This is the type of person I want in my corner when things get hard and I need someone to carry me:
1. They need to love Jesus
2. They need to love you
3. They have to be brave enough to call you out
4. They have to be willing to get in trouble with you
5. They have to be committed
What'd I miss?
Showing posts with label Youth Ministry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Youth Ministry. Show all posts
Monday, October 10, 2011
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Confrontation Sucks
I hate confrontation. Not like the kind where Maximus kills Caesar in the final scene of Gladiator, that type of conflict is awesome. I don't like real conflict. Real conflict like you see a brother or sister in Christ that needs to be loved back to where God wants them and the only way to do that is by speaking truth into their life, real, nasty, hard to swallow, truth. These conversations are terrible, no one looks forward to them, but in order to continue growing in faith you have to have hard conversations, you have to do hard things.
Growing up I didn't like to stir the pot, I was often referred to as the voice of reason because I never wanted to rock the boat I never wanted to do anything that was going to get me in trouble, no matter how big the explosion was or how many pieces it blew up into. I like being safe, I liked being comfortable. Throughout these least two years I have come to terms with the idea that if you want to be a good man, husband, disciple, and friend you have to have hard conversations. You have to have conversations that make you uneasy because these conversations are what help people grow, they help us grow.
I am glad I have a group of friends that is more than willing to nail me to the wall if I am acting in a way that is unrepresentative of the body of Christ. I am glad I have friends who will look me in the eye and tell me I am wrong. I am glad I have friends that will walk next to me and at times carry me towards righteousness when I have no more strength and a loss of will.
Hard conversations suck.
Confrontation sucks.
You know why people hate lifting weights? (Other than the fact that it is boring and repetitive (just so I don't offend any really strong people, I lift weights and is may main source of exercise, so back up or I will flex my tricep in your general direction)). People hate lifting weights because you are literally tearing your muscles in order for them to repair themselves and make the bigger and stronger. Last time I checked tearing my muscle wasn't on my short list of things that reminded my of puppies and clouds made of cotton candy.
It's the same thing with confrontation. It sucks, it is literally you telling someone you deeply care about about blind spots in their life. I can't guarantee it will make them a better person, but I can guarantee you will become a stronger version of yourself if you have hard conversations.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Gaming (Not the Nerd Kind)
Here's the deal, I love games. I play games at our youth ministry as a way of getting students involved, getting them more comfortable, and as a way for them to interact with other students and volunteer staff. Last night at Youth we played a game that myself and Alex Harrington, a now graduated student made up one day. It is called Ninja Assassin, and it is glorious.
I won't explain the whole game, but you have three ninja assassins, they "kill" others by sliding two fingers across their neck, when that happens the civilian dies. Ninjas are killed by pulling off a ski mask they are wearing. When/if a ski mask is taken by a civilian, they put it on and are now the ninja assassin. Ninjas can kill other ninjas and the mask they take acts as an extra life. There are no trials and the game doesn't stop until the time limit is reached or there is only one person remaining. Also, and most importantly, the game is played in the dark in a three story church, incredible, I know.
When I play games I am kind of like a cat and an owl combined, not fast and smart, I sit on top of things and make loud noises. I have noticed a few very distinct personalities that come out during these games that I thought you should know so next time you play Ninja Assassin, or any game of the kind, you can be prepared:
1. The Closet Mountain Lion: This is the girl you think is really sweet, innocent and quiet. She probably hasn't said anything all night except how you look like a middle-aged Brad Pitt, don't be upset she said middle-aged though, Brad at any point is a compliment. She probably drinks water and not soda and will give away the candy I threw to her in the audience because she got an answer right. Don't be fooled, she is dangerous, she's ready to pounce and go for the jugular as soon as she is within striking distance. Did you know the spacing of the mountain lions four canine teeth are exactly the width of a single vertebrae of a deer, hers most likely match up with your spine perfectly. Don't be fooled, she will win in the end, and she will let you know about it.
2. The Over-Aggressive: You have told this kid to calm down 6 times, three guys have been socked in the nose, a sprained ankle, a concussion, and some cracked ribs are all the result of this player and I barely finished giving the rules. I get it, you want to play and win, so do I, but don't push me over the railing trying to get the ski mask off my head, you can have it, I don't want to die.
3. The James Statton: I had a student whose motto was, "If you ain't cheatin' you ain't tryin'." He has better grammar than that in real life, but his motto held true for the vast majority of the games we played. Granted he was better at most games physically, but he could find a loop hole in my rules faster than I could explain in the game. THinking back I think he had a gift that I probably should have encouraged more. Either way, this student will indeed cheat at every possible juncture to win, playing to win isn't good enough winning to win is the only way to keep this player happy.
4. The Honest Abe- Lincoln was honest but he always gave it the old college try. This student is the one who keeps in mind where they are and the point of what they are doing. They are here to have fun and enjoy their friends. These are the students I wish I was more like in high school. Truth be told I was probably a combo over-aggressive/James Statton. This person will mock you for getting to into the game and laugh at you when you cheat to win, they will also try their hardest when it is their turn to step up to the plate. All in all, they frustrate an over-aggressive because they don't seem to care enough about the game to hurt others to win, and frankly, I say, good for them.
What personality are you when when you play games? Which ones did I miss? Let me know.
I won't explain the whole game, but you have three ninja assassins, they "kill" others by sliding two fingers across their neck, when that happens the civilian dies. Ninjas are killed by pulling off a ski mask they are wearing. When/if a ski mask is taken by a civilian, they put it on and are now the ninja assassin. Ninjas can kill other ninjas and the mask they take acts as an extra life. There are no trials and the game doesn't stop until the time limit is reached or there is only one person remaining. Also, and most importantly, the game is played in the dark in a three story church, incredible, I know.
When I play games I am kind of like a cat and an owl combined, not fast and smart, I sit on top of things and make loud noises. I have noticed a few very distinct personalities that come out during these games that I thought you should know so next time you play Ninja Assassin, or any game of the kind, you can be prepared:
1. The Closet Mountain Lion: This is the girl you think is really sweet, innocent and quiet. She probably hasn't said anything all night except how you look like a middle-aged Brad Pitt, don't be upset she said middle-aged though, Brad at any point is a compliment. She probably drinks water and not soda and will give away the candy I threw to her in the audience because she got an answer right. Don't be fooled, she is dangerous, she's ready to pounce and go for the jugular as soon as she is within striking distance. Did you know the spacing of the mountain lions four canine teeth are exactly the width of a single vertebrae of a deer, hers most likely match up with your spine perfectly. Don't be fooled, she will win in the end, and she will let you know about it.
2. The Over-Aggressive: You have told this kid to calm down 6 times, three guys have been socked in the nose, a sprained ankle, a concussion, and some cracked ribs are all the result of this player and I barely finished giving the rules. I get it, you want to play and win, so do I, but don't push me over the railing trying to get the ski mask off my head, you can have it, I don't want to die.
3. The James Statton: I had a student whose motto was, "If you ain't cheatin' you ain't tryin'." He has better grammar than that in real life, but his motto held true for the vast majority of the games we played. Granted he was better at most games physically, but he could find a loop hole in my rules faster than I could explain in the game. THinking back I think he had a gift that I probably should have encouraged more. Either way, this student will indeed cheat at every possible juncture to win, playing to win isn't good enough winning to win is the only way to keep this player happy.
4. The Honest Abe- Lincoln was honest but he always gave it the old college try. This student is the one who keeps in mind where they are and the point of what they are doing. They are here to have fun and enjoy their friends. These are the students I wish I was more like in high school. Truth be told I was probably a combo over-aggressive/James Statton. This person will mock you for getting to into the game and laugh at you when you cheat to win, they will also try their hardest when it is their turn to step up to the plate. All in all, they frustrate an over-aggressive because they don't seem to care enough about the game to hurt others to win, and frankly, I say, good for them.
What personality are you when when you play games? Which ones did I miss? Let me know.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Focus II
I have been trying to lose weight recently, I am not doing P90X, or drinking green tea, mostly because I can't afford either, I am merely eating better and exercising. About a week into this whole weight loss thing I went on a run and I got a sharp pain on the inside of my left leg, slightly above my ankle. I ignored it and kept running, I figured it would go away like spider bites and feathered hair. The next day I went out to run again and the same thing happened except the pain was more severe and started to hurt with each step I took.
So I went to my doctor, Doctor Internet, and she told me (Yes, the internet is a girl) I had a stress fracture in my leg, usually brought on by excessive running after long periods of fat. I didn't want to give up on my diet but running is the way I have always slimmed down when I wasn't feeling comfortable and this stress fracture was knocking me out of running for 6-8 weeks.
I had to figure something out, because with the holiday season coming up I needed to lose weight so I could put it back on and continue the vicious cycle. I decided I had to eat waaaaay better, that cheese was not a food group, and that the weight set in my garage was going to be put to good use. So I'm three weeks in and have been pretty successful thus far, but I had to focus on my goal in order to achieve success.
The idea of focus has been plaguing me (I am always scared I am going to misspell plaguing and make it plaquing and then the whole world will think I have bad teeth). Focus is a funny thing because you don't realize you are out of whack until you are squinting to see the score of the game, or asking your wife to read the back of the cereal box to you.
Focus, like a lot of things is something you don't miss until it is gone. It begs the question, "how, then, do I get focused?" For me, I am a "type A" personality when it comes to my expectations of others and a "type B" when it comes to others expectations of me, that may just mean I am a jerk, but I do indeed expect a lot out of myself.
I can't accomplish much, however, unless I feel like my private life is in order, this can be anything from, I forgot to do the dishes that I told Sarah I would take care of to lingering sin issues in my life. Unless I clear up the junk that is hindering me from straining forward, then I become distracted.
So, how do I focus? I clear out the junk and strain forward, with my eye on the prize. That and have a strong cup of coffee before, during, and after work.
How do you focus?
So I went to my doctor, Doctor Internet, and she told me (Yes, the internet is a girl) I had a stress fracture in my leg, usually brought on by excessive running after long periods of fat. I didn't want to give up on my diet but running is the way I have always slimmed down when I wasn't feeling comfortable and this stress fracture was knocking me out of running for 6-8 weeks.
I had to figure something out, because with the holiday season coming up I needed to lose weight so I could put it back on and continue the vicious cycle. I decided I had to eat waaaaay better, that cheese was not a food group, and that the weight set in my garage was going to be put to good use. So I'm three weeks in and have been pretty successful thus far, but I had to focus on my goal in order to achieve success.
The idea of focus has been plaguing me (I am always scared I am going to misspell plaguing and make it plaquing and then the whole world will think I have bad teeth). Focus is a funny thing because you don't realize you are out of whack until you are squinting to see the score of the game, or asking your wife to read the back of the cereal box to you.
Focus, like a lot of things is something you don't miss until it is gone. It begs the question, "how, then, do I get focused?" For me, I am a "type A" personality when it comes to my expectations of others and a "type B" when it comes to others expectations of me, that may just mean I am a jerk, but I do indeed expect a lot out of myself.
I can't accomplish much, however, unless I feel like my private life is in order, this can be anything from, I forgot to do the dishes that I told Sarah I would take care of to lingering sin issues in my life. Unless I clear up the junk that is hindering me from straining forward, then I become distracted.
So, how do I focus? I clear out the junk and strain forward, with my eye on the prize. That and have a strong cup of coffee before, during, and after work.
How do you focus?
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Focus
I work harder on my talk I cross reference more, I practice before I deliver it, etc.
My question is this, why not put forth that effort all the time?
How much better could I represent the gospel by developing the abilities that God has given me and honing them to a place of excellence? On Sunday Nights am I pouring over scripture to see the entirety of the meaning God has for us? Am I practicing my delivery before I get on stage? Or am I letting myself be stagnant and settling for mediocre?
The pursuit of excellence starts with movement in one direction, towards a goal, a fixed point. We need to start that pursuit.
We have all been there, realizing our potential is sitting with us on the coach watching "The Wizard" and dreaming about owning the Nintendo 'PowerGlove' because, "It is bad!"
Lets move our potential off the coach and start to channel it into the things we want to do, the things God has gifted us with the ability to do. Let's (Wo)Man up.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Camp Bands Are Like Relationships
I have always been jaded when it comes to camp bands, not because I don't appreciate what they do, but because there is a cycle that happens over the course of the week every year.
1. Night one is the awkward first date- you are trying to see what each other are all about, fast songs with too much bass or acoustic set with stools? New songs that read more like a novel, old songs that never should be considered at a youth camp, or really old songs that are made relevant again because a sweet riff was added before the second chorus? Teach me hand motions, but don't expect me to use them until Wednesday, because I don't trust you with my heart yet.
2. Night two is the beginning of the honey moon phase- I LOVE AARON HOFFMAN! His sweet faux hawk and approachable demeanor gets me every time, not to mention did you hear his vocals on Rise and Sing? That guy is a beast! It is this stage that sets up night three.
3. Decision Night, or the DTR of camp bands- Don't know what DTR is? You must be new to the faith, it stands for Define the Relationship and it is a terrible acronym that has been used for way too long in Christian circles. That being said, the band has a lot of pressure on them to perform on decision night, too fast and the kids are too squirrely and the speaker isn't heard, too slow and you might as well have sung a lullaby to the entire chapel, the speaker has no chance. Not too mention the impromptu encore that the speaker will call for while he is in the midst of the salvation prayer for 270 kids. (Band Front man: Hey cool camp speaker, we didn't plan anything or talk about this. Cool camp speaker: It's ok, just play anything) Lots of pressure here, bands are made and destroyed on decision night.
4. Assuming the DTR went well, refining stage- This is when people start feeling comfortable enough to ask the band to start playing their favorite worship songs or ask them if they need a back up vocalist for the night, because, "I am a really good singer."
The rest of the week is a blur of good vibes and hocked merchandise. Autographs are signed and a note folded in the shape of a heart is given to the lead singer by a girl who doesn't realize the inappropriateness of the gesture or the level of awkwardness that it creates by anyone within a 50 foot range of the note. After camp Facebook blows up with friend requests and walls are written on with lyrics from favorite songs or jokes that were hatched during the week.
I love camp bands, ours this year (The Aaron Hoffman Band) was incredible and the ministry they do is impossible to recreate on a regular basis. Here's to the guys who make deep V's look good.
1. Night one is the awkward first date- you are trying to see what each other are all about, fast songs with too much bass or acoustic set with stools? New songs that read more like a novel, old songs that never should be considered at a youth camp, or really old songs that are made relevant again because a sweet riff was added before the second chorus? Teach me hand motions, but don't expect me to use them until Wednesday, because I don't trust you with my heart yet.
2. Night two is the beginning of the honey moon phase- I LOVE AARON HOFFMAN! His sweet faux hawk and approachable demeanor gets me every time, not to mention did you hear his vocals on Rise and Sing? That guy is a beast! It is this stage that sets up night three.
3. Decision Night, or the DTR of camp bands- Don't know what DTR is? You must be new to the faith, it stands for Define the Relationship and it is a terrible acronym that has been used for way too long in Christian circles. That being said, the band has a lot of pressure on them to perform on decision night, too fast and the kids are too squirrely and the speaker isn't heard, too slow and you might as well have sung a lullaby to the entire chapel, the speaker has no chance. Not too mention the impromptu encore that the speaker will call for while he is in the midst of the salvation prayer for 270 kids. (Band Front man: Hey cool camp speaker, we didn't plan anything or talk about this. Cool camp speaker: It's ok, just play anything) Lots of pressure here, bands are made and destroyed on decision night.
4. Assuming the DTR went well, refining stage- This is when people start feeling comfortable enough to ask the band to start playing their favorite worship songs or ask them if they need a back up vocalist for the night, because, "I am a really good singer."
The rest of the week is a blur of good vibes and hocked merchandise. Autographs are signed and a note folded in the shape of a heart is given to the lead singer by a girl who doesn't realize the inappropriateness of the gesture or the level of awkwardness that it creates by anyone within a 50 foot range of the note. After camp Facebook blows up with friend requests and walls are written on with lyrics from favorite songs or jokes that were hatched during the week.
I love camp bands, ours this year (The Aaron Hoffman Band) was incredible and the ministry they do is impossible to recreate on a regular basis. Here's to the guys who make deep V's look good.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
No Nalgenes or Camelbacks
When I was in college I had no clue what route my life was going to take, probably like a lot of other college age students. I was going to the classes that people were telling me to go to, I was taking tests I was supposed to take and doing assignments I had been assigned (for the most part). When I got married, working part time at The Buckle wasn't going to get Sarah and I financially secure very quickly but at least it was a job and we were generating some income but were by no means able to start planning for the future.
Then in the same week I got three phone calls, three phone calls from three different churches looking for a Youth Pastor to head up their ministry. I began to follow up on the phone calls and I decided to take a job in beautiful Selma, California at Selma First Baptist Church, it was probably Pastor Craig's charm and quiet demeanor that sold me on the place.
I was ecstatic, I had my first real job, I was getting paid a salary not a wage based on how many clothes I could force people to buy (did you hear Buckle has a layaway plan too? You can give us your money today but won't get the product until you can afford it later on. The Buckle credit card is a great option also, buy as much as you want now and worry about the payments later; when you still can't afford the ridiculously over priced, over winged, and over dragoned Ed Hardy and Affliction clothing).
I was a big boy, I felt like Buddy the Elf, "It's Santa! I know him!"
It wasn't until having a few different conversations recently that I realized how quiet some people can be about what it is they do, whether it is a youth pastor shying away form telling strangers his title for fear of being treated differently or a CEO not wanting others to think he is too rich or not in touch with other people.
I think it goes back to wanting to stay relate-able to our fellow man, not wanting to make others feel uncomfortable or less fortunate or pitied or whatever.
It makes me think about how at times I think about how cool it would be to do another type of ministry, moving to San Francisco to help fight poverty alongside college aged students, or having some type of really cool surf ministry or starting an adventure rec company that takes people on adventures where the only thing they can take is a canteen (No Nalgenes or Camelbacks permitted, just canteens) and their faith in the Lord.
It makes me think about how I feel insignificant in my role as a Youth Pastor sometimes, how I am not doing enough things or being as relevant or as crazy as some of the other functioning ministries out there. But then I remember some scripture in 1 Corinthians 12 that tells me I have a specific function, I am where I am for a reason I have no reason to be ashamed of who I am or what I have been called to.
If everyone moved to the city to battle poverty, the kids who grow up on farms will be left with no one to lead them. If everyone ran a surf ministry, the people who are terrified of dark water would be left behind (Hey, it's scary, you can't see what is down there and a crazy huge fish could eat you whole, it's possible, ask Jonah).
I guess what I am saying is, be content with what you do and who you are in the Lord. God has put us where we are for a reason, be there and be stoked for the opportunity to serve.
Do you feel like the place you are at gets stale sometimes or do you dream of something bigger? What is it? Leave a comment and start the conversation.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Three Weeks to Myself
I like Youth Ministry for a lot of different reasons, first and foremost I get paid to do something that I would volunteer for if I had another job, teaching students about God to hopefully move them to a place of genuine worship to Him is something that is exciting for me to see. Another reason that I enjoy working in full-time ministry is I get to make the schedule, not just for the students but for myself. Am I expected to be in the office from Sunday through Thursday? Yup, but that doesn't mean I sit at my desk and do mindless things all day, that means that I should come and check in and then go do ministry, whether that be going on to campuses to have lunch, meet with students for coffee, or take leaders out to lunch, I am free to do ministry the way I want to do it (as long as the bossman says it's okay).
I write this because I like being out and about and doing things with students and leaders and this time of year gets kind of boring for me. After our High School lock-in we shutdown for three weeks. We don't have any Youth Group, we have no Sunday School, and for the most part I don't see many of my students until things start back up. So in these three weeks a few things happen:
1. I clean my office- Now some of you may be thinking to yourself, "But Peter, you seem like such a clean and organized person who is slightly OCD and needs everything to be in its place." To you I say, "Hello, we have obviously never met before, I'm Peter, whats your name?" I work amongst messiness, actually as I type this there is a coffee cup four feet away that has turned into my own personal garden. This is a time for me to clean off my desk and dust my shelves.
2. I read- Sure it may be The Voyage of the Dawn Treader so I can go see the movie and talk about how inconsistent it is with the book, but it is a time for me to slow down a little bit and pour back into myself. Ministry gets so busy and a lot of times you forget to nourish yourself so during this time I make sure that I am getting the water I need to prevent burnout.
3. I plan- A lot of Youth Pastors try and get their whole year planned in August, I can't do that. I have before and it seemed like a disaster, I need to constantly change and move things to keep up with the ever changing dynamic of my ministry. During these three weeks I plan out our Spring, I put our Winter Retreat planning into full gear, I start preliminary planning for our mission trip, and I get ready to Rock and Roll for the next few months.
By the end of these weeks am I going crazy and really looking forward to seeing my students and preaching the word? Absolutely, but I also recognize the importance of these three weeks to my sanity, my family's sanity, and also my ministry.
What are some things you do over the Holidays to ensure your sanity for the coming year?
I write this because I like being out and about and doing things with students and leaders and this time of year gets kind of boring for me. After our High School lock-in we shutdown for three weeks. We don't have any Youth Group, we have no Sunday School, and for the most part I don't see many of my students until things start back up. So in these three weeks a few things happen:
1. I clean my office- Now some of you may be thinking to yourself, "But Peter, you seem like such a clean and organized person who is slightly OCD and needs everything to be in its place." To you I say, "Hello, we have obviously never met before, I'm Peter, whats your name?" I work amongst messiness, actually as I type this there is a coffee cup four feet away that has turned into my own personal garden. This is a time for me to clean off my desk and dust my shelves.
2. I read- Sure it may be The Voyage of the Dawn Treader so I can go see the movie and talk about how inconsistent it is with the book, but it is a time for me to slow down a little bit and pour back into myself. Ministry gets so busy and a lot of times you forget to nourish yourself so during this time I make sure that I am getting the water I need to prevent burnout.
3. I plan- A lot of Youth Pastors try and get their whole year planned in August, I can't do that. I have before and it seemed like a disaster, I need to constantly change and move things to keep up with the ever changing dynamic of my ministry. During these three weeks I plan out our Spring, I put our Winter Retreat planning into full gear, I start preliminary planning for our mission trip, and I get ready to Rock and Roll for the next few months.
By the end of these weeks am I going crazy and really looking forward to seeing my students and preaching the word? Absolutely, but I also recognize the importance of these three weeks to my sanity, my family's sanity, and also my ministry.
What are some things you do over the Holidays to ensure your sanity for the coming year?
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Ministry
Tony Robinson once said, "Leadership is learning to disappoint people at a rate that they can handle." The more I am in a leadership role the more I understand this quote. And it isn't so much that I just disappoint people all day, which at times I do, but it is being able to steer ministry in the direction that I see fit after prayerful consideration on my parts and my supporting staffs part. Thats casting vision, thats what a leader does.
And it isn't so much that people are mad at me when I have to disappoint them, it is that I feel like it is harder on me. I am not a fan of people being upset, I am not a fan of being in trouble (ask my mom, I cried when the dog got punished, much less when I did), and I am not a fan of letting people down. If I could I would make it so everyone could do and say exactly what they felt, however, that doesn't mesh with the direction of our ministry.
I once had a man approach me about teaching our High School girls about the importance of not having sex until they were married. I agreed with him that this was an important topic, which is why I have Amanda Silva (Our High School Girls volunteer) teach a bible study based solely on abstinence over the course of the entire summer. I didn't agree with the way in which he wanted to do it, he wanted me to teach from a non-biblical perspective using Tiger Woods as our model of what men are to women outside of wedlock, or in his case inside of wedlock.
First of all, as a Pastor I never want to teach something in the church that is not biblical. That is what I am hired to do, Make God look good and Christ well known to the next generation of students. Secondly, just because there is a pop-culture reference staring us in the face doesn't mean we have to jump on the band wagon and use it is an object lesson. Regardless, I told the man that we had planned to teach a series based on abstinence to our girls (and our guys) but I appreciated his input. He wasn't happy that I turned down his idea, but it didn't fit into what our ministry was trying to accomplish at the time.
Ministry is tough, it's about hard conversations, it's about letting people down, it's about failing but moving forward, it's about encouraging people regularly but regardless of your work they remain stagnant. But we are called to minister to others, we are called to spread the word of God using the gifts and talents he has given us, how cool is that?! I know I am kind of rambling but these were some musing that were on my heart today. As my buddy Ryan would say, Peace and Grace.
And it isn't so much that people are mad at me when I have to disappoint them, it is that I feel like it is harder on me. I am not a fan of people being upset, I am not a fan of being in trouble (ask my mom, I cried when the dog got punished, much less when I did), and I am not a fan of letting people down. If I could I would make it so everyone could do and say exactly what they felt, however, that doesn't mesh with the direction of our ministry.
I once had a man approach me about teaching our High School girls about the importance of not having sex until they were married. I agreed with him that this was an important topic, which is why I have Amanda Silva (Our High School Girls volunteer) teach a bible study based solely on abstinence over the course of the entire summer. I didn't agree with the way in which he wanted to do it, he wanted me to teach from a non-biblical perspective using Tiger Woods as our model of what men are to women outside of wedlock, or in his case inside of wedlock.
First of all, as a Pastor I never want to teach something in the church that is not biblical. That is what I am hired to do, Make God look good and Christ well known to the next generation of students. Secondly, just because there is a pop-culture reference staring us in the face doesn't mean we have to jump on the band wagon and use it is an object lesson. Regardless, I told the man that we had planned to teach a series based on abstinence to our girls (and our guys) but I appreciated his input. He wasn't happy that I turned down his idea, but it didn't fit into what our ministry was trying to accomplish at the time.
Ministry is tough, it's about hard conversations, it's about letting people down, it's about failing but moving forward, it's about encouraging people regularly but regardless of your work they remain stagnant. But we are called to minister to others, we are called to spread the word of God using the gifts and talents he has given us, how cool is that?! I know I am kind of rambling but these were some musing that were on my heart today. As my buddy Ryan would say, Peace and Grace.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Covenant
So in this season of ministry, Spring, I have a tough turnaround from Wednesday to Thursday. Wednesday is usually my longest day of the week, I get to work around 8:30-8:45 and don't get home for the day until around 9 at night. Its doable, I am not exhausted, I usually have enough energy to turn on the American Idol results show and internally mock Simon's v-neck, switch over to SportsCenter to mourn the passing of the Giants talent, and grab a delightful cheddar cheese snack before I turn in for the night.
I wake up about 6 hours later to the two separate alarms I set reminding me that I have students coming to my house in 15 minutes. I need coffee and a bathroom stop or else (1.)I will fall asleep in the middle of my lesson, or (2.)no one will want to sit by me because of the gurgling of my bowels. But enough about bowel gurgling... okay there is no easy segue out of this topic so lets just stop.
My Covenant group students show up at 6:10 and leave at 7:20. They committed to this in-depth bible study in February and are now 2 weeks away from completion and I am ecstatic about these students and their hearts for the Lord.
The weird thing is, going on 6 hours of sleep after my longest work day of the week I tend to be most productive on Thursdays. I have decided it is because I get energized by my core group of students who want to wake up early to experience God in a real way. These are kids who are interested in being transformed by the gospel, they aren't interested in mere knowledge of Christ, they want to experience the life altering ability that accepting Christ has.
It might also have something to do with the amount of coffee I drink in the morning, but I am going to go with the former, because it's a cool thing when you see students rising up to take their place.
(P.S. The Picture is our Covenant Group's Logo, in case you were wondering, or it's Tim Lincecum with a rotary style telephone in his back pocket. Which ever you prefer.)
I wake up about 6 hours later to the two separate alarms I set reminding me that I have students coming to my house in 15 minutes. I need coffee and a bathroom stop or else (1.)I will fall asleep in the middle of my lesson, or (2.)no one will want to sit by me because of the gurgling of my bowels. But enough about bowel gurgling... okay there is no easy segue out of this topic so lets just stop.
My Covenant group students show up at 6:10 and leave at 7:20. They committed to this in-depth bible study in February and are now 2 weeks away from completion and I am ecstatic about these students and their hearts for the Lord.
The weird thing is, going on 6 hours of sleep after my longest work day of the week I tend to be most productive on Thursdays. I have decided it is because I get energized by my core group of students who want to wake up early to experience God in a real way. These are kids who are interested in being transformed by the gospel, they aren't interested in mere knowledge of Christ, they want to experience the life altering ability that accepting Christ has.
It might also have something to do with the amount of coffee I drink in the morning, but I am going to go with the former, because it's a cool thing when you see students rising up to take their place.
(P.S. The Picture is our Covenant Group's Logo, in case you were wondering, or it's Tim Lincecum with a rotary style telephone in his back pocket. Which ever you prefer.)
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