as some of you that regularly read this blog i just started a job at a before and after school program at the ymca. it is more a of pay the bills position while in grad school rather than an i love this job and going going to make it my vocation. but it can still be a ministry. in fact i have to see it as a ministry or it wont last that long. i have also started helping out at fall creek wesleyan church in launching there brand new 5-6th grade ministry on wednesday night.
when i came to indianapolis i wasnt necessarily looking to work with elementary school ages but it kind of fell in my lap. there was a need so i filled it. but the kids have been interesting in both places. in small group the other night a kid named conner kept on bring up wrestling, i guess you could say it is his golden calf. while others are just the pastor kid/ grown up in church my whole life and Jesus is the answer to every question type of kids even though we were studying elijah and the prophets of asherah and baal. do each of them have faith, sure. just a little wild at heart.
on the school side of things this morning somehow the topic of veggietales came up and i asked them what they thought of it. these are k-4th graders. but not one mentioned liking it. the biggest reason was that they were talking vegetables and that could never happen. they said that they dont walk but bounce. i was saddened, not because they didnt like veggietales. but more because they didnt have the sense of imagination to think that vegetables could actually talk.
mike yaconelli mentioned in his book dangerous wonder that "when a person loses there imagination it loses a huge piece of his soul." he needs to be able to believe in the unreached and the impossible. because isnt faith in a way imagination, believing in things that seem impossible and unreal. miracles and faith are a part of christianity and we need to have a believe that God can and will do things.
i am not saying that the second graders faith is in trouble but it does still seem depressing that he can not be and do what should come easy to him. a world that was captured in both narnia and a bridge to terabithia. a world full of wonder.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Monday, September 24, 2007
amazing lyrics
How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I knoww that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
we sang this song in church yesterday. I have heard the song a lot but it has been a while. i was really taken back by the words. they are so powerful and ring with truth.
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I knoww that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
we sang this song in church yesterday. I have heard the song a lot but it has been a while. i was really taken back by the words. they are so powerful and ring with truth.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
calling
i grew up going to camps and youth conferences that would express the need for people to be called into the ministry. every year no matter who the speaker was it seemed that he would give an alter call for all those who had felt a call into the ministry. at the time i really didnt understand the concept of being called into the ministry. were some people more important that God wanted them. was i less of a christian because i didnt feel that call. i had friends go up. i was happy for them, but in a way was glad it wasnt me who God was calling.
fast forward a few years. i had just finished my first year of classes full of general education courses that all students must take at a private christian college. one of those classes was called world changers, a brand new class where we as freshmen in the fall of 1999 were the introductory class to this positive, uplifting class that we can and eventually will change the world.
i didnt understand at that time what God would be callling me too, but as a freshman studying business i thought it might be as a layperson and would be able to support missionaries and other ministries because of all the money that i would make. that would definately change a lot of people, maybe not the whole world but atleast the community that i lived in.
that summer i took a position as a lifeguard at the iwu pool and was also asked to be a sponsor at a local youth group. i said sure and really enjoyed the time on wednesdays. it started to become a passion of mine, something i would look forward to and would start to schedule things around what the youth were doing.
i found myself at camp again that summer like i had many times as a high schooler only now i was the adult with the teens but yet i felt drawn to the message like dr. lo was speaking directly to me. it didnt matter if there were 500 or so others there but at that moment in time i felt that i was the only one he was speaking to. and then it happened the inevitable if you feel like you are called to the ministry "come on down you are the next contestant on the pastor for life." before i knew it i was at the alter knowing that i wanted to give my life to the direction of Christ. i had felt the call. i had finally understood what all my other friends had felt like when they received the call years before. i finally felt that God wanted me.
it has now been 7 years and i have worked in youth ministry ever since. 3 years as a youth sponsor at the same church and then the last four as a youth pastor in two local church settings. but now as i reflect on that time 7 years ago i stil ask and question myself if it really was the call to ministry that God was looking for. i am sure that God is excited every time a person realizes their "call" but i really believe that God is looking more for the surrender of that person then the realizing of a persons vocation. it was that willingness that God wanted from me so many times. he wanted me to be obedient. he wants me more to be a fully devoted follower of Him. He wants me sold out and to live my life as a sacrifice.
i think this is so much more important then the emphasis that so many people put on the call to ministry. i think we as a church are more excited when someone feels their call to the ministry but not as excited as when someone is called to work with the mentally handicapped or as a business man. that same person could be more humble, loving and willing to serve, and he or she might actually do more to change the world.
what happens when someone who feels the call but really isnt fitted for the position. everyone thanks God at the time but what is set in place for him to actually confirm that. what if this person goes to a bible college because he feels the call but the professors are not really sure about that same call. many people that i went to school are no longer serving in churches or might not even still be following Christ. were those people called to ministry or did they not make the cut because they should not have been there in the first place. was it satan attacking telling them that they were not good enough or was it churches just not hiring them because they really were not good enough.
i am not sure but i have been dwelling on this quite a bit. i have even been questioning to some point my call. but i believe that God is still calling me to follow Him in ministry. for now that means grad school and a volunteer ministry position. later it could be back in the church, maybe a college setting or an inner city ministry but i do know that he will always be calling me to follow Him.
fast forward a few years. i had just finished my first year of classes full of general education courses that all students must take at a private christian college. one of those classes was called world changers, a brand new class where we as freshmen in the fall of 1999 were the introductory class to this positive, uplifting class that we can and eventually will change the world.
i didnt understand at that time what God would be callling me too, but as a freshman studying business i thought it might be as a layperson and would be able to support missionaries and other ministries because of all the money that i would make. that would definately change a lot of people, maybe not the whole world but atleast the community that i lived in.
that summer i took a position as a lifeguard at the iwu pool and was also asked to be a sponsor at a local youth group. i said sure and really enjoyed the time on wednesdays. it started to become a passion of mine, something i would look forward to and would start to schedule things around what the youth were doing.
i found myself at camp again that summer like i had many times as a high schooler only now i was the adult with the teens but yet i felt drawn to the message like dr. lo was speaking directly to me. it didnt matter if there were 500 or so others there but at that moment in time i felt that i was the only one he was speaking to. and then it happened the inevitable if you feel like you are called to the ministry "come on down you are the next contestant on the pastor for life." before i knew it i was at the alter knowing that i wanted to give my life to the direction of Christ. i had felt the call. i had finally understood what all my other friends had felt like when they received the call years before. i finally felt that God wanted me.
it has now been 7 years and i have worked in youth ministry ever since. 3 years as a youth sponsor at the same church and then the last four as a youth pastor in two local church settings. but now as i reflect on that time 7 years ago i stil ask and question myself if it really was the call to ministry that God was looking for. i am sure that God is excited every time a person realizes their "call" but i really believe that God is looking more for the surrender of that person then the realizing of a persons vocation. it was that willingness that God wanted from me so many times. he wanted me to be obedient. he wants me more to be a fully devoted follower of Him. He wants me sold out and to live my life as a sacrifice.
i think this is so much more important then the emphasis that so many people put on the call to ministry. i think we as a church are more excited when someone feels their call to the ministry but not as excited as when someone is called to work with the mentally handicapped or as a business man. that same person could be more humble, loving and willing to serve, and he or she might actually do more to change the world.
what happens when someone who feels the call but really isnt fitted for the position. everyone thanks God at the time but what is set in place for him to actually confirm that. what if this person goes to a bible college because he feels the call but the professors are not really sure about that same call. many people that i went to school are no longer serving in churches or might not even still be following Christ. were those people called to ministry or did they not make the cut because they should not have been there in the first place. was it satan attacking telling them that they were not good enough or was it churches just not hiring them because they really were not good enough.
i am not sure but i have been dwelling on this quite a bit. i have even been questioning to some point my call. but i believe that God is still calling me to follow Him in ministry. for now that means grad school and a volunteer ministry position. later it could be back in the church, maybe a college setting or an inner city ministry but i do know that he will always be calling me to follow Him.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
indy
we are now finally settled in our indianapolis one bedroom apartment. we moved in a week ago today and fell like it is almost home. i definately think it will take some time getting used to the new surroundings. i am not necessarily a person who loves the city but there are some things that are starting to grow on me. we are close to jenny's family which is nice. her brother, sister in law and two kids are only about 7-10 miles away. we are going to have some good friends living close by as well.
life is anew and fresh and i am looking forward to what life brings. i started working for the ymca as an assistant site director at a before and after school program. i think it will be a good job to go along with grad school. i will be starting on-site at the iwu keystone building in the ministerial leadership. i look forward to the program and should be the type of masters that i really will enjoy.
we started attending fall creek wesleyan church and i have been asked to help lead a 5th and 6th grade program there. we are lauching it on wednesday. it should work out pretty well. steve bray has assembled a really good team to lead it. on it is a 5th and 6th grade school counselor, a childrens book author, the head of the childrens deparment in the wesleyan church, a youth pastor (me) and a couple of young kids fresh out of high school. i think it has a real opportunity to reach a group that other then young adults are the most unreached age group in the church. a little old for kids club but still not old enough for youth.
so life is moving on going forward. it will be different then what i am used to. God is changing me alot through the process of the last few months. he is opening my world up to "ministry" and "service" which i will be addressing in future blogs. as for me it is almost 1am and i woke up at 6 so i am quite tired. so i am out for the night.
life is anew and fresh and i am looking forward to what life brings. i started working for the ymca as an assistant site director at a before and after school program. i think it will be a good job to go along with grad school. i will be starting on-site at the iwu keystone building in the ministerial leadership. i look forward to the program and should be the type of masters that i really will enjoy.
we started attending fall creek wesleyan church and i have been asked to help lead a 5th and 6th grade program there. we are lauching it on wednesday. it should work out pretty well. steve bray has assembled a really good team to lead it. on it is a 5th and 6th grade school counselor, a childrens book author, the head of the childrens deparment in the wesleyan church, a youth pastor (me) and a couple of young kids fresh out of high school. i think it has a real opportunity to reach a group that other then young adults are the most unreached age group in the church. a little old for kids club but still not old enough for youth.
so life is moving on going forward. it will be different then what i am used to. God is changing me alot through the process of the last few months. he is opening my world up to "ministry" and "service" which i will be addressing in future blogs. as for me it is almost 1am and i woke up at 6 so i am quite tired. so i am out for the night.
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