and Africa? Why is the church failing in the West?
Thursday, January 02, 2014
Thoughts on Resolutions
Everyone and their brother is blogging about resolutions this time a year, so I figured I should to.
If you have a real relationship with me, you know that I've never liked New Years resolutions. Let's be honest with ourselves, rarely are they kept. Every regular gym goer will tell you how annoying January is because all these people show up at the gym for a month and then stop coming....and it just makes the regulars struggle to do their normal routine.
I know myself well enough to know that I'm not great at the follow through. I have great ideas all the time. I'm just poor at making those great ideas, a reality. I joke with people that I have been fortunate throughout my life to have surrounded myself with really smart friends who help me get by (it's not really a joke).
Here's the weird part of this year though......it just so happens that as the new year turns....it also just happens to be a great time in my life to make some adjustments.
Elias is home.
Christmas jumped up on us but now is over.
The boys just went back to school this morning.
Marjorie is home until the end of February for maturnity leave....so I can have some flexible time.
Things are poised for me to make some positive changes.
Relax.....I'm not hitting the gym. I'm not going vegan or doing Jenny Craig. But I have some things I'd like to start doing.
I don't look at it as a resolution but more as a self challenge.
AND I'm not telling you what they are. Mainly because a couple of them are things that everyone would expect me to go public with.....like "well let's see what you've done then." sort of things. I'm doing them not to get attention or to show off....but for me.
The problem with that is that one of the key components in keeping resolutions is someone holding you accountable.....I'm not doing that.
So what about you? Are you in a season that let's you create some life changes? Do you have any resolutions? Who's holding you accountable?
I know myself well enough to know that I'm not great at the follow through. I have great ideas all the time. I'm just poor at making those great ideas, a reality. I joke with people that I have been fortunate throughout my life to have surrounded myself with really smart friends who help me get by (it's not really a joke).
Here's the weird part of this year though......it just so happens that as the new year turns....it also just happens to be a great time in my life to make some adjustments.
Elias is home.
Christmas jumped up on us but now is over.
The boys just went back to school this morning.
Marjorie is home until the end of February for maturnity leave....so I can have some flexible time.
Things are poised for me to make some positive changes.
Relax.....I'm not hitting the gym. I'm not going vegan or doing Jenny Craig. But I have some things I'd like to start doing.
I don't look at it as a resolution but more as a self challenge.
AND I'm not telling you what they are. Mainly because a couple of them are things that everyone would expect me to go public with.....like "well let's see what you've done then." sort of things. I'm doing them not to get attention or to show off....but for me.
The problem with that is that one of the key components in keeping resolutions is someone holding you accountable.....I'm not doing that.
So what about you? Are you in a season that let's you create some life changes? Do you have any resolutions? Who's holding you accountable?
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Fear
I don't have the answer to this.
Here's what I know. I know that Jesus has a plan for my life. Every second. I know that his plan isn't for me to be stressed out. I'm fine with that and believe that.
Here's where I've recently have had a problem personally.
I hate the dentist. HATE. Petrified. The idea....the concept....of a dentist gives me chills. I haven't been to one in years. Because of this I have horrible teeth.
I finally decided that I just have to go. So I found a new dentist that I had heard amazing things about. I went. He was very nice. But I freaked out because he was a dentist. They were just cleaning my teeth and I was in cold sweats. I was ringing my hands. I couldn't handle it. They were just CLEANING my teeth. They hadn't even talked about what they actually have to do to all my jacked up chicklets.
So what do I do with that. If I know I'm not suppose to be filled with stress because Jesus has a plan, but I have a clear phobia of dentists. I know it's silly. He's a very nice Christian man. He in no way desires to cause me pain or ill will. I know all those things to be true. But he's a dentist.
How do I balance these things out?
PS I'm headed to the dentist later today to get some real work done.
Here's what I know. I know that Jesus has a plan for my life. Every second. I know that his plan isn't for me to be stressed out. I'm fine with that and believe that.
Here's where I've recently have had a problem personally.
I hate the dentist. HATE. Petrified. The idea....the concept....of a dentist gives me chills. I haven't been to one in years. Because of this I have horrible teeth.
I finally decided that I just have to go. So I found a new dentist that I had heard amazing things about. I went. He was very nice. But I freaked out because he was a dentist. They were just cleaning my teeth and I was in cold sweats. I was ringing my hands. I couldn't handle it. They were just CLEANING my teeth. They hadn't even talked about what they actually have to do to all my jacked up chicklets.
So what do I do with that. If I know I'm not suppose to be filled with stress because Jesus has a plan, but I have a clear phobia of dentists. I know it's silly. He's a very nice Christian man. He in no way desires to cause me pain or ill will. I know all those things to be true. But he's a dentist.
How do I balance these things out?
PS I'm headed to the dentist later today to get some real work done.
Monday, May 06, 2013
Guest Blog Monday: Air
Guest Blog Monday is a feature for 2013 where I ask a friend to write a post for Monday morning so I don't have to. May's theme is FRESH
So....in a scheduling problem....mostly created by me.....I'm doing my own Guest Blog Monday. SO....let's start by saying....anyone want to be my emergency Guest Blogger, in case this happens again?
FRESH. I have no idea why I picked that word for May. But there it is.
Lately I've been thinking a lot about air. Fresh air. This past week my allergies kicked in. Nothing bad. A little sinus stuffiness and drainage. But Tobiah's kicked too....and Mari's too. They were worse than me.
Tobiah's always had allergy problems. We've run a bundle of tests. Dogs, dust, corn, tomatoes.....and some pollens. His allergies are brutal. He does breathing treatments twice daily. If he gets bad he gets an extra one. When he gets bad....it gets real bad.....gagging, which then turns to vomiting.
All because of fresh air. We don't life in a city. We live on the edge of a national forest. Trees everywhere. The air is good.....just not for him.
It made me think about air differently. How can it be so good and so bad at the same time.
I was reminded last week of a series that the local youth pastors did a few years ago at the local Christian school. We all taught on the same chunk of scripture for a whole week. 2 Corinthians 2: 14-17 where it talks about how we are to be an aroma. It was fun because some guys taught on different aromas. Good smells. Others on bad smells. Stink.
The scripture says that to those who don't believe we are the smell of death. We are the reminder that death is final. But to those who believe we are the sweet aroma of life. We can be so good and so bad at the same time. We are to STINK of Jesus in our lives.
The air we breath is to be good and bad both. To make some breath in and exclaim, "AH that's so good." and to others, "UGH what is that stink." HA.
What kind of air are you breathing?
So....in a scheduling problem....mostly created by me.....I'm doing my own Guest Blog Monday. SO....let's start by saying....anyone want to be my emergency Guest Blogger, in case this happens again?
FRESH. I have no idea why I picked that word for May. But there it is.
Lately I've been thinking a lot about air. Fresh air. This past week my allergies kicked in. Nothing bad. A little sinus stuffiness and drainage. But Tobiah's kicked too....and Mari's too. They were worse than me.
Tobiah's always had allergy problems. We've run a bundle of tests. Dogs, dust, corn, tomatoes.....and some pollens. His allergies are brutal. He does breathing treatments twice daily. If he gets bad he gets an extra one. When he gets bad....it gets real bad.....gagging, which then turns to vomiting.
All because of fresh air. We don't life in a city. We live on the edge of a national forest. Trees everywhere. The air is good.....just not for him.
It made me think about air differently. How can it be so good and so bad at the same time.
I was reminded last week of a series that the local youth pastors did a few years ago at the local Christian school. We all taught on the same chunk of scripture for a whole week. 2 Corinthians 2: 14-17 where it talks about how we are to be an aroma. It was fun because some guys taught on different aromas. Good smells. Others on bad smells. Stink.
The scripture says that to those who don't believe we are the smell of death. We are the reminder that death is final. But to those who believe we are the sweet aroma of life. We can be so good and so bad at the same time. We are to STINK of Jesus in our lives.
The air we breath is to be good and bad both. To make some breath in and exclaim, "AH that's so good." and to others, "UGH what is that stink." HA.
What kind of air are you breathing?
Friday, May 03, 2013
Adoption and Obedience.
Last week my good friend Jim Baker posted in his blog about adoption. His own "Airplane Day" was last week and it got him thinking...and thus got me thinking too. The following isn't a direct response to Jim's post, but was definitely stirred this. You should read his post first.
We are not superheros.
We are not saints.
We are not blessed any more than anyone else.
We are not better parents than most.
We still get frustrated and irritated from time to time by our children.
We still get it wrong from time to time.
Just because we've adopted two awesome boys and are working on #3 doesn't mean we're any different than anyone else.
It's hard for us to hear people say things like, "I could never do that." or "You have so much more patience that I have." Yes you could and no we don't.
Let me be clear that not everyone should adopt. I don't believe that God is calling everyone to adopt. In James, where it talks about religion that's pure and faultless is taking care of the widows and orphans...it just says "taking care of". That could mean a lot of things. One of those things could be adoption, but it could also mean, sponsoring children through World Vision or Compassion, or helping the elderly in your local nursing home, or doing foster care or...or....or...
I don't think everyone is called to adopt, just like I don't think everyone is called to get married or called to sell everything they have and move to Africa. I think God calls people to all of those things, but he doesn't call everyone to all of those things.
Adoption is messy.
Waiting around sucks.
Filling out paperworking and then getting it notarized and then getting that notarization cleared by the state and then sending those notarized papers that have been cleared, to Washington DC to be cleared once again....is tedious.
The process isn't for the faint of heart. It's not quick. It's WAY simpler to have biological kids. For all 3 of our adoptions a good friend of ours and his wife have gotten pregnant and will have had their child during the time it took us to do paperwork and get our child home from Ethiopia.....with a lot of months to spare.
BUT....I didn't ask for this. God called us to it. We had every intention to do life the easy way. Married with 2.5 kids and a dog in the yard of our nice yard with picket fence. God didn't call us to that though. God rarely if ever calls us to simple. In fact he promises us that if we're living in step with his spirit that he's going to call us to difficult things. Seriously? Seriously!
In Francis Chan's book, Forgotten God he says that if we're living in tune with the Holy Spirit, it's not a matter of IF but a matter of WHEN God asks us to do something that is completely uncomfortable to us. When was the last time you were called to do something completely uncomfortable by God? Did you follow through?
Our plan was to have biological children. God called us to adopt. Even after our two boys were home, we still talked about maybe having one or two bio kids. God intervened and we're on to adoption #3.
The KEY is obedience. Who do you think God is and who do you think you are? Are you even listening for his voice? Because let's be honest here, it would be way simpler if we ignored it. If we don't listen then we don't have to do something with what it is that he's asking us to do. If we drown his voice out with business and our own agenda, there's no room for uncomfortable callings.
We're not superheros. We've just tried to be obedient to what God's called us to. Some of what he's called us to, has been 3 adoptions from Ethiopia, but there every day things too. Are you listening? Are you willing to be obedient?
We are not superheros.
We are not saints.
We are not blessed any more than anyone else.
We are not better parents than most.
We still get frustrated and irritated from time to time by our children.
We still get it wrong from time to time.
Just because we've adopted two awesome boys and are working on #3 doesn't mean we're any different than anyone else.
It's hard for us to hear people say things like, "I could never do that." or "You have so much more patience that I have." Yes you could and no we don't.
Let me be clear that not everyone should adopt. I don't believe that God is calling everyone to adopt. In James, where it talks about religion that's pure and faultless is taking care of the widows and orphans...it just says "taking care of". That could mean a lot of things. One of those things could be adoption, but it could also mean, sponsoring children through World Vision or Compassion, or helping the elderly in your local nursing home, or doing foster care or...or....or...
I don't think everyone is called to adopt, just like I don't think everyone is called to get married or called to sell everything they have and move to Africa. I think God calls people to all of those things, but he doesn't call everyone to all of those things.
Adoption is messy.
Waiting around sucks.
Filling out paperworking and then getting it notarized and then getting that notarization cleared by the state and then sending those notarized papers that have been cleared, to Washington DC to be cleared once again....is tedious.
The process isn't for the faint of heart. It's not quick. It's WAY simpler to have biological kids. For all 3 of our adoptions a good friend of ours and his wife have gotten pregnant and will have had their child during the time it took us to do paperwork and get our child home from Ethiopia.....with a lot of months to spare.
BUT....I didn't ask for this. God called us to it. We had every intention to do life the easy way. Married with 2.5 kids and a dog in the yard of our nice yard with picket fence. God didn't call us to that though. God rarely if ever calls us to simple. In fact he promises us that if we're living in step with his spirit that he's going to call us to difficult things. Seriously? Seriously!
In Francis Chan's book, Forgotten God he says that if we're living in tune with the Holy Spirit, it's not a matter of IF but a matter of WHEN God asks us to do something that is completely uncomfortable to us. When was the last time you were called to do something completely uncomfortable by God? Did you follow through?
Our plan was to have biological children. God called us to adopt. Even after our two boys were home, we still talked about maybe having one or two bio kids. God intervened and we're on to adoption #3.
The KEY is obedience. Who do you think God is and who do you think you are? Are you even listening for his voice? Because let's be honest here, it would be way simpler if we ignored it. If we don't listen then we don't have to do something with what it is that he's asking us to do. If we drown his voice out with business and our own agenda, there's no room for uncomfortable callings.
We're not superheros. We've just tried to be obedient to what God's called us to. Some of what he's called us to, has been 3 adoptions from Ethiopia, but there every day things too. Are you listening? Are you willing to be obedient?
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
I Need You
I need You, Lord I need You
every hour I need You
I haven't been to jail. I've never been on drugs or sold drugs. I haven't been in a gang. I haven't been a pimp. I haven't been a drunk or had any other major harmful addictions. I've never run away from home. I've never cheated on my wife. I've never been in prison.
Some people have. Their stories are dramatic. Their relationship with Jesus...the story of change in their life is dramatic. They met Jesus in dark places. He changed their life completely. Night and day.
The lie that many of us who've grown up in the church have bought is that our lives haven't changed.
My dad's a pastor. I grew up in church. (almost literally...our house was 16 kid steps from the back door to the church) My parents love Jesus. Their every day life reflects their passion for following him. My earliest memories involve God's presence in our house. I've always just understood that God is real and he walks with me and wants relationship with me. Even when I went through a minor "I don't care" mode, I still knew God was real, I just wasn't hanging out with him. I've always just known because I saw my parents live their lives out in obedience to him. I saw God everywhere.
So I don't have a story that says I didn't know God was real and then I sold crack and was about to die then I met Jesus and I fell in love and changed completely. That's not me.
However I think there's something to be learned about who we are. I think it's possible to evaluate our tendencies and know who we "could" be without Jesus in our lives.
I have an addictive personality. When I do something, I'm all in. I play goalie. You can't casually play goalie. You have to throw your body around and intentionally move it into the line of the puck. You can't stand beside the net and casually wave at the puck with your glove. So I flail....sometimes in vain...but I go full out.
A bunch of years ago a friend got me interested in paintball. I shopped for a few months for my first gun. Then I went and played with them one time. I was hooked. I started reading and learning. I bought a second marker and took it apart and put it back together. Over the years I have bought, fixed and resold hundreds of markers. I've shipped parts and gear around the world. I have a private collection of vintage markers numbering in the 60's (for the record...not that it's your business...I have paid for all of that by making profit on markers I fix and resell....not one penny has come out of our money). I am all in.
I know me. I know that if I had started drinking, I would be a knockdown fall over drunk. I know that if I had ever had a cigarette, because I love habitual things...I would be 3 or 4 packs a day guy...easy. And so on, and so on. I know that had Jesus not been in my life, I could've easily been in a very bad place.
So while I haven't come out of a bad place....I've been saved from getting to a bad place. My life has been changed. It might not be as obvious, but my life has been dramatically altered because I met Jesus when I was a little child.
every hour I need You
I haven't been to jail. I've never been on drugs or sold drugs. I haven't been in a gang. I haven't been a pimp. I haven't been a drunk or had any other major harmful addictions. I've never run away from home. I've never cheated on my wife. I've never been in prison.
Some people have. Their stories are dramatic. Their relationship with Jesus...the story of change in their life is dramatic. They met Jesus in dark places. He changed their life completely. Night and day.
The lie that many of us who've grown up in the church have bought is that our lives haven't changed.
My dad's a pastor. I grew up in church. (almost literally...our house was 16 kid steps from the back door to the church) My parents love Jesus. Their every day life reflects their passion for following him. My earliest memories involve God's presence in our house. I've always just understood that God is real and he walks with me and wants relationship with me. Even when I went through a minor "I don't care" mode, I still knew God was real, I just wasn't hanging out with him. I've always just known because I saw my parents live their lives out in obedience to him. I saw God everywhere.
So I don't have a story that says I didn't know God was real and then I sold crack and was about to die then I met Jesus and I fell in love and changed completely. That's not me.
However I think there's something to be learned about who we are. I think it's possible to evaluate our tendencies and know who we "could" be without Jesus in our lives.
I have an addictive personality. When I do something, I'm all in. I play goalie. You can't casually play goalie. You have to throw your body around and intentionally move it into the line of the puck. You can't stand beside the net and casually wave at the puck with your glove. So I flail....sometimes in vain...but I go full out.
A bunch of years ago a friend got me interested in paintball. I shopped for a few months for my first gun. Then I went and played with them one time. I was hooked. I started reading and learning. I bought a second marker and took it apart and put it back together. Over the years I have bought, fixed and resold hundreds of markers. I've shipped parts and gear around the world. I have a private collection of vintage markers numbering in the 60's (for the record...not that it's your business...I have paid for all of that by making profit on markers I fix and resell....not one penny has come out of our money). I am all in.
I know me. I know that if I had started drinking, I would be a knockdown fall over drunk. I know that if I had ever had a cigarette, because I love habitual things...I would be 3 or 4 packs a day guy...easy. And so on, and so on. I know that had Jesus not been in my life, I could've easily been in a very bad place.
So while I haven't come out of a bad place....I've been saved from getting to a bad place. My life has been changed. It might not be as obvious, but my life has been dramatically altered because I met Jesus when I was a little child.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Going Too Hard
Have you ever met someone for the first time and are just captivated by them?
I have.
I met this guy about two years ago while with some teens serving on a day mission trip. This guy was magnetic. He was full of energy. He was exciting. He was a great story teller.
So here I am sitting across from him and he's telling me all the stuff he's been doing. He started his own church. It went so well that "franchised" it in several different cities around the world. He speaks at all these camps. People want him to serve on all these boards of directors. He has his own intern. He's telling stories of leaving a camp that he was speaking at, at like 2 am and driving 6 hours straight through so he could be at this board meeting and pounding Red Bull and coffee. His intern is talking about how little sleep he gets working for this guy because he's always on the go. I'm sitting there thinking "I want this." This guy is wanted. He's electric. He's doing so much stuff for Jesus.
Then later I started to process everything he was saying.
I don't want that at all. That's crazy.
This dude was never at home with his wife and kids. He was always strung out on caffeine. He was always on the move. People were pulling him in every possible direction.
I had another friend years ago that would justify his business and lack of sleep by saying "there will be plenty of time to sleep in Heaven."
What?
When someone you know asks how you've been doing your first reply is probably "good"....but occasionally we try to justify that we're doing big things by saying things like "I've been busy" or "working hard" or "you know, grinding out another day". Maybe you have your own variation. We try to convey to people that we're constantly on the go.....whether it's true or not.
I think that those of us who work for churches are really bad at this. Let's face it, we have jobs that most people can't really understand as "work." When I'm sitting at Tim Horton's with my youth pastor buddy J talking....I'm working. When I'm eating dinner with a student I'm working. When I'm on Facebook I'm working. When I'm playing frisbee for hours during the summer, I'm working. When I spend hours working on a message for students....or even sitting doing nothing just thinking about a message for students....I'm working. And the end result of my work is.....not always very visible. So for someone who works in a plant and produces something every day, or sits in an office and fills out paperwork, what I do is tough to grasp. So to help justify my paycheck, I say things like "real busy" and "working hard".
It's not that I'm NOT working hard....but I think in the church we try so hard to be busier than we are. We try to take on too much. We justify it because we're "working for Jesus" or we're "furthering God's kingdom". Nonsense.
Our families are our first ministry before our church, congregation or youth kids. When we forget that, things get out of line. God calls us to excellence. There's no way we can achieve that with business.
We spread ourselves too thin. We attempt to do too much. Instead of focusing our time and energy on doing a few things really really well, we do a whole bunch of things pretty good. We aren't excellent at anything. What if we cut half the things we're "doing" and focused our energy on one or two?
It's well documented that Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision went loopy during his life (I think that's the clinical term). He was so busy trying to help children that his family was torn apart. He wouldn't go home. At one point his daughter called him asking for him to come home. He didn't. She attempted suicide and finally succeeded.
I just can't believe that God is glorified in this. I can't see that this is what we're called to. Not business. Not burning out.
As captivating as that pastor was, I look forward to spending tonight with my family at home.
I have.
I met this guy about two years ago while with some teens serving on a day mission trip. This guy was magnetic. He was full of energy. He was exciting. He was a great story teller.
So here I am sitting across from him and he's telling me all the stuff he's been doing. He started his own church. It went so well that "franchised" it in several different cities around the world. He speaks at all these camps. People want him to serve on all these boards of directors. He has his own intern. He's telling stories of leaving a camp that he was speaking at, at like 2 am and driving 6 hours straight through so he could be at this board meeting and pounding Red Bull and coffee. His intern is talking about how little sleep he gets working for this guy because he's always on the go. I'm sitting there thinking "I want this." This guy is wanted. He's electric. He's doing so much stuff for Jesus.
Then later I started to process everything he was saying.
I don't want that at all. That's crazy.
This dude was never at home with his wife and kids. He was always strung out on caffeine. He was always on the move. People were pulling him in every possible direction.
I had another friend years ago that would justify his business and lack of sleep by saying "there will be plenty of time to sleep in Heaven."
What?
When someone you know asks how you've been doing your first reply is probably "good"....but occasionally we try to justify that we're doing big things by saying things like "I've been busy" or "working hard" or "you know, grinding out another day". Maybe you have your own variation. We try to convey to people that we're constantly on the go.....whether it's true or not.
I think that those of us who work for churches are really bad at this. Let's face it, we have jobs that most people can't really understand as "work." When I'm sitting at Tim Horton's with my youth pastor buddy J talking....I'm working. When I'm eating dinner with a student I'm working. When I'm on Facebook I'm working. When I'm playing frisbee for hours during the summer, I'm working. When I spend hours working on a message for students....or even sitting doing nothing just thinking about a message for students....I'm working. And the end result of my work is.....not always very visible. So for someone who works in a plant and produces something every day, or sits in an office and fills out paperwork, what I do is tough to grasp. So to help justify my paycheck, I say things like "real busy" and "working hard".
It's not that I'm NOT working hard....but I think in the church we try so hard to be busier than we are. We try to take on too much. We justify it because we're "working for Jesus" or we're "furthering God's kingdom". Nonsense.
Our families are our first ministry before our church, congregation or youth kids. When we forget that, things get out of line. God calls us to excellence. There's no way we can achieve that with business.
We spread ourselves too thin. We attempt to do too much. Instead of focusing our time and energy on doing a few things really really well, we do a whole bunch of things pretty good. We aren't excellent at anything. What if we cut half the things we're "doing" and focused our energy on one or two?
It's well documented that Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision went loopy during his life (I think that's the clinical term). He was so busy trying to help children that his family was torn apart. He wouldn't go home. At one point his daughter called him asking for him to come home. He didn't. She attempted suicide and finally succeeded.
I just can't believe that God is glorified in this. I can't see that this is what we're called to. Not business. Not burning out.
As captivating as that pastor was, I look forward to spending tonight with my family at home.
Friday, February 15, 2013
Reasons Teens are Leave the Church: A Response
There's an article that has been circulating the web lately. It's blog posted by Marc5Solas called Top 10 Reasons Our Kids Leave Church.
If you haven't read it yet, please do, or the rest of what I'm about to write won't make much sense.
I'd like to preface by saying I don't know Marc. Not personally or by reputation. I'm not a regular reader of his blog, but I have read a few of his other blog posts since I was responding to this. Judging by what I've read, I would venture a guess that he is not in youth ministry. I also don't feel that this is an all inclusive list. This is mostly just my response to what I've read, and observations from being in youth ministry. Sorry ahead of time for it being long.
From the outset of the article Marc attacks the contemporary model of church. His opening lines are a dig to mega church ideas. I'm not going to defend mega churches....since I've been working for small churches my entire ministry, but it pegs me as slanted when before you make point #1, you're already digging in.
And then his first point....which is actually #10.....rages against the Relevant movement (is that still even a thing?). Again I'm not here to defend, but I think he's throwing babies out with the bathwater here. He talks about celebrity and being cool and I wouldn't say that that has ever been the point. The point has always been to try to relate on a level that Amazing Grace wasn't. He also says that the Relevant movement is taking 2000 years of church history and turning it "cool". No sir. NOBODY is doing church like we did in the 1200's...unless you're Catholic and even they've changed things up. I thought it was all about putting Jesus in terms people could understand.....actually a bunch of the relevant movement people were ALL ABOUT church history (see Phyllis Tickle)
#9....I'm not sure what his point is here at all. Is it that we separate each age level with individualize programming? Because that's bad? It's bad that we have people to specifically teach 2nd graders....because the sermon on Sunday morning is really geared for them? I really don't get what he's saying except he's setting up point #......
8 (see what I did there?) This point is an over-generalization. His point is that we in the church don't treat students like real people and it's not until they get out that they are treated as such. First I would say that Marc needs to come to my youth group....or the youth group of ALL of my youth pastor friends. In one fell swoop Marc has said that what we are all bad at what we do and we dumb down the Gospel regularly and create an environment of immaturity. No sir. Secondly, I'd say that even if this IS the case (which I'm sure there are churches that this might apply to), he is overlooking any parental involvement in the process (see later point)
You know what I'm not going to go point for point anymore.....the long and the short of all of his points is this....we're doing bad teaching, we need to get back to fundamentalist ways of doing church, the church is completely at fault as are the youth leaders, generalization, generalization, generalization.
Here's some of my thoughts:
1. Relationship. A lot of his points come down to relationship. If students have a real relationship with Jesus, they can go anywhere and still have a relationship with Jesus. It's when they only have a relationship with each other or just their youth leader or "programming" that there are problems. Are we showing them that they need to walk through some spiritual disciplines when they're in high school so that they maintain that relationship after high school? Marc's right in saying that we should be selling a feeling or moral code. Jesus was all about relationship......and still is.
2. Parents. Marc puts all the weight on the church and the youth leaders. That's the same kind of thinking where we look to school teachers and say "I hope you teach my child values and good things so they grow up right". That's not their job. I'm pretty sure the Bible has something to say to parents in how they are to raise their children. When I see mom's who bring their children to church but dad stays home....or they drop the kids at the door....or they all come on Sunday morning but are not involved in any other area of church life....there are problems on the horizon. I see tons of parents not modeling being a Jesus follower. So why does it shock anyone when the child goes to college and the stop going to church? Mom and Dad didn't make it a priority, so why should they? Look I'm not laying this all on parents either. I know that I am responsible for what I teach. I've had students from bad home situations be passionate about Jesus in college. I've had students from great Godly families turn their back on the church. I do, though, believe that what parents model for their children goes a long way.
3. The Law. Marc mentions teaching the Law. Look I believe the Bible has clear laws and guidelines for life. I have also seen the other side of teaching the law. Legalism. Marc actually points out that at some point students will realize that feelings and just being a good person isn't enough. Agreed. Neither will "The LAW".
Quick story: Corban is studying the 10 Commandments at school. But what they left out of the lesson (and what we regularly leave out when teaching the law) is verse 1 and 2. "I am the Lord Your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery."
See God doesn't give us law for law sake. He gives us law out of love. He starts by saying, "I am God and I loved you so much that I wanted to rescue you. I don't want to see you struggling anymore. And because I'm that kind of loving, compassionate God, I have these guidelines for you." Which brings us back around to a relationship with a loving Jesus to begin with. Just hearing the Law isn't going to keep kids in church.
4. I don't wear skinny jeans.
5. As I mentioned....I've made a lot of youth pastor friends over the years. What I've found is this.....the youth pastors that last, for the most part, aren't the ones that do the best games, or the best overnighters, or the best big events (not that any of those things by themselves are bad)...they're the ones that teach God's word all the time and connect students with a deep understanding of who God is and His passionate love for us. (which is part of what Marc is arguing). Are there people teaching bad theology, feelings, relativism, etc? Yes. I feel that I am being lumped in with that bunch and I'm kind of offended by that. I tell my students to bring their Bible every week, because if we're short on time, I'll skip the game, not God's word.
6. I am prideful. I don't like being told I'm doing a bad job. I am FULLY aware of the uphill battle I am in. I hurt when the girl that "gets it", screws up. When people who aren't in the battle instruct me how to better fight the battle, my dander raises. When old people in my church tell me about how youth group used to be 20 years ago and why can't I do it like that anymore, I struggle with not clubbing them (not really). Students have changed A LOT since I started doing ministry 17 years ago. What worked well then doesn't work now. Heck....what worked 7 years ago doesn't work now.....not exactly. The Gospel of Jesus always works and I'm sticking with it.
To close. I don't think everything Marc is saying is wrong. At his core, he wants to make sure we're teaching good teaching to our students. So do I. He wants to make sure we're expressing Christ's love fully. So do I. He says we need real genuine community and I totally agree with that too. I think he misses the point in several places in order to fight his personal fights....and I think he generalizes a lot of things.....several of which aren't problems that I see.
Keep fighting the fight.
If you haven't read it yet, please do, or the rest of what I'm about to write won't make much sense.
I'd like to preface by saying I don't know Marc. Not personally or by reputation. I'm not a regular reader of his blog, but I have read a few of his other blog posts since I was responding to this. Judging by what I've read, I would venture a guess that he is not in youth ministry. I also don't feel that this is an all inclusive list. This is mostly just my response to what I've read, and observations from being in youth ministry. Sorry ahead of time for it being long.
From the outset of the article Marc attacks the contemporary model of church. His opening lines are a dig to mega church ideas. I'm not going to defend mega churches....since I've been working for small churches my entire ministry, but it pegs me as slanted when before you make point #1, you're already digging in.
And then his first point....which is actually #10.....rages against the Relevant movement (is that still even a thing?). Again I'm not here to defend, but I think he's throwing babies out with the bathwater here. He talks about celebrity and being cool and I wouldn't say that that has ever been the point. The point has always been to try to relate on a level that Amazing Grace wasn't. He also says that the Relevant movement is taking 2000 years of church history and turning it "cool". No sir. NOBODY is doing church like we did in the 1200's...unless you're Catholic and even they've changed things up. I thought it was all about putting Jesus in terms people could understand.....actually a bunch of the relevant movement people were ALL ABOUT church history (see Phyllis Tickle)
#9....I'm not sure what his point is here at all. Is it that we separate each age level with individualize programming? Because that's bad? It's bad that we have people to specifically teach 2nd graders....because the sermon on Sunday morning is really geared for them? I really don't get what he's saying except he's setting up point #......
8 (see what I did there?) This point is an over-generalization. His point is that we in the church don't treat students like real people and it's not until they get out that they are treated as such. First I would say that Marc needs to come to my youth group....or the youth group of ALL of my youth pastor friends. In one fell swoop Marc has said that what we are all bad at what we do and we dumb down the Gospel regularly and create an environment of immaturity. No sir. Secondly, I'd say that even if this IS the case (which I'm sure there are churches that this might apply to), he is overlooking any parental involvement in the process (see later point)
You know what I'm not going to go point for point anymore.....the long and the short of all of his points is this....we're doing bad teaching, we need to get back to fundamentalist ways of doing church, the church is completely at fault as are the youth leaders, generalization, generalization, generalization.
Here's some of my thoughts:
1. Relationship. A lot of his points come down to relationship. If students have a real relationship with Jesus, they can go anywhere and still have a relationship with Jesus. It's when they only have a relationship with each other or just their youth leader or "programming" that there are problems. Are we showing them that they need to walk through some spiritual disciplines when they're in high school so that they maintain that relationship after high school? Marc's right in saying that we should be selling a feeling or moral code. Jesus was all about relationship......and still is.
2. Parents. Marc puts all the weight on the church and the youth leaders. That's the same kind of thinking where we look to school teachers and say "I hope you teach my child values and good things so they grow up right". That's not their job. I'm pretty sure the Bible has something to say to parents in how they are to raise their children. When I see mom's who bring their children to church but dad stays home....or they drop the kids at the door....or they all come on Sunday morning but are not involved in any other area of church life....there are problems on the horizon. I see tons of parents not modeling being a Jesus follower. So why does it shock anyone when the child goes to college and the stop going to church? Mom and Dad didn't make it a priority, so why should they? Look I'm not laying this all on parents either. I know that I am responsible for what I teach. I've had students from bad home situations be passionate about Jesus in college. I've had students from great Godly families turn their back on the church. I do, though, believe that what parents model for their children goes a long way.
3. The Law. Marc mentions teaching the Law. Look I believe the Bible has clear laws and guidelines for life. I have also seen the other side of teaching the law. Legalism. Marc actually points out that at some point students will realize that feelings and just being a good person isn't enough. Agreed. Neither will "The LAW".
Quick story: Corban is studying the 10 Commandments at school. But what they left out of the lesson (and what we regularly leave out when teaching the law) is verse 1 and 2. "I am the Lord Your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery."
See God doesn't give us law for law sake. He gives us law out of love. He starts by saying, "I am God and I loved you so much that I wanted to rescue you. I don't want to see you struggling anymore. And because I'm that kind of loving, compassionate God, I have these guidelines for you." Which brings us back around to a relationship with a loving Jesus to begin with. Just hearing the Law isn't going to keep kids in church.
4. I don't wear skinny jeans.
5. As I mentioned....I've made a lot of youth pastor friends over the years. What I've found is this.....the youth pastors that last, for the most part, aren't the ones that do the best games, or the best overnighters, or the best big events (not that any of those things by themselves are bad)...they're the ones that teach God's word all the time and connect students with a deep understanding of who God is and His passionate love for us. (which is part of what Marc is arguing). Are there people teaching bad theology, feelings, relativism, etc? Yes. I feel that I am being lumped in with that bunch and I'm kind of offended by that. I tell my students to bring their Bible every week, because if we're short on time, I'll skip the game, not God's word.
6. I am prideful. I don't like being told I'm doing a bad job. I am FULLY aware of the uphill battle I am in. I hurt when the girl that "gets it", screws up. When people who aren't in the battle instruct me how to better fight the battle, my dander raises. When old people in my church tell me about how youth group used to be 20 years ago and why can't I do it like that anymore, I struggle with not clubbing them (not really). Students have changed A LOT since I started doing ministry 17 years ago. What worked well then doesn't work now. Heck....what worked 7 years ago doesn't work now.....not exactly. The Gospel of Jesus always works and I'm sticking with it.
To close. I don't think everything Marc is saying is wrong. At his core, he wants to make sure we're teaching good teaching to our students. So do I. He wants to make sure we're expressing Christ's love fully. So do I. He says we need real genuine community and I totally agree with that too. I think he misses the point in several places in order to fight his personal fights....and I think he generalizes a lot of things.....several of which aren't problems that I see.
Keep fighting the fight.
Saturday, February 09, 2013
Longevity Perspective.....OR.....I'm getting old.
I'm pretty sure I'm coming up on 17 years this summer of doing youth ministry. I don't say that to pat myself on the back, but to say....it's been awhile.
A few things have happened lately that have made me realize that my roll as a youth pastor is changing. It's fine with me, but I'm becoming aware of it.
Last weekend I was asked to lead worship at Snow Camp for the PCA presbytery that I started doing youth ministry with. I love being asked to do that. It's like coming home. I get to hang out with leaders who have been helping to lead for years. It's always a fabulous time to be with them.
In the weekend though, two things struck me.
1. The most obvious to me was that one of my students (that was in my youth ministry for years in Warren) is now a youth leader at the church I used to work at in Beaver PA. So over the course of the weekend, I got to watch her interacting with her girls, loving up on them, playing and laughing. I couldn't have been more proud of her. Here she was doing all the things we had talked about for years.....and she was good at it!
[As a humorous aside....the speaker talked about "resting" in God.....which is something that I harp on my students about. She is not good at it. She knows it. We talk often about it. So she had to go to her students and say "You know Aaron is my youth pastor and has told me this for years....and I"m bad at it". Soooooo funny.]
2. Some of the leaders in the individual churches.....were junior high boys in my cabin when I started youth ministry.
Look, I'm fine with these things. I'm fully aware that I"m getting older by the minute. It's not about me getting older but about the roll I'm taking on.
When I started doing this, I was 21. I was a pretty immature 21 at that. So here I am hanging out with junior high boys and being silly. I don't want to say that I was cool.....but I was just old enough that parents believed I wouldn't kill their children. And just young enough that the students wanted to hang out with me because they knew it was going to be silly fun.
I'm now morphing over into more of the "dad" figure. I'm as old as a lot of my students parents....or close. I'm still immature, but people just attribute that to the job I have. I think the roll I'm playing in students lives has changed from "you're a crazy young guy" to "you're more of a mentor".
I heard Duffy Robbins (youth ministry guru) talk about this once. He said he started youth ministry as this young guy who he couldn't believe parents let their children go on trips with. Then as he had children of his own he became the father figure to the teens. He's now at a point where there are younger youth leaders who really take charge and he's more of the grandfatherly patriarch figure to teens. They come to him to hang out and spend time and seek counsel.
Time moves on. Things change. Some things stay the same. I love what I do. I know that I'm where I need to be. I'm just realizing who I am is changing....and that's OK too.
A few things have happened lately that have made me realize that my roll as a youth pastor is changing. It's fine with me, but I'm becoming aware of it.
Last weekend I was asked to lead worship at Snow Camp for the PCA presbytery that I started doing youth ministry with. I love being asked to do that. It's like coming home. I get to hang out with leaders who have been helping to lead for years. It's always a fabulous time to be with them.
In the weekend though, two things struck me.
1. The most obvious to me was that one of my students (that was in my youth ministry for years in Warren) is now a youth leader at the church I used to work at in Beaver PA. So over the course of the weekend, I got to watch her interacting with her girls, loving up on them, playing and laughing. I couldn't have been more proud of her. Here she was doing all the things we had talked about for years.....and she was good at it!
[As a humorous aside....the speaker talked about "resting" in God.....which is something that I harp on my students about. She is not good at it. She knows it. We talk often about it. So she had to go to her students and say "You know Aaron is my youth pastor and has told me this for years....and I"m bad at it". Soooooo funny.]
2. Some of the leaders in the individual churches.....were junior high boys in my cabin when I started youth ministry.
Look, I'm fine with these things. I'm fully aware that I"m getting older by the minute. It's not about me getting older but about the roll I'm taking on.
When I started doing this, I was 21. I was a pretty immature 21 at that. So here I am hanging out with junior high boys and being silly. I don't want to say that I was cool.....but I was just old enough that parents believed I wouldn't kill their children. And just young enough that the students wanted to hang out with me because they knew it was going to be silly fun.
I'm now morphing over into more of the "dad" figure. I'm as old as a lot of my students parents....or close. I'm still immature, but people just attribute that to the job I have. I think the roll I'm playing in students lives has changed from "you're a crazy young guy" to "you're more of a mentor".
I heard Duffy Robbins (youth ministry guru) talk about this once. He said he started youth ministry as this young guy who he couldn't believe parents let their children go on trips with. Then as he had children of his own he became the father figure to the teens. He's now at a point where there are younger youth leaders who really take charge and he's more of the grandfatherly patriarch figure to teens. They come to him to hang out and spend time and seek counsel.
Time moves on. Things change. Some things stay the same. I love what I do. I know that I'm where I need to be. I'm just realizing who I am is changing....and that's OK too.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Giving Up
This video went viral this week. You probably have seen it. If you haven't, get some kleenex first. My thoughts after the video....
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Blog December: Waiting 2
Hope and Waiting (in case you missed it)
So this thought crossed my mind the other day. Not really new thinking, but it was important to my brain at the time.
In July or August we start seeing Christmas stuff go out on shelves at stores. In October or November we start hearing Christmas music. We know we're in full swing when Black Friday hits. In churches we have the Advent Season to prepare us for Christmas. We sing Christmas carols. If we're lucky people bring cookies to our house. Carolers might make an appearance on our doorstep. There's preparation.
There were no billboards saying "The Messiah is coming on 0 A.D." The waiting had been going on for centuries. They knew it was going to be from Bethlehem. Can you imagine being a pregnant lady in Bethlehem. What pressure. "Maybe this one will be the Messiah". Or being a little boy. Would the neighbors be watching you closely for signs of the miraculous.
We have waiting which we know will come to completion on a very specific day. They waited indefinitely. I can't imagine that kind of waiting. God's promise was out there....but it was undefined.
In that context, Simeon being told that he won't die until he sees Messiah, is even more amazing. It's not as if growing up he heard that it'd be "any day now"....his father, and grand father and great grand father and on and on had been waiting for Messiah. And then at an old age he was told he would see Messiah before he died. Wow.
So I go back to the idea of hope. There was no less hope that Messiah would come. They wanted rescued. For that matter if you're a good Jew, you're still waiting for Messiah. There was hope...expectancy...waiting with baited breath (I don't understand that expression).
I asked before....what are you waiting for?
So this thought crossed my mind the other day. Not really new thinking, but it was important to my brain at the time.
In July or August we start seeing Christmas stuff go out on shelves at stores. In October or November we start hearing Christmas music. We know we're in full swing when Black Friday hits. In churches we have the Advent Season to prepare us for Christmas. We sing Christmas carols. If we're lucky people bring cookies to our house. Carolers might make an appearance on our doorstep. There's preparation.
There were no billboards saying "The Messiah is coming on 0 A.D." The waiting had been going on for centuries. They knew it was going to be from Bethlehem. Can you imagine being a pregnant lady in Bethlehem. What pressure. "Maybe this one will be the Messiah". Or being a little boy. Would the neighbors be watching you closely for signs of the miraculous.
We have waiting which we know will come to completion on a very specific day. They waited indefinitely. I can't imagine that kind of waiting. God's promise was out there....but it was undefined.
In that context, Simeon being told that he won't die until he sees Messiah, is even more amazing. It's not as if growing up he heard that it'd be "any day now"....his father, and grand father and great grand father and on and on had been waiting for Messiah. And then at an old age he was told he would see Messiah before he died. Wow.
So I go back to the idea of hope. There was no less hope that Messiah would come. They wanted rescued. For that matter if you're a good Jew, you're still waiting for Messiah. There was hope...expectancy...waiting with baited breath (I don't understand that expression).
I asked before....what are you waiting for?
Sunday, December 09, 2012
Blog December: On a Limb
This was the devotional that we had with the kids after dinner tonight. I liked it a lot.
Be willing to step out of your comfort zone. Take a risk and go out on a limb with Me. If that is where I am leading you, then out on that limb is the safest place for you to be.
You want to play it safe, avoid all the risks you can. But taking risks is part of living close to Me. Trying to live a risk-free life tells Me that you don't really trust Me. You have to make a choice: Will you keep trying to be safe at all costs? Or will you follow Me with all your heart?
I may ask you to stand up for someone who can't stand up for himself, to say no to a friend, or to tell a stranger about Me. But I"ll give you the strength and the courage to do it.
Life with Me is an adventure. If you stick with Me, you'll not only have My protection, but you'll learn to relax and enjoy the adventure. So be willing to follow wherever I lead-even out on a limb
Be willing to step out of your comfort zone. Take a risk and go out on a limb with Me. If that is where I am leading you, then out on that limb is the safest place for you to be.
You want to play it safe, avoid all the risks you can. But taking risks is part of living close to Me. Trying to live a risk-free life tells Me that you don't really trust Me. You have to make a choice: Will you keep trying to be safe at all costs? Or will you follow Me with all your heart?
I may ask you to stand up for someone who can't stand up for himself, to say no to a friend, or to tell a stranger about Me. But I"ll give you the strength and the courage to do it.
Life with Me is an adventure. If you stick with Me, you'll not only have My protection, but you'll learn to relax and enjoy the adventure. So be willing to follow wherever I lead-even out on a limb
Thursday, December 06, 2012
Blog December: Hope and Waiting
I've been teaching on Waiting on God. Not easy teaching...or learning.
As part of that I taught through the short verse in Isaiah 40:31. You know it. You might even have an engraved wall hanging or something with it on it in your house or church. "but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
I'm not going to lay out the whole teaching. What's happened is that since I studied it and taught it God has continued to teach me about it.
When you do a word study of the word HOPE in this passage, it can be translated as "to wait". Those who WAIT in the Lord....
That's not how we think of hope. We think of hope in a "I hope this happens" sort of way. You want it to happen but you know there's a really good chance it won't. Hoping you hit the lottery. Hoping you get your deer while hunting. Hoping you pass the test you didn't study for.
If we're honest we think of God like that too often. We hope that he's going to work things out so that it goes our way. We desire it, but we'll keeping moving forward in the meantime. We're pretty bad at waiting on God to do what he's going to do.
In the immediacy of our lives, we want God to work on our time table. I need and answer and I need it now. If I don't see you moving when I need it or want it, then you're clearly not going to work so I'll take that to mean I can do whatever I want. Seriously?
Throughout Scripture there are example after example of God making promises to people....and then they had to wait for that promise to be fulfilled. The leading that he creates for people always was fulfilled, it just didn't always happen immediately. Even when the angel showed up to Mary to tell her she would bare God's son, she still had to wait 9 months to see that baby....and another 30ish years after that before he started doing the ministry that he was here for. BUT when the fullness of his promise came to pass it was always excellent.
Are you hoping or waiting? Are you putting God on a time table? Are you waiting for the excellence that God has for you?
As part of that I taught through the short verse in Isaiah 40:31. You know it. You might even have an engraved wall hanging or something with it on it in your house or church. "but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
I'm not going to lay out the whole teaching. What's happened is that since I studied it and taught it God has continued to teach me about it.
When you do a word study of the word HOPE in this passage, it can be translated as "to wait". Those who WAIT in the Lord....
That's not how we think of hope. We think of hope in a "I hope this happens" sort of way. You want it to happen but you know there's a really good chance it won't. Hoping you hit the lottery. Hoping you get your deer while hunting. Hoping you pass the test you didn't study for.
If we're honest we think of God like that too often. We hope that he's going to work things out so that it goes our way. We desire it, but we'll keeping moving forward in the meantime. We're pretty bad at waiting on God to do what he's going to do.
In the immediacy of our lives, we want God to work on our time table. I need and answer and I need it now. If I don't see you moving when I need it or want it, then you're clearly not going to work so I'll take that to mean I can do whatever I want. Seriously?
Throughout Scripture there are example after example of God making promises to people....and then they had to wait for that promise to be fulfilled. The leading that he creates for people always was fulfilled, it just didn't always happen immediately. Even when the angel showed up to Mary to tell her she would bare God's son, she still had to wait 9 months to see that baby....and another 30ish years after that before he started doing the ministry that he was here for. BUT when the fullness of his promise came to pass it was always excellent.
Are you hoping or waiting? Are you putting God on a time table? Are you waiting for the excellence that God has for you?
Monday, December 03, 2012
Blog December: Preparing
Tonight Corban and I jumped in the car to go to Cub Scouts. As we pulled out of the driveway, he said, "Dad have you seen the house down the street? They put up lights outside. Why don't we great ready for Christmas?"
I was kind of taken aback by that. We do get ready for Christmas. Corban helped put up our Nativity scene with Marjorie and Tobiah just the night before. We are doing an Advent wreath every night at dinner. Marjorie also put up Christmas stuff around the house the other night too.
I thought to myself....we're not big on the outer decoration. Our preparation is internal not external.
Is our preparation for Jesus external or internal?
How are you preparing for Christmas? Are you internal or external?
I was kind of taken aback by that. We do get ready for Christmas. Corban helped put up our Nativity scene with Marjorie and Tobiah just the night before. We are doing an Advent wreath every night at dinner. Marjorie also put up Christmas stuff around the house the other night too.
I thought to myself....we're not big on the outer decoration. Our preparation is internal not external.
Is our preparation for Jesus external or internal?
How are you preparing for Christmas? Are you internal or external?
Sunday, December 02, 2012
Blog December: Rebellion
As I've stated before, I regularly listen to sports talk radio regularly while driving around town running errands (as long as the boys aren't in the van....because they only want to listen to Toby Mac).
The other night I was switching between a stations from Buffalo, Cleveland, NYC, and Chicago. When I hit one of the stations, there were two men in the middle of a conversation. It took me a minute to realize what they were talking about.....which was wrestling....but more than wrestling.
They were talking about how student athletes are smarter today than they were "when we were kids". They weren't talking about intelligence. They were talking about doing dumb things. The radio guys' point was that teens these days are constantly reminded how many ways you can screw up or get caught screwing up or what the repercussions could be to every possible scenario.
As I thought about this, I took it a step further than what they were saying. I thought to myself....so if that's true, then when those same students go ahead and do whatever it is that they KNOW is wrong, then they're intentionally doing what they know is wrong..what they know they'll get in trouble for...maybe what they know is illegal. So they're dumber than dumb.
I spend a lot of time with teenagers who have grown up in church. They have good parents who care about them and have tried hard to raise them to be responsible Christians who love Jesus.
As a youth guy nothing drives me more up a wall than when I watch students make choices that they KNOW are the wrong ones. They are intentionally CHOOSING wrong. It's particularly annoying when it's something I've recently taught out of the Bible with them.
My buddy J and I talk about church kids feeling the need to be rebellious. What they miss out on is that Jesus was crazy rebellious. People didn't believe he was Messiah because he didn't come to lead them in rebellion against the Romans. People were upset he wasn't a might warrior. What he preached went completely in the face of human nature.
What we miss out on is that the way we can rebel most is by surrendering more to what Jesus has to offer. How counter cultural would it be if we responded out of love to those around us. When someone became angry with us, we asked for forgiveness. What if we were humble. What if we were servants. What if we stopped trying to fit in and be like everyone else and started being rebellious?
The other night I was switching between a stations from Buffalo, Cleveland, NYC, and Chicago. When I hit one of the stations, there were two men in the middle of a conversation. It took me a minute to realize what they were talking about.....which was wrestling....but more than wrestling.
They were talking about how student athletes are smarter today than they were "when we were kids". They weren't talking about intelligence. They were talking about doing dumb things. The radio guys' point was that teens these days are constantly reminded how many ways you can screw up or get caught screwing up or what the repercussions could be to every possible scenario.
As I thought about this, I took it a step further than what they were saying. I thought to myself....so if that's true, then when those same students go ahead and do whatever it is that they KNOW is wrong, then they're intentionally doing what they know is wrong..what they know they'll get in trouble for...maybe what they know is illegal. So they're dumber than dumb.
I spend a lot of time with teenagers who have grown up in church. They have good parents who care about them and have tried hard to raise them to be responsible Christians who love Jesus.
As a youth guy nothing drives me more up a wall than when I watch students make choices that they KNOW are the wrong ones. They are intentionally CHOOSING wrong. It's particularly annoying when it's something I've recently taught out of the Bible with them.
My buddy J and I talk about church kids feeling the need to be rebellious. What they miss out on is that Jesus was crazy rebellious. People didn't believe he was Messiah because he didn't come to lead them in rebellion against the Romans. People were upset he wasn't a might warrior. What he preached went completely in the face of human nature.
What we miss out on is that the way we can rebel most is by surrendering more to what Jesus has to offer. How counter cultural would it be if we responded out of love to those around us. When someone became angry with us, we asked for forgiveness. What if we were humble. What if we were servants. What if we stopped trying to fit in and be like everyone else and started being rebellious?
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Before and After
This kind of struck me yesterday since it happened twice. Two separate people quoted the same verse of scripture. One on Facebook and one to a group of people. No big deal right? Right.And it wasn't because it was a good verse. But what comes after is so good, how do we not use it too?
I'm guilty too. I use a snippet because it's all I have time for, or it's easier to quote, or it's the main point. But I was just made aware of the goodness surrounding it.
So the verse that was quoted was Jeremiah 29:11 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Great verse. I've used it dozens of times. But it's only part of the goodness. What comes next is awesome. Check this out.
12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.[b] I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
How good is that? It's not just about knowing the future. It's about being known. That we have access to him. That it's not a game of hide and seek. I WILL BE FOUND BY YOU. His desire isn't for us to be lost, or to be in captivity...it's to be found and brought back.
It's like we're eating blueberry muffins....but we're tearing the whole muffin apart just to pick out the blueberries. You're missing this good stuff all around it.
Another one that fries me is I Timothy 4:12
12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.
If I had a dollar for every time I've heard this taught at youth events....and usually taught poorly....I'd be rich.
It's a great passage, but usually we only read the first part of the verse...don't let anyone look down on you because you're young....and it becomes a rebellious cry. A way for teenagers to rise up. The second half of that verse and the verses after all go together. AND they're instructional.
12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
Instead of a rebellious cry, it's saying, YOU set the example. Don't let them look down on you because you're going to be doing all these things and it will blow them away because you're so committed to the cause of Christ. Instead of stepping back and complaining about how the old folks at church just don't "get it"....YOU set the example by how you treat others and follow Jesus. But it's more fun to just read the rebels cry.
This is not a calling out of anyone. I almost hesitate to post this, should someone think I'm calling them out. I'm not. I know that it doesn't make sense to quote 5 verses on facebook. I get it. Let's point people to the good stuff too though.
Context is huge. How do we know what the writers are saying if we don't read around it and study.
Let's eat the whole muffin.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Helpless
As I mentioned on Sunday's Mother's Day post...we went to see my parents on Mother's Day. It was super good. The boys can't get enough of wrestling with PaPa.....or spoiling from Grandma.
Monday was frustrating though. My parents have internet, but not wireless...so when we go there I have to plug my laptop in via ethernet cable. No biggie....except that they moved their computer upstairs into the room where the boys sleep. So when they go to bed, I get kicked off the computer. I've been telling them that they should get a wifi router, and then dad could use his laptop around the house too.
They finally did. Dad installed it on Monday afternoon....and the internet completely went down. I spent hours working on it, and nothing I did, impacted anything. I couldn't figure out what was going on. I couldn't even get it restored back to the way it was. I was helpless. They're gonna need to call in someone with way more ability than me. An expert.
So later that night it was time to leave. We packed our van, got the kids in their PJ's and gave our hugs good-bye. I jump in and try to start the van.....wouldn't turn over. We open the hood, tinker around and still couldn't get it to start. Nothing we did, had any impact on my van. I was helpless. We needed someone with way more ability than me. An expert.
I'll be honest that I wasn't thinking of God in either instance. I was just helpless and frustrated. It wasn't until later that night as we were driving home with the boys breathing heavy of sleep in the back that I connected the dots.
Israel spent thousands of years trying to fix it themselves. They kept trying to fix the system. They kept slaughtering animals and sacrificing. Sack cloth and ashes of repentance. God continues to take them back, and they seem to get it right for awhile....then they fall away again. They were helpless. They needed someone with more ability than themselves. They needed and expert fixer.
Jesus comes to fix things for one last time. The consummate pro fixer. We don't need to tinker any more. We don't need to be helpless. I mean who likes that feeling?
Monday was frustrating though. My parents have internet, but not wireless...so when we go there I have to plug my laptop in via ethernet cable. No biggie....except that they moved their computer upstairs into the room where the boys sleep. So when they go to bed, I get kicked off the computer. I've been telling them that they should get a wifi router, and then dad could use his laptop around the house too.
They finally did. Dad installed it on Monday afternoon....and the internet completely went down. I spent hours working on it, and nothing I did, impacted anything. I couldn't figure out what was going on. I couldn't even get it restored back to the way it was. I was helpless. They're gonna need to call in someone with way more ability than me. An expert.
So later that night it was time to leave. We packed our van, got the kids in their PJ's and gave our hugs good-bye. I jump in and try to start the van.....wouldn't turn over. We open the hood, tinker around and still couldn't get it to start. Nothing we did, had any impact on my van. I was helpless. We needed someone with way more ability than me. An expert.
I'll be honest that I wasn't thinking of God in either instance. I was just helpless and frustrated. It wasn't until later that night as we were driving home with the boys breathing heavy of sleep in the back that I connected the dots.
Israel spent thousands of years trying to fix it themselves. They kept trying to fix the system. They kept slaughtering animals and sacrificing. Sack cloth and ashes of repentance. God continues to take them back, and they seem to get it right for awhile....then they fall away again. They were helpless. They needed someone with more ability than themselves. They needed and expert fixer.
Jesus comes to fix things for one last time. The consummate pro fixer. We don't need to tinker any more. We don't need to be helpless. I mean who likes that feeling?
Monday, April 30, 2012
Equip and Shepherd
Two weeks ago we had a guest pastor at church. He taught on Ephesians 4:1-16.
There are times when people say things that you already know, but you need to have someone say them out loud for you to acknowledge them. The youth convention I went to in early March was much like that. Lots of things I knew, but I needed to hear them said out loud. Seems like I've been hearing a lot of that lately.
So anyway Toby (the pastor) focused on 4:4. And within that one line hammered home the idea that YOU were called. Not just the elders, pastors, deacons, evangelists, etc. That wasn't lost on me as I teach that regularly to students.
He went on to say that pastors, elders, etc. are there to equip us to then perform our calling. So I then had to ask myself if I'm truly equipping. Am I? Am I putting the tools into students hands?
When David went to fight Goliath....he turned down the kings armor because it didn't fit. He could fight with that crazy stuff that he'd never used before and wasn't tailored for him. But he also didn't go into battle empty handed. He equipped himself first. The Bible says he took his staff in his hand, went to the stream and got 5 stones and put them in his shepherd's pouch and then has his sling.
Am I putting the right tools in my students hands to equip them to face the giants in their lives? I want to believe I am. How can I be better? Am I also putting things in their hands that they just don't need? They're going into battle and I'm putting a party blower and a snow shovel in their hand too? Am I equipping in a healthy way?
He also said that a pastors job is to shepherd. To protect and guide my flock. In this area I feel like I do well...or as well as my flock allows me to. I feel that teenagers are the flock that intentionally ignores the shepherds voice. They know the shepherds voice, but choose to say, "I know this is right, but it doesn't make me happy." If anything I want to be overly protective of my flock....as my flock walks boldly toward the edge of a cliff.
Note: The pastor didn't say all those things about me badly equipping....I did. Also know that I'm not doubting my calling, I just want to be better at what I do.
There are times when people say things that you already know, but you need to have someone say them out loud for you to acknowledge them. The youth convention I went to in early March was much like that. Lots of things I knew, but I needed to hear them said out loud. Seems like I've been hearing a lot of that lately.So anyway Toby (the pastor) focused on 4:4. And within that one line hammered home the idea that YOU were called. Not just the elders, pastors, deacons, evangelists, etc. That wasn't lost on me as I teach that regularly to students.
He went on to say that pastors, elders, etc. are there to equip us to then perform our calling. So I then had to ask myself if I'm truly equipping. Am I? Am I putting the tools into students hands?
When David went to fight Goliath....he turned down the kings armor because it didn't fit. He could fight with that crazy stuff that he'd never used before and wasn't tailored for him. But he also didn't go into battle empty handed. He equipped himself first. The Bible says he took his staff in his hand, went to the stream and got 5 stones and put them in his shepherd's pouch and then has his sling.
Am I putting the right tools in my students hands to equip them to face the giants in their lives? I want to believe I am. How can I be better? Am I also putting things in their hands that they just don't need? They're going into battle and I'm putting a party blower and a snow shovel in their hand too? Am I equipping in a healthy way?
He also said that a pastors job is to shepherd. To protect and guide my flock. In this area I feel like I do well...or as well as my flock allows me to. I feel that teenagers are the flock that intentionally ignores the shepherds voice. They know the shepherds voice, but choose to say, "I know this is right, but it doesn't make me happy." If anything I want to be overly protective of my flock....as my flock walks boldly toward the edge of a cliff.
Note: The pastor didn't say all those things about me badly equipping....I did. Also know that I'm not doubting my calling, I just want to be better at what I do.
Friday, April 20, 2012
I am Thomas
Easter is over. We've read through all the accounts of Jesus resurrection. The other day I had a new revelation though. Maybe it's not new...but it was kind of a new thought to me.Some back story: I've been doing youth ministry for somewhere in the neighborhood of 15-16 years. I've been in Warren for just shy of 12. I am far from an expert, but I would like to believe that I have a pretty good feel for what it is that I do, and on the heart beat of teens.
Over the years (particularly here in Warren) a wide variety have come to us (the area youth pastors) with ideas of what we should be doing with the teens. At the heart of their ideas, they have good intentions. They want to impact teenagers for Jesus. I'm all for that.
How they go about that though is often very misguided. When someone tells me that this will revolutionize youth ministry, or this event is going to be essential to the faith of my teens, I instantly feel walls going up internally. When I get a call from a company selling their new material for youth group and they tell me that it'll transform the way my teens look at the world, I find a polite way to hang up on them.
(this blog post wasn't intended to go here, but now my dander is up...sorry for this next paragraph) What will revolutionize my teenagers lives is Jesus Christ not your curriculum. While I love Francis Chan and all the other guys that you're pitching me in your curriculum, I don't want my teens to fall in love with their eloquent speaking, I want them to fall in love with Jesus. Your one day event with no follow up and no way of plugging them in to local youth groups, will only be that....a one day event...a flash in the pan. Your idea is good, but why didn't you ask for our help rather than tell us the event is coming and expect us to show up. And don't guilt trip me into feeling that if I don't, then I don't love Jesus or that I don't want my teens to love Jesus. Why not partner with us (who have been here and cooperating with one another for the last 12 years) rather than doing your own event and expecting us to like it without allowing us to show you how you've totally made it irrelevant to teenagers because you're in your 50's and don't understand what teenagers deal with. (again I apologize for this paragraph)
So as I was reading for myself the account of Jesus appearing to His disciples and Thomas not being there I related. I have this visual of some of the disciples catching up to Thomas around town and saying "Dude you won't believe what just happened Jesus appeared to us. He's alive." If I'm Thomas I'm totally saying, "Quit messing around guys. That's kind of disrespectful." There's NO WAY that I'm going to say, "oh sure that makes sense". I am totally "when I see it, I'll believe it guy." I am constantly the skeptic.
If I'm Thomas, I've had a lot of life experience to tell me that dead guys don't come back to life.....even if I did see that whole Lazarus thing. I mean I've seen enough tricks and slight of hand to know that it's probably just some sort of scam. I am immediately skeptical. I am immediately cynical. I can feel the internal walls raising up around me. This is another one of those times that I hear one thing but another thing happens. This is another "perfect" moment. This is another youth event that will just be AMAZING. Right. Right. Sure. Sure.
I am Thomas.
Jesus, I'm sorry for the times I doubt your power. I'm sorry for the times I don't trust you...or your people. I'm sorry for my bitterness and my cynicism. I'm sorry for the times that I take control instead of letting you having control. I'm sorry for worrying about details that are none of my business.
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