A Problem too Common

I have been reading a book called "The Godbearing Life" It is amazing. A quote taken from the book really hit me. I hope that it hits others as well.

"Most of us discover quite painfully -and often quite late- that our overstretched schedules prove not that we are living into God's will for us but that we are living outside of it. We naturally equate busyness with business. The more appointments and tasks we have scheduled, the more "faithful" we feel... Like Moses we try to address the bottomless pit of human need out of our own resources without realizing that we are in bondage, not ministry, at least until we have finally acculated enough frustration and resentment to explode or quit or both."

- Kenda C. Dean

I found that this is the ministry style that I started out doing. This is the lifestyle that I started out doing. Now that I am trying to NOT do this, I am noticing it more and more in people and pastors that I meet, blogs I read.

I think in medical terms it is called a messiah complex. We are called to point to the messiah, not be surrogate messiahs.

Sometimes we encounter busy times of life, there is no way around that. Jesus got pretty busy at times. The question is, if it is a lifestyle, why? Who are we trying to please? Can we accept that God can do this without us? Can we accept that we cannot change hearts no matter how busy or hardworking we get? If you are doing ministry out of a deep need to be needed, problems arise. If you are doing ministry because all these people would be lost without you, problems arise.

Take a look at your calendar and ask, "why" and "at what cost"? Before you schedule another meeting, event, trip, or outing, do a motive check. This is the busiest generation of teenagers, they don't need more stuff to do, they need an encounter with Jesus; and so do we.

Nolan Turns Two Months

He's getting big fast.

Daddy and Nolan

Nolan looks like a thug in his cocked cap. He's a real cute thug though.

Nolan's First Swim

Grandpa got to take Nolan for his very first swim. What a happy Father's Day gift!

Grandma and Isaac Swimming

Isaac went for a swim with Grandma on our last visit. His teeth were chattering when he got out, but he had so much fun!

Drastic Changes in just 6 months!

Time for a Change

I needed a change, so I went drastic. This is my first time sporting a soul patch. We'll see how it goes. What say you, keep it?

Isaac's Routine

My boy is a boy of routine. He would climb up the stairs, run across the bridge, slide down the slide, and run around and do it all over again. He did this about 20 times I think.

Last time we were at the park, he needed more help climbing things. This time, I only helped him cross the bridge.

I am finding that he is growing up faster these days. He used to need so much more help, but now he is learning much.

He can put his own shirt on, get undressed for a bath, feed himself with a fork, drink from a cup or water bottle. There is so much more, but I don't have time or space to write all he is learning to do. But daddy and momma are proud!

Isaac in the Park

Isaac loves to go to the park and play. There is one about a mile from our house, so we walk there after dinner to play. This is a jeep play structure, but he calls it his tractor, and then commences to sing Old Macdonald had a tractor.

I really couldn't fit in there, so I sat on the top of the seat. It reminded me of my very first car, an 86' Chevette two door hatchback with mustang hub caps. Sweet vehicle.

Isaac was "cruisin'"

At Darin's house they had some cool scooters. Isaac wanted to ride one so bad, so Rean took him for a ride for like 20 minutes. Isaac kept sayinig, "I'm cruisin'!"

I get Father of the Year Award for taking him around on the scooter too, but I tripped and we fell on our faces. He got a bruise under his finger, and today he is still talking about how "we fell down" and "it hurt". Yep, I am awesome.

Isaac loves Nolan

Isaac loves to cuddle and hug and kiss Nolan.

Nolan is cute!

Nolan is really cute when he smiles. he looks alot like Isaac at 0-3 months. Go to Kara's site to get a neat comparison. He's so cute.

I Love Grandma

Nolan is really cute in his "I Love Grandma" shirt

Who will end up in hell?

This is pretty funny.

crazy preacher lady

she needs to cut out some coffee or something, and get some asthma inhalers. Wow. And maybe Holy Spirit Enema is not a very good illustration to use. Just my opinion though.

New Blogs

I started a new blog for our ministry.

If you are a parent, this blog's for you

If you are a leader, this blog's for you

If you are a student, this myspace is for you

We hope to keep you all informed through these sites. Have fun folks.

Thanks to Crossroads

I went to Crossroads in Ionia to speak this morning. It was really fun, and they are so nice and hospitable. I had spoken there last year and it was really cool to see some familiar faces again, and to meet some of the people I have only talked on the phone with.

They meet in an older movie theater on main street. It is the coolest building with lots of character and cool architectural elements. They pop popcorn and serve coffee for church, kinda like a movie. I really enjoyed being there this morning.

Speaking in Ionia

A local church has been in between pastors lately. Well they just hired a pastor and he is coming in to town soon. Until then they are bringing in speakers to fill the gap. I spoke at this church late last year and really enjoyed the people. They called me this week and asked me to come back, and I was very excited to say yes. So tomorrow, I get to go back and speak. I am really excited, and sleepy. I should go to bed now. Peace.

Great Lunch at BWW

Today I drove to East Lansing to have lunch with a fellow youth pastor. It was a great refreshment to talk youth ministry with someone in the area. It was like a mental jump start for me. I have had questions rolling around in my head for a while now, and talking things through with another youth pastor in my area really helped me.

He was a great guy, and we really clicked. We talked for about 2 hours, and I feel recharged. I have a lot of new ideas, and thoughts to roll around in my head and get together with our adult leaders to bring to life.

Funny story, on the way home, I went the wrong way on the highway and didn't realize it until 20 minutes later. I was on the phone chatting with some students having fun, and hot realizing I was headed in the wrong direction. That's life for ya.

A New Kind of Youth Ministry

Wow, this has been a great book so far. I am only on chapter two, but I am loving it. It is really guiding me in the transition I am mentally making in youth ministry. I have a few favorite quotes so far:

"Another big reason why students are not able to move past a static faith [a faith that does not move] and form a faith that is mobile is because we youth workers talk more with our students about what they should not do as Christians rather than encouraging them in what they should do. We talk a lot about not sinning, but sometimes we do very little to help students form faith habits that will nurture them as disciples- habits that help them celebrate in their jubilant moments and fight through the times of struggle, temptation, and confusion." -p.47

Another Good Quote was from Kendra Dean:

"If young people are to practice faith when they graduate from youth ministry, the most important gift churches can give them is lifestyle faith instead of program faith. Of course that doesn't mean that Christian programs don't have a role to play. But young people aren't looking for programs; and when the church makes faith into "one more thing to do" we turn the gospel into an extra-curricular activity, one among dozens, and in doing so we gut it of its transforming significance. The last thing postmodern young people need is something more to do. They have plenty to keep them busy, but precious little to make them holy." -p.50

Man, I have been thinking this for some time, but I was not sure anyone else was. I was beginning to think that I was crazy. Youth ministry is all about keeping youth busy and out of trouble right? Youth ministry is also about conveying information and making them feel guilty about how bad a Christian they are so that they will follow Jesus better...Right?

Too Cute for Words

HooFlungPoo

We started our Summer off with a bang! During the Summer, we stop meeting at the church and start meeting in homes for bon fires, barbecues, and a bit of a Bible Study. We met at the Bush's Farm tonight. Yes a real farm, with 200+ acres and Cattle, and Horses and Barns and Fields and things. Rean is the kid in the Cowboy hat. That is not a look he is trying to pull off, he is a real cowboy who does rodeos and ropes cattle. He is going to College to shoe horses for a living. So when I say Farm, I mean Farm.




We decided to get out the water balloon launchers and Water bombs and shoot them at each other from 50 yards away. All was going well, until the water bombs were no longer water bombs, but Horse poop. Yes, the opposing side started to launch Horse poop from their launcher. It was amazing seeing poop fly 70mph 75 yards. Never quite seen anything like it before in my life. I suppose this is the sort of thing to do on the farm.

All in all it was a great night, we had lots of fun, food, fire, and ...feces. Okay I ha to throw that last one in there.

Aim lower, think smaller, give up, Go have a cup of coffee

Thanks to Todd Rhoades from Monday Morning Insight for this cool flash video on the Great Commission

Student Service

We took over all four services at church this weekend. It was a lot of fun. We honored the graduating seniors and gave them a book, Everything Counts, by Steve L. Case. It is Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest adapted for students.

Word got out that we were doing the student service, and they loaded up on CDs and DVDs. Last student service was the highest requested service in CD and DVD format last year, nearly double of what they normally do.

Some Highlights of the Service:

1. Hearing the Worship Team. Caleb, Christian, Chelsey, Morgan, J.D., and Justin sounded amazing. The vocals were so perfect. I am so very proud of the way this team has developed over the year. I am spoiled to get to worship on a weekly basis with such talent.

2. Seeing Pam, Tom, Kylie, and Mara honor the graduates, and seeing the graduates awkwardly try to figure out what to say when they were asked what they were going to do. The best answer came from Josh, "get a job."

3. Preaching in my bare feet. It was good enough for Moses, and it is good enough for me too.

4. Getting feedback! Being a youth pastor doesn't get you a lot of feedback. You could have a service that changed a life drastically and that person will not speak a word of it to you. In the service though, people give you feedback, it was different.

5. Rob offering to get me some food in between services

6. I officiated my first communion. I did not plan on it, or plan it in to the service, but when I showed up early Sunday morn, Lo and behold communion was ready to go. It was really cool, and a very worshipful time for me.

7. My wife telling me she was proud of me

My Life

Things Got Silly

The other night, it was family night, and we rented some movies, and things just got a bit out of hand as you can see here.

Isaac learned to make this face from Ashley, the daughter of some dear friends of ours. It is really cute when Isaac does it. He laughs uncontrollably while doing it.

Nolan the Cherub

this is Nolan's Cherub pose. Just picture two tiny wings coming out the back...precious moments baby. He likes to sleep like this.

He is wearing an outfit that Isaac wore when he was little. They look very much alike. Visit Kara's Site to see the comparison.

This is Pudge

Nolan is HUGE!!! He is over 12lbs already! And today he ate constantly, so he is growing some more. He is growing an average of 12 ounces a week! If he keeps up at this rate, by the time he is 10 he will be 390lbs.

Nolan In Hats

Kara loves to put her babies in big hats. These are two that I approve of. Maybe you will see some that I do not approve of on her site.

Mazzy and Nolan

We have kept Mazzy 5 ft away from Nolan to enforce the idea that Nolan has authority over her. She has been great about that, always approaching gently and cautiously.

The other day, Kara had Nolan on the kitchen floor on a blanket, and Mazzy skootched over on her belly and laid down like this and let Nolan pet her on the head. It was a very cool moment.

Proud Grand Parents

My parents are so proud of their grand babies. They love them so much. I love to see the looks on their faces when one of their grand babies is on their lap. They just light up.

I love Nolan in this hat. He looks like he is about to mess some one up.

The second baby is my niece Awbree. She is a sweety.

Isaac and Nolan

Daddy's Boy

Isaac Is Growing Up

Isaac is getting so big! He is taller than a lot of 5 year olds we know of. I think he gets that from my side...hmmm. maybe. He is growing up so fast, and he is handling Nolan's arrival so well. He loves him so much. He has recently turned into a Daddy's boy, which I love. Once I get home from the office, he says, "Daddy's home!" and then comes and grabs my hand and pulls me into his room saying, "Play basketball." I love being a dad.

Big Weekend Coming Up

We have our baccalaureate service coming up this weekend. I am excited. Our band from the student ministry is doing the music, and some adult leaders are interviewing the seniors, and I have a message ready to go. I have not spoke a full message in the service in a while. I will keep you updated on how it went. We are taking all four services, the Saturday night at 6:30, and the three Sunday services at 8:15, 9:45, and 11:15. It is a task to do all four. I am not sure how our pastors do it on a weekly basis, but I am amazed at how much energy it takes to do this.