Archive for August, 2007

…. Is the title displayed under the image of a good mate of mine, on this months cover of ‘Group Magazine’.
If you haven’t yet, go grab a copy and give it a read…… yes, it may stir and rustle a few feathers but keep reading, there are nuggets of gold in the article that I hope will spark a lot of conversation and discussion. “An outsiders view on American Youth Ministry.”

Colin Piper (the author) and I have been mates for a couple of years now and technically he’s my boss. He and wife Melissa are the International Directors of International Christian Youthworks, a network of missional youth leaders around the world who partner together in missions, leadership training and through an accredited Bachelors and Masters work/study program (Jody and I head up the USA). He’s got a zeal and passion for the Bible that is unequalled and quite frankly is infectious when you get around him. I love him because he’s blunt and honest, this article throws it all out on the table but rewards with such a redeeming truth.

With his permission I’ll post some of the article here…. to read the rest click on the links at the bottom of the page.

Let the discussions begin!!

An Outsiders View of North American Youth Work: copyright Group Magazine - By Colin Piper

“If I was American, where would I want to minister?”

I travel a lot so tend to ask myself stupid questions like that. I’m not American. I’m not even close. I’m a Brit, married to an Aussie, and I love rugby too much to want to live your side of the pond. But for argument’s sake, and because I have another two hours mindless driving ahead, let’s ask the question.

If I was American, and had had the chance to go to Europe and seen a country like Slovenia, which is as developed as America but where there are no known evangelical teenagers at all anywhere, I’d probably be asking whether my time could be better spent somewhere else.

If I was American, and had had the chance to go to Africa where youth pastors live on about a $1 a day and still share the gospel with hilarious abandonment and huge fruit, I’d probably be asking whether my resources could be better spent somewhere else.

But then when all is said, done and asked, I’d probably stay put. Not because of lack of compassion, ambition or faith. But simply because I reckon I could achieve far more for the benefit of the global church from America than from anywhere else.

I believe the American church is God’s gift to the global church.

Really, I do. But before you get carried away, I also believe that with gifting comes responsibility. Jesus said “To him to whom much is given, much is expected.” And the American church has been given huge amounts, of both resources and talent. One day you will need to give account for how you used all you were given. So the question is, are you investing it in the kingdom or burying it in your own backyard? Matt 25v14-30

Take a snapshot from a distance, and the American church, including American youth ministry, looks pretty good. The ministry programs impress us Europeans, the TV programs impress the Africans, and the coffee impresses the Australians. But keep the cameras rolling, and doubts set in. Are the programs there for Jesus or Jesus there for the programs? Hang around and watch the world copying what they see on TV, and it isn’t comfortable viewing: Everyone trying to be American, and failing. Perhaps if they had seen more of Jesus, they would have been inspired to have been more like Jesus, and succeeded.

I don’t think the American church is using the gifts and responsibilities our Father has given you to serve the wider church as effectively as you might. But then I don’t think the American church is using the gifts and responsibilities our Father has given you to serve America as you should either. For what they’re worth, here are my thoughts on American youth ministry. Bear with the first bit, and its gross over generalisations. You won’t like it, but hang in there. It gets better.

Your programs are good, but do they really cut it? Ultimately the question needs to be asked, what questions are you asking? Correct me if I’m wrong, I really want to know, so email me: Why exactly are churches hiring youth pastors? Is it because they are asking the question: how are we going to reach the lost? Or is it because they are asking: how are we going to hang on to what we’ve got? Yes, we’re back to the parable of the talents again!

It seems, admittedly to an outsider, that American youth ministry is run by the Christian kids, with the result that it is largely entertainment. Parents panic over their kids, and suggest the church elders hire someone: heck, they’ll even cover the budget through their tithe! The young Bible College graduate arrives, largely inexperienced, but that’s no problem because the kids tell him or her what he or she needs to do, and as long as he or she does it, all is well. If of course he or she doesn’t, the kids quit the church, the parents turn the screws on the elders, or at least the treasurer, and the youth pastor has to look for a new job, a new start, and a new philosophy, which we in Europe call “laissez faire”!

OK I’m a cynical Brit! I know! But go on, deny it. The strength of the American church is a bit like your economy. Yes, it looks good, and is based on a massively strong foundation which isn’t going to collapse over night. But in reality your stock within the wider American non-Christian community is weakening all the time; a bit like your dollar is weakening in the wider global financial community. And it appears to an outsider that your church leaders care as little about America’s unchurched as your political leaders do about your balance of trade deficit!

You’re losing it, guys. And quickly! Come on, be honest! Step outside your office and walk down the road and ask what impact you’re really having on most kids in the community. Then step back into your church sanctuary and ask what long term impact you’re having on the kids even in the church community.

Why were you hired? What questions were asked of you at interview? Do you sometimes feel all anyone cares about is your program, when actually what really matters are your heart, your prayerfulness and your commitment to the Word of God- or bluntly whether you love Jesus passionately?

It’s time to take a longer, wider and deeper look at things. Kids will never get to heaven via a program. Sure your programs can reveal Jesus, but do they? Do they inspire a depth of relationship with Christ, a deeper desire for holiness and a deep compassion for the lost? Too often the only thing of any real depth I’ve seen in American youth ministry is the popcorn carton.

If you really want to bring in the kingdom in your community rather than just build your church and program, then you’d probably be engaged in creative partnerships with other churches locally. If you really want to impact your kids with the gospel, then your program wouldn’t just be discussions on how God can bless me. Rather it would be an open Bible after the regular input at the homeless shelter has raised questions like: What does God make of a gay AIDS victim?

Don’t get me wrong, I love Americans. You have an energy, a passion and a belief which is lacking in Europe. You’ve always had it. It’s why many of your ancestors left Europe. You left the tired, scared, cynics behind to seek out a brave new world, and live out your dreams. But where are today’s dreamers in youth ministry? Why aren’t your colleges training emerging leaders to think outside of the box? Why do you all seem to do the same thing? Why not try something different? You might fail, but so what? Unless you’re failing at something, you probably aren’t pushing the boundaries or -back to the parable of the talents again- probably just playing safe.

Melissa, my beautiful Aussie wife, and I recruit scores of young American emerging leaders every year and send them out to study in the context of the mission field. We do it for two reasons. First of all they are amazing visionary and passionate young people. They are a gift to the global church, and a credit to the good of American youth ministry. Secondly though, they learn so much more on the mission field than in some cosy college somewhere. The best place to learn about propitiation is out there among the lost, the needy and hopeless. We send many of these young leaders back to the US, with a degree and three years mission experience, but by then they are wrecked for many job vacancies. Their world view has been blown wide open, and they make useless baby sitters for the junior high class.

Of course just getting out on mission isn’t the Holy Grail! America already sends hundreds of thousands of kids on short term mission. We are grateful recipients of some great kids every year. However it isn’t just going, but how you go that matters. It’s possible to make even a mission trip… show time!

One of my American colleagues was sitting in Starbucks a while back, sipping his small decaf, when in came a youth group of about twenty teens all wearing matching T shirts reading “We’re going to change the world for Jesus”. Brad was probably jealous that they could all afford the $6 Mocha Frappe Something, but he was equally embarrassed by the group cutting in line, complaining about the day’s work ahead and their treatment of all those around them. When a few days service a year costs little and earns a souvenir T-shirt and praise from the church fellowship after the power point presentation, then it’s probably a waste of time.

This is an “outsider’s view of American youth ministry”, but let me end this rabid section with a reflection from Brad: “Because of our own short-sightedness and our blindness to the obvious consequences of our approach, we the American church are producing a generation of Church kids who are faithless, frustrated, lonely, often selfish and can be described as spiritually numb and angry in their attitudes towards Church, ministers and most sadly, God!”

Phew, I’m glad that’s over, and that you’re still with me. That’s the downside. Let me go on now to tell you why I still believe American youth ministry is a gift of God to the worldwide church.

CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THE ARTICLE 

Last week I met with Sam Davidson, a social entrepreneur and founder of coolpeoplecare.org. He has a vision to help equip regular people like you and me with simple tools we could use to change the world… check out his website at www.coolpeoplecare.org
Drop by and give them some love! I have a feeling we’ll be seeing alot more of these guys in the future.
Here’s their story……

It started innocently enough. It was a phrase I saw randomly that I thought would make a neat T-shirt for the college crowd (renegade or not). I saw it in my mind’s eye, emblazoned in white across black T-shirts the world over. It was a statement of fact, piggybacking on a word that is overused, but whose definition everyone between the ages of 2 and 92 understand. It was going to be a social revolution disguised in 100%, fair trade, organic cotton. Everyone would proudly declare in a way that only readable T-shirts can: “Cool People Care.”

But, like great social change movements, the first drops of rain cannot indicate the monsoon of creativity that waits. To read the rest of the story click here:

Well bluntly, I’ve been resting a little. After a show in Memphis on the weekend I returned feeling really sick - and I’ll spare you the details…. but it was rough. Feeling much better today though!

Percy has had dreams of being a preacher all his life. He went to preachers school when he was 17 and loved it so much he went every year for 10 years straight. Every opportunity he had, he preached, on the phone, at the mall, chatting with friends and yes, even during prayer meetings.
Percy rocks up to prayer meetings with a neat 3-point expository sermon memorised and ready to preach. When it comes time for him to pray he is ready, for the last 10 minutes of the prayer meeting he had been running through the three points in his head, remembering quotes and scripture references…. ‘Explain, illustrate and apply’
has been ingrained in his soul after 10 years in Preaching School.

“Oh God, I come before you on behalf of those people in the room who are lacking faith. Your word teaches us in Hebrews, that without faith it’s impossible to please you. Lord we need more faith…… and your word teaches us how to receive more.

1) Faith comes by HEARING the Word of God - Romans 10:17

So we must increase our appetite for the word, we must speak the word, hear it through our ears and hide it in our heart.

2) Faith comes by MEDITATING on the Word of God - Psalm 119:148

Much like a cow chewing cud, we must ingest and digest the word to increase our faith.

3) Faith comes by MEMORIZING the Word of God - Psalm 119:11

We must hide the word in our heart. Like the farmer who stores up grain during the harvest, we must likewise store the word in the silos of our heart.

To recap, those who are lacking faith. You must HEAR, MEDITATE AND MEMORIZE.”

Percy ends his three point sermon with a quite from John Piper on faith and its application in our lives.

For the remainder of the prayer meeting Percy re-evaluates his sermon and tries to gauge the effectiveness of his message by the prayers that follow. He takes a few moments to think through the next sermon he will present at next weeks prayer gathering. He leaves the meeting not having heard or agreed together on one single prayer…..

For those who have been wondering why I’m posting these posts about prayer meetings….. CLICK HERE for the post explaining in detail. I hope you’ve been able too look at this through a humorous lens……. I guess you are because I haven’t received any hate mail yet. I thought I would! Tomorrow’s guest is ‘Percy the Preacher’ - One of my personal favorites
On another note, today I played at a Calvary Chapel Church in Brentwood. It was awesome! 25 kids got sponsored….. not bad considering there we’re only 70 people in attendance!! I just love seeing people grasp this concept of living missionally. It’s life changing stuff!

Susan is an interesting lady. She prays so slow that it sends everyone in the prayer meeting to sleep. I mean a pause after every word…. a l-o-n-g pause after e-a-c-h word!

Somewhere along her faith journey she learned the false idea that those who pray long, slow, regal prayers are very holy, and that others will ‘revere’ those who pray this way. Susan believed that people would ‘look-up’ to her as being somewhat more ‘righteous’ than everyone else…… and when she was honest with herself, deep down she liked the thought of this.

Susan continues with the slow-praying at every prayer meeting. Living with the illusion that people see her as being a step further along the road of spirituality than everyone else. However, the stark truth is that Susan puts people to sleep when she prays and causes minds to wander. This is not the goal of a prayer meeting folks!!

Anyone ever met Susan before?

I have a great mate of mine in Australia who is one of the most talented people I know. She is an artist that draws the most unbelievable pictures…… kind of like where’s Waldo on steroids……. and way cooler! I thought I’d post a few of her creations on here to show off her talent to the world! Go visit her blog or facebook for more. If you’re in the book publishing industry…. I’d be sending here major offers real fast. Seriously!! Naomi Rees is about to storm the world!

Jody and I watched movies today after we got home from church. We made it through Back to the Future 1 & 2 - My fav. is 2! I SO want a hoverboard.
I remember watching it when I was a kid and dreaming about how cool the technologies were….. so forward thinking… 2015. Today, as Jo and I watched we laughed. Most of the technology today is so far advanced beyond what the Back to the Future 2 movie portrays.

“McFly, hello McFly!”

Good old Frank. Frank is faithful at all the prayer meetings. For some reason though, he seems to think that God forgets his own name, or that everyone else in the prayer gathering forgets Gods name? Why do I suspect this? Because Franks prayers go something like this…..

“Father God, I pray father God, that father God, your will, will be done. Great father God, may you expand our territories father God, may you enlarge our hearts father God, may you deepen our love father God and may you give us peace father God…….” and on it goes.

By the end of Franks prayer, he has amassed anywhere between 50 and 100 “father God’s”!!!

Frank, you need to tone it down bro….. God has not forgotten His name, and the continual repetition of the name doesn’t make the prayer more effective…. it simply distracts others from agreeing with you in your prayer.

Have you ever met Frank at a prayer meeting?

Booking has commenced for my Aussie tour in November this year.  It will be a combination of schools during the days, churches on weekends and a few other random dates in between.

I’ll be touring with the missions concert I’ve been doing for the last year and a half so I’m mega pumped to be able to do this on my home turf. Keeping mainly in the greater Sydney region this year, because I’ll have my son Liam with me… I cant stray too far from where I’m staying.

For the Aussies reading this blog, let me know if your church would want to have me out and I’ll forward more details. Compassion International have again teamed up with me to bring this event to schools and churches across Sydney. I LOVE Compassion, we’re hoping to see hundreds of kids sponsored this time around! I believe the first step to living missionally is sponsoring kids - James 1:27 folks…. we cant escape it!!
I started booking on Monday, now its Wednesday and dates are filling up fast….

I always love going home, I love the Aussie church!!!