WVU ... Ut-Oh

University of South Florida did not finish as strong as they would have liked; but that did not matter. They played well enough to beat WVU. USF made plenty of mistakes but WVU made more and did not do enough to win.

It is amazing in a sense that USF only wond 21-13. WVU played good defense tonight. They forced 4 turnovers. 7 USF points came on their defense scoring ( int ran back for a TD ) and 7 on a broken play ( WVU db's came to help in pursiit. It was a broken play but USF did not give up on it.



I have to be honest though, I am not sure what is going on with WVU play-calling. I think that they try to get too fancy with the sort passes and spreading out. I know Slaton got hammered a few times - photo shows that. HOWEVER, you have to give your lead back the ball more than 13 times in a game. He did avg. 4 yrds a carry tonight. No, that might not be "stellar" but 4 yards a carry will move the ball and if you give it to him enough - he will break one.

Back to the drawing board. But hey, a top 20 team .. still not too bad. There are a lot of teams out there that wish they were a top 20. Of course when you are a top 5 - you expect to keep winning and hope a few teams above you fall and you can have hopes of a NC.

NOT THIS YEAR

The Return to Spiritual Formation

A person who claims to be a follower of Jesus claims to have a relationship with him. This means they know him, not just about him (Philippians 3:10). Yet, we have turned our churches into groups of people who are studying God as though they were taking a course at school or attending a business seminar. We aim at the head. We don't deal in relationships. And we wonder why there is no passion for Jesus and his mission?

Wrong Question:

How do we develop church members ?

We, churches, aim for this. We develop ministries in our churches that are geared to make people better church members. We want the individuals who come into our building and join the church. We want them to become a club member. We want to make sure that our new members understand the great benefits that they can receive with their membership.

Unfortunately, we have made following Jesus all about being a good club member. There are many wonderful people across the U.S. who have devoted their lives to the church. They fill all the roles that need to be filled and empty themselves out to the church. They look at their lives and see that their lives are not too much different from those outside of church and who have 'Sunday's" off. There is a misconnection and they begin to struggle with their beliefs.

Reggie says, " I think the solution is an abandonment of the church culture idolatry and a radical introduction of spiritual formation.

Tough Question

How do we develop followers of Jesus ?

The purpose for "framing" the question this way is the following: It shifts the conversation from the institution to people. This will also shift the conversation about "numbers". Numbers may still be used but they will be used to measure different aspects of ministry - not how many were at the building ( this is a tough shift ). our conversations then could be about where we see God (Jesus) at work in people and the community.

BTW, the "" on framing and numbers are reminders for me. Framing is coming from Brian McClaren's new book that I want to post on and numbers is the straw that broke my back on leaving YMX. Both of which I may post on later.

The following paragraph may be the most interesting paragraph of the book for me. Here it is: Instead of dumping a packet of church member stuff on them, why not interview them about what they would like to see happen in their lives in terms of their spiritual development and personal growth? He then goes on after the interview, this could occur: the life coach could then fashion a customized personal growth strategy for the person or family.

I really like this thought process and compare it to the gym. I remember when I was part of Gold's Gym, we all had trainers and each person at different goals. Depending on those goals, that is how our training program was developed. I would love for us as churches to do this. This would do a few things. These are the important things in my opinion:

1. The church is supporting the people NOT vice-versa
2. It places the spiritual growth upon the individuals to "carry out"
3. Places the training back at the home

I am still in the process of working out this life coach plan for each member. I have a few diagrams thrown out and a few of them, I think could be viable. In doing so, it would change the whole complexion of the church.

Reggie gives seven benefits of life-coaching. I am not going to go through them, owever, I will place a quote that I loved from him: Imagine helping people see how God can get into the life they already have instead of asking them to give up their life for the church.

So, what is the purpose of spirtual formation ? Many would argue what / how this would look like. I would say that it is more organic (doing life) than academic (curriculum) based. I will close with this final paragraph:

The community of faith should be an enviorment where the number one pursuit is the development of human beings created in the image of God and redeemed into his family through Jesus.

How do you spell S-C-H-O-O-L ?

The signage, located on state Road 426 at Reed Road in Oviedo, is posted to warn motorists that they are entering a school zone.

kInDa fUnNy

Walking Away from YMX

Yup, it is time. I have enjoyed my time in the forums but it is time for me to pack up my bags and move on. I have met a few great people on the boards. I will look forward to some of the communication on the blogs and at conventions where our paths may cross.

I have come to the conclusion that I am tired of dialogue and going in circles on certain subjects and butting heads with fellow Christians is just not worth it.

There have been a few topics lately that has spurred some debates and raised my blood pressure at times and I just can't / don't want to do it anymore. Issues on church, how to do you ministry, purpose of the church and etc are causing me to become fatique. Then there is the whole current events issues. I really only see eye-eye with a few people. Thus, I am going to remove my minor voice from the mix.

The latest threads on the church down the street (numbers), where to swim (deep or shallow) and what is the purpose of the church (few different threads) are the ones that have prompted this exit.

Once again, I thank you for the friendships. I thank you for challenging me. I thank you for showing me different perspectives ( though I have been where you are in most cases - so I do understand ).

May God continue to bless you (individuals) and your families and your ministries. God has called you for a specific ministry; may you reach that potential.

To YMX, thank-you for the vision and putting pieces together that came from the void of the YS forums. Besides the forums there are great things that you are doing and I hear there are many other things on your heart. May God bless you and may the ministry be fruitful. I will stop by the booth at NYWC.

Back to the Regular Schedule Program .... Whatever that means.

New Reformation: Releasing God's People

This chapter could be summed up in the following sentence: The new Reformation is about freeing God's people from the church (the institution).

So, what does the new reformation do ? It can be charachterized by a few of the following:

- church members no longer willing to allow clergy to script their spiritual journey
- moving the church closer to the world ( not home )
- distinquishes followers of Jesus from religious people
- it is about mission ( not church )
- drawing energy from the information revolution
- they help followers of Jesus live abundant and missional lives

The Wrong Question

How do we turn members into ministers ?

Alright, it is time for honestly. When I read this as the wrong question, it was like a punch in the stomache. This is (was) the question that I have been asking for years. I remember seeing this question all through my seminary career. My degree was in Practical Ministry with an empasis in Church Growth & Evangelism. I even had a class called Every Member a Minister.

As Reggie states: I cringe every time I hear that phrase, I do the same now. It may not seem like a bad thing but what usually occurs and what happens is that we are recruiting church members to get church work done.

Now don't get me wrong, I think church work needs to get done. HOWEVER, I believe that we need to think out side of ourselves and too often, we focus on the local church.

We have become pretty efficient in recruiting leaders for ministries. We give spiritual gift inventories, talk to them about their passion and then place them into ministry that matches their gifts and passions. But, we do this to fill church jobs. What would happen if we did this for "jobs" outside of the church ?

Reggie makes a statement that has me chewing and chewing and trying to digest it. Here is his statement: They (clergy) view the recruitment difficulties they are experiencing as a motivational issue rather than understanding the significant shift in how people are making decisions about how they will spend their lives.

I believe that there are many individuals out there that are looking for authentic relationships and they are wanting to live a missional life. HOWEVER, they realize that 'church work" will take up time, burn them out and cause them not to live out of their passion and love. We also fail when we think their gifts can only be used by God through Church Jobs. One final statement from Reggie that hits hard at home before we move to the tough question:

Laypeople see the disconnect in the every member in ministry strategy. They are voting by not lending their time, energy, and money to ministry vision that has the church as the primary beneficiary or recipient. Church has become increasingly irrelevant to their workday and home lives. Church ministry to them is an add-on activity to an already crowded life. They wonder why God can't use them where he has already embedded them - in their homes, workplaces, schools and community.

This is one area where I am treadding water and trying to walk the line.

Tough Question:

How do we turn members into missionaries?

We as a church need to see how we can deploy more missionaries into the community. This can be challenging for us because if we do this - there may be fewer people at the church and fewer programs that can be supported because people are out in the community transforming it.

We, Christians, love to live in the sub-culture that we have created. This also goes for church. We love surrounding ourself into church. It is safer there. Also, when we live in our church-bubble, it causes us to think about our church and not the kingdom at large and definitely not about our community.

NEWSFLASH: People are busy and are out there. Let's captalize on them being out there instead of us drawing them away from their influences and putting them in a building.

We as churches really need to have MISSION as the backdrop of everything that we do. This can be difficult for churches especially when we enter dialogue about being culturally relevant. We need to connect with the culture. Reggie says: you can not be faithful to the Great Commission without being relevant.

The greatest problem that I see is the unwillingness of those who attend church to connect with individuals who are outside of the church. I am not sure what we are afraid of ... maybe that they will "rub off on us" - I don't know. However, what happens is that we become more concerned about our club ( religious culture )than Jesus or the mission that He has set us out to do.

I am not sure where it exactly occurred, but we have become an "add-on". People think of the church has an add-on. We go to work, we go to play, we are involved in extra-curricular activities and we add on church when we have time. We have got to change this. We need to have Christ as part of our life - no matter where we are - do not segment your life out.

I am going to end on a quote from the book and will use another segment of the chapter as a different post since this post is becoming long. Here it is: The problem is that when people come to church, expecting to find God, they often encounter a religious club holding a meeting where God is conspicuously absent.

Pat White: WVU is 4-0

West Virginia's Pat White drops back to pass against East Carolina during the second half of a college football game Saturday, Sept. 22, 2007 in Morgantown, W.Va. White threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more and No. 5 West Virginia rolled up 599 total yards in overpowering East Carolina 48-7 on Saturday.


WVU's Pat White has silenced critics of his passing. He's connecting on 71.8 percent of his throws.


Yes, Pat can throw as well. WVU is off to a 4-0 start. Yes, I know that is where they should be. They will have a good test on Friday night down in Tampa vs. South Florida.

A Long Week

It has been a very long week. Overall it has been a good one, but here are a few highlights for those of you who try to follow what is happening in our family life. I know that I have not blogged that much lately.

Sunday

Sunday was a busy day with the three worship services at church, sunday school kick-off which included a rally, confirmation began ( I teach ), our Sunday afternoon ministry began.

Monday

Monday was a busy office day because I knew that I was going to be out of the office most of the week. Monday afternoon, I attempted to catch the ms girls volleyball game ( one of the girls from confirmation plays ) before I went to council. I only got to see warm up but had a great coversation with mom. Council meeting was excellent with fellowship and sharing about ministry.

It was also Bethany's first day of preschool in the state of O-H-I-O

The boys also had soccer foot skills.

Tuesday

Stacey did not have a great weekend and was in pain. Her surgeon was willing to see her so we went up there for an exam. the exam went okay but they decided another procedure was needed and scheduled it for Friday.

I came home and spent a few hours in the office. I came home for dinner and took the boys to a varsity girls hs soccer game. This accomplished a few things. One, it helped them understand defense a little better and we got to see a hs girl from our church play and talk to their parents.

Wednesday

I prepared most of my lessons and then had some family time before I went to meet with some guys from the church. We sat around and played cards and laughed and told stories. Following the night of cards .. Stacey, Isaiah and myself went to Cold Stone for ice cream.

Thursday

We left at 5 am to drive up to Cleveland for Isaiah. He had an MRI done. I got back into town early in the afternoon and spent a couple hours in the office before going to an Upward Basketball coaches meeting and then to their school for a PTO meeting.

Friday (today)

We left at 4:30 in the morning to go to Cleveland. This time it was for Stacey and her procedure. The procedure seemed to go well. We got back around 3 pm. I took the kids over to the church building to play while I did some final prep - still have about 1-2 hours of work left. We then went over and grabbed some pizzas and ate them while vegging. Stacey is knocked out while Isaiah is watching tv, Jacob is running around like a mad man and Bethany is getting into everything upstairs.

It is almost time to stake out the spot on the floor and go nighty nighty. We have to be at the soccer field for Bethany's soccer game at 8:45

Church Growth To Kingdom Growth

About 30 years ago, the church growth movement hit North America. The movement came to us out of a response that the church had lost its mission. So, we did what we know how to do best - we trained consultants to go out and tell us to grow churches.

Out of this movement, we saw a few camps develop. One group was stating that if we did what God called us to do and were filling the Great Commission, the church would grow. The other camp was laying it at the feet of God .... God is responsible for it.

It has created a huge mess. I am currently in a youth ministry forum that is dealing with a number of threads on youth building, youth ministry numeroucal growth and target ministry to reach the masses. Some of the conversation to me is just sickening.

But, Reggie hits a point early on in chapter 2 when he says the following: the idea that churches should be growing put a lot of pressure on denominations and church leaders on whose watch the steam had gone out of post WW II church expansion.

Right and Wrong of the Movement

There were a few things that were right about the movement. The could include the following:

1. Wake up call to the church
2. It introduced the idea of missiological principles
3. Called to attention of the growing diversity of individuals
4. Brought cultural relevance to the front burner
5. Moved away from just church thinkers

There were definitely some things that were wrong with the movement. Here are a few of them:

1. Church Hopping
2. Mom and Pop churches "folded" to the Megachurch
3. Church leadership abused the church
4. Go Short of Sin to "bring up the numbers"
5. Celebrity church

These are some thoughts that come from the book. I have personally seen these principles take shape. They occur more in some places than others. Some of the most prevelant I have seen is from Lexington, Kentucky and Birmingham, Alabama.

There are numerous churches that are "growing". Well, their numbers are up but they are due to location move, church hoppers and engulfing the small church with great programs.

Reggie hits a homerun when he says: we have the best churches that men can build, but we are still waiting for the church that only God can get credit for.

So, we are looking at the wrong questions and the tough questions. Here are the questions for the church growth to kingdom growth.

Wrong Question: How do we grow this church (dow do we get them to come to us) ?

Tough Question: how do we transfor our community (how do we hit the street with the Gospel)?

Come to us Baby ....

This is what I think of when we are talking about church growth. We yell out to the community, come to us. This has caused us as church (congregations) to compete. It is kinda like Jerry McGwire ... Show me the .....NUMBERS. We are concentrating on numbers now so that has switched us into the customer service mentality. Yea .. now that really has helped us and had caused us to answer God's call. We now spend multi-millions to satisfy an increasingly high-maintenance consumer.

So, we are stuck in this methodology rat trap and we keep spinning and jumping from wheel to wheel hoping that the next thing will launch us into the right direction.

Blah

Let's take a look at the tough question ...

Reggie sums it up perfectly when he says, "churches that understand the realities of present future are shifting the target of ministry efforts from church activity to community transformation."

We need to be connected with God's heart and we need to have our heart break where His heart breaks and we rejoice in what brings Him joy.

We though are not connected with Him. We should be (since we are the church) but we are not. One of the reasons is that we have turned spirituality into a refuge mentality.

I am currently reading a book that is really challenging me. The book is called "The New Friars". It is a book of stories on individuals who are out there in the world, giving up everything to be with the people. The book is challenging me greatly and it ties into this question very well. I need to have my eyes open and my heart tuned to God so I can see where there is hurt and injustice and be there.

We have now become the pharisees and we need to hear His challenge and follow His example. Instead of "come and get it"; it was "go get 'em". Instead of withdrawing from people for the fear of contamination, he ate with them.

I think that the toughtst part is that when we hear this challenge, we think there has to be a new evangelism or outreach program to due this. This is understandable because of what business and what the church growth movement has taught us. But, we usually fail because it is nothing more than trying to "entice" the unchurched to come to church.

We as churches really need to take a proactive approach and see how we can staff and funnel our resources into community transformation. Each community is different and each transformation that needs to take place will look differently.

What is it in your community ?

One of the different aspects about this is highlighted in the book. Kingdom thinking does not force people into the church to hear about Jesus or maintain the church membership is the same thing as kingdom citizenship.

We need to be where they are at and we need to be meeting the needs of community. This is tough though because this means that we are not sure how to "measure success".

Final words for me today. I know that this has been long and I am not sure if anyone is still following but it is not our job to convict people of sin. We are to be out there showing them God's grace.

Out of the Depths

Over the last week, I have reading some words from a "new theologigan". Okay, she would not consider herself one and most people in the world would scream in protest to even suggest it.

The individual: Sinead O' Connor. Yes, the musician, the one who has caused a few uproars in her life. She has a new album out called "Theology". Very appropriate, right ?

Here are the words of one of her songs:

Out of the Depths

Out of the depths I cry to you oh lord
Don't let my cries for mercy be ignored
If you keep account of sins oh who would stand?
But you have forgiveness in your hands

And I've heard religion say you're to be feared
But I don't buy into everything I hear
And it seems to me you're hostage to those rules
That were made by religion and not by you

And I'm wondering will u ever get yourself free
Is it bad to think you might like help from me?
Is there anything my little heart can do
To help religion share us with you?

For oh you're like a ghost in your own home
Nobody hears you crying all alone
Oh you are the one true really voiceless one
They have their backs turned to you for worship of gold and stone

And to see you prisoner oh makes me weep
Nobody hears you screaming in the streets
And it's sad but true how the old saying goes
If God lived on earth people would break his windows

I long for you as watchmen long for the end of night

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have also been reading some interviews with her and here is a quote that made me think and ponder for a little awhile:

I usually find forgiveness easy because I have so much to be forgiven of. That kind of thing teaches you compassion.

Of course, we could get very controversal and talk about the song that she has team up about the current war ... I am not sure if some of you are ready for that one ..

What Were They Thinking

Christians who do this, UPSET ME greatly.



A Small Note ....

Michael Venyah, founder of Soulwinners Ministries International, said he and others from the organization were told to leave campus or they would be arrested for trespassing.

Venyah and the others had set up signs next to the Student Union and Lenoir Dining Hall and began to preach against homosexuality, masturbation and premarital sex.

The group held signs with provocative messages, such as "Homo sex is a threat to national security" and "Satan says that God loves everyone."

------------------------------

To tick off more people, they even did this on September 11.

Am I allowed to say, " I D I O T S "