Calvin on John 17:1

I'm beginning to study John 17's account of Jesus' High Priestly Prayer. Here's a gem of a quote from Calvin on Jesus lifting his eyes to heaven to pray.

"Yet if we desire to actually imitate Christ, we must take care that outward gestures do not express more than is in our mind, but that the inward feeling shall direct the eyes, the hands, the tongue, and everything about us."

- John Calvin

The Facebook

A clergy friend of mine called me the other day with a story that seems almost scripted. An elderly parishioner in his church left him a voice mail rather frantic. Father she said "Why do you keep sending me topless photos on Facebook?" Catching him way off guard he assumed the worse. He feverishly scoured his Facebook page looking for anyway it might have been hacked and used to send lewd material, scared that these photos were going out to everyone he knew.

Finally after finding nothing he called the parishioner to inquire about the photos and hopefully to put a stop to them. The lady explained... "Father you keep sending me these photos... but only the bottom half of the picture is being displayed" My advice to him... put whole pictures on Facebook not just topless ones.

True story.

Resolve for Monday

Every Monday I'm going to post one of Jonathan Edwards resolutions. He penned these while still a very young man and used them to guide his life. What am I using to guide me, my family, my ministry??

53. Resolved, To improve every opportunity, when I am in the best and happiest frame of mind, to cast and venture my soul on the Lord Jesus Christ, to trust and confide in him, and consecrate myself wholly to him; that from this I may have assurance of my safety, knowing that I confide in my Redeemer. July 8, 1723.

• When are you most likely to run to your Redeemer? When sky's are sunny and bright or when things turn dark and troubled? 
• What does it mean for you to consecrate yourself to the Lord?
• What Edwards is landing on here is that after our trust is rightly put in the Lord our safety is in his hands. Not saying that bad things won't happen to us and we won't feel the pain of this world but saying that we can be assured that even when hard times come our safety is in the hands of the one who "makes all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."

Onward by Howard Schultz

During my time away last week I brought along this book. It's a business book full of share holder meetings and reports but also a book I'd say about how a man, so driven, shaped not only a comeback as CEO of a major corporation but then drove the company to return to it's values.

• As a leader this book addressed several issues about growth, values, consistency, and making hard calls. 
• As a rampant coffee lover it gave a behind the curtain look at the machine that drove hundreds of locally own coffee shops out of business.

First some thoughts on leadership perhaps. The book chronicles the return of Howard Schultz as CEO of Starbucks Coffee Co. It was Howard that took the helm of the fledgling company back from the original store in Pikes Place Market to it's amazingly global influence today. He then left the company only to return after the market crashed, the economy slumped and financial sector took a beating. His story reminded me of the Arther legend promising the kings return when needed the most. Starbucks needed a leader to lead them out of the slump they found themselves in. So the first third of the book is his return, the second third is the plan of innovations and streamlining that needed to happen, the final third I'd say is him holding the line as things slowly changed.  So what did I learn from this...

1. The bigger you grow the harder it is to replicate exactly your values. It takes an amazing degree of discipline. They even got down to how each store should smell the same.
2. Innovation doesn't happen by chance and is necessary to stay on your toes.
3.  One word... Team. You have to invest in people.

Here's how Howard sums up some of the leadership lessons he walked through during this season of turning Starbucks around...

"Grow with discipline, Balance intuition with rigor. Innovate around the core. Don't embrace the status quo. Find a new way to see. Never expect a silver bullet. Get your hands dirty. Listen with empathy and over-communicate with transparency. Tell your story, refusing to let others define you. Use authentic experiences to inspire. Stick to your values, they are your foundation. hold people accountable but give them the tools to succeed. Make the tough choices; it's how you execute that counts. Be decisive in times of crisis. Be nimble. Find truth in trials and lessons in mistakes. Be responsible for what you see, hear, and do. Believe. " (Pg 309)

Finally my coffee thoughts...
 I still think what they consider to be "bold" is burnt. I still think their espresso is manufactured not crafted. I understand the desire for consistency between stores in their shots but it's different to pull a shot then to push a button on an automated machine. I have yet to see a Clover in a Starbucks store. (Clover is a genius brewing device that Howard bought the rights to. ) All that said this book has given me a good view of their company and I have to confess perhaps I've been a bit hard on them in the past. Maybe from here on out I'll just refer to them as the "Empire" and not the "Evil Empire". We'll see.

Back In the Saddle

If you haven't noticed it's been super quiet here on the ol blog the last few days. Reason being that this season of ministry had been building up on me. I felt dry, tired, and knew for my own soul I needed some time in the Lord presence through solicitude, silence, scripture, and prayer.  I booked a few days of personal retreat at Mepkin Abbey in Moncks Corner SC. It was exactly what I needed. Here's a few pics I snapped along the way...


I've been to this Trappist Monastery a few times before you can read about them by clicking here.

Youth Group Game?

Hmmm...

Joplin

For those who know me you might know my dad lives in Jopliln Missouri. I had head there had been a large storm in that area but not sure of the details. As details started coming in I received a call from my dad last night around midnight that he's ok. Not sure what the next step is, and not sure of the condition of his apartment, car, or cat. I'd appreciate your prayers for that city.



Joplin post tornado



Youth Ministry: Shepherding Through Transition

The longer I'm involved in working with teenagers the more I realize that they are always in transition and the importance of calling them to be present at all those moments. This season of the year it becomes very obvious. In the spring we say good bye to our senior class, we say good bye to volunteers who need a season off, and for me particularly we are saying goodbye to a trusted member of our core team. It's always a transition. How are you calling people to be present and to identify what Christ is doing in their lives? What brought this train of thoughts on was an honor I had yesterday.

Yesterday I preached my first funeral. It was for a young man who had been part of our community and had passed as a result of complication due to leukemia treatment. It's an honor to speak the love of Christ into hurting peoples lives, and to mourn with those who mourn. The service was held at St. Philips Church in downtown Charleston. As this family faces a massive transition it serves as a somber reminder to us we are all in transition and should be prepared.

Celebrating Our Leaders

Last night we took our leadership team out to a Charleston River Dogs game. For us there's nothing greater then seeing Jesus work through them to reach and disciple students. We simply wanted to say thanks. Looking back at a late night filled with ballpark food, laughter, and fun I see a few dividends that it payed for  us.

1. It allowed us to say thank you. For the late nights, obscure curve balls, and all the ups and downs youth ministry has for those who engage it. Our volunteers rock.
2. It allowed us to build community among our leaders. As we minister as team students see how we interact. How we laugh. If we genuinely care for each other and practice what we preach. It was a win. The game was a great shared memory. 
3. It allowed new leaders to get to know the rest of the team. We have a brand new leader who's come on at the end of a semester. It gave her the opportunity to get to know others. 
4. It communicated that we care about them not just what they do. We asked our leaders to invite their spouses. All the late nights we serve takes them away from home so we really wanted to honor their whole family as well. 

Pat with one of our newest youth leaders.

God Is Doing a New Thang

The lady in the frist 11 seconds is super creepy. Just felt the need to point that out.

Props to Greg from Be A Finisher.com

Testimony Night

 Here's a little re-post of something I wrote last year about our annual Confirmation Testimony night. This year's Testimony Night happened last night. Once again students stood up and told of how Jesus has changed their lives.

 Last night was the evening where the students in this years Confirmation Class stood up and gave a testimony to what God had done in their lives in front of a full house . The evening was emotionally, and spiritually powerful. We heard stories of how Jesus overcame fear, anger, and hurt. Stories about divorce, disability, and doubt. Great stories of how despite circumstances they know Jesus loves them and has taken their sin and given them his righteousness. We heard about the power of community as these young Christians walk out their faith. For me one of the most striking themes from the night was how almost all the students had parents who had been encouraging them along the way even if they resisted.

A Commendatory Prayer

Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant Janet Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen. (bcp)

Resolve for Monday

Every Monday I'm going to post one of Jonathan Edwards resolutions. He penned these while still a very young man and used them to guide his life. What am I using to guide me, my family, my ministry??

51. Resolved, That I will act so, in every respect, as I think I shall wish I had done, if I should at last be damned. July 8, 1723. 

• Here's a hard one that will draw out the humanist (the part that only desires Christ due to our eternal salvation) in all of us.
• Assume that God is as glorious as scripture says he is, assume that he's as worthy to be praised as he's revealed to us as being.  What if then you knew that your lot was to spend eternity in hell suffering his just wrath and separation as a result of the sins you committed. (Remember according to the Bible that's what we all deserve.)  Would he still be worthy of your worship and praise? 
• I first heard that question years ago while being challenged by an old sermon. So is the result that we worship God because he is fire insurance against hell or because he is glorious?

Strategy in Youth Ministry

How familiar are you with the game of chess? Recognize the checkmate below? There's a name for it. (Which I forgot. Something Russian I bet) It basically is made up of a series of moves which from the beginning are designed for a quick kill. It's lethal and fast. Most often it's done before the opponent has any idea what's happening and is most effective against players looking for the long game.

As we enter into a season of planning in the youth ministry I've got two things weighing heavy on me.

• First is how do I look at the long game while being tactical in the short term? 
• Second is how do I defend against the temptation to go for the quick win? 

 The quick win is attractive but in the 4 moves it takes to get to the above victory it only takes one simple and popular opening move to mess the whole thing up and put you in a tight, precarious position.

We're looking at some changes in our philosophy of ministry that potentially could open some great doors for us to proclaim the gospel to teenagers. Yet the courage to stake the ground and say this is our direction will cost me a lot of relational currency. I'm feeling the weight of that because it'd take a lot to get back from a leadership standpoint if this thing goes belly up. That said I think in anything worth doing there's some risk and faith that God is a God of resurrection.

• How are you looking at the next year, 5 years, week of your life?
• What are the temptations?
• What's the game plan?

"You will need to be strategic with your time if you are going to build a discipling culture that will bear long term fruit." (Building a Discipleship Culture pg. 15)

Road Trip

Some pics from our road trip...

Load of kids...


Creepy friends at a truck stop...


West Virginia





New River Gorge


Out of the Ft Pitt Tunnel



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Super Soakers

Props to by friend James for pointing this article out to me. I actually went out and bought several of these and extra magazines for our youth minsitry leadership team in hopes that this summer when things heat up we will be able to bless some youth.

Super Soaker introduces a new wrinkle to squirt guns: magazines

By Ben Kuchera

Last updated about 13 hours ago

It has been a long time since we've seen something new and interesting in the world of squirt guns. Hasbro has come up with a new way of keeping extra water ready for quick reloads when you're in the field, trying to soak your children (or parents, as the case may be) as efficiently as possible. With the new line of Super Soaker water guns you don't need to find a house or go inside to a sink: you simply remove your empty magazine and slam a new one in. It's like a squirt gun action film.

There are a number of guns that use the magazines, and the design is pretty cool. You fill the magazine up with water using a wide opening in the front, and close it with a large, easy-to-grasp screw top. It's easy to open, takes seconds to refill, and is simple to close again. There is a string attached to the top that connects to a porous ball inside the magazine, so the cap can't be lost.

There are two openings at the top of the magazine with a pressure-operated stopper. When the magazines are not in a gun, there will be no leakage, no matter how rough you are. The guns don't need any fiddling to get them to accept a new magazine; you can slam it right in there like you are in an action movie.

The magazine

In practice, the system works very well. The magazines hold a decent amount of water, aren't very heavy, and you can strap a bunch of them to your belt using the clip on the side. The practical uses of a discrete container of water that can be easily replaced in a water-battle are easy to see, but it's also just plain fun to go dry, grab another magazine, slam it in, and keep firing.

While there are multiple water guns that use this new magazine system, we had a chance to play with the Thunderstorm, which retails for $15, takes four AA batteries, and turned out to be a wonderful toy. The battery-powered nature of the gun means that you don't have to pump, and the water comes out in one steady, strong stream. You can get good distance, soak someone very efficiently at short-to-medium ranges, and at that price, you can afford to get two for dual-wielding.

Keep in mind that when you first begin to fire it takes a second for the water to stream out; it's not instantaneous as with a classical Super Soaker. This is more than made up for by the fact that the stream is continuous until you take your finger off the trigger.

The extra magazines carry a retail price of $4, and it's a good idea to stock up if you want to instill fear in the hearts of all who attempt to douse you on the field of watery battle. There is nothing like being attacked by a man wearing a bandolier covered in extra water cartridges for his fully-automatic, battery-powered water gun. It's a look that says you can't be bargained with. You can't be reasoned with. You don't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And you absolutely will not stop, ever, until the other person is completely soaked.

You can check the origional article at Echnica.com

Resolve for Monday

Every Monday I'm going to post one of Jonathan Edwards resolutions. He penned these while still a very young man and used them to guide his life. What am I using to guide me, my family, my ministry??

50. Resolved, That I will act so, as I think I shall judge would have been best, and most prudent, when I come into the future world. July 5, 1723.

• What does it mean to live today with the future in mind. Not just tomorrow but eternity. 
• We only see the page of the story we are on. God however is the author having written the first chapter and the final one. (don't ponder too much on this point the metaphore does break down and causes your head to explode.) 
• Do you act with your future home in mind? That home being the new heavens and new Earth?
• How does this reorder your priorities?