Life Through the Lens of Story

Filter - Discipleship 164

2012-03-12T14:38:00.000-07:00

The recent bombardment of social justice initiatives via social media has illuminated the deep-seeded desire that exists for a single individual to make a difference in the world at large. One of the many great aspects of being a pastor to youth is the fact that this emerging generation has a natural inclination towards compassion, social justice and world change. And recent world events and statistical data have shown the growth and progress towards social justice issues such as world poverty and clean drinking water are being made.

The problem with this natural inclination is that many other people who may not be naturally wired in this way seem to be intimidated and afraid of it...both inside and outside the church.

The question I'm left asking myself is not only how I may respond to the emerging justice issues of the day, but more importantly, how am I going to filter what I see, hear and experience?

I would suggest that there are only three responses to issues of social justice and poverty. These three distinct responses are illustrated by a story Jesus told called the Good Samaritan.

The basic synopsis of this story is as follows:
- a man experiences injustice
- two men see the injustice and respond with both ignorance and fear
- a third man sees the injustice and chooses to get involved.

The first response to social justice is ignorance. The word ignorance basically means choosing to believe something doesn't exist or matter. This is one way we can choose to filter our experience with justice issues...we can simply choose to try and ignore them.

The second response to social justice is fear. We may not choose to ignore the issue, but because of the complexity of the issue or the potential of getting hurt or experiencing some pain by getting involved, we simply choose to refrain from pursuing justice as a result of our fear.

The third response to social justice is to get involved. Getting involved doesn't mean that one person can solve every issue that exist, but it does mean that one person can make a difference by doing something. When people think about changing the world they sometimes buy into the mentality that changing the world means doing everything, and that's simply not true. Changing the world begins with one act of intentionality at a time. When those who follow Jesus choose to say that are going to be an agent of change by verbally and tangibly demonstrating love for others, the world in which we live benefits. We do what we say and we say what we do...and our doing comes from understanding what it means to be human and in the case of those who know Christ, what it means to be a Christian.

Being a Christian means valuing what Jesus valued...and Jesus values justice.

As our world experiences growing pains and with it more opportunities for change, my hope is that we filter our response to these issues through the lens of both love and compassion. We all have a filter, the challenge is utilizing a filter that doesn't belong to us, but allowing God's filter to be the one that helps us to determine how we might respond to acts of social justice.

What's your filter? How does it need to change to become more in line with God's?

Originality - Discipleship 163

2012-02-26T12:40:00.000-08:00

The default setting for humanity seems to be comparison. We love to measure ourselves against others in order to see where we might actually fit. We compare salaries, talents, skills, gifts and even opinions.

What has me fired up today is the tendency we have as Christians to compare ourselves to each other. In particular, we seem to get great pleasure out of comparing one church to another church in order to determine how we might be "better" than the other. As a leader in the church, I confess that I have fallen into this mindset. I've definitely compared the programatic elements of my church against others, looking to find places where my program may be superior or borrow ideas that I can replicate into my ministry context. And I hate to say it...but I'm not alone in this type of comparative conditioning.

I'm reminded of a portion of the story of the nation of Israel from the Old Testament. The nation of Israel did not have a physical king. Instead, God Himself said He would be willing to serve as their king. During the creation of Israel as a state in biblical times, the people of Israel cried out to God asking for a physical king to rule over them instead of God as spiritual king. The reason why they asked for this was because they compared themselves to all the other nations around them and saw something these nations had that they wanted...a physical king. Because God is a loving God that does not force Himself upon us, He honoured the request of His people. This desire for a physical king led the entire nation to forego their God-given destiny to a certain degree. Instead of being a biblical model for others to aspire to, the nation of Israel became a biblical example what not to do.

I wonder sometimes if we as the church play this role out in modern day society. With our desire to be better than or just like some sort of pseudo definition of success, do we end up simply being an example to our world of what not to be instead of being something to aspire towards?

What if we actually embraced the desire to be original, creative and obedient to God's leading? Would our desire to embrace originality help us to combat the tendency to compare ourselves to others while trying to mimic or recreate their perceived success?

As a dad, I don't want to be like any other dad. I want to be an original dad. My kids deserve someone that is unique and original. Originality doesn't mean there will not be some resemblance to something else, but it does mean that the primary quality of something is unique and unlike anything that has ever been before. As a pastor, I don't want to be like anybody else. I want to be original; motivated by God's design and desire for my life and my willingness to be obedient to it.

How might life be different if we had a little more originality and a little less mass conformity or copy-cat tendencies? What do you think?

Blessed Beyond Measure - Discipleship 162

2012-02-18T21:42:00.000-08:00

I've recently had the privilege of being invited into the lives of others through unique experiences. I've had the opportunity to hear life stories of people who are in the middle of their journey and through listening to their insights, I've been able to gain wisdom, perspective and joy. I've also had the privilege of being able to share my hope and dreams through spoken word, love in action and the receiving of gifts from the most unlikely of sources.

It's been just over two weeks since I last sat down to process the world around me through this blog format. Since then, I must admit that the overwhelming conclusion that I've come to it quite simple: I'm blessed so that I can be a blessing to others.

I heard this analogy once that my life leaves a wake that impacts others. If anyone has ever been on a lake enjoying some sort of water sport, you might understand this image. A wake is a wave or ripple of water that an object generates. A wake is an impression of sorts. These impressions have the ability to impose both positive and negative things on one's surroundings. Like it or not, each of our lives leaves an impression on the world around us...and I'm not talking about only a carbon footprint.

The questions that I find myself asking are along the lines of what sort of hope, impact and impression am I making on others? My life is truly blessed...it's full, it's fun and it's fast. So, do I keep it all to myself, or do I give my life away in service of others? I'm blessed so that I may be a blessing to others. My hope is that the wake that my life leaves would inspire those around me to be a blessing to someone else. What about you, what do you hope for?

Days or Moments - Discipleship 161

2012-02-03T12:43:00.000-08:00

I heard this quote the other day, "People don't remember days, they only remember moments." Quite frankly, I couldn't agree more. I remember moments when my day started and ended strong, but for a few moments hope seemed lost...guess which parts I remembered most vividly?

Could it be true that moments are more important than days in the hearts and minds of people? I think about moments like when I saw my wife for the first time in her wedding dress, or my first goal in a hockey game, or the first time I learned to ride a bike. I don't remember most of the day that is associated with these moments, but I do remember the moment itself.

Does this phenomenon have implications for us parents and leaders with regards to discipleship? I think so! The question I'm asking myself currently is what sort of memory or moment creating experiences am I facilitating for those in my sphere of influence? The students, parents and families I serve may not remember all of my days as their leader, but they will remember moments. My own children will not remember every single day of me being their dad, but they will remember moments.

What moments are you leaving in the lives of others? Are they inspiring ones, or discouraging ones? My hope is that in a single moment, my kids and the people I serve would know that they are loved, cared for and worthwhile. I may not always live up to this goal, but I hope I never stop seeking to inspire others through the way I live my life...filled with hope, peace and joy knowing that there is more to life than what can be learned in a single moment.

Lessons from being a Dad - Discipleship 160

2012-01-19T19:32:00.000-08:00

We have a weekly tradition in our home...it's called Daddy date night. Most Thursdays my wife (who is a stay at home mom) is set free for an entire evening while Daddy and the kids run rough-shod over, in and through the house.

Most weeks are uneventful; some weeks are deeply insightful for me as a dad. Tonight was one of the deeper nights. Yes, chaos was the flavour of the evening, but prior to bed time, my daughter blessed me with the gift of an insight into the inner workings of her heart...and to be honest, mine as well.

My son Cannon had just finished responding obediently to a task I had asked of him, so I paused to thank him and tell him how proud I was of him. All of a sudden, Saydie burst into tears uncontrollably...I had no idea what I had said or done. When I was able to decipher her broken speech in the midst of sobs, she in no subtle way shared with me that she was crying because I didn't say I was proud of her too.

I was a little shocked...how does my four year old possess the courage to share a deep longing with me and her big strong dad have difficulty to share this same craving with others? What spoke to me tonight was not only Saydie's willingness to share with me, but also the truth to which this question resonated in my own heart.

As human beings each of us is longing to be loved; to have someone share that they are proud of us. And what's super cool about this all is Jesus had this same desire. The Bible records the story of Jesus' baptism. Just after Jesus was being lifted out of the water, the very voice of God...His Father...spoke from the heavens and said "this is my son, in whom I am well pleased" (different wording in some translations). We want someone to believe in us...to notice us...to take the time to encourage us.

I'm convinced that if there is any gift we can freely offer to others en mass its the way we choose to utilize our ability to speak. Are we known as encouragers or discouragers? Of course, our words become empty if they do not line up with our actions...but there are times when we need to speak into the deep longings that others have. So...if you haven't done so yet and you are reading this rant...share with others through the gift of language in some form of what they mean to you. Who knows, maybe you will discover that this is what they needed in that moment. Speak the truth in love, and ensure that your actions speak of the same love that your words do.

Struggle, Determination & Hope...Discipleship 159

2012-01-12T18:38:00.000-08:00

Time and time again I'm inspired by the younger emerging generation in our society. I'm awestruck by the incredible hunger for change, significance and hope I see emanating from these individuals lives. I believe God has hard-wired this generation of young people to revive the global church and change the world.

The determination, passion and desire of our youth is challenging us to perceive, embrace and join with them in the calling of restoration. My hope and prayer is that passionate followers of Jesus would rise up to walk alongside this gifted generation to support, encourage and mentor these world-changers because they aren't the leaders of tomorrow, they are the leaders of today!!

I saw God working...Discipleship 158

2012-01-04T19:19:00.000-08:00

Well, it's a new year, and this is my first post of 2012.

I'm not really into the whole new year's resolution thing, but I do strive to incorporate and build upon strategic growth elements in my life. My hope this year is that I am able to use my blog to share stories of what is inspiring me, causing me to grow and causing me to pray more fervently.

So, I will begin with a subject matter that captivates me more each day...my kids.

The bedtime routine in the Frizzell house includes brushing our teeth, using the potty, reading a story, praying together and sharing moments of our day with one another. As my two oldest children (the only 2 at this point that can speak using decipherable language) and I were in the bathroom brushing our teeth together when I asked a simple question: Where did you see God working today?

My son Cannon, our soon to be 3 year old piped up and said he saw God working in fireworks. I probed this idea a bit further and in his own simple language, my boy was able to share with me the wonder and amazement he had in the creative experience of fireworks. He was referring to a memory of the summer time when we watch fireworks from our bedroom window, and he marvelled at the creativity that God has given to humanity through the use of this form of entertainment we call an explosive.

Saydie was next to speak. She told me she saw God working in her heart. When I asked her about this further she told me that God was working in her heart to treat people with kindness, love and respect.

The bible records a story of Jesus and little children. Being a father of 3 young ones, it is a story that often captures my imagination. Jesus was in the middle of doing busy adult stuff when some kids came running up to Him. His disciples (followers) got frustrated with the kids (and perhaps their parents) and were telling them to go away and leave Jesus alone. Jesus stopped this confrontation right away and told his followers to let these kids come to Him. He then uttered something that rings in my ears every time I hear it: "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" (Matthew 19:14).

There is something magnificent about the innocence of children. They have the ability to possess complete hope, complete trust and complete honesty. These are just three of the many lessons my kids teach me every day. I see God working in the lives of my children, and I am completely captivated by it!

It's 2012, my hope is to create a habit of seeking out evidence of God at work in the lives of others more frequently. What about you, do you see God working? Perhaps viewing life through the eyes of a child will open your own to a world filled with wonder, possibility, hope, innocence and a much needed fresh perspective.

Pace, Tone & Rest - Discipleship 157

2011-12-23T08:41:00.000-08:00

As I get older I'm learning more and more about what it means to find rest. I've been on vacation for the week leading up to Christmas, and I've begun to notice that it takes me more time to finally hit a space of rest and renewal the longer I go in between taking vacation time. I'm not sure what the correlation is with this all, but as I get older, it seems like it gets more difficult to rest on a regular basis. There is always something that needs to get done, some place I need to be, and somebody that needs something from me. But in all the hustle and bustle of life, am I actually doing myself more harm than good by running myself ragged?

The ironic thing is that in the fast pace of life, I don't even recognize that I'm flirting with an unhealthy space in my life. It's only when I intentionally unplug with regularity that I discover the symptoms of over-exertion. The added dynamic to this conversation is that as a husband and father, I set the pace and tone for life for my entire family. My wife and kids take their cue from me as to what is and what is not a healthy rhythm for life.

So this is the problem...but what might be the solution? I'm still working on that. What I do know for certain is that regular scheduled moments of rest are absolutely vital for the long-term health of my family and myself. Resting does NOT mean running away from responsibility, it means intentionally prioritizing one's responsibilities. There will always be more stuff that needs to get done, there will always be someone else that needs something from you, and there will always be another reason why choosing to rest doesn't seem like the best option. But, if you truly desire to have the most significant impact on others that you can, you must be willing to demonstrate a healthy pace and tone for life that others are willing to learn from and even mimic for their own lives.

Consider this as we head into a busy holiday season. What is does that pace and tone of your life say about what's important to you? Can others discover what true life and true love is by observing the rhythm, pace and tone of your life? My hope is that the answer to both of these questions is yes for my life so that I may inspire others towards life and not confusion. I think I've still got a lot to learn...

A heart is the symbol of love - Discipleship 156

2011-12-13T14:53:00.000-08:00

Christmas is nearly here. My house is full of anticipation with my three little kids excited to various degrees about this season and what it brings. My wife, of course, is the most excited of us all! She can hardly wait for our kids to experience presents, family time and lots of caroling...

I've been thinking about the symbol of the heart as of late. Partially because of my own fascination with its' function in the human body, and partially because of what the heart often symbolizes.

Our younger son, Deklon, was scheduled to be born a week prior to his actual birth. Because my wife was overdue, we were sent for an additional ultrasound to make sure the baby was okay. During the appointment we got a sneak peak into our son's anatomy, which included the view of the heart. I was amazed at the level of intricate detail I witnessed on the screen as the ultrasound technician passed over his heart where we were able to see a fully functioning and healthy muscle...all four chambers working together in great symmetry and harmony.

Did you know that if our body experiences heart failure it begins to die? Probably not an out of the box concept for anyone to comprehend. But it remains true...without a heart we will die.

The heart seems to be the universal symbol of love (if you don't believe me just wait till February when consumer culture goes rampant with the pursuit of the dollar and capitalizes this symbol of love!!). In the same way that we can't live without a heart, I'm not certain that we can live without love. If you think about it, I think you may agree with me. If we are not loved, or do not experience love the quality of our lives in greatly impeded.

Consider this during the Christmas season...if the heart is the symbol of love, and we truly cannot live without love, what sort of symbol could be used to describe your own life? Those who claim to be followers of Jesus must represent love...do people say they can't live without you because of who you are or because of who God is and how God is using you to show them love?

What do you think about love?

Consistency or Perfection - Discipleship 155

2011-11-17T20:24:00.000-08:00

Hollywood has totally messed us up.

In our quest to be entertained, we've allowed ourselves to be deceived by our entertainment. Most movies (even over-emphasized multi-movie sagas...ahem...TWILIGHT...BARF!!) pursue a happy ending to the story. Sure, the ending might have a sinister twist, but in some way shape or form, there is resolution to the protagonists quarrel with the antagonist.

Romance movies have been particularly harmful to our perception of reality. For some crazy reason, the girl and guy always seem to find each other...in some sort of perfect, and most of the time unrealistic, fashion.

This quest for perfection also rears its' unrelenting, thirst-driven head in the realm of discipleship. For some reason we simply buy into the misconception that we need to be perfect to be a friend of God, and continue to be perfect once we've committed to this friendship. The problem is that we as human beings are incapable of perfection. If we could attain this illustrious status on our own, why would we ever want or need to be friends with God?

I'm not advocating for a pursuit of life utilizing an abused grace type of mentality...meaning that if you are God's friend it's ok to do whatever you want. But what I am suggesting is that we need to replace the word perfection with the word consistency in our pursuit of discipleship, friendship and relationship with both God and people.

My children don't expect me to be perfect...and thank goodness for that! Thursday nights are normally date night in our home. There are weeks when I'm "on" and we have a super fun time together. But then there are weeks when I don't feel well, or I'm distracted by other things and my ability to invest heavily in our time together isn't what I think it should be. I wrestle with the notion that I must pursue a perfect date night with my kids week in and week out...believing the lie that my kids desire a perfect experience from me, rather than my consistent presence in their lives.

Discipleship is not about perfection, it's about consistency. Are you someone who consistently chooses to invest in the lives of others, or are you stuck waiting for the perfect opportunity to do so? Remember, we as humans are incapable of perfection, so if you're waiting for the perfect timing...you are going to be waiting a REAL LONG TIME my friend!! Get in the game. Be consistent and leave the perfection piece up to the only one that is...God.

Timing - Discipleship 154

2011-11-07T13:38:00.000-08:00

My apologies for not posting last week...sometimes as thoughts are simmering they take time before they are ready to be served up and shared with others.

This past weekend I had the privilege of spending time connecting with youth while on retreat. One of the concepts we explored together was the thought of timing as it pertains to faith in Jesus Christ.

Timing is a key concept in our world today. Whether you are looking at sports, business, the arts, relationships or consumer culture...timing is evident in all of these venues. If a communications company releases its product behind that of its competitors and the product is inferior in some way, shape or form, the consumer reaction is one that leaves the company on the brink of irrelevance. If the athlete commits a false start, runs the incorrect route, jumps offside or mis-times a particular athletic feat...the results can determine the final outcome of the competition. If one presses an individual into a relationship pre or post maturely, the result could be devastating on an emotional level.

In the same way, a friendship with Jesus is all about timing. Galatians 5:25 records this concept in simple form. Followers of Jesus are called to "walk in step" with the Spirit of God. Walking in step with someone is all about timing. You must match the pace of your partner; you need to ensure that you have a level of understanding in terms of direction, purpose and goals; and you must possess the endurance necessary to keep going.

In the pursuit of discipleship, timing is critical. The best coaches know when to push, and when to leave things alone. The best disciplemakers and those who possess this very same talent; they know when to challenge and when to back off. Disciplemakers inspire, convict, convince and demonstrate what it means to walk in step with the Spirit of God. Simply put, someone who makes disciples understands and appreciates the value of timing.

What does it mean for you to walk in step with God's Spirit? How can you make sure you are in time or in tune with what God desires to do in and through your life? These questions are all about timing. Perhaps it's time that you consider how you might answer them.

What Have You Done for Me Lately? - Discipleship 153

2011-10-24T20:14:00.000-07:00

In the fast-paced disposable society we live in today, there is a deep craving and longing for consistency. We may not be aware of it at times, but this yearning is a large part of what motivates us to consume.

Think about it for a minute. If you cell phone service provider isn't consistent in the support that they give to you, there is a high probability you will simply check out a new provider that promises what you crave. We may only shop at particular stores, or look for certain brands of clothing, or order the same dish at a restaurant not because we despise variety, but because we are looking for consistent quality.

The same can and should be said of our relationships. Now I know that relationships have their ups and downs, but I believe that any relationship can be measured by the component of consistency. In the case of relationships consistency simply means availability. Are we available to be there for the people we claim to love?

I look to Jesus as the perfect example of consistency. He had 12 close friends. For His friends, Jesus was always available. Jesus took the time to connect with them, to be with them...He was a consistent presence in the life of His friends.

I heard a story today of a father who expressed his desire to be finished with parenting once his youngest child entered high school. Needless to say, his relationship with his youngest child is strained. This is an example of what happens when we remove the quotient of consistency or availability from the equation of relationship. This same principle applies to all structures of leadership. If the supervisor or overseer is unavailable or inconsistent with his or her employees, the employees begin to feel devalued, unappreciated and can become bitter towards the leader over time.

There is a lot being said about carbon foot printing in our world today. Think of your life as a relational form of carbon foot printing. What sort of impression are you leaving on the lives of other people? Does your life, your friendship taste good to others? Or are you leaving people with the question of 'what have you done for me lately' far too often?

Work on being consistently available to those who love...and watch your relationship with them begin to grow!

A Case of the Mondays - Discipleship 152

2011-10-17T12:14:00.000-07:00

There is a classic line in the movie Officespace that I'm sure most of you have heard before, "Looks like someone has a case of the Mondays."

I don't know about you, but this is often the case when Monday rolls around. Motivation and inspiration seem to be distant memories, and all that is left is a pile of work to get done and the question of where to begin.

The crazy notion is that these blah moments happen in relationships as well. It's in these seasonal blah moments that many people choose to give up, give in and/or walk away. A good friend of mine once told me, "Never make a major decision on a Monday." I thought he was crazy...but now I understand what he meant.

My Oma (means Grandmother in German) was famous in our family for encouraging us not to give up when the going gets tough, but to dig in until you have a clear understanding of where you are. In our modern, convenient, disposable society, pushing through adversity is almost a lost practice. The fact of the matter is that life does happen, and life is not always beautiful, or easy, or even fun. The choice that each of us faces when we are in a "Case of the Mondays" moment is this: Will we allow this circumstance to define who we are, or will we be defined by something greater than a difficult circumstance?

It's Monday...and I will not be defined by something less than who God has created me to be. What about you?

Where No Man Has Gone Before - Discipleship 151

2011-10-11T21:11:00.000-07:00

I have a confession to make (and an online journal seems like the appropriate place to do so...GASP!!). I may have at one point in my life been a closet Trekkie...there I said it. For some unknown reason I was captivated by the character of Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the starship enterprise. And alas, I subjected to myself to hundreds of hours of television in pursuit of fascination.

One famous line that has always stuck with me is the "Where no man has gone before" that is utilized in the opening portion of the TV show. As I now devote thousands of hours to my other predominant pursuit, discipleship, I've come to the conclusion that there is a lot to be said about the polarized connection of these two subjects.

Discipleship is about becoming like someone else. In the case of Christianity, it's about becoming more like Jesus...not about becoming more like the other person who may be mentoring you or the community that may be walking life alongside of you. In the manner of parenting, there is an element of beginning to reflect the nature of your parents (values/passions) as younger children and then discovering your own uniqueness as you mature into adulthood.

Going where no man has gone before, on the other hand, is all about perceived adventure and challenge.

The issue with combining the adventurous portion of life alongside of discipleship is when the mentor or disciple-maker is unwilling to journey with the disciple, or when the disciple-maker asks the disciple to go somewhere where he or she hasn't been. As Timothy Keller writes, "one cannot traffic an un-felt truth." When we are focused on making disciples (followers of others) we must be willing to answer the question of whether or not we are willing to walk the journey together with others.

Sometimes I wonder if our pursuit of program dominates the Christian mandate to make disciples. Are we focused on getting the best experience, or are we focused on building relationships and establishing community?

As you continue thinking about how your life is going to impact the world, I hope you consider what sort of inspirational wake your life is leaving behind for others. Are you inviting people to walk with you, or are you simply pointing them down a road that you yourself are unwilling to travel?

Champion - Discipleship 150

2011-10-04T21:02:00.000-07:00

A champion is someone that is the top of their field.

In discipleship, a champion is someone that not only talks the talk, but is also able to walk the walk. Warren Bennis says, "Leadership is the ability to translate vision into reality." This is the perfect definition of a champion.

As a leader (a dad, a mom, a friend, a sibling, etc.), how can you be known as a champion? Do people see love in action by the way you choose to live? Do others know that you believe in them and are willing to walk alongside of them?

Our world is in need of an emerging wave of champions...people who are passionate about tangibly demonstrating love for God and for people. What other qualities should a champion possess and strive to develop?

Living an Inspired Life

2011-09-23T12:27:00.000-07:00

I'm fascinated with the concept of motivation. What drives us to pursue success in the way we choose to live? What provides us with perspective when we face times of hopelessness and distress? What inspires us to hold on when everything and everyone else seems to be letting go?

Inspiration, at its' core, is the purest form of motivation. This week I lost my grandfather due to a tragic accident. I'm left pondering these theme of motivation and inspiration more intently as a result. Looking back at who my grandfather was, I see traces of inspired living in his life story. He was known for his compassion for people, his willingness to aid his family and his desire to show love to others. A man of few words, my grandpa made up for his lack of verbal pontification through an active demonstration of inspiration.

You and I are living stories. Stories of hope; stories of joy; stories of fear and failure...but also stories of triumph. What makes a great story is a great author and a willingness to share the story with others. Our lives speak volumes to those around us. What does your life say about who you are? Live an inspired life...one that is rooted in truth and patterned after the life of Jesus. Jesus is the purest form of inspired living that has ever existed in the realm of humanity. May your inspired life be one that is 'God-breathed'...rooted in hope, love, faith and joy.

Leading Through Change - Discipleship 148

2011-09-12T18:56:00.000-07:00

Change is constant.

Internally or externally, change is a constant in our society. No matter how hard we may try to resist or avoid change, it still happens. I can color my hair when I notice it beginning to going white, but it won't change the fact that its' natural pigment is fading. I can try to fit into emerging fashion styles, but it won't change the fact that there are simply some trends I should not be a part of (ahem...skinny jeans...ahem).

If change is a constant, how can we lead through it and how can we manage it? Years ago my dad asked me if I see problems as obstacles or opportunities. As leaders leading in a culture of change requires us to refine our perspective. We must see problems as opportunities, and not obstacles. In doing so, how we communicate will begin to change, and momentum will be the end result.

Leading through change means learning to embrace emerging realities and preferred futures. Many people fail in their dieting attempts because they either do not take ownership of their current state of reality, or they do not possess the ability to imagine a different future ahead of them. A leading through change type of leader is able to accept what currently is, but also cast vision towards a preferred future.

If change is constant, our ability to lead must match its' amplitude and consistency. Imagine a different future and beginning implementing a strategy to bring it to life!

Learning to Wait

2011-08-29T12:07:00.000-07:00

Waiting is one of the most difficult things for me to do. I like to control things, as much as possible, and in waiting my pursuit of control is irrelevant. I'm learning more about what it means to wait and to rest. As a father, a husband and a youth pastor, my passion is to see life change take place. The thing about life change is that it takes time, and it is often out of our control. My role of authority in the process of pastoring, child-rearing and being a husband is more about providing opportunities for life change or spiritual transformation to happen and less about trying to control how it actually occurs.

My wife and I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of our third child. It's in this season of growth that I am learning more about what it means to wait. For those of you who are learning to wait in your life in some way, may you find encouragement and inspiration through the words of a fellow sojourner in the waiting game.

In anticipation of the birth of our third child, I penned these lyrics for a song:

Here we are waiting
Hoping to meet you very soon
the anticipation keeps us full of knowing what to do

We're celebrating the purpose of life
in the spaces between courage and darkness, knowing you will meet us here

Love is waiting, holding tight, not letting go
No hesitating, we are here and we want you to know

It takes patience to rest in the moments of unknown
freedom and mercy are with you here, you won't travel alone

Gratuity Based Faith - Discipleship 147

2011-08-16T15:23:00.000-07:00

I've been pondering the theme of gratuity based faith for some time. Having enjoyed my fair share of meals served in a restaurant, I've begun to draw comparisons from the service world to the church.

There are a segment of people that expect their experience of church or community to be steeped in gratuity. The cardinal rule for those in the service industry is to earn the faith of the customer; in doing so, you will be rewarded by their gratuity (a bigger tip). Waiters and waitresses have experimented with impressive feats such as memorizing orders, names and even making sure they are one step ahead of you when it comes to service...all to try and earn a handsome reward.

I sometimes wonder if the church has adopted this similar mentality. The pursuit of success has lead communities of faith to be more focused on meeting expectations rather than leading out of conviction or vision for ministry. When the questions leaders ask themselves are focused on developing loyalty and commitment out of their congregation rather than questions that are aimed at the spiritual transformation of people, I think we've missed the mark of what discipleship is.

Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." The sharpening experience occurs from a number of successive collisions...lives intersecting for the purpose of mutual growth and development. I've never experienced a collision that didn't cause me some sort of pain and/or residual damage (some of which was for the better). I think we need to anticipate that living in the world of gratuity based faith isn't reality. In reality there will be conflict and challenge; the question is how will we choose to benefit from these growth opportunities.

The next time you are in a restaurant and leaving a tip, think about how you can inspire those around you to pursue authentic faith through the experience of discipleship.

I Hear Many Voices - Discipleship 146

2011-08-08T20:59:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've had the chance to share what has been rattling around in my brain. I've been thinking a lot about teaching and discipleship as it pertains to voices. Let me explain.

The modern education system was built upon the school house idea. There was one teacher for all of the students in and around the local community. The classroom was often filled with students from a wide variety of grades, and the teacher was not only expected to teach to students of different levels, but was also required to teach on every subject matter...and quite frankly to be an expert in every field.

This system had its advantages and disadvantages. My own grandmother experienced education in this setting and benefited from it. What is a tad bit frightening is that this concept for education is still in primary use today in the church realm. The secular educational system moved away from the one teacher knows all model due to external factors like urbanization and increasing class sizes; and although still utilized during the formative years of education in grade school, as people grow and develop they are exposed to different authoritative teaching voices to enhance their learning experience.

So what does this mean for us with regards to discipleship? Simple...do we allow a multiplicity of authoritative voices to speak into the process of spiritual transformation? If the answer is no, perhaps we need to evaluate our motivation for this type of restriction. I know personally I'm often afraid that if I share the leadership responsibility with others I may become expendable. But the bottom line is that the learning experience is enriched as we allow collaboration to be the foundation for growth. I'm not an expert on every subject, but I have something to contribute to the conversation. Will we have the courage to invite other voices into the discipleship process?

Trust - Discipleship 145

2011-07-31T15:05:00.000-07:00

I've been writing thoughts about discipleship for the last few months. I'm passionate about this subject matter because I simply believe it is the key to parenting, leading, mentoring and befriending others. Discipleship is all about building relationships with others. We either push or pull others in their journey of life. My hope and prayer is that my life will push others to be who they were created to be.

This week I'm learning about the role of trust in discipleship. My daughter recently got a sliver in her hand. She was complaining about it hurting, so being a good dad I was trying to help her out by removing the sliver. As we were collaborating about how to best approach its' removal I asked Saydie if she trusted me...she said no, she was nervous that it was going to hurt. Normally a statement like that would have shattered me emotionally, but this time it didn't. In that moment I caught a glimpse of my personal response to God. Sometimes I simply don't trust Him with what is happening in my life.

The thing about trust is that its' built upon the principle of 'what have you done for me lately?' Don't believe me? Ask a child who's dad missed catching him after tossing him into the air. It doesn't matter that this child's father caught him a thousand times before dropping him...the fact is that he dropped him and he got hurt...so trust needs to be rebuilt.

Discipling people comes with great joy but also great pain. If those you love don't trust you, they won't allow you to help shape who they are becoming. My suggestion and reminder to us all is to work on building trust each and every day. It's going to take a lot of time and a lot of effort. It's not about proving yourself, it's about building, establishing and maintaining trust...and trust can only be earned by demonstrating love for others.

Think about that the next time you are advocating for change...are you a leader, a parent or a friend that can be trusted?

Inspiration - Discipleship 144

2011-07-19T21:32:00.000-07:00

I'm working on a project with a good friend of mine entitle Prayer Inspired Parenting. Over the last number of years I've been captivated by the word inspiration. As I've built (with the help of my wife & kids) family values and crafted a family mission statement, I've been drawn to consider how my life will serve as a source of inspiration for my children and those around me.

There is a particular story from scripture that has consumed my imagination lately. In Genesis we read through the story of Abraham's intercession on behalf of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. In this story Abraham pleads with God to relent from pouring out His judgement upon these two cities. Through his intercession, Abraham barters with God asking Him to refrain from sending calamity based upon a dwindling number of righteous people found within the confines of these two great cities. In the end, even the small agreed upon number wasn't sufficient to save Sodom and Gomorrah from being destroyed.

What has made me think differently about this somewhat familiar portion of scripture is the theme of inspiration. In these particular cities, the community inspired each other in a negative fashion. How often have we heard that a bad apple spoils the lot? As Christians, leaders, parents and plain old people we need to think differently about how we choose to live. Through each of our choices we are making statements of inspiration; some of these statements are inspiring others in a positive way, while others are inspiring others in a more negative way. While I'm not suggesting we have the power to control how others choose to live, we do have the ability to inspire people. Think through your favorite movie, book or short-story. Why are you so captivated by these tales? It's simple...they inspire you in some way.

Imagine if a generation of people would rise up to inspire their communities towards positive, God-honoring action? How would our world change and be different?

In my role as a youth pastor I just so happen to work with these kinds of people...the emerging generation of world changers who's lives inspire communities to become advocates for change and agents of love. The revolution has begun: are you being inspired?

Consider how you can inspire others each day.

Manager or Mentor - Discipleship 143

2011-07-12T12:35:00.000-07:00

Leadership provides a person with the opportunity to both manage people and mentor people. If you're like me, you might get a little squeamish when you hear the manager label tossed around. Many of us have endured seasons in life where we have felt micro-managed, leading us to perhaps reject the idea of managing altogether. Mentoring, on the other hand, may seem more appealing to those who wish to pursue a relational connection with their leaders.

When we look at the life of Jesus, and specifically the interaction He had with His team of disciples, we can see Jesus utilizing both a manager and mentor strategy for the growth and development of His team.

Jesus was a manager when He asked His disciples to complete tasks, give reports and grow in their personal understanding of who He is and what He was sent to do. Jesus was a mentor when He allowed His team to ask questions, make suggestions, try things and learn from failures.

In terms of discipleship, the manager/mentor dichotomy is a critical understanding. There are times when we need to challenge and hold one another accountable. There are also times when we need to empower and release others to grow in the process of discipleship. The mark of a great disciple-maker is someone who is able to identify and adjust his or her style of leadership based upon the unique needs of the ministry context, scenario or individual disciple. This doesn't mean selling out to the demands of your surroundings. It does mean being willing to serve and lead in the process of discipleship by both managing and mentoring when the season calls for it.

To be a manager or a leader, you need to be a mentor. To be a mentor, you need to understand how to lead.

Day 8 - Jr Hi MTO Update continued

2011-07-09T18:09:00.000-07:00

We made it.

We rolled into West Campus just before 4:00pm today with vans full of people, memories, laughter and community.

It was incredible to see families welcome us home with open arms. It was even more incredible to see community amongst our youth continue to grow as we celebrated our week together in a parking lot.

My hope for this group is that they would continue to place Jesus at the center of all they do. In doing so, they will achieve the individual and collective potential they possess. God is on the move. Our challenge is to Rise Up and partner with what He is doing in and through us. I hope to witness an ongoing resurgence of passion and faith in action in this generation.

The wave is coming...the question is will we Rise Up to catch it?

Day 8 - Jr. Hi MTO Update

2011-07-09T08:01:00.000-07:00

Today marks the final leg of this portion of our adventure. Last night during our community debrief time we asked each other two questions:

1. How did you experience Jesus in a fresh way this week?
2. What are you bringing home with you?

For you as parents, friends and loved ones, using these questions to help these students and adults share their experience with you will provide both parties with an insight into how God is at work in the lives of His people. We must continue to get better in sharing the story of God at work in our lives and our world so that we always remember the goodness, mercy and love of God is meaningful ways (among other character qualities).

Our goal is to arrive home in Calgary to the West Campus facility location by 4:00pm Mountain Standard Time. Lord willing we will be on schedule. Continue to pray for a safe journey and "grippy tires" (as my daughter prays) for the rest of our journey home. We are looking forward to seeing you all. We will need showers, food & a good night's sleep...but those three things were worth trading to gain an incredible Spirit-filled experience over this past week!!

See you all soon!!

Day 7 - Jr. High MTO Update

2011-07-08T20:09:00.000-07:00

The adventure continues. We left Vancouver for Salmon Arm with a pocket full of joy, hope, new experiences and a fresh perspective in our own personal relationships with Jesus. The journey on the road was full of laughter, conversation and some brief napping!! During our lunch stop we found out that one of our youth had received permission from her parents (who are currently in South Africa) to be baptized, so we began planning our second baptismal service of the week. But the adventure didn't come without its' challenges.

Our MTO funds were running short, so we needed to reallocate how we were going to provide for meal compensation and what not as a team. We reached Salmon Arm in the early afternoon and broke the news to our youth about this emerging reality. Students began to dream about how to solve our issue. Offers for lending money and ideas for how to stretch dollars were provided...collaboration was in the air. A second student asked if he could be baptized along with his peer. This student's parents just so happened to be camping in the area, and we were able to get ahold of them to be a part of this experience.

As we continue to celebrate God's provision for our community, we received were a large blessing...our supper meal was provided for by a couple of passionate followers of Jesus who simply wanted to bless our team with a pizza dinner, which means we are able to stretch our reserve funds a little further!

Here are two more baptism videos. They represent a small fragment of what God has done, is doing and continues to do in the lives if His children in the portion of His family we refer to as Centre Street Church Youth Ministries.

Janette Flaaten

Joel Yepiz

Day 6 - Jr. High MTO Update

2011-07-07T08:19:00.000-07:00

I'm so very proud of our students. They have tackled every challenge that has come their way on this adventure. The close quarters have taken their toll on some of our gals...a few of them are battling sickness (colds) which isn't the best way for them to finish off their MTO, but they aren't letting this latest challenge dampen their spirits.

Today will be filled with many good-byes. Our youth have grown attached to their new surroundings, and for some of them it will be very difficult to accept the idea that they need to transition to life at home. We continue to talk about the challenge to bring the experience home and continue to forge ahead in community collectively. Pray that youth would recognize the lessons, intimacy with Jesus and closeness of community they have experienced here in Vancouver can and will translate back into life in Calgary if we are willing to let it become a part of our daily rhythm at home.

Tonight we cap off our MTO experience in VanCity with a foot-washing experience. It's a time of great healing and spiritual intimacy. Pray for our youth as they grapple with the emotion and the power of this experience. God isn't finished speaking to them yet, and I believe clarity will be provided to those who are seeking to experience Jesus in a fresh way.

Our journey home begins tomorrow with our drive to Salmon Arm. Pray for a good night's rest and alertness on the road for our team. See you all soon!!

Day 5 - Jr. Hi MTO Update

2011-07-06T21:30:00.001-07:00

Today marked the beginning of the downward slope towards the end of our ministry experience here in Vancouver. Our youth have definitely been bombarded this week, while being exposed to God’s present and the harsh reality of living in a broken world.

The greatest challenge we now face as a team is to develop a vocabulary that will allow us to communicate with our friends and family at home about our experience. It’s difficult to put images, sounds and smells into words. Inside jokes aren’t as easily translated, thoughts sometimes don’t carry the same weight when re-communicated outside of their original experience, and well sometimes it’s just plain hard to come home after meeting God is a fresh way. My hope and prayer is that our youth would see that God is the same in Vancouver and Calgary (not to mention the rest of the known & unknown universe)…He doesn’t change, and although we may have, His love is consistent and will carry us through the emerging challenges of being back in familiar territory.

Highlights from day included watching our youth actively seek out opportunities to minister to others without having to be prompted to do so, and also seeing how their friendships with one another continue to blossom.

May God grant us the continued grace to represent Him to our broken world; and may He use us to extend His kingdom here on earth as He sees fit!

See you all soon!!

Day 4 - Jr High MTO Update

2011-07-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

Our third day of ministry was filled with a ton of highlights, culminating with some of our youth choosing to be baptized in the ocean (which we captured on film). Perhaps the most significant part of our journey thus far is wrestling with the questions that flood our hearts and minds as we process what we've seen, heard and experienced while on MTO.

Often times when you are exposed to visible needs, you can either become inspired to work towards meeting needs or desensitized to your surroundings. This week our youth are engaging the needs they see, but what will next week hold? As we've begun to discuss as a team, this MTO experience doesn't end during a 1 week journey. Living and loving like Jesus demands that we intentionally invest our whole person into His partnership we call mission. Pray that our youth would continue to process what they are seeing, hearing and experiencing together in community with Jesus as the head of this community.

As one of the people whom we've had the privilege to serve said: "You young people make the best missionaries." We all carry forward the mission of God. As we engage our world in the embodiment of love, grace and mercy in action, we represent our King in an authentic capacity.

Enjoy the show:

Noah Tainsh

Gabby Walthers

Braden Vandale

Erin Johnston

Leslie Ahenda

Miranda Jardine

Day 3 - Jr. High MTO Highlights

2011-07-04T21:00:00.000-07:00

Today marked the first day of full ministry engagement on our team. We sent groups of students & volunteer leaders to work with impoverished kids, shut-in seniors, and a variety of social justice oriented ministries throughout Vancouver's famous East Hastings area.

Our team was bombarded with images, emotions, smells and questions as they processed everything they saw, heard and experienced. One of our youth summarized his experience with this statement: "Today was life changing; I'm not sure how yet, but I know after seeing and experiencing life in this setting I will be different."

This quote sums up a lot of what our youth and adults are experiencing on this year's MTO. We hope to continue to hear more stories of life change as the days continue on. One thing is certain: our team has encountered and experienced God in new ways in just a few short days. My prayer for them is that they would continue to wrestle with the question 'Now what?' The answer to this will not only change their lives, but I truly believe will shape and change our world for the better in and through Jesus both now and in the future.

Tomorrow we head out to our ministry sites again, but will also pause to celebrate the baptism of 5 students in the Pacific ocean in the evening. Pray that God's voice would be the most dominant voice in the lives of our team in the coming days, months and years ahead. The entire purpose of this MTO is to expose people to God's presence in a fresh way. The challenge is helping our youth and adults create a vocabulary and a lifestyle based on their God encounter.

I can't wait for what tomorrow will bring!

Day 2 - Jr. High MTO

2011-07-03T21:12:00.000-07:00

Our second day of travel went by fast...which we were grateful for! We saw where we are staying for the week, and our accommodations have presented us with a set of additional challenges that we didn't plan on, but are learning to be flexible with!

Tomorrow we have the chance to experience our ministry sites. We are hoping and pray that our youth will see, hear and experience God in fresh ways. We will be serving at Urban Gospel Mission, Shining Stars (day-camp for impoverished kids), old folks homes and a variety of social justice ministry organizations. Pray that we will continue to bond and see all challenges as opportunities to grow and mature in our faith relationship with Jesus.

We are hoping for a decent night's rest this evening!! God is up to something...we are pumped to be a part of it!

Vancouver MTO - Day 1

2011-07-02T16:49:00.001-07:00

Today started with a full day of travelling. We are grateful that we didn’t encounter much road construction, making our commute time seem much shorter. We arrived in Salmon Arm around 4:15pm (local time).

Some of the highlights include highly energetic van conversation, great scenery and a sense of anticipation as to what God is going to do in and through us on this journey.

We ask for continued prayer for travelling safety, community building amongst our group and a hunger to be the hands of feet of Jesus as we embark on the next phase of our adventure tomorrow. We can’t wait to experience what God has in store for us!

Community - Discipleship 142

2011-06-20T12:03:00.000-07:00

The Lone Ranger. Amusing TV, but horrible leadership strategy.

If we believe that as humans we are created in God's image, we must recognize our craving for community. We were created for relationship. So what does this mean for us as leaders? Simple...we stop trying to do things on our own.

For some reason we at times buy into the notion that true leadership is about learning how to do things in isolation from others. This is not the case. While the credibility for ones leadership can be attributed to how this individual behaves in their relationship with Jesus while in isolation, his or her capacity to lead is defined by their willingness to engage or partner with others on the journey of leadership.

Consider this: What type of leader are you? Do you actively invite people to partner with you in leadership, or do you choose to try and work things out all by yourself?

If we were created for community, maybe it's time we start leading like it.

Imagination - Discipleship 141

2011-06-13T17:46:00.000-07:00

The mind is a powerful thing. As disciple makers, are we inspiring others to use their imagination to experience and explore the truth of Jesus Christ?

A culture of change inspires the imagination. See how one artist use her imagination to create a new art form, and imagine how we can use imagination to help create more passionate followers of Jesus.

A Shift in Thinking - Discipleship 140

2011-06-06T10:19:00.000-07:00

Much has been written and said about the emerging shift in thinking as it pertains to youth ministry. Mike King shared some great thoughts in his post on slant33.com with regards to the new reality for evangelism in youth culture. I encourage you to read the article.

In the Canadian landscape, and particularly in Calgary, I would agree with King's assessment that a significant shift in thinking needs to take place in our evangelistic efforts to the youth of our nation. Believe it or not, the Canadian youth of today are making value-based decisions with regards to their educational pursuits, leisure time and yes, even religious affiliations. In the early 80s and mid 90s, evangelistic efforts followed a Believe, Behave, Belong continuum. The youth of today are re-writing this continuum. Their culture and their values demand a Belong, Believe, Behave type landscape for spiritual transformation.

So what does that mean? Youth are more interested in understanding how they fit before they are willing to grow in their belief. It is critical that the community of believers, youth pastors, parents and volunteer leaders work together to establish the value of community in ministry towards youth. Programmatic elements of ministry need to reflect this emerging value so that youth feel as though they matter and are valued. It's only after they feel like they belong that they will be more willing to engage in conversation about what they believe about Jesus.

I think it's fantastic that the youth of today are pushing us beyond the barriers of behavioural modification and calling us to embrace authentic, transparent, and intentional community with one another. Deep down inside, I'm convinced that each of us may be able to identify with the need to belong and be valued. I wonder how communities of faith will change as a greater emphasis on living in community is proclaimed and demonstrated in each unique ministry context?

A Story of Inspiration

2011-05-27T12:05:00.000-07:00

None of us have life all figured out. When we face struggles and obstacles, we're often left with more questions than answers. This is Cody's story. Born with complications, he didn't let this obstacle overtake him. No matter what you are facing in your life...you are not alone. God is with you. May you find hope, rest, love and live in Him.

Cody's Story from Igniter Media on Vimeo.

Message vs. Method - Discipleship 139

2011-05-22T14:08:00.000-07:00

This is a classic question in the discipleship conversation: How do we remain commitment to the message while using relevant methods to communicate the message?

In my younger days, I loved being a patron of The Cheesecake Cafe. This particular restaurant was known for its' desserts...and I'll admit it, I have a soft spot for cheesecake and other rich desserts!! If you wanted to experience cheesecake, this was the place to go. But then something happened. The quality of food remained the same, but it was almost as if the restaurant was clinging too much on reputation alone to communicate its' message (we make the best cheesecake) to people. Sadly, the Cheesecake cafe that has been in the area of Calgary in which I live recently closed its' doors because it wasn't making a profit. This restaurant had lost sight of its' originally defined goal of success.

In discipleship, the definition of success is obedience to God. The fruit (or result) of this success is a disciple; meaning that replication is the goal. When we are engaged in the discipleship of others, the goal is to see this other person become a disciple of Jesus and to then inspire others to do the same.

I wonder sometimes if we lean too heavily on our reputation as Christians that we resist things like creativity, originality and change in our pursuit of making disciples of others. We may hear a phrase like "we have a new way of doing things" and immediately shudder or cringe because the words 'new' and 'way' lead us to assume the message must suffer for the sake of this new method. I personally disagree. I think the message of Jesus is time-tested. The message, and therefore definition of success for discipleship, can not change. If they do, then we risk becoming heretical and living examples of defamation.

What can change, however, is the way we communicate this message. Our methods do not stand the test of time. We are constantly learning how to do things more effectively or differently in order to keep them fresh and unique. Why not employ this same strategy in our quest for discipleship? Does it really hinder the growth and development of others when we are looking at different ways to reach more people with the gospel message of Jesus?

The bottom line is that we sometimes enjoy celebrating the method rather than celebrating the message. We love to point to our strategy or our development plan and marvel at how our system has produced our desired result. Instead, should we not become more captivated by the God's message, and His messenger in Jesus, that we learn to embrace the message and discard the method when the method becomes irrelevant and disengaging? Or are we more concerned about the method and believing that it is equal in status with the message itself?

Be creative. Be bold. Hold tightly to the truth of the message of Christ Jesus, and loosely to the methods which you use to communicate it. The last thing we need is to be out-dated, irrelevant and disengaging as God's people.

Community - Discipleship 138

2011-05-16T14:51:00.000-07:00

I'm hard pressed to find examples of discipleship that take place outside of the context of community. Whether online or offline, community plays a vital role in the spiritual transformation of people. The struggle we as humans have with the word community is that it's become quite ambiguous...we've lost site of its' original meaning.

Community is a cluster of committed people who gather together for the purpose of relationship and the expression of belonging. The great thing about community is that it isn't limited by genetic code or physical location. True community is both mobile and reproducible.

Discipleship is the by-product of true community. A community is focused on the growth and development of both its' individuals and its' collective gathered body. If, as followers of Jesus Christ, our greatest commandment (Love God & Love Others) and our great commission (go and make disciples) inspire us to live, breathe and create community, what will our personal and collective response be in the pursuit of discipleship?

Synthetic or Natural - Discipleship 137

2011-05-04T14:32:00.000-07:00

I had an interesting conversation today with one of my teammates. We were talking about the desire to see spiritual fruit emerge in the lives of the youth, parents and volunteer leaders that we serve. We then began to discuss the difference between synthetically and naturally produced fruit. Many of us would be aware of the emerging organic vegetable and fruit sections in our local supermarkets. The difference between this type of fruit and the chemically engineered stuff is quality over quantity. Engineered fruit is often larger in size, produced more quickly and potentially lasts longer. Yet the nutritional value of this food is lacking when compared to that of the organic variety.

I think spiritual fruit functions in the same way. Fruit that is synthetically produced may look better, ripen quicker and be more prevalent, but is the quality still there? If we agree that there is a growing season for everything, why are we so determined to rush fruit into production? Part of this demand for fruit may be attributed to the external pressures we feel to measure our success in ministry based on life change, but it's also due to our own need to see tangible results for our efforts.

Being a pastor, a parent, a husband and even a human being means learning to live with tension. I cannot control or manufacture the response of my wife, kids or ministry members to the presence of Jesus, but I can influence this response. The question I am left asking myself is this: Am I engineering synthetic fruit, or am I helping to produce the organic stuff?

If my role as a follower of Jesus is to be who I'm created to be, to inspire others in their faith journey and to love and live like Jesus, am I willing to wait for spiritual fruit to ripen in its' season, or will I try to force fruit to emerge through synthetic means? My hope is that I do not underestimate the power of God's Spirit at work in and through me, and that I may be willing to follow the Spirit's promptings that will bear fruit in its' season.

Loving Your Enemy - Discipleship 136

2011-05-01T21:42:00.000-07:00

Recent world news has informed us that this last decade's most wanted man has been killed. Osama Bin Laden is dead. When I first heard the news, I wasn't sure how to feel. I read many twitter posts celebrating this great feat, and while I agree with pursuing justice, I'm not sure if celebrating another person's failure or demise is the best response. Having said that, I am not belittling those who were greatly affected by the events of 9-11. I personally didn't lose much on that day. What I did gain was a heightened awareness of the struggle in our world. A struggle that is not against flesh and blood, but against evil.

Jesus taught a very tough truth about love and enemies. This conversation is recorded in chapter six of the gospel of Luke:

But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Like it or not, Bin Laden was created in the image of God for the purpose of relationship. He, like you and me, is worthy of love. I do not condone his actions for one minute, so please do not reach that conclusion from reading this post. What I am suggesting is that mercy and justice play a role in the God's Kingdom. I can choose what my response to this, and any other situation will be. My hope and prayer is that in any and all response I will represent love, demonstrate humility, embrace justice and walk in mercy.

The Cheerleader - Discipleship 135

2011-04-25T16:41:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest roles we can play in the life of another person is the role of the cheerleader. A cheerleader is someone that encourages, inspires and spurs another person along in their life journey. If you look back at your life you may find people who have had both a positive and negative affect on your journey. In discipleship, we at times play the role of the cheerleader. We must inspire, encourage and believe in those whom we are nurturing towards spiritual growth and development. We must also be willing to extend unconditional love and support to them along their journey. Check out this video. I hope it inspires you to embrace the role of the cheerleader in someone else's life. I hope it also inspires you towards gratitude to those who have played this role in your own faith journey in Jesus Christ.

Viktor Frankl: Why to believe in others | Video on TED.com

The Power of Story - Discipleship 134

2011-04-18T19:48:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon this story as I was browsing one of my favorite leadership websites. Before His death and resurrection Jesus gave His disciples a new command: Love one another. Jesus went on to say that the world will know that you love God if you love one another. Compassion, inspiration, friendship...these terms are all things each of us long to experience. My hope is that you would be captivated by the power of a story and recognize that your story can initiate and inspire change in our world.

Celebrating Sacrifice - Discipleship 133

2011-04-10T21:06:00.000-07:00

I've been drawn to the story of the widow's offering over the last number of days. There are two versions of this story in scripture: Mark 12:41-44 & Luke 21:1-4. Jesus and his disciples were at the temple observing the crowds. As they are watching other people, one woman catches their eye. Jesus notices a widow who comes to the temple to give her tithe. She places two small coins in the offering box worth a fraction of what others were putting into the offering plate. Jesus singles this woman out and praises her gift because it was a sacrificial gift...she gave all that she had.

I watched this new TV show called Secret Millionaire. The show follows a millionaire who secretly volunteers at a number of non-profit organizations. At the end of the show the millionaire reveals their identity and they then give monetary donations to each organization they have volunteered with. It's great that these places are receiving financial aid, but I couldn't help but think of the story of the widow once again. It's easy for us to celebrate the large donation of the significant decision that radically reshapes the landscape and context of our world. What I think is more difficult to do is to take time to celebrate what may seem to be the small and insignificant acts of kindness.

Is it more important to be charismatic or to be consistent in how we interact with others? Do we cheapen our relationships when we only see fit to celebrate the grand moments and seem less interested on the small victories along the journey?

I think part of being a disciple and someone who makes other disciples is learning to celebrate the small sacrifices which are more grand and elaborate than we realize. Small = consistent and leads to a greater capacity for generosity moving forward.

How are you going to celebrate sacrifice?

Poetry in Motion

2011-04-07T22:09:00.000-07:00

I'm knee deep in graduate studies over the next few weeks and finding it difficult to post creative items to my blog in addition to keeping up with the homework load. Having said that, I thought it might be fun to share some of the poetry stuff that I've written over the years. Most of these sonnets are lyrics to songs that have been inspired by friends, family and experiences in different seasons of my life. I hope they inspire you to find hope, rest and life in the middle of your journey!!

To Love You

You never know if you can see something that isn’t there

But so many choose to be unaware

Nothing compares to what you’ve done

Not even all I have

Something inside me cries out to you

Here lies my pride

I would give anything to know you

Here lies my life

I would do anything to love you

Gone are the ways that used to be holding me back again

You came and pardoned me from what I am

Gone are the days I used to feel stuck here inside my head

I choose to follow you with all I am

Here lies my pride

I would give anything to know you

Here lies my life

I would give anything to love you

Authenticity - Discipleship 131

2011-03-28T19:47:00.000-07:00

A disciple of Jesus is someone who pursues authenticity.

In John, one of the gospels from the New Testament, Jesus is famous for uttering the "I am" statements. These claims are foundational to understanding who Jesus is and what He believed about Himself. Here is a list of these statements to refresh your memory.

I AM the bread of life.
- John 6:35: Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
- John 6:48: I am the bread of life.
I AM the light of the world.
- John 8:12: When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
- John 9:5: While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
I AM the door.
- John 10:7: Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep."
I AM the good shepherd.
- John 10:11-14: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me...."
I AM the resurrection and the life.
- John 11:25: Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies."
I AM the way, the truth and the life.
- John 14:6: Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
I AM the true vine.

John 15:1, 5: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

These statements provide us with a window of authenticity into the life of Jesus. It is out of this worldview that Jesus engaged the community around Him. As disciples, each of us has the opportunity to create our own window of authenticity by what we do and by what we say. What I find fascinating about these sayings from the life of Jesus is that they are statements of being, not statements of comparison. Often times I find myself falling into the trap of self-promotion. I feel compelled to justify who I am and what I do to others in order to be granted their approval. I am driven by performance instead of being driven by simply being who I am.

Think about this for one minute. How would you describe yourself to someone else? What descriptors would you use? Are the statements you would make about yourself statements of comparison where you are measuring yourself against a known or unknown standard? Or are you simply making a statements of being?

Here is an example:

I am a father.

I am a better father than most dads.

The first statement is one of being, the second is one of comparison. Statements of comparison are subjective and shallow. Statements of being are not only authentic, but are also transparent and real. One set of statements breeds authenticity, while the other breeds contempt.

Jesus understood the importance of making statements of being, but also of follow through on the statements that He made. A disciple is someone who not only speaks about authenticity, but one who strives to live authentically in each decision made every day.

Compassion in Action - Discipleship 130

2011-03-21T17:23:00.000-07:00

What do you do when you feel burdened by the needs you see around you? Is it enough to recognize the needs and not act on what you see? Listen to this story about escaping poverty and remember Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength."

Simplicity Re-visited - Discipleship 129

2011-03-15T20:25:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week I had the chance to sit in on an emergency first aid course. One of the things that held my attention were the statistics about heart attacks in males compared to females. Roughly 10 years ago, men who had heart attacks accounted for nearly 70% of all documented cases. Since then, there has been a gradual shift where this trend has begun to even out over time.

What's startling to me about this trend is that one of the major contributing factors to heart attacks is stress. I've blogged about this topic before, but I believe that the root issue behind health trends such as stress-related illnesses can be directly attributed to our lack of simplicity in life.

Listen to Jesus' words in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

These few verses imply several truths. I could write about this subject all day, but I'm only going to touch on a couple of things in this post. Jesus invites us to learn from Him, implying that His way of life is one that is not only full (John 10:10), but also one that is restful. Seems like an oxymoron doesn't it? Often times our goal in life here in North America is to live life fast and loud. Don't believe me? Take a drive (or walk) through your neighborhood...how many fast initiatives do you see? We have speed limits to try and slow us down (do they work??), we have fast-food, express lube, made to order, 30 minutes or less guarantee type stuff all over the place...and I haven't even talked about church yet. In the church, our goal is sometimes to "look busy" or "create activity" because idle hands lead to sinful behaviors...right?

What if the greater miscue in life isn't that we have time on our hands, but that we don't have time or room to let God be God in our lives? If Jesus says to us that His yoke is easy and His burden is light, do we not trust that what He says is actually true?

Let's dream for a minute. What if we did life differently? What if we took the time to hit the pause button, what slow down and let the pursuit of simplicity (which is a Christ-like virtue in my opinion) dictate how we live? How much more time would we find in our day? How much more rest would there be for our souls? How much greater understanding would there be of the concept of Sabbath?

If you can't slow down your life, are you really living? Life void of simplicity is one lived in the fast lane; but how much life did you miss along the way while going fast? Slow down, find rest for your souls...learn from Jesus cause He's the only one who lived life the way it was intended to be lived.

The Passion-filled Life - Discipleship 128

2011-03-15T15:05:00.000-07:00

Each of us is searching for meaning, purpose and significance in life. What does it mean to live a passion-filled life? This video touches on the subject in a unique way. May it inspire you to live passionately for Jesus Christ in your context or life's setting.

Rethinking Compassion - Discipleship 127

2011-03-07T14:01:00.000-08:00

Compassion is a buzz word for the church world. Some people say it sounds too feminine, others do not understand the full meaning of this term. I stumbled across this video and wanted to share it with others. Do you think it's key for us to rethink, reshape or redefine compassion in our own lives?

The Success of Team - Discipleship 126

2011-03-02T10:05:00.000-08:00

One of my life's passions is creating and building teams. In my younger days, I was an avid gamer...addicted to sports games on playstation consoles where I could craft my team and play the role of general manager, coach & player all at once. I was also fascinated with teams offline. I would observe, examine and experience the successes and failures of teams while playing sports, learning in school, volunteer and leading a variety of ministry initiatives of the course of 15 years.

Now, 17 years later from my initial fascination with the concept of a team, I'm still passionate about this subject and I'm still learning about what makes teams tick. When we think of the process of discipleship, it requires a team approach...many people working together, partnering with God's Spirit to see another person reach his or her potential in Jesus Christ.

There are four things that currently occupy my brain space at the moment. I believe these four concepts are key to a healthy functioning team that is growing together.

TRUST - releasing responsibility to one another
EXPECTATION - holding each other accountable to achieve the goal or vision
APPRECIATION - encouragement, support and care
MOBILITY - flexibility, transferability (holding onto things with an open hand instead of a tight fist)

If we have the courage to work together, and are willing to be lead by the power of God's Spirit, I believe that the vision of seeing this generation of youth revive the church and change the world is not only viable, but absolutely critical for the long-term sustainability of spiritual transformation in the name of Jesus Christ.

How does your team (your family, your staff team, your friends, etc.) function? Where are your growth areas?

Environments & Experiences - Discipleship 125

2011-02-22T21:28:00.000-08:00

One of the many things that fascinates me about the life of Jesus is His ability to stitch together learning environments and relational experiences. Reading through the stories contained in the Bible about the disciples, their struggles, triumphs, successes and failures, it is clear that these both the environment and experience are key components of discipleship.

My family and I visited some friends over the weekend. It was great to catch up and swap stories. Later in the evening as the bed-time routine was in full swing in our house, my daughter Saydie stunned me with a comment she made about her experience our friends home. I simply asked her if she had any questions she wanted to ask me about today, or if she wanted to tell me anything. This was her paraphrased response: "Dad, I don't like who I am when I'm at their house." We unpacked this comment a little further with each other (about as far as any 3 year old is able to!!) and discovered that Saydie didn't appreciate neither her experience or the environment that was created in our friends home. She felt like some of her behaviour wasn't appropriate and attributed it to this different environment where she wasn't able to decipher appropriate boundaries. Yes, she did use other words to describe her experience, the preceding sentence was run through the "big-boy" filter!! :)

This made me think about the importance of both the environment and experience that are created for the purpose of discipleship. In relation to my daughter, does her environment and experience allow her to pursue things like authenticity and safety (among other values), or does it restrict her from being who she is?

When we create programs, strategies and plans for ministry, are we taking into account what sort of environments and experiences we are subjecting people to? Are we allowing the people whom we desire to minister to be a part of the formation process of both the environment and the experience?

My prayer for my kids, myself and my church is that we wouldn't be tempted to say "I don't like who I am when I'm in their house."

Who's the Target? - Discipleship 124

2011-02-15T21:57:00.000-08:00

I remember one of the first spiritual mentors that I ever had. We spent a lot of time together diving into scripture and creating a mutual relational bond. At the outset of our discipling relationship, my mentor made a comment to me that never really sat well, and still doesn't today. "Stick with me Jason and I will turn you into a better version of me." I never really understood what he meant until later on in life. As I began to make choices that were different than his suggested path or direction, friction arose in our relationship. It was during these contentious moments that I rediscovered the biblical truth of who the target is in the mission of discipleship.

The target is and has always been Jesus in the process of discipleship. We are called to help move people towards Jesus, not to have them become 2.0 versions of us. As a pastor and a parent, I find this to be one of the most challenging parts of my role. It's easy to have my children or other youth play the copy-cat game..."do what I do." There is some power in this particular learning discipline, but if the conversation and the discipleship stays at this level, I may unintentionally disciple youth and even my own kids to be like me instead of being like Jesus.

You know what made Nike so powerful in the 90s? There campaign slogan of be like Mike. Anyone who knew anything about basketball knew that Michael Jordan was one of the most gifted, awe-inspiring players of his generation. Parents would shell out hundreds of dollars for shoes that would help their kids falsely nurture the thought of becoming the next big thing in the minds of children. I know my Nike shoes didn't help me get to the NBA!!

Nike knew who their target was and how they could inspire their audience to embrace their vision of the basketball shoe. My question to all of us is do we know who our target is in the task of discipleship? Are we inspiring people to become like Jesus, or are we shaping them to be like us?

I hope my kids see that Jesus is the best example of a person to model one's life after. I'd hate for them to wake up one day and simply be me version 2.0.

Learning Styles - Discipleship 123

2011-02-07T14:50:00.001-08:00

Check out this video. Great thoughts on how we can teach & facilitate learning with you, parents & families in our emerging digital culture.

Watch the full episode. See more Digital Media - New Learners Of The 21st Century.

Compassion - Discipleship 122

2011-02-05T12:24:00.000-08:00

Reading the bible, believing it as truth and doing what it says has radically shaped my life.

There is one verse in particular that has helped to reshape my value system and inspired me to live generously here on this earth. James 1:27 says, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

What I see and hear when I read this portion of scripture is the word compassion. Compassion is a word that literally means "with suffering." When one human being has compassion on another human being, he or she is willing to identify his or her self with the plight of another person. In essence, the compassionate individual is willing to carry the burden or suffering of someone else.

Read James 1:27 again with this new definition of compassion swirling around in your heart and mind. Someone who is actively pursuing God is a person who is willing to act compassionately (to show mercy) to his fellow man. There are two significant people groups identified by this verse: orphans and widows. The definition of an orphan is a person or thing that is without protective affiliation. The definition of a widow is a woman left alone (most often used to describe a woman who has lost her husband or life-partner due to death or even what dictionary.com describes as a hobby - like a golf widow...meaning the husband or significant other spends all of his time working on his hobby and not working on his relationships).

It is this very biblical principle that inspired my wife and I to adopt a child into our family. And it is this same biblical principle that is inviting me to reshape my thoughts around compassion and widows. The question I have been asking myself as of late is this: Are single moms a part of the biblical example of widows in our society today?

I've been a youth pastor for 10 years and have been invited to shepherd many youth from a variety of different backgrounds over this period of time. I have learned many things, and I've also discovered that I still have much to learn when it comes to caring for people and helping to disciple them in the way of Jesus Christ. One trend that has become something we cannot ignore any longer, is that the erosion of the biblical definition of the family is accelerating at an alarming rate. When I first entered into youth ministry, the number of youth who came from a broken home situation was significantly lower than what statistics tell us what is true of our society today. More and more children are growing up in a complex family situation (divorce, blended family, single parent, same-sex parents, etc.). There are a variety of causes for these living circumstances, but no matter what the cause of the situation, the end result is the same...distress of some kind.

As humans we love to try and identify a reason or root cause for the issue that we are observing. When it comes to youth growing up in a complex family situation, we at times try to use rationality to explain away the issue. We may make statements like, "their parents are messed up" or "his mom had a wild past in her younger days" in an attempt to categorize our observation. While these statements may or may not be true, when we allow rationality to consume our thought process and inform our activity, we lose sight of the ability we as humans have to act compassionately. Compassion invites us to think beyond the circumstance and to see the person as a person...someone who is worthy of love, respect, joy and hope. I sometimes wonder if being polluted by the world actually means losing our ability to see one another compassionately?

If we truly desire to disciple others in the way of Jesus Christ, we must be willing to view others in a compassionate light. What is true of our world today is that there are many orphans and widows in distress. Be it a single parent, an orphaned child or and elderly person who has lost their soul mate...the opportunities for us to respond with compassion are limitless. May God's truth inspire you to begin or continue to act compassionately each day.

Is it Mobile & Reproductive? - Discipleship 122

2011-01-31T18:53:00.000-08:00

What I'm learning most right now about the discipleship of people and youth is based on two questions:

1. Is it mobile?
2. Is it reproductive?

The wave of the information age has done a lot of great things in our world. Technological advances like the internet, cell phones & handheld devices (pda's, ipods, psp's, ds's, etc.) have made our entertainment much more mobile and reproductive. The challenge for the church and for youth ministry specifically is to view these cultural values or norms as assets in the mission of discipleship and the battle for relevance of the Christian faith in today's emerging youth culture.

If we know that a growing number of youth and adults are using technology to enhance their educational experience and personal growth or development (entertainment, connectedness, etc.), why then wouldn't we consider how to use these same tools to develop people spiritually?

Ministry and more specifically discipleship, that is mobile and reproductive is biblical...Jesus modeled it to us. Very early on Jesus challenged His first followers, the disciples, to limit the number of things they brought with them on their journey while learning to embrace a more nomadic routine to life. During their travels from ministry setting to ministry setting, Jesus embraced and demonstrated a mobile, interactive and reproductive discipleship strategy. He used shared experiences as launching points for spiritual conversations; He took time to reshape and question cultural practices that were no longer relevant to the Christian context, and He invited people to join Him on the journey.

When you think about your current ministry context, is it mobile and reproductive? Are your programmatic elements for ministry bound by a pre-determined location, or are they able to be adaptable to a different context and setting? If it's mobile and on mission...it will become reproductive.

Contextualize This!! - Discipleship 121

2011-01-25T10:15:00.000-08:00

I love to dream. I spend a lot of time developing strategies, understanding systems, looking for patterns and examining behavior. My mission of observation has often led me to some interesting places. One such place is this emerging idea of contextualized discipleship - developing life long, devoted followers of Christ.

Some things we did as kids, we don't stop doing as adults. Remember the game copy-cat? You would simply mimic the behavior or words of someone else for the soul purpose of annoying them. I can remember engaging in such activity as a child with one of my older cousins being my muse. For babies, being a copy-cat is healthy to learn things such as speech, crawling, walking and other interactive behaviors. For toddlers, grade-school children and older adults...being a copy-cat is less appealing and beneficial.

Why is it then that in the world of church, and specifically youth ministry, we love to copy what others are doing? If someone generates any type of momentum, we immediately adapt their "strategy" as our own in hopes of reaching our goals and targets for what a healthy ministry might look like. If we're honest, we at times do this very thing in our families...ever heard of keeping up with the Jones'??

Where does this desire to replicate systems and behavior come from? I can't speak for anyone other than myself, but I know that when I feel pressure to perform or some other form of insecurity as a leader, I can tend to grasp at straws and look for other "success stories" to begin replicating in my own ministry context.

What I am learning about contextualized discipleship is that there are a few common threads that can be adapted from other ministry settings...like the early church from the book of Acts. Theses threads, however, are more boundaries than strategies for success. And to be honest, I really believe that boundaries are the only system or strategy that we can actually develop for discipleship.

The early church existed for fellowship (relationship), teaching (learning), breaking of bread (generosity & eating), and prayer (no contemporary word for this one). I believe these are the boundaries or elements for contextualized discipleship. Where the freedom lies is in the implementation of these elements.

Imagine if you were a missionary to an indigenous people group in the middle of a jungle somewhere. How would you engage this group of people with the transforming power of the gospel? Would you go "hut to hut" and drop off a steps to peace with God booklet? Would you host a whacky games night where you drank coke through a used sock? Probably not. But would you instead observe the culture, learn the uniquenesses and begin to interact with this group of people by understanding their context or setting?

Just like individual tribes of people have their own uniquenesses, generations, age-groups and even segments of people within the same municipal or rural setting have their own uniqueness. The key for contextualized discipleship is to understand your ministry setting. What are the needs of the people you have been called to serve? What are the cultural practices? What are their expectations? Knowing these things does not mean you have to lead based on these answers, but these answers will help to inform and shape how you implement or contextualize discipleship in your current ministry setting.

Be creative, be unique. Use your skills as a leader to contextualize discipleship for your current ministry setting. The last thing our world needs is another copy-cat!!

Strategy - Discipleship 120

2011-01-17T12:18:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite Christmas gifts of all-time is the board game Strageo. I can remember the year that my cousin Lance and I both received this game for Christmas. We spent the next 7-10 days playing this game non-stop!! It combined all the elements that we loved...strategy, deception, conquest and competition.

Sometimes I wonder if this is our approach to discipleship. Do we see people as projects or spiritual conquests, and are we in competition with each other to see who can do the most for the sake of the Kingdom? I often wonder how misaligned our motivation to invest in others may be at times.

As a logical, creative thinker...I gotta tell you that I love to strategy. I love creating a system and plan for not only organization, but also development. Man some of the things I have put together over the years look so good on paper!! The problem seems to be when I see the strategy as the end goal rather than the people whom the strategy is supposed to serve.

I think that at times our desire for results is what keeps us from actually realizing our goals whether it be in our personal lives or in our ministry driven lives. Please don't misunderstand me, I believe there is value in keeping the end or the desired outcome in mind. But when this goal becomes our focus and we lose sight of what present reality is, this is where we strategy becomes a hindrance to discipleship.

I've been asked by people many times, well what about Jesus discipleship strategy? To be honest, depending on who you talk to, some people would say He didn't have a strategy, while others would say that he absolutely did. I think Jesus had the God-given ability to keep his desired outcome in mind while being able to develop a unique strategy for each of his disciples. There were times when Jesus used a more hands on discipleship strategy approach (miracles) and other times when He threw the strategy and tradition out the window to simply engage people (the Samaritan woman). I think the lesson to learn about strategy is that there needs to be a balanced approach to its' use in the process of spiritual transformation or discipleship. We can have an overarching plan on how we want to spiritually develop people, but we must recognize that each person will require a unique strategy for development individually. Yes, they may still fit the overall plan or strategy at large, but how we tangibly engage them relationally and disciple them spiritually will remain unique. My kids are a great example of this. My daughter requires instruction in a different way than my son, but my goal for both of them remains the same...I want them to become radical, world-changing followers of Jesus Christ.

The next time you are sitting down to plot out strategy on how to develop people or how to engage your friends, remember that although strategy is a key cog in the wheel of spiritual transformation, it is not the end all be all. There are times when our strategy for ministry needs to be more mobile and reproducible than clean, neat and tidy!!

Transitions - Discipleship 119

2011-01-10T10:48:00.000-08:00

Transitions seems to be a theme that is saturating my life time and time again. As a bit of a self-proclaimed sports junkie, the theme of transitions is something that has always sparked my interest. The key to any team's success in sports like soccer, basketball, hockey and volleyball is how well they perform in the transitions. Transitional defense and transitional offense separate the mediocre teams from the elite teams. In one aspect, a team capitalizes on the mistakes of its' opponent and goes on the offensive. In the other, a team is able to recover from its' own mistake and defend their territory. In these moments of transition the system or the structure doesn't really matter, but the response to the situation and the set of circumstances does.

Discipleship is often filled with transitions. These transitions can occur during a leadership change, a vision realignment or a different systematic implementation of ministry philosophy. In these transition moments, what remains key is how a team, or in this case, a community responds to the transition. Our natural human tendency is to reject change of any sort. Believe it or not, we are creatures of habit, and we love some sort of routine. Statistics have shown us that youth who experience stability are those who most often become stable adults, but youth that have experienced instability in their formation years tend to never be able shake the mantle of insecurity as then enter adulthood.

So if we know that transitions will occur in every type of ministry setting, how do we prepare ourselves to continue the pursuit of discipleship in the midst of change? What I am learning is that the key in times of transition is to make change manageable. Knowing that we as humans do not embrace change willingly, as leaders we need to be able to invite people to experience the transition with us by projecting and emphasizing stability. Seems kind of weird doesn't it? Pursuing stability in the midst of transition?

The allies for any leader in any context in the midst of any transition are communication and relationship. In moments of transition, the need to communicate effectively and efficiently in the context of relationship is crucial. Back to my sports analogy...on transitional defense it is key that all teammates communicate what is being done or needs to be done in order to defend one's territory effectively and efficiently. Hockey players will make sure to take a man or cover a portion of the ice with relentless vigor, all the while verbally directing their teammates what they can do to help defend...well, that's if their team is good at the transitional game. Same goes for offense, players need to communicate with one another in order to gain an opportunity to change the momentum of the game to their advantage.

Discipleship is similar to these sporting pursuits. No, it's not a game, but it is a pursuit that must be aware of key transition moments in order to ensure that the purpose of creating lifelong followers of Jesus Christ is not being neglected in any capacity.

Maybe you find yourself in a moment of transition in your own life. My encouragement to you is embrace clarity in your communication strategy while making sure that all you do is supported by your relentless pursuit of authentic relationship with those whom you are serving in a leadership role.

Transitions happen. Whether or not we are prepared to lead in the midst of these moments is entirely up to us and our readiness as leaders to make the change manageable.

Creative Partnership - Discipleship 118

2011-01-02T11:46:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I was able to catch a documentary on the Pacific ocean while watching history television that has sparked a lot of internal thought and speculation. The premise of this program was examining how ocean volcanoes in the Pacific are still active in creating new land masses in our world. Many of the views that were shown were simply stunning...and I found myself marvelling at the creative power of God.

My mind has continued to flirt with this subject matter of creativity; my imagination has been captivated with this theme. I've been drawn to study the creation account of our world from the book of Genesis, and one phrase in particular has held ransom my thoughts over the past few days. After creating the world, God commands His creation to be fruitful and multiply and "to fill the earth." I've often stopped the cognitive process at mammals, humans, birds, fish and reptiles reproducing. But lately I have been thinking about the earth itself and this theme of creativity.

The invitation to create is a divine invitation. Something in which we can partner with God is fulfilling part of His purpose for creation itself. I can't help but wonder if this is not a similar theme that should be etched into the process of discipleship also. When we are seeking to disciple others in the ways of Jesus, are we not inviting them to be a part of the creative process? In this case, the creation is about a life and a character, something that at times may not seem to be a tangible part of the creative process. But, isn't it true that so much of the creative process at large goes unseen my the human eye? Think about how human children are formed in their mother's womb. Much of this formation process is still a mystery to us as humans even with all of the scientific advances that have been made throughout history. Yet what goes as unseen on a human level is seen by the Almighty Creator Himself.

What I am learning about discipleship is simply this: without ownership, all of our efforts are destined to fail. As a father of two small children I come face to face with this basic principle each day on numerous occasions. If my kids do not have ownership of what I am asking of them (cleaning up, eating, taking a bath, etc.), my desired outcome of obedience will not manifest itself. If, however, my children possess ownership of the activity at hand, if they feel as though by their participation they are contributing to the entire family at large, then the desired outcome of obedience and character transformation is attained.

When we think about discipling others, are we inviting them to be a part of the creative process in their own lives, or are we simply handing them a list of things to do and a list of things to refrain from doing? Discipleship is about character transformation; a creative initiative extended to us through a divine invitation. As a follower of Jesus, think about how you may invite others into a creative partnership that is being a "fisher of men" (making disciples). Maybe is volunteering in a church setting; maybe it's transforming how you view your relationships with your co-workers. We are all invited to play a role in the creative process. Will we live out God's command to be creative, or will we settle for something much less?

The Listening Ear - Discipleship 117

2010-12-28T13:16:00.000-08:00

Many of the posts that I have shared regarding discipleship may not be rocket science. Some of these topics, however, seem to have been forgotten, postponed or devalued in our well-intentioned pursuit to make disciples. Today's topic is one of these "no-brainer" concepts that I think we've forgotten.

I think one of the greatest parts of discipling others is that of listening to them. Jesus modelled this for us as He listened to countless questions and comments from not only His closest 12 comrades, but others as well (Nicodemus comes to mind).

What I am learning in youth ministry reminds me of this simple concept of listening to others. My wife and I were chatting today about the journey we've been on together for the last 6 years as a married couple. We both could point to times when we felt led by God in a certain direction, only to receive opposition from people regarding our pursuit. This whole idea got me thinking today about this concept of listening. Take the story of Job for instance. Job had the life that many of us dream of (independently wealthy, healthy family, friends and plenty of success). In an instant, all that Job had was taken from him. In this moment of transparency, Job doesn't blame God for his set of circumstances (although Job does ask God a lot of questions). In the counsel of his wife and friends, however, Job is encouraged to blame God for this trouble in his life. The story continues to unfold with the culmination of restoration as all that Job had was given back to him in God's timing.

What speaks to me about discipleship from the story of Job today is the "counsel" of Job's friends. These well-intentioned, thoughtfully spoken men saw this set of circumstances in Job's life as an opportunity to speak into him. It was like looking in a mirror this morning as I pondered this story. How many times have I seen grief, chaos and calamity as the opportunity to speak truth into someone else's life by using words. Yet what I failed to realize is that in this moment, those struggling with pain, grief, sorrow and hurt often do not need anything more than a listening ear. If you think about it, sometimes when we step up to speak, we may unintentionally be diminishing the work of God in that person's life. We know that God works through suffering in a way that we cannot comprehend from a human standpoint. But in our devotion to the task at hand and perhaps our zeal for the gospel, we forget to simply pause to listen to those who are in need.

Maybe we fall back into default mode during these times of crisis where we want to fill up the space with words so that it feels like we are accomplishing something. Or maybe we simply do not want to see this other person experience life to the full before we do. I wonder how much of what we do and say is motivated by something other than love? I know in those moments when I allow myself to be truly honest, I am shocked at where my motivation comes from at times.

How about this: the next time a friend or neighbour is experiencing darkness, pain or hurt do these three things - listen, pray and remain. Take the time to listen to them, to pray for them and remain connected not only with the person, but also with their pain or hurt. It may not be rocket science, but it seems to be something we've forgotten to practice over time. I think when we embrace these three practices we give God room to continue to work through this other person's life, and I know that I'd rather have God doing the transformation in another person's life then me trying to do the best that I can. Good intentions don't really get us very far, but the transformation of the power of God's Spirit alive and active in our world is what truly does the changing of lives. Maybe our role is simply to partner with what God is doing by letting God be God and us simply being who we were created to be: human beings made in the image of the Almighty who are yearning to embrace the life we were created to live...life to the full.

A Little Too Much Salt - Discipleship 116

2010-12-21T08:49:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had a meal that was too salty to eat? I know I have. One time in particular stands out in my mind. Invited over for dinner at someone else's home, the meal they had prepared looked amazing. Beef roast, potatoes, fresh peas and a garden salad. My mouth was salivating in anticipation of my first bite. I loaded up my plate with utter glee...and then came the first bite...TOO MUCH SALT!! The meat was so salty that I literally couldn't drink enough water to wash away the saline residue from my mouth. I shudder to think how much overage I had in terms of my daily sodium allotment!!

The last few weeks I have been blogging about the theme of discipleship as it is a particular passion of mine. Discipleship is a Christianese word that simply means devoted follower. The concept of a devoted follower or loyal fan is not a foreign paradigm for our society. Whether we routinely shop at the same set of stores for our wants or needs, or we religiously follow our favourite sports teams no matter how poorly they may be doing at the moment, we as humans are very familiar with the idea of being a devoted follower.

In the church world, our key emphasis is about helping to create disciples (devoted followers & loyal fans) of Jesus Christ. Much of what we do in church should reflect this mission of creating more disciples. I have to wonder at times though if the rest of the world, those that aren't familiar with or connect to the church, look at what the church is about and are truly excited about what they see...until they have their first bite and find that the salt is a little overwhelming.

In the book of Matthew (one of the gospels in the Bible), Jesus instructs his followers to be the salt of the earth. In this metaphor Jesus challenges those who seek to follow after Him to be a preservative and so bring out the flavour of the world at large. In cooking, salt is used in this way...but when you have too much salt it ruins the meal. Where we as the church become a little to salty (even for our own taste) is when we no longer consider how we can bring the people from the fringe or the margins into the community at large. When we are internally focused as a faith community, we become too salty and we lose our effectiveness and relevance in the world.

So what are some of the signs of a salty church? A couple come to mind. The first is a church that is steeped in Christianese. If a community of faith speaks a language that only that community understands, there is an immediate disconnect with the rest of the world at large. If we truly believe that the church isn't about being a secret club or society, then we must make the effort to develop a common language that is easily understood by people inside and outside of the faith community. I'm not advocating for the watering down of truth, but I am suggesting that how we communicate the truth about Jesus Christ must resonate with a broader spectrum than those who are inside the community of faith. A great example of this is a church that prioritizes serving the community in which they are situated. The motivation for this church's acts of service isn't self-preservation, it's all about intentionally loving the greater community and extending the invitation to those on the fringe to become a part of the community in some way. A great example of this is when a church actively participates in a community cleanup or restoration project in conjunction with the community itself. These actions create a common language from which the broader community (the church & the fringe) can connect with one another.

The second sign of a salty church that comes to mind is a church that has unspoken expectations of its' members. When we frown upon others for how they dress when they come into the church building, or for what colour their hair is, or for tattoos, or for some other aesthetic so-called issue, we shift our focus from what is important to what is irrelevant. Looking at the life of Jesus, He was a master at connecting with those on the fringe. One of my favourite stories is that of Zaccheus. Craving to see and experience who Jesus is, Zaccheus climbed a tree to view Jesus from a distance. Passing by the tree where Zaccheus was perched, Jesus stopped and extended an invitation to Zach to join the community. The story continues from this point and what is truly evident is that Zach's experience of Jesus led to life change.
Broken, battered, bruised and on the fringe. Is the church willing to invite people into the community who don't look like us or talk like us?

Think about this the next time you are anticipating a great meal: Are you too salty, or does your life possess just the right amount of flavour to enhance not only your own experience of Jesus but also that those who are on the fringe?

Giving to Gain - Discipleship 115

2010-12-18T14:35:00.000-08:00

The Christmas season always bring with it a wealth of emotion and experience. There is anticipation for the opening of presents, the chilling with family & friends, and the eating of food. There is the solemness of another year having gone by so quickly. There is the thought of how fortunate one may be to not have to fight for your next meal. But what I am learning more about this Christmas than any other is the principle and discipline of giving to gain.

I am not referring to a health & wealth version of the gospel that is misleading to many who buy into this line of thinking. What I am focusing on is the idea of investment during the holiday season. There is much preparation that goes into Christmas. We plan food menus, gift purchasing, gift wrapping/unveiling, social activities and perhaps ways to give back to others through volunteering or serving the less fortunate. All of this effort and energy is an investment; we are giving of ourselves in order to gain something in return. It's not a bad thing to think about what you are getting out of an experience. It's good to be aware of the benefit that an experience has for your own personal growth and development as a person. I guess it all boils down to your definition or motivation for gaining something from an experience.

For example, if the only reason you give a gift to someone on Christmas is so that you will receive one in return, are you really giving a gift? If the only reason you serve others is so that someone will notice your effort and give you a pat on the back and an ego boost, are you really invested in caring for others?

As I head into this Christmas season I find myself focusing more on this idea of giving to gain. Am I giving of myself to others in relationship in order to gain something in return? What is my motivation behind my desire to give? As a dad, I hope that my children see that as I invest in them or give to them, my desire is to gain a wider appreciation for being a parent. I do hope my children reciprocate my affection and care for them, but I do not love with this potential gain of love in mind. I simply love to gain a wider appreciation for love.

We're a week away from Christmas. What are you hoping to gain through giving this season?

Loving Justice - Discipleship 114

2010-12-09T13:19:00.000-08:00

Today I am playing the role of both nurse and nanny as my wife is recovering from oral surgery, and my two children have chosen to pick this day as limit testing day! The kicker for me in this all is that empathy is not one of my strong suits. Compassion is something that I learn more about each day. Two of the people (outside of Jesus) that have the most impact on me in this fashion are my wife and my daughter.

With Bonny out of commission in terms of the regular routine around the house today, I'm subbing in where I can. Part of my subbing routine has included nap time (which is currently happening for the 3 aforementioned family members). My daughter Saydie has chosen nap time to push limits today. But during one of our many special conversations, Saydie's compassion has yet again overwhelmed her father's heart. I laid her down for her nap, only to hear her open her bedroom door and call out to me a few moments later. I trudged back upstairs and got her back into her bed. Hoping to give her some wisdom about nap time I uttered the words, "Saydie, it's time to get cozy in your bed. You have a nice cozy bed and you are so blessed because not everyone in our world has a nice cozy bed to sleep in." She stared up at me with a look of confusion and replied, "How come Daddy?" I shared with her about the blessing that we have as a family to have a home and cozy beds, and how not everyone in the world has the things that we have to use. Our conversation continued for a few moments with Saydie referencing our sponsored child Deborah and her desire to make sure Deborah has a cozy place to sleep each night. After a few moments of silence I asked Saydie what she was thinking about. Her answer kind of took be back for a moment. "I'm thinking about how we need to buy beds for little boys and girls that don't have a cozy place to sleep." Tears welling up in my eyes I asked my daughter, "where are we going to get the money to do this pal?" "Well Dad," she replied confidently, "we can use some of the pennies from my piggy bank...but maybe not all of them." I said to her that if she was willing to use some of her pennies, I would be willing to use some of mine. So once nap time is over, looks like we are going shopping for beds online.

Discipleship is a mutual learning experience for both the mentor and mentoree. In this particular story, my daughter Saydie taught me about compassion, while I taught her about stewardship and loving justice.

It's these relational moments that speak to more about God's love in action that program based connections ever could. How is your life reflecting a love for justice and a willingness to tangibly demonstrate that God is alive in the world today?

Learning from the Next Generation - Discipleship 113

2010-12-06T12:35:00.000-08:00

Every person on earth has something to offer the community at large. Being a dad has taught me a lot about what it means to be a human being and a follower of Jesus Christ. My own children teach me about things like grace, mercy and forgiveness each day. What if we would take the time to listen to others more intentionally? Imagine what it may be like in church or in other places as the next generation is involved at every level of the organization as a whole?

This video is a great conversation piece on how we can learn from the emerging generations.

Simplicity derived from Complexity - Discipleship 112

2010-11-24T20:05:00.000-08:00

As human beings, we are wired to search for complexity. But, if stay rooted in the complexity of life, things tend to get complicated. What if we were able to see beyond the complexity and embrace simplicity instead? Often times simplicity is on the other side of complexity.

Consider the Old Testament law...complex in nature, but simple in its' purpose; relationship. Jesus took this complex system of rules and regulations and widdled it down to two simple, easy to say (but hard to follow) commands: Love God and Love Others (Matthew 22:37-39).

The issue of helping to create fully devoted followers of Jesus out of people who may, or may not believe in God is a complicated issue. I can't help but think, however, that on the other side of this complexity there lies the rhythm of simplicity.

Check out this video to learn more about how simplicity stems from complexity.

Show Me - Discipleship 111

2010-11-20T13:25:00.000-08:00

Proclamation and demonstration; two words that are used to describe the gospel in Christian circles. I have yet to meet an individual who's take on evangelism doesn't lean towards one of these two emphases. Those of us who follow Christ with our lives will identify with one of these two expressions of the gospel more easily than the other. Some of us will be comfortable with using our words (written or verbal) to communicate the truth about Jesus Christ, while others will be more keen on exercising the principle of love through tangible means.

When you examine the life of Christ, you will see that Jesus emphasized both of these practices in a balanced manner. There were times when He used words to speak truth, and other times His actions were the key in his communication strategy (um...like the cross maybe??). In typical Christian fashion however, we seem to think that the answer to the question of evangelism is a one or the other approach rather than a both and.

The narrative of scripture as a whole speaks to the pursuit of a way of life that is different than what is in our default human programming. From the nation of Israel, to Jesus, to Paul (and others) you will see this call to live life to the full; according to God's rhythm and design. Some scholars suggest that this is the very reason God chosen to set apart an entire nation for Himself (Israel). The purpose in being set apart from others, was for the nation of Israel to tangibly demonstrate what living life according to its' original design is meant to be. In our humanness, we Christians often take this gift of a new way to live and see it as a tool from which we are able to compare ourselves to others and justify how we interact with those who have yet to experience life in Christ. You see this time and time again throughout the biblical narrative. The nation of Israel reaches this crescendo where they believe they are better than everyone else. In that moment, they shift their focus off of following God and onto making sure others know how different they are. Rules, structure and strategy replace intimacy, relationship and freedom. People begin to de-emphasize the discipline of demonstration and prioritize the pursuit of proclamation.

Rabbit trail....imagine for a moment being on a first date with someone. Can you picture yourself trying to get to know the other person by simply explaining what you are against? "Hi Candace, my name is Bill. I don't drink, don't smoke, don't believe in cursing and don't agree with divorce or abortion. That's my in a nutshell!!" All of these issues are great conversation topics, but void of the demonstration of relationship (spending time together, listening, etc.), these issues become labels more than anything...and we all know how difficult it is to get rid of a label that someone else has put on us!!

What I'm trying to communicate here is that the Church in North America is erringly similar to that of the nation of Israel during one of its' crescendo moments. If you listen to the news, the world at large understands what the church is against, but do they understand what the church is for?

Revival begins with authenticity. If our culture is telling us anything at the moment, it is yelling to us as the church "show me before you tell me." Discipleship is about a balanced approach to telling and doing. If we, the church, desire to see revival come to Canada in a way that will rock our entire nation, I truly believe we must step our game in the demonstration portion of the discipleship equation. Let's earn the right to be heard, by demonstrating what the gospel is by how we live. North America doesn't need more well adjusted, well rounded, well educated Christians...we need radical, passionate, word-changing followers of Jesus!!

Changing the world begins with one choice at a time...choosing to do and to be exactly what the church is supposed to be!

Relationship Takes Time - Discipleship 110

2010-11-15T15:22:00.000-08:00

In our fast-paced, instant gratification society, a relational approach to ministry and to life is a difficult concept to grasp. I blame the drive-thru for this cerebral war.

You sit in a line, in your car for the opportunity to order your food (breakfast, lunch, supper or snacks) and expect it to be ready at not only your beckon call, but also within your timeframe. Some restaurants have even begun to display stopwatch-type clocks that monitor the progress of your food delivery service. If your food is delivered outside of this random pre-determined number, you walk away with a free lunch!!

It's this type of instant living that reeks havoc on any sort of relational pursuit in ministry.

Can you imagine if making friends was as easy as selecting a combo number from a drive-thru menu? Yeah, I'd like to order combo number 3...the one with two guy friends, one gal pal, and a free glow-in-the-dark sticker collection for the bathroom. And can you up-sized my combo to include a random to be determined friend selection at a later date? RIDICULOUS!!

The fact is that relationships take time...and lots of it. I've been married to my wife for a little over 6 years and I'm still learning more about our friendship and marriage each and every day. I've known Bonny for 15 years, but in that time I still don't know everything about her. My relationship keeps growing as I keep investing in it.

Our instant gratification society asks us to produce results immediately. Have you ever stopped to think how you measure growth in any relationship? Outside of the biblical description of the fruit of the spirit from Galatians, I don't know if we can quantify relationship by any sort of numeric value. I remember asking my grandmother how she and my grandfather made it to 50 years of marriage. Her answer surprised me, "I don't know." Does a number like 50 really mean their is significant relationship? I'm not entire convinced of that, but I do know that time does provide us with a greater opportunity for connection.

I think this is why retreats and camps are so popular for youth. Not only do they get to pull away and unplug from the normal routine (which any sane human being craves every once and awhile!!), but they also have the chance to spend a chunk of unbroken time with their peers. Length of time does matter in the development of relationship.

You know what kills a relationship? Unhealthy expectation. We cannot expect to move from A to Z in relational growth without identifying and experiencing all of the letters in between. When we hold unhealthy expectations of what a relationship is about, we doom it from the start. Unless we are willing to invest in relational connections without pre-conceived notions, I don't think we'll ever experience relational growth of any kind.

Let's not fool ourselves, the relational intimacy we crave takes time. Let's avoid the temptation to quantify our connections and allow the pursuit of relationship to be our guide as we attempt to navigate through life while making a difference and feeling valued along the way.

Learning Revolution - Discipleship 109

2010-11-06T22:26:00.000-07:00

The way youth learn in our digitized world needs to shape how we teach and how we help youth learn in church and in youth group. Consider what this learning revolution means for your youth ministry and your own children.

Too Much of a Good Thing - Discipleship 108

2010-11-03T20:47:00.000-07:00

Over the last several weeks my appointment book has been more full than usual. As I've toured around a variety of different restaurants and coffee houses, I've been observing life in action and learning much about the state of the church and the challenges we face in youth ministry moving forward.

Roughly 3 weeks ago our staff reluctantly said good-bye to two great teammates. During one of our farewell lunches, our staff team enjoyed the spoils that the Cheesecake Cafe has to offer. One of my teammates, Grover, went to use the washroom, came back to the table and encouraged me to write a blog about our Cheesecake experience and the church of today. Well G...here is the rant you were waiting for!! Upon our arrival I noticed several things:

1. The place was nearly empty
2. The decor & ambiance was extremely outdated
3. There was an expectation from the restaurant staff that this place had a relevant voice in the food industry

It was quite obvious that the Cheesecake Cafe had grown content with what they had become, and they did not seem to have any desire or vision to continue to push the envelope in the food industry. Instead, this food-chain seemed content to rest on its' laurels, or dance with what got them to the party in the first place. The Cheesecake Cafe relies upon their reputation for Cheesecake to draw in the consumer, instead of being creative about how to engage an emerging consumer base. Not only that, but their menu consisted of 15 pages of items...serving as a sort of buffet style dining experience "masterpiece."

This may be a significant leap to make, but don't some of these same observations about our Cheesecake Cafe dining experience seem erringly similar to what is happening in the context of the church?

Buffet Spirituality or Discipleship, seems to be the sign that hangs above most churches and quite frankly, the majority of youth ministries. Program is King and relationship is often difficult to be found. As youth pastors we have asked families for buy-in to a system that dominates the calendar because our mantra is busy = safe, happy & content.

I recently sat down and went through our current ministry calendar. Doing simple math, I calculated that we are asking for 25% of a family's calendar within a given year. This percentage did not include extended activity such as retreats or missions trips, but simply connection point activities that seem to still reign supreme in the realm of youth ministry. What is shocking to me is that this 25% (roughly 90 days) is drastically lower that what our youth ministry (and others) have often demanded from families in the past. I recognize that this 25% does not represent the entire allotment of time we have in any given year in terms of hours, but what it does represent is our expectation and definition for success in the pursuit of discipleship as a youth ministry.

Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares was one of my favorite shows a couple of summers ago. Not only did I enjoy witty English banter, I also appreciated Gordon's passionate pursuit of simplicity in the culinary world. Often times Gordon would step into a failing restaurant's context and offer them a new perspective, one that was based upon serving "simple and honest cuisine." Massive menus were hacked and slashed until this achievement could be made. And it was during this process of refinement that these restaurants on the rocks found their identity once again.

I can't help but think youth ministry across the board is in a similar place in time right now. I think we've become known for our activity, our buffet-style ministry, that it is now really difficult for us to offer anything "less" than what we have previously been accustomed to. The only issue is that the "more" we seem to feel we are offering is in fact less. Sure the quantity may be there, but is the quality?

Frequency is a fantastic concept. But if frequency is the goal, would we ever have any depth to what we do? I may frequently visit the grocery store or shopping mall, but do my visits have any lasting significance unless I am focused during the time I spend at these places?

I guess I'm wondering if we've simply offered too much of a "good thing" in youth ministry, and we haven't had enough depth to what we've been doing which has led us to the place where we are at today; a place where the quantity doesn't seem to be enough and that quality simply isn't there.

Maybe it's time for our Gordon Ramsay moment in youth ministry. Perhaps we do need to refine what we do and rediscover our identity once again, so that we may forge ahead with renewed vigor and enthusiasm to make disciples who will revive the church and change the world.

Who knew cheesecake could make one think so much? Be blessed!!

Simplicity from an unlikely source - Discipleship 107

2010-11-01T18:46:00.000-07:00

Kiva is a micro-financing website I stumbled upon a couple of years ago. Being a part of world change means learning to adapt and grow in one's perspective. Check out this inspiring story and video. May you step away from this learning experience with a broader understanding of simplicity.

The Story of Joseph - Discipleship 106

2010-10-27T21:26:00.000-07:00

One story that has captivated my thought life over the last few weeks is that of Joseph. Many of you may be familiar with this story, but for those of you who are not, let me provide you with a short synopsis.

Joseph was the second youngest of 12 brothers. He was seen as his dad's favorite son, and his older brothers hated him for this reason. Sold into slavery by his own kin, Joseph wound up in Egypt (a foreign country) where he experienced more pain and suffering, while bearing witness to God's continued hand of providence in his life. Fortunate enough to be delivered twice from obscurity, Joseph ended up in a position of authority from which he could have enacted his revenge on his family. Instead, Joseph demonstrated compassion and mercy to his brothers, forgave them for all the treachery they had bestowed upon him, and released them from their burden of guilt. Uttering these famous words found in Genesis 50, "You intended to harm me, but God made it turn out for the best" Joseph demonstrated restraint, conviction and quality of character.

Have you ever thought about where this strength came from? I know I have. I do believe that it ultimately came from God working in and through Joseph's life, but my mind wonders if perhaps this strength or passion to be a man of character came from observing God at work in someone Joseph admired. We know from this story that Joseph was loved by his father Jacob, and in turn, Jacob loved his father. I wonder if Joseph never lost the image of his dad being a hero, and perhaps this is one of the main roots to his personal conviction to be a man of great strength also. Little boys always seem to idolize an older man, someone whom they look up to and feel inspired by. Sometimes it is a sports hero, sometimes it's a family member, and unfortunately less than the majority of a time it's a dad.

Isn't it sad to think that the emerging generation is sometimes called the fatherless generation? For the first time in Canadian history, the nuclear family is in the minority...families with a mom, dad & children living together are an endangered species. We wonder why we are losing men in church or in society in general, and I wonder if it is directly related to the fact that we have lost sight of our dads as being heroes.

If you know the story of Jacob at all you would know that he wasn't a perfect person, or a perfect man. He was deceitful at times, and harsh at others. But through all of this history, Jacob's son Joseph still loved and idolized his dad in a healthy manner. In Jacob, Joseph saw a strength of character, a man of conviction and an agent for change...he saw his dad, and in his dad he saw someone he wanted to become more like.

Without Jacob demonstrating to Joseph want being a man of character and using his strength was all about, would Joseph have acted differently when given the opportunity to enact revenge on his brothers for the harm they inflicted upon him? We may not know for sure, but I would suggest that Joseph may have made a different choice.

Demonstrating not only what the gospel is, but how it transforms and transcends one's life is the key in any discipleship strategy. And in Joseph's case, this sort of demonstration happened within the context of relationship. Without relationship, demonstration cannot happen, and the desired product of discipleship cannot be attained.

Willing to be used? - Gianna Jessen - Discipleship 105

2010-10-21T19:00:00.000-07:00

What is intended to harm us, God will use for good if we let God be God.

My wife stumbled upon this inspiring video of Gianna. Her birth-mom tried to abort her at 7 months...God used these catastrophic circumstances to do something amazing in her life and through her life. I believe God desires to use each of us to change the world. The question is do we see our circumstances as an obstacle or an opportunity for God to be God?

Lessons from an Election - Discipleship 104

2010-10-19T09:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the city of Calgary held its' municipal elections. I made several observations about this experience that I believe are key for the Christian church to understand in terms of discipleship and spiritual transformation.

1. Diversity - Diversity is our friend, not our enemy. When you think about how to engage people in the pursuit and relationship with Jesus Christ, diversity is the key. As someone who seeks to communicate God's truth in a relevant and inspiring fashion, I must be willing to change up my methodology in order to reflect the emerging culture that I am seeking to engage. There are times when we can view diversity as a negative thing. My family is ethnically diverse. My son is adopted and is of African-American background. What we as a family have learned is that the diversity we enjoy as a family unit is more enriching and powerful when we focus on how we are similar more than how we are different. While it is important to celebrate our uniqueness, we must also seek to build bridges where we are similar. As we continue to try and engage youth and disciple them in the way of Jesus Christ, we must be willing to embrace diversity in our methodology (teaching, leading, experiencing, etc.). Diversity helps to keep things fresh and brings the mystery of God back to the forefront of the Christian way of life.

2. Digital Jesus - If the church (and youth ministry in particular) is unwilling to represent an accurate image of Jesus Christ in the digital world, the image of Jesus may become distorted. This emerging generation communicates online. We share product reviews, stories, thoughts, feelings and a whole lot more digitally. As the body of Christ, we must understand that it is as important to demonstrate who Jesus is online as it is to demonstrate who He is offline. We need to embrace technological advances and see them as additional resources to aide us in our mission to share the gospel of Christ with the world at large. The scary thing is that if the church isn't leading the way in regards to shaping the digital image of Christ, it will be done by others...and the picture they create may mar the image of Christ and create more room for negativity in the realm of Christianity.

3. Authority - All authority that is given on earth comes from God. Whether or not we fully agree with another person's set of values, we must remember that God is in control, and His sovereignty is supreme. I'm learning more and more that authority and leadership test one's character. When we are responsible for not only ourselves, but a group of others (family, friends, etc.), it is our character that will lead us to success or failure. As followers of Christ, our character formation (our identity) must be rooted in our personal relationship with Him. Often times when we experience a failure of character, it is because we have rooted our worth and identity in something other than Christ.

Together can we lead the charge for change and become champions for the cause of Christ in the process of discipleship?

Empowering to Succeed - Discipleship 103

2010-10-15T13:10:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon this video from Ted.com and was instantly struck by some of the cross-over principles that one can apply to the church's pursuit of discipleship...and in particular, the discipleship of youth and their families by the youth ministry arm of the church.

The word empower has lost a lot of its' weight in our society today. Rarely do we see leaders given true autonomy in their leadership. We have checks and balances in place (good things) for our leaders, but sometimes its' these same systems that get in the way of true, innovative leadership. What if discipleship focused on resourcing people to succeed in living out the Great Commandment and Great Commission? How different would our "programming" elements within the church become? Would we have the courage to resource others to carry the vision forward, or will we fight for our system and allow structure to rule as king?

Two Key Questions - Discipleship 102

2010-10-10T20:39:00.000-07:00

At Thanksgiving dinner I had the privilege of reconnecting with cousins and other family. During our dinner conversation, we began talking about this emerging generation of youth and how to interact with them as it relates to the gospel. Heavy subject matter considering it's Thanksgiving (in Canada), but because of the passion my family shares for following Christ and considering what I do for a living as a pastor, these tangents often happen.

We began sharing about a youth rally that took place in our city this past summer. We spoke about the grandeur and wonder of this event, and then allowed our conversation to continue towards the subject matter of discipleship. I shared a thought that I wanted to expand upon in this blog because of the interesting reaction that I received regarding my comments. Keep in mind that the context for our conversation was discipleship of youth. I simply mentioned that youth are interested in first answering the how question before the why question when it comes to discipleship. One of the younger teenage members of our family gathering piped up and quickly agreed with my comment. It then struck me that this is totally the sort of reaction that Jesus' disciples may have had when they responded to his invitation to follow Him.

I've shared the thought in earlier blogs that youth are more drawn to the demonstration facet of the gospel rather than the proclamation portion. This uniqueness must not only inform how and why we teach, but it must also inform how and why we disciple. If we take yet another page out of Jesus' playbook, I wonder if we'd be more concerned about the journey that is spiritual formation than the road signs themselves. What I mean by saying this is simply this: When we overlook the simplicity of the gospel, we journey past it's original intent and design. At its' core, the gospel is the way, the truth and the life. When you think about discipleship using these terms, we're talking more about the questions of how and why. Let me be clear on what I am saying. I am NOT advocating that we emphasize behavioral modification in our ministry philosophy and strategy. What I am saying is that youth will be drawn to the gospel by what they see. This same desire will fuel their quest to answer the question of how they can journey with Jesus, while continuing to expand upon the question of why one should journey with Jesus.

This is the process of spiritual transformation; a journey that is an ever-evolving continuum based upon the simple foundation of the gospel as the way, the truth and the life. Using these definitive terms may help us to not only communicate what the gospel is through words, but also through deeds. If youth are looking for answers to the how & why questions, we must respond in the manner that Jesus did when confronted with these same questions. When asked to teach his disciples how to pray, Jesus demonstrated what a fruitful prayer life is all about. He referred back to this teaching when the disciples failed to cast out a demon from an individual that was suffering from possession. Jesus reminded his friends that prayer and fasting are key components in the exorcism process, and by his answer, he helped to connect the dots between the questions how and why for the disciples within the framework of a hands-on learning experience.

Jesus embodied what it meant to be the way, the truth and the life. As followers of Him, we are not asked to be the way, the truth and the life, but to believe that Jesus is in fact who He says He is, and visibly demonstrate to the rest of the world (including this emerging generation of youth) what living according to the way, the truth and the life actually looks like. It's in this journey of spiritual transformation that the questions of how & why blend together.

The Four Elements - Discipleship 101

2010-10-07T08:53:00.000-07:00

I've been drawn to studying the early church community as of late. We've recently launched into a new vision and philosophy of youth ministry that is much more relational focused, and less corporate larger group gathering oriented. There are always snags when launching a new vision and philosophy during the implementation process, but using a basic framework from Acts 2:42-47 has helped us paint a picture for families, youth and leaders regarding our direction. What I'm learning is that the process of casting vision is never finished. We must constantly communicate the vision, the direction and the philosophy so that we may recruit many more champions to this emerging cause.

I guess it's like the ultimate marketing strategy. Whenever you want to gain momentum, you draw in other's to your cause. Working with this emerging generation of young people, I am learning more and more that they are indeed a cause generation. If you can communicate the vision in such a way as to engage their strength and their heart, you will have recruited many more champions to the cause.

Another thing that I am observing on an increasing capacity from this generation is the longing for a genuine, realistic community of friends & mentors. When you combine this longing with their God-given gift for causes...well let's just say that there is a great opportunity for growth.

There are four basic elements to community that seem to be rooted deep within this generation, and they are not unlike the four basic elements found in the early church community.

Early Church EC's Contemporary Cousin
Devotion to the Apostles' Teaching Creative Learning Experiences
Breaking bread Together Snacks & Food
Fellowship Hanging out (Just Chillin'!!)
Prayer Prayer

The bottom line is that youth want to not only be taught, but be shaped by radical life changing experiences and communities. If our ministry to youth is not steeped in the four basic elements, I don't believe we are being fair or honest with them. Let's get creative in how we implement this age-old strategy into our contemporary world, but let us not lose sight of the fact that these four basic elements are the true strategy for any and all discipleship that the church should be engaged it.

Web Video is Changing the World

2010-10-02T08:36:00.000-07:00

Have you ever watched any sort of video on the web? Sports highlights, how to make videos, and other instructional communications are available to us at the touch of a button. In ministry we often speak about the attractional and missional models. While some might suggest one model is better than the other, I would contest that both of these models are under constant renovation...they are moving targets of sorts. Whether we are drawn to one context or another, like it or not, we use both of these models in one shape or form in ministry.

Today I find myself asking the question if we can utilize technology for attractional purposes, allowing crowd accelerated innovation to be the marketing strategy that continues to change how we do ministry. Check out this video. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Program or Relationship

2010-09-27T14:50:00.000-07:00

I'm in a season of my life where my learning curve seems pretty darn steep. Everywhere I turn, I am bombarded with new insights regarding my own inadequate definitions of relationship, success and community. Perhaps that greatest thing that seems to be cleansing the palate as of late is this whole concept of relationship and program.

I'm knee-deep into my tenth year as a youth pastor, and I think I know less now that I did as an eager, young, fresh-faced college grad! I can remember thinking I had this whole ministry thing figured out before I had even began working with people in an "uncontrolled" environment (the church) instead of theorizing in class (the controlled environment). Everything I thought I knew about how to build and sustain a successful youth ministry has changed over the last 10 years, and I am so thankful for that!!

Early on, youth ministry was built upon the premise of program...the field of dreams mentality: "If you build it, they will come." Success was defined as providing the next best thing in terms of event type activity for youth to connect at. As youth ministers, we played the role of pied piper, but our end goal wasn't to have them follow us or necessarily make disciples, but to somehow pad our measurable stats in order to be able to justify our role in the church at the next congregational meeting!!

What I've learned about building ministry on a program is that it is simply unsustainable. One day, when resources are not easily available, the program will suffer...that and the fact that there will always be better entertainment available at one's fingertips. Maybe this is why so many marriages fail? We seem to set our relationships up for failure when the relationship itself is built on program and dependent on program for its' sustainability. I can remember when my wife and I first started dating...dinner out once a week (at least) at some new place to eat. Over time, we realized this was simply an unsustainable "program" element to our relationship that we couldn't afford. So we became creative in how we built upon our relational connection and detoured away from the dangerous program-based relationship.

Sadly, what has happened in youth ministry over time is that we've created a culture that is dependent on program. Thanks to the recent recession in North America, youth ministries all over our continent have been forced to be more creative...to re-create themselves and to reshape their value system and philosophies to reflect this shift in our culture. The crazy thing is that this shift is more geared towards where youth are today than the days of program-driven connection type ministry. Instead of relying upon the program to create the relationship, we are now recognizing that it is the relationship that creates the program (the system & philosophy). Consider your own family rhythm. There is a program quality to family life, be it vacation, extra-curricular activities or schooling of some sort. When the program qualities of a family rhythm are the foundation for the formation of relationship within the family unit, the relationship itself suffers. If, however, the pre-existing, non-program dependent relationship foundation informs the creation of program elements such as vacation, the relationship structure within the family unit flourishes. It's merely a question of motivation. Instead of using language like "Must I or Do I have to?" we begin to ask use terms such as "I want to and Can we and should I?" when we allow relationship to dictate the pace and flow of our lives.

Ministry that is sustainable is ministry that recognizes, protects and fights for relationship. When our focus shifts towards the program, the relational connection we so desperately crave will suffer.

Ideas that Change the World

2010-09-21T15:47:00.000-07:00

The most inspiring observation that God has shown me about this emerging generation is that the capacity for caring, compassion and change they possess is incredible! This is the first real generation that is embracing this concept of a global village with renewed vigor and passion. If I were to try to assign a label to the youth of today (of which I still consider myself to be a part of even though I will turn 30 in a couple of months!!) it would be the term "Cause Generation."

If the youth of today have a mission, cause or crisis they can identify with...they mobilize their entire being to get behind it and the world around them changes as a result. You can see this dynamic play out in simple things like fashion trends or social cues, but even at a greater capacity when you find something that unlocks and engages their caring, compassion and appetite for change.

Today I stumbled upon another upstart organization that is bent on making a difference in our world...specifically targeting the end of poverty and the injustices that are a result of this pandemic. It's an organization called One Day's Wages. Built on the premise that with the simple donation of one person's daily working wage can change the world at large, ODW has gained an incredible amount of momentum in the war against poverty. The beautiful part about this not-for-profit company is that they are engaging all generations in their mission of change.

As the church, we can learn something about how ODW and other change agents are empowering people towards mission. The Cause Generation possesses all the gifts that are needed to impact our global community for Christ, but what they need are cheerleaders, guides and willing partners to help them realize how they can make a difference in the world at large. A Paul, for their Timothy.

As followers of Christ, I think we must find new creative ways (or older ways with a cultural twist) in which to empower this generation to lead the larger church. From food drives to intentionally caring for local communities, to raising money and awareness for global, national & local causes...we must tap into the pre-existent God-given gifts of this Cause Generation. I believe we stand on the premise of a turning point in our world's history. One thing I know for sure is that this emerging generation, the Cause Generation, will be leading the charge. If the church is unwilling to follow, the world around us may change, but the Christ we represent will no longer be viewed as relevant to the world at large.

Our youth are budding with ideas that change the world. Let's not stifle their creativity by offering them a perspective of a realist. Instead, may we fall ever more in love with Christ, and allow our love to see how inspiration for change and radical living isn't a curse, but a gift that we can observe and learn from in each other's lives.

The world is changing...will we grow, mature and change with it for God's honor and glory?

For more information about One Day's Wage, visit their website: One Day's Wage

Made for Relationship

2010-09-18T13:34:00.000-07:00

What if I told you that the purpose of the church is rooted in one word, what would you say?

I've been thinking about this subject off and on over the last several years, and I am more convinced each passing day the the focal point of what the church should be about is relationship. I recognize by saying this I open myself up to criticism from all kinds of different sources. Yes I do agree that we need to teach sound doctrine and provide meaningful worship experiences while seeking to remain relevant in the emerging culture around us. But I believe we can thrive in these three areas (and more!) when we root ourselves in relationship.

About a year and a half ago my family and I stepped away from the church we had served at for 8+ years. Not knowing where we would be headed next, we were drawn to prayer unlike we had been before at this particular moment in our lives. After several months of uncertainty and impending financial crisis with loss of income headed our way, God illuminated our next step and provided another ministry setting in which He asked us to serve. We found ourselves to be overwhelmed with thankfulness and gratitude, and we were greatly anticipating this next phase of our journey with Christ. It's been over a year since this transition time, and I still feel as energized and excited about serving Christ in our current ministry context as I did back on the first day I entered into this new position. I recently had the chance to share with my uncle about this transition that occurred in our lives. During our conversation my uncle asked a very pointed question which has again brought me back to this theme of relationship in church. I had mentioned that finding a new set of friends has been the most difficult part of the transition to serving in a new church, to which he replied: "but the church should be able to help with that, right?"

The interesting part about this conversation is that to my knowledge, my uncle has not surrendered his life to Christ, but yet he still could see the value of being connected to a group of people that supposedly shared the same set of values and potential priorities as a huge asset in regards to developing a new relational support network. But, in all honesty, is that what we currently find in the church itself? Do we find relationship and friendship in the church, or do we find the emphasis to be on preaching & teaching?

To this day, the teachers that have had the most impact in my life are those that I could identify with relationally. When a teacher would simply attempt to download information into my brain, I found myself to be apathetic in the learning process. However, if the opposite occurred and a teacher demonstrated a vested interest in seeing me be able to grasp a new learning concept, I would have a much easier time and much greater success in the learning experience itself.

I think the question we need to ask ourselves when it comes to this issue of what the purpose of the church is, is what did Jesus tell us we should be about? There are two great statements made by our Lord which are contained in the gospels. We affectionately refer to them as The Great Commandment and The Great Commission. These two statements are foundational pillars for the Christian faith. The first, the great commandment, mentions that we as followers of Christ should devote ourselves to Loving God and Loving Others (Matthew 22:37-39). When you think about love, in what context does it occur? Love cannot exist devoid of relationship. Whether this relational act is one of service, random kindness or some other more intense friendship like marriage, love outside of relationship is not possible. The second statement, which we call the great commission, provides for us the road map of the Christian faith. In this declaration, Jesus empowers us as His followers (the church) to go and make disciples. Typically we as the church have defined a disciple to mean a follower of Jesus. Unfortunately it is how we have defined a follower of Jesus that has clouded our purposed and detracted it from its' original intent.

As the church, we have focused on developing the knowledge base of our components. Our emphasis on teaching should be commended, but remember that teaching devoid of relationship does not have the same lasting impact as that which has occurred within the bonds of friendship. Take Jesus' original 12 disciples, for example. What was the purpose of this team? I truly believe the purpose of the 12 disciples was to experience what true relationship in a human context was all about, so that as they built the church they would be able to offer this same sort of relational connection (discipleship) to others. Jesus made disciples of His disciples by being their friend and teaching them everything God asked Him to (how to have relationship and how to pray). Jesus did not offer Peter any lessons on preaching or dynamic teaching seminars; Andrew wasn't asked to draw up a 12 month strategic process and learning curriculum for the early church; nor was Matthew asked to create a moniker or acronym, mission statement or set of values for this new wave of Christianity. Instead, Jesus asked these 12 men to make relational connections with others by demonstrating what living life to the full is all about.

Now to be fair, all of these things like mission statements, vision documents and other strategic processes are helpful...but devoid of relationship as their foundation, they don't amount to a whole lot.

Looking at the early church from Acts 2 & 4, there is a common theme that is weaved throughout its' dynamic experiences...relationship. Knowing that we as humans have been created for relationship, if we could rediscover how changing the world begins with a firm relational foundation, we may see the sovereignty and grace of God flood the North American church with the rich blessing of more souls being added into His kingdom each day in an unprecedented fashion. What is certain is that followers of Christ are called to demonstrate and proclaim the gospel of Christ within the context of relationship. It is God who is in ultimate control of the universe, but it is us who can control how we represent Him in our world through our relational interactions with our neighbors. Let us never forget that we were made for relationship.

I don't like being told what to do

2010-09-16T17:28:00.000-07:00

During my hangout night with my kids we pulled out the guitar and were dancing around in the living room like clowns. I just started singing random lyrics and landed on a catchy phrase that I then sung over and over again in the presence of my children. It went a little something like this:

I don't want to be what you want me to be
But I do want to be what you don't want me to...yes I do

In these few simple words I found language to describe my own rebellious nature to a T!! As human beings we simply do not like being told what to do or how to do it. Unfortunately much of our society is based upon this very same premise that we have a love/hate flirtatious affection for. We like when someone is in charge, but we don't like when those in charge begin to dictate how or what we should do. We like safe things that don't push us too hard and don't demand too much from us. It's this very same portion of our human character that we bring with us into our relationships, our church and the world at large. We may not find working hard, but we enjoy when things are simple and easy to understand and to follow...as long as they don't ask us for too much.

Take this same sort of mentality and bring it into the world of faith and you can see the new dichotomy that is now represented. We don't like being told what to do, but to follow Christ we must be willing to live life according to his rhythm and design in a whole-hearted fashion. Our natural human tendency is to begin searching for compromise and concession, and in doing so we literally vocalize the very same thing that I was singing with my kids during our random dance mob!!

We like to have our cake and eat it to. We like to identify ourselves with Christ when it is safe and convenient to do so, but what it begins to ask too much from us, we shy away from embracing our faith to the full. The ironic thing is that when we embrace a life of complacency, we forfeit a life to the full and we doom ourselves to follow the perpetual pattern of strive, reach, learn, fail, repeat absent of a solid foundation from which to build our hopes, dreams and passions on top of. If the foundation is leaky...the whole structure will come down.

So what makes our foundation strong if we simply don't like to be told what to do. It boils down to question of what some call semantics. Jesus talks about relationship, which is based upon things like trust, friendship, forgiveness and love. Yet our default human programming marred by sin is set to pursue a do and do not mentality and use this foundation from which to build relationship. The foundation that is firm is that which is deeply rooted in the person of Jesus Christ in a relational fashion. The foundation that is easily shaken is that which is utilized a legalistic approach to define terms of success in living life.

I am far from having this all figured out, but tonight I gained greater insight into the fact that I simply don't like being told what to do. What's said about this light bulb moment is that I can see when I reject Christ because I feel He may be asking too much from me, instead of recognizing that simply being where He is will inspire me to become more like Him. My behavior is no longer on trial, but my willingness to call Him my friend is.

The New Wave of Education

2010-09-09T15:35:00.000-07:00

Every day we use a vehicle to help us get from one place to the next. Sometimes these vehicles are tangible machines that we ride in, and other times they are figurative strategies and processes we use to help us achieve our defined success or goal.

The issue with any vehicle is that it needs maintenance and upgrading over time. Just like each of us will not drive the exact same vehicle for our entire lives, we will not use the same strategy, process or methodology all of our lives either.

The education system we know is changing. The way we teach and instruct in church must change also. This video contains some creative thought and research behind this new wave of education, and I think the ramifications for discipleship in the Christian church are huge. The question is, will we catch the wave, or miss it?

The Multi-Generational Question

2010-09-08T19:50:00.000-07:00

Today I had the opportunity to sit in on our Senior's luncheon at the church. I listened to stories, music and laughter and thought to myself how much value this age group has a part of our larger congregation. During a break between the program & lunch, I slipped into the washroom only to be stopped by an older-gentlemen, one of my senior friends. While exchanging pleasantries, our conversation quickly drifted towards a shared passion of ours...ministry. This man's grandson had grown up in the youth ministry I was a part of, and he was now in ministry role as a worship pastor in BC. We shared a little bit about how we were praying for his success and joy in ministry, and then my old friend shared a piece of insight with me that has really got me thinking today. He shared with me that his grandson was recently given some encouragement by his Sr. Pastor in which this pastor admitted to my friend's grandson that as a church they didn't realize that quality of character they were getting in him as a pastor because of his age (he's only in his 20s). My older friend beamed with pride and uttered, "sometimes us old guys don't give you young guys enough credit."

That simple statement has hit me like a ton of bricks. The trend of the church in recent history has been to compartmentalize ourselves from one another due to age, affinity or status of some kind. In doing so, I think we've weakened the body of Christ unintentionally. When you think about a herd of zebras roaming the African plains, it's those animals on the fringe of the community (the lame, the sick, the weak, the young or the old) that are often attacked and killed by predators. As a body of believers, we've created these silos and rigid structure that have allowed us to do some wonderful things, but I'm left asking myself this question of at what cost?

With this younger generation rising up to lead the world around us and the church itself, have we created an organism in which they are now questioning their fit? If you look back at the history of the church in general, you will find defining moments in our history that have become pillars in the process of spiritual formation for the church at large (Luther's 95 theses, the Reformation, etc.). I think we are entering into one of these defining moments as a church and I believe that it is the younger generation (the teens and young adults of today) that are leading this charge. This emerging generation is the first generation that views Christianity in a negative light, not because of who Jesus is or what the Bible says about truth, but because of what Christians have chosen to be known for over the last 40-50 years.

I can't help but think that segregation has brought us to this point. We have yet to learn that discriminating others due to race, age, culture or preference is not the language of love, and quite frankly is not the language of Christ. Instead we seem compelled to continue the cycle of repackaging old shoes and trying to pass them off as new ones.

If companies do not hire people with the same birth year, why do we believe that doing ministry in this way would be any more civilized or powerful than that ridiculous notion? We have got to find the common ground, meet each other there and learn to celebrate our differences with mutual respect, love and mercy.

I don't know what the answer to the multi-generational question is, but I wonder if it simply begins with all of us getting together and figuring out how we are going to move forward together.

Thoughts on Discipleship from a Cashier

2010-09-03T11:29:00.000-07:00

Most Fridays my family and I head off to Superstore on our weekly quest to replenish our cupboards, fridge & freezer with nourishment. Today was no exception. We meandered our way to our local stop and shop, all the while planning what sort of creative fun we may find for ourselves on this long weekend.

After wandering through the aisles and selecting a variety of goods, we ventured into the chaos that can be checking out from any grocery store...the cashier. We, however, selected what we thought would be the most efficient lane, only to found out our cashier was in training. Normally I would be frustrated by this mental blunder, but today I saw this as an opportunity to observe a scenario that should impact the way I think about discipleship in church, particularly in youth ministry.

What struck me the most was how this cashier's supervisor would calmly and adeptly step in to guide her fellow employee in training when prompted to do so...and in that moment lies the key to my lightning bolt experience for today. This supervisor wouldn't hover around the person in training, but would remain at a relatively close distance in order to lend a hand and provide some guidance when prompted to do so. This supervisor understood that unless she allowed her in-training co-worker to succeed (and fail) on her own, she may not learn how to be effective in her role as a cashier. Wrong numbers may have been punched, or entire orders cancelled along the way, but all the while, this in-training professional was learning how to succeed in her vocation.

I began to think about the shift that is taking place in the church today, and how I see it as a positive move towards true discipleship. More and more churches and youth ministries are beginning to focus on creating relational environments that spawn intentional disciples for Christ. Gone (or should be gone) are the days of emphasizing a program driven, activity oriented made to order "recipe for success" and ushered in is this new era of collaborative learning experiences in which mentors, mentorees and multi-generational expressions of worship are the focus. In this shift, discipleship is seen more as an organic response to deepening relationships with God and with others than any sort of program based teaching environment. Like this Superstore supervisor, as pastors, leaders, parents and others, we must seek out opportunities to engage, empower and stimulate this next generation in practice of spiritual formation. What is difficult about this new approach to discipleship is that it is far harder to measure success in terms of numbers, or guided curriculum study. Instead, our quest for success hinges upon seeing the development of spiritual fruit over time in the life of an individual. We are no longer able, nor should we be, to celebrate "check-list" success with our tangible measuring devices (conversion, baptism, discipleship class, etc.).

What's crazy to think is that there is actually no guarantee that the "system" will produce an authentic disciple of Christ. At best, we could hope for success in the form of downloading information into the brain of another person. Unlike our cashier friend, emphasis on the application of knowledge is not the focus at times of discipleship systems based on practice or habits. Instead, we must put our hope and trust in the relationship that is created between the disciple, the disciple-maker and God. In this unique relational connection is where true spiritual growth happens...within the bonds of community (two or more). When we create moments where community connections happen, discipleship is evident. These experiences provide us with teaching moments to communicate the "why", refine the "how" and de-emphasize the "what." The questions of who, when and where are predetermined as we connect people together in the bonds of relationship for the purpose of discipleship.

At the end of the day, this Superstore supervisor will end up with a disciple of her own...a competent cashier who is able to navigate the waters of the service industry with confidence and clarity. And in her moments of need, the cashier will be able to rely on the relational infrastructure that provided her with the experience she needed to find success.

I never thought I would learn to much from standing in line at a Superstore...but I did. My hope is that I will continue on this journey of discovery and remind myself that the process of being a disciple is an unending adventure, but one that truly does provide a full life.

Character is What Counts

2010-08-31T20:56:00.000-07:00

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, delivers a unique address at a graduation ceremony for Princeton University. Check it out!

Character is What Counts

Simplicity Re-visited

2010-08-26T13:57:00.000-07:00

I've had several conversations about the subject of simplicity over the last few days, and I have drawn some conclusions from my observations that I wanted to share in this post.

Simplicity is counter-intuitive to our human nature. What I mean by saying this is that we are wired to pursue something that is more complex than something that is simple. Simplicity is defined as having a laser focus. This means that we know what our target is, and everything we do needs to reflect our pursuit of this target. But it is our love of complexity that prevents us from fully embracing the pursuit of our target.

Think about being in love. When I finally admitted to myself that I loved Bonny, my focus and target was laser clear. Now that I had my target in sight, I need to make sure that my actions reflected my pursuit of her. Every step I took was motivated by love and the courage to fight fear. My identity was shaped by my pursuit, or what I valued...and in this case it was a relationship with my future wife.

Complexity is easier to pursue than simplicity. Not only because simplicity is counter-intuitive to our human nature, but also because the pursuit of complexity gives a tangible (albeit flawed) identity. We wear our "busy" or our "complex" as badges of honor...and for some of us, our definition of success is based on our schedule or appointment book. Busy for the sake of being busy is actually counter-productive.

Each of us longs to be a part of something. Complexity is the drug that gives us a false sense of security and identity. When we define ourselves by what we do, we lose sight of who we really are. Our identity is who we are, and it may inform what we do, but it is not dependent on what we do.

My kids are my kids no matter what. When they scream, yell, or throw food...this doesn't change their identity. Their identity is firm and set in being my children...I am their dad and they are my kids. As a dad, my role is to let them know that my love for them in consistent so that they do not question their role as my kids.

Simplicity is a value for my family, it's counter-intuitive to who we are, but as a value we are in pursuit of it and moving more towards our true identity which is found in Jesus Christ.

Gaming, Behavior & Identity

2010-08-22T11:58:00.000-07:00

This is a video of an interesting idea that is beginning to shape our culture in a new way. What do you think about how gaming or participating in games of any kind can help to influence the world in which we live? For me the larger question is about where our identity lies. If we are rooted in Christ, our Christ-like identity informs how we live. How can we use this cutting edge cultural shift to influence others in the ways of Jesus?

Relationally Handcuffed?

2010-08-17T20:38:00.000-07:00

Has age specific ministry handcuffed the relational growth and development of youth and families?

I have been thinking about this question over the summer. Having been around the church in a vocational capacity for near 10 years, I've heard this oh so famous line from youth and young adults time and time again: "There is on one my age here." In fact, I believe there was a time or two that I uttered this same thing. It's interesting that one of our cultural norms has so drastically influenced our perceptions when it comes to friendship and relationships. Growing up in a small rural community, I didn't have the luxury of options; neither in the relational world, nor the task oriented world. I learned that in order to satisfy my longing for community, I must be willing to engage others relationally that I perhaps would have avoided had I had another option. At family gatherings, I would hang out with cousins younger and older than me (male & female) and spend countless hours building lifelong memories. In church, I learned that I needed to be able to engage others in conversation...seniors, peers, and other adults. Our youth group would at times combine Jr. High & Sr. High so that we had a critical mass to play epic games such as Mission Impossible.

All the while I never felt left out or stunted relationally because I didn't have a ton of relational options. Instead, I learned that each and every personal connection was a chance to learn and grow relationally. I remember my good friend Reuben, who was retired at the time that I met him. His hobby was polishing stones and creating hand made jewelry. One mother's day I asked Reuben to help me create something special for my mom. After school I would bike to his house and together we'd work on this project at co-habitants in the endeavor. In the end I received what I intended to from this connection (a home-made piece of jewelry...Happy Mom's Day), but I also experienced a by-product of this connection that didn't fully materialize until later on. I learned how to interact and connect with people 4 times my age. I learned that as a young boy, I have something to offer those older than me and those younger than me in a relational capacity.

I sometimes wonder if at the end of the day we're not ripping each other off when we constantly pigeon hole ourselves into age-specific categories. If we never give youth the opportunity to learn how to develop relational connections with people older and younger than themselves, it's no wonder after graduating high school they may not see a fit for themselves in the church world...because they don't know how to intentionally connect with anyone outside of their age group.

As we head into the future, I wonder if we somehow need to correct this navigation error in some capacity. When you think about it, up until high school graduation, the only "programmed" relational connections kids may have with people significantly older than themselves are with their teachers, their parents, grand-parents, aunts & uncles, other relatives, people at their place of work and maybe a smattering of people from their church (if they go to one). Most often, these connections are with people who are in an authoritative role of some sort...and you all know how we as humans tend to feel about those in authority (re-read Genesis 3 in case you need to jog your memory). Instead, we have got to find ways where youth, young adults, kids, seniors, and adults connect together as EQUAL partners in the mission of God. I believe this is the only way to demonstrate to young people that they have value in the relational church community as a whole. As a community, we need to be involved in the creation process of this kind of community for the betterment of not only ourselves, but the greater community as a whole. One such movement that is somewhat "sweeping the nation" right now is the idea of a community garden. The purpose behind the activity is to have neighbors connect with each other in creating a monument as a symbolic representation of community. The beautiful thing about gardens is that they need upkeep...and the relational connections made during the inception of the garden itself can continue to be fostered year after year after year as the community gathers to invest in the growth and maturity of not only the garden, but the community itself.

As a young person learning to develop relationally, I must lead the charge through my willingness to create and develop opportunities for myself to develop on a relational level with those outside of my "age group." Volunteer in kids ministry, hang out at a seniors luncheon, go to the mall during the middle of the day and have coffee with others. Stop and talk to your mechanic, be nice to the waiter or waitress, and spend time connecting with your kids. These are just a few of the ways I can think of to begin growing in this capacity. Great movements of change begin with one person defying the status quo and rising against the cultural norm because he or she has had enough. Well I've had enough of the old adage that says we need to function in age specific silos in order to experience life to the full. It's time for a change...who's with me?

Changing the World Through Gaming

2010-08-17T14:12:00.000-07:00

Sounds crazy right? What if we were able to engage the issues we face in our world with the same tenacity and commitment as we do with gaming? In church we wonder where all the men are...maybe we need to rethink how we invite them to participate in the mission and vision of Christianity using creative ideas and solutions such as those presented in this video. I don't personally endorse her take on the evolution of humankind, but nonetheless, her ideas provide us with an interesting challenge and perspective on how to engage the emerging (and so-called lost) generations of both men and women in the mission of God.

The Great White Buffalo

2010-08-15T12:32:00.000-07:00

This morning I spent time at the youth booth at our church in between and after the Sunday morning services. As someone who enjoys observing people, this opportunity provided me with a great vantage point from which to observe my fellow humans. There where several things that caught my eye (no, not girls, actual things!!), but none more than the underlying need that perpetuates much of what we do as humans...relationship!

Relationship is at the core of who we are. We want to be known and to know others. When we come to any sort of social gathering (church or otherwise), those of us that have some sort of connection with others feel like we belong...but those of us who do not, seem to wander around searching for the elusive desire...our Great White Buffalo.

A mom and her two daughters popped by the youth booth to say hello to me. The oldest daughter is already in our youth ministry, but I had not met either her mom or sister beforehand. They introduced themselves to me and we exchanged some pleasant conversation. As they were leaving I was joking around with the youngest daughter about not knowing her name because she isn't in youth ministry yet. She replied, "Yeah, but when I am, you better not forget my name!" Her reply was laced with a little sarcasm, but a lot of truth. In this moment it once again dawned on me that the most important thing we can offer another person is a relational connection. I believe that what truly draws people to know who God really is, is relationship. Jesus told His disciples that the world would know who He was by the way they showed loved to each other...by their relationships. This got me to thinking, how much do we invest in developing relational connections with others? From a church perspective, we invest money in lights, staff, sound equipment, cameras, seating areas, food, effects and other things. But at the end of the day, how much of this stuff helps us to foster relational connections with others?

You know what makes me feel like I belong somewhere? When someone knows my name! Imagine this for a moment...when you walk into a gathering of people (Christian or not) people know your name and extend relationship to you, because that is the primary reason for the group to gather together. Sometimes we lose sight of the entire focus of the greatest commandment that Jesus gave to us...we are called to both love God and love other people, and in God's economy these two pieces are of equal value. Our church gatherings can sometimes focus on the first part of this commandment and neglect (albeit unknowingly at times) the second part. If what we truly desire is relationship, what do we need to do to ensure that this value is something we actually pursue instead of something we can point to and say that it means something to us?

I'm learning more and more about the pursuit of this Great White Buffalo that is relationship...and I can taste a revolution on the horizon. Be the change you wish to see in the world...who's with me?

Relational Influence

2010-08-13T13:36:00.000-07:00

Each of us has the capacity to influence others for good or for bad. Consider this: how can you use your relational influence to create world-sized movements that grip the human heart to the very core? As Christians, the hope we have in Christ is the ultimate motivation for restoration, truth and life to the full. How is Jesus shaping the way you live? How is your life creating a world-wide movement in the name of Christ? Enjoy the video!!

Leadership Dynamics

2010-08-10T09:05:00.000-07:00

As Christians, we are called to be people of influence in the world around us. Watch this video and consider how you can be a person that inspires others to grow relationally and spiritually through connection. Enjoy!!

Enable or Empower?

2010-08-09T09:44:00.000-07:00

These are two words we don't often use as youth pastors, but as parents, I think we do even though we may not know we are. As a parent of two young children, I am learning a lot about this idea of enabling or empowering my children. Neither of my kids particularly enjoy going to their children's classes at church. We've had struggles off and on with each of them as we try to encourage them to experience things without mommy & daddy right beside them every single step of the way. This last week, my daughter Saydie had a particularly difficult time in her class. I was asked to sit in with her a little bit in order to calm her down. Saydie showed me around her classroom, talked with me a little bit, we shared craft time together and then I slipped out of the room during the story portion of her experience. I found my wife Bonny and chatted with her about my decision to leave the classroom and together we reached the conclusion that it was a decision based on wanting to empower our kids rather than enable them.

When I think of enabling kids, I think of a mother kangaroo. A mother kangaroo keeps its' baby (a joey) safe in her poach for a minimum of 9 months and up to 18 months. In a mother's poach, the joey is safe and secluded from the world and allowed to grow and mature over time. Did you know that mother kangaroos can actually stop the development process of their babies? They are able to control the rate at which their child develops and at times they do choose to slow down the growth rate of their kids for one reason or another. Sometimes as humans, we do this very same thing even though we may not have intended to do so. When we enable our kids, when we prevent them from experiencing both success and failure, we stunt their growth.

When a child is first learning to walk it's easy for mom and dad to hang onto to them every step of their journey. But over time, we must be willing to let go in order to allow them to experience success (taking steps on their own) and failure (falling down) so that they can grow and mature in their ability to walk and eventually even to run. When we let go of our kids, we are empowering them, but when we hang on to them, we are enabling them. Enabling another person robs them of the confidence they need to succeed in life. As my kids go to sleep I utter a blessing over them, but I also remind them that they have what it takes to succeed in life. It might seem silly to share these things with a 2 year old and a 1 year old, but I believe you are never to young to be affirmed and encouraged to grow.

On the other end of the animal kingdom is another animal known as the sea turtle, who's parenting style is drastically different than that of the kangaroo. A sea turtle swims to shore to lay its' eggs in the sand. It then buries them and swims back out to sea. The eggs hatch without a parent present, and the newborn baby turtles are left to figure out how to survive on their own. This is a parenting style that is all too familiar in our world today. When we as parents desire to be a friend to our children instead of a parent, we operate under this same sea turtle type parenting premise. Instead of helping our children find success, we leave them to flounder on their own without lending a hand for guidance and direction.

There is a third animal, the bald eagle, which employs a balanced approach to parenting that I believe we have much to learn from. When teaching its' children to fly, the mother bald eagle glides up into the sky on the wind currents with her kids on her back. At the appropriate altitude, she turns over allowing both gravity and the wind to take over. She then swoops down underneath her children and catches them on her back once again before repeating this process over and over as her kids learn to fly.

As parents and youth workers, our approach to youth should reflect the balanced enabling and empowering approach shown by the bald eagle. When we connect with youth, are we enabling them or empowering them to succeed? When we teach kids, do we allow them to find their own answers to the questions they have while giving them a set of boundaries and guidelines to help in this process, or do we dismiss the learning journey altogether and simply expose them to a verbal barrage of truth that we hope may stick to the walls of their hearts?

Do we enable or do we empower? I hope I have the courage to empower my kids and strength to refrain from enabling them to simply become consumers instead of creators.

Tearing Up Rainbows

2010-08-06T19:30:00.000-07:00

I'm currently reading The Divine Commodity written by Skye Jethani. This piece of literature is one of those slow reads in that the reader is left with much to think about and digest before moving on to the next concept presented. As pieces of this book have been ruminating around in my heart and mind over the last few weeks, I've come to some conclusions about what I feel I'm learning about my own personal consumer driven tendencies in spirituality.

Years ago I heard a talk given by Louie Giglio where he presented the difference between being a consumer of worship music and being consumed by worship. A consumer of worship music is looking for the next greatest hit to take the church or the individual to the next level in their walk with God, while the person who is simply consumed by worship seeks new frontiers every day through which to express their thankfulness and gratitude to God for who He is.

This basic concept of consumerism is the main theme in Jethani's work. The Divine Commodity outlines how our consumer culture has infiltrated the sacred and become a driving force behind the how, why, when, where and what of church and spirituality. It is this presupposition that each of us brings to the table when we consider questions about God, life, love, faith and spirituality. We are driven to consume. Our lives could be described as a journey of tearing up rainbows trying to find pots of gold that just don't exist. When you think about it, each of us is looking for a little piece of comfort, contentment and pleasure in life...we are looking for our next fix. As a culture, we are addicted to consumerism. We buy, pillage, borrow and consume our way through life looking for that one stabilizing big idea that will somehow make everything else in this world make sense. It is in this pursuit and we are exposed for who we really are...carnal beings with an insatiable appetite for more. This is why I believe the teachings of Jesus are so difficult for our North American culture to truly comprehend. We not only have to reject our default programming, we must also reject our cultural norms and standards and embrace a completely counter-cultural way of life in order to find the true rest and peace our souls crave.

Seems impossible, doesn't it? For me the key lies in the presupposition: Am I drawn to consume, or am I willing to be consumed by something that is larger than life? The Bible describes God as being a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:28-29). If we allow ourselves to be consumed by God instead of focusing on devouring the next big thing in attempt to satisfy our insatiable appetite, I wonder if we would find what we are looking for.

I've torn up my fair share of rainbows in pursuit of my next fix. I've consumed more than I thought was possible and still haven't found absolute satiation. But in learning to be consumed by a God who is greater than I can imagine or hope for, I'm learning that the pot of gold I've been searching for pails in comparison to what I've been given in Him.

Learning: The Changing Landscape

2010-08-04T12:52:00.000-07:00

You may have heard or been subjected to a shift in learning methodology in church and education known as personalized learning development. This video elaborates more about this idea and will hopefully create conversation points in church about how we can develop a collaborative learning environment that is balanced in both hearing and doing. Enjoy!!

Re-Defining Success

2010-07-22T10:32:00.000-07:00

This video will spark life in you. Be challenged, and willing to redefine your pursuit of success.

Telling Stories

2010-07-21T14:02:00.000-07:00

We all love a good story, don't we? A couple of weeks ago the family and I were driving to Heritage park to meet up with Grandma & Grandpa when Saydie blurted out, "Dad, you'll never guess what. Two mosquitos flew into the car and pulled out my pigtails." Gazing into the rear-view mirror, I saw the damage these two mosquitoes had caused. My wife Bonny had spent 20 minutes wrestling with Saydie to get her hair done in the first place, and now all the effort was lost.

Sure, it was funny to hear Saydie's excuse for her messy hair, but it was also a glimpse into the natural human tendency we all have to tell stories. Don't get me wrong, stories are great, but more often than not, we embellish our stories in order to garner a specific type of response from our captive audience. I don't know about you, but I've even caught myself weaving together a more illustrious story for my wife from time to time. In these moments I think we are communicating one of our deepest needs as humans...we desire to be loved, respected and admired by others. The weird thing is that the very thing we crave is damaged and diminished if the stories that we tell are not true.

Imagine if each of us would choose to share in the telling of true stories. Would life as we know it be different? If I would be able to rest in the knowledge that I am loved, accepted and admired for who I am without embellishing the truth, would my story telling reflect this confidence?

When you start telling a story, consider the motivation behind your desire to share your story with others; and consider how telling an embellished story may diminish the power of your story for your captive audience.

The Best of You

2010-07-17T08:32:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I posted something new on the blog. Sorry for the delay. I've been thinking a lot about this theme lately...the best of you. One of my favorite bands, The Foo Fighters, penned a song by this very name, and it offers us a viewpoint of this theme from a creative standpoint. If you haven't heard it before, check it out:

Foo Fighters - The Best of You

As humans, we are drawn to relationship. I think this is a key question for us to ask of and in each of the relational connections we have: Are we giving the best of us to the other person? I cannot speak for anyone else other than myself, but I know that I am someone who is drawn to value task over relationship. How this plays out in my life is that I am more focused on accomplishing things than I am just being with people. I tend to see relationships from a task-oriented perspective. I am, however, learning to grow in this area of my life. The key for me is considering what I am offering people when I am with them? Am I simply connecting them because I need or want something from them, or am I willing to offer them a piece of who I am, while also acknowledging who they are?

If you look at the life of Jesus and the interactions He had with people, He always gave His best to others. Sometimes we think giving our best means reaching a certain level of conversation of articulating a deep felt emotion to others. I think giving our best to others is simply about being fully present in the moment. What I mean is that instead of letting our mind wander towards other things, or rushing from one place to the next, we are willing to fully engage another person in conversation and offer to them a listening ear and a willingness to be there with them. Jesus was a master at this relational approach. He loved to asks questions, and He always took time to connect with the other person, no matter who they were.

Are you willing to give you best to others? It's something that I'm working on in my life, and I hope these pieces of my story will inspire you in your own journey of becoming who God has created you to be.

Bye Hero

2010-07-06T21:42:00.000-07:00

Having kids has provided me with so many memories and moments that I hope I will never forget. The weather here in Calgary has finally turned around somewhat, making it possible for us to use our screen doors to provide our home with some "breeze relief." This week we've discovered that one of our doors seems to have a gap somewhere that allows wasps to enter our home.

My wife Bonny is mildly afraid of insects...mildly is putting it lightly. Every time there is a spider, wasp or other sort of creepy crawly, let's just say it's easy to know that this bug is in our house. Recently, Bonny has been attempting to downplay her phobia as to not transfer this same type of fear of insects onto our children. Both Saydie & Cannon are not bothered in the same fashion by insects, although they both celebrate the moments when Daddy rids our home of these unwanted guests.

This evening I was hanging out with a bunch of Jr. High youth while my family was enjoying our regular evening routine consisting of bath time and bed time. While I was out and about, a wasp somehow got through our porous screen door yet again. So, Bonny closed the other door and left the bug for Daddy to take care of.

I rushed home as soon as I was able and headed upstairs to say goodnight to my kids (who should be sleeping by this point, but were testing boundaries this evening!!) and Saydie needed to tell me about the story of the wasp in our door. Bonny interjected much wisdom into this moment as she gently explained to Saydie that Daddy was going to take care of the wasp because Daddy is our hero. I kissed my daughter goodnight, and turned to walk out the door when she blessed me with these few words "Goodnight hero."

As I allowed these words encourage my soul, I began to ponder the deep human desire for heroes. Isn't it true that the best stories have great heroes? I seem to be captivated by the struggle these heroes endure and overcome in the end. I believe this natural desire for heroes is birthed by our desire to understand the greater meaning of life. If each of us would take a moment or two to look back in our own lives, I think we could find images of men and women that we've looked up to...heroes that have inspired us to be, to do and to celebrate in our lives. It is these heroes that have brought us one step further in our journey to understand what we want to be about as human beings. Some of my heroes include former pastors, uncles, my dad, my grandparents and other friends and family that I've admired in one way or another while learning from them, but no hero is greater in my life than Jesus. I know this sounds like the typical pastoral response to a question regarding the meaning of life, but for me this is absolutely true. Jesus is the source of inspiration from which my life draws meaning, purpose and hope. Without Him, I don't want to imagine where I would be. I learn from Him every day, and I am grateful to call Him my friend.

Check out this video

All of us need heroes. Some heroes have the power to inspire meaning, hope & purpose...while others are meant to provide us with more insight into what life is all about. Regardless of what you think about God or Jesus, we are all looking for a hero to save our lives in one way or another.

Say No To Racism

2010-07-04T13:58:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have been watching the World Cup of Soccer, you may be familiar with this slogan that I have used as the title for this blog entry. Being a multi-cultural family, we are learning a lot about the underlying of prejudice and racism that infects our world. At the root of racism is comparison...the innate desire we have to define ourselves as "greater than" or "less than" another person. It is this slight error in perception that amplifies itself into the larger issue we refer to as racism today.

Here is but one example of billions of stories that could be told about how comparison infects us all. On the way home from our vacation we stopped off to pickup dinner at a Safeway location in Calgary. As our family was going through the check out, Cannon was saying "Hi Dad" to which I was responding of course. The cashier looked at me and said..."You're not his Dad" to which I replied, "Yes I am, he is our son. We adopted him." What occurred after this I will not take the time to repeat. To briefly summarize our conversation over groceries, Bonny & I being white people must think that we are better than everyone else and that's why we adopted because only white people adopted kids that don't look like them. Bonny & I were stunned. We left Safeway not knowing how to respond other than saying that was not our purpose for adopting our son. To this point, we have not faced a great amount of adversity as a family regarding the choices we have made to be obedient to what God has asked us to do.

As I pondered this experience, prayed through it and sought some clarification on how to respond when faced with similar situations in the future, I found comfort in God's word. There is a story in the book of Acts that brought me much comfort and clarity. In chapter 10 of this book, the apostle Peter is confronted in his own racism (or his choice to compare). Many Jews believed that salvation was only permitted to those of Jewish heritage. Peter was under this impression. In this story, however, Peter is prompted by the Spirit of God to visit a man named Cornelius...someone who was not Jewish, and someone who understood what it meant to have a relationship with God. Verses 34 & 35 record Peter's conclusion regarding this experience.

I realize now that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.

Sometimes is takes a "brick wall" experience for us to understand how much we have to learn about life, about God and about what it means to love people like He does. When we choose to compare ourselves with others, we are showing favoritism...we are choosing racism over love. God in His infinite wisdom and grace chose to create each of us as a unique person unlike any other. Yes, we may have similarities but we are not exactly the same. And God loves each of us equally, whether we choose to recognize it or not. Each of us needs to continually grow in our understanding of what real love is. In doing so, we may begin to learn how to truly say no to racism by making different choices.

Who are the unlovable people in your life? Have you given yourself permission not to love someone? I challenge you to consider what it would mean to say no to racism, to stop making the verbal or non-verbal statements of comparison about others and instead view people in light of God's grace and mercy. We are all created in the image of God regardless of color, gender, social status or anything else. May God give us the strength and wisdom to love those around us like He loves them, without falling into the trap of comparing ourselves to others.