In honor of everyone else’s brilliance, we thought it might be fun to share our un-brilliance. We’re limiting the list to 10, but we could easily turn this into a multi-part series. Heck, we might even be able to categorize by the liturgical calendar if we could get organized enough to find a pen.
Left a student behind. His name was Michael. We really ...
This blog was first posted in two parts at youthministry.com. You can read the rest here.
What do you think?
random comments about life and faith for students, parents, youth leaders, and anyone else who finds them helpful or entertaining
Showing posts with label spiritual formation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spiritual formation. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Friday, April 10, 2015
teens, anxiety, and youth ministry
The modern teen is stressed out. With sports travel teams, AP classes, gifted programs, standardized testing, band/dance/cheer/sports camps, and college application essays, today’s teenager feels the pressure to perform. And this doesn’t take into account the anxiety of dating, social media, loneliness, peer pressure, peer approval, faith, etc.
Anxiety specialist Dr. Richard Leahy was quoted as saying ...
This blog was first posted in two parts at youthministry.com. You can read part one here and part two here.
What do you think?
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
the sexualization of our culture, part 4
For the past few weeks, we’ve talked about several key themes related to building a healthy understanding of sexuality from a Kingdom-of-God-perspective. (Click for Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.) This week we’ll wrap things up with what we believe are the two biggest challenges facing students (an adults) in this struggle.
The first challenge is trusting that the Kingdom of God is best.
The word “faith” in the Bible has always struck us as a little peculiar. For many years ...
This blog was first posted at youthministry.com. You can read the entire article here.
What do you think?
The first challenge is trusting that the Kingdom of God is best.
The word “faith” in the Bible has always struck us as a little peculiar. For many years ...
This blog was first posted at youthministry.com. You can read the entire article here.
What do you think?
Saturday, March 7, 2015
the sexualization of our culture, part 3
We regularly remind our students that the decisions they make today shape who they’ll be tomorrow. This statement is easy to apply to sexuality, but we must...
This blog was first posted at youthministry.com. You can read the entire article here.
What do you think?
Friday, February 27, 2015
the sexualization of our culture, part 2
If you read our article from last week, The Sexualization of our Culture, Pt 1, you saw our general thoughts on sexuality in our culture. We ended with the question, “How can we hope students choose to live differently unless they are offered a new way to understand their world?” This week we want to begin looking at ...
This blog was first posted at youthministry.com. You can read the entire article here.
What do you think?
What do you think?
Thursday, February 19, 2015
understanding God ... from a distance
Our staff at the Vineyard Church has been reading some really solid books on understanding scripture. When we started reading, I did a little research on the authors, and I rightly assumed I would agree with some of their conclusions/arguments, and disagree with others.
(Aside -- doing doctoral work helped me learn how to appreciate someone's contributions, even if I think their findings are wrong.)
I dug in, and I learned a lot. I read a lot of things that challenged my long-held assumptions and dared me to think differently. Some things I believed, I now believe even more strongly. Other things I believed, I've had to rethink and reconsider. On one hand, I'm not super-excited when this happens; it's much more comfortable to continue believing what I've always believed. But on the other hand, I never want to get stuck in my relationship with God.
All that said, here's what the things I've read have led me to believe/rebelieve. It's not earth-shattering, so don't get your hopes up. But it was a good journey for me, and I'm excited for the staff discussions that are coming up.
I believe the authors of the books I've been reading would have some variance in their answers, probably both in the list itself and in the importance they place on each one. I appreciate the differences we share, and I believe the authors are (for the most part) being faithful to God in the midst of their own journeys.
I hope you're reading things that continue to stretch your faith and your thinking. Fight ruthlessly against getting stuck. And don't just read things you know you'll agree with.
The two books I'm most referencing in this blog:
What do you think?
(Aside -- doing doctoral work helped me learn how to appreciate someone's contributions, even if I think their findings are wrong.)
I dug in, and I learned a lot. I read a lot of things that challenged my long-held assumptions and dared me to think differently. Some things I believed, I now believe even more strongly. Other things I believed, I've had to rethink and reconsider. On one hand, I'm not super-excited when this happens; it's much more comfortable to continue believing what I've always believed. But on the other hand, I never want to get stuck in my relationship with God.
All that said, here's what the things I've read have led me to believe/rebelieve. It's not earth-shattering, so don't get your hopes up. But it was a good journey for me, and I'm excited for the staff discussions that are coming up.
- The closer we get to God, the more we get closer to understanding him well.
- In the garden, Adam and Eve walked with God, and they messed up when they turned away from God and did things their way.
- One day we'll again see God face to face ... I'll come back to this one later.
- OT writers retold their historic stories with a constantly evolving understanding of God, filtered through their culture, but they didn't understand everything that God said or did.
- In places of confusion, they filled in their blanks with an understanding of God shaped by their experiences.
- Jesus was the perfect image of God but the disciples still misunderstood some things.
- In places of confusion, they filled in the blanks with what they knew from the OT or their culture.
- Paul (and other NT writers) write as people processing a NT experience with an OT background, but they may not be perfectly clear.
- In places of confusion, they filled in the blanks with how they saw Jesus live and reveal the kingdom.
- Today we have a much richer story, but we still misunderstand things, partly because of our confusion, partly because God is bigger than we are: more loving, more just, more giving, etc.
- One day we'll see God face-to-face, and in places of confusion, how do we decide what's right today? My answer - in order of importance:
- We immerse ourselves in the written story of God that is historically accepted by the church - the canon.
- We do everything we can to see God clearly and listen to his spirit - spiritual rhythms.
- We yield to our micro community - the people we live life with everyday.
- We yield to our macro community - the church historical and global.
- We act in faith with a listening ear to all of the above.
I believe the authors of the books I've been reading would have some variance in their answers, probably both in the list itself and in the importance they place on each one. I appreciate the differences we share, and I believe the authors are (for the most part) being faithful to God in the midst of their own journeys.
I hope you're reading things that continue to stretch your faith and your thinking. Fight ruthlessly against getting stuck. And don't just read things you know you'll agree with.
The two books I'm most referencing in this blog:
What do you think?
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
youth ministry lessons from coach les miles
In the interest of full disclosure, I am an LSU alum, fan, and supporter of all things LSU – including our head football coach, Les Miles.
ESPN has been running a series of interest pieces on coaches’ offices. I was excited to see Coach Miles profiled in October. As interesting as the article was for me as an LSU fan, I was most intrigued to read Coach Miles’ comments about a simple white football with the names of ...
[This blog was originally posted at youthministry.com. You can read the whole thing here.]
What do you think?
ESPN has been running a series of interest pieces on coaches’ offices. I was excited to see Coach Miles profiled in October. As interesting as the article was for me as an LSU fan, I was most intrigued to read Coach Miles’ comments about a simple white football with the names of ...
[This blog was originally posted at youthministry.com. You can read the whole thing here.]
What do you think?
Friday, July 18, 2014
the sex lives of married ministers
I'll be honest ... I like titles that are a little shocking. Once or twice I've been accused of overselling content with a titillating title. Today this is the case. Tasha and I recently wrote an article for the print version of Group Magazine titles, "The Enemy of Sex." In the article, we discuss several intimacy killers and offer some insights on how you can work through them.
Jonathan McKee just posted a blog about marriage and intimacy titled, "Promiscuity or Monogamy." In his article, he cites some research on marital happiness as it's influenced by sexuality. Tasha has often said that our culture views God's views on sex like health food - it's good for me, but I'm sacrificing the good stuff to get it - and culture's views on sex like, well, the good stuff. I always find it amazing when research "proves" Kingdom of God choices are better and more life-giving. Read the two articles and see how they sit with you.
What do you think?
Jonathan McKee just posted a blog about marriage and intimacy titled, "Promiscuity or Monogamy." In his article, he cites some research on marital happiness as it's influenced by sexuality. Tasha has often said that our culture views God's views on sex like health food - it's good for me, but I'm sacrificing the good stuff to get it - and culture's views on sex like, well, the good stuff. I always find it amazing when research "proves" Kingdom of God choices are better and more life-giving. Read the two articles and see how they sit with you.
What do you think?
Friday, January 31, 2014
team levert
A couple of times a month, Tasha and I blog for youthministry.com on the topic of marriage and ministry.Check out our lastest blog on [professionalism].
We recognize not everyone comes down on the same place on these topics, but you'll get some insights on our family values as a married couple with kids in youth ministry.
What do you think?
Thursday, January 30, 2014
i hate all your shows
This week I've been working on our upcoming message series, "Wake Up," and I rediscovered an old Jon Foreman song. I admit it's a tad awkward, but I find it incredibly powerful and convicting. It's rooted pretty clearly in Amos 5, especially vv 21-24:
“21 I hate all your show and pretense—the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies.
22 I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings. I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings.
23 Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps.
24 Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living.
May God never find us guilty of reducing worship to something we do instead of a reflection of who and Whose we are.
What do you think?
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
changing your #selfie image
I confess . . . I'm fascinated by the selfie.
I don't take them, but I'm interested in the who/what/why of others' selfies.
When it's someone I know, it gives me a little glimpse into their lives - what are they doing? where are they? why are they taking the pic? I find the whole thing fascinating.
Are selfies selfish? Are they innocent ways to express your thoughts/ideas and share what's going on in your life?
It's likely we would all agree that some selfies are inappropriate (nudity, vulgarity, etc.), but is that our only criteria for posting a selfie? The whole conversation reminds me of one of my favorite Seinfeld clips.
I'm not suggesting that all selfies are selfish, I'm just asking if sometimes we go overboard. As an adult, I recognize that everything I post in the social media world says something about me -- good or bad, right or wrong.
So what am I saying? Who am I presenting to an online world? These are questions I need to answer for myself, but they're also questions I need to ask and help my teenager answer.
Cara Joyner posted an excellent article on Relevant's ezine titled, "5 Questions to Ask Before Posting to Social Media." I highly recommend reading the entire article )and sharing it with your students), but here is the list of questions Joyner challenges us to ask:
And instead of simply changing the way we post about ourselves, what if we also started posting positive things about others? Jeanne Prejean suggests making 2014 the year of the unselfie, taking pictures of other people and encouraging them through social media.
And if you're really creative, you can continue the campaign started by Giving Tuesday last November by taking a picture of a charity you want to support and adding the hashtags #unselfie and #givingtuesday. They might help you spread the word by including your #unselfie on their website, unselfie.me.
How could you turn the 2013 Oxford Dictionary's Word of the Year upside-down? Make it about something or someone other than yourself. Use your voice to be an encouragement to others, and help raise awareness of a need that is important to you. Seems like a good reflection Paul's words in Philippians 2:3-4:
What do you think?
I don't take them, but I'm interested in the who/what/why of others' selfies.
When it's someone I know, it gives me a little glimpse into their lives - what are they doing? where are they? why are they taking the pic? I find the whole thing fascinating.
Are selfies selfish? Are they innocent ways to express your thoughts/ideas and share what's going on in your life?
It's likely we would all agree that some selfies are inappropriate (nudity, vulgarity, etc.), but is that our only criteria for posting a selfie? The whole conversation reminds me of one of my favorite Seinfeld clips.
I'm not suggesting that all selfies are selfish, I'm just asking if sometimes we go overboard. As an adult, I recognize that everything I post in the social media world says something about me -- good or bad, right or wrong.
So what am I saying? Who am I presenting to an online world? These are questions I need to answer for myself, but they're also questions I need to ask and help my teenager answer.
Cara Joyner posted an excellent article on Relevant's ezine titled, "5 Questions to Ask Before Posting to Social Media." I highly recommend reading the entire article )and sharing it with your students), but here is the list of questions Joyner challenges us to ask:
- Am I seeking approval?
- Am I bosting?
- Am I discontent?
- Is this a moment to protect?
- Is it kind?
And instead of simply changing the way we post about ourselves, what if we also started posting positive things about others? Jeanne Prejean suggests making 2014 the year of the unselfie, taking pictures of other people and encouraging them through social media.
And if you're really creative, you can continue the campaign started by Giving Tuesday last November by taking a picture of a charity you want to support and adding the hashtags #unselfie and #givingtuesday. They might help you spread the word by including your #unselfie on their website, unselfie.me.
How could you turn the 2013 Oxford Dictionary's Word of the Year upside-down? Make it about something or someone other than yourself. Use your voice to be an encouragement to others, and help raise awareness of a need that is important to you. Seems like a good reflection Paul's words in Philippians 2:3-4:
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. (NLT)
What do you think?
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
new beginnings and a dangerous proposition
As many of you know, Tasha and I have been in transition for the past few months. After four short years in Columbus, Ohio, God moved us home to Louisiana to begin serving on the team at the Vineyard Church in New Orleans. While we've grieved the loss/distance of some of our closer relationships, we are celebrating what God is doing as we reconnect with family and friends now that we're home again.
The Vineyard is a great place with a ginormous Kingdom vision. The people I'm working with are amazing. (I'm sure I'll discover that they're also pretty weird - like us - but for now we're sticking with "amazing.") The potential to see God do cool stuff is high. In short, we're excited to turn the page into this new year.
This weekend, I made the announcements in one of our gatherings. As I introduced our pastor, I said, "Ladies and gentlemen, the most dangerous pastor in America." I'm not sure why I said that. Just something the Holy Spirit (or last night's tacos) nudged me to do. Building on that, our pastor commented several times how dangerous it would be if followers of Jesus took seriously God's invitation to live a life that reveals His kingdom. I've been rolling that word over in my mind since the weekend . . . dangerous.
Do I live a dangerous life? Not reckless, not irresponsible, but dangerously trusting and following God's every nudging in my life.
Or am I afraid? Do I like my personal comfort so much that I'm not willing to do anything to rock the boat?
When Jesus says, "See that guy over there? Go say something to him," or, "Remember that lady you talked with last weekend? Email her and see how she's doing," how do I respond? Or when I'm tempted to trust myself over Jesus - by choosing to sin, or choosing to be lazy, or choosing to be selfish - what do I choose?
Living a dangerous life is . . . well . . . dangerous. You might end up sitting in places that are off the beaten path. You might end up having conversations that aren't super comfortable. You might end up giving away something that you thought you couldn't live without.
But living a dangerous life in and for the Kingdom of God is . . . well . . . amazing. No regrets. Life abundantly. Filled with passion and purpose and hope and joy and peace and love and adventure. That's the kind of life I want to live. I just hope I trust God enough to follow Him, even when it seems dangerous.
What do you think?
The Vineyard is a great place with a ginormous Kingdom vision. The people I'm working with are amazing. (I'm sure I'll discover that they're also pretty weird - like us - but for now we're sticking with "amazing.") The potential to see God do cool stuff is high. In short, we're excited to turn the page into this new year.
This weekend, I made the announcements in one of our gatherings. As I introduced our pastor, I said, "Ladies and gentlemen, the most dangerous pastor in America." I'm not sure why I said that. Just something the Holy Spirit (or last night's tacos) nudged me to do. Building on that, our pastor commented several times how dangerous it would be if followers of Jesus took seriously God's invitation to live a life that reveals His kingdom. I've been rolling that word over in my mind since the weekend . . . dangerous.
Do I live a dangerous life? Not reckless, not irresponsible, but dangerously trusting and following God's every nudging in my life.
Or am I afraid? Do I like my personal comfort so much that I'm not willing to do anything to rock the boat?
When Jesus says, "See that guy over there? Go say something to him," or, "Remember that lady you talked with last weekend? Email her and see how she's doing," how do I respond? Or when I'm tempted to trust myself over Jesus - by choosing to sin, or choosing to be lazy, or choosing to be selfish - what do I choose?
Living a dangerous life is . . . well . . . dangerous. You might end up sitting in places that are off the beaten path. You might end up having conversations that aren't super comfortable. You might end up giving away something that you thought you couldn't live without.
But living a dangerous life in and for the Kingdom of God is . . . well . . . amazing. No regrets. Life abundantly. Filled with passion and purpose and hope and joy and peace and love and adventure. That's the kind of life I want to live. I just hope I trust God enough to follow Him, even when it seems dangerous.
What do you think?
Saturday, June 29, 2013
the power of story
For the past few days, I've been teaching a class for Golden Gate Seminary. It's a pretty rigorous schedule - three graduate credits into four days. But every time I teach the class, we spend the first half of the first day telling our stories. Our background, our journey with Jesus, our current setting, our future hopes. It's a sweet time.But not everyone likes it. Some students complain that we should be doing more academic stuff and less touchy-feely stuff.
I couldn't disagree more.
All ministry is rooted in relationship. I wonder, if you don't know the people you're ministering with, are you really ministering with them? I believe there's two central reasons we don't tell and hear stories.
First, I believe we resist telling our story an hearing others' stories because of our own brokenness and fear of being vulnerable. (When you have 20 minutes, watch Brene Brown's amazing TedTalk on vulnerability.) I totally get this, and I hope we use opportunities like these to grow and learn and be stretched.
Second, I believe we're too distracted. (I was originally going to describe reason #2 as busyness, but sometimes we use "I'm too busy" as an excuse; even when we're not busy, we can be too distracted to be present fully with others.) Television, music, cell phones, etc., all compete for our attention. Being present with people takes energy and focus, and because it's so easy to be a passive recipient of media, we often choose the path of least resistance.
I'm thankful that a few students in this week's class have shared how much they enjoyed closing their laptops and ignoring their cell phones so they could hear and be heard - see and be seen. I hope we can all grow to a place where we value being with people, giving them our attention, and hearing their stories.
What do you think?
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
dealing with conflict between parents and teenagers
Everyone gets in conflict. And every parent gets in conflict with their teenager. It's inevitable. Most parents suggest conflict with their teenager goes poorly at best, and most teenagers generally agree. But both sides claim to want things to be better relationally.
So what can we do?
Here are some general themes that I hope guide my own parenting when it comes to dealing with conflict with my teenager.
1. Model Healthy Conflict Skills
2. Establish Healthy Rules of Engagement
3. Give My Kids the Benefit of the Doubt
Once I settle into these themes, here are some "best practices" of conflict resolution I've learned over the years.
The bottom line is, conflict with your teenager is inevitable. How will you reply?
What do you think?
So what can we do?
Here are some general themes that I hope guide my own parenting when it comes to dealing with conflict with my teenager.
1. Model Healthy Conflict Skills
I have conflict in my life, and the people closest to me - including my own children - see how I act and react in the midst of it. It's important that I'm living well in front of my students to help them learn to live well in their own areas of conflict. Specifically, I need to speak truth in love. Truth without loves postures me as a jerk. Love without truth postures me as a pushover. (The best research I've seen on this balance comes from Reuben Hill's Minnesota Report.) It's also important that I guard my words and avoid gossip. My children need to see me showing respect to the people I'm in conflict with if I hope they'll show respect to me when we're in conflict. I also need to forgive freely. Forgiveness isn't easy, but for a follower of Christ, it's not negotiable. It may not happen overnight, but God calls me to make a clear choice to trust His way and be moving towards forgiveness in every broken relationship.
2. Establish Healthy Rules of Engagement
I want my children to trust and value our relationship enough to work hard at keeping things healthy. I want them to know they can always come to me to tell me how they feel, even (maybe especially) if I've done something to hurt them. There's a right time and a right place for conflict, but as the parent, I must make time and space available to receive my children when they are initiating conflict.
3. Give My Kids the Benefit of the Doubt
Like yours, my kids want to be treated with respect and trust beyond their years, capacity, or what they've earned. In some moments, my kids are amazing - well-behaved, well-mannered, and well-adjusted. In other moments, my kids act like Satan's spawn. Like you, I find this both exciting and terrifying. But the truth is, as our teenagers move through puberty, identity formation is at the forefront of their developmental process. I.E., I should expect my adolescent to bounce all over the emotional map. One way I help them continue to move forward is by treating them as if they're acting the way I want them to act. By doing this, I am shaping their future responses to the challenges of life.
Once I settle into these themes, here are some "best practices" of conflict resolution I've learned over the years.
- Pray. Seriously, don't just say you'll pray - pray for your relationship with your teenager will be stronger as a result of your upcoming conversation. And pray with your teenager at the beginning of the conversation.
- Strive for a win-win. If you end up with a winner and a loser, everyone loses. You may win the conflict with your teenager, but you risk losing the long-term health of the relationship.
- Use good communication skills. I found this article by googling "good communication skills." Be in awe of my research skills.
- Schedule a time to talk. Give your student time to think about the topic you want to address.
- Avoid lengthy rabbit trails. Don't get sidetracked with insignificant details, who started what, etc. Stay on the topic at hand, and deal with it well.
- Keep your relationship as your priority. The long-term goals of parenting aren't visible for years - maybe decades. Hopefully, one of your goals is a healthy adult relationship with your teenager when they grow into their own story.
- Keep your words personal to you and about you. It's better to say, "I felt embarrassed when you said . . ." rather than, "You embarrassed me when you . . ."
- Be vulnerable. I believe God uses the power of vulnerability to break down walls of conflict. Check out two TedTalks be Brene Brown here and here.
- Be specific about what you need to move on. It may be as simple as asking for an explanation for a certain act or statement. It may be asking for a change of behavior in certain situations. Don't make your teenager guess what you need.
- Choose to accept an apology if your teenager offers. Make it a point to say, "I accept your apology, and I appreciate your heart in talking with me about this."
- Choose to offer an apology if you've hurt your teenager. I would err on the side of over-offering an apology, even if it's, "I'm sorry that I hurt you when I said . . ."
- Reach out a little later. Conflict is always awkward. the first few interactions after conflict are equally awkward. Be the adult and initiate some healthy relationship interaction a day or so after the conflict.
The bottom line is, conflict with your teenager is inevitable. How will you reply?
What do you think?
Sunday, June 2, 2013
grieving the Holy Spirit
I had the very cool opportunity to have a phone conversation with Todd Hunter this week. (He was the former president of Vineyard USA, started a ministry called C4SO, and wrote some amazing books - here's my favorite.) Over the course of a conversation that was all over the map, Todd said (as closely as I can remember), "Two things grieve God's Holy spirit: when we overemphasize him, and when we under-emphasize him."
Wow.
Growing up with no church background, my only experience with the Holy Spirit was the caricature you might see in the media: hyper-charismatic protestors, slick-headed televangelists, etc. When God captured my heart in High School, it was through a Southern Baptist church, which didn't really acknowledge the Holy Spirit at all. Tasha and I went to a Southern Baptist seminary, and while our theology professors challenged us to expand the box we kept God's Holy Spirit in, the general culture of the seminary was very . . . quiet? . . . about the Holy Spirit. We didn't really think much about it, but Tasha and I both felt that there was a part of our with-God life that was missing. And we were pretty sure it was related to the Holy Spirit.
Several years later, a trusted friend Chris Backert (organization architect of the Ecclesia Network) spent some time in the UK doing some research, and when he returned, we spent some time together sharing his experiences. As we chatted, Chris said, "I think I'm a British charismatic." (Don't bother googling the phrase - Chris made it up.) I asked him to explain, and he mumbled on about gifts and power and some other stuff, but I never got clarity on what he meant. But the phrase stuck with me, because I sensed that found in his own life the thing Tasha and I sense we were missing in ours.
The Todd Hunter makes his casual-yet-profound statement this week, and I'm on another journey. How can I live a life that doesn't grieve God's Holy Spirit by overemphasizing or under-emphasizing him?
What do you think?
Wow.
Growing up with no church background, my only experience with the Holy Spirit was the caricature you might see in the media: hyper-charismatic protestors, slick-headed televangelists, etc. When God captured my heart in High School, it was through a Southern Baptist church, which didn't really acknowledge the Holy Spirit at all. Tasha and I went to a Southern Baptist seminary, and while our theology professors challenged us to expand the box we kept God's Holy Spirit in, the general culture of the seminary was very . . . quiet? . . . about the Holy Spirit. We didn't really think much about it, but Tasha and I both felt that there was a part of our with-God life that was missing. And we were pretty sure it was related to the Holy Spirit.
Several years later, a trusted friend Chris Backert (organization architect of the Ecclesia Network) spent some time in the UK doing some research, and when he returned, we spent some time together sharing his experiences. As we chatted, Chris said, "I think I'm a British charismatic." (Don't bother googling the phrase - Chris made it up.) I asked him to explain, and he mumbled on about gifts and power and some other stuff, but I never got clarity on what he meant. But the phrase stuck with me, because I sensed that found in his own life the thing Tasha and I sense we were missing in ours.
The Todd Hunter makes his casual-yet-profound statement this week, and I'm on another journey. How can I live a life that doesn't grieve God's Holy Spirit by overemphasizing or under-emphasizing him?
What do you think?
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
a massive survey of students
I just finished a small writing assignment, where I was asked to give some feedback and share some observations on a survey of 20k students that participated in a Christian summer camp in 2012. The vast majority of students were solid, deeply committed to Christ and the local church. Without going into too much detail, one of my biggest takeaways was that we need to address core issues of the Kingdom of God well and often. It's tempting to get caught up in trendy topics and surface level conversations, but students are asking for something deeper and more substantive. (The full article will appear in an upcoming issue of Group Magazine. Check it out!)
With that in mind, several friends were asking what we were giving our graduates for their "congratulations . . . now get out of the youth group" gift. This year, we're giving students Jonathan Morrow's, Welcome to College: A Christ-Follower's Guide for the Journey. It's a challenging read that will give students peace that they can live for Christ in college, and it will begin to normalize the inevitable ridicule they'll face as they stand up for their beliefs on campus.
Last year, we gave students Ben Hardman's, Thrive: Do More Than Survive Your Faith. It's a little more pragmatic than Morrow's book, focusing more on the personal habits we hope our students have developed while in our student ministries.
Honestly, anything that we can put in students' hands that will keep them connected to Christ and the local church while they're in college will have a massive impact on how sticky their faith will be throughout the course of their lives.
What do you think?
With that in mind, several friends were asking what we were giving our graduates for their "congratulations . . . now get out of the youth group" gift. This year, we're giving students Jonathan Morrow's, Welcome to College: A Christ-Follower's Guide for the Journey. It's a challenging read that will give students peace that they can live for Christ in college, and it will begin to normalize the inevitable ridicule they'll face as they stand up for their beliefs on campus.
Last year, we gave students Ben Hardman's, Thrive: Do More Than Survive Your Faith. It's a little more pragmatic than Morrow's book, focusing more on the personal habits we hope our students have developed while in our student ministries.
Honestly, anything that we can put in students' hands that will keep them connected to Christ and the local church while they're in college will have a massive impact on how sticky their faith will be throughout the course of their lives.
What do you think?
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
kids say the darnedest things

I was walking out of the house yesterday, when some new refrigerator art caught my eye. My youngest daughter, 8 year-old Ashton, was the artist.
But I believe God was the author.
I'm not sure what the specifics behind Ashton's creation are, because our family is not going through anything particularly challenging right now (knock wood). But for whatever reason, God's Spirit breathed a little truth into Ashton's heart that she had to share. And I'm glad she did.
If you're struggling with some difficult times in your life, remember the truth revealed to and through an 8 year-old. God may not have caused the pain in your life, but he certainly won't waste it. He has this amazing creative capacity to take something that seems only negative and tease something positive out of it.
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28
What do you think?
Friday, May 10, 2013
a divine conspiracy
Dallas Willard died on Wednesday. Well, he died in the human sense. In the truest sense, Dallas died every day as he yielded his life to the trust-able arms of Jesus. In my short list of "authors that have most shaped my understanding of life and the Kingdom of God," Dallas is in the top three.
Tasha and I had the privilege of leading worship a few years ago for an Ash Wednesday gathering of the Ecclesia Network in Washington D.C. The preacher for the evening: Dallas Willard. Truth-be-told, I don't remember much about what he said that night, but I remember approaching him afterward to thank him for his comments, and he said simply, "You helped me see Jesus tonight. Thank you."
Another shaping moment.
The next day, Tasha and I drove Dallas to the airport to catch his flight. I intentionally took the long way to Dulles so we could spend the extra few minutes with him. We made a little small talk, then I said, "Dallas, I'm a young pastor, I love your writings, and I'm trying to be faithful to Jesus and to God's calling on my life. Is there any 'off-the-cuff' advice you'd want to share?"
Dallas leaned back in the chair, breathed deeply, and said, "Tom, never quit."
That's not a typo. He just didn't remember my name :)
But another shaping moment.
Never quit.
When the important relationships in your life seem to be falling apart . . .
Never quit.
When the decisions you make cause deep wounds in your own life and in the lives of others . . .
Never quit.
When you're at the end of your rope, and you think you can't go on . . .
Never quit.
When you're diagnosed with pancreatic cancer . . .
Never quit.
When you feel completely alone, and there's no where left to turn . . .
Never quit.
My (selfish) sadness at Dallas' death is pretty deep. Ironic, because we weren't friends, and if I walked into his office, he wouldn't have recognized me. He wouldn't have even called me, "Tom." But I'll always remember those two encounters. And I'll reread The Divine Conspiracy and Renovation of the Heart and The Great Omission quite a few times throughout my life. And I'll quote him often, because the things he wrote are so embedded in my understanding of what's important.
And one day, I'll see him again. And maybe then he'll know my name :)
One of my favorite quotes from The Divine Conspiracy, "[Jesus] matters because of what he brought and what he still brings to ordinary human beings, living their ordinary lives and coping daily with their surroundings. He promises wholeness for their lives. In sharing our weaknesses he gives us strength and and imparts through his companionship a life that has the quality of eternity.
Tasha and I had the privilege of leading worship a few years ago for an Ash Wednesday gathering of the Ecclesia Network in Washington D.C. The preacher for the evening: Dallas Willard. Truth-be-told, I don't remember much about what he said that night, but I remember approaching him afterward to thank him for his comments, and he said simply, "You helped me see Jesus tonight. Thank you."
Another shaping moment.
The next day, Tasha and I drove Dallas to the airport to catch his flight. I intentionally took the long way to Dulles so we could spend the extra few minutes with him. We made a little small talk, then I said, "Dallas, I'm a young pastor, I love your writings, and I'm trying to be faithful to Jesus and to God's calling on my life. Is there any 'off-the-cuff' advice you'd want to share?"
Dallas leaned back in the chair, breathed deeply, and said, "Tom, never quit."
That's not a typo. He just didn't remember my name :)
But another shaping moment.
Never quit.
When the important relationships in your life seem to be falling apart . . .
Never quit.
When the decisions you make cause deep wounds in your own life and in the lives of others . . .
Never quit.
When you're at the end of your rope, and you think you can't go on . . .
Never quit.
When you're diagnosed with pancreatic cancer . . .
Never quit.
When you feel completely alone, and there's no where left to turn . . .
Never quit.
My (selfish) sadness at Dallas' death is pretty deep. Ironic, because we weren't friends, and if I walked into his office, he wouldn't have recognized me. He wouldn't have even called me, "Tom." But I'll always remember those two encounters. And I'll reread The Divine Conspiracy and Renovation of the Heart and The Great Omission quite a few times throughout my life. And I'll quote him often, because the things he wrote are so embedded in my understanding of what's important.
And one day, I'll see him again. And maybe then he'll know my name :)
One of my favorite quotes from The Divine Conspiracy, "[Jesus] matters because of what he brought and what he still brings to ordinary human beings, living their ordinary lives and coping daily with their surroundings. He promises wholeness for their lives. In sharing our weaknesses he gives us strength and and imparts through his companionship a life that has the quality of eternity.
Dallas Willard (September 4, 1935 - May 8, 2013)
Friday, April 26, 2013
big picture thoughts on youth ministry
I just finished working on a project articulating my overall thoughts on youth ministry. It's been a while since I thought in these terms, and it was a fun exercise. I'd love to hear your thoughts -- what am I missing? what (if anything) do you like?
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In it's simplest form, youth ministry should welcome all students (regardless of anything), give them a safe place to figure out what they believe about Jesus, and offer opportunities for them to work out their place in God's Kingdom.
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In it's simplest form, youth ministry should welcome all students (regardless of anything), give them a safe place to figure out what they believe about Jesus, and offer opportunities for them to work out their place in God's Kingdom.
- I believe healthy youth ministry exists to help students grow in their trust in God.
- a strategy rooted in Ephesians 4:11-14, recognizing the role students play in the coming of the Kingdom of God on school campuses
- a clear plan for helping students move from disinterested pre-Christian to seeker to new Christ-follower to committed Christ-follower
- balance growth in understanding (head), compassion (heart), and service (hands)
- I believe healthy youth ministry challenges students to live and reveal the Kingdom of God.
- The Kingdom of God is God's plan for creation – life as God intends us to live.
- As Christ-followers pursue the life Jesus called us to live (which is the best way to live) our lives prompt others to ask us why our lives are different.
- We reveal God's Kingdom first with our lives, then with our words.
- I believe healthy youth ministry is highly relational. Every program or event in youth ministry should be designed to deepen relationships.
- relationships with God
- begins by trusting Jesus
- nurtured by developing healthy habits
- appropriate nudging of all students to take next steps in their relationship with God
- relationships among students
- safe environment for students to seek Jesus at all “stages” of trust
- space for students to deepen their friendships with other students
- consistent opportunities for students to learn about and practice serving others
- occasional times to connect with other students from other places
- relationships with healthy adults
- modeling healthy community among the youth staff and in the larger church
- healthy adults who become significant influences in students' lives
- adults have as much to learn from students as students have to learn from adults
- relationships in the home
- foster healthy connections with students and their parents and siblings
- I believe the following core values should guide everything we do:
- acceptance
- authenticity
- creativity
- expectancy
- family
- fun and laughter
- growth
- intimacy
- Jesus-centered
- mystery
- purpose
- relationships
- risk
- shared leadership
What do you think?
Sunday, April 21, 2013
living your calling
I had a great experience this weekend, watching my wife live into her calling. In the midst of a tough couple of months in ministry, God gave her an opportunity to share grace with a group of folks in a weekend retreat. (If you're not familiar with the Walk to Emmaus, ask me. It's an amazing weekend of soaking in God's grace, and I'm pretty sure there's one in your area.)
The highlight for me this weekend was watching my wife use her spiritual giftedness, rely on God's Spirit to do the spiritual work, be completely herself, and sense God's pleasure. (Shameless plug for one of my favorite movies of all times - "Chariots of Fire." Watch the clip at the bottom of this page, especially from 2:21-2:56 or so.) The Kingdom of God is the only pursuit in life that when you live it out, it's good for you and good for everyone around you.
Have you ever experienced God's goodness like this? When you knew you were doing exactly what God shaped you to do? Find your sweet spot, and chase hard after God.
The highlight for me this weekend was watching my wife use her spiritual giftedness, rely on God's Spirit to do the spiritual work, be completely herself, and sense God's pleasure. (Shameless plug for one of my favorite movies of all times - "Chariots of Fire." Watch the clip at the bottom of this page, especially from 2:21-2:56 or so.) The Kingdom of God is the only pursuit in life that when you live it out, it's good for you and good for everyone around you.
Have you ever experienced God's goodness like this? When you knew you were doing exactly what God shaped you to do? Find your sweet spot, and chase hard after God.
What do you think?
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