Category Archives: Ministry

Books, Leadership, Ministry, Resources

Reading Group

I am so stoked about being a part of a group reading The New Testament and the People of God by NT Wright. The group was started by Justin over at Radical Congruency and right now there are 16 people in our group.

When I look back over my short life I see that I have been shaped by a number of conversations big and small and I am hoping that this conversation will be added to that list.

We will be discussing the book over at Urban Monastery and I am planning to discuss it here as well. Please be praying for us that this time will be beneficial. I’m am so excited.

As Iron Sharpens Iron.

Books, Film & Theology, General, Guilty Pleasure, Leadership, Ministry, Music, Popular Culture, U2

Playing Catch Up (Update)

Uplift Thanks
Our trip to Uplift ended up being very, very positive. Since 1993, I have probably only missed 2 or 3 summers at Uplift. From camper to intern to counselor to dorm guy to now leading my own group I have found that this camp is perfect for groups large and small. Having only been at my church for a month this marked our first big trip together as the youth group. I chose Uplift because I knew that everything would be taken care of before we arrived and that would allow me more time with my students. Andrew Baker, Brandon Tiddle, and the rest of the gang that puts Uplift together did an excellent job of creating and leading a memorable experience for my students. Thank you Uplift.

Uplift Class
When I first started attending Uplift as a camper the classes taught by the youth ministers where always the most random assortment of classes ever produced: No theme and sometimes very little thought (depending on the YM). When Andrew became the director though, the theme of the camp began to bleed over into the classes. This year they took it a step further and had a handful of youth ministers write the curriculum for every class. Basically, the classes would have continuity with the theme and all three sessions of camp. The theme this year was ER: Eternal Relationships and I was asked to teach the class titled Neurology. I was pretty excited when I received the curriculum because it called for me to perform brain surgery!!! Ok, not really but it had a drama skit where I would place the mind of Christ in a student and talk about how the mind of Christ differs from our way of thinking. I was told that everything I would need would be provided for me: Scrubs, set pieces, brains, instruments. However, when I arrived in my classroom only half of what was supposed to be there was actually there and half of that was messed up or unusable. My class at Uplift looked like it would quickly turn to disaster.

Praise be to God that He didn’t let that happen. In under an hour, I was able to scrap the old class and create a brand new one. While I was trying to figure out what to do, God gave me the answer to my predicament. Instead of teaching a class that was over the top and full of grey matter I decided to just be honest about my life and hang out with these kids and share a message of forgiveness and transformation. I spent the whole week telling students about how it seemed that I had everything together in High School. I was a leader, well liked, and on my way to college as a youth minister. However, I was a complete jerk to those around me because of my anger and selfishness. My relationships were breaking apart because of this sin.

Anger isn’t a very sexy sin. You don’t hear about it from the pulpit so you would think that it isn’t really that big of deal. But it is. God used my class this week to touch a couple of students and families. I felt humbled and inadequate every time a sponsor or student came to me afterward to thank me. Their stories of how anger was affecting them or a loved one drove home that fact that we need to talk a little more about these “second tier” sins. Youth ministers, before you write another class about sex, gossip, or alcohol think about addressing stress or anger or disrespect.

Will I Ever Eat a Fast Food Hamburger Again?
After reading the slaughterhouse chapter of Fast Food Nation I’m not so sure anymore. Darn you social conscience! This question didn’t arise because of the cattle, it has come because of the conditions in which human beings have to work in and around in these modern day death traps. I thought The Jungle took care of all that but I guess not. It is appalling the dangers and conditions in these slaughterhouses. I feel a personal boycott coming on.

Nike+iPod
This fat sack of crap is completely mesmerized by this new product. What is Nike+iPod? It’s a wireless sensor that you place in your shoe that communicates to your iPod nano in order to track your workout which you synch to your computer and share with a community of other users. It also will coach and motivate you as you run! Genius! Synergy! Genisergy!

From iLounge:

During CNBC’s “On The Money” this evening, sports reporter Darren Rovell provided the first look at the new Nike+iPod Sports Kit, saying he was “very impressed with it” and that it “could change the running world.” Following a first-hand test of the kit, Rovell proclaimed that it could “kill treadmills and membership at gyms” and “really change the way people run and how people think about running.” According to Rovell, the iPod nano was chosen for Nike+iPod support because the majority of nano owners use it to work out, with Apple’s Greg Joswiak noting that the nano is the most popular iPod model. A Nike exec added that the kit will work with 4 million shoes by the end of the year. Also during the CNBC segment, it was revealed that Apple and Nike plan to spend “no money” on advertising the kit and will “rely solely on buzz.” Besides launches at Nike and Apple Stores tomorrow, the only additional marketing planned for the device is its use by Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong in his preparation for the upcoming New York City Marathon.

iTunes has already added coaching/music mixes on their site to use with this new system. I am intrigued.

Nike+iPod Update

Mussolini Must Need a Sweater
I cried during an Adam Sandler movie. Click has been my favorite movie this summer. As great as mutants, pirates, cars, and men in blue tights are they are no match for the reminder that family, relationships, and the small stuff are the true essence of living.

Whew, I think I’m caught up on my posting now. Have a great day everyone!

Ministry

Ecclesiasties 1:9

2 Comments

From Matt Redman:

I recently came across the comments of an American pastor objecting to the new trend in worship music:

“There are several reasons for opposing it. one, it’s too new. Two, it’s often worldly… The new Christian music is not as pleasant as the more established style. Because there are so many new songs you can’t learn them all. It puts too much emphasis on intrumental music rather than godly lyrics. This new music creates disturbances making people act indecently and disorderly. The preceding generation got along without it. It’s a miney making scheme, and some of these new music upstarts are lewd and loose.”

Perhaps you’ve encountered this kind of comment before? Yet, strikingly, this is not a recent outbust, aimed at the modern worship movement. Not our own one at least. Instead it comes from a pastor in 1723 attacking Isaac Watts, regarded now by many to be the father of the North American hymnody.

Worship Leader, May 2006

Books, Ministry, Resources, Review, The Word

Oh Let The Ancient Words Impart

1 Comment

Yes, the Bible is an interesting book. Which is why nine out of ten American households own at least one copy, according to a 2005 update from the Barna Research Group. It’s why six out of ten Americans confess to reading the Bible every once in a while, according to a 2000 Gallup poll. Yet most of us readers don’t know Ezra from Esther or Zephaniah from Zechariah. Few of us can list all four Gospels or recite half of the Ten Commandments. A majority of us can’t even identify who delivered the Sermon on the Mount.*

That’s why you need this book – A handy, easy-to=read, occasionally amusing guide to the Bible and its characters, events, translations, and history. Why? Because the Bible is the all-time best-selling book, one that most people own but apparently don’t read, that lots of people read but apparently don’t understand, that lots of people allegedly understand but in a way that makes them jerks. Let’s see what the Pocket Guide can do about that.

As a youth minister, I am constantly on the lookout for new resources that can help me introduce my students to the Bible. With each passing day I have found that it is becoming increasingly more difficult to get students excited about reading the Word. The reasons are many and varied:

1) The Word seems dusty and unapproachable. When you force kids to read the New King james Version what do you expect.
2) We try forcing the Bible on our kids. That’s like trying to eat 8 saltines in under a minute. It’s unbearable and it ain’t gonna work!
3) We are more concerned with our kids getting a scholarship than we are with them spending time with the Savior. Scholarships for knowing the Torah and the history of the Northern kingdom are hard to come by.
4) When adults have trouble understanding something, we often let it slide. It falls off our radar and we don’t make it a priority. Our kids see that and learn a lesson (not a valuable lesson, but a lesson nonetheless).
5) Students don’t see adults all that excited about the Bible.

Parent: Where did you learn this?
Johnny: (through tears) I learned it from you, ok! I learned it from you!!!

Whatever the reason we have to find an approach to living with Scripture that glorifies God, gets people into the Word, and gets everyone excited about learning and sharing the greatest book of all-time.

A new resource that I have come across is Jason Boyett’s Pocket Guide to the Bible. This little book is both side-splittingly hilarious and deep-in-the-trenches informative (Yes, you can be both). I want to spend this weekend and the first part of next week introducing you to this “little book about the Big Book.”

Boyett divides the book into 5 sections: Biblicabulary, Cast of Characters, What Happens, History of the Written Word, and Biblical Miscellany. Today, I only want to discuss the first section.

The first section is titled Biblicabulary. Here he takes the reader through a list of difficult Bible words or confusing concepts that often derail many a man, woman, or child who attempt to read the Good Book. Boyett first defines the word or concept for the reader. Then he gives an example of how it is used in Scripture. By using concise, solid Biblical examples Boyett helps readers understand the differences between the Pharisees and Sadducees, Old Testament and New, and everything in between. By using references from everyday life and pop culture Boyett helps make the Word accessible for both first time readers and valedictorians at Hebrew Union. 2 Examples:

Ark of the Covenant: A sacred, gold-covered box made of acaia wood. It houses the stone tablets on which God chiseled the Ten Commandments, plus a jar of manna and Aaron’s miraculous walking stick. It’s kept in the holy of holies in the Tabernacle and later gets moved to Solomon’s temple. Why? Because it is a reminder to the Israelites of God’s presence.
Also Known As: Ark of the Testimony, Ark of the Agreement, Ark of the Lord
Not Also Known As: The Ark of Noah, which holds a bunch of animals rather than stone tablets and is made of gopher wood instead of acaia wood. Also, it’s a boat.
Please Use It In a Sentance: Archeologically inclined Nazis will want to avoid opening the Ark of the Covenant, as it will melt their faces off.
Biblical Example: Now the people of Beth Shemesh were harvesting their wheat in the valley, and when they looked up and saw the ark, they rejoiced at the sight. (1Samuel 6:13)

Prophet: A human messenger speaking on behalf of God, for the purpose of (1) calling God’s people to repentance for doing something wrong, or (2) predicting future calamity or coming judgement because of all the wrongdoing. Such prophesies make up a sizable chunk of the Old Testament, from Isaiah to Malachi. Other biblical big-timers like Samuel and Elijah are identified as prophets.
Not To Be Confused With: False prophets, seemingly religious heavyweights who claim to receive visions and messages and other sorts of instructions from God, but who are pretty much full of crap. On account of how the stuff God’s apparently telling these guys to do is more or less evil, and that’s not how God rolls. Example A: Jim Jomes. Example B: David Koresh.
Biblical Example: “But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the LORD only if his prediction comes true.” (Jeremiah 28:9)

See, who says the Bible is out-of-date and irrelevant? Not me. I love reading, learning, and living with God’s Word. I want my students and their families to get just as excited and motivated about spending time in Bible study as they do about yelling at the refs in the NBA for allowing Miami to walk away with that trophy.

If someone you know is having difficult time understanding the Bible or connecting all the dots, pick them up a copy of Pocket Guide to the Bible. In fact, get two copies and start reading it with them. Start making Bible study a priority with your friends, family, and yourself.

*George Gallup Jr., The Role of the Bible in American Society, 1990

Books, Leadership, Ministry

The McChurching of America

I started reading Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation this week. The book is a fascinating look at the corporatization of America and a stark survey of an industry that not only shapes our waistlines but our culture as well.

While I want to wait to write a full reveiw after I finish the book, the following passage really spoke to me about my “profession” and the state of American ministry in 2006.

Almost every facet of American life has now been franchised or chained. The key to a successful franchise, according to many texts on the subject, can be expressed in one word: “uniformity.” Franchises and chain stores strive to offer exactly the same product or service at numerous locations. Custormers are drawn to familiar brands by an instinct to avoid the unknown. A brand offers a feeling of reassurance when its products are always and everywhere the same. “We have found out… that we cannot trust people who are nonconformists,” declared Ray koc, one of the founder’s of McDonald’s, angered by some of his franchisees. “We will make conformists out of them in a hurry… The organization cannot trust the individual; the individual must trust the organization.” (5)

In the margin of the page I scribbled the word “McChurch.” I want to take this scribble in two directions.

1) While we should all seek to have and teach uniformity concerning the message of Jesus Christ too often we seek uniformity on the meduim only. For churches, the medium includes buildings, events, ministries, and budgets. Many churches are always seeking to look, act, walk, talk, eat, and sleep like their next door neighbors or their mega-church heroes. Instead of seeking God’s direction on their true, God-given idenity churches are more concerned with making their own name on the back of other successful churches by mimicing their success. Recently I spoke with a guy who has been in ministry for nearly two decades. He and a few key leaders had visited a well respected church on the east coast to observe how they minister to their people. Some in his leadership were very excited about the weekly prayer meetings that go on for hours at a time. The leadership was eager to return home so that they could begin this same type of ministry event at their home congregation. My friend, speaking with much wisdom and discernment, asked his group to slow down. He reminded them that the lead minister and this church felt that they were led to begin these prayer meetings by God. The prayer meeting wasn’t just a cool idea or a great way to get the people of the congregation to pray together. No, this was a directive from God to these people. God had led them to begin this minisrty. My friend encouraged his leadership to first seek out what God was leading their church to do. God would bless that before he would some cool idea. Churches that seek to replicate something that was successful at another church before seeking God’s guidence need to be reminded of Numbers 9:15-23. Here’s the gist:

At the LORD’s command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the LORD’s order and did not set out. Sometimes the cloud was over the tabernacle only a few days; at the LORD’s command they would encamp, and then at his command they would set out. Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening till morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out. Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out.

Let the Lord lead at his speed and at his directive. Simple as that.

2) While I am intrigued and even a little excited about the newest form a church planting known as satellite churches, I am worried about the “franchising” aspect that could come about with creating a number of different campuses. Truthfully, tradition church plants can also fall into the “franchising pit” and I have seen my fair share of cookie-cutter churches who look, talk, and act like their mother churches. However, by no fault of the mother church leaders trying this new model and the satellite church leaders, the consumer mentality of many in the church today could take hold of these churches while in their infancy stage and never let go. If this happens, the satellite campus might never be able to grow and thrive on its own if the leadership doesn’t have an adequate plan.

The mother church might begin to act like Kroc and be wary of allowing the satelite campus to think outside the box to meet their members needs in way that differes from the original. Ministers at both locations could begin to burn out very quickly if struggles like this begin to define and dictate their leadership meetings.

The satellite churches could fall into complacency, always believing that the mother church will take care of them. Another problem could aise when those attending the satellite church merely consumer the worship and leadership and never feel the need to get off the pew and take the reigns. The ministers leading at the campus could feel like the junior members or second-teir ministers (Questions like, “When are you ging to pastor your own church?” are already to prevelant). These are just a few issues that could arise.

Again, I am intrugued and excited about the satellite church movement. I believe that there is a great potential for multiple campuses in our fast paced world and hopefully this movement can help bring the Gospel into our larger, more urban cities in a way that is meaningful and life changing.

Let’s just avoid the pitfalls of franchising by avoiding the franchise/franchisee mentlity in the body of Christ.

Ministry

I Won a Nobel Prize!

Ok, it isn’t the hoity-toity Nobel Peace Prize but it is a Nobel prize nonetheless.

When I opened the mailbox today there was only one piece of mail inside. I immediately thought that the oversized, cream-colored envelope labeled from the National Society of High School Scholars was just some Who’s Who invitation or something else that would cost me money. I almost threw it away but I opened it to find this message from Claes Nobel inside:

I am writing to you today to recognize your role in encouraging young people and helping them to achieve their goals.

Recently, one of your students requested a note of appreciation be sent to honor your efforts. Your student named you as a role model and positive influence, someone who has made a difference- in short, a great teacher. I am delighted to name you a Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction.

We hope that through this letter and certificate, begun by the nomination from your student, we can help make visable the work that you do each day.

Kind regards,
Claes Nobel

The enclosed certificate is pretty awesome too.

I’m a not writing this post in order to toot my own horn. I am humbled and honored that one of my students took time out of his busy day to nominate me for this certificate. It means so, so much to me. I am completely honored and overwhelmed.

This past year was one of the roughest and most emotionally draining years I’ve had since junior high. There was a time not too long ago that I found myself questioning my calling into ministry everyday. I wondered if I was really making a difference at all.

First Thessalonians 5:14 says, “And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. “

When I opened that letter today, every second guess and question about myself over the last 12 months melted away in an instant. That is what encouragement does.

Who do you need to encourage this week?

Your minister?
Teacher?
Mother/father?
Spouse?

Spend a few minutes calling this person or writing to them or even nominating them for something that they’ve done. It will mean the world to them.

Thanks Jordan. You did my heart good, man.

Ministry

Laugh or Cry?

Although the journal has a lot of great, pracical ministry advice I read Leadership often more for the cartoons. I loved this one so much.

Often this is how visitors feeel upon entering a new church. Group Magaine even stated that visitors often feel so isolated and unwelcomed that they never visit again. What a shame. Instead of retreating to our comfort zones, let’s bust out of our holy huddles to bring more people into the body.

There are plenty of reasons people don’t come to church. Don’t make the Christians in your church be one of those reasons.

General, Ministry, Music, Popular Culture

Week In Review (Updated)

2 Comments

It has been a long but awesome week.

I was formally introduced to the congregation and charged with leading the youth ministry last Sunday. The elders placed hands on us, prayed for me, and sent me into the fields. It was a humbling and exciting moment for me.

While in the office this week, I was again struck with how awesome my job is. Not only do I get to hang-out with students, not only do I get to tell them about my Savior, and not only do I get to walk with them through their teenage years but I get paid to study the Bible. I have been planning on teaching 1 Corinthians this summer so I have loved living in and with this letter over the past 2 months. This week’s time in the Word was just wonderful! Praise God!

I have also been reading Practicing the Presence of God by Bro. Lawrence and God is Here, a modern-day commentary on Bro. Lawrence. This is now the fourth time that I have read PtPoG and I am overwhelmed with how much this little book, written 400 years ago, speaks to me. Good stuff.

One of my jobs this week was to change the church sign out front of our church. I thought, “If I’m going to do this, I want to do something that is different from your typical church sign.” So…

Church Sign

Other events this week included buying tickets to Dave Matthews Band in August, getting a new desk for my home office, and a trip to the movies with my teens to see Cars. A fun time was had by all.

Well folks, that was my week in review. I hope everyone has a blessed week.

Peace.

Firm on the Rock, Ministry, Music

10 Years as a Freak

DC Talk’s ground breaking, chart topping, legendary album Jesus Freak turns ten this year.

Could it really be 10 years already?

In honor of the date Gotee Records is releasing FREAKED: The Official Jesus Freak Tribute Project. Follow the link to hear some audio clips. The StorysideB and Reliant K tracks sound great and Sarah Kelly does her best Tori Amos impression. It’s worth a listen.

Wow, 10 years ago I was 16. I had an ’85 Mustang Convertable and I would crank “In the Light” and the title track as loud as I could. As I sang these songs I felt the immense weight and meaning behind the lyrics as they pointed me deeper into the Word and into the arms of my mighty Savior. You can’t help but be sold out to Jesus Christ when you listen to this album.

I remember how much broad appeal this album had. My friend who listen to bands like Cannibal Corpse and Tool was head over heels in love with it. The drive time DJs on the hard rock station here in Dallas would play “Jesus Freak” during their 5 at 5 as commuters headed home. The same for “Colored People” when it was released as a single. I’m not sure I would have ever given Christian music a fair hearing if this album hadn’t come out during this time in my life. In fact, I think we need another album produced as well and as creatively as the original Jesus Freak. An album that unabashedly knocks down stereotypes and reintroduces the world to my Jesus and his kingdom. Truly, that would be a real and fitting tribute.

Ministry, Technology

Things I Go Geek For

I am a minister, a technophile, and a Mac user so naturally I have the premiere Bible software available for the Mac (read: only Bible software available for the Mac), Accordance.

My wife can’t understand why I get so excited about this stuff. When she asked me what I wanted for my 24th birthday I didn’t hesitate. “Oooooh, can I please get this really awesome Bible software,” I said enthusiastically. After she relized that I wasn’t kidding, she looked real disappointed that I asked for something so practical. However, that April she bought me the Library 6 collection and I have since added a module here or there. In fact I added a level this past weekend. I installed the new Personal Growth Suite by Zondervan. The suite includes the TNIV Bible and quite a few tools for Bible study (Discipleship, Fruits of the Spirit, and Men/Women of the Bible studies).

I love Accardance. I have roughly twenty Bibles at my fingertips, not to mention all the comentaries, Greek lexicons, and historical texts a guy could ask for. The program really has hellped me become a better lover of scripture. Someday, I’ll get the Essential IVP Reference Collection. Right now though I’m excited about the next official update.

Library 7 is a few weeks away from being released. The official blog has been posting some screencaps and secret goodies to whet our appetites. For the one or two of you who care, check out the new features.

Accordance Bible Software: Something I Go Geek Over