Month: April 2011

Communication Principle: 
It’s more difficult to break the habit of not communicating than the habit of communicating.

No matter what’s happening, keep talking. If you are married and going through a challenging time, keep talking. If your child is going through something, keep them talking. If a friend is hurting, keep them talking.

When you’re afraid, keep talking.
When you’re happy, keep talking.
When you’re mourning, keep talking.
When you’re sad, keep talking.
When you’re confused, keep talking.
When you’re excited, keep talking.
When you’re angry, keep talking.
When you’ve made a mistake, keep talking.
When you’re embarrassed, keep talking.
When you’re _________, keep talking!

We have to deal with things. We have to work through things. Keep talking. Keep listening. The key to processing life is to keep communication flowing.

A great article by Donald Miller.

“The church in America is led by scholars. Essentially, the church is a robust school system created around a framework of lectures and discussions and study. We assume this is the way its supposed to be because this is all we have ever known. I think the scholars have done a good job, but they’ve also recreated the church in their own image. Churches are essentially schools. They look like schools with lecture halls, classrooms, cafeterias and each new church program is basically a teaching program.

“The first disciples were not teachers, they were fishermen, tax collectors and at least one was a Zealot. We don’t know the occupation of the others, but Jesus did not charge educators with the great commission, he chose laborers. And those laborers took the gospel and created Christian communities that worked, that did things and met in homes and were active. They made speeches, for sure, but so do businessmen and politicians and leaders in any number of other professions. Educators make speeches and do little else, except study for their next lecture. I wonder what the first disciples would think if they could see our …” Read the full article here.

“Through powerful, targeted marketing techniques, secular companies are vying for the attention and allegiance of the teenage demographic. By contrast, church attendance amongst young people in the West is in steady decline.”

Those are the words of Ryan J. Doeller, author of Marketing God to Teens: Branding without Dismantling. Motivated by his desire to see youth re-engaged in the community of faith, Doeller studies marketing done by companies that are successful in reaching youth with their products to see what they are doing that is causing their success. He looks at the church and asks why so many young people are leaving. He then asks if there are things the church can learn from these successful companies and apply in the church world to better understand teens and reach them with the gospel.

Of course, this debate is a loaded one. Central questions are: Should the church seek to mimic the world? If so, to what extent? If so, what is our “product”? Jesus? Relationships? And what does that say about Jesus? Relationships? Our view of the gospel? Our motivation? Is there a fundamental difference between the church and a company? What’s negotiable? What’s not? Where is the line?

Doeller makes a few practical suggestions, but the book is more research-oriented and reads more like a graduate level thesis (think George Barna). Marketing is inevitable, but there are different opinions on why, how, and what. Doeller makes some suggestions in an attempt to answer those questions. Don’t be surprised if you have mixed responses, don’t be surprised if each side of the debate has legitimate points, and don’t be surprised if you find yourself torn. When you talk corporate world and church world there is continuity, contrast, and a lot of tension. Read together by a team the book could lead to some vigorous discussions and biblical exploration.

I don’t care who you are or what side you’re on … this is just funny! Rob Bell is a big fan or art. I think he might even laugh at this one. lol!

Robbed Hell – C.A.S.T. Pearls Presents from Canon Wired on Vimeo.

“Picaso threw a lot more paintings in the trash than he hung on museum walls.” 
– A coach to former NBA player Kevin McHale.

“I don’t know what the success will be – but if the Missionaries of Charity have brought joy to one unhappy home – made one innocent child from the street keep pure for Jesus – one dying person die in peace with God – don’t you think, Your Grace, it would be worth while offering everything – for that one – because that one would bring great joy to the Heart of Jesus.”

– Mother Teresa responding to Archbishop Perier’s request to outline her plan for her desired mission in Calcutta, June 5, 1947. (Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light, p. 77)

Last week I posted a blog with my Top 10 Learnings from 10 Years in Full-Time Youth Ministry. #3 was: Youth ministry isn’t really about teenagers; it’s about helping to shape godly adults. I truly believe that my calling as a youth worker specifically, and as a Christian adult more generally, is to help raise up the next generation of Christ-followers. This means that I constantly keep before me the reality that I will not always be in my students’ lives – at least not with the intensity that I am during their teenage years. Therefore, my desire is to equip them with tools to succeed in life after we part ways. (By the way, this is true as a parent as well. While I’ll always be in my daughters’ lives, the nature of our relationship will change through time. They will head off to college. They will get married. They will have their own families.) I believe the measure of my success as a youth worker (and as a parent) is what my students (daughters) will look like in 10, 20, 30, 40 years.

One of the best tools that I have found to help me in this endeavor is Simply Youth Ministry’s H.A.B.I.T.S. We want students to develop certain habits that will help them be able to grow – and these are the three important words: ON THEIR OWN! Along with identifying 6 habits we want them to work into the fabric of their lives, the production pack includes tools that have been created to help students develop each habit.

To purchase this great resource, use the 10% Off coupon at the top of my blog. Give your students something that will transcend your few years in their lives. Help them become life-long followers of Jesus by equipping them with habits for life.

Received this quote from my Grandfather the other day. Selah.

“Unless there is within us that which is above us, we shall soon yield to that which is about us.” — P.T. Forsyth