I spoke with a youth pastor this week. I guy I had not spoken to in a while. I was saddened to hear that he is now a former youth pastor. Not that it is bad to be a former anything, just that he is former because of some bad things, much of which appears to have been out of his control.

However, God spoke to us in our conversation. After hearing much of his story I asked him the simple question, "What is God saying to you through all of this?" His reply was short, sweet and foundational. "Humility" is what he said.

Humility is the mother of all virtue. It is the foundation to the spiritual life. In other words, it is the engine of life change into the image of the Triune God. Here is a brief explanation from Anthony Bloom's "Living Prayer":
"Basically humility is the attitude of one who stands constantly under the judgement of God. It is the attitude of one who is like the soil. Humility comes from the Latin work humus, fertile ground. The fertile ground is there, unnoticed, taken for granted, always there to be trodden upon. It is silent, inconspicuous, dark and yet it is always ready to receive any seed, ready to give it substance and life. The more lowly, the more fruitful, because it becomes really fertile when it accepts all the refuse of the earth. It is so low that nothing can soil it, abase it, humiliate it: it has accepted the last place and cannot go any lower. In that position nothing can shatter the soul's serenity, it's peace and joy."

Labels: Formation

No, I am not talking about the sticky note lists you might have attached to the computer. I am not talking about grocery lists or Christmas lists. Nor am I referring to the little lists you have on other random pieces of paper around the office or around the house. I am talking about the sermon list. Which is more widely well known as the 3 point "to do" list given in sermons, articles and blogs from time to time.

Ok, confession time. I did, just last nite, look at a marriage book. I glanced at the table of contents and saw one that was about being a good father to children. So I opened up the chapter and noticed it had 5 points. So, instead of reading the chapter I just read the title of each point and got what I needed. The points were good and challenged me as I was weakening in one of them. So I went home and employed it with my son. But other than that...I am an avowed anti-list-ite.

For example, I just read a ministry blog. Two of the more recent posts had to do lists to correct some sort of common ministry problem. As I read them I got this overwhelming feeling. Not that I was overwhelmed by feelings, but rather, I had a feeling of overwhelmness (is that a word?). I also felt a little bummed. I realized that this is common for me. I am busy. You are busy. We are busy. The last thing I need is another to do list for ministry!

The good news is that these lists usually remind me of either how much their is to do and how little time I have. Which, in turn, leads me to the state I am currently in. One of prayerful dependence to Divine Providence.

So...thank you list. Maybe, in some weird way, I really love lists.

Labels: Miscellaneous

On a healthy and beautiful new baby girl! 8lbs 8oz and 20 inches long!

Labels: Family, Miscellaneous, Web Site

Competency
Commitment
Character

These are the three C's. They are 3 very important words. They are important in a marriage, a family, a business and especially in youth ministry. Think about it, everyone who works with students probably went through some sort of "evaluation" or "job interview" or something. As formal or informal as it may have been we all go through something. And I am willing to bet that one, two or all of the three C's (though maybe not mentioned by name) came up in the conversation.

I am down with the three C's. However, I am very much zealous about the order of priority we give to them.

In my experience of being interviewed for youth jobs (been through many of them in the last 12 years) to now doing more of the interviewing I have found out something that is giving me pause. The normal order of the 3 C's seems to be (though I doubt we intend this to happen):

#1 Competency
#2 Commitment
#3 Character

As I reflect on my many job interviews I can not recall more than one (yes...only one job interview) in which many character questions were asked. However, every single one of the jobs focused on competency as a primary point. Which communicates to me that competency is more important to that church and to God than character. Again, I do not think we mean to do this and I am also guilty (is this a confessional blog? If so, you are not allowed to share my confession of sin with anyone!).

For example, many of the questions where, "What and how do you teach? How did you grow the youth group? What was your strategy? How do you train and recruit leaders? What is your vision? " etc....

Commitment was not far behind. "How long are you planning to stay? We want a commitment of 3-4 years. We want you to take the kids here...or there..." etc....

Notice what the questions where not. "How is your relationship with God? What do you do to strengthen it? What can we do to help? Here is what we think can help you....does that sound good? Do you have a spiritual director or mentor? Do you have someone outside the church who is a safe person to vent to and talk through things? How do you handle gossip and divisiveness? If you have a problem with a coworker how do you handle it? Here are some resources and training items we have to help you...would you be willing to read these?" And that is just all off the top of my head.

The 3 C's re prioritised.

I think they should go like this:

#1 Character
#2 Competency
#3 Commitment

I would rather have someone who is ok on competency and great on character than someone who has average character and great competency. And I would venture to guess that any of you who have been bit in the butt by a coworkers or an adult leaders poor character would say "AMEN!" Not only that, as I look at my own life it is my lack of character from time to time that has most hurt others as opposed to some of the many bone headed decisions I have made in youth ministry.

Finally, a big fat thank you to Ryan Hofacre for putting words to much of this stuff that has been bouncing around in my brain for many years.

Labels: Leadership, Training

I miss them. I think the Lord is spooling them back up again.

We had two really good ones last year that we turned into articles. One with Mark Yaconelli (youth author and speaker) and another with Mark Oestreicher (President of Youth Specialties). For the Fall/Winter I am hoping to do a bunch with such notables as:



Walt Mueller with cypa.org
Dr Chap Clark
Mark Oestreicher (focusing on his upcoming book "Youth Ministry 3.0")
etc...

So stay tuned.

I hope to make them into podcasts as well.

Labels: Book Review, Leadership, Miscellaneous, nuts and bolts, Parenting, Training, Youth Culture, Youth Specialties

You know those mornings when you go about doing your normal devotional time and you read something and it basically knocks you out? Something so profound hits you and it bleeds through the rest of your day and even into the rest of the week? I guess it is like have a full throttle energy drink when the buzz hits and it carries you through a while...

Well, such was my morning. Instead of telling you what hit me in the reading I will simply post the reading here for you. Maybe God will use it for you like He is/has for me.

This is from Eastern Orthodox Metropolitan Kallistos Ware:
"As soon as we make a serious attempt to pray in spirit and in truth, at once we become acutely conscious of our interior disintegration, of our lack of unity and wholeness. In spite of all our efforts to stand before God, thoughts continue to move restlessly and aimlessly through our head, like the buzzing of flies....
To contemplate means, first of all, to be present where one is - to be here and now. But usually we find ourselves unable to restrain our mind from wandering at random over time and space. We recall the past, we anticipate the future, we plan what to do next; people and places come before us in unending succession. We lack power to gather ourselves into the one place where we should be - here, in the presence of God; we are unable to fully live in the only moment that truly exists - now, the immediate present.
This interior disintegration is one of the most tragic consequences of the Fall. The people who get things done, it has been justly observed, are the people who do one thing at a time. But to do one thing at a time is no mean achievement. While difficult enough in external work, it is harder still in the work of inner prayer."
(From the Power of the Name, by Kallistos Ware)

Labels: Formation, Monastic, Prayer

Actually, not much to say. Have not been blogging much lately. Here is what has been going on...

I got ordained a priest and had family in town for a few day. I went to an AMiA national leaders meeting. I was only able to present yamia to the network leaders as there was not time in the general meeting to do so. I was blessed with some amazing donations (one of which was HUGE) so I was able to go out and get a new (well, new for us) car! That was an amazing answer to prayer as our cars were 10 and 20 years old respectfully. Let's see, what else...

I kicked off some ministries at our local church. We are getting ready for a second child (any day now). I don't know, have had a lot of stuff going on. Regardless, I am now blogging...today at least:)

SOUL IN THE CITY UPDATE
The promo video is done. We hope to have it up on the site soon and we hope to have copies for all the clergy and youth ministers in the mission. In addition, Sayward Elliot has agreed to come on board and be the point person for the 2 soul in the cities we will be having next year (Jacksonville, FL and somewhere in Colorado).

Africa Update
To make a long story short, we are going to East Africa. It was off the table for a few weeks but then God brought it back out! Very cool. Anyway, it looks like our advance team with go in November and our youth training will take place in mid August. We will be doing interdenominational youth training under the leadership of Rwandan Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini in Kigali and Chiangugu (sp?) for the following countries:
Uganda
Congo
Tanzania
Burundi
Rwanda
Sudan

We will be putting a list together of needs and we will get that out to you hopefully by Winter Conference. We will also be looking for folks to come with us and to serve once we know what we need (after the advance team gets back).

Labels: Africa, Summer Camp, Youth Specialties