Archive for April, 2008
In case anyone has been living under a rock the last 2 years, Twitter is a webapp that allows people to communicate using only 140 characters. About the same length as a text message, these “tweets” are instantly sent to everyone following you. It allows you to communicate with a large group of people all at once.
Since signing up almost 2 months ago, Twitter has let me:
- Book meetings
- Ask questions to tons of people
- Communicate
- Talk to my friend next to me (while in class)
- See progress in my job and life
Personally, I think it is a great and easy way to communicate with a ton of people instantly. If you are on Twitter, be sure to follow me @ashorething. While there, make sure you follow @DougFields and help Andy win his bet.
Speak the Right Language
In Philadelphia, there are countless Philly cheesesteak shops on every street corner. However, for anyone that does not live in the area, there are only two: Pat’s and Geno’s. Geno’s has been in the news recently for a sign posted at the window, reading “This is America: WHEN ORDERING ‘PLEASE SPEAK ENGLISH.’” A Philadelphia city panel recently voted that this did not violate any city ordinance, even though it may offend and turn away potential customers. More on the story: Geno’s Signs.
In our ministry, do we ever leave people out because they do not speak our language (”Christian-ese”)? Are your students getting lost in all the “justification”, “sanctification”, or any other “-ification”? Make sure you are talking on the level your students are at. This is especially important in a crowd level event, as most of these students have no church background. I am not saying you “dumb down” your messages. Rather, make sure it is appropriate for your target audience without a translator. Remember, we ultimately want the students to find Christ, but without getting tied up in the language.
Weekend Review #2
This weekend was the 2nd weekend of Bible Geography Grad class. Not as great as the first weekend, but during class I was able to get a ton of homework done for the class. Then I spent the rest of the weekend in Lancaster, visiting Megan and her family. Tomorrow I am back at PBU, working on a word study for the word ????????. Looking toward next weekend, my work is hosting a women’s conference featuring Gloria Gaither. Can anyone say busy and random week?
Book Review: God’s Problem
Last night I finished reading God’s Problem by Bart Ehrman. Ehrman is an agnostic (former evangelical) New Testament scholar at UNC- Chapel Hill. Given his background, and since the subtitle is How the Bible Fails to Answer our Most Important Question: Why We Suffer, I knew from the beginning I would disagree with the majority of the text. However, I did try to read the book with as open a mind as I could.
In this book, Ehrman discusses the various “answers” that the Bible gives for the cause of suffering. He separates these different approaches, claiming that the human Biblical authors disagreed on the causes for suffering. For example, he devotes chapters to the Minor Prophets, the OT narratives, and even the book of Job. In each of these chapters, he argues that the books provide conflicting reasons for suffering. By taking these “answers” out of context and distorting them, Ehrman is able to state that the Bible gives him no clear answer to suffering. This is a major issue he has with the Bible, as it is the reason he lost his faith.
Throughout the book, his personal vendetta against Christianity is evident in his writing. Often times, he issues a liberal reading of the text, hoping to shock the reader into questioning Christianity. Also, at the beginning of each chapter, Ehrman gives a shocking modern example of extreme suffering. Examples include the Holocaust, Pol Pot’s Cambodian regime, and WWII battlefield atrocities. These “shock tales” serve no direct purpose to the book, other than attempting to get the reader upset with God for allowing them. Ultimately, this disbelief in and personal vendetta against Christianity reduces this book into an attack on Christianity. Rating: 1 / 5
As an aside, I felt it was important to read this book for two reasons:
1. Ehrman is a good author. He is a very fine scholar, having coauthored the most important book on NT text transmission. Ehrman has a gift to clearly present very technical matters and I respect this, even if I disagree with his conclusions.
2. Many people ask this question. Everyone in a church suffers. Every student in a youth ministry suffers. At one point or another, everyone has wondered why there is suffering. I wanted to see what the secular world (via Ehrman) had to say about suffering. That way, I am better prepared to give a Biblical answer to the question of suffering.
Tabernacle Youth Center
Two weeks ago, I posted questions about retreat centers. Over the last year, I have been learning as much as possible about retreat centers because at my ministry, we are in the process of building one. The Ocean City Tabernacle is building the Tabernacle Youth Center. When completed (tentatively July 2008), this 2 story building will include a 3/4 size gym, game room, meeting rooms, and dorm rooms. We will be able to accommodate overnight retreats for youth groups of up to 60 students (maybe more). Just think about it: holding a retreat a new retreat center with full amenities and only 3 blocks from the beach!
I have been working on this project almost nonstop since it was announced to the public last May, and it has been so exciting! It has been great to plan how the building will be used, and being involved in every decision, from colors of carpet and floors to developing a Purpose Statement and guidelines for the building. As I am the Youth Director at the Tabernacle, the booking and use of this building will become my primary responsibility. This Youth Center is every youth worker’s dream, and I am cherishing every moment of it!
We have set up a picture timeline of the project online: Youth Center Construction.
Here is a photo from last month (the outside has been stuccoed since):
Why I Hate Crew
I had a great meeting with the local youth pastors today, and we talked about a ton of topics. One topic we discussed is how we all hated sports, especially crew. Not that we hate the sport itself, but rather the impact that it has on youth ministry.
In South Jersey, crew is quickly becoming a popular high school sport. It is becoming as popular as football, soccer, and field hockey in most schools. It is just as intensive as those sports, both in physical fitness and in time commitment. Students participating in crew practice for 7 days a week for 4 months. This is a serious chunk of time to devote to a sport, especially when it diverts a student from attending youth group or Sunday morning service.
For 4 months, these students are away from the youth group, small group, Sunday services, and overall fellowship with other Christian believers. Instead, they are spending 7 days a week with the team, which may be a great thing for students at Christian Schools. But for the most part, these 4 months can quickly become filled with problems and negative influences. Just because these students are not actively involved in your ministry this season, does that mean you forget them? I think not.
For over-committed students in your ministry, regardless of whether they are in sports, band, job, or drama, keeping tabs on their spiritual health is important. Ministering to these students might take more creativity (such as early morning or off-night activities), more time (attending games/plays/concerts/whatever crew does-races?), or more effort (meeting students on their time). However, you are showing these students you care for them. You show them they are more than just a warm body in the youth ministry; they are a person that you care about.
Just because busy students don’t show up to youth group doesn’t mean they don’t want to be there. You are meeting them on their ground. You are putting people over programs.
Blessed by Failure
I wrote an article for Simply Youth Ministry entitled “Blessed by Failure” and saw it was posted this week. Here is the intro paragraph:
Sitting in the church parking lot, I glance at my time on my cell phone… again. The rental van is gassed up, tickets are purchased, and I am ready to take eight students and one volunteer to a basketball game. The volunteer has already arrived. The students were supposed to be there at 5 p.m. They never show.
I go on to talk about how we need to embrace failure and learn from it. Read the full article here at Simply Youth Ministry. While you are there, be sure to read the other articles in the Simply Youth Ministry Community. Great stuff from other youth workers.
