I'm back from my week in California with 13 youth and 2 adults doing mission work and attending the International Christian Youth Fellowship Conference. The theme was "Read the Book -- Be the Movie". These young ones are doing their best to live out their faith in all of its confusion. They are spiritual and earthy at the same time. They are not afraid to name something junk when they see it and claim something true when they experience it. They aren't doing church the way we did -- and I think that's a good thing. They are not content to attend services on Sunday and say that this is their religion. They want to experience God's world, help God's people, and drink in everything that their Creator made for them that is good.
It was my great fortune to be with them this week. It's kept me out of the pulpit and allowed me to soak up so much of the gospel that I'm overflowing. I can't wait to share it all with you.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
God and teenagers
Well -- sorry all of you avid blog fans, but I won't be preaching this week. Instead, I am joining 5 teens and a recently former teen (he's just turned 21, so he's an "adult"!) for our International Christian Youth Fellowship once-every-4-year event. We'll be doing mission work and then hangin' with God together in worship, workshops and frivolity.
The reason that I'm still hanging with these cool people could be summed up by the 21 year old. I've been doing this for 6 years now, and its such a God-high to see these folks get their own "ah-ha" moments. The 21 year-old used to be in my youth group. He's a fantastic young man, and he's still searching (as are we all) but that's the point. He hasn't given up looking for God or what God is calling him to do. If by attending events like this and camp and other Christian activities these young people continue to seek, then the time spent is all worth it.
Now -- ask me how I feel about sleeping on church gym floors and leaving for the airport at 5:45 a.m.
It's all part of the calling -- part of continually seeking God!
The reason that I'm still hanging with these cool people could be summed up by the 21 year old. I've been doing this for 6 years now, and its such a God-high to see these folks get their own "ah-ha" moments. The 21 year-old used to be in my youth group. He's a fantastic young man, and he's still searching (as are we all) but that's the point. He hasn't given up looking for God or what God is calling him to do. If by attending events like this and camp and other Christian activities these young people continue to seek, then the time spent is all worth it.
Now -- ask me how I feel about sleeping on church gym floors and leaving for the airport at 5:45 a.m.
It's all part of the calling -- part of continually seeking God!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Sowing seed
Matthew 13:1-9; 18-23
I don't know how many of you are gardners. My grandmother was a prolific flower grower, and my father had a huge vegetable garden when I was a child. But me - well, I've got a few bulbs planted but that's about the extent of it. Sometimes I'll get flowering annuals and put them out. I can't remember the last time I planted a seed to grow anything though.
Jesus tells the story about a sower who scatters the seed and then watches what happens. My first question is this -- why wasn't he more careful? Would it have taken that much more time to be sure that the seed all went into the good soil? But that's not the story. Some of the seed falls where it has no chance to bloom, some in shallow soil so that it blooms then quickly dies, some of it grows ok but is choked out by weeds, and the last is the good stuff that stays good.
In the church I think we are most likely to fall into the middle two categories. We get excited about God but then burn out quickly, or we get excited about God but forget God when the cares of life take away our attention. We're always striving to be the constantly faithful ones, but all too rarely do we acheive it.
As we get ready to explore this week's scripture, I wonder what we'll learn about getting our spiritual nutritional needs met.
I don't know how many of you are gardners. My grandmother was a prolific flower grower, and my father had a huge vegetable garden when I was a child. But me - well, I've got a few bulbs planted but that's about the extent of it. Sometimes I'll get flowering annuals and put them out. I can't remember the last time I planted a seed to grow anything though.
Jesus tells the story about a sower who scatters the seed and then watches what happens. My first question is this -- why wasn't he more careful? Would it have taken that much more time to be sure that the seed all went into the good soil? But that's not the story. Some of the seed falls where it has no chance to bloom, some in shallow soil so that it blooms then quickly dies, some of it grows ok but is choked out by weeds, and the last is the good stuff that stays good.
In the church I think we are most likely to fall into the middle two categories. We get excited about God but then burn out quickly, or we get excited about God but forget God when the cares of life take away our attention. We're always striving to be the constantly faithful ones, but all too rarely do we acheive it.
As we get ready to explore this week's scripture, I wonder what we'll learn about getting our spiritual nutritional needs met.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Beast of burden
I never really got into the lyrics of "Beast of Burden" by the Stones. I can hear the tune "Let me be your beast of burden...." but that's about it.
This week I'm studying the passage in Matthew where Jesus says "my yoke is easy and my burden is light." He's asking us to take on his yoke, then tells us its easy and light. Gotta say that at first blush this seems pretty much counter-intuitive to me. Jesus took on the heaviest burden ever -- trying to live a life completely centered on God's desires for the world, working against the power of evil, shunning the power of violence and force. Sorry -- that doesn't sound "easy" or "light" to me.
Can't wait to dig into this one. Maybe you'd like to join me and share your thoughts? Please do!
(Matthew 11:25-30)
This week I'm studying the passage in Matthew where Jesus says "my yoke is easy and my burden is light." He's asking us to take on his yoke, then tells us its easy and light. Gotta say that at first blush this seems pretty much counter-intuitive to me. Jesus took on the heaviest burden ever -- trying to live a life completely centered on God's desires for the world, working against the power of evil, shunning the power of violence and force. Sorry -- that doesn't sound "easy" or "light" to me.
Can't wait to dig into this one. Maybe you'd like to join me and share your thoughts? Please do!
(Matthew 11:25-30)
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