Blog My Sojourn Live

Beginning notes of life changing passage--  2 Timothy 1.12b

 ³I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. ⁴Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.

2nd

⁵I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. ⁶For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

 ⁸So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God,

3rd
 ⁹who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, ¹⁰but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

¹¹And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. ¹²That is why I am suffering as I am.

Start (The verse in my Heart)
 Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

 ¹³What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.

Close
¹⁴Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

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So then, what is important to God?  How to help students integrate their faith into life?   Remember—faith in the complete work of Christ produces righteousness— not works, not good behavior, not good grades, not any of the stuff that we all as parents want our students to call their own—but—behavior does not bring righteousness.  So—so what about helping students be better young people?  Well, the how of integrating faith produces really great students—so how?

What are the things that matter to God?   Isaiah 66. 2b says  “This is what I esteem:  he  who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.”   Ahhhh there it is… the beginning of integrating faith into life,  integrating faith into attitude, integrating faith into behavior. 

Here is how it works

When a student recognizes their NEED for the Savior—due to the reality of their sin, their need for forgiveness, their need for reconciliation, their need for restoration—I call it becoming aware—the student that feels the above—not just head knowledge ( which I know many, many students with tons of head knowledge)  and they are arrogant, and believe that they are their own savior—they know it all, they don’t do such terrible things—so, they are good… right?  

Back to the Need for the Savior and the feeling of neediness and the overwhelming sense that I, they, you—are thus humbled by our sinfulness, and come to God with contrite hearts because we know, feel and sense that without the Christ our works, our lives are but filthy rags.  The problem, we have really hurt students by connecting some “good” behavior with meaning that all is well, i.e., not drinking, but nobody deals with them about their lying, their back talking and back biting (like some adults) and other such sins that just aren’t so bad.  

Integrating faith, becomes a complete understanding that the student needs their relationship with Christ to live daily and thus the end of Is.66.2b  “trembles at the Word.”

See?  The student that recognizes their complete and utter lostness finds humility in what Christ has done, has a contrite heart and spirit because the student knows that they at their core are needy, and thus go to the word as not something called devotions that a person does because somebody told them to—but because they are so thankful for what Christ has done, they put their faith in Him and Him alone and that drives one to remain humble and contrite.  You may ask, "what about my student that is o.k., never in trouble, tows the line, does the right things-- I say-- on the outside-- but what is going on inside?  Inside, where the mind is at work, where the heart is decietful, where things may be going on-- and the student is waiting for the "right time" to finally live out the insid-- i.e., heading off to college where nobody knows them, where the folly of stuff is right in front of them, where they can live out the inside stuff?   I see it all the time-- students waiting to chuck all the "right stuff" because it really isn't part of their inside-- just the outside.

Try to integrate the above into your life and see how that changes this idea that we are so much better than people, and that because we don’t do this or that—that we are somehow good.  No where in Scripture is that taught—and yet, our human fallenness wants us to believe that we somehow can pull that off.  Add that to students that already feel like they have to prove themselves by doing everything right and good and can't slip up-- the student today needs a ministry where truth is taught, give an opportunity to dialogue, struggle, wrestle and be honest is a high value to me.

Students need the truth today!  More to talk about--in the...

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Have you ever asked a student this lil ole question.   What will it take for God to love you?  Or  What kind of things can you do so that God will love you?  Or  If you read the Bible, why?

Listen carefully to their answers?  What do you hear?   Sometimes you hear that they really believe that their behavior brings love from God.  That if they do certain things correctly or even at a high level of commitment that God offers more love to them.  You may even hear them answer that “God loves them because they received Christ as their savior, but they must continue to do things—in order to stay in His good graces and even continue to be loved by Him.  There are churched students that actually believe that they determine their righteousness.  That’s right—there are students that actually believe that somehow—church attendance,  daily devotions, forms of activity bring righteousness.

Do you believe any of the above?  If you do—you are in some deep trouble.

We live in a day—where confusion is all around.  Government is a disaster, people in leadership are crazy, who do you trust?  The local church is all over the place—people want this, want that, want music a certain way, King James, denominationalism—blah blah blah….

So what is a student to believe? 

Here is what is missing.  What brings righteousness to humans?  Works?  Never.  Really?  Yes—never.

So where does righteousness come from?  From placing one’s FAITH in what Christ did on the cross and 3 days later period.  It is by faith that a person is saved.  Any works?  None—faith and faith alone.  Eph. 2.8,9

When you ask a student why they do this or that—they never talk about their faith—it’s always about being better by doing this or that… but who is teaching about faith.

Read the Bible—Abraham believed and it was credited to him as righteousness.  He acted upon what he believed (faith) and that is what brought righteousness.   How bout you?  How are you righteous?  By your works?  By church attendance?  By reading your Bible?  Never.  Those are by bi products of ones faith.  But the acts do not bring righteousness.  Never—never.  Now—try and try and try to teach it correctly to students.   Really?  Yes!  Now you are in my world.

Don’t mix getting good grades with being righteous.  Don’t mix remaining a virgin as super righteous.  It’s not.  Remaining a virgin is great for ones future knowing Christ or not.  Staying away from sexual activity keeps students from the problems of sex.  But it does not bring righteousness.  Faith in Christ brings the righteous robe we will wear someday.  Not whether we were virgins or not.  Don’t mix not smoking as something more than just staying away from substances that can hurt them in the journey of life.  Yes our bodies are His temple.  Yes, it is good not to smoke and party and all the stuff.  But why?    If you tell them it is for righteousness—it is not true—confusion.

If you tell them because you believe it is right—fine, but why should they make it their belief?  If you tell them its for safety—great—at least you are honest.  If you tell them because you know first hand the damage it will do by doing the sick stuff of the world…now you are being transparent and that is even better.  But never tell students—behavior is about righteousness—it is not period.  Really?  Really.  Any time you would like to talk with me—I’m open.  Not many takers—and that scares me.

This is my world and my job.

I believe that...

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It is fundamental—help students learn to think.  Help students learn how to integrate their faith in Christ—to the “real” world.

Make opportunities to allow, to coach, to help, to train students how to integrate their faith in Christ as their Savior- to the everyday life issues.

Parents need desperately now to help their students think, apply, build upon their relationship with Christ.

Parents need right now to help their students to see value in integrating Biblical truth into daily living.

Oh this is so easy to say, but hard to do.  I have been doing it since I started youth ministry over 20 years ago.  Why?  Because I was burned as a kid—burned by those that said—just believe, just do this or that and all will be well.  Going to church, having devotions, praying, doing, doing doing without any reason other than because somebody said it is not good enough period.  Really!  

Oh, going to church, having quiet time, praying is what I do because—I enjoy it, because I like it, because I have integrated it into my life.

But…. And it is a big but— I don’t believe in holding devotions over students heads for quote “being better”  or for being part of a youth group or for rewards.  That may work for little kids—but in the long run—devotions becomes just a hoop to jump through.  Is that worthy of praise?  For some yes—for Jesus— ummmmm where would a parent find what Jesus thinks about what would bring praise from Him to their student?   Find the answer and 1 is thus integrating truth into the life of their student. 

Oh yea—I’ve been doing the above for years—and for many—they are very uncomfortable with that—why?  Their student might come to a conclusion they might not be ready for—i.e., “I don’t want to do devotions.”  Why?  “Because it is just a potion or something I’m supposed to do without meaning.”  I see it every week.  

Youth ministry in this day and age must be, must be a vehicle to help student integrate their faith in Christ into everyday life—and sorry to say—not many parents have done that themselves.  Faith in Christ might just be a road to heaven.  Not a relationship.  Faith in Christ may just be a set of morality, not a way of life.  I see it all the time.

Then, then, I get the students and they are completely confused.  Faith in Christ is more than the road to heaven, and much more then a moral code—way beyond that.  Faith in Christ moves through every aspect of life—but how, who will help them integrated their faith in Christ to living it?

Just came back from the annual raft trip.  Why do we go down a rushing river?  Why do we get away?

To integrate their faith by

Looking at God’s creation—we saw a bald eagle, a red fox, an unbelievable canyon.

Seeing peers that love God and have a relationship with Christ that is way beyond attending church and the message “because that is what we do.” 

Hearing peers talk about how being on the New River rocked their world as they trusted Christ to go through the next huge rapid.

Hearing peers share their faith openly.

Watching 4 student get baptized and the guides watching and being move by their outward declaration.

There are so many ways to help students integrate their relationship with Christ into reality… and I will continue to work at it.  Interesting that many “churchy” people struggle with my approach—they just want their student to think—without really thinking…. In truth—just do what you are told—and all will be right—

I have seen and am continuing to see—many, many students clueless about a relationship with the living Christ—what some...

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Parent to parent.

I was wondering the other day—as a parent of a 16 year old soon to be 17 in a few weeks and a senior this year.  Oh man does that seem young.   I remember making the choice to enroll him in grammar school… and some concern over his being younger than most in his class.

I got a call tonight from my 19 year old that he was in a car accident—he was o.k. and it was the other drivers fault.  Her car totaled in his words.  Of course, I have continued to encourage him to be careful as he delivers pizza where we used to live.  He gets off late—sometimes past 1 a.m.  I will admit, it is difficult being a parent sometimes.

Then the story of the 16 year old girl—trying to sail around the world—by herself—and the parents allowed it—actually praise it.

Well,  I pastor students.  I work with parents, but not really—I often wonder if parents want me to be part of their lives?  Do they want my experience with families and students?  Do they want a relationship?  Do they want to be friends?  Or am I there just to entertain students?   Teach their students something they don’t want to do or can’t?  Is the youth pastor job for parents?   Yes.  Is the youth pastor role to help them?  Yes. 

So?  Well, I know that some parents really struggle with how to get their students ready to roll out on their own.  I know parents struggle with how to help their students love God.  I know parents struggle with how to train their students to live with character and integrity.  I know because I am a parent.

But, you know—I don’t get very many wanting to discuss the above.  Usually the discussion is what about the ‘program’?  What am I doing about this or that?  What about Sunday School?  What about keeping our students busy?  Is that really what I’m supposed to do?  Is that what is really what youth ministry is about?  Friday’s and Sunday’s and events, things to keep them busy?

I was really excited about student ministry when starting last August.  I was really excited about the opportunity to help parents, be part of families, be part of helping them move their student forward.  I am still excited, but reality has set in… parents might not want my help.  Parents might feel that as a youth pastor, I’m just good for programming and event planning and I am the one to teach them about Jesus.  I have been on the sidelines when we were attending a church and my own boyz were in a student ministry that I wasn't running.  Marcie and I made sure the youth pastor knew we were there for him.  He knew we supported him.  I took him to lunch, I hung out with him, my wife support his wife.  Was the church smaller?  Yes.  Was the church all together?  No-- haven't found a perfect church yet.  

I think that if I can't or don't connect the parents soon to the why's, in's and outs of what and why the Next Gen ministry exsists-- I fear I and my staff is just spinning our wheels.  Parent to parent to youth pastor needs to happen.  I know-- I have lots of passion-- some don't get that-- but I refuse to be apathetic.  I know first hand the value of parents in the lives of students.  I know first hand what it means to go through certain times of lives for students-- i.e. pre teen, teen-- the stages differ vastly... and I am thankful that I had others that I could trust, love, and care for myself and Marcie.  I have read plenty of books on parenting--...

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Faith and risk are inseparable…a life of faith is a life of courage. – From the book  Uprising  by McManus

I have been thinking and reading about “Faith” lately.  I’m working on the summer series for the High School ministry—1 reason.   Another reason?  I believe that Faith matters, our Faith is important… God appreciates—God is impressed with or about our Faith.  Really?

Some might argue that God is impressed with our morality.  Some might argue that God is impressed with our “high standards”.  Some would argue that God is delighted in our knowledge, our pursuit of holiness, our church attendance, our this and all that.

⁶And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

 Hebrews 11.6

If a follower of Christ—by the way—a follower of Christ—enters into that relationship by faith.   If a follower of Christ is doing all above without faith—which I contend can be done—is God impressed?   The answer is no—not at all—the motive to the action must be based on faith.

As a student pastor—I know many students that are merely afraid of consequences, doing certain things and not doing for approval of parents and others, doing all the “right” things—without faith.  Is that possible?  Of course it is—people live moral lives everyday.  People attend church every Sunday, people do what is only necessary every minute—without living by faith.

I was taught that in many ways, that faith is based on knowledge—i.e. the knowledge of God—I was taught that faith is about what one knows about God.  Is that right?  Is that the faith of our forefathers? 

The greater question is what—by what standard does God commend us?   Really?  What is important to God?  What would He say about me?  Would He say—your righteousness—(which comes by faith in Christ) is what is so good about you, Don?   No period—righteousness comes by faith—I didn’t do anything to be commended for what Christ has done.

So what would God be excited about in me?  Would it be that I’m in ministry?  That I have remained sober for 18 years?  That I admit when I blow it, that I am a sinner—all the time and that I work hard at not sinning?   I know, maybe He is happy about my raising of my sons?  I doubt it.  Then what?

Hebrews 11.1, 2

¹Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

²This is what the ancients were commended for.

Well, well, well—there is the answer—our forefathers were commended for their faith.

And that faith was acted upon—example:  Noah—Noah?  Yes-

⁷By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.  Hebrews 11.7

Noah lived out His faith as He obeyed God, built the ark, told of God’s judgment.  Noah lived out his faith and that is what Noah was commended for period.

All could say—well, that is why I do what I do.  That is not for me to question—but—I dare say that one then better make sure that their faith lived out is that—their faith pushing them, moving them, what they are living out.

Question:  If God were to talk directly to you and I today—what would He commend us for?  If not our faith—no commendation period.  Just a bunch of "good" things?  Good? … hmmmmm

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Next Gen Leader—What matters most to me?

I have one of the most awesome, incredible, difficult jobs in the world—sometimes!  What are the things I think about?  What are the things that matter to me—leading the Next Gen ministry?

After 20 years or so of Student ministry—High School mainly and a Church plant pastor--- what matters to me?   What do I see?   What do I feel?  What am I hearing?

A few things come to my lil ole mind and heart.  What is this Generation going to do?  To do about Jesus?  To do about knowledge?  To do with the local church?

For starters—How many students in this generation care about the local church?  How many hear from their parents that the local church is not important—oh not by their words per se, but by the way the treat leaders, attendance, giving and the like?  I see students today—with not much support of the local church by their parents—

Oh they attend—but man oh man—they love to complain, talk badly about leadership, opt out of important meetings, and just treat the local church like “if it ain’t doin it my way, then I’ll go find a place that suits me and my family, and when the new joint fails—I’ll go find another one.

Is that the way it is?   To a degree—yes it is.  I know, I work with the students that complain, opt out, are apathetic, come to things that are only “their thing”  and so on.  I believe that this behavior is learned and enabled by parents that finally learned to not “make” students go—but in truth—don’t go to the next level.

I am a parent—both my boyz have said—“I hate this, I don’t want to go, I don’t like the youth guy, I’m not interested.”  So—I could have said—“you are going to go and like it.”  Or  “o.k., go else where”  or forget it.”  But I didn’t.  I didn’t make them go even though I may have agreed with some of their excuses—but I just calmly said—we as a family are going—and I want you to give it a try—church is important, and being part of the youth ministry is important, and I’m asking you to give it a try.”  They would ask—for how long?  And I would respond—just give it a try and we will talk about it.

Why?  Why give it a try?  Because—the local church matters to God.  The Ecclesia is important.  The local church is God’s tool for the world to see, touch, and for “followers” of Christ to Love one another.

So—What matters to me?  That the Next Gen will love the local church.  That the Next Gen will embrace the local church, that the Next Gen will be loyal to God’s purposes through the local church—

Sad to say—that many, many parents—are not teaching the above—in reality—the ministry I work in at best is with those same students only 3-6 hours a week—where is the real influence?    At home—parent do matter—attitude is caught not taught—love for the local church is modeled— and finally many things said contradict just attending—you can’t serve 2 masters—and students in return model what they see and hear—look around—many, many unconnected  students— is it not enough program?  Is it not enough bible teaching, is it not enough whatever?   It starts at home---

What am I most concerned about?   The Next Generation embracing the local church with the heart of the one who loves it so much that He is returning for it.

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O.k., I know it has been a while since I blogged…. The bottom line, the reason no blog for such a long time?  Not quite sure that I have had much to say #1.  #2, been fighting through busy, busy, busy and kinda feelin like not much gets accomplished—except the things I have had to actually really, really work at.

What things do I really, really have to work at?  Oh man—I thought about that today—what is it that I work at?  What really drives me?  Work—yes!  I have a huge job to do at Fairhaven church—it really is huge—and the nuances of Next Gen ministry not many understand.  The issue of ministry as a job is very interesting indeed.  For there are systems that need to be put in place that after 8-10 months have been a real struggle to get in place and working.

Secondly—there is on top of my job—ministry—a home life that must be maintained—a great wife, 1 teenager and 1 late teenage that deserve my attention—I still am coaching them so that they can fly away someday with mad skills—my job as a parent—not always fun, not always easy—but my role is to coach them on into managing their lives.

Third—my desire to see my job, my family, and my relationship with Christ—succeed.  Succeed?  Yes, I want to be a successful Christ follower period.  What does that look like?  What does that feel like?    Hmmmmmm A successful Christ follower I believe is one that lives by faith.  Not by the list, not by what others have deemed righteous—but by faith.

Frankly, I am struggling with faith right now—I am struggling with trusting God with—with a ministry that is still under fire—people fire for sure—and the devils fire—and at this moment—this day—it is easier to just do—and not live by faith…. But the Spirit is spurring me on to stop and pray.  To stop and let go… to stop and seek His face… to stop and trust Him with all the above discussed… but, will I?

Isn’t that the issue?  Isn’t that what it takes?  To live successful—as a Christ follower?  Oh—I know how I used to think—just talk—just use God words… just, do and do and do and do—but deep down—that was like, really just convincing myself that all was well--- while in truth—I wasn’t trusting the Lord—I was trusting my doing.

I’m gonna stop now and pray—

I’m going to pray for the Next Gen ministry that has so many students that actually need to do the same—not do all the rulez and stuff—but learn to Trust Him first—learn to make Him Lord, learn to live for Him, want to be successful as they follow Him.  I’m gonna pray for the Next Gen ministry that needs His touch, His movement, His power.

I’m going to stop and pray for my family- for my wife, for my sons, for my family.

I’m going to stop and pray and ask for forgiveness for trying to hard… for caring too much, for not trusting Him.

I’m going to stop right now and give my heart to Him so that when I go to work tomorrow, He and I are on the same page.

I’m going to pray against the enemy that is working over time at distracting me from trusting Him.

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