The three windows of inspiration

I haven’t delivered a sermon in years.

But, three times a week I write a short reflection about a bible passage on Facebook.

Every fortnight I deliver a short address to the church my kids attend.

On the same Sunday, I also lead activities for the infants/primary aged kids at church.

Almost without fail, my planning will fall within three windows of inspiration.

Almost immediate.

In the shower the night before.

On the drive to church.

These are the times when ideas initially germinate, get refined and, finally, become concrete.

But there is a negative to these final two windows.

When an idea immediately springs to mind, then you feel prepared. Even if you don’t stick with your initial thought, as least you have a launching point.

The later windows of inspiration leave you dangling.

But, as you get used to the way your mind processes ideas whilst periodically revisiting a passage, then you can suppress the anxiousness around an absence of inspiration.

Unless you need to explain to others midweek what your plans are for the weekend…

Then you can feel a little awkward, explaining that there are two windows of inspiration still to be navigated and your co-leader should just “trust you that it will all come together.”

Snapshots are nothing but

10 years old.

17 years old.

19 years old.

23 years old.

33 years old.

41 years old.

Just a regular shrimp of a kid, near the top of their year in maths, pretty average at playing rugby.

An uncommitted student who both attended youth group/church and went out with his nonChristian mates.

A going-nowhere slacker who worked in retail, but went out three nights a week.

A young youth minister, working in his home church part-time.

A married, new dad, full-time youth minister who appeared to have the perfect Christian life.

Divorced, remarried, father of two, teacher.

Each snapshot will reveal something different.

Each one is also me.

When we meet someone, all we initially get is a snapshot.

I just get a snapshot of the kids I teach.

You just get a snapshot of the person you start dating.

Churches just get a snapshot of anyone who visits.

And we can be quick to judge someone based upon that snapshot.

And, mostly, we would be wrong.

Or, at least, peaking through a tiny keyhole.

Only seeing a snapshot of the wider story.

The overlooked evangelistic strategy

Some churches, notoriously, start late.

Their 9:30 morning service starts at 9:30ish.

Their 6pm evening service actually kicks off at 6:10.

It’s a part of their culture.

They’re laidback.

Casual.

Easygoing.

But, as an evangelistic strategy, this sucks.

Why?

Because visitors don’t know about your lackadaisical routine.

They arrive on time.

And, alone.

And they awkwardly look around and see… almost no one.

To the shame of your church.

If you want to be harsh, the messages a tardy church sends is that church and (by default) God isn’t that important.

At least not enough to be on time.

But, fundamentally, the evangelistic weakness exposed has to do with displaying hospitality.

If a guest turned up to your house, and you weren’t ready, what message would you be sending?

If you hosted an event, and were unprepared, what would it say about you?

A near empty church, which fills up during the first song deserves a rebuke.

From the pulpit.

From the punctual.

From the visitors.

The trouble is, this third category probably won’t be back to tell them.

How do you announce the latest death?

People die. 

Obviously, this includes those who attend churches. They are not protected from the scourge of the Reaper.

But, I’m curious about the manner that churches announce a death of a congregant.

Church-wide email?

An announcement from the pulpit?

A message on the notice board?

But, these methods provoke further questions…

How “in” the church do you need to be before you receive an acknowledgment?

How old do you need to be?

Does it need to be an unexpected passing?

Do either of these last two questions even come into consideration?

Furthermore, if the announcement is only made via email or in person, these methods only reach those actively within the congregation.

What about lapsed members?

How about those whom have a historical legacy at the church but have moved on due to life-change?

A pain of leaving behind a faith-community which you’re connect with is, over time, you lose contact with your former church.

And thus, you will miss the deaths of people you knew.

You’ll miss the passing of those you looked up to.

You’ll miss the funerals of those who were your spiritual examples.

And, without some kind of death notice you can sign up to, it is inevitable as the years pass on…

Trimming down the 23K

23,145.

This is how many verses there are (depending on the version you’re using) in your bible.

As I slowly prepare to teach a new Studies of Religion subject at my school, I’ve started piecing together the essential elements for each of my topics.

One of my religious depth studies, alongside Islam and Buddhism, is Christianity.

In the cheat notes, which I’ll provide at the start of the subject, will be a through vocabulary and important verses/passages from their sacred texts.

Of the +23,000 options, I’ve had to nail it down to just the pearls of the bible.

And, it’s been a refreshing challenge.

I’ve had to discern the primary points of Christianity.

Love.

Grace.

Faith.

Forgiveness.

Christ.

And then, I had to find succinct verses to align with the core truths.

This exercise would be something which I believe most Christians would benefit from.

Because, how often are you challenged to distill your/orthodox beliefs down, ensuring that they are backed up by scripture?

God is now a lot more “willing” than in the past

James 4:14-15 - Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

This truth has been around for two Millenia, but it emerged as a life-verse over the last three years.

The reason is simple.

Lives were locked down.

Plans were cancelled.

Dreams were changed.

Everything went online. Quickly.

Now, everything is “God willing.”

The next season for a ministry.

The next sermon series.

The plans for next Sunday.

Everything is in the hands of God.

Now, post-Pandemic, more than ever in living memory.

Is this going to be the enduring spiritual legacy of COVID?

Is the uncertainty of the future the lesson we, as a church and community, needed to relearn?

When I was in ministry, I’m sure that I gave the “God willing” disclaimer for any plans I laid out.

Now, what was a back-of-the-mind mantra, has been thrust into the forefront of all our experiences.

The COVID pandemic reminded us all that James 4:14-15 is still very much truth.

I wonder how long it will take us until we return to our comfortable forward-planning?

Being rewarded for mining the untapped scriptures

I’ve read the book of Ezekiel in the past.

But, I remember nothing about it.

For me, it’s always been one of the overlooked sections of the scriptures.

It sat alongside Leviticus, Numbers, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Isaiah and Jeremiah.

I just don’t read these books in depth.

But, over the last ten weeks I’ve been studying Ezekiel.

And it’s been really good.

I’ve noticed things I’ve never seen before and understood things which have gone over my head previously.

This has been the refreshing thing over the last few months.

And, honestly, I didn’t expect that to be the case.

At the start of the year, knowing that Ezekiel was on the horizon, caused an inward groan.

But - having already been a Christian for over a quarter century - it’s nice to be reminded that there’s always new things to learn, new truths to find and refreshing scriptures to delve into.

The ministry of accepting the blessing

It is better to give than to receive.

A few weeks ago my wife and I got a new car.

The last time I purchased a car I got a trade in of my old one. 

I received a single dollar for my vehicle. And, I haggled then up to that price.

This time around, we didn’t bother with a trade in.

Financially, we didn’t need to.

Beyond that, we had bigger plans for our departing automobile; give the car away.

Over the last few days we did.

Without going into details, we found a couple in need and I had the thrill of offering them the car.

Frankly, it was as much a surprise to me as it was for them.

I had no idea, even ten minutes before I made the offer, that they were in need.

And, without consulting with my wife, I gave the car away.

But, the experience reminded me of this encounter back in 2009.

Just as I hesitated to accept praise 14 years ago, the recipient of the car - understandably - hesitated.

All I wanted him to do was to say yes.

Why?

Because, there is a gift in accepting the blessing of another.

There’s a ministry you can allow others to have by allowing them to exercise their calling.

Be it a physical gift.

Or an act of service.

Or a word of prayer.

Ministry is not a one-way transaction.

It needs to be received.

And, when it is, then the giver is blessed to see their blessing outworked in the life of another.

Being stuck with someone else’s words

There’s a major downside to using prepackaged material.

They aren’t your words.

Of course, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ever use them.

At times, you absolutely should consider using a purchased curriculum.

You’re short on time.

You’re not an expert on a topic.

But, you should never - ever - claim that what you are saying or using is a creation of your own.

The simple reason?

Someone else’s words will not be your own.

They won’t sound like you.

They may not connect as well with your context.

And, if you play them off as your own, then you’ll be stuck with them.

After all, it would be weird if you end up disagreeing or contradicting “yourself.”

And, when your stuck with other people’s words in your mouth, you don’t want to paint yourself into a theological corner or look like you have a theological multi-personality.

A good sermon doesn’t contain a swerve

Swerve – An unplanned or sudden change in the angle of a storyline; most commonly recognized by a wrestler turning on a friend of his.

Professional wrestling lives on swerves.

Good guys turning bad and bad guys shifting towards to side of truth and justice.

Swerves are fuelled by jealousy, revenge or principle.

The best swerves make sense.

They can either be seen coming or, if unexpected, can be adequately explained after the betrayal.

Sermons shouldn’t have swerves.

A good sermon shouldn’t have a Shyamalan-esque twist.

In fact, the best sermons are usually quite predictable.

They have a structure.

Each point builds upon others.

As a result, the listener should have a fair sense of the direction of the homily.

This happened to me on Sunday.

Fairly early on I gathered where the preacher was going.

Listening, I knew it was going to be headed in a good direction.

And it was a really great sermon.

For, a sermon isn’t quality because it is unpredictable.

It is quality because it points people to Jesus and what He has done.

It is quality because it is communicated well.

It is quality because it is applicable.

Unpredictability, usually, gets in the way of a good sermon.

The three statements my kids need to hear from me

The older my kids get the more my mind turns to the messages that they need to hear from me as their father.

In equal parts, these thoughts have been triggered by the subject selection discussions which have been occurring at my school the last few weeks, the one-on-one coaching sessions with a number of students about their plans in senior school and that my eldest on the verge of starting high school.

At the core, as my kids grow up, the most important things they’ll need to hear, as they enter teenage-hood and begin to identify who they are, what they’re good at and what they’ll stand for, are:

I love you…

You’re good at that…

I’m proud of you…

These three statements tie into these emerging identities.

The first, they need to hear because they are my children and I am their father. 

The second, they need to hear because they require affirmation of their strengths. And they need it often to help cancel out the opposite voices that come from within and from others.

The third, hopefully, they’ll deserve to hear because of the person they develop into into. Their character should make me proud.

How to navigate a tricky bible passage

2 Peter 3:16 - He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

The bible can be difficult to understand.

When referring to Paul’s letters, even Peter calls them hard to understand.

As I’m periodically working my way through books of the bible, I create a list of verses which are worth of a deeper look.

Currently, having just read the book of Ezekiel, I’ve got a list of 35 passages or verses which will get special focus as I now plough my way through a few commentaries on the book.

But, what should you do when you strike upon one of the more difficult verses from the scriptures?

How should you wrestle with a passage like 1 Timothy 2:15? (But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.)

Firstly, you treasure the words of 2 Peter 3 or Deuteronomy 29:29 - The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.

Some things about the bible, are hard. Or hidden.

Maybe we aren’t meant to know everything.

But, second, we should approach the Bible prayerfully. We should ask for illumination by the help of the Holy Spirit.

Third, we need to acknowledge that, while everything may not be shrouded in mystery, a neat answer may simply be beyond us. I’m prepared to admit that, at times, I won’t be able to work some things out. Maybe, I’m just too dense for some parts of the bible.

Fourth, thankfully, there are many people who are smarter and more learned than myself. They know the original languages. They know the historical and cultural context. They’ve sat under the wisest theological minds and biblical scholars. 

Even if I don’t know the answer to tricky biblical passages, others do. The answers are available.

So, fifth, we should search for the answers from respectable bible teachers. If there’s a general consensus - across denominational lines - then you’ve probably discovered your answer. Even if you don’t like it.

Sixth, if we don’t uncover a neat solution, then we may need to just accept that a simple answer isn’t forthcoming. 

We need to be prepared to admit this. 

We need to still wrestle with this.

We need to become comfortable in our unknowing.

For, seventh, not every bible verse holds salvation defining truths. 

Some passages aren’t as vital as others. 

And we don’t need to obsess over the periphery issues which emerge from them.

But, eighth, we can still strive to uncover the underlying larger principles which tricky bible passages teach about. 

And, ninth, we can seek for the ways which others believers, in the midst of their uncertainty, live with these difficult passages. For, our queries are not new nor unique. And, the difficult passages have existed alongside faithful believers for Millenia.

If you follow these steps, while the difficult passages won’t disappear, you’ll loose a lot less sleep over them.

The minister’s kid dilemma

I little while back I mentioned the pressure that minister spouses must face when it comes to their positioning during a church service.

But there’s a familial positioning which I’m glad I avoided.

My kids.

I never had to navigate the issue of my kids being in church with me.

Sure, my youngest was just a toddler while I was in ministry, but she was still a stumbling cutie. Her presence, even uninvited, was delightful.

She wasn’t a rebellious teen.

She wasn’t a stubborn tween.

And I wonder the pressure that ministers face when it comes to their children.

How do they weigh up the actions of their kids in light of 1 Timothy 3:12 - A deacon must be faithful to his wife and must manage his children and his household well.

When it comes to “managing their children” on a Sunday morning, how mindful is the minister of 1 Timothy 3:12?

Do they think that this verse will bounce around the minds of their congregation?

When rationalising with their kids about their proximity during the service or general behaviour, does this verse run through their mind?

Would they ever dare bring it up with their offspring?

There’s a lot of pressures when it comes to being in ministry.

I’m glad I avoided this one.

What direction do you take when the preacher mentions your expertise?

I’ve written quite a bit about those in ministry being experts.

In short, those in ministry shouldn’t be expected to be experts and should openly declare as such.

They aren’t engineers.

They aren’t doctors.

They aren’t historians.

But, they can glean truths from many different fields.

And, in their congregation, there will be experts in many topics.

So, what do you do when the preacher hits on your topic of expertise?

Do you lean in or do you sit back?

Does your focus increase or your skepticism increase?

This latter option is the danger when someone wades into your area of expertise.

You know more, so you’re more weary.

So, do you raise your antenna or lower your attention when the sermon hits a topic you’re knowledgeable about.

At worst, even if the preacher fumbles their way through your area of expertise, there’s an important reason to ensure that you’ve paid attention.

They were trying to connect in a way that you’re very familiar with.

And, at a minimum, you should be able to follow the way they ware attempting to reveal a spiritual truth.

Even if they took some missteps, your in a privileged position to understand what they were trying to do.

The ministry of understanding

Now that I’m a teacher, my faith only gets mentioned incidentally in my profession.

I’ll never hide that I worked for a church for over a decade, and this will periodically become relevant in the history and geography syllabus.

The importance of cathedrals in Medieval Europe.

The reasons for the Crusades.

The reasons that the Vikings raided the monasteries.

An overview of Buddhism and its significance for Ancient Japan and Ancient China.

But, I’m attempting to launch a new senior subject at my current school - Studies of Religion.

In part, the reason I’m able to teach this subject is my past.

I have an understanding of the nature of faith.

I’ve been trained by a religious institution.

I’ve been educated by a religious institution.

I’ve worked in the midst of a religious institution.

This blog will show you that I’ve been pondering the nature and outworking of faith since at least 2008.

But, I’ve been very careful in the way that I’ve been pitching my new subject to next year’s potential cohort.

For, Studies of Religion is not about conversion.

It is not about convincing.

It is about understanding.

Understanding a world full of religions and the religious.

No matter where you fall on the spectrum of faith - atheist, agnostic, deist, theist, monotheist, polytheist - my role is to help you understand.

Understand how faith is developed.

Understanding how faith shapes the way people view the world.

Understanding how faith shapes the way people view themselves.

Understanding how faith shapes the way people view others.

Understanding how faith shapes the way people make decisions.

Understanding how the majority of the world - the religious - think.

And, understanding how those of no-religion fit into a religious world.

This, hopefully, will be my role now.

And, if I truely believe that following Jesus makes sense, then faithfully and accurately outlining the elements of other faiths alongside Christianity, shouldn’t be a threat.

This can be my ministry now.

Being aware of your unseen example

Last week I was observing one of my classes complete an exam whilst sitting on a desk.

I know, I’m the height of professionalism.

As I watched the usual squirms of anguish, punctuated with flashes of inspiration, I noticed the position I was in.

It exactly resembled a teacher I had in high school.

She used to perch on the desk in the exact same way.

I wonder if I subconsciously learnt it from her.

I can assure you, it was not a lesson she intended to pass on.

I can only assume, when it comes to the young chaps sitting her class in the late 1900’s, she didn’t expect there to be any future teachers.

Thus, she wasn’t aware that she was laying a blueprint for someone whom would be at the front of a classroom nearly a quarter-century later.

Frankly, I fall into a similar mindset.

I don’t assume that those within my classroom are the teachers of tomorrow.

I certainly don’t assume that I’ll create a lasting impression even if they do go on to complete a Bachelor of Education.

But there’s a chance that it will be the case.

Just as I assume it was when I was a teen at church.

I don’t presume, as I went through puberty, that many figured that I’d work in youth ministry for over a decade.

But, as I did, I often reflected those whom were in leadership while I was growing up.

I lead like them. I spoke like them. I planned like them.

For better or for worse.

The real message is, when it comes to the way you conduct yourself, be it your quirks, mannerisms, the tone you set, the decisions you make, the process you take to reach those decisions or the way you communicate, all of these can potentially shape someone who will (even decades later) follow in your footsteps.

It’s our duty, therefore, to leave them a worthy example to follow.

Being the silhouette at the front

Last Sunday morning my wife was singing in church.

That’s nothing new, she does so every month or so.

Each time she will be singing, I’ll sit with her in church.

Which means that we will be in the spit seats.

Up front.

Usually the place traditionally reserved for the minister’s spouse.

And, this Sunday, I felt the pressure of a minister’s spouse.

For, I felt on display.

And, honestly, I didn’t feel like performing since I was a little ill.

I would have happily just sat throughout the service.

A chilled non-participate.

Is this the strain that all the minister’s wives I’ve served beside have felt?

Is this why they tend to “volunteer” to be busy during the Sunday service?

Confidence builders

My last post was about Confidence Killers within the church and the classroom.

So, how do you build credibility?

Posses knowledge beyond what’s in the textbook.

Maintain a discussion.

Sprinkle in random interesting details about your topic.

Know the youngsters names.

Give useful feedback.

Apologise when you need to.

This is how you generate confidence in a school or church.

In short, you show that you know what you are talking about.

You make it clear that your interest in the subject is not just superficial.

You show that you care, personally, for those in front of you.

This builds confidence.

Like I wrote about credibility killers, the expectation isn’t that you’re perfect. Nor is it that you’re a walking encyclopaedia.

But, the display of ingrained knowledge, presented in an engaging and personable manner generates confidence from those before you. It shows that you can be trusted in what you say and are safe for them to share what they think.

Confidence Killers

Spelling.

Pronunciation.

Pronouns.

Names.

These are the things which haunt me.

They haunted me as a youth minister.

They haunt me as a teacher.

Why?

Because, if you get them wrong, then they erode confidence.

When you misspell a word on the whiteboard…

When you have a typo in your handouts…

When you don’t know how to say a word…

When you misidentify the gender of a student…

When you don’t know a young person’s name…

These chip away at your credibility.

Of course, no one is perfect.

Teachers and ministers are not cyborgs.

But, if these credibility killers occur regularly, then the professional capital of you being “the expect” in the room diminishes and the secure foundation as someone who cares personally about the youngsters is shaken.

The experience/appreciation ratio

This afternoon I was watching one of my classes take an in-class history essay. Most of them didn’t look like they were enjoying the experience.

While I had nearly an hour to kill, observing the squirming year 9 faces, my mind wandered to my old high school teachers.

From what I remember, some were really good. Others were adequate. A few were woeful.

My judgement, even though I am now a teacher myself, hasn’t really changed from what I held a few decades ago.

The good teachers were still good. The toilers were still adequate. The woeful teachers were still rather garbage.

But, now, I can reflect back upon their assessment techniques and pedagogy.

Previously, my judgement was far more relational. 

As a student, it was far more about enthusiasm and passion.

In reality, a good teacher needs all of these qualities. The traits that the students will value - enthusiasm, passion, friendliness, fairness - and the qualities which a colleague will notice - good practice, effective admin, a productive learning environment, successful outcomes - must go hand-in-hand.

Nonetheless, it is with active teaching experience that I’m now able to appreciate my high school teachers.

The more I do, the better I appreciate what they did.

Or, frankly, what they didn’t do.

The same thing happened when I was a youth minister.

For, your depth of appreciation is aligned with your experience.

And, those you initially thought were good - remain quality - except now you have a far richer justification.