It is such a beautiful and glorious thing when heaven touches earth. It is always an awe inspiring moment to glimpse some evidence of God’s Kingdom revealed here. It is what I sensed as I read the post written by Jeremy Bouma.

For two years I taught middle school in a rural Virginia school. It was a meaning-filled and life-changing experience - one I treasure to this day, with great memories, so many lessons learned and besides what I gained, I loved teaching. It also gave me a new perspective on what kids (and my child) endure at school - the stresses, the competitiveness, the social pressure and for many the cruelty of their peers. I also witnessed the special kind of rudeness that many kids reserved for the lunch room (often at the expense of those who served them).

So it was especially touching to read Jeremy’s post, here is how he begins,

So about a month ago a high school senior whom I mentor at the church I’ve begun interning at wrote me an email. Here is a piece of it:

Oh! And I have a question for Jon, but I’ll run it by you quick too. I want to organize a dinner for our lunch ladies at school. Do you think it’d be possible to use the kitchen and tables at Fellowship? Cam and I have been chatting about it a little bit, and thought it was a good location, if it all worked out.

I positively melted!

Two graduating seniors from a local public high school wanted to love on the ladies who have served them for four years by providing a dinner at our church!

How
cool
is
that?!

Continue reading Jeremy’s post entitled, This Is Why I Do What I Do here.

ht - light lady

A good friend and I were discussing the need for good spiritual practices this past weekend (I was speaking and he was leading music for a winter retreat for teenagers). As we were talking around a nice fire on a cold afternoon he reminded me of this old prayer and the value of regularly repeating it from the heart - it could do a world of good.

Hopefully I will follow this sage advice!

A Collect for Purity

Almighty God,
unto whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden
Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy Name;
through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

From the first notes you know this is the david crowder* band. There is so much to enjoy and find and admire and yes emulate on this newest release, Remedy. It is probably a bit more accessible than A Collision. I can hear church’s, youth groups, and fellowships of all sizes putting there own spin on many of the tunes that Crowder and company have to offer this time round. (A Collision was a bit less accessible in my opinion - yet ground breaking in another sense - it clearly took “worship music” to a whole new level and experience.)

What I really find refreshing this time out with remedy…

This is corporate - you find very few references to “me” and “I” and tons of “we” and “us.”

This is a wonderful set of music that tackles both the transcendence and immanence of God. The music is filled with the reality and the implications of God’s presence. Wonderful stuff.

This is missional worship. Worship that helps us thank, exalt, lift up, praise and glory in our God who has come to save us. Worship that challenges and engages us in the part we have to play in the unfolding epic that God has come to save us.

There is hope filling and undergirding the message of Remedy. Check out these lyrics:
“…everything will change
Things will never be the same
We will never be same.” (from “The Glory of it All”)

“Oh surely we can change something;
Oh, the world’s about to change,
The whole world’s about to change.” (from “Surely We Can Change”)

I felt my whole being swell up with hope as Crowder sang “The whole world’s about to change” - the first time I heard it.

Yes there are plenty of anthems (youth rooms watch out- and they will have all kinds of new treats and feats of loudness in San Diego, St. Louis and Atlanta - YS!) There is also just quality stuff a great remake of one of Crowder’s first (and finest) tunes - Rain Down (from back in the UBC days); and a great song/psalm/prayer in the tradition of Francis Assisi’s Peace Prayer; and a beautiful re-working and amending to a “great Hymn of the church”.

[This release and it’s content also raises a question… so did I miss an announcement - is there going to be an “Everything Changes Tour” with Crowder and McLaren? This disc seems to drip with a message and a tone that is VERY consistent with McLaren’s new book (Everything Must Change).]

So what is the scoop? This is a great gift to the church - may we enjoy, use and celebrate with Crowder’s Remedy.

“Let us be the remedy
Let us bring the remedy.” from the song titled, “Remedy”

I am so glad to be seeing this day (two organizations with a great history and that I am very fond of) - as Sonlife and YouthFront announce a merger!! Celebrate - and read the press release below.

Press Release Thursday, September 20, 2007—For Immediate Release

Sonlife Ministries Merging with YouthFront

Sonlife Ministries, Inc. has merged with YouthFront, Inc. effective September 1, 2007 in order to “maximize ministry effectiveness” of the two organizations. Formerly a Chicago-based ministry, Sonlife will relocate to Kansas City. For more than six decades, YouthFront has brought young people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ through camps, campus ministries, mission trips, creative programming, and leadership development. For nearly three decades, Sonlife has provided Christ-centered training for students and adult leaders through training seminars, conferences, and creative resources.

YouthFront President Mike King and Sonlife President Chris Folmsbee share a conviction that “the youth ministry community is pregnant with expectation and desire for fresh and innovative approaches to youth ministry that are both creative and also theologically and ecclesiologically sound,” says King. Folmsbee adds, “We see youth ministry paradigms shifting away from an overemphasis on programmatic/event-oriented and information-focused styles toward a more robust and holistic understanding of Christian formation. The need is greater than ever to guide young people in discovering how to live as Christ in all areas of their lives.”

YouthFront will continue its tradition of developing innovative youth ministry around the world through its commitment to the development of youth ministry philosophy, theology, and practice. Sonlife will continue to move forward as a church-assisting organization serving youth workers by facilitating networks; developing and providing training; offering coaching, consultation, and spiritual direction; and creating resources and programs for youth workers and students. Through the new YouthFront organization, all present Sonlife training and development programs for youth workers will continue, including Enroute, Shaping a Missional Community, Shepherding in a Culture of Change, Refresh, and Leadership of the Heart. All training experiences for students will continue, as well, including Merge, Awake and Reveal.

“This merger seems natural because of the alignment we have, not just between Chris Folmsbee and me, but also between the organizations that we have led,” says Mike King. YouthFront sees Sonlife’s innovation of a new wave of youth worker participation in training and formational experiences. Sonlife sees YouthFront as innovating new ways to do youth ministry and spiritual formation of adolescents. Consequently, merging together will allow each organization to realize greater ministry impact. Folmsbee states, “I am expectant that God is going to do amazing things through our coming together. I believe we will look back a few years from now to identify many things God has done to strengthen the church through the development of youth workers and students.”

For questions regarding this merger or to seek more information about the ministry of YouthFront and Sonlife, please contact Andy Garlich at 800-770-4769 or AGarlich@YouthFront.com

I had never heard of a “digging bar” till my 39th year. No excuses - I guess I never spent a healthy amount of time on the other end of a shovel. I grew up in Florida and digging there after a minute or two and you struck water… so digging deeper was not much of an option. After Florida I spent 6 years as a professional student and then headed to pushing pencils and keyboards behind a desk (and often a tie). Anyway, digging had not been a regular occurrence.

Then I moved to Pennsylvania and acquired a mini farmette (a little less than 7 acres). Up first was putting in 250 feet of water line from the house out to the stable. During that “project” I was provided with my introduction to the digging bar. And now this past weekend I got re-introduced to my favorite tool as we are putting in fence posts for a future pasture. In both of these projects the magic number was 36 - 36 inches deep, to be more precise. In digging a 3 foot hole (or ditch) - a shovel is great for going through the topsoil and the layer of clay or dirt, but then comes the fun (and the point at which the shovel becomes ineffective) the seam of shale or rock.

It is at this phase where the digging bar gets a work out. The chipping and concussion of the digging bar makes “easy” (or easier) work of progressing through the shale and rock to reach the magic depth of 3 feet. It is hard work, but work made easier with a digging bar. It is great to have the right tool for the right job (I know some of you are thinking - have you heard of a post hole digger - but sometimes it is good to do work that makes you sweat and strain with your own hands!).

As I was pounding away at a particularly stubborn seam of shale with my digging bar I began thinking, “This is why we don’t often progress deeper in our spiritual lives.” It is hard work to go deeper. It can be frustrating. It can be “slow-going.” It can just be flat out rough to progress. It may be made even more difficult without the right guidance and without the right “tools.”

We fly through the topsoil, we sweat through the clay and packed dirt and then we just hang up our shovels in frustration and exhaustion when we hit the shale.

Let me introduce you to the digging bar.

“…that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us…” (John 17:21)

When I was growing up it was popular among the “born again bunch” to hear a question like, “When did you invite Jesus into your heart?” or “When did Christ come into your life.” A dominant metaphor of many Christians that I talk to is this metaphor of Christ coming into our lives. I have been thinking about this and I wonder if it is the most helpful picture. I know Paul uses it on one occasion that I can recall, “Christ in you, the hope of Glory” (Colossians 1:27), but is it enough to think in these terms. Is it enough for us; is God satisfied for us to go through our lives thinking in this manner - God in me.

If this is accurate then I am the host. In essence, I am still in charge. God is a guest. I have “invited Him in.” He is merely a part of my life. God is another aspect of my life which I must consider.

There is a greater metaphor at work in Scripture that we must understand (and help others to understand - especially those youth workers among us). It is the picture of us “in Christ.” That we don’t merely allow God into us - where we would like (where we can stay in charge and if we would like stay on the periphery) - but we are absorbed into Christ. The image of being in Christ moves us out of control. The image of being in Christ moves us from periphery or being the host of God to the place of surrendering to the Divine Center. It radically changes our relationship by changing the position of in from after Christ to before Christ. Being in Christ I think is the goal. For when we find ourselves resting or residing in Christ we become more fully integrated into the mind, will, mission and way of the God of the Universe.

How do you think of your relationship with God - is Christ in you; or are you in Christ? I think we need to think about both being true and both being integral to our understanding of the relationship between God and humans. Do you think it matters? Or am I making something out of nothing?

For years I have been searching for a bible that one could just read. Not another study bible or a bible that featured commentaries, just the black words (no small numerals or arbitrary chapter breaks) on a white page. I really resonate with Brian McLaren’s entry in A is for Abductive entitled, Versus Verses. I never cared for the breaking up of the text in verse thoughts - I understand it helps us get on the “same page” in the midst of the myriad of versions/translations, though. [Don’t even get me started that the publishers prevailed against Eugene Peterson’s wishes on not having verses and chapters as part of The Message.]

Imagine my surprise when I learned that the International Bible Society is releasing a new version of the Bible - with “readers” in mind! This is in my mind - a GREAT and greatly needed resource. An uncluttered version of the scripture with no extras (footnotes, translation notes, etc.), no chapter breaks, no verse markings in the text - merely a translation of the Older and Newer Testament. It is welcome to my eyes. Here is how the IBS is talking about this new resource entitled, The Books of the Bible:

The Books of the Bible project encourages better Bible reading, particularly by emphasizing the reading of whole books. The result is an inviting and clean visual presentation of the Bible, in Today’s New International Version (TNIV), that can be understood and enjoyed more easily. The Books of the Bible differs from the format of most current Bibles in significant ways:

Chapter and verse numbers are removed from the text
(A chapter and verse range is given at the bottom of each page)
Each book’s natural literary breaks are shown instead
There are no notes, cross references, or section headings in the text
Text is presented in one column rather than two or more
Books that have historically been divided into parts are restored
Books are presented in an order that gives readers more help in understanding

I think that this would be an excellent resource to help individuals, teens, and churches to approach the reading of the scriptures in a fresh and helpful way. Those in ministry desire for people to read, know, and live out the story of God and often complain about the lack of results. This resource holds promise for people to be able to approach reading the bible in a new way. As a result of its format and focus on the books, as wholes - it may encourage people to feel less intimidated in picking up the Bible (especially if they are exposed to it first using it in ministry settings - youth groups, small groups, christian education setting, etc.). I hope that many youth ministries will take the time to review the potential of this ministry resource. I look forward to experimenting with this new and fresh “readers bible” personally and in ministry contexts.

I spent some time reading some of the samples from this new resource - I would encourage you to check it out.

So, I have been out of the picture the past couple of days - a trip and then recovering from being away a couple of days.

That means two things - I have no idea what the “buzz is in the blog-o-shpere” and I think I owe you something!

This may be old news; this may be all over out there - but seriously I wouldn’t know.

So - The latest Robbie Seay Band release, Give Yourself Away is being given away for free through relevant magazine… get it while it’s hot! (it’s going on sale 8/28 - so this is probably a limited deal). Good rock oriented worship style music (with a very tasty and fresh take on The Choir’s Beautiful Scandalous Night).

Go get it! (you do have to leave a name and email and sign up for 2 email newsletters - nothin’s “free”.)

I have a dream for the churches that I have known - a dream that one day we will be known as a place not of words, great sermons, expert teaching and wonderful activities (not that this would be a bad reputation) but that we would be known for being a place of quiet, stillness and a place of tranquility.

I think one of the great spiritual needs of our world (anxiety, busyness and stress related sickness I think are symptomatic of this) is the need for quiet, silence, being, and stillness. I think this is true for teens, as well. Our students could wrongly walk away from our churches thinking that God is pleased by noise, busyness, and much activity. That God is found in the big, the event, the extravaganza and the emotional response. Of course (as well as being a bit overstated) we know this isn’t true.

So I have a dream that we would recover the muscle to reinstate periods of stillness, silence, and quiet into our church gatherings.

Why? (that is a fair question) - consider and think on these quotes extolling what others have found in the practice of silence:

Anonymous:
“Do not speak unless you can improve the silence.”

Catherine Doherty:
“True silence is sometimes the absence of speech–but it is always the act of listening.” (from Poustinia)

“Before you can find peace outside yourself, you must have silence and quiet in your heart and in your mind.” (from Welcome Pilgrim)

Henri Nouwen:
“It is a good discipline to wonder in each new situation if people wouldn’t be better served by our silence than by our words.”

John Michael Talbot:
“As long as the pond is agitated, it remains unclear. Only through stillness does the water begin to clarify so that you can actually see what is in the pond, and so that the waters of the pond are able to reflect an image. Our spiritual life is like a pond. Anxiousness about worldly things and possessions stirs the waters of our soul, making it impossible for us to see the reality of what we are actually made of on the spiritual level, or to really reflect the Divine Image as we were created to do…. We must still our environment, with its many possessions and cares, before we can really be reborn to a whole new way of life.” (from Come to the Quiet)

Bl. Mother Teresa of Calcutta:
“We cannot find God in noise or agitation. Nature, trees, flowers, and grass grow in silence. The stars, the moon, and the sun move in silence.”

It seems as I look around this world we call home… that often what motivates action is fear, guilt, or vengeance - or some combination thereof. I know that is pretty cynical. But it seems that from congress to the school house too often (how about that) we hear underlying building programs and new initiatives this motivation mix of fear (someone is going to out do us), guilt (it has been a long time coming), or vengeance (never again!).

I know that few things happen from pure motives (meaning only one motive) - it is most often a mix of motivations - but it has me thinking, what motivates youth ministry in my church?

Is it guilt? Are we attempting to make up for some past failures by providing “the best” for the next generation?
Is it fear? Are we trying to provide an alternative to the world in order to protect our children?
Is it vengeance? Are we trying to prove something to someone?

What are the motivations that move us or our church into ministry with teens? I am sure it is a mixture of all kinds of inner forces. Though, I am coming to learn and be convinced of this - if love is not a growing factor amidst those other competing factors, it’s not worth much.

God, may a holy love infuse our desires and motivations as we minister to others. May the love which moved Jesus from heaven to earth be the mark of your bride. May love rain on your church and be the fragrance she is known for. On earth as it is in heaven.

Amen.