Ramblings on the Way

Dinoshark

2012-02-15T14:07:00.003+11:00

If you're a long-time reader of this blog then you'll know that I will gladly spend 90 or so minutes watching less-than-top-notch SiFi films (Like Sharktopus or Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus)

Today I had a meeting get postponed.

How do I pass the time?

Spend time with my heavily pregnant wife or watch Dinoshark?

Dinoshark wins!

Upgrading self

2012-02-15T11:52:00.003+11:00

For a long time I've had a thought about leadership sent to me each day. The deal is simple, John Maxwell is given a word and he speaks about it for approximately one minute.

This one about the word "SELF" has stuck with me since I heard it.

When speaking about this word, John mentions that to improve an organisation, one area is often neglected. When we want to increase what we do, or the way we do it, we all-to-rarely look at improving ourselves.

I've been in plenty of church-based circumstances where I've wanted things to get better.

Like plenty of others, I have avoided seeing a place to improve in the mirror...

Meeting euthanising

2012-02-13T18:41:00.005+11:00

I've written a bit about meetings. Good meetings. Bad meetings. Productive meetings. Mind-numbing, kill-me-now meetings.

When you work for a church, or are just an active member of a congregation, you have lots of meetings.

I had one last night.

As the meeting was arranged I was told that the term "meeting" was... unproductive. In fact, I recall being told that it sucked.

The more I think about it, the more I agree.

The term "meeting" should be stricken from the church vernacular.
So should "think tank."
So should "committee."
For good measure, toss in "consultation."

Churches should work in terms of "conversations," "gatherings" and "get togethers."

Maybe we'd have more people attend our "meetings" then.

Guest Post: Breastfeeding adults

2012-02-12T13:30:00.004+11:00

Some of you will know Liam. If not, he was the best man at my wedding and we shared an office at our home church doing youth and children's ministry.

A few weeks ago we were having a chat which, in part, opened the door to this guest post. If you dare, you can track down the Little Britain skit on YouTube. BE WARNED! NSFW.

Thanks Liam!

There is one word that I can say to my wife that will cause instant repulsion. Her face will cringe, her arms will cross, and her brow furrow at this word. I will be told to not say it again, and that if I do, that I can sleep on the couch. ‘What is this abomination that causes desolation?’, I hear you ask. Well here it is …

‘Bitty’

Not so bad, hey? Unless you’ve seen the Little Britain skit from which it comes. In case you haven’t seen it, the skit starts off with a man, in his thirties, taking his new girlfriend to meet his parents for the first time. Everything is going swimmingly, and the family is very upright and proper. Until … the son (remember, clearly a man in his 30s) says to his mother ‘bitty, bitty, I want bitty.’ At which point, the mother, to the shock of the girlfriend (and the viewer) proceeds to breastfeed here fully grown son. Total gag-fest. Gross to the max. Defs totes disgusting.

Yep, mentioning that skit totally repulses my wife and gets me in a lot of trouble. And fair enough. There is something very abnormal and just-not-right about a man that is still totally babied by his parents. But, the babying of young Christians happens way too often in our churches, and nobody bats an eyelid. They just accept it as normal. Thankfully, it’s nothing like the Little Britain skit, but it is still a matter of concern. What does it look like though?

Well, it’s much more subtle. Kids who grow up in a Christian home tend to take on the faith of their parents in the early years. They go to their parent’s church, mimic their parents prayers, and generally believe whatever their parents tell them. This is cool, but it’s not meant to last forever, and one way or another it won’t. Christian parents need to be, as early as possible, I believe, giving their kids the chance to develop their own faith and trust in Jesus. One family that I know, actually encourage their kids to go and find their own church as soon as they turn 13. Huge move for the kids, but it gets them thinking about finding a church that they can grow in and contribute to.

Unfortunately, I don’t see too many Christian parents empowering their kids to develop a thriving faith in Jesus. More often than not, I see parents who make their kids go to church every Sunday morning until the age of 18. They never really have a choice in the matter, and it feels like something to do to keep mum and dad happy. 18 comes along, and then they disappear.

This should be as upsetting as seeing a grown man breastfeeding.

Alltop inclusion

2012-02-11T14:24:00.004+11:00

Today I was informed that my blog is now listed at Alltop.com under the Christian Church category (if you don't know, Alltop's like an online magazine rack for blogs).

As I've mentioned before, Alltop is a place where I kill plenty of hours, trawling around the Christianity, Christian Church, Leadership, Speaking and Blogging topics.

No matter what weird interest you have, Alltop is almost assured to point you to blogs within that niche.

To be listed is really cool (and kind of humbling when I think about all the amazing blogs which are already there).

Flop costs?

2012-02-09T11:45:00.003+11:00

If this event ABSOLUTELY flops, what would it cost us?
Predictably, what is the worst that could happen?

Church leaders like to say that failure is an okay option... (not preferred, but an acceptable outcome)

Some new activities churches try will fail. They will flop. And it may not be their fault.

But failure is only a danger of they are willing to try something.

Try a new lunchtime group in the local school.
Try to connect with their neighbours by hosting a block party.
Try to engage seekers by hosting an Alpha course.

Sometimes we need to ask the opening questions of this post and decide to put our finances, facilities and egos at risk.

Responsibly, what is the worst that can happen?

The family BBQ is a flop? It costs us sausages.
No one comes to the marriage enrichment course? The leader may be sightly embarrassed.

Perhaps, if we weigh up these relatively insignificant costs against the potential rewards, we would be willing to try more things???

Living in someone elses' generosity

2012-02-06T21:11:00.004+11:00

Previously I've written about potential awkwardness created when the topic of bequests (money left to the church, sometimes earmarked for specific purposes, once someone has died) is rasied.

Last week I was told that there are people who are hired by the church to do the "bequest request." (Would they be the closest the church has to the angel of death? The essclesiastical Grim Reamer?)

But bequests are a phenominal way for the saints of the past to leave a legacy for the future. Many churches are living in the midst of their generosity.

The wages of staff members are paid.
Grants for new ministries come from these funds.
New properties are purchased.

In fact, my position is funded by the generosity of someone who is now "with the Lord."

In a time when it can be all too common, and too easy, to bag out "the oldies," perhaps we should be thankful that many good things the church is currently doing is (in part) able to happen due to bequests.

Come, Go, Come

2012-02-02T19:07:00.007+11:00

In this post I said that I'd write about the short-mid term plan for the youth ministry of my church.

The plan is pretty simple.

COME: The children's ministry has kids come to us. Sure, we make contact in schools, but the bulk of our programs happen "on our turf." In short, kids (particularly school years 3-6) still come to us. Parents prefer it at this age.

GO: When dealing with teens we change tack. Instead of them coming to us, focus on going to them. We are heavily involved in the schools. We teach scripture. We get involved in the Christian activities at the school. What we hold and advertise is, primarily, not "on our turf."

Why would any church do this?

First, people are less likely to attend things on a church premises. They may be interested in exploring God and the meaning of faith, but they are increasingly less keen to darken the church doors.

Second, when Jesus sent out his disciples He told them to "go." He did not instruct His followers to wait for people to approach them.

So this year I'm aiming to "go."

To meet more kids ''on their turf."

Sure, we'll still do things to care and nurture the teens who are already plugged in, but it's time to decouple from the church building.

COME: Over time, those who have a relationship with the share spiritual conversations are invited to more activities in the church building, being integrated into the church family.

Opening up the kitchen?

2012-01-31T16:27:00.004+11:00

Last night, while a few of the young adults were discussing the evening service one of the guys said something about preaching which I'd seen previously.

He said that the sermon was more like the dinner table, not the kitchen.

At the dinner table you present the finished product.
In the kitchen you craft what you are going to display.

I've been in a church services where the person giving the sermon was giving an academic paper. He walked us through the entire recipe from start to finish. It even included footnotes. No kidding, freakin' footnotes.

Sometimes, details need to be shared.
Sometimes, it is good to know where the person up the front has gone to shape their thinking.
Sometimes we need to glance at the recipe book.

The vast majority of the time? This is not the case...

I've previously written that story trumps theologian. It sure trumps footnotes.

Did you catch that?

2012-01-30T16:23:00.003+11:00

Every so often I get the twisted need to slip them in. I slyly insert them into sermons, chapel talks and scripture lessons.

Last Sunday I had to slide in a subtle quip about Dollarmites and the film Fight Club.

Trouble is, some in the audience wouldn't have had any idea what a Dollarmite was, and, since the Fight Club reference was totally improv, I pointed out what I did.

They say, if you need to explain a joke, it flops.

Or perhaps I just forget how old and out of touch I can be...

Limited arsenal

2012-01-29T23:14:00.002+11:00

A dinosaur. Brontosaurus' to be exact. They always go first.
Then a stegosaurus.
Perhaps a palm tree.
Then a great white shark.
Then a horse.
Finally a turtle.
Then a flower.

That's it.

Of what do I speak?

My drawing arsenal.

This morning, to entertain seven year old girl in church, we drew pictures together during the sermon (our kids programs don't kick off until next week).

The whole time I was fearing one thing... I hope she doesn't want me to draw something outside of my drawing arsenal.

If so... I'm screwed.

Communervise?

2012-01-25T18:28:00.009+11:00

INCLUDING HOLY COMMUNION

If this were on the sign out the front of a church, attached with the advertisement of a church service, then I don't think most people would be more inclined to attend.

Why?

Because, if I weren't a Christian, I would have little idea what the above sentence would exactly mean.

Maybe it's just the way I view things, but perhaps the church overestimates either a)the amount or accuracy which non-believers understand what happens during church services, or b) that everything we do is attractive to an outsider.

Invite or NOT invite?

2012-01-23T19:03:00.004+11:00

Today an interesting question was raised on this Facebook page.

The question revolved around inviting people to church and why many (let's be honest, the majority) don't seem to do so.

The author wondered...
When most people look around their regular church service, do they see more reasons TO invite someone else, or NOT invite someone?
When we gaze around are we inwardly embarrassed by what is going on (or what the perception of their invitee would be)?
Are we so entrapped in the Christian bubble that we don't have anyone in our life who needs to be invited to a church?

I don't have the magic answer, but they are good questions to be pondering...

Cyber planning

2012-01-20T20:54:00.005+11:00

Over the last few days I've been putting together a visual for my come-go-come 2012 youth ministry plan (I'll post about this in more detail soon). This, combined with a conversation I had yesterday, brought forward a fresh element to my usual plans.

Churches need to plan for the cyber world.

Ministries need to have an intentional strategy of how they will use social media, such as Facebook, and their website (either their own or wider churches).

Ministries need to evaluate how they will use the virtual world to communicate with those who are regulars, those who are seeking or on the fringe and (in the case of youth ministry) parents.

Ministry Mutiny musings

2012-01-18T20:14:00.009+11:00

After more than 950 posts, I can't recall ever recommending a book on this blog.

Sure, I may mention a book if I'm reading it and it's inspired a ramble, but never given a you-should-read-this-book pitch.

Now is that time.

If you are a youth minister or involved in a youth ministry (as a volunteer concerned parent or senior minister) then you should read "Ministry Mutiny" by Greg Stier.

Initially, I got the e-book for free off the web, but I can now only track down a study guide here.

The book has the simple backdrop of an experienced youth minister having a series of meetings with a younger, battle scared, youth minister on the verge of resigning.

I identified with a lot in this book. It has a lot of quirky little things which youth ministers will recognise. I identified with the younger bloke who has his first child on the way and is worried about what a ministry future would hold. If you're wondering about the future, then this book is for you.

Every time I've typed my resignation letter it has been for amicable reasons. But I've had days and weeks where I've wanted to vomit one out. In this, I am not alone. If you've been in that place, or are there now, then this book is for you.

I loved the simple, but game changing ideas.

Listen for God's Whisper - Take time out to personally connect with God. This will effect the nature of the relationship you have with God, impact the way you do ministry and the direction it takes.

Get Real - Be genuine. Launch into and encourage life sharing conversations (an idea I hope to launch in 2012) over diatribes. Don't lose the message of Christ in the "honourable" aim of "friendship evangelism."

The next two chapters revolve around the Great Commission.

Go Wide - Jesus tells his followers to find and reach out to those who don't know God. We need to share the message of Christ locally and beyond. Make telling the gospel message a priority in your youth gatherings. We should push our teens to take their faith continually wider.

Grow Deep - Don't be shy on teaching and obedience. You can be attractive to "seekers" without skimping on teaching God's truth. When teaching teens the fundamentals of following Jesus, and are not shy at encouraging kids to live their faith out, then you are equipping then for a lasting relationship with their Maker. We should push our teens to take their faith continually deeper.

No More Outsourcing - Parents are not the enemy, but our ministry partners. We are not their substitutes, but their ministry partners. Teens should see adults living out a genuine, vibrant faith. Especially work at encouraging this in the lives of believing parents. Share with parents what you are going to be sharing with their kids.

Build on Values, Not Fads - The fundamentals don't change. Methods may get tweaked and the wrapping get shinier, but the core things are unchanging. Acts 2:41-47 is a brilliant blueprint for effective ministry. Don't keep worshipping at the alter-of-the-next-new-thing.

If it were up to me, I would read this and "Your First Two Years in Youth Ministry" by Doug Fields with any new youth minister.

Public prayer spiel

2012-01-16T20:52:00.003+11:00

I'll admit...

I listen. Kinda.
I zone out.
I wonder about the choice of words spoken.
I sometimes struggle to personally connect with God during this time.

Of when do I speak?
When someone prays aloud during a church service.

Previously I've written that I'm not a massive fan of liturgy during church services (or at least the effectiveness in how it's usually done) here.

Whilst away at camp I did something slightly different before I lead the teens in prayer.

I encouraged the teens to do more than eavesdrop on my conversation with God.
I encouraged the teens to fight against zoning out.
I encouraged the teens to think about my words as OUR words.
I encouraged the teens to think about this time of prayer as OUR conversation with God.

During the week I gave the intro twice, the first time unplanned, and I think it really helped each time.

Chess ministry growth

2012-01-15T11:58:00.003+11:00

A ministry can move in a number of directions. Hopefully it moves forward.

But every ministry is not meant to move in the same way or at the same speed.

I think ministries move like chess pieces...

Pawn - The ministry is making steady, plodding, progress.

Bishop - The ministry is moving in down a slightly new path.

Knight - The ministry is doing something completely different.

Castle - The ministry is in a time of consolidation.

Queen - The ministry is aggressively on the march, taking ground off the enemy.

King - The ministry is in survival mode.

Own the room

2012-01-13T16:03:00.004+11:00

I like to be in control. I like to have things set up the way I desire.

In speaker terms, I like to "own the room" (plenty of speaker blogs say this is a good thing, like this one, or this one).

When I first arrive at an unfamiliar venue where I'm speaking, I give extra time to get familiar with the surroundings. I've arrived hours early and awoken at the crack of dawn to be comfortable with the speaking environment. Ideally, I get to give a run through of the entire talk where I'm actually going to be giving it.

If "owning the room" means that I have to move things, then (within reasons), so be it.

To check out the space, I arrived extra early at the camp I spoke at this week.

Honestly, it wasn't great. The space was cramped. It was untidy. The projector was on a tragic angle compared to the screen. Even the host mentioned that the space wasn't what they expected upon arrival.

So I made some slight changes. I tidied up. I created more space by moving an armchair and a table. I helped adjust the projector by placing a small table under it.

I didn't change the world, but I did feel more comfortable in the room.

On Wednesday I couldn't control the surrounding I spoke in. Bonfires aren't very co-operative.

As I alluded to yesterday, the setting was... challenging.

I spoke on the edge of a fire pit with smoke intermittently choking both myself and the teens.
When the wind picked up, the teens were showered by hot sparks.
Before I started there were drops of rain.

Some things are out of a speakers control. Kids cry. The power cuts out. The bonfire throws a tantrum like a baby with nasty nappy rash.

At those times you make the best of a bad situation.

Otherwise, I aim to own the room.

Success standard?

2012-01-12T11:21:00.004+11:00

Last night I gave a talk around the bonfire at the camp I'm currently engaged in (I'll write tomorrow about the... challenging... experience that was).

The talk itself was nothing more than alright. At least in my mind.

Others said it was really good.

So... Who is right? Was the talk a success?

Whilst the talk wasn't a shocker, I'm not convinced execution is an accurate marker for success. Delivery is a detail, not the bulls eye.

What does count is response. How did those listening respond and how did the Spirit of God use what was said?

Make my body sing!

2012-01-10T14:46:00.003+11:00

I previously mentioned that I'm currently speaking at a camp. During my intro last night, my brief brush with television fame was mentioned.

My "big break" was in a banana commercial. If you watch very carefully below you'll spot my old rugby union team in the red & blue. We aren't on the screen for long (only on for two seconds, starting 15 seconds into the clip, and flashing up at 1:03).

I know, I'm also shocked that this was not the start of my flourishing acting career.

Container messages

2012-01-10T13:20:00.005+11:00

I'll admit... They are convenient. They are a useful size, portable and relatively sturdy. They are downright handy.

Of what do I write? Empty beer cartons.

An empty case of beer can be downright handy to transport and store things.

On numerous occasions I've seen them being used to store and transport things in churches. And whenever I do it makes me feel uncomfortable.

Especially when it happens in a youth ministry setting.

Perhaps it hasn't occurred to the person, or maybe the head honcho is oblivious to what is going on, but the subtle message that must be sent to teens is surely less than helpful.

Generating cheesy consumers

2012-01-08T12:05:00.003+11:00

I give out a love of crap at my church. Much of it good fun. But in the cold light of day it is really useless, cheap crap. Useless, cheap crap that may possibly have the letters JESUS or GOD on the side.

Whistles, lights, bells, puzzles, bouncy balls, kazoos, eye patches, pencils... all cheesy christian crap.

Sometimes I wonder if it is doing more harm than good.

When I arrived at my current job they ended each term with a game that gave away these sorts of prizes. I thought it was not harmful, so I continued the trend.

By the end of 2011 I started to taper off the presents.

The reason?

They were costing a heap of coin, they didn't really achieve anything, the prizes usually annoyed the leaders (and parents!) and, finally, they have a danger of creating a spirit of entitlement.

For better or worse, youth ministry continually flirts with creating this spirit.

We cater our programs to the kids.
We model our activity space to be as pleasing as possible.
We provide everything with as little fuss to the kids as is reasonable.

Perhaps this is one of the reasons why the drop-out rate is significant once teens pop-out-the-top-of-the-system and this pandering ceases?

Not teaching vanilla

2012-01-05T21:16:00.004+11:00

Next week I'm giving a series of talks on Deuteronomy at a camp.

As a speaker wanting to avoid potential awkwardness, I checked if the group had previously done a study on the book.

This request, accompanied with the first suggestion of the topic, was met with the light-hearted question "Has any youth group ever had a series on that book?!?"

I suspect, the answer is "Probably not."

I think many youth groups haven't heard a series on Deuteronomy due to the leaning of too many youth ministers to teach vanilla.

To teach the plain. The ordinary. The flavourless.

I'm not suggesting that a wave of lengthy series on Zechariah should sweep the globe, but (like it did with Deuteronomy), if it fits the message that you think the your audience needs to hear, it shouldn't be avoided either.

I'm really looking forward to next week and plumbing some of the depths of Deuteronomy.

Bible bites

2012-01-04T12:20:00.002+11:00

Since late September, I've been writing small thoughts about bible passages on Facebook called Tiny Bible Bits (which I wrote about here).

One thing I do miss is posting my, sometimes insightful, often inane thoughts about passages of scripture that I stumble over.

So, here are a few of the things which I've picked up on and shared in the last 3 or so months...

Acts 4:13 - Peter and John were ordinary. It was recognisable. Yet God used them to change the world. The difference maker? Being with Jesus.

Romans 15:4 - When we read the bible we should be taught, encouraged and more hopeful. Once we read the scriptures our attitudes should be changed. Reading what God has done in the past should affect how we face today and the confidence we have in facing tomorrow.

Philippians 4:8 - This passage has as much to say about what we are to think about as it says what SHOULD NOT occupy our thoughts. We are not to ponder what is false; or what is immoral; or what or wrong; or what is dirty; or what is disgusting; or what is to be hidden.

1 Peter 3:15-16 - When you share your faith, don't be a jerk.

Revelation 3:20 - Jesus is not Rambo. He patiently knocks and waits for the door to be opened, he will not drag someone kicking and screaming.

Ephesians 4:26-27 - Anger is not wrong. It is okay to get angry about the things that anger God like poverty, injustice and sin.

Matthew 28:18-20 - We need to GO and make disciples, not expect them to come to us.

Judges 16:21-22 - Even thought, by his own doing, this is was Samson's lowest moment, God still showed His faithfulness.

Jeremiah 29:11 & Romans 8:28-29 - God has a plan for your life, like He did for Israel. Like them, the point isn't comfort, it if to (re)connect with God and become more like Jesus.

Philippians 2:9 - Jesus is the name above all names, including our own.

Deuteronomy 1:21-22 - The spies were sent to find a route into the Promised Land, not to see if they should go. This was a mission of HOW, not SHOULD.

Deuteronomy 4:1 - Why should you bother living God's way? It is for our benefit.

2011 Best of...

2011-12-30T19:21:00.003+11:00

Since I don't have enough hours in the day to do a best-of list on New Years Eve (since I'll be writing a series of talks tomorrow, going to my niece's birthday, do the finishing touches on Sunday's kids talk (yeah... I'm working on New Year's Day!), getting ready to bring in 2012 and squeezing in a bit of gardening) here are the highlights of the past 12, Ramble-iffic, months.

EXCITING NEWS!!! (find out why next year should be a great year!)

Teens and suicide

Leading on empty

You don't have to be full time

Visionating a new name

The good words #2

Suffering 1, 2, 3, 4

This one time...

Youth group excuses

Problem input

Random Graham

Voice credibility

Why do they call Good Friday good? (my most viewed post)

How could God allow sin to enter the world in the first place?

Osama reaction

Losing your main players

The year that DOESN'T leave

Pulling the strings

Faith AND patience

Teddy health

Breaking in the newbie

Before I go...

Youth ministry costs

Really average?

Prayer answers

The road to manhood

Tiny Bible Bits

Space, Permission & Validity

Who is worthy?

Finding mission & purpose

Are all religions the same?

Festive postings

Auditing

2011-12-29T11:03:00.003+11:00

So... What are you going to do all week?

Like many youth ministers, I expect to hear that question a lot over Summer.

Around writing camp talks for a gig I've got in a few weeks, over the next few days (if my work computer and I get along) I'll do my end of year money and kid audits.

Like every church, we keep track of the coming and going of both cash and young people.

Why bother cracking out the spreadsheets and crunching the numbers?

The reason is simple.

Cold. Hard. Facts.

Numbers don't lie and within them you can find out where we went well, where the system failed and what went totally off the rails.

Additionally, you are able to adjust your advertising and expenditure with your eyes wide open.

Sometimes you can fall into the trap of thinking a kid is a regular, but you find out that they actually only darken the door once a term. Hopefully, you are surprised the opposite way and discover teens who you thought were flakie, were around much more than you remembered.

Finally, once you discover how much moolah is in the war chest (or lack of!) you can then look at what resources you can purchase and what kind of advertising you can produce.

Why does Christmas matter?

2011-12-25T11:29:00.004+11:00

Today is a pretty big deal for Christians.

But why? Why does Christmas matter so much?

In short, Christmas is important to Christians, and a time to celebrate, as it marks the time when God Himself became one of us.

With the incarnation (God becoming flesh), God enters the world, making the effort to further reveal His nature, and ultimately, begin the process of removing the division between God and humanity.

Beyond this, the incarnation is significant as it changes the kind of relationship we can have with God.

He is not removed and distant from our experience. God is personally aware of what it is to live. He has laughed. He knows hunger. He has experienced loss and pain.

Through becoming human, we get a clearer revelation for what God is like. If we want to know what God thinks about the poor, or women, or those in authority, we have no further to look then when God took on flesh.

Christmas matters because it is a time when God became intimately personal, giving hope to the world and displaying the love God has for all creation.

Virgin = Pregnant?

2011-12-23T11:19:00.004+11:00

I'll confess, the idea of a virgin having a baby is difficult to swallow.

My folks had the "bird & the bees" talk with me and I've glanced over the "Where do I come from?" book.

So... Could Jesus' birth have come about the way the bible records it? Is it believable?

At worse, in a Mythbusters-type-way, I think it is plausible.

As I've previously written here, when dealing with the miraculous in the bible, the first question we should wrestle with is one of the existence and nature of God.

IF, the God of Genesis 1:1-4a exists, cares for humanity and is both influential and powerful enough to create everything, then the concept of a virgin birth (though totally foreign) is much more tolerable.

If you can create everything, why can't you make a virgin pregnant?

But... Does it matter anyway?

I think it does since,
a) It is recorded in the bible as both prophecy and narrative,
b) It signifies a new beginning in the path of salvation history, and
c) It points to the uniqueness of the one born.

The most prominent place that the virgin birth is referred to in the Old Testament is Isaiah 7:14, but some say that the word virgin in the passage is mistranslated. Some argue that the passage should say "young woman/girl," not "virgin."

Surely this doesn't stand up against the simple logic. If the lass was a faithful follower of God and was a "young unmarried woman" then she WOULD BE A VIRGIN ANYWAY!

Additionally, if we take the narrative as written, then Mary would definitely know if she was a virgin. She asks the obvious question in Luke 1:34!

Is the whole topic a deal breaker?
If you don't believe in the virgin birth, will you be turned away from heaven's doors?

I don't think so.
But, if you're skeptical, perhaps you should evaluate why this is the case.

Evil "Xmas"?

2011-12-22T12:56:00.004+11:00

In some circles, calling Christmas "Xmas" is an issue to get all hot and bothered over. Some think this is "taking Christ out of Christmas."

So... Is this is case?

Not really.

Xmas can certainly refer to Christmas due to the first Greek letter in the word Christos (the anointed one). It is from this term we get the word Christ.

If anything the X is just an abbreviation and not one to get flustered over... Unless very minor forms of time efficiency get under your skin.

Christmas = Pagan?

2011-12-21T11:08:00.004+11:00

I mentioned yesterday that their was significance to the date chosen to remember the birth of Christ.

Like many dates on the church calendar, this date was originally attached with pagan festivals, celebrating the lengthening of the days (the Winter solstice being a few days prior to December 25th).

It wasn't an uncommon occurrence for the church to give an already established time of celebration new meaning, making the transition simpler for all.

The connections that many of the traditions of Christmas to previous practices do not transform what they point towards today.

Why December 25th?

2011-12-20T18:15:00.004+11:00

Was that the ACTUAL birth date of Jesus?

In short, the answer is... probably not. There is a slim change that Jesus was born in late December due to the cold Winter weather. It is more likely that Jesus was born in the northern hemisphere Spring-Autumn (since the shepherds were in the fields and in Winter this would be improbable). Furthermore, the census would have been called during these warmer months due to the travel required.

The precise date of Jesus' birth is lost to history.

So... Why do we celebrate on December 25?

Simply, early Christians wanted a consistent date to remember the birth of Christ. Why not December 25?

There was significance in the date selected (I'll post why this is the case tomorrow).

In fact, depending which calendar you acknowledge (the Julian or the Gregorian) and what tradition you are attached to, Christmas is celebrated on alternate dates (such as January 7 in many Orthodox and Coptic Churches and January 10 in the Armenian Church).

Whilst we are in the realm of dates, Jesus wasn't born in 1AD.

The bloke who devised the modern division of BC/AD, a monk by then name of Dionysius Exiguus, miscalculated by a few years.

First, Herod the Great died in 4BC, and he is mentioned in the birth narratives.

Second, due to the multiple positions that Quiuinius held and the amount of time that a census took to span the Roman empire, we are fairly confident that Jesus was born somewhere around 7-4"BC." We know this due to the information we are given at the start of Luke 2 where we are told about Quirinius, who was the Roman governor of Syria, and the census that required Joseph and Mary to go to Bethlehem.

Why do they call it Christmas?

2011-12-19T15:30:00.003+11:00

I'd figure I'd start with an easy question first.

December 25th is called Christmas for two reasons...

1 - The date remembers and celebrates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. He said He was the Messiah (the long awaited, promised saviour from the Old Testament). The term Christ is not Jesus' surname, but refers to the term anointed (Christos in Greek).

2 - The later part of the title comes from celebration of communion that is held in many churches on Christmas Day, called Mass in the Catholic tradition.

Combine 1 & 2 to get CHRISTMAS!!!

Festive postings

2011-12-18T13:25:00.010+11:00

This week I'm going to do a series of posts based on common questions about Christmas. The posts are going to be on...

Why is it called Christmas?
Why December 25th?
Is Christmas really a pagan festival?
Is calling Christmas 'Xmas" bad?
Can you really believe the virgin birth?
Why does Christmas matter?

Is there one other question you would want answered?

2012 Reading plan

2011-12-18T13:01:00.002+11:00

For years I had a fairly structured bible reading plan.

Each fortnight I would focus on reading one book and make notes from what I learnt through study aids, sermons and other miscellaneous thoughts that popped into my head. As a result, I now have a dozen notebooks that I can refer to when doing sermon prep.

But this system started to get old around the start of the year and in 2012 I'm doing something new.

The system is not a brain-child of mine, I stumbled over it on a blog which I now cannot track down, and takes you through the entire bible in one year.

On Mondays you read 4 chapters of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the bible).
On Tuesdays you read 5 chapters of History (Joshua through to Esther).
On Wednesdays you read 5 chapters of Wisdom (Job through to Song of Songs)
On Thursdays you read 5 chapters of the Old Testament Prophets.
On Fridays you read 3 chapters of the Gospels.
On Saturday you read 3 chapters of the Epistles.
Finally, on Sunday, you have a day off, since you'll be hearing from the bible at church!

Always meant to be like this?

2011-12-16T14:36:00.003+11:00

At the end of a camp it is inevitable that you'll hear someone say that church "should always be like this."

I don't think so.

Conferences can be brilliant. Camps are great. Taking time out to re-energise and have some focused time with God is amazingly fruitful.

But, in reality, we aren't meant to live in that space 365 days a year.

The end of camps usually remind me of Isaiah 40:30-31 and what I wrote about the passage on the Tiny Bible Bits Facebook page.

We are not to run at full speed constantly.
It is unrealistic to always be at "maximum warp" with God.

Usually, we are walking.
Usually, we are making a steady pace.

In fact, this is one of the reasons why we appreciate the mountain-top experience that camps provide.

Your story?

2011-12-14T15:50:00.004+11:00

Christians, when they speak about their church to non-believers, should seek to answer these three questions...

What is their church struggling towards?
What does their church stand for?
What difference does the church make in their life?

These three areas are good to share because they speak against the negative stereotype that is often attached to the church.

The answers to these questions should show that the church is relevant to their community and purposefully heading towards a goal, is actually FOR something (as opposed to against everything) and the message they share is applicable in real life.

When symbols hurt

2011-12-12T16:52:00.004+11:00

Last night at church we had communion and included bread that had no gluten or lactose.

Earlier that day I had a conversation with someone who would have appreciated this since he, like my wife, has an adverse reaction to certain foods.

Our discussion revolved around the numerous objects which the church symbolically uses which may hold negative reactions for some.

If you are lactose intolerant or react adversely to foods containing gluten, communion is probably a struggle. How do you react when the "body of Christ" makes you feel ill?

More simply, what if you despise the taste of wine or grape juice?

If you had an absent or abusive father, how to do respond when you hear that God is your Heavenly Father?

I particularly wonder about the bread example since the number of food in-tolerances are on the rise and, in the past, many of then went undiagnosed.

What do they know?

2011-12-09T09:19:00.005+11:00

Churches hold within them tensions. All of them. Everywhere.

This isn't a sign of ill-health or conflict, it's just reality.

As I've written previously, these are different to problems since they are not designed to be solved, but managed.

One tension involves the congregation and staff/ministers.

The following is a tension I've seen and heard at every church. All of them. Everywhere.

The tension? What do the people know?

Lately, I've come to realise that this tension will never go away since
a) people are complex and retain/value different information,
b) new people (ideally) should be continually joining the faith community and
c) you can't teach everything about God, discipleship and the church immediately.

What I can to to manage the tension? Stop complaining about it and systematically work on point c).

If you don't intentionally teach those in the pews, you can't be annoyed when they are lacking in knowledge...

Sunday AM connections?

2011-12-06T12:44:00.003+11:00

I wonder who serves the people who are about on a Sunday morning?

Generally, the vast majority of Christians are either in a church service or sleeping in (one of the great reasons to attend later in the afternoon/evening).

Who is being the Christian witness to all the families who spend Sunday morning down at the beach or at the park with their kids?

Sure, those people can and, in an ideal world, should be bumping into believers during the est of the week... but what about Sunday morning???

One idea, which I always thought was impractical, was to release a portion of your morning service to serve and make connections during "church time" on a Sunday. Could a church every, instead of having their building be full of young families, intentionally invite them to make connections in their community in this time frame?

Saddleback is doing a pretty good initiative along these lines this Sunday, as reported here.

Question one

2011-12-05T17:02:00.008+11:00

There's nearly an infinite number of good ministry ideas and events that churches could initiate. If you can think of it, and it helps the community, then it is within the realms of possibility.

One question that needs to be asked from the onset of an embryonic idea is simple... Can we actually pull it off?

Churches need to realistically ponder, with their physical space, financial resources, manpower and desire for implementation, can they really put another thing on their plate, or should this idea hit the cutting room floor?

Tag identifier

2011-12-04T13:19:00.004+11:00

Every year I have to wear name tags on multiple occasions, whether it be church services, special events or conferences. I've written about my personal dislike of donning them here.

Yesterday I wore one on the the base of my shorts, about knee height.

The incident reminded me of a youth ministry conference I attended earlier in the year.

Since it was a mixed event, you could promptly tell those who worked with teens based on us all sharing the same odd habit... Our name tags were in obscure positions (like on the sleeve of the shirt, or back of the hat).

Turns out, to be a youth worker, you need to try and make locating your name tag a virtual game of "Where's Wally."

Planning time zones

2011-12-01T11:24:00.011+11:00

As the year winds down my church is conducting its "annual" staff reviews, and with this opportunity, my mind has been churning over the future and forward planning.

This Sunday, all going well, I'll look to speak in three time zones.

One Month. One Year. Five Years.

These are the margins most ministries tend to live in (along with this week!).

They ask...
What is happening immediately (this week)?
What is on the near horizon that needs to be set up now (one month)?
Where do we want to be in the short term (one year away)?
What does success in the longer term look like (five years)?

Are all religions the same?

2011-11-30T17:15:00.006+11:00

It sounds tolerant.
It sounds accepting.
It sounds like a statement of understanding.
Really?

I wonder about those who utter this statement.
I wonder because it isn’t any of the descriptions above.

When I hear this statement, the words that pop into my mind are either ignorant or wilfully dismissive.

I’ve previously said that all religions, at the core, seek to answer five questions. The reason I wonder if the person making this statement is ignorant, is due to the incredible differences that exist in the answering of these five major topics.

Perhaps, with good intentions, the questioner is unaware about what the various faiths teach. They may not know the divergences in doctrine.

Since when did different mean the same?

For example...

There are either many deities or one God. It can’t be both. Buddhism says very little about God.

There either is or isn’t more than one lifetime/existence. Some religions believe in reincarnation and others flatly deny it. Both cannot be true.

A supernatural being is in what He created, or God is separate from the creation. Not both.

Ditto for the existence of Karma or if you could work your way into heaven.

Either God could become an incarnate human or not. Some say that God become a man two millennia ago, others hold that this is outrageously blasphemous. Some say that Jesus rose from the dead whilst others think this is rubbish.

Various faiths hold that their religious texts are God’s accurate revelation about Himself and how He wants people to live.

In light of these, only two options remain in the mind of the “all-religions-are-the-same” proponents.

Either all religions are wrong (since none absolutely subscribe to religious uniformity... but Baha’i would be close) or the significant differences that exist are inconsequential.

Neither of these positions seem tolerant or understanding. At worst, the underlying motive could be arrogance.

How else would you call someone who genuinely held the opinion that “you are ALL wrong” or that “none of your truth claims REALLY matter”?

Wouldn’t it be more tolerant to understand what each faith, including atheism, holds to be truth and at least acknowledge that, IF one of them is accurate, then there will be specific consequences?

Non-negotiables

2011-11-28T14:17:00.005+11:00

What is indispensable in a church service?

I think the bible reading, sermon, prayer and offering are non-negotiables.

The first three should be fairly self explanatory. We need to hear from God, ponder what it says and how it applies to our lives and, as a community, lift up our needs before God.

The last one, for some, may be up for grabs. Not me.

I think the offering is essential since it's a physical act of worship and obedience. The offering is one important way of showing your heart for God.

Sure, I work for a church and some may say that this taints my viewpoint, but I find it odd when the offering is omitted.

Non-Holiday Holidays

2011-11-25T21:59:00.005+11:00

Whilst on holidays this week I had one job... Submit a guest post to More than DodgeBall. You can check out what I wrote here.

If you have an opinion about when youth ministers should take holidays, add to the conversation. For me, and plenty of others, this is an annual issue.

REPOST: Advertising Checklist

2011-11-24T12:16:00.003+11:00

This week I'm on holidays, so I'm going to repost some things which I've found useful over the last few weeks.

To get ready for next terms mail out I tweaked this from an old form that was floating around my previous church...

Is the event named? Does it give you an idea of what it actually is?

Is the event adequately described? Do you get a mental picture? Is there a website?

What age are you after? Is it clear?

Are the days and dates clear AND accurate?

Where is the event to be held? Where will we meet – event or church?

Does the advertisement say how many people will be there? Other churches? Local, state, national event?

How are we getting to the event? Driving – drivers declaration, directions, leaders/parents, convoy? Public Transport – timetable, cost?

What time does the event start and finish? Are parents picking them up? Is this different from normal?

Is the event catered? Will they need to eat before/after?

How much does it cost? Is it clear?

Are their early bird rates?

When do you have to pay? Pay all up front, part deposit or on day? How do they get the money to you and by what method – eft, cash, cheque?

Will they need to bring extra money – food, travel, bookstore?

Is the RSVP date clear? Is there time to realistically save the cash or fundraise if required? What are the consequences if you cancel?

How do you register? Form – included? Internet, verbal?

Do you need medical and transport forms to go on the event? Included in mailout?

Is there a “what to bring” list? Do you need a “not to bring” list? Climate? Themes?

Is there a speaker? Can you hear them/get more info on the web? Theologically aligned? Good communicator? Why were they invited?

Will there be music at the event? Can you hear them/get more info on the web? Why were they invited?

How can parents get more info? Are your contact details on the form? Email, phone, facebook, blog, website?

Are the flyers quality? Graphics, wording?

Are there typos or grammar errors? Independent proof reader?

Is Jesus, the gospel and the church clearly included in the advertisement? Bait & Switch?

REPOST: The Temple

2011-11-23T13:28:00.004+11:00

This week I'm on holidays, so I'm going to repost some things which I've found useful over the last few weeks.

My wife and I once had a conversation. In short, smoking is a deal breaker. I need to trade my wedding ring for my Winnie Blues.

It added to the reasons I already had written down not to puff away (actually it was something I wrote to give to a kid who asks).

First... It's costly. It costs you... you gotta buy them. It costs your work... they gotta pay you when you have a smoko. It costs everyone... we gotta pay to help look after you when you get ill.

Second... It's unhealthy. LOOK AT THE PACK!

It effects you adversely... It effects every organ. Skin, Extremities, Lungs, Heart, Brain, Arteries, Vision, Throat, Gums, Stroke, Loss of taste and smell, Stained teeth, Kidneys, Bladder, Stomach, Pancreas, Breathlessness...

It effects others adversely... As a result of passive smoking.

It even effects the unborn adversely... Miscarriage, SIDS, Under developed babies.

Third... It's unattractive. Check out the effects above and add the look, smell (on you - skin, breath, hair - and your clothes), smokers cough, skin discolouration. Want more proof? People ask to date and live with... NON smokers!

Fourth... It's controlling. Nicotine is addictive... Der. More so, you can't smoke in pubs, clubs, public buildings, shops, playgrounds, cars, others houses, restaurants...

Finally... 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. THE TEMPLE!!!

REPOST: The X Commandments

2011-11-22T11:50:00.006+11:00

This week I'm on holidays, so I'm going to repost a few things which I have found handy over the last few weeks...

The Ten Commandments of Youth Ministry Leadership...WARNING: I have broken each of the following... So as one who has failed...

I - Love Jesus - If you don't love God, then you're wasting your time. Worse, if you attempt to fake following Jesus, you will be found out. Eventually the kids will catch on that you're life doesn't match what you teach. Don't be a hypocrite.

II - Love and Care for the Kids - Be open and genuinely interested in those you have been given the privilege to lead. Share with them your experiences and ensure that the youngsters are safe in your care. Guard them spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally and relationally from any dangers... either from outsiders, yourself or others in the group.

III - Be the Adult - It may sound obvious, but you are the responsible one. You, believe it or not, ARE the leader. It may mean that you feel like the killjoy at times, that great jokes go unspoken and that the amazing prank only happens in your mind... But be the adult, not the teen.

IV - Lead by Example - You can't take others where you yourself haven't been or aren't prepared to go. Lead from the front. If you want kids to put on shoes, then wear them yourself. If you want them to listen, then do it yourself first. Sometimes this will mean that you need to go outside of your comfort zone and take the first step, but that's ok.

V - Be Aware of your Co-leader - If you have the blessing to have a co-leader, use it wisely! Be aware of their strengths and limitations. Be aware of their fluctuating energy levels and the things that irritate them. Support one another. Work as a team (yes, this means communication!). Utilise each others gifts. Show your co-leader that you are thankful that they are there!

VI - Know what's going on - Know the program. Know where you and your kids need to be. Be on time. Know what is required prior and during the activities that you're all involved in. If you don't know the answers follow the next commandment...

VII - Ask for Help - There is no such thing as a super-leader. Don't be so proud that you will choose to make an easily avoidable mistake. Learn from others experience. Ask advice from those who have gone through similar experiences and actually listen.

VIII - Travel in a Pack - In each group there will the enthusiastic kids and the slothful kids. One teenager will always want to rush ahead and one will move at snails pace. Aim to have as little gap between speedy teen and slow-poke youth.

IX - Complain Up - If you have issues, do something about it that will move towards a solution. Don't let bitterness, anger or miscommunication fester. Avoid gossip at all cost.

X - Have Fun and Create Memories- Despite the imposing nature of much of the above points, take time to smile. Create times to laugh. God's people should not be known as stick-in-the-mud's. Do things that are a little crazy. Climb a tree. Have a food fight. Spend time together and joke will arise. Enjoy hanging with your kids... Usually the most teachable moments are the ones that are unplanned.

Justifying stats

2011-11-19T13:47:00.004+11:00

Do an Internet search on how many Christians struggle with porn (both men and women).
Search for the stats on how much the average believer gives as a percentage of their income.
Track down the number of minister who commit sexual misconduct or theft.
Find out how many Christians actively partake in evangelism or invite others to church.
Compare the stats on divorce within the church against those who don't believe.

Most of the above categories make for ugly reading.

Whenever I stumble over these stats I feel a tender tug of temptation.
I no longer feel in the minority.
Somehow, the things I struggle with (or may even be tempted to flirt with), become increasingly justifyable.

But perhaps that's just me...

Unless I discover a stat which indicates otherwise (and then I'll feel better about myself).

What if you're not smart enough?

2011-11-17T18:51:00.012+11:00

By the looks of it, I could have a degree in a little over a year (If I did it full-time). This week I got the results back from my first few Bachelor of Theology subjects and found out that I will receive a heap of credit from my previous study.

If you want to work long-term in a church, the people usually demand that you have a BTh.

I'm no master of intellect, but I should scrape through with at least a solid pass mark.

I wonder what happens to those who want to go into ministry but are not academically wired enough to obtain a degree?

I readily admit that having the clergy educated and equipped is important, but what if you feel genuinely called into full-time ministry, but have ADD or dyslexia?

Put bluntly, what if you are too stupid to get the grades required?

How much does the church miss out because they demand a degree from their ministers?

Costly no-show

2011-11-15T11:20:00.004+11:00

Over the last few days the network has been down at church. No Internet. No connection to the photocopier/printer (very annoying!). No access to all the common files.

All I've had in my office is a computer with my old files.

So, in the name of procrastination, I started to go through them. In the process, I found the minutes of an old accountability group I was in when I started in ministry.

One thing that caught my eye was the punishment if you missed an arranged meeting. Unless it was an emergency (we weren't crazy legalists!), missing a meeting would set you back $30 (you would need to buy the other guys a CD... a hint at how long ago this was).

For important meetings, it seems life a good idea.

Make non-attendance costly.

I'm not talking about church council meetings, regular youth group or church. I'm specifically talking about accountability or planning meetings which have been set for a long time.

You need to buy lunch for the next meeting.
You need to purchase everyone's favourite chocolate bar and drink for next time.

The aim isn't to send someone bankrupt, but perhaps we need to put a price on skipping the group..

Member of what?

2011-11-14T15:48:00.003+11:00

In light of this poll on MorethanDodgeBall and the NCLS Survey that our church took part in yesterday, I've been wandering about what church (and specifically youth ministry) desires people to be a part of and if we are really successful.

I know, we want all people, not just teens, to put their faith in Christ. This is what the bible says and what we tell people. This is the aim.

BUT...
Do we actually create members of denominations or churches?
Do we actually create members of specific congregations?
Do we actually create members of niche specific groups?

The questions arise when I see teens "pop out the top" of the youth ministry cycle and then disappear. Where they actually "converted" to the youth group, not something more permanent?

Is the same thing reflected when, for whatever reason, a service shuts down (or is merged with another) and people vanish?

Is a similar thing displayed when someone moves and a church of their denomination isn't nearby, so they stop attending church altogether?

Does religion cause all wars?

2011-11-10T17:06:00.007+11:00

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may recognise the above words from John Lennon's song "Imagine." I used these words to kick off my talks in chapel, speaking on the topic "that religion causes all wars."

Unsurprisingly, I took a negative view of the topic.

I did concede that religion has been a FACTOR in conflicts. The evidence isn't hard to find with The Crusades, The Inquisitions and much of the violence in Ireland (amongst others) having to do with how people view God and how He should be worshipped.

But, war revolves around much more than just religion. Wars are declared and fought over land, power, oil, money, envy, revenge, racism, mistrust, fame and more. War, when boiled down, comes down to one of three reasons...

1 - You have something I want. I will take it.
2 - I have something which you reckon you deserve. I will defend it.
3 - I don't trust you not to act on reasons one or two.

Admittedly, religion has been used, abused, twisted and manipulated to rationalise many of the additional reasons I gave for warfare. But is it fair to judge a group of people based on the poor actions of history or a few rogue members?

Would you call all teachers alcoholic drink-driver's if you read about one in the newspaper tomorrow?
Is it fair to think that all school students are pot-heads because they share something in common with a teenager who made a stupid decision in Bali?

If religion were the sole cause of warfare, then in theory, the world should be getting safer. Today people are openly less religious. Is the world, as a result, becoming more peaceful? Are we safer now compared to 50 or 150 years ago due to the rise of unbelief?

I think not.

The reason is due to the common factor in warfare.

It is not religion, but people.

People are greedy. People desire fame, fortune and power. People mistrust others. People are envious and strike out in vengeance.

"Religious" people are not immune to this.

Fortunately, the bible never says that you should follow the church or put your faith in Christians. This isn't because they are pure evil; they can do some extraordinary positive things. The bible says to follow and put your faith in Jesus.

When people give the name of Christ as a reason for conflict, weigh that reason with the life and teachings of Jesus. Balance them against the way that Jesus treated others and the way he behaved to those arresting and executing Him.

Don't judge the Prince of Peace by those who misrepresent Him.

And don't to it to other religions either...

Blacksmith meetings

2011-11-09T16:01:00.005+11:00

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17.

Today I had a staff meeting where nothing incredibly groundbreaking happened... But it was good.

I enjoy staff meetings and I think the majority of people who work for churches should enjoy their staff meetings.

These meetings should be enjoyable if they reflect Proverbs 27.

Meetings where genuine, critical reflection occurs.
Meetings where there is honest feedback.
Meetings where opinions are freely expressed.
Meetings where forgiveness is given.
Meetings where other ministries are not "the competition."
Meetings where everyone wants the other people to succeed.
Meetings which involve growing conversations.

If staff meetings reflect the qualities above, then the individuals and church are strengthened by each team member being a master blacksmith.

Connecting conversations

2011-11-06T15:09:00.003+11:00

What's the most exciting thing to happen to you this week?
What was the best thing about your day today?
What are you looking forward to this week?
Are you looking forward to your birthday coming up?
Did you go trick-or-treating on Monday?
How was the play you were telling me about last week?

The questions above are the kind of banter I generally have with kids in primary school.

I think these weekly conversations, although not overly deep, are crucial.

One thing that children's and youth ministry provides, which kids don't really get elsewhere are caring adults.

Adults who will show an interest in their life are an incredible blessing in the life of a child and, of equal importance, there is the real chance that you will be the only person who will ask them how they are going and actually listen to the answer.

Remembering parent's names

2011-11-04T18:52:00.006+11:00

It still blows my mind that I will be a father in under five months. My wife and I just got our 20 week ultrasound and I actually saw the face of my baby... Wow.

The whole series of events has reminded me of a failing that I'm currently, unsuccessfully, trying to remedy.

Connecting with parents.

I'm sure I've shared how, despite the importance in remembering them, I struggle to recall names.

My new aim is to remember the names of kid's parents and have even gone so far as to make a cheat sheet.

The reasons are simple...

1 - When you remember a name it shows that you care about them as a person.

2 - If you know the name of a parent, during a rare conversation that does occur, you can use their name. A big help in communication!

3 - Through doing points one and two, you can build trust, which is important if the parents are to leave their most prised possession with you!

4 - When you do need to contact the parents in emergencies, like an event going overtime, then you are not a complete stranger on the other end of phone (not to mention that you will know who to ask for!).

5 - If you know the name of a parent, you can initiate a conversation and talk about one of their favourite subjects. Their kids! Parents love hearing others rave about their younglings. Knowing parents names opens the door for this opportunity.

Dead horse theology

2011-11-03T15:52:00.002+11:00

During the last week I overheard a discussion which made me think "when their is no more orange in the juice, the answer is not to keep squeezing!" It also reminded me of this...

The tribal wisdom of the Dakota Indians, passed on from one generation to the next, says that when you discover that you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount.

But in the Mainstream Churches because important heritage, history and traditional factors must be taken into consideration, sometimes other strategies are tried with dead horses, some of which you may recognise below:

1. Buying a stronger whip.
2. Changing riders.
3. Threatening the horse with termination.
4. Appointing a committee to study the horse.
5. Arranging to visit other sites to see how they ride dead horses.
6. Lowering the standards so that dead horses can be included.
7. Reclassifying the dead horse as "living-impaired".
8. Hiring consultants to ride the dead horse.
9. Harnessing several dead horses together to increase speed.
10. Providing additional funding and/or training to increase the dead horse's performance.
11. Doing a productivity study to see if lighter riders would improve the dead horse's performance.
12. Declaring that the dead horse carries lower overheads and therefore contributes more to the bottom line than some other horses.
13. Rewriting the expected performance requirements for all horses.
14. Promoting the dead horse to a supervisory position.

Oldies and change

2011-11-02T19:18:00.003+11:00

Over the weekend I had a conversation about change and the elderly since it is no secret that "oldies" have occasionally stood in the way of change.

There are many churches which have thought that God is presenting a way forward... only got the "oldies" to shut it down.

The more I ponder the situation the more I am confused by it.

I openly admit that change can be scary and change can be difficult.
And sure, stability is comfortable and easy.

BUT, those who have been around the longest (the oldies!) have seen the most change!

For a person in their 70's, they have seen the world and the church transform in massive ways; some of it moved forward from their own hands, some of it from the generation after them.

If the elder generations think back and recall the changes they instigated, and the positive advancements that have happened in their churches in the past, then this should transform how they view change.

Finding mission & purpose

2011-10-31T20:48:00.014+11:00

It's not usual that I write about the specific things I do in ministry, but this past weekend went surprisingly well and something I want to be able to come back to.

I was asked to speak/lead three sessions focusing around the theme of purpose/mission/direction/how to connect/reach the community around them (a theme used in approximately 61.3% of all church camps). Originally, I was meant/going to speak on the topic of peace, but it was switched a few weeks out from the camp and took a more interactive vibe.

With the new theme and interactive format, I began with a vague outline, mindful that I had to give adequate time to the small group discussions (something which was short-changed the year prior and looked at the bible passages in greater depth).

The three sessions went like this...

Saturday morning #1 - Exodus 3 - Who is the God you have encountered?

Each small group were seated at a common table, covered in butcher's paper, and initially invited to write down as many names/titles of God they could think of. Then, the tables were asked to identify one name of God which they individually and corporately identified with.

The reason is core to the theme of the weekend. Your understanding of who God is should shape the mission and direction of any church.

This is what happens in Exodus 3. God hears the cry of His people. God reaches out to Moses. God sends Moses to intervene. God answers Moses' excuses. God equips Moses to do the task God sets before him. God further reveals who He is. The God who does not, and will never change, shapes the mission and direction of Moses' ministry.

Saturday morning #2 - Revelation 1-3 - What is God calling you to do & be?

This session started in a similar fashion to the first. This time, the small groups were invited to write down as many promises of God they could remember.

The reason was also essential for the weekend's theme. Your understanding of what God has said, in addition to His character, should guide the mission and direction of the church. God invites His people to play a part in sharing and showing the promises of God come about.

At the start of Revelation, the scene is set and Jesus evaluates seven churches. Each letter begins with a description of Christ, often taken straight from the first chapter, and conclude with a promise of God.

At the end of the session, and the talks did get progressively (but appropriately) more confrontational, I warned the church of the needs and costs of ministry... If they weren't willing to meet the needs and pay the costs, then they shouldn't launch any new initiatives.

Sunday morning - Acts 17:16-34 - How do we relate the God we have encountered (stemming from talk one) to the community we live in?

As was my chosen delivery method of the weekend, again the tables were instructed to work together. This time they were told to draw four boxes titled... Unity. Space. Permission. Validity.

On the butchers paper, the groups were to give definitions and examples of how a church can show these qualities to a ministry and, at the same time, list every existing ministry which the church was currently involved in.

Then, I challenged the church to look at the list of activities their church does and truthfully evaluate if they are given unity, space, permission and validity.

These are the four needs. These are the four costs. Every ministry in a church needs them. Every church must provide them if the ministry is to flourish (The points flowed from what I blogged about here).

We then saw how Paul interacted with the community in Athens and how he shared the God He had encountered, drawing on the nature and character of God.

Finally, in order to connect with their community, I suggested six things...
Share stories. Build relationships. Share your life with others. Live out your faith. Apply the bible in what you teach. "Do" church well. Love what you have.

With the input of these three talks, although not given a six-step-strategy-for-church-growth, I hoped that the church could be guide themselves to be what God calls them to be and do.

Did you see this in 2006?

2011-10-27T11:49:00.002+11:00

This weekend I'm speaking at a camp where some of the discussion time will be spent in "mission planning stuff" (I believe that is the technical term).

The starting point will be, as a group, identifying the nature of who God is and what He calls all Christians to do. When looking at the purpose and mission of a faith community, I firmly believe these should shape any direction. Once you recognise the God you are wanting to proclaim and the promises that you want to share, can you be in a position to ponder how you are going to do it.

In fact, with my current church being between ministers, we are in the middle of a similar process.

But with all this "mission planning" and "strategising ways to effectively communicate the gospel" and "reach the community," I wonder how many churches saw where they currently are half a decade ago?

How many "mission planning days/weekends" put a plan in place which was effective?
How many churches formed a fancy slogan, but actually didn't go anywhere?
How many churches in 2006 didn't even think about 2011?
Equally, how many churches are giving no strategic thought right now to 2016?

Why does the symbol matter?

2011-10-25T19:19:00.004+11:00

If the absolute truth is told, I think the denomination that I'm in is... alright. I think is has some really good traits and some traits that make it... a mixed blessing.

One thing that makes my denomination unusual is that it is identifiable. We have a recognisable symbol which other denominations don't seem to posses. One clear reason is that my denomination is the largest provider of aged care (read retirement homes) in Australia.

I couldn't tell you if the Catholics, Anglicans or Baptists have a unifying symbol.

The symbol matters because people notice.

My denomination is known for the aged care it provides.
From nothing more than the symbol on the side of the building, people can know what denomination that church is.
From the formation of my denomination (the amalgamation of three denominations in the mid 70's), the new symbol is one that represents this union.
Additionally, the symbol represents some of the things which the denomination stands for.

What you are comfortable with...

2011-10-23T11:37:00.003+11:00

In church this morning I did something dangerous. I asked people to do what they felt comfortable doing.

Before leading the 'prayer of the people,' which traditionally closes with the Lord's Prayer, I gave an invitation for people to recite the Lord's Prayer in the words or language they were most comfortable with. If it meant there was a jumble of "thy's" and "thine's," then so be it. If someone spoke Chinese or Aramaic (like the guy who originally gave me the idea did), then that's ok.

The reason behind the exercise were simple.

First, I hoped that people would focus on the words more if they did what they were comfortable doing. At times I think the monotone "Our Father..." drone disconnects people with what they are meant to be doing. Note that the word's were still projected for anyone new or unfamiliar with the words (a practice I've written about before here).

Which ties into the second reason, prayer is a time (primarily) between you and God (yes, the Lord's Prayer has a communal element to it). I think God would want you to express what you want to say, not fall into line with what the screen demands.

Manuscript gift

2011-10-21T19:50:00.003+11:00

Earlier this week I mentioned an assignment where the task was to write a sermon for someones ordination service.

One of the readings for the essay included a really good idea, but one I know I'd probably be too chicken to actually do.

The idea is simple. On the special occasions when you preach (Weddings, baptisms, ordinations, commissionings, funerals) you should give the significant people in the service a transcript of what you said.

The reason was twofold and ones I identify with.

First, on significant times like these you often want to remember what was said but, second, you often can't or don't remember.

I remember the sermon at the induction service of my first ministry job was really good it would've been great to keep a copy. I don't have one.
I only vaguely remember what the sermon was on at my wedding. A transcript would be really useful.
I would love to read what the reflection was at my Dad's funeral. It's too bad I don't have it.

Confessing easy things in the silence

2011-10-20T16:08:00.003+11:00

I looked at porn... again.
I got drunk.
I masturbat... never mind.
I hate my parents.
I'm sleeping with my partner.
I steal from work.
I habitually plagiarise in my essays.

These are easy confessions.

Not easy because they aren't genuine issues or things which are a lot of work to overcome, but easy because they spring quickly to mind.

Whenever there is a moment to "confess your sins to God," if you're like me, you recycle the same old struggles.

I wonder how many of us confess the "harder" sins?
Our indifference... to the poor, to the environment, to our neighbours.
The lack of desire we have for others to hear about the gospel.
Our self indulgence with money or food.
The fact we don't give to the local church.

These (and other) shortcomings are often deeper, under the surface and if we master them, they can help us conquer the sins in the spotlight.

Who is worthy?

2011-10-18T22:03:00.007+11:00

Yesterday (for an assignment) I wrote a sermon that, hypothetically, would be given during someones ordination service. During the 1955 words, I picked up a point birthed from an obscure part earlier in the service.

At one point, the congregation is encouraged to cry out "He is worthy!" with the presentation of the candidate.

My point was, and one that is often missed, that the declaration is not meant to be directed towards the one up for ordination, instead, it is actually meant for God.

The reason? People are meant to be recognising the faithfulness of God in the life of the candidate and His continuing faithfulness in providing people to preach the gospel. We are meant to be declaring that this candidate and the occasion is a reminder that God is worthy or praise.

But we misdirect the statement and think we are showering affirmation on the candidate.

In fact, we tend to make a similar mistake at weddings.

We think the ceremony is all about the blushing bride and the bloke beside her. It is about more than them. It is also a celebration of God bringing the two of them together and the dedication of the couple to lifelong commitment before Him.

At occasions when we might be tempted to take our gaze off God and direct it elsewhere, be it towards an ordination candidate or wedding couple, it would do us well to remember that "He is worthy!"

One rainy afternoon

2011-10-17T09:51:00.005+11:00

You can tell I have an assignment due today. It means I'm procrastinating. I should be doing the essay now and I should've been more focused yesterday.

Yesterday, before youth group, I made one of these in my office to help launch the new term (it was the closest we could get to fireworks).

Now if I can only get a 1000 paddle pop sticks...

The gift of study

2011-10-15T12:06:00.004+11:00

Yesterday I handed in the final assignment of my first Bachelor of Theology subject (with my second subject due to be completed on Monday).

I remember, back when I was at college doing my diploma studies, someone said that the study ministers undertake is a gift.

Many won't have the opportunity, time or money to study theology and practical ministry and this study is a gift to those you will serve. It is a gift because you are in a privileged position that many don't get.

But a gift must be given and not horded.

For it is a gift that others deserve. Those who are ministered to in churches deserve those up the front to have thought deeply about what they believe. The community of believers deserve someone who has spent considerable time looking at the bible and church history to learn what they have to teach us about God, ourselves and the church.

Emergency church?

2011-10-13T21:45:00.004+11:00

No one is a member of a hospital, but we know where our local one is. In an emergency, we know where to find it.
No one is a member of the local police station, but we all know how far away it is... just in case.

I wonder how many churches have "members" that only call upon it in an emergency?

How many member rolls are filled with those who only make contact when someone is born, needs to be baptised, is ready to have a wedding ceremony, gravely ill or just deceased?

Church is not meant to be a place which you have to "beak the glass of an emergency" to get in contact with.

In fact, the support a church community provides works much, much more effectively if you share all parts of your life, not just the moments of crisis.

Kick-a$$ volunteers

2011-10-11T13:55:00.003+11:00

It has been a while since I've had to choose a church to attend voluntarily.

Years.

One of the up(?) sides of being in ministry is having your church chosen for you. You initially agree to work there, with adequate discernment, and then... POW... you are a member of that church.

But I wonder what I would look for if, for some reason, I were "back on the market"?

Would I gravitate towards a large church?
Would I gaze an eye over multiple churches and attend based upon the quality of their PowerPoint?
Could I live with a church that wasn't oozing quality (not that I'd ever find one, nor do we achieve it every week at my church!)?

Or, would I purposely choose a church where I could be used?
A church that looks like it could use help?

I'm not sure, but I do remember an ideal that we held in college. Being a kick-ass volunteer.

A volunteer who could preach when required. Or lead a service. Or lead the youth group. Or produce the advertising.

I think people who were formally in ministry should strive to be kick-ass volunteers.

Sure, plenty of people are chewed up by churches and ministry and need a break. But, with adequate time, I'm not sure it serves their church well for them to sit on the sidelines.

Culture shaping

2011-10-10T12:36:00.007+11:00

Last week I wrote an essay on female ordination. It was about as fun as it sounds.

During lectures on the topic, it was wondered (in conjunction with the issue of homosexual ordination) if culture was shaping the direction of the church.

I think the church should never be either ignorant or neglectful of the issues raised by culture. The church is called to engage with it's culture and wrestle with the issues of the day.

But the tail shouldn't wag the dog.

Culture can (and should) certainly thrust issues into the spotlight and demand to hear what the church thinks, but I'm not convinced that the church should chase the "flavour of the month."

Sometimes we need to remember what we are actually all about. Showing the world the love and grace of God, concerned with justice and mercy. These things will cover the vast majority of issues that arise...

Alien assult?

2011-10-07T13:31:00.004+11:00

According to this story religion would 'take a blow' if advanced alien life was discovered.

I'm not convinced it would.

I've previously written how I easily live with the uncertainty of aliens.

Remember, the bible doesn't say anything about cats either. Or Kangaroos. Or coffee. Or television. Or... you get my point?

The bible doesn't speak about them because it doesn't need to. It's not primarily (or even peripherally) about them. It is about God, humanity and the world. The bible gives all the details for reconciliation between God and people that is required.

I can't see how 'the Christian belief system does not easily allow for other intelligent beings in the universe...'

Perhaps I'm a tad simple, but my answer seems more reasonable than the ones given in the article.

The ground floor needs theologians

2011-10-06T13:27:00.007+11:00

I've previously posted that the ground floor needs generals.

I think the wider church would benefit from long-term youth ministers working in places that need their experience, not just a bunch of fresh-faced 22 year old college graduates.

Well the ground floor also needs theologians.

Just as those in long-term youth ministry occasionally get positions as chaplains, regional advisers or even senior ministers, those who have a passion for thinking deeply about ministering to youth often step back from the front lines to do so.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that those in youth ministry are theologically inept, but I find many youth ministry theology books (and there isn't a massive number) are penned by those who ceased to be "youth ministers" years ago.

Those who minister to youth should think hard about the why and how of what they do. They should read books on the topic. They should wrestle with the issues.

In fact, I should do it more.

I acknowledge that it takes time and head space to write a PhD or a book.

But it would be nice if those who write the theology of youth ministry texts were doing it, instead of giving academic lectures for a living.

You are not Gandhi

2011-10-04T09:34:00.008+11:00

Late Sunday night I was involved in a conversation about ordinary Christians.

Christians that don't have a book deal. Those who aren't on television. Those who don't have 150,000 Facebook fans. Those who don't have a face recognised globally.

Just regular believers who love God and are trying to obey Him as best they can in their homes, workplaces and churches.

The discussion had, in part, to do with the fact that everyone isn't meant to be their generation's Gandhi. There will be only one Driscoll or Piper. Martin Luther King has already lived you will never be an exact duplicate.

The vast, vast majority of Christians (and people for that matter) are ordinary.

And that's a good thing.

It's ordinary people who volunteer as telephone counsellors.
It's ordinary people who are country ministers and hospital chaplains.
It's ordinary people who provide meals for hurting neighbours.
It's ordinary people who run playgroups.
It's ordinary people who drive elderly parishioners to church.
It's ordinary people who man techie booths and provide flowers for church.
It's ordinary people who attend the funerals of their friend's parents.
It's the ordinary people who do thousands of untold good acts each day.

God, most often, works through the ordinary people.

Space, Permission & Validity

2011-10-02T12:42:00.005+11:00

A few weeks ago Rob Hanks mentioned that a youth ministry needs to have three things for the greatest chance of success. The three things a church needs to provide are space, permission and validity.

After I pestered him to blog about the idea he did here.

Any ministry needs...

Space - a physical place, storage, dollars in the budget and communication/advertising opportunities.

Permission - access to facilities, approval to experiment and fail and acceptance that mess and noise may be created.

Validity - members of the ministry welcomed and accepted by others, achievements celebrated and belief that what is happening is a "real" ministry, nurturing genuine faith.

When considering a fresh ministry, a church should weigh up if they can deliver all three of these needs. All too often, a ministry is hobbled because a well meaning church only offers up two of three.

Time before the ask

2011-09-30T12:29:00.004+10:00

At church things have changed slightly in the way we organise the evening service. The service leader now has responsibility to find people to do the various parts that make up the service.

I know, nothing ground-breaking, but a shift all the same.

I've seen this work effectively in other churches that I've been associated with, but there is one lurking danger.

Pouncing on the newbie.

When new people arrive at your church the first thing they need isn't a request to "be on a roster." In fact, some people head to a new church to GET AWAY from being on the roster treadmill.

The thing some people need is time, not obligations.

If they are burnt out from their previous church, this is one of the best ways you can serve that person whilst developing a relationship with them.

Additionally, it allows the newcomer to get a grasp on the culture of the service, thus making their involvement more effective anyway.

Turf warfare

2011-09-28T22:04:00.012+10:00

Ballet. Bridge. Physical culture.

At every church I have worked at there has been a constant tension surrounding the use of the church buildings, especially the hall.

Churches have the desire, and some would say responsibility, to open their facilities to the public. There are only so many large halls that are available and often churches feel guilty about theirs sitting vacant.

Additionally, churches get accustomed to the income that rolls in from renting out their buildings.

And this isn't all bad. Ministry is made possible with this income. People have their wages paid with this cash. Resources are purchased with this money.

But... Here is where the tension lies.

Inevitably there comes a day when a church wants to do something new and they find it near impossible since there are no appropriate times when their building is empty.

I wish there was an easy answer to the conundrum. There isn't. Or at least I've never found nor heard one.

Perhaps, when this arises, it can be seen as an opportunity for the church to do ministry outside of the church space. For a new ministry, this could remove one of the barriers that new attenders need to leap.

But the tension still remains...

Tiny Bible Bits

2011-09-27T11:10:00.002+10:00

People are busy. Especially school kids.

Starting tomorrow I'm starting something new and a little unknown. Tiny Bible Bits.

The idea is simple. Every Mondays, Wednesday and Friday the Facebook page (called Tiny Bible Bits) will have a small chunk of scripture (nothing more than a few verses) with a short reflection or question.

It's not designed as a replacement for church or youth group, but I (and a bunch of others) have noticed that attending "God stuff" and having kids engage with the bible is more and more difficult (especially in senior high).

So, if you want to like the page and join up, then that would be grand. If you want to spread the word to others, then that also would be grand.

If nothing else, it can be a way for people who already have a symbiotic relationship with Facebook, to connect with God and will force me to engage with the bible more regularly.

Virtical bungee

2011-09-25T11:49:00.005+10:00

I'm going to loose my mind because spell check has no idea whether (or weather) I mean lose or loose.

And I know it bugs AT LEAST one other person.

Last term my church was involved in an event which advertised a "virtical bungee."

Now this was askew on a few levels.

1 - The first word is definitely not correct and the second is debatable. Vertical Bungie would be more in the ball-park.

2 - An inside vertical bungie would be an OHS nightmare. Horizontal is the axis where far fewer kids get injured.

From those who noticed, it didn't send a confidence-increasing message.

I've been guilty of this slip up plenty of times in the past (like the latest note I sent to the teens and my previous blog post). You could call it a habit. A nasty habit.

It is something that I wish I could kick.

When you hand out notes or bibles studies, the first reaction you desire is not a "quick... let's find the typo."

No one wants that reputation.

Urban responsibility

2011-09-23T18:40:00.010+10:00

Today my wife and I entered into the fourth, fifth and sixth stages of moving house hell. We've already endured collecting boxes, packing and negotiation with removalists. Today was moving day.

We awoke at six to be ready for the removalists at 8am (stage 4... doing the final we're-about-to-leave clean). Nearly 11 hours later we are sitting in a semi-furnished house with miscellaneous piles of boxes in varying degrees of emptiness (stage 5... unpacking).

Sure, we don't have a finished kitchen, we won't sleep in our new bedroom until the middle of next week and the cat won't arrive back from vacation till Tuesday (stage 6... general home calamity).

I can't imagine how this would be if I was doing this by myself. Especially if I were leaving my family and the majority of my friends.

But this is what country people do all too often. Weather it be for study, work or another reason, young adults all too often leave for the "big smoke."

And this is a tremendous opportunity and responsibility for urban churches.

We are entrusted by our country brethren to welcome, involve and nurture those who have been brought up and discipled in the faith at their country churches.

A phenomenal privilege and responsibility is given to city churches by faithful parents and congregations. The least we owe them is a quality church for their kids to be a part of...

Generational tightrope walking

2011-09-21T14:09:00.004+10:00

The young are to be ignored. They want to change everything.
The old are to be ignored. They cling rigidly to tradition.
Families are nice, but their kids should be "seen and not heard."

Sometimes the church will cut off its nose to spite its face.

During the farewell sermon my minster gave he mentioned something that had been bouncing around my head a while.

Although churches would never act like the italicised intro to the post, all too often they hobble themselves due to the focus they give to one generation.

If one generation, no matter if it is kids & teens, young adults, young families or retirees, is given the lion's share of attention (usually resulting in a larger proportion of this group) then the church community becomes unbalanced.

And it loses what the other generations bring to the table.

Churches lose tradition and the value of life experience if the "oldies" are missing.
Churches lose the blessing of witnessing toddlers grow and discover their world by excluding young families.
Churches lose the enthusiasm and vigor for transformation of teens if they exclude them.

Each generation offers more then what was listed above, but the Body of Christ works best when there is a generational balance brought about by acceptance of all.

If it takes a "village" to raise a child, then surely we should strive to include the entire spectrum of ages...

Where is this relationship going?

2011-09-19T22:05:00.007+10:00

In the past I wrote that the process of being interviewed and agreeing to work for a church was similar to dating and finally "getting hitched."

Last week I sat down with someone from church and had a chat about where our relationship was going.

Do we have a long-term future together?
Where do we see ourselves in a few years?

Due to my soon-to-be-changing life stage and church staffing change this discussion was thrust into the spotlight.

The conversation (and note that is was a quite informal, not a I'm-renewing-my-resume showdown) was really positive and something which should be on the agenda for churches every few years.

When life throws up a transition, and it will every so often, it helps to know the lay of the land...

Big shows and small consistancy

2011-09-18T11:13:00.004+10:00

Last week the dedicated cook for the youth group was showered with flowers and chocolate since it was her final week helping out in the kitchen after six years.

In ministry there are a lot of chances to thank people. It's a consequence of working in an industry dependant upon volunteers.

I acknowledge that thanking others isn't one of my strengths. At least not in small ways.

I do BIG shows of appreciation rather well.

I've given out trophies and publicly expressed my gratitude in congregational meetings. But small, consistent, appreciativeness (is that a word?) is still something I'm working on.

The road to manhood

2011-09-15T12:31:00.006+10:00

Last night my church again hosted a seminar from Steve Biddulph, this time about "The Road to Manhood." (and no, it is not cruelly ironic that I put this post after one about kittens)

Again, it was really good.

One thing that caught my attention were the five truths guys need to appreciate to be mature men. (the numbers are from the talk, the rest are my ramblings)

1 - You are going to die... and that's ok.

The stats, when it comes to death are fairly convincing. 1 in 1 people die. You will not live forever, no matter how great or indestructible you feel at 19. You are mortal and will need to leave a legacy.

2 - Life is hard... but you're not alone.

Of the truly worthwhile things in life, most are not easy. Of the things that produce great worth, risk is a part. Life will not always be fair. But no matter how things develop, have a supportive band of people around you (particularly other blokes) to help, encourage and lift you when you fail.

3 - You are not that important... but your not meaningless.

Sorry to burst your bubble. You just ain't the center of the universe. In fact, you should try to avoid being the center of your own existence.

4 - Your life is not about you... this is a relief.

The planet does not depend upon your daily success. Use your time, talents, skills and resources to make the lives of others better. Don't be scared to serve others.

5 - You are not in control of the outcome... don't be so anxious.

Make wise decisions. Consider the consequences. Plan well. But be aware that you are not always in the driver's seat of your live. That's no surprise... see number 2.

Actually, Steve should write this down somewhere. Luckily, he has. The talks were based on an updated version of this book.

Awww kittens

2011-09-14T17:54:00.003+10:00

It is universally acknowledged that the Internet is used for five things.

Porn.
Music.
Facebook.
Humorous photos.
Kittens.

With this in mind, I did enjoy this website more than I should have. Sure, large blokes may ambush me in a car park and snatch away my man card, but here it is anyway... www.randomkittengenerator.com

Unlearning what you know

2011-09-14T17:21:00.002+10:00

Last night our church hosted a "Raising Boys" talk by Steve Biddulph and it was good. Really good.

Steve started the presentation by saying how parenting has been going on since the dawn of humanity and, normally, they are fairly good at getting the job done.
Parents, supported by a large number of others, raise their kids into productive adults.

Using this as a platform, Steve said that the usual parenting answer is already known. Usually your gut is correct. But due to the industrial revolution causing a instinctual-parental disconnect, we live in a time where we question this primitive voice.

I a similar thing occurs with belief in God. Small kids are quite comfortable with theism. In scripture, if you invite a year 1 kid to talk to God they are more open and accepting than in year 4 or 5. As they get older they "loose" this underlying awareness of something bigger then themselves.

Culture, upbringing, something deprograms this inherent knowledge.

Perhaps, similar to parenting, we need to place the expert-driven, modern skepticism in perspective and check what our gut thinks.

Sex questions

2011-09-13T17:56:00.003+10:00

I heard this morning that one of my teenage leaders was asked about her sex life at the kids club this week. Needless to say I was not there and the reaction of the senior leader was being less than thrilled.

I can't remember a time when I was asked about my sex life as a youth group leader. Perhaps it happened and I've forgotten. What is more likely is that the kids knew I wasn't a much of a chance to "pick up."

The place where I get asked about my sex life is in scripture and I oscillate between two replies.

1 - DEFENCE: Do you ask the other teachers about their sex lives? Do you think that's appropriate? As your librarian the same question and tell me what she replies...

2 - HONESTY: Not graphic. Definitely not specific. But I'll say if I was a virgin on my wedding night and I'll say what decisions I had to make whilst I was dating. I'm not embarrassed about the answers. In this one specific area I did a decent job of doing what God calls me to do.

Personally, the topic doesn't fluster me (which I think is a big motivation behind the question) because my answers revolve around being smart enough to know where not to go. My answers revolve around it not being simple or easy to remain a virgin.

Usually, the scripture lesson then resumes regular broadcasting.

Exam survival packs

2011-09-13T13:32:00.003+10:00

I just finished handed out around 140 Year 12 Exam Survival Packs to the girls who weekly use our church for chapel.

To find out what's in the packs you can go to my post about them here.

One good thing about having ministered at multiple churches is taking the great things that you collect along the way and using them in fresh surroundings.

The aim isn't to reproduce everything that you've done in the past, but some arrows are worth keeping in your quiver.

EXCITING NEWS!!!

2011-09-12T15:29:00.005+10:00

The last few days have been VERY exciting. I went to a wedding in the country, meeting a bunch of my wives family for the first time, getting to announce in person that WE ARE EXPECTING A BABY!

Everything is looking awesome after the first trimester, and if you're aware of the trials that it has taken to get to this point, then you'll understand that we're both extremely excited.

Prayer answers

2011-09-08T18:28:00.006+10:00

This week I spoke in the chapel services for the school which uses our church about prayer and the difference it makes.

During the short talk I mentioned something that occasionally makes people think I'm crazy.

I reckon God answers prayer. Sometimes the answer is affirmative, sometimes the response is to patiently wait and other times the reply is no.

I've never heard a loud booming voice from the sky, had my attention captured by a burning bush nor been knocked off my horse and blinded by a bright light. These ways are possible ways for God to communicate, but I've never experienced them.

Instead, I find, that God answers prayer in four primary ways.

1 - Whilst praying about a situation I will get an idea.

2 - I will be reminded of a passage from the bible which will apply to the situation.

3 - Sometimes God will bring about conversations with others, Christian or otherwise, who will help provide an answer.

4 - Whilst I'm struggling with a situation I will hear a talk or sermon that will speak to what I am facing.

WHO or WHAT?

2011-09-07T16:19:00.004+10:00

What is your church known for?

If our church was known for the talking head up front then we would soon be in trouble.

Shortly the church I'm working for will embark on the daunting task of calling a new minister. The job will be understandably drawn out, but probably not too painful, since we are a relatively healthy church in a wealthy part of Sydney.

But for many churches the undertaking would be much more difficult. Some communities of faith can't financially afford to pay for a minister. Some rural communities desperately struggle to find a minister who is willing to travel "outback."

In my denomination, having a full time minister is quite a luxury. I remember a figure bandied around that said that almost 50% of congregations are without a full time Minster of the Word.

I asked my initial question with this "fact" in mind. Most churches do not have an identifiable minister attached to them. Of those who do, most senior ministers will only be around for a set period of time (somewhere around a decade, 15 years max).

Perhaps churches shouldn't be known for the minister. Churches should instead strive to be known for WHAT THEY DO in the community, not WHO is leading their worship/preaching the sermon/leading the youth group (gasp!) on any given week.

Youth Minister: Church Revivalist?

2011-09-05T21:27:00.003+10:00

I just had a guest post put up at More than DodgeBall about youth ministers not being church revivalists. Head on over and check it out here.

Cranking up the volume

2011-09-04T15:46:00.003+10:00

Every day we get exposed to messages from the world around us, positively or otherwise.

Materialism. Feminism. Hedonism. Stoicism. Rationalism. Pluralism. Nihilism. Idealism. Deism. A whole bunch of other "ism's."

One point of church is to change to volume. A chance to tune into God and step away from the rest of the white noise.

Ideally, church should "turn up" the volume of your theology. It should increase the volume of who God is, what He has done for you and how he invites you to follow Him.

Eutychus ministry

2011-09-03T21:48:00.004+10:00

An odd little story in the bible deals with a bloke named Eutychus.

The account of his death is told in the twentieth chapter from the book of Acts. In short, the Apostle Paul bores the young bloke to sleep by his preaching and he subsequently falls out a window. Fortunately, Paul (in an I-haven't-done-child-protection-training way) revives the chap and everything is fine.

I wonder how many modern day Euthychus' there are today.
How many people have been bored out of the church?
How many are dead to the gospel due to what they have heard in church?

Perhaps a re-engaging ministry should be established especially for those who have fallen out the third storey window.

Bibleopoly... Really?

2011-09-01T23:08:00.006+10:00

Dear creators of Bibleopoly,

What were you thinking?

Did the world need another dodgy Christian rip-off?

Really?

Did you have to take the BEST THING out of the game? If I can't decimate my opponent, watching them dangle on the verge of bankruptcy, why would I want to play a game that ends in "opoly"?

Most regretfully, GB

This is how the game is described... Start "In the Beginning," journey through Bible cities, "Meditation," "Community Celebration." Earn a cornerstone by helping others. Collect Bricks & Steeples to build a church. Good deeds are rewarded, but sometimes Faith cards intervene. The object of the game is to be the first player to build a church in one of the Bible cities. In Bibleopoly, you cannot win by destroying your opponents. You can only be the winner by assisting the fellow players. This act of cooperation is what allows you to gain the things necessary to build your church and be a winner. For 2 to 6 players. It takes about one hour to play.

Arua obstacle?

2011-09-01T15:52:00.003+10:00

As a youth minister, what I do takes a certain amount of skill. Not an insurmountable amount, but some.

To be a senior minister takes some certain talents. Not a barely possible mix, but some all the same.

To do many things during a church service takes some degree of proficiency. Not perfection, but it's sure nice not to suck.

I wonder, have those who do the "up front" stuff at church created an aura about what they do?
Do those who "watch" on any given Sunday think they are capable of doing the same things?
Are the actions of the "professionals" inhibitive to those in the pews?

I would like to say that those leading ministries and church services don't create an obstacle to others in the congregation. I would like to say that the perception of Super Christian doesn't exist in the eyes of the churchgoer.

But when I think about the excuses given as to why they aren't involved... "I couldn't to that" is a common reply.

Perhaps the message to those up the front is that the way we do things is more of an obstacle than an invitation.

Patience for the germination?

2011-08-30T20:28:00.007+10:00

In Matthew 13 Jesus tells the well known parable of the sower. As a parable, the main point is the underlying message about the nature and Kingdom of God, not the specific details.

But the tale Jesus spins makes me wonder about churches and the way they can view results.

Are churches prepared to wait for the results of a ministry to develop?
When a church weighs up bum-in-seat results, are they looking for growth to be slow cooked or microwaved?

If we delve into the parable, the results would not have be known until the seeds sprout. I wonder if some churches would have left the field by then due to impatience???

Aiming for a pass?

2011-08-29T17:05:00.002+10:00

I've just submitted my first assignment for the course that I'm currently doing at university. And, truthfully, I'm hoping for a pass. But not much more. Sure, I want to do well and good marks are pleasing, but I'm a realist.

I would love to say that what I handed in was a literary masterclass. It wasn't. It may be due to the lectures only winding down last week, or that I had to write the entire essay today in my office (on the due date!), or that I have the phrase "P's equal degrees" in my vernacular, but it wasn't a grand entrance back into academia.

I wonder if I, and the church, hold a similar view when it comes to people and ministry.

We aim for a pass. We aim for good enough. We strive for keep-the-kids-out-of-trouble-so-their-not-sleeping-around-or-getting-too-drunk-on-the-weekend.

I mentioned in conversation last week that our standards are too low and compared it to the standards that Islam seems to hold for it's followers.

Looking from the rather ill informed, outside-looking-in vantage point, from what I can tell they wouldn't sit happily with a pass conceded grade in terms of their faith.

They demand more from their followers. They expect more from their followers. Often they receive more from their followers.

Perhaps, in that, there is a lesson for the Christian church and a challenge for those in ministry...

Kindy prayers

2011-08-27T18:30:00.004+10:00

On the back of a youth ministry inservice, I've just flowed out of a week-long ordination intensive. In between, our church had an elders and leader's retreat. All in all, I've gained a head overflowing with input, three two-inch folders to read, an assignment due on Monday and a stack of blog post ideas.

Churches can think they have "arrived" once they posses the sacred cow of church existence. Playgroups.

Or, better yet, a kindergarten.

Today I heard about a church that had a kindy. But something was different.

They intentionally prayed for the kids who go to the kindy.

I don't know how attached the kindergarten was with the church, but I don;t think that should be the point.

I've known quite a few churches where the kids who flow through the gates of their kindergarten are little more than walking cash cows. Perhaps we need to remember that they are a fledgling ministry as well...

Really average?

2011-08-24T18:52:00.008+10:00

"Are you at a big church?"

"No, not really. We probably have, I dunno, an average of 250 on a Sunday across the services?"

Last week I overheard a conversation similar to the one above. The enquirer was from a small rural congregation and the respondent was from one of the most wealthy parts of Sydney.

For some, their perceived average is nothing like reality.

If I were to ask you the average attendance of a church service of your denomination, how many would you say? 50? 100? More?
How about the average number in a youth ministry? 20? 40? More?
Does your upbringing effect your view of "average"?

For many in ministry, particularly youth ministry, they come from healthier (and generally larger) churches. They don't come from a struggling church who strains to scrape together 30 on a "good" Sunday.

I've heard it said that the average church service in my denomination is under 30 people (which seems to make sense once the weekly number of attendees is divided by the number of congregations, mindful that some churches have multiple services).

Occasionally those of us conditioned by a fortunate, (pseudo)thriving church past can needlessly cry poor. We pine over the 100 who turned up on Sunday morning. We mope over the "barely 20" teens who darken the doors on a Friday night (I've also heard that the average number of young people in a church is 5).

This post isn't about celebrating mediocrity, but perhaps some need to open their eyes to what the "real" average is in the wider church.

Favour church?

2011-08-22T19:00:00.007+10:00

"Hey... We're coming to church on Sunday!"

Sometimes I hear this enthusiastically exclaimed, and every time I do, I wonder what response I'm meant to have.

If I'm told you're coming so you can reconnect with God, then that is great. Brilliant. Excellent. Bravo.

But occasionally the tone makes me uncomfortable. It comes across like you're doing someone (myself, the senior minister, the service leader, a musician) a favour.

This stinks.

If you're going to attend church as a token of affection for anyone but God, then understand that it doesn't thrill me. Yes, an exception should be made for those who are investigating following Jesus or the church anew, but the random Facebook message will not get much more then a smirk.

If you're going to attend church, what would make me much happier, is if you did it for reasons to do with God.