Book Review: Where is God? by John Townsend

(this is a guest post/review by my wife)

Difficult times can be hard to define. They come in many seasons of our lives, and what may be a struggle for one is considered normal by another. One quality of difficult times that remains constant is that they are guaranteed to happen. The Bible even speaks this truth. Paul tells us to not be surprised when hard times arise. When life is not what we expected, where do we turn? How do we answer questions that arise in our minds and in our hearts? How do you respond when questions are asked of you by others whose lives have tumbled out of control? Dr. John Townsend refers to his many years in the counseling field and his knowledge of scriptures to compile a resource to turn to, not only in the difficult times but also to look at in preparation for the times that are sure to be coming. Where Is God? gives us hope in our dark times, when personal burdens have taken their toll and leave us feeling purposeless.

One aspect of Dr. Townsend's book that I really appreciated is that he clearly states a common reason for our discouragement in the hard seasons of our lives. We have an inaccurate view of God. We cannot see the purpose for our trials until we see the truth of the God who is active in the midst of them. The true God that is presented in scripture is often very different from our misconceived view of God that is often a compilation of our experiences. God's role in our lives is not to prevent trials but rather to use the trials we face for His greater purposes. As Dr. Townsend writes, "He (God) loves you and wants to help you, but He will do it His way and in His time."

There are struggles that we face that will pass. Where is God? will help to point you to the God who is the only hope we have and will give us endurance to persevere. And when the struggles we face are terminal, permanent, and unchanging Dr. Townsend reminds the reader that in Christ we find a deeper hope than simply that the problem will go away (page 67). Ultimately, Christ is the anchor in our storms.

Where is God? is not an answer book in the sense that you walk away with every reason or purpose behind your difficult time. But it does clearly point you to the One who is the answer. It is full of scriptures and examples from Dr. Townsend's experiences that help us to see the reality of our trials. When all else is shaken, He remains. When all else fails us, He remains. When all else is taken, He remains. His goodness, faithfulness, and intimate knowledge of our lives all remain constant. I know I am not alone in needing that reminder.

Best of '09: Ministry Moments

The year 2009 A.D. is over. The past 12 months have brought with them many new things; some good, some bad, and some not worth mentioning. I would like to take some time and highlight some of my favorite parts of 2009. I will call this list the "best of '09" - which simply means that, in my opinion, these are the best items in a certain category. I fully expect you to disagree with some of my choices or to be upset I did not add other items to the list. If you feel this way, please add your "best of '09" ideas in the comments.

The seventh list will be ministry moments. This is a list of my favorite ministry moments from this past year. Some of these moments you might have experienced yourself, some of them might be just mine. This is not a comprehensive list, but is the list of those moments that stand out the most, and it is in no particular order.



Devotional at school
One Sunday evening during a jr. high lesson on getting the most out of your Bible, I provided a variety of devotionals for the taking. To my surprise, each devotional was taken by the jr. highers. I hoped they would use them as they read/studied their Bibles. The next day, while I was at the school, one of the students stopped me in the hall to tell me something. He told me that he had brought his devotional book with him to school that day and was planning on reading it when he had free time.

Youth Rally
It is an honor to be asked to speak to students. It is an honor and a great responsibility when another youth worker asks you to speak to students you do not know. I had the privilege of speaking at a few youth rallies this year and loved the opportunities to share from the Bible with teenagers.

My situation
I had the chance to watch God use our situation to encourage/challenge other people. Regardless of what situation you find yourself in, make sure you honor God and allow Him to work through you.

No title required
I was reminded that God wants to use me in my current situation, regardless of what my official title is. Just because you are not in "full time" paid vocational ministry, does not mean you are not being used by God to minister to students and their families.

Not complete yet
Knowing that God is not done with me and ministry, He still has a plan for using my gifts and passions to impact the Kingdom. This understanding alone might possibly be the best ministry moment of the year. God's plan is bigger than me and bigger than I can imagine. I can't wait to see what is around the next corner.



What were your favorite ministry moments from this last year?


Other posts in this series:
Best of '09 - Music
Best of '09 - Youth Ministry Books
Best of '09 - Non-Ministry Books
Best of '09 - Websites
Best of '09 - Blog posts
Best of '09 - Web Apps
Best of '09 - Ministry Moments
Best of '09 - Random Favorites

Best of '09: Blog Posts

The year 2009 A.D. is almost over. The past 12 months have brought with them many new things; some good, some bad, and some not worth mentioning. I would like to take some time and highlight some of my favorite parts of 2009. I will call this list the "best of '09" - which simply means that, in my opinion, these are the best items in a certain category. I fully expect you to disagree with some of my choices or to be upset I did not add other items to the list. If you feel this way, please add your "best of '09" ideas in the comments.

The fifth list will be blog posts. This will be a list of my favorite posts from this site, there are simply too many from other people to go into that list. These are the posts I liked the best, sparked discussion or simply got the most traffic. This list is in no particular order.


5 Ways to use the Super Bowl in Youth Ministry - I shared five ways to use the Super Bowl in your youth ministry. Maybe you could use these tips this year.

It's Not About You - A reminder that your current situation may not be about you.

5 Things that would have been great April Fool's Day jokes (had they not been real) - Just a fun list of products that would be funny if they were not actual products.

You Might be a Youth Worker if... - a startling revelation from a conversation with a student.

Finding Rest in the Summer - a few tips on how to find rest during the busy summer months.

An Open Letter to Youth Ministry Search Teams - I wrote this to the many search teams looking for a youth minister. I hope search teams read it and make needed adjustments.

Life, Death, & the Uncertainty of it All - A reflection on the shortness of life and what God promises to those who love him.

6 Saddest Verses in the Bible - a quick look at some sad verses in Scripture.

Youth Ministry Budgeting Series - a 5 part series with tips and thoughts on improving your youth ministry budget.

5 Year Youth Ministry Contract Series - some thoughts on what would happen if youth ministers signed a 5 year contract.



Other posts in this series:
Best of '09 - Music
Best of '09 - Youth Ministry Books
Best of '09 - Non-Ministry Books
Best of '09 - Websites
Best of '09 - Blog posts
Best of '09 - Web Apps
Best of '09 - Ministry Moments
Best of '09 - Random Favorites

Book Review: Primal by Mark Batterson

Have you ever really given any thought to the command to love God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength? This is precisely the backdrop for Mark Batterson's new book, Primal: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity. Batterson wonders what Christianity would look like if we all truly loved God with compassion, wonder, curiosity, and power. As you read chapter after chapter, you will begin to see small and not-so-small ways that your life should be transformed by living the Great Commandment by loving God with every aspect of your life.

Primal is broken down into four sections, each digging deeper into the heart, soul, mind, and strength of Christianity. Each chapter flows with personal stories, scientific information, historical case studies, Scripture, and application. Even when he is writing about the intricate details of beta waves and alpha waves, Batterson writes with simplicity. This simplicity does not lead to less impact, rather I believe it pushes you in the opposite direction. You will not be able to read Batterson's thoughts without being challenged and stretched in your understanding of what it means to love God.

As you live out the Great Commandment, remember these words by Oswald Chambers (quoted by Batterson in the final paragraphs of the book); "Let God be as original with other people as He is with you." The way you love God will not be the same way your friend loves God. And that is the point - God created you to be unique and you need to be willing to love God as only you can and allow others to love God as only they can.


My advice (rating) – go out and buy it (4.5 out of 5)

(This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.)

Book Review: Treasured by Leigh McLeroy

My first impression of Treasured was that this was going to be another gift book. I do not usually like gift books, so I was not really looking forward to reading this book. Then I got the book and saw it was 190 pages and void of pictures - two signs it is not a gift book, in my opinion.

As I started reading the first chapter on "The Fig Leaf: The God Who Covers Me," it was confirmed to me that this was not going to be a gift book. The premise of the book is that we can learn about God by looking at the small items he has used in the past. McLeroy starts by sharing the story of her grandfather's box, which she received in the mail after his death. The box contained small items that were special to her grandfather. Just as she was able to know her grandfather better by looking at these items, we can know God by looking at the small things he might keep in his memory box.

McLeroy writes about 12 various Bible stories, such as the fall, the near-sacrifice of Isaac, and Balaam's donkey. Woven between the points of each story is a personal story from the pages of McLeroy's life. This openness makes the book real. I was truly engaged from the introduction til the final period.

I recommend Treasured for anyone who needs reminded of God's overarching love for them. God treasures you more than anything else and reading this book will provide the evidence needed to cement that fact into your memory. Personally, I was encouraged and challenged as I read through these pages. There were a few specific parts of Treasured that were exactly what I needed to read during a specific situation. Go ahead and pick up a copy of Treasured, you'll be glad you did.

My advice (rating) – go out and buy it (4.5 out of 5)

(This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.)

Life, Death, & the Uncertainty of It All

(I wrote this after a car accident took 2 young lives and severely injured a third. When something tragic happens in a small community everyone is affected and this accident was no different. Life is short and it is a precious gift. I pray this reminder might stir someone to think more about their life and strive to live it to the fullest.)


Average life expectancy is somewhere in the 70's, with women usually living longer than men. This number has increased since the 1900's, thanks to advancements in medicine and a better knowledge of diseases. But there is one thing to always remember when you hear about "life expectancy" - no one knows how long they will live. There is no guarantee that you will reach the age of 70, or even 10. Life is a gift, not a guarantee.

The ultimate authority on life is God, since He created it and everything, and He never told us we were guaranteed a certain number of days. In fact, in James 4:14, we read the exact opposite. "You do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." We are a mist and mists do not last long. So instead of assuming we will live to retirement in a nursing home, we need to live each day to its fullest. Do not assume you have tomorrow, because tomorrow has never been promised!

Life is a gift. Eternal life is a promise. "And this is what he (God) promised us - even eternal life." (1 John 2:25) When a young person dies, it is easy to start blaming or questioning God. How can a loving God allow this to happen? Why didn't God save them? What kind of God would allow such a young person to be taken from this world? Why...? These questions are understandable, but I believe they are also misguided.

I believe "bad stuff" happens because there is sin in the world, not because God is not all-loving. Nor is God surprised by a sudden and tragic death. Often, after a tragic death people wonder, "Where was God when _________ died?" God was in the same place He was when His Son died.* Although God wants the best for us and loves us more than we can imagine, He will not intervene into a situation just to save us from pain and suffering. Instead, He provides us with two things that are so much better. First, God offers us a peace that passes understanding- "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7) Second, He offers us eternal life with Him. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

These two options are far better than anything we could ever come up with. With the promise of eternal life with God and a peace beyond understanding, you can make it through each day and experience joy, even when something awful and uncomprehensible happens. It does not mean you will understand or that you will not hurt. It only means that when we trust in God and lean on Him for guidance, He will give us comfort.

Knowing the days of our life are numbered, and God is the only One who knows that number, should cause us to determine to live each day as if it might be our last. Each day is a gift, not a promise. Every morning you wake up, thank God that you woke up with breath in your lungs. Every night when you go to bed, thank God for the day of life He gave you. When you practice this simple habit, you will start to move away from the tendency to take life for granted.


--------
* I first heard this while reading an article Mike Yaconelli wrote for Youthworker Journal entitled "I Don't Know" (Nov. 2001). In the article he attributes the thought to Leslie Weatherhead, a minister in London during the Second World War.

to quote someone else: Vernon Whaley (worship leader encouragement)

"For a moment here, allow me to address the worship leaders among you. Servants of God, stay faithful to your task. Sure, there are days when it seems you're the only one on staff with a clear vision for how worship should be. The loneliness of the rehearsal room is almost too much to bear. While those under your leadership are getting 'pats on the back,' your own labor is seemingly ignored. And trying to find songs that meet the needs of everyone in your congregation? A waste of time, you're convinced. The old-timers want songs from yesteryear's hymnals; the younger set want their choruses, products of contemporary musicians, projected on the wall. While one group claps enthusiastically, another 'claps' their hands over their ears. It's useless! your heart signs. But friend, it's not. Remember, your worship is unto the Lord. After all, our worship here is just a rehearsal for our worship in eternity. Meanwhile, just remain faithful, and God will reward your efforts. He-not the church membership-is the righteous Judge. Meanwhile, look at every opportunity to promote God's kingdom through worship as God's opportunity. Lost men and women, boy and girls, grandparents, friends, and neighbors will be impacted by the worship-and faithfulness- that you demonstrate."

Taken from Called to Worship by Vernon Whaley

May this be an encouragement for worship leaders. When you have a rough weekend, remember your efforts are not about pleasing people - but rather about pleasing God.

This paragraph can also serve as an encouragement for youth workers. Sometimes we feel the same sort of things and forget Who we ultimately are ministering to.

(pass this along to any and every worship leader you know, especially if you think they need some encouraging words)

Prayer helps - to help you focus

Prayer is pretty important to a Christian. It is the avenue through which a Christian can talk directly with God (the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe) and share true emotions with the one person who had to power to really change things.

Because prayer is so important, it can be overwhelming. Students struggle to pray. Adults struggle to pray. Youth workers struggle to teach teenagers ways to pray or encourage them to start, even just for a few minutes.

Below you will find 3 prayer helps. The first 2 are methods that can be used to help a student (or anyone for that matter) focus their prayer time. The 3rd help is about focusing your prayers, but learning to focus more on other people and less on yourself when you pray.


P.I.N.C.a.P.
Praise - praise God for Who He is
Intercession - praying for other people
Needs - pray specifically for needs you know about
Confession - confessing your sins
and
Protection - asking God for protection for those who need it


A.C.T.S.
Adoration - praising God for Who He is
Confession - confessing your sins
Thanksgiving - telling God "thank you" for His blessings
Supplication - asking for "stuff" on behalf of yourself and others


me & we vs. You & them
How do you pray? Do you spend your prayer time focused on yourself and those close to you? Or is your prayer time focused more on God and others?


What ideas/helps have you used in the past? What would you suggest and add to this list?

2 Small Group Series Released - Elijah & Trusting God

I'm pretty excited about these 2 small groups. They are the first "stand-alone" small groups/lesson/curriculum material that I've written that's been published in any form other than being printed from my computer. Plus, I love the fact that they have great looking covers (its a shame they are only downloadable).

If you have used these lessons, I would love to hear what you thought.


I wrote a 4 week series on Elijah and its now available for download from Simply Youth Ministry. Follow this link: Elijah Small Group Series to get more information and to download.

Lessons include:

• Week 1 - He Was Confident in God (1 Kings 18:16-39)
• Week 2 - He Battled Fear (1 Kings 19:1-8)
• Week 3 - He Battled Loneliness (1 Kings 19:9-14)
• Week 4 - He Was a Lifelong Servant (2 Kings 2:1-11)

I also wrote a 3 week series on Trusting God and its also now available for download from Simply Youth Ministry. Follow this link: Trusting God Small Group Series to get more information and to download.

Lessons include:

• Week 1: With Your Past (1 John 4:10)
• Week 2: In the Present (Ephesians 4:22-24)
• Week 3: With Your Future (2 Corinthians 5:6-10)

2 recent articles: Six Days of Work & Who's Keeping You Accountable

Here are two articles I've recently written and had published on youthministry.com. If you haven't read them yet, take a few moments and do so. Then I'd love to hear your feedback/thoughts, just leave a comment.

Six Days of Work

Sabbath rest is a two-part deal: taking a break from your work and working efficiently the other days.

Who’s Keeping You Accountable?

By asking for help, you're acknowledging to yourself that you want to make a change in your life.

Book Review: Simply Christian by N.T. Wright

In Simply Christian, N.T. Wright sets out to help us understand why Christianity makes sense. In all honesty, I did not need to read this book to understand why Christianity makes sense, because I already thought it did. So, as I read, I tried to read it from a new perspective - as someone who was looking for answers to some of life's greatest questions. And I think I found some really good answers within these pages.

As I read through the book, I was pleased to discover that Wright is not trying to belittle any reader. He writes with passion and clarity, but never with arrogance. In the beginning of the book, Wrights talks about this echo of a voice we hear. He then spends the remainder of the book helping the reader discover who the voice belongs to: God. Our longing for justice, beauty and relationships are all indicators that we want the same things God wants - and Christianity is the one logical explanation for answering these longings.

Unless you are N.T. Wright (and if you are, thanks for reading this review), you will find yourself questioning and arguing with some of the contents of Simply Christian. As you are disagreeing, you will be challenged to dig into the Scriptures for more evidence, because Wright does not just offer his own ideas - he uses Scripture to support what is written. Whether you are using this book for your own personal growth or for helping a friend understand Christianity better, you will want to keep this in mind: "Faith can't be forced, but unfaith can be challenged."

I highly recommend Simply Christian to anyone looking to deepen their faith in God. Because when you close the last page of this book, you will have a deeper understanding of Christianity and why it makes sense.


My advice (rating) – buy more than one and give out copies (5 out of 5)

Book Review: Blue Like Play Dough by Tricia Goyer (blog tour)

(This post is a guest book review, authored by my wife. This review is for youth worker's wives and all of you female youth workers who are also mothers, or might be one day. You might even want to consider recommending this book to your women's ministry department or as possible small group material.)


As a mom, we all have moments when we feel overwhelmed and under qualified. During those times, there is a tendency to get caught in the situation, rather than seeing the bigger picture. And in our lack of seeing the bigger picture, we often miss what God intends for motherhood to be: a way unlike any other than he can shape and form us to be more like Jesus. It is the shaping that Tricia Goyer continues to come back to as she walks us through her experiences as a mom.

Through the pages of Blue Like Play Dough, I saw how Tricia's honesty, transparency, and maturity helped me to see more of what God has already done in my life. Things I had never identified as being part of the shaping process stirred in my heart as I read Tricia's experiences of being shaped herself. Her challenge is clear. God does not have big plans for you on the other side of your children's high school graduation, once you have time for him to shape you. No, it is in the midst of the spit up, homework, sleepovers, and sleepless nights that he is already molding us. This book has helped me to catch those nudges, those moments where my Father is transforming me in and through this adventure of being a mom.


Go here to purchase Blue Like Play Dough.

A prayer during communion

I was sitting by my boys (5 and 3), one on each side of me during service. Nothing unusual was happening, mostly the same routine for us during the service. Then came the Lord's Supper. This part of the service is always interesting for us, because it can be difficult to quietly concentrate on Christ's sacrifice when your child is asking you to get him a crayon or help read a book. Over the weeks/months, we have been trying to teach the boys what the Lord's Supper is about and why we partake each week.

Before I continue the story, you need to know that we pass the bread first and then pass the juice separately.

Well, on this Sunday, something unusual happened. On this Sunday, after I ate the bread I decided to go ahead and just pray silently. It's not the first time the boys have seen my wife or I do this. But, on this occasion, my oldest did something different. While I was praying, he started to ask me a question. I do not know what the question was about, because he stopped himself mid sentence. And without opening my eyes, I continued to pray. Then, less than a minute later I heard him quietly talking to himself (which is not that unusual). What was different was that he was not talking to himself, he was praying.

He began to pray and this is a paraphrase of what I remember him saying:

"God, thank you for dying on the cross for me, so that I can have eternal life and live with you in heaven. I'm glad you did."

Then, when the juice was being passed and I took it and then prayed, he did the same thing. He prayed pretty much the same prayer again.

After I was done praying, I opened my eyes and looked at him. He asked if I was praying, to which I said "yes." Then he told me that he was too. (I did not tell him that I heard him or was so proud of him - I'll save that for later). I told him that it was good to pray during the Lord's Supper and smiled.

My son understands the connection between the Lord's Supper and Christ's sacrificial death on the cross. I mean, he could have prayed about anything, but he chose to pray about Christ's death and eternal life. He prayed a simple, genuine prayer of thanks - a great reminder of the simplicity of what Christ did for us on the cross.

Book Review: Storylines by Andy Croft and Mike Pilavachi

Have you ever read a verse in the New Testament and noticed a reference to a verse in the Old Testament? Did this cause you to wonder how the two passages are connected to each other? If you answered yes to these questions, you need to read Storylines. With this book, Croft and Pilavachi have set to help Christian better understand the themes that run throughout the Bible.

Storylines helps connect six themes by taking an in depth look at how they are connected in the Old Testament and the New Testament. Another aspect of the book that I really like is the first chapter, "The Bible in 20 Pages," where Croft and Pilavachi guide the reader through a brief look at the entire Bible. As you read about the six threads: Jesus, covenant, presence, Kingdom, salvation and worship, be reminded that the Bible was not put together by accident. God has been very intentional throughout history in his dealings with man and understanding how events are connected will help you see how your own life is connected to these very themes.

Reading Storylines is like taking a Bible college class on the Bible without having to actually go to class. This is a great resource for anyone who wants to have a better understanding of how the books in the Bible are connected to each other.


My advice (rating) – buy more than one and give out copies (5 out of 5)

Learned from Twitter: week ending May 9, 2009

Didn't get to see as much of the Twitter stream this week, but I still managed to catch some good nuggets of wisdom and truth.

Here are some of the things I learned this week from Twitter:

1. riddlegroup (Mark Riddle) reminded us of one very simple part of leadership that we must be mindful about.
"dreaming with people brings life, dreaming for people is deadly."

2. saraeden (Sara Eden Williams) shared a prayer request that reminds us of the importance of what we do with students.
"Just hearing of an incident at a high school in the area: Senior committed suicide in the school bathroom this morning. Please pray for all."

3. dbeckner (Dennis Beckner) shared about his night teaching and reminded us that it doesn't have to go "perfectly" in order to be effective. God shows up despite our fumbles.
"Crazy night of teaching. Everything went wrong, but message still got through. I'll put that in the win column."

4. YS_Scoop (Youth Specialties) provided a link to the video from this week's conference call with Marko about the National Youth Workers Convention.
"Did you miss today's conference call? Watch the recorded video right now! http://nywc.com/live"

5. youthministry (Youth Ministry) offered a link to a free Mother's Day lesson (if you still need one - which none of you reading this would, right?)
"Still wondering what to teach about Mother's day? Here's a great freebie lesson for you: http://budurl.com/ymmd"

6. briandurr (Brian Durr) had a run-in with the campus security this week thanks to some school policy changes. All he wanted to do was eat lunch with his students.
"Wow- One of the local high schools changed their security procedures. I was escorted off campus for trying to eat lunch w/ my students."


What did you learn from Twitter this week?

Learned from Twitter: 2 weeks ending April 25, 2009

Here is what I have learned from Twitter over the past 2 weeks...

1. shawnmichael (Shawn Michael Shoup) reminds us that youth ministry doesn't stop when a student "gets saved." There must be discipleship and teaching.
"8 salvations so far this Easter wknd w/ a brand new discipleship life group starting Tuesday 2 help them start on their spiritual journey!!"

2. pastorbuhro (Bradley Buhro) shares a great moment in youth ministry. Is this the new "window flyer" form of advertising for your ministry?
"We tweet our sermon notes to teens every Tuesday. A couple of my teens went to the Verizon store & set the sample phones to recieve them."

3. YS_Scoop (Youth Specialties) offers a few free tools for your youth ministry. You need to check them out.
"3 Free Productivity Tools for YM. Guest post from @joeldiaz & @joshcook83. http://eepurl.com/Wt7"

4. CoffeeWithChris (Chris Szulwach) offers some advice to another youth worker, that I think we all can use. You might want to check out this game site.
"@saraeden just was you are looking for game sites? Is that right? I'll add http://www.ylplaybook.com/ to the mix for ya!"

5. AdamLehman (Adam Lehman) is interested in starting a ym teaching pool. You might want to check it out.
"anyone want to form a youth ministry teaching pool? http://twurl.nl/iivzk2 #stumin"

6. snavenel (Len Evans) shares a link to a free book with some great insight. Take the time to check out the book and see if it can benefit your ministry.
"Youth Ministry Tribe-Free book- Paul Turner's "The Cure For The Common Youth Ministry" @ http://thediscipleproject.net Great insight & FREE"

7. Drpoulette (Dennis Poulette) relaxed, something youth ministers need to do often. Might I recommend a hammock.
"Relaxing in the hammock swing on the back porch. It's beautiful out tonight in Mexico city. Q"


What did you learn from Twitter this week?

Miss California comments on same sex marriage

As I was checking my email I saw an article from Sunday night's Miss USA Pageant. The headline is "Hilton, Miss California take sides on 'Today'"

(note to those who may not want to see a young woman in a 2 piece swimsuit - the picture that goes with the article, at the time of this writing, is of Carrie Prejean - Miss California - during the swimsuit part of the competition.)

Here is the clip:



This is an interesting article, though brief, about a part of the Miss USA competition on Sunday night. Read the article to get the story.

I think that this is the type of behavior we want our students to convey. We want students who are not afraid to stand up for what they believe, even if it might cause them trouble.


One paragraph I found particularly interesting was this one:

Hilton, who also appeared on the "Today" show Tuesday, said his question was relevant and that Prejean should have "left her politics and her religion out because Miss USA represents all Americans."

She needed to leave "her religion" out of the pageant...but it was okay for Perez to bring his own personal beliefs into the pageant, as a judge. Does that sound contradictory to anyone else?

I am glad to hear that Prejean was willing to voice her beliefs in front of a national audience. I hope all the students in our youth ministries would be willing to do the same thing - and I hope they each get an opportunity to stand up and voice their beliefs for others to hear.

My favorite line of the whole article was this last quote from Prejean:

"It's not about being politically correct," she said. "For me, it's about being biblically correct."

(added video on 4.22.09)

It's Not About You

A few months ago I wrote an article which was published on YouthMinistry.com. I thought I would share it with you guys...

It's Not About You

For you, the past is a memory. The present is uncertain. The future is not even worth thinking about.

Here is the entire article:


There I was, standing in the living room looking at my wife. Why is this happening to us now? This was the question that kept swirling around in my head. I could tell it was the same question in my wife's head, too. And I bet most of you have asked it a time or two. We all experience those times when it seems like God got something wrong. You feel like you are in the wrong place at the wrong time and there is no way out.

For you, the past is a memory. The present is uncertain. The future is not even worth thinking about.

There are other times in our life where we feel pretty certain about our future. The future looks so bright and full of possibility. Every part of your life just seems to go the way it is supposed to go. Then it happens. It might be a loss of a job. It might be a death of a loved one. It might even be a long-term illness or injury. No matter what it is, it changes everything. The future which you were looking forward to has now become a memory of what could have been. What do you do now?

Reminds me of Proverbs 16.9, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." As I was going through that course altering situation, I struggled with understanding the purpose behind the change. From my point of view, I was not pursuing selfish gain or ignoble purposes. I was serving God in a place I felt He had called me to serve and it was bearing fruit. Why would God take it away when it seemed like there was so much more growth about to happen. I had my plan for what should happen - God had His plan, too.

It might be difficult for you to see at the moment, but there is a "God-reason" you are in your current situation. And it may not have anything to do with you. Remember the account of Joseph's brothers selling him into slavery. God did not allow it to happen to teach Joseph a lesson or to even allow his brothers to get what they wanted. Every part of Joseph's roller coaster situation was for one purpose and one purpose only. Joseph tells his brothers, and us, the reason in Gen. 50.20, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." (emphasis added)

The current situation is not about me or you. It is about God's plan for your life. Are you living each moment like it is a part of your plan or God's?

Learned from Twitter: week ending Feb. 28, 2009

This week I learned a lot from Twitter. One of the things I learned, which I'll share in this post, was that youth ministers are awesome people.

What follows are some tweets I caught this week and what I learned from them.

1.pattigibbons (Patti Gibbons) shared a link to a video about Twitter on Dateline.
"have you see this feature about @twitter on ABC? http://tinyurl.com/bqmga7"

2.rvayp (Aaron Lee) mentioned free Quiznos subs.
"hey free Quiznos sub: http://www.millionsubs.com/..."

3.pattigibbons linked to a post on her blog you should check out.
"The under 25 youth pastor http://tinyurl.com/bdbjqc"

4.fess2us (Gerrard Fess) linked to a free ebook on leadership.
"Downloading FREE E-book on leadership http://tinyurl.com/c9t6jh"

5. crazytsup (Troy Supple) asked me a question about ministry resources. And before I could even respond, he had gotten at least 3 answers from other youth workers, all within 15 minutes of his asking. This is why I love youth workers and why I think twitter can be a great resource to your ministry.

"@lilkup hey know of any teaching resources for teens sharing their faith that is really good?"
(7 min. later) YMTV (youth ministry TV) responds "RT @crazytsup @lilkup hey know of any teaching resources for teens sharing their faith that is really good?"
(10 min. later) drumdog00 (Justin Van Rheenen) replies with his thoughts. "@YMTV @crazytsup @lilkup Share Jesus Without Fear is a great resource."
(12 min. later) pattigibbons offers another suggestion. "@crazytsup the 3Story materials are excellent life evangelism training. http://is.gd/kFMe"

6. nikomas (Nikomas) reminded me that being a Christian is not always comfy.
"I love God and my pillow. My pillow is more comfy though."

7. marklee3d (Mark Lee - Third Day guitarist) let us in on the fact that even professional musicians can do things last minute when it comes to a Sunday morning song service. He tweeted this at 8:05 Sunday morning.
"Mac texted me last night about playing in church with him this morning. Should be fun, if I can remember where all my gear is!"

Youth Ministry Budgeting: Stewardship (1 of 5)

(This is the first post in a 5 part series on Youth Ministry Budgeting.)

The most important thing to remember when working on your youth ministry budget is that the money is not your money. It is not your own personal spending money. It is God's money and your youth ministry is a steward of it. The money has been given to the church (or directly to the youth ministry) by other people as an offering for the furthering of God's Kingdom. Before you spend any of that money, make sure you remember the reason people gave. It is also good for you to remember the fact that people have gone without and sacrificed to give that money to your ministry.

Once you understand that important aspect of the youth ministry money, you need to begin thinking about the value and necessity of the things you are adding to the budget. It is crucial in this part of the process to stop and refocus yourself on being a good steward. Ask yourself questions like: What is needed? Can we find something equivalent for less? Is that a good use of our money? Is the money better spent on something else? Taking extra time on this step can help you avoid regret down the road.

Do not allow yourself to get caught up in spending money just because you have money to spend. Just because you have money to buy something new does not mean you have to spend it on a new television, sound system, or even a new youth building. You are a steward of this money and people are trusting you to spend it wisely. You would be wise to not waste the money that people have entrusted to the youth ministry. Making quick decisions is not being a good steward. Throwing money into something you do not need is not being a good steward. Buying something just to look cool is not being a good steward.

Being a good steward of your youth ministry budget will look different for your ministry than it will for mine or the ministry down the street. Only your youth ministry team knows what is truly needed and what is just a want. You need to spend time in prayer asking God to give you wisdom with your budget. You need to talk about your budget with your team, allowing each person the chance to voice his/her opinion about how to be the best stewards of your youth budget. (I also know each person will have their own personal bias as to where the money is spent, and it is the youth minister's responsibility to discern what is best for the ministry as a whole.)

Being a good steward can also mean you "reduce/reuse/recycle" within your ministry. Is there some curriculum you can rework and use again? Can you rearrange classes to better use the space you have? Does food have to be served at such and such event? Where can you reduce your spending? What materials can you reuse? What materials/ideas can you give away to other ministries?

As you begin thinking about your budget and what it means to be a good steward, keep in mind these Scriptures:

Ps. 24.1 - "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it."

Lev. 25.23 - "The land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants."

Deuteronomy 6:10-12 - “When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.”


Before you assign money to any aspect of your youth ministry, determine what it means for your youth ministry to be good stewards of your resources.