Last Sunday I went out to lunch with my adopted Lebanese parents and their extended family. Fifteen of us (a small group for them) enjoyed a great time of fellowship. As we ate our food I was asked a question that I have answered countless times since coming to Australia. The question is whether I like Australia or America better. And I answered that question last Sunday the same way I had all those other times. I would rather live in Australia than America.
I deeply love the United States, and will always be proud to be an American. But there is one big difference between the U.S. And Australia that makes a big difference for me. I got to the restaurant at about 1:15 Sunday afternoon. I left the host's house about 4:00 in the afternoon. The reason why I didn't leave from the restaurant was because we had not yet had a “cuppa”.
The routine for lunch or dinner at someones house goes something like this. You sit around and talk while the dinner is being cooked. Then following dinner you sit around and talk a bit more. Sweets (dessert) is served shortly afterwards with coffee. You usually sit around for an hour or so after the coffee having fellowship before leaving. The churches in Australia actually have “cuppas” after church so that people can stand around and talk while drinking coffee and eating cookies (biscuts). It is very rare that everyone will be gone before 1:00.
Why does lunch at a persons house take three and a half to four hours? Because Australians make relationships and connecting with one another a priority. Almost everything in the Australian worldview revolves around relationships. And therefore taking time out of the day and having a cuppa (cup of coffee or tea) while talking is more than just sitting around and having a chat. It is a cornerstone of Australian culture.
Because cuppas are so important coffee is almost a religious thing in Australia. If you don't drink it people will think that you are strange. I didn't drink coffee when I came here but that soon changed. I can still remember my first cup of coffee in Australia. Actually it was a cappuccino given to me by a pastors wife during a church fellowship at their house. I loved it from first sip, and now remind her that my addiction to coffee is because of her (although I am not totally addicted yet).
I have grown to love cuppas. During the week they don't last for more than three hours. Sometimes they just last for a few minutes. But it gives friends a chance to slow down for a few moments and share what is going on in their lives. It is not really about the coffee at all. It is about reconnecting with people who you know and love.
Not many people have cuppas in the United States. We are all so busy with life that it is almost impossible to just take a few minutes and talk with an old friend. I do understand that we all constantly have things that need to get done. But the Australian people make time to connect. They may even put something off until tomorrow that they can do today in order to have a cuppa. I am not saying that this isn't a dangerous thing to do. For if we continue to procrastinate on important things our lives will suffer the consequences. But being in Australia has taught me that if people make connecting with others a priority, they will find time for it.
There have been many times since I came here when I was discouraged about situations that weren't going the way I wanted them to. But after sitting down with friends and sharing the burdens I experienced the peace of God. Sometimes having a cup of coffee with a friend means I have to drive forty-five minutes both ways to do so, but it is worth it. The experiences I had led me to minister to others in this way.
About two weeks ago I finally broke down and bought a Plunger (french coffee press) so that I could make coffee at home, and real coffee (Gloria Jeans Caramel flavoured). I am praying that God would give me the chance to have some friends over for a good cup of coffee. But if not thats okay, I can enjoy it by myself.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Creating Creativity
I was drinking a coffee at a local McDonald's this afternoon when I read this interesting statement about the Big Mac. In a Ukrainian Big Mac the beef patties come from Hungary, the lettuce from Ukraine, the bun from Russia, the pickles and sauce from Germany, the sesame seeds from Mexico, and the cheese from Holland.1 The world is so diverse today that eating a Big Mac has become a multicultural experience!
Reading about the diversity in the world made me think about a meeting I had last Wednesday. I along with one of my friends met with the pastor of a local church. His church had a thriving youth ministry and we hoped to use some of his ideas for our Wednesday night ministry. A young woman who coordinated the activities and youth services attended the meeting as well.
It took about ten minutes to figure out what this pastor and the coordinator were passionate about. They focused on the importance of having strong leadership, and creativity. As they answered my questions I learned that being creative was truly one of the core values for their ministry. The pastor was quick to point out that they didn't just want to, “be different for the sake of being different.” But they were very serious about giving people freedom to try things that were different.
The entire ministry was built around this idea of what I would call “creative liberty”. Even the leadership style which they spent a large amount of time talking about was centred on it. The pastor explained that there is not one youth pastor for that church. Instead there is a core group of leaders who all get together and make decisions regarding the youth group.
This team philosophy of leadership is becoming very popular in churches today.
While I think it is a great way to foster creativity (everyone gets to voice their opinions) it is flawed because there is no real leader. Without a true leader who makes final decisions the group of leaders would just go in circles. The church met this need by making the coordinator authority to make final decisions.
When I came to that meeting I expected the pastor to talk about the program that they used. Instead he went out of his way to say that they didn't follow a curriculum or program. When we met for a coffee that night my friend pointed out that was the last thing he expected to hear. Actually I would have felt a lot better if they had told me about a program that they used. I love being creative in things that I do (I am always looking for ways to “recreate” myself). But basing a ministry on it is very scary.
Creativity leads to a roller coaster ministry. Some nights what you use will really connect with the teens. Some nights it will bomb miserably. It is much easier to use methods that you know the teenagers will like. But where there is little creativity there is little reward. It is one of those big risk big reward things. So even as I write this post I am thinking about how to become more creative in my speaking and leadership.
I am not quite ready to make creative liberty a pillar upon which my ministry is built. But the diverse multi cultural world around us demands that we show creativity in how we do things. Yes there will be moments when creativy turns into organised chaos, but that is the price that must be paid for growth. Toward the end of the meeting I asked Mel (the coordinator) whether or not all of their ideas worked out. She told me that there were some good nights and some bad nights. Then she said, “but that's what makes it fun” with a big smile. Maybe it's just me, but it seems as if she has a warped sense of humour.
1Leonard Sweet, Soul Tsunami, pg.369, par.3, ln.10
Reading about the diversity in the world made me think about a meeting I had last Wednesday. I along with one of my friends met with the pastor of a local church. His church had a thriving youth ministry and we hoped to use some of his ideas for our Wednesday night ministry. A young woman who coordinated the activities and youth services attended the meeting as well.
It took about ten minutes to figure out what this pastor and the coordinator were passionate about. They focused on the importance of having strong leadership, and creativity. As they answered my questions I learned that being creative was truly one of the core values for their ministry. The pastor was quick to point out that they didn't just want to, “be different for the sake of being different.” But they were very serious about giving people freedom to try things that were different.
The entire ministry was built around this idea of what I would call “creative liberty”. Even the leadership style which they spent a large amount of time talking about was centred on it. The pastor explained that there is not one youth pastor for that church. Instead there is a core group of leaders who all get together and make decisions regarding the youth group.
This team philosophy of leadership is becoming very popular in churches today.
While I think it is a great way to foster creativity (everyone gets to voice their opinions) it is flawed because there is no real leader. Without a true leader who makes final decisions the group of leaders would just go in circles. The church met this need by making the coordinator authority to make final decisions.
When I came to that meeting I expected the pastor to talk about the program that they used. Instead he went out of his way to say that they didn't follow a curriculum or program. When we met for a coffee that night my friend pointed out that was the last thing he expected to hear. Actually I would have felt a lot better if they had told me about a program that they used. I love being creative in things that I do (I am always looking for ways to “recreate” myself). But basing a ministry on it is very scary.
Creativity leads to a roller coaster ministry. Some nights what you use will really connect with the teens. Some nights it will bomb miserably. It is much easier to use methods that you know the teenagers will like. But where there is little creativity there is little reward. It is one of those big risk big reward things. So even as I write this post I am thinking about how to become more creative in my speaking and leadership.
I am not quite ready to make creative liberty a pillar upon which my ministry is built. But the diverse multi cultural world around us demands that we show creativity in how we do things. Yes there will be moments when creativy turns into organised chaos, but that is the price that must be paid for growth. Toward the end of the meeting I asked Mel (the coordinator) whether or not all of their ideas worked out. She told me that there were some good nights and some bad nights. Then she said, “but that's what makes it fun” with a big smile. Maybe it's just me, but it seems as if she has a warped sense of humour.
1Leonard Sweet, Soul Tsunami, pg.369, par.3, ln.10
Meeting Physical Needs
I have never been much of a handyman. Some people are naturally gifted with the ability to fix things and work with their hands. While God has given the ability to make people laugh communicate with passion, I am not very good at fixing things. Usually when things needed to be repaired at my parents house I would let my father and brother do it. I would always be there to supply tools and follow instructions. But my general attitude towards jobs like that where, “somebody needs to fix that (not me).”
Now that I am renting my own house that attitude no longer works. For instance a spring hinge for the screen door on my front porch broke a few days ago. I could walk out that door every day and say “somebody needs to fix that”, but it will never get fixed. At some point I will have to buy a new hinge and install it myself. You can't always rely on someone else to fix your problems. Because of that fact this afternoon I bought some things I needed to do odd jobs around the house.
We are surrounded by problems and needs that are much more serious than a broken spring hinge. Problems such as poverty, hunger, climate change, diseases, and overpopulation. These social needs cry out for our attention every day. It is true that meeting the social needs of those around us is not as important as their spiritual need. But we can't ignore these needs either. There are individuals who feel that curing societies social problems is God's calling for the church today. I wrote an article last month about the problem with this philosophy (A New Great Commission).
How do we help meet those needs? The first step is to start discussing them openly. I was talking with some friends after the lesson at a Young Adults Bible Study last Monday night. I enjoy having conversations with them because they are extremely socially conscious. In other words, they think a lot about the physical needs of those around us such as poverty and famine. We began talking about the fact that churches seem to be at different extremes when approaching these issues.
The first group feels that curing social ills are the calling of Believers today. The other does not minister to the physical needs of those around them at all. “Why can't they just be more balanced?” I asked in frustration. It is possible to meet both the spiritual and physical needs of the lost around us. Of course the spiritual need is met first because these problems need a serious “spiritual surgery” (Ending the Dump Truck Method).
During that conversation we began thinking of how those physical needs can be met in a balanced way. Obviously we did not come up with the answer that night. But it was the first of what I hope will be many conversations about how we can meet the problems around us in a Biblical way. The problems around us are great and we need to begin thinking about how each one of us can start meeting those needs.
Some Believers will be able to do huge things such as invest money or become actively involved themselves. Others will only be able to talk with friends about finding solutions to these issues. Whether we become involved in a large or small way, soon it will be time to do something more than say, “somebody needs to fix that.”
Now that I am renting my own house that attitude no longer works. For instance a spring hinge for the screen door on my front porch broke a few days ago. I could walk out that door every day and say “somebody needs to fix that”, but it will never get fixed. At some point I will have to buy a new hinge and install it myself. You can't always rely on someone else to fix your problems. Because of that fact this afternoon I bought some things I needed to do odd jobs around the house.
We are surrounded by problems and needs that are much more serious than a broken spring hinge. Problems such as poverty, hunger, climate change, diseases, and overpopulation. These social needs cry out for our attention every day. It is true that meeting the social needs of those around us is not as important as their spiritual need. But we can't ignore these needs either. There are individuals who feel that curing societies social problems is God's calling for the church today. I wrote an article last month about the problem with this philosophy (A New Great Commission).
How do we help meet those needs? The first step is to start discussing them openly. I was talking with some friends after the lesson at a Young Adults Bible Study last Monday night. I enjoy having conversations with them because they are extremely socially conscious. In other words, they think a lot about the physical needs of those around us such as poverty and famine. We began talking about the fact that churches seem to be at different extremes when approaching these issues.
The first group feels that curing social ills are the calling of Believers today. The other does not minister to the physical needs of those around them at all. “Why can't they just be more balanced?” I asked in frustration. It is possible to meet both the spiritual and physical needs of the lost around us. Of course the spiritual need is met first because these problems need a serious “spiritual surgery” (Ending the Dump Truck Method).
During that conversation we began thinking of how those physical needs can be met in a balanced way. Obviously we did not come up with the answer that night. But it was the first of what I hope will be many conversations about how we can meet the problems around us in a Biblical way. The problems around us are great and we need to begin thinking about how each one of us can start meeting those needs.
Some Believers will be able to do huge things such as invest money or become actively involved themselves. Others will only be able to talk with friends about finding solutions to these issues. Whether we become involved in a large or small way, soon it will be time to do something more than say, “somebody needs to fix that.”
Monday, March 17, 2008
Ending the Dump Truck Method
One of my college professors described the way that most students take exams as, “the dump truck method”. Basically this means they will dump massive amounts of information they don't really understand on paper. Even though they many times don't truly grasp the information these students will get good grades on the test. Of course using the dump truck method doesn't really help them because most of that information will be forgotten in the future. And the truths which are still remembered usually aren't applied.
As a person who used the dump truck method countless times during High School and College I understand it's usefulness. But there must be a better way of learning and applying information. The blame for using this method of learning and test taking should be placed upon students who refuse to study ahead of time. But some teachers are also taking some of that responsibility upon themselves. They believe that, “True Biblical teaching doesn't take place unless the students have learned. If they haven't learned, I haven't taught.1” As a result these instructors focus on reaching specific goals in their classes instead of just giving out information. And therefore become more like coaches instead of teachers.
Recently the professor I work with at the Bible College helped me develop lesson plans for my classes in April. He told me to make very specific aims (goals) for each class that can be evaluated later. This would be done by asking questions like “what will they learn?”, “what will they do with it?”, “what do they already know?”, and “how can I assist them?” These questions can make a big difference. It takes a general goal (“we will learn how to make paper air planes”) and makes it specific (“we will learn how to in ideal conditions create paper air planes that will travel an average distance of twenty to thirty feet”). These specific goals will in time turn into habits and responses. And those responses will help the student years after the class has ended. That is why I feel this form of teaching should be viewed as coaching. It focuses on preparing students for things that they will face in the future.
Thinking about teachers/coaches reminds me of a professor at Bible College. I took a class from him on counselling those in need with Scripture. In one of the first classes he told us about having trouble breathing because of nasal congestion. He would take medicine and it would clear up, but only for a few days. Finally he went to the doctor and learned that surgery was needed. Following the surgery he did not have any other problems.
The professor went on to explain that many people don't deal with serious problems correctly. They will put a band aid where surgery should be done. The rest of the classes that semester was about finding the real problem when dealing with those in need of counselling and dealing with it using Scripture. To this day when ministering to those in need around me I try to find the core issue that they are struggling with instead of making them feel better for a short time.
I realise that it isn't possible to make dramatic impact upon students in each class. But teachers can develop within their students character traits and habits that can help them be successful in the future. Becoming more of a coach than a teacher will not keep every student from using the dump truck method. But it will plant seeds in their hearts that can make them stronger people in the future.
1Bruce Wilkinson, The Seven Laws of the Learner, pg.17, par.2, ln.1
As a person who used the dump truck method countless times during High School and College I understand it's usefulness. But there must be a better way of learning and applying information. The blame for using this method of learning and test taking should be placed upon students who refuse to study ahead of time. But some teachers are also taking some of that responsibility upon themselves. They believe that, “True Biblical teaching doesn't take place unless the students have learned. If they haven't learned, I haven't taught.1” As a result these instructors focus on reaching specific goals in their classes instead of just giving out information. And therefore become more like coaches instead of teachers.
Recently the professor I work with at the Bible College helped me develop lesson plans for my classes in April. He told me to make very specific aims (goals) for each class that can be evaluated later. This would be done by asking questions like “what will they learn?”, “what will they do with it?”, “what do they already know?”, and “how can I assist them?” These questions can make a big difference. It takes a general goal (“we will learn how to make paper air planes”) and makes it specific (“we will learn how to in ideal conditions create paper air planes that will travel an average distance of twenty to thirty feet”). These specific goals will in time turn into habits and responses. And those responses will help the student years after the class has ended. That is why I feel this form of teaching should be viewed as coaching. It focuses on preparing students for things that they will face in the future.
Thinking about teachers/coaches reminds me of a professor at Bible College. I took a class from him on counselling those in need with Scripture. In one of the first classes he told us about having trouble breathing because of nasal congestion. He would take medicine and it would clear up, but only for a few days. Finally he went to the doctor and learned that surgery was needed. Following the surgery he did not have any other problems.
The professor went on to explain that many people don't deal with serious problems correctly. They will put a band aid where surgery should be done. The rest of the classes that semester was about finding the real problem when dealing with those in need of counselling and dealing with it using Scripture. To this day when ministering to those in need around me I try to find the core issue that they are struggling with instead of making them feel better for a short time.
I realise that it isn't possible to make dramatic impact upon students in each class. But teachers can develop within their students character traits and habits that can help them be successful in the future. Becoming more of a coach than a teacher will not keep every student from using the dump truck method. But it will plant seeds in their hearts that can make them stronger people in the future.
1Bruce Wilkinson, The Seven Laws of the Learner, pg.17, par.2, ln.1
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Shattering My Comfort Zone
As a teenager I attended a camp affiliated with my church during the summer. I loved going to that camp because it gave me a chance to see friends who lived in other states. But the reason I kept coming back was because it challenged me. One of the foundational goals of that camp was to help push teenagers “comfort zones”. In other words the counsellors and other workers challenged campers to try new things that they may not have attempted before. Many times I was nervous while doing these things, but in the end pushing my comfort zone always made me a stronger person.
Last Saturday night I did not just push my comfort zone. Instead I shattered my comfort zone into thousands of little pieces. About three weeks ago one of my friends at the church I work with told me about a young adults activity that was coming up. They were going to take a dancing lesson! For an hour and a half a trainer would walk them through a dance routine and at the end of the session they would attempt it on their own. These sessions were great for exercise and just having fun so a lot of people decided to go.
When people asked me if I wanted to go I immediately answered with an emphatic no. I have never in my life taken any kind of dancing lessons, and did not want to start. Basically I was embarrassed about making myself look silly by not being able to keep up with everyone else. But my friends all kept encouraging me to come since a bunch of them couldn't dance either. After a few weeks I finally agreed to go. The plan was to go out there for ten or fifteen minutes then watch everyone else.
When I got to the activity Saturday I was a nervous wreck. My nerves weren't helped at all when I realised that there was nowhere to just sit and watch everyone else. Whether I liked it or not I was going through the entire lesson! I put myself in the very back of the group and prayed that I would not break any body parts. After doing some stretches we began learning the routine. At first I felt pretty good about being able to keep up with everyone else without making too many mistakes. But the instructor kept on adding more complex moves to the routine, and I kept trying to move farther back.
Since there were so many of us the instructor split us into three smaller groups. I was in group two but there was not too much room to move because there were so many people in my group. After a break I saw that a lot of people in group three had either moved or left. I knew that getting into group three would give me a lot more room. But group three only had three people while the other groups had about ten. Being in group three would make my lack of coordination really obvious. But I decided to just join the group and have fun.
Towards the end of the lesson our instructor had each group do the routine by themselves. As I watched the first two groups perform I felt sick. It is not easy to hide bad dancing skills when there are only four people in your group! Finally it came time for my group to perform. I took a deep breath, and did the best that I could. There is little doubt that I was the worst dancer in my group but people cheered us anyways.
I left the activity at 8:30 with sweat dripping off my face and my shirt was soaked. My back and legs were killing me when I got up this morning. But I am still happy I went. Because there is a certain satisfaction that comes from challenging our comfort zones. Challenging our comfort zones is not about being the best person out there. It is about forgetting the fear in your heart and just having fun. It is about forgetting the mistakes you made and trying better next time. It is about accepting the challenge and doing your very best. Many of us live our lives believing that comfort zones are supposed to be protected. But maybe they were meant to be shattered.
Last Saturday night I did not just push my comfort zone. Instead I shattered my comfort zone into thousands of little pieces. About three weeks ago one of my friends at the church I work with told me about a young adults activity that was coming up. They were going to take a dancing lesson! For an hour and a half a trainer would walk them through a dance routine and at the end of the session they would attempt it on their own. These sessions were great for exercise and just having fun so a lot of people decided to go.
When people asked me if I wanted to go I immediately answered with an emphatic no. I have never in my life taken any kind of dancing lessons, and did not want to start. Basically I was embarrassed about making myself look silly by not being able to keep up with everyone else. But my friends all kept encouraging me to come since a bunch of them couldn't dance either. After a few weeks I finally agreed to go. The plan was to go out there for ten or fifteen minutes then watch everyone else.
When I got to the activity Saturday I was a nervous wreck. My nerves weren't helped at all when I realised that there was nowhere to just sit and watch everyone else. Whether I liked it or not I was going through the entire lesson! I put myself in the very back of the group and prayed that I would not break any body parts. After doing some stretches we began learning the routine. At first I felt pretty good about being able to keep up with everyone else without making too many mistakes. But the instructor kept on adding more complex moves to the routine, and I kept trying to move farther back.
Since there were so many of us the instructor split us into three smaller groups. I was in group two but there was not too much room to move because there were so many people in my group. After a break I saw that a lot of people in group three had either moved or left. I knew that getting into group three would give me a lot more room. But group three only had three people while the other groups had about ten. Being in group three would make my lack of coordination really obvious. But I decided to just join the group and have fun.
Towards the end of the lesson our instructor had each group do the routine by themselves. As I watched the first two groups perform I felt sick. It is not easy to hide bad dancing skills when there are only four people in your group! Finally it came time for my group to perform. I took a deep breath, and did the best that I could. There is little doubt that I was the worst dancer in my group but people cheered us anyways.
I left the activity at 8:30 with sweat dripping off my face and my shirt was soaked. My back and legs were killing me when I got up this morning. But I am still happy I went. Because there is a certain satisfaction that comes from challenging our comfort zones. Challenging our comfort zones is not about being the best person out there. It is about forgetting the fear in your heart and just having fun. It is about forgetting the mistakes you made and trying better next time. It is about accepting the challenge and doing your very best. Many of us live our lives believing that comfort zones are supposed to be protected. But maybe they were meant to be shattered.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Running in 95 Degree Heat
The Internet tells me that it is 85 degrees outside, but I know that it is a lot hotter than that. The actual temperature is about 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit). But that didn't stop me from running for about two miles this afternoon.
I used to run almost every day for exercise when I was in the United States. When I got to Australia I decided to continue this habit to keep myself in good shape. During the first two months I ran five days a week and lost a lot of weight. Only to gain it all back again when I moved into my own house. The excuse was that I didn't have any place to run, but there was a walking trail very close to me. The reason I stopped running was because it was too hard.
A few summers ago I ran in three 5k races. In order to do well in those I applied myself like never before to running. At one point I was running eight miles a few times each week! I even ran for eleven miles with my brother during that summer. There is little doubt that I was in the best shape of my life that summer. What made the difference between last year and a few summers ago? I was definitely in better shape and more committed when I ran the 5k races. But where did that commitment come from? It came from the realisation that people believed in me.
My parents were in attendance at each of the 5k races that I ran. And after each one they would tell me how well I did. They took a number of pictures during the races (one which is currently the background my computer for motivation). My father would tell me every day how proud he was of me as I walked into the house with sweat pouring down my face. They would both tell everyone at our church about how well I was doing. And of course they cheered like mad when I ran by during the race.
In time the dream of running an eight and half minute mile became my motivation. But before that my motivation was the encouraging words of my parents along with many friends. It was those words that gave the strength to keep running when my legs felt like they would fall off. And it was their belief in me that fuelled my desire to run a faster sprint today than I did yesterday.
Which brings me to my mid afternoon run in 95 degree heat. My parents are able to see me on a web cam when I talk with them during the week using Skype. Last month they started commenting on how I was starting to look healthier. And once I told them that I started running again they got really excited. Now at least once a week they make sure that I am running, and tell me how proud they are because I am doing it.
It is amazing the power that can be found in simple words of encouragement. They can take a young man who isn't exceptionally gifted in athletics and turn him into a person who runs eight miles three times a week. And they can cause a person to run in the hot Australian sun so he can get a good workout (don't worry, I drank huge amounts of water and took a thirty minute nap afterwards).
I am a long way from where I should be physically but that's okay. Because I know that I won't quit this time like I did last year. Last year my motivation was getting in shape. But that motivation kind of gets weak after a while. Some people use music from their ipod as motivation to get over that last hill. While I do use my ipod it isn't my motivation. Instead I use the encouraging words of my parents. It is going to get cold in a few months when the Australian winter begins. And when the desire for fitness or ipod won't get me out the door, my parents belief in me definitely will.
I used to run almost every day for exercise when I was in the United States. When I got to Australia I decided to continue this habit to keep myself in good shape. During the first two months I ran five days a week and lost a lot of weight. Only to gain it all back again when I moved into my own house. The excuse was that I didn't have any place to run, but there was a walking trail very close to me. The reason I stopped running was because it was too hard.
A few summers ago I ran in three 5k races. In order to do well in those I applied myself like never before to running. At one point I was running eight miles a few times each week! I even ran for eleven miles with my brother during that summer. There is little doubt that I was in the best shape of my life that summer. What made the difference between last year and a few summers ago? I was definitely in better shape and more committed when I ran the 5k races. But where did that commitment come from? It came from the realisation that people believed in me.
My parents were in attendance at each of the 5k races that I ran. And after each one they would tell me how well I did. They took a number of pictures during the races (one which is currently the background my computer for motivation). My father would tell me every day how proud he was of me as I walked into the house with sweat pouring down my face. They would both tell everyone at our church about how well I was doing. And of course they cheered like mad when I ran by during the race.
In time the dream of running an eight and half minute mile became my motivation. But before that my motivation was the encouraging words of my parents along with many friends. It was those words that gave the strength to keep running when my legs felt like they would fall off. And it was their belief in me that fuelled my desire to run a faster sprint today than I did yesterday.
Which brings me to my mid afternoon run in 95 degree heat. My parents are able to see me on a web cam when I talk with them during the week using Skype. Last month they started commenting on how I was starting to look healthier. And once I told them that I started running again they got really excited. Now at least once a week they make sure that I am running, and tell me how proud they are because I am doing it.
It is amazing the power that can be found in simple words of encouragement. They can take a young man who isn't exceptionally gifted in athletics and turn him into a person who runs eight miles three times a week. And they can cause a person to run in the hot Australian sun so he can get a good workout (don't worry, I drank huge amounts of water and took a thirty minute nap afterwards).
I am a long way from where I should be physically but that's okay. Because I know that I won't quit this time like I did last year. Last year my motivation was getting in shape. But that motivation kind of gets weak after a while. Some people use music from their ipod as motivation to get over that last hill. While I do use my ipod it isn't my motivation. Instead I use the encouraging words of my parents. It is going to get cold in a few months when the Australian winter begins. And when the desire for fitness or ipod won't get me out the door, my parents belief in me definitely will.
Monday, March 10, 2008
My First Ghost Story
We live in a world of experience consumers who always want to “feel things”. That makes it very hard for the ministries in local churches. And it makes things especially hard for those pastors who preach sermons every Sunday. After all, we are supposed to preach God's truth so that people will change, not give them a warm fuzzy feeling inside.
Those ministries who make getting an emotional response from people their goal are destined to fail. In time those people will not be entertained anymore and start searching for a church that makes them “feel” better. Is it possible to connect with people emotionally through a sermon without watering down the message? I believe that it is possible through one of the oldest methods known to man, the art of story telling.
When I think of story telling it takes me back to an experience that happened many years ago. I was a young boy and the church my father pastored sent a group of people on a missions trip to Canada. Since my mom and dad where going I along with my brother got to go as well. The only problem was we were driving to Canada instead of flying. And for a little boy riding in a van for most of the day isn't fun at all.
After a few days on the road I was getting pretty bored. But then one of the men in my van started to tell some stories. I am not sure why he started telling them, maybe he saw that I was bored, but I will never forget those stories. See these were not just any stories. They were ghost stories. For what seemed like hours he told me stories about ghosts who haunted people at night. And after each one I begged him to tell me another.
The next day I made sure that I got on the same van as that man. Not only that but I had my younger brother with me! We both sat and listened as he told us one story after another. Today so many years later I still remember feeling excited, nervous, and a little bit scared at the same time. Every feeling came from those stories.
I can remember on another occasion camping out with my class mates in the fifth grade. While we were going to sleep I asked my teacher Mr. Detant to tell us a story. So as I laid in my sleeping bag he told the story of a little boy named John who was sent by his mother to buy some chicken liver for supper.
John found some meat with a sign that said liver which the butcher was selling cheaply so he bought it. Later that night he heard a voice far away saying, “John I want my liver”. The voice came up the street and through John's front door asking for his liver the whole time. Suddenly John realised that he had eaten a human liver instead of a chicken liver!
John escapes the house and is chased by the ghost only to fall into an open grave. And the last thing he heard was, “John I have my liver now”. I can't remember anything else from that camping trip but I can remember every word of the story. And I also vaguely remember having a hard time sleeping that night.
Stories have a way of connecting with us and staying in our minds. They also many times bring an emotional response. Christ himself even used stories in the forms of parables in his teachings. It is hard to keep the balance between allowing people to “experience truth” while at the same teaching truth correctly. But using stories that illustrate the truth of God's Word is a wonderful way to keep that balance. And many times years after the truth has faded from our minds the story will remain.
Those ministries who make getting an emotional response from people their goal are destined to fail. In time those people will not be entertained anymore and start searching for a church that makes them “feel” better. Is it possible to connect with people emotionally through a sermon without watering down the message? I believe that it is possible through one of the oldest methods known to man, the art of story telling.
When I think of story telling it takes me back to an experience that happened many years ago. I was a young boy and the church my father pastored sent a group of people on a missions trip to Canada. Since my mom and dad where going I along with my brother got to go as well. The only problem was we were driving to Canada instead of flying. And for a little boy riding in a van for most of the day isn't fun at all.
After a few days on the road I was getting pretty bored. But then one of the men in my van started to tell some stories. I am not sure why he started telling them, maybe he saw that I was bored, but I will never forget those stories. See these were not just any stories. They were ghost stories. For what seemed like hours he told me stories about ghosts who haunted people at night. And after each one I begged him to tell me another.
The next day I made sure that I got on the same van as that man. Not only that but I had my younger brother with me! We both sat and listened as he told us one story after another. Today so many years later I still remember feeling excited, nervous, and a little bit scared at the same time. Every feeling came from those stories.
I can remember on another occasion camping out with my class mates in the fifth grade. While we were going to sleep I asked my teacher Mr. Detant to tell us a story. So as I laid in my sleeping bag he told the story of a little boy named John who was sent by his mother to buy some chicken liver for supper.
John found some meat with a sign that said liver which the butcher was selling cheaply so he bought it. Later that night he heard a voice far away saying, “John I want my liver”. The voice came up the street and through John's front door asking for his liver the whole time. Suddenly John realised that he had eaten a human liver instead of a chicken liver!
John escapes the house and is chased by the ghost only to fall into an open grave. And the last thing he heard was, “John I have my liver now”. I can't remember anything else from that camping trip but I can remember every word of the story. And I also vaguely remember having a hard time sleeping that night.
Stories have a way of connecting with us and staying in our minds. They also many times bring an emotional response. Christ himself even used stories in the forms of parables in his teachings. It is hard to keep the balance between allowing people to “experience truth” while at the same teaching truth correctly. But using stories that illustrate the truth of God's Word is a wonderful way to keep that balance. And many times years after the truth has faded from our minds the story will remain.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Experience Consumers
Next week I will be turning thirty-two years old. And though I told my parents to just put money in my bank account, they insisted on sending me presents. So yesterday I picked up a box from my local post office and ripped it open immediately after getting home (my parents told me to open the box when I got it). What I found inside was precious.
Most presents in that box where less than fifteen dollars. But to me they were precious treasures. Because each one of those items had vivid memories attached to them. There was a coffee cup from the gas station where I stopped to get fuel on those long deputation trips. A daily desk calendar with my favourite comic strip. A penguin Christmas ornament that reminds me of all the penguins I bought my mother the last Christmas I was at home. Every item that I pulled out of the box meant something special to me.
The experience reminded me of Christmas and birthdays when I was younger. Like most children I wanted the latest video game, computer, or electronic gadget as a present. Christmas was especially exciting for me. I would shake the presents with my name on them and try to guess what was inside. Christmas morning would be filled with happiness as I ripped open the brightly wrapped packages. But I always felt sad after all the presents were opened. I can remember one Christmas being surrounded by presents and at the same time unhappy. Part of this is because the excitement of opening presents was over. But I believe there was something deeper to it.
For years people have been consumers of things like electronics and clothes. But today they have become consumers of experiences. This is because the feeling of love and care that I received from the gifts in that birthday box are much more powerful than any item. Millionaires spend their lives seeking for what I found in that box. But these experiences of love are hard to come by.
Post modernity promised us happiness and success like never before. But it has not lived up to that promise. “We have pagers, answering machines, e-mail, phones, cellular phones, and modems. We're more connected than ever before, and we're more lonely than ever before.1” We have an entire generation of people surrounded by things but at the same time unhappy.
How do we help cure this problem? Through simple acts of kindness. One of the most meaningful presents in my box was a bag of Starburst jelly beans. That bag of candy probably cost less than $2.50, but it was a prized treasure to me. Obviously the jelly beans are not a prized possession (though I like jelly beans). It is the memory that is attached to that bag which is so precious.
My parents know that I love jelly beans. They could have gone out and bought any kind and I would be thrilled. But they asked me what my favourite jelly beans where. Now to some people that would not be a big deal. But seeing that bag made me feel incredibly loved. My parents where not only willing to just send me jelly beans. They went to the trouble of finding my favourite kind and sending them.
What's the point? A $2.50 bag of jelly beans can give the experience which can't be bought with millions of dollars. Because that candy along with the other items in my box where given in love. The gifts in that box challenged me to show love towards others. Never before has there been a greater need for simple acts of kindness. People all around us crave love and acceptance which can't be found in money or things. Perhaps it is time for us to connect with those people, and start sending them boxes of treasures.
1Leonard Sweet, Soul Tsunami, pg.193, par.3, ln.4
Most presents in that box where less than fifteen dollars. But to me they were precious treasures. Because each one of those items had vivid memories attached to them. There was a coffee cup from the gas station where I stopped to get fuel on those long deputation trips. A daily desk calendar with my favourite comic strip. A penguin Christmas ornament that reminds me of all the penguins I bought my mother the last Christmas I was at home. Every item that I pulled out of the box meant something special to me.
The experience reminded me of Christmas and birthdays when I was younger. Like most children I wanted the latest video game, computer, or electronic gadget as a present. Christmas was especially exciting for me. I would shake the presents with my name on them and try to guess what was inside. Christmas morning would be filled with happiness as I ripped open the brightly wrapped packages. But I always felt sad after all the presents were opened. I can remember one Christmas being surrounded by presents and at the same time unhappy. Part of this is because the excitement of opening presents was over. But I believe there was something deeper to it.
For years people have been consumers of things like electronics and clothes. But today they have become consumers of experiences. This is because the feeling of love and care that I received from the gifts in that birthday box are much more powerful than any item. Millionaires spend their lives seeking for what I found in that box. But these experiences of love are hard to come by.
Post modernity promised us happiness and success like never before. But it has not lived up to that promise. “We have pagers, answering machines, e-mail, phones, cellular phones, and modems. We're more connected than ever before, and we're more lonely than ever before.1” We have an entire generation of people surrounded by things but at the same time unhappy.
How do we help cure this problem? Through simple acts of kindness. One of the most meaningful presents in my box was a bag of Starburst jelly beans. That bag of candy probably cost less than $2.50, but it was a prized treasure to me. Obviously the jelly beans are not a prized possession (though I like jelly beans). It is the memory that is attached to that bag which is so precious.
My parents know that I love jelly beans. They could have gone out and bought any kind and I would be thrilled. But they asked me what my favourite jelly beans where. Now to some people that would not be a big deal. But seeing that bag made me feel incredibly loved. My parents where not only willing to just send me jelly beans. They went to the trouble of finding my favourite kind and sending them.
What's the point? A $2.50 bag of jelly beans can give the experience which can't be bought with millions of dollars. Because that candy along with the other items in my box where given in love. The gifts in that box challenged me to show love towards others. Never before has there been a greater need for simple acts of kindness. People all around us crave love and acceptance which can't be found in money or things. Perhaps it is time for us to connect with those people, and start sending them boxes of treasures.
1Leonard Sweet, Soul Tsunami, pg.193, par.3, ln.4
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Taking a Moment To Dream
I love to day dream. It has been that way ever since I was kids creating epic stories with my imagination. I would constantly dream of what I wanted to do when I was younger. But daydreaming is for children not adults. Our lives are far too busy to dream of what we want to be in the future.
Every once in a while I catch myself day dreaming, but will immediately bring my mind back to reality. Those dreams will be almost impossible to accomplish. And even if I did a lot of pain and suffering would be involved. It is much easier to just beat those dreams into submission with reality. But today I am not going to beat those dreams back. Instead I am going to close my eyes and allow myself to day dream for just a moment.
I see a coffee shop that is run completely as a ministry to Believers in Melbourne Australia.
It will be a place where they can receive solid teaching from God's Word during the week.
It will be a place where they can take workshops or modules to help them mature as Christians.
It will be a place where they can receive counselling or help from other Believers.
It will be a place where they can meet and connect with other Believers.
It will be a place where they can discuss theology with each other
It will be a place where everyone will be accepted
It will be a place where Believers learn how to have a balanced philosophy of ministry instead of going to extremes.
It will be a place where the lost of Melbourne can be ministered to
When I close my eyes I see that coffee shop. Will God give me the opportunity to do this? I am honestly not sure. What I do know is the dreams God places in our hearts should not be ignored or covered up constantly. So close your eyes for a few moments today and let yourself dream. And pray that God will allow that dream to come true if it is his will. By the way, you are all invited to have a free cup of coffee at my shop in about three years.
Every once in a while I catch myself day dreaming, but will immediately bring my mind back to reality. Those dreams will be almost impossible to accomplish. And even if I did a lot of pain and suffering would be involved. It is much easier to just beat those dreams into submission with reality. But today I am not going to beat those dreams back. Instead I am going to close my eyes and allow myself to day dream for just a moment.
I see a coffee shop that is run completely as a ministry to Believers in Melbourne Australia.
It will be a place where they can receive solid teaching from God's Word during the week.
It will be a place where they can take workshops or modules to help them mature as Christians.
It will be a place where they can receive counselling or help from other Believers.
It will be a place where they can meet and connect with other Believers.
It will be a place where they can discuss theology with each other
It will be a place where everyone will be accepted
It will be a place where Believers learn how to have a balanced philosophy of ministry instead of going to extremes.
It will be a place where the lost of Melbourne can be ministered to
When I close my eyes I see that coffee shop. Will God give me the opportunity to do this? I am honestly not sure. What I do know is the dreams God places in our hearts should not be ignored or covered up constantly. So close your eyes for a few moments today and let yourself dream. And pray that God will allow that dream to come true if it is his will. By the way, you are all invited to have a free cup of coffee at my shop in about three years.
Monday, March 03, 2008
Non Drastic Change
Next month I will begin teaching my first full time class at a Bible College in Australia. I am confident that God will use me because I have spent the last year preparing myself for this teaching ministry. Much of that preparation came through research and reading. But part of it came through talking with Believers in the area. I asked many of them what I should do in order to become a strong teacher at the Bible College. I was interested in hearing their advice, but also wondered if many of them would give the same advice.
Surprisingly almost everyone who I asked voiced the same desire. They said it in different ways but their answer did not change. It was not for classes that challenged them academically. It was not for classes that were more practical. More media in the class room was not asked for. Instead I was told repeatedly by Believers that they wanted flexibility.
Flexibility in the mind of these Australians is that the Bible College adapt to their needs and schedules. There was a desire for classes to be offered at night and in module forms so that those who work during the day can take them. There was also interest in giving students more liberty in the way they choose which class to take.
The results of my question surprised me. Currently there are not many students at the Bible College where I minister. I was afraid that in order to gain students serious changes would have to be made. But after talking to these people I see that is not true. They simply want more flexibility or freedom in the way we do ministry.
Flexibility is one of the hardest characteristics to develop in ministry. You run the risk of adapting to the needs of others too strongly and giving them control instead of God. Or you adapt too little and end up with a weak ministry. It is very tempting to just give up on being flexible altogether and ask that others adapt to our way of doing things.
Even though it is tempting we must not refuse to be flexible. But it is important to make sure we are flexible on the right things. It is okay be flexible (adapt or change for the good of others) with our methods of ministry. It is not okay to be flexible with our doctrinal or theological beliefs. The role of leaders in ministry is to clearly understand what their methods, and doctrinal beliefs are. This way they can be flexible (with methods) and inflexible (in doctrine) at the same time.
It is easy to become discouraged when it seems change is needed in ministry. This discouragement can lead people to make drastic changes which may not be necessary. Many times a few small changes in the methods will bring new life and energy to the ministry. Change does not have to be about tearing everything down and building it again. Usually it just involves finding what the people want and giving it to them.
Surprisingly almost everyone who I asked voiced the same desire. They said it in different ways but their answer did not change. It was not for classes that challenged them academically. It was not for classes that were more practical. More media in the class room was not asked for. Instead I was told repeatedly by Believers that they wanted flexibility.
Flexibility in the mind of these Australians is that the Bible College adapt to their needs and schedules. There was a desire for classes to be offered at night and in module forms so that those who work during the day can take them. There was also interest in giving students more liberty in the way they choose which class to take.
The results of my question surprised me. Currently there are not many students at the Bible College where I minister. I was afraid that in order to gain students serious changes would have to be made. But after talking to these people I see that is not true. They simply want more flexibility or freedom in the way we do ministry.
Flexibility is one of the hardest characteristics to develop in ministry. You run the risk of adapting to the needs of others too strongly and giving them control instead of God. Or you adapt too little and end up with a weak ministry. It is very tempting to just give up on being flexible altogether and ask that others adapt to our way of doing things.
Even though it is tempting we must not refuse to be flexible. But it is important to make sure we are flexible on the right things. It is okay be flexible (adapt or change for the good of others) with our methods of ministry. It is not okay to be flexible with our doctrinal or theological beliefs. The role of leaders in ministry is to clearly understand what their methods, and doctrinal beliefs are. This way they can be flexible (with methods) and inflexible (in doctrine) at the same time.
It is easy to become discouraged when it seems change is needed in ministry. This discouragement can lead people to make drastic changes which may not be necessary. Many times a few small changes in the methods will bring new life and energy to the ministry. Change does not have to be about tearing everything down and building it again. Usually it just involves finding what the people want and giving it to them.
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