Book Report – The life you’ve always wanted

Here is the second book review. This one was for our Monday night small group. I really enjoy spending time with my small group friends and so it was worth reading two books at the same time. Though it did slow down my book reading time. Lesson for me is not to read more than one book at a time if I want to read through the books I have planned to read.

The Life You've Always Wanted by John Ortberg is a wonderful and practical book. The 6 week study series that we went through in our small group that paralleled the book made it all that much better. I have taken a lot from this reading and study but I will share only the two biggest ideas that I got.

1) In the chapter called, “The Practice of Reflection on Scripture,” John Ortberg shares, “An indispensable practice is to have our minds re-formed by immersing them in Scripture.” To be re-formed is a powerful thought to me. So often I have allowed myself to dwell on so much junk that it shouldn’t surprise me when I react in negative ways with my family or the people I work with. John goes on to share 5 practices of meditating on Scripture. One of them is, “Allow This Thought (a verse) to Become Part of Your Memory.” This has effected how I read, memorize, and meditate on God’s word. Now when I go to sleep I spend my last waking minutes repeating a verse I had been immersing myself in the whole day. The current verse I’m immersed in is John 3:30, “He (Jesus) must increase, I must decrease.”

2) The other idea that I’ve been trying to do (and I really mean this has been a trying one) is the act of “slowing.” It means what the word says - to slow down. “This involves cultivating patience by deliberately choosing to place ourselves in positions where we simply have to wait.” I like to keep doing something – in fact in our last church staff meeting (Feb 27) I was bouncing my legs around so much Pastor James Wartian asked me if I was ok. I can get busy about a lot of stuff and I just need to slow down and wait. Hmmm… maybe reading more than one book is a good idea because it did slow me down.

Book Report - Simple Church

I had to pull back on books that I was planning on reading to work through two books that our staff and my small group needed us to read. I'll share the staff book here and share the other one later.

The book we had to read for staff is called Simple Church and our associate pastor Kim Pagel assigned it to us. Wow what a read! My wife and I read it together as we traveled to the Youth Ministry Conference in Indy a couple of weeks ago. It has some great thoughts and questions to work through at the end of each chapter that really helped me process what the book is sharing. Here are a couple ideas from the book that really jumped out at me:

1) I’m very much a process type of guy. Do this, then do this, then do this, etc. works really well for me (maybe that is why I like my laptop and pocket pc so much). The book doesn’t say this is what you have to do but it gives us a practical idea of how to make a process for our church. The idea to work with is – Clarity -> Movement -> Alignment -> Focus. What encouraged me is the fact that New Covenant is already doing some of these ideas that can fit into a process that works for us.

2) The other idea that jumped out was said at the end of the book. It said, “Here is the bottom line: Get there as fast as you can but not faster.” I like change and I believe to be healthy in life one must change or one grows stale. But I’m also very sensitive to changing just for the sake of changing which can cause whiplash and is very unhealthy. The book strongly recommends that we must become simple and if we don’t we will die. It is also careful to point out that this “need to change” needs to be prayed over and turned over to God for it to happen in His timing. “Pray for discernment. Allow God to give you wisdom and grant you favor. Get on God’s timetable. Move to simple as God leads. Use wisdom and compassion in becoming a simple church.” Can't say that any better.

I’m excited about where New Covenant is going and this book reinforces in my heart that we are on the right track to bring God glory by sharing His good news and love to our community of friends.

Opener for tonight

Here is a quick and fun video we are going to use to open our night with this jr hi kids. Thanks to Andrew and Ben for all their hard work -- this is great!

The Ice Storm of 2007

The ice storm of 2007 is on us and I took some pictures of what it looks like. Some of the pictures are what we did (stayed inside).

Going to lunch at different middle schools

I just got done spending my lunch time (plus more) going to lunch with a bunch of my jr hi youth from one of the local schools. It is awesome to be in their world and to see their reactions to me. Some get overly excited and want to introduce me to everyone in the school plus the teacher (and today even a janitor got to meet "my youth pastor"). Then there are those who see me, turn bright red, and might say hi. All of them get pummeled with questions from their friends, "who is that?" "what is he doing here?" "why?" and that is where the fun really begins. I get to have so many conversations with them after those questions come up. Today I got to talk about our announcement video we did wed night (see last post), mess fest (our big jr hi event), summer trips, school play (Aladdin this year), what class they are coming from and going to, and what type of pizza toppings they like. I love (are like) this age so much. Fun stuff!

Video Annoucements for Feb 21, 2007

This was our first try doing video annoucements this year and putting it on u-tube. Enjoy

Lent

Our Sr Hi guy (Mark Forstrom) has a great write up about lent that I found interesting. Good read.

cold outside

The weather for us the past few weeks has been just plain out cold. I like cold and I like the snow that often comes with it. I think it will get all the way up to 20 degrees before another system comes through and bring 1-3" fun stuff

My simple experence

Throughout my life I've had the opportunity to experience different things. Being a simple Kansas boy I see these opportunities through that lens. Well today I got to experience a Catholic Funeral services. I've seen a number of funerals and I've helped officiate some but this was different. My observations:

1) There is so much focus on helping the person who had died (that is just strange to me)
2) There is a lot of focus on stuff (a guy caring a crucifix, the family following the casket, etc)
3) There is some mention of Jesus and what he has done for others but that wasn't the focus but more of an afterthought.

This is just my observations so I'm not passing any judgment or pointing a finger just looking at it through the lens I have.

The simple ministry

After such a great weekend with Lisa and I going to the conference, spending time with people who love jr highers so much, enjoying a great book together (Lisa and I finished simple church), and just a great weekend it was fun to be back with my group of jr highers. Tonight we talked about the tongue and how we must turn it over to the Lord for it to stay tame. At the end of the night one of our 6th grade girls had her shoe laces tied together and she couldn't untie them because they were so tight. So there I was enjoying the time with a 6th grader helping her untie her shoes. It just put a smile on my face.

NYM Conference sum up

I posted what I was looking for concerning this conference and I wanted to put down a short sum up here:

1) The Biggest experience that I know will happen is to just be a part of the whole conference with my wife Lisa. This was awesome. Lisa got a chance to interact with a number youth pastors. They were so kind and interacting that I don't have words to share. Lisa left extremely excited about youth ministry.

2) Connect time with fellow youth ministers and especially with jr hi/middle school ministers. The pictures from the last post shows the chance and interactions I had and it was awesome.

3) To see and interact with new ideas, resources, concepts, prototypes, etc to better impact the youth, parents of youth, and the volunteers I have the privilege to minister with. So many resources were made available that I was blown away. Lisa got a number of recourses given to her that was so awesome.

4) anything else God wishes for me to experiences. God's work in our lives were clearly seen in so many parts of this conference and I can't wait to see how things will play out as we process all of it.

Feb 11 2007 - finish with the conference early

With the unknown of the weather Lisa and I decided to leave the conference early and go stay with her sister (Amber) for the night. The weather looks like it is going to hold off for us until morning and then we will hit the road. We might run through some snow but not too much.

The picture is one of me with Scott Ruben (Willow Creek Elevate) and Kurt Johnston (Saddle Back Wildside). Click on the picture for a short set of picture from the conference.

The end of the conference for us was incredible. Where to even start? We got a chance to go and have an interesting devotional time with Jim Burns sharing to the whole conference and us popping balloons (long story if you want to know shoot me an email and I'll explain it).

Lisa and I then split up and I went to the middle school track and she went to a different track. The middle school track was about how to recruit and encourage sponsors and I'm so glad I was a part of this. I got some great ideas and also confirmed in my mind that what we are doing for our sponsors are the right things to do.

The most coolest part of the whole trip was eating lunch. We were able to hook up with Chris and Haley (which I still cannot believe). But after we hooked up with them we ended up walking with Kurt and Scott as well as some of their good and really cool friends to a place to eat. We ended up following them, found a great place to eat (with no wait for food), and ate with them. Kurt and a couple friends ate at one part of the restaurant but Scott sat with us and we had a wonderful talk. I sat with four people who have influenced me in so many ways:

Lisa - My wife of over 13 years. There are so many things she has done that there isn't enough spaces to put them all on here (ok there is but I can't type all of them and no one will read that much)

Scott - To set with a man who loves middle school kids like Scott is awesome. I have had a chance to see him work with middle school kids and what I saw influenced me so much.

Chris and Haley - two young people who were my genie pigs when I started in full time ministry. They went through so much and taught me so much. I could not be the youth pastor I am today with out their influence.

After our meal, Lisa went to another track and I finished the middle school track. I must say the information I heard has sparked many thoughts for me to process. I have so much more to pray about, think about, and ponder that I will never get through them all. But I will get through some and it is awesome.

I can't wait to get back and set down with Mark Forstrom and talk through this conference.

Feb 10, 2007 – Late time at the conference

I wanted to just put down some of my thoughts from the day. It was awesome to run into Chris and Haley and to see how they are doing. We are hoping to connect up tomorrow at lunch. Hopefully more to come on this. The conference speaker today was good. She had a lot to say about abstinence and the importance the church must play with this. The most moving part of the day was when I got a chance with Lisa to watch a video documentary (called glue boys) about little boys in Kenya Africa who are addicted to glue. There is a lot there to think through and process. The world is messy. The wonderful part of the whole time is my time with Lisa. We got to enjoy almost the whole day together. Spent time in the middle school minstry part group, got to enjoy the group Salvador together (I had to leave after a few songs because my ears were starting to hurt), watch the video documentary, got about $300 dollars worth of free stuff given to Lisa by Doug Fields (Doug said I can't have touch any of the stuff... hmmmm...), wore matching overalls/flannels together and just experience this conferences together. As I put it to Lisa, “this is the type of memories that will be with us for the rest of our lives.” I have pictures but I’ll post them tomorrow.

Feb 10, 2007 - First Report of the Day

Of all people to run into here at the conference I really had a big surprise. As I was walking back to my conference room I overheard the youth pastor at my old church (Faith Baptist) who had his middle school volunteers here with him. Chris and Haley Godfrey were Freshmen in High School when I first got to Faith and now they are working with the middle group. Haley and Chris are newly married couple but have been together for a long time. Wow!! It is a small world. We are going to have a meal together. More to come.

Feb 9, 2007 - NYM Conference cont.

After a long 4 hour drive (with 2 extra hrs for my wife) to get to Indy I’m here and have really got my money’s worth. I’ve got a chance to set down and share my first reason why I was here (see last blog entry about my reasons for coming) with Kurt Johnston and Scott Rubin (if you would like to check out there jr hi youth ministry web sites click on their names) both jr hi guys (sweet) as well as listen and talk with a number of youth guys in the country. It has been wonderful to just enjoy the time talking and sharing about ministry.

Lisa got here late because she took the boys to Ohio to spend the weekend with cousins and Lisa’s sister and brother-in-law. They are going to have a great time. When she got here she got to hear the final thoughts from Doug Fields that stood out to me the most so far. He was talking about our faith and said, “Faith is trusting with control” the idea that we need to let God have complete control of our lives, ministry, family, etc for us to truly be effective in ministry. What a thought and one I’m glad I heard.

During some talk time at the end of the night Lisa and I got a chance to meet Doug Fields and he wants to give Lisa something special for being at the conferences. Not sure what that is and Lisa is a little nervous that she will have to be in front of all these people at the conferences but we will see. We will find out tomorrow.

Natinal Youth Ministry Conference in Indy

Well tomorrow my wife and I will be traveling to Indy to attend the NYM conference. I'm really looking forward to it. Here are some of the things I hope to experience there:

1) The Biggest experience that I know will happen is to just be a part of the whole conference with my wife Lisa. We have been married for 13+ years and in youth ministry for almost 10 and we have never been to a conference together. No matter what else I walk away with at this conference being there with Lisa will be awesome.

2) Connect time with fellow youth ministers and especially with jr hi/middle school ministers.

3) To see and interact with new ideas, resources, concepts, prototypes, etc to better impact the youth, parents of youth, and the volunteers I have the privilege to minister with.

4) anything else God wishes for me to experiences.

Sad day with the NFL

I was so encouraged to see the two coaches that lead the colts & bears clearly share their faith in our Heavenly Father. I was excited that we would be a part of a historical super bowl as a number of first would be happening. Well what makes me sad is the decision the NFL has made to band the watching of the super bowl in a church setting. Here is the article that made me sad & disappointed.

One of our Pastors (Pastor Kim Pagel) summed it up well in his blog by saying:

"So here's the solution. A church can get a liquor license, sell alcoholic drinks and show the Super Bowl on their large screen. But don't you dare allow children and families to come for free to enjoy the game in a family-friendly environment. ... The NFL proves again that greed knows no limit."