1/24/05

The Church of St. Iggles

As soon as the clock showed all zeros our phone rang. I knew right away who it was. It was our son Josh calling from college to share his rejoicing with his 48 year-old father who's been waiting a long time (24 years to be exact) for his beloved Iggles (that's the Eagles for those of you who didn't grow up in Philly) to make it back to the Super Bowl. Because I was only four years-old when they won their last championship (1960) I don't remember anything at all about it. During his phone call, Josh and I shared some great banter back and forth about the game and what fun it's going to be to watch our Birds in Jacksonville on February 6^th. Yes, we're two of those folks the TV analysts were talking about all week as they spoke of frustrated Eagles fans and their need for a winner. No doubt, if you were watching the game you saw about 70,000 worshipful fans screaming and cheering like they never had before as they sat – or stood – in the "pews" of the Church of St. Iggles known in Philly as The Linc. While I've been an Eagles fan my entire life and I certainly enjoyed the win and am hoping for a victory in two weeks, perspective is needed. Yes, even football – along with all of life – needs to be viewed through the framework of a Biblical world and life view. As my head hit the pillow last night I was thinking about how nice yet meaningless a football victory really is. In the eternal scheme of things, football is not much more than a temporary diversion. There's nothing wrong with that if it's all kept in perspective and we realize that in the end, football offers nothing ultimately redemptive. Still, watching the game can be eye-opening when seen from a Biblical perspective. On the one hand, world-class athletes who use their well-trained bodies to run, jump, throw, catch, block, twist, and turn in ways that most of us can only dream about, bring Glory to their Creator. Granted, I think we could safely say that most of these athletes are only concerned with bringing glory to the man in the mirror. But whether they know it or not, the intricacy and wonder of God's creative design as evidenced in their ability can be seen every week on the gridiron – especially when they run it back in super slow motion. It's a thing of beauty and grace that has its origin in the originator of beauty and grace. But on the other hand, the entire spectacle of football culture and what it's become is a testimony to our culture's emptiness. Don't get me wrong. If kept in perspective, I think we should enjoy, cheer, and celebrate the game. But when the game, our team, and football culture becomes what we live for, we're doing nothing but attempting to fill the God-shaped hole in our soul with something that never fits. And so as I watch the 70,000 who worship at the Linc – or the countless thousands who worship each week in Heinz Field, Giants Stadium, Ravens Stadium, etc. – I am reminded that we've been made by God, made for God, and longing to know God. And if we don't know the One we've been made by and for, we'll keep looking, looking and looking for something – yes, even a football team and the fellowship of like-minded fans – to answer our longing for redemption. So, I'll be cheering happy and hard along with Josh for my beloved Iggles on February 6^th. If they win, "redemption" will come for a city that's waited a long time. But then again, we know it really won't.

1/18/05

The Bible and Rolling Stone

So what do you think about Rolling Stone today? If you didn't catch it already, USA Today is reporting that the pop culture rag has rejected Zondervan's ads for the newly released edition of the TNIV Bible that they are packaging and marketing to 18-34 year-olds. Zondervan execs were relying on their planned ads in Rolling Stone to be a huge part of their largest ever ($1 million) marketing campaign. If you happen to pick up a copy USA Today today (sounds weird doesn't it?), take a look at the ad copy on page 5D. The ad shows a blank faced young man looking into the camera and this text: "Today it makes sense more than ever. In a world of almost endless media noise and political spin, you wonder where you can find real truth. Well now there's a source that's accurate, clear, and reliable. It's the TNIV – Today's New International Version of the Bible. It's written in today's language, for today's times – and it makes sense now more than ever." Rolling Stone rejected the ad because it "doesn't quite feel right in the magazine," said Kent Brownridge. He continues, "The copy is little more than an ad for the Bible. It's a religious message that I personally don't disagree with. . . . we are not in the business of publishing advertising for religious messages." Maybe I'm wrong here, but I can only imagine the outpouring of anger my fellow believers will direct towards Rolling Stone, its "liberal bias" and resulting discrimination against God's people. Could I suggest a more balanced, reasonable, and informed response? If so, here are some things to think about. First, we need to stop with the "woe is me" Christian pity parties. Let's face it. We don't live in a Christian nation and those who hold to a Biblical world and life view are in the distinct minority. Life is tough. Let's stop acting like we've got a right to bully our way to the front of the line. Perhaps the world might find the response that is more difficult for us – one of Christlike love – to be more compelling. Second, I think Brownridge doesn't really understand too much about his own magazine. Rolling Stone – from cover to cover – is all about advertising religious messages. Since all people have a heart bent on worship, what they worship is an indicator of their religion. All people are religious. That said, all magazines are all about being filled with religious content. Brownridge would be more accurate if he said that an ad for distinctively Christian content/worship is inappropriate for Rolling Stone.  Third, Rolling Stone has every right to reject advertising content. I would defend that right whether they reject a condom ad from Trojan or a Bible ad from Zondervan. Funny thing though. . . . . many Christians want to deny Rolling Stone their right to reject a Bible ad by calling it discrimination, but they would never want to give up their right to reject an ad that doesn't "fit" in their magazines. Finally, I'm struggling with the wording in the Zondervan TNIV ad. Is it really on "now" that "there's a source that's accurate, clear, and reliable?" I hope not. I've been reading my Bible for years. I'm also wondering how Zondervan can say that the Bible now "makes more sense than ever." Am I splitting hairs? I don't think so. There's a strong message being sent. Regardless, this news story reminds me that now more than ever, I've got to be praying that God's Spirit would move 18-34 year-olds to read, embrace, and follow His Word. There's no ad in the world that's going to make that happen more or less.

1/11/05

What happens in the middle-of-nowhere.

I just returned from one of my favorite places in the world. As a tourist destination, it wouldn't make any lists. There's a small hotel, a gas station, a Subway, and believe it or not, a Starbucks. After that there's not much else to see except for miles and miles of flat prairie and lots of sky. In fact, I stood on the front step of the hotel and snapped 180 degrees worth of photos... check them out here:

...that offer convincing evidence of how barren the landscape actually is. What you don't see in the photos is the tiny village behind the hotel that was once a remote Canadian airbase until some folks purchased the site as a place to build a college and seminary. I've been up to Briercrest College and Seminary now about seven times. Each time I've spent a week with some of the brightest and most enthusiastic youth ministry students I've ever met in my life. For those of you who frequent the National Youthworkers' Conventions, you're probably familiar with Marv Penner. Marv lives in the little village of Caronport and pours his life into these students. Last week, I had the privilege of spending five intense days with 30 of Marv's charges and I loved every minute of it. Every one in the class was a walking, breathing story (some very intense stories by the way) of God's grace and redeeming love. Now, each of them is preparing for a lifetime of pouring their lives and that same message into young lives worldwide, all for the purpose of serving the King and seeing His Kingdom expand. I remember the first time I ever traveled to Caronport. When I got there, I called my wife to tell her I had arrived. When she asked me what the place was like I muttered something like, "If I was a person who believed there could be a place God has forsaken, this looks like the place." But looks can be deceiving. Each time I've returned to Caronport, I find myself smiling and shaking my head in amazement at what God does where you and I might least expect him to do it. Thanks Marv. And thanks to all those students who shared their lives, stories, and youth ministry dreams with me last week. God willing, I'll soon be back to a place that to me, looks like the middle-of-nowhere.

1/3/05

Is this who we are???

The horror, suffering, and emotional anguish is unimaginable. While it's so easy to hit the remote and move on to something that makes me laugh, something keeps taking me back to the news coverage reporting on the rising death toll and individual stories of life after the deadly tsunami. I can't even begin to imagine what it's like. Still, I've been asking God to tell me – and the American church – how to respond, what to feel, and what to do. We don't have to look far or listen hard. Just take a look at the Gospels. Still, I wonder if we will roll over and go back to sleep while thanking God that these kinds of things don't happen here. Perhaps the December 30^th edition of USA Today offers insight into where the American heart really lies. My eyes were riveted to the page 6A and the large photo depicting the bloated bodies of dozens of victims floating amidst trash on the coast of Indonesia. They are the bodies of sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters of people who not only grieve, but who are desperately in need of food, water, shelter, and medical attention. I can't even begin to imagine. Then, my eyes went to page 7A, a page 85% filled with two advertisements that cater to the real heart and soul of America. One full-color ad trumpets "The Volvo Holiday Event" and the fact that "It's The Most Volvo Time Of The Year."  Seven beautiful luxury cars are lined up offering "comfort and joy." How sad. Just above that, a full-color ad for Botox imploring readers to "Don't wait until the holidays have come and gone." So now you and I must look at ourselves in the mirror. As the suffering that has gone on around us every day of our lives wears a new face, will we cross over to the other side of the road and pass by?

12/22/04

Christmas thoughts continued. . . . again.

Each year as I live in and under the light I become more aware of the extent and darkness of sin in the world and in my own life. Light has a way of exposing those things. But I find my source of hope and comfort in something other than the Christmas smells, sounds and sights of my childhood. Yes, they're nice memories and from time to time I am momentarily transported back to that place. . . and I like it! But then I open my eyes and I'm surrounded by the ugliness of real life. For that I am thankful. For without the darkness, the arrival of The Light would never have been necessary. The fact that The Light has come convinces me to stop the "happy, happy, happy" charade and admit the reality of the darkness both in our world and in my redeemed life. That, to me, is an awesome gift. It's because of the pain that we can look to Christ and for that reason and that reason alone, say "this is the most wonderful time of the year." This year, that's what I'm thinking about . . . the Good News that "the people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."

All of us at CPYU are deeply grateful for your interest in our ministry, your love for Christ, and service to the King by loving kids. Together – I trust – God is using us to spread His light in the midst of great darkness. Enjoy your celebration of the coming of the Light!

12/16/04

Christmas thoughts. . . . continued.

This may sound strange but this Christmas I'm spending more time focusing on the bad news so that I might understand and see in new ways the joy and wonder of the Good News. I think sometimes we get steered away from the bad news by being led to believe myths. Perhaps I'll get some people angry when I say that one of the myths I used to believe about the coming of the Savior was a myth we had pounded into our brains when we'd sing it throughout the year in our Sunday School class: "Happy, happy, happy, happy, happy are the people whose God is the Lord." I know it wasn't a deliberate attempt on anyone's part to teach bad theology, but it was and is bad theology just the same. As I've gotten older, I've realized that God never promises His redeemed who have been saved by the Savior emotional happiness. Oh, it can be there, but it's certainly not there all the time. Not surprising since He tells those He's rescued to follow by taking up a cross. The Scriptures are filled with stories of God's people - people who live in and under the light - whose lives are wracked by the darkness of suffering, pain, heartbreak, sadness, and lament. In an article in the December 2004 issue of Christianity Today, Mark Galli reminds us that Christ's baptism was followed immediately by the trial of forty days in the desert. The one of whom God says "You are my Son, the beloved," is the one who was immediately driven by the Spirit out into the wilderness. Galli points out that the ignored and forgotten message of the Gospel is that "God loves you and has a difficult plan for your life." He writes, "Suffering is our preparation for ministry in a world of suffering – all manner of suffering – this is not a world for shallow people with soft character. It needs tested, toughened disciples who are prepared like their Lord, to descend into hell to redeem the lost." That reality certainly doesn't make me feel good, but it brings me great joy and assurance to know that God is at work in our lives in that manner. Yes, even though we live in and under the light, there will be some darkness. That leads me back to Christmas and how we so quickly forget the reality it commemorates. For years we've read the family Christmas letters that arrive at our house then wonder out loud why everything isn't going as well for us. Margie Haack put several years' worth of my thoughts into words with her recent reflection on "The Annual American Christmas Letter." She writes, "Most of the letters are glowing accounts of all the incredible things accomplished by family members. Behind those shining words, only a few brave ones hint that there might have been mistaken choices, loneliness, doubt, and times of difficulty or depression. It makes me wonder about the message we send when we present an ‘Everything's GREAT' picture of life to our friends and family. We want to rejoice with friends over the good things that come to us, but what about those slammed doors, rotting foundations and bad grades? Or are we the only ones? How dishonest or damaging is our flawless life picture to a weary person or family struggling to survive in a broken world?" Can it be that God's people are always so "happy, happy, happy" and free of pain? I don't think so.

12/09/04

Christmas thoughts

With Christmas just two weeks away (can you believe it?), I thought I'd dedicate my comments until then to some of the things I've been thinking about as we prepare to celebrate the birth of the Redeemer. So what am I thinking about this Christmas? I think quite a bit about my childhood whenever Christmas comes around. . . . which has been happening much faster as my age increases! When I return in my mind to that sentimental and relatively innocent place of my childhood memories, I remember a time that was definitely about Jesus, but also about feeling really good. The smells, sounds and sights of pine needles, crackling fires, HO trains, colored lights, Christmas music, hot pies, and loads of presents combined in my world to make it "the most wonderful time of the year." While Christmas still musters up some of those feelings, I must be honest and admit that the realities of my life, my understanding of what our sinful and fallen world is really like, and the maturity that comes with age have shattered the sentimental myths about Christmas that I once believed without question and that so many times I've caught myself desperately working to recover and "feel" again as December 25^th approaches. That said, I'm thinking this year about God's amazing grace as expressed in the words of the prophet Isaiah as he spoke about darkness and light. I've realized that Christmas can truly be "the most wonderful time of the year" when the gift of the world's Savior is seen in the context of the world's deep sin and my own desperate need for salvation. I've been accused in the past of being too negative by dwelling on the darkness of my own heart. But for me, that's a necessary step in seeing the brightness of the light for how bright it really is. Haven't we all sung that reality before? I know I have. . . . . "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me." I see that as nothing but good news.

12/01/04

When will we get it?

David Brooks gets it. That makes me both very, very happy and very, very sad. I realized Brooks gets it after reading his latest editorial in The New York Times. I'm happy because after mentioning that he's a Jew, he proves to the narrow-minded members of my evangelical faith tradition that yes, even people who don't share our deepest convictions can be deep and discerning thinkers. I'll admit that in the past I've been guilty of the all-too-common evangelical sin of limiting God's provision of insight and discernment to those of us who see ourselves as God's privileged and chosen few. But over the years – thankfully - my limited and self-constructed world has been rocked by the realization that God's rain and sun fall on all, regardless of what one's standing is before Him. All truth is God's truth, and even those who don't share our faith can know, live, and speak things that are good, true, right, and honorable. Which leads me to how Brooks has made me sad. You see, he gets it so much better than the very people who should. He sees right through our love affair with evangelical "blowhards" who do nothing but justify the very stereotypes that the recent film "Saved" portrayed so well. And, when Brooks points the world to the mind, spirit, words, and life of John Stott as someone who's got it right. . . . . well. . . . . he understands it better than the great majority of Christians who call themselves "evangelicals." Maybe if more of us in the church had the good sense of David Brooks and the man he holds up as an example, the faith would be somewhat compelling to a world that usually looks, laughs, then turns the other way to go on with life as usual. This week I'm reading Dave Tomlinson's controversial book "The Post-Evangelical." There's much in the book that resonates with me, and an equal amount that I find somewhat troubling. If you've read the book and read the editorial by David Brooks, then here's something for you to think about: Do you think Tomlinson would never have had to write his book if we had understood and lived the faith the way Stott has understood and lived the faith for all these years? I have been and remain a big and grateful fan of John Stott. Today, I'm a fan of David Brooks as well.

11/29/04                                         

I've been reading. . . . and maybe you should be too!

Two books. . . . the first a 700-page volume that I found to be compelling, disturbing, and incredibly insightful. It's social novelist Tom Wolfe's best-selling I Am Charlotte Simmons, a novel that takes readers into the very real world of the moral life on today's college and university campuses. Realistically explicit (and thankfully so!), the book captures and portrays the thought patterns, pressures, feelings, and behavioral choices of today's young adults regarding vocation, sexuality, relationships, academics, and social behavior. To put it more bluntly, Wolfe lays out how casual sex and substance abuse capture hearts and drive the behaviors of the student masses. But the book's true value doesn't lie in the stories of what kids are doing. Rather, it lies in Wolfe's ability to take readers into the minds of characters (and their real-life peers) to discover the thought processes and resultant justifications that lead to those alarming and destructive behaviors. Perhaps most eye-opening is the main character's movement from a morally staunch and economically deprived family from the hills of western North Carolina, to her struggle to find acceptance in a prestigious university while battling the temptation to commit "moral suicide." Yes, sometimes the truth we're called to know can be fairly messy and negative. My brother Ken tells me that critics have blasted the book for not telling readers anything new or adding any information to that which we already know about today's college students. These responses to the book make me want to recommend it even more. Why? Because if Wolfe's adding nothing new to what we already know, he's nailed the reality. Because it's a reality most in the church are ignorant to or ignore, it's a book worth reading. It's a book that can guide our ministry efforts, teach us what to pray, and help us as we make a deliberate effort to prepare our students for the difficult transition to college. Tom Wolfe's reality is one that demands a response from the church. In a way, the necessary response and the prevention of "moral suicide" is at the root of another book that hits the shelves this week. Our friend Jonathan McKee's new book, Do They Run When They See You Coming?: Reaching Out to Unchurched Teenagers is being released by Youth Specialties later this week (click here to learn more or to pre-order from Jonathan's website: http://www.thesource4ym.com/bookdotheyrun.asp) . In this valuable new resource, Jonathan's heart for the unchurched comes through loud and clear along with strategies for helping them hear the unchanging Good News. Jonathan calls and equips readers to reach the very people Tom Wolfe is writing about. Sadly, they are the very same people we often avoid in our efforts to personally remain what we erroneously believe to be "pure" and "holy." What are you reading? Or better yet, once we're done reading, what will we do?

11/23/04

Getting it. . . . losing it.

And so another "season" of National Youthworkers' Conventions has come to a close. I'm so grateful to Youth Specialties for their continued commitment to bring youthworkers together from all over the world for a time of refreshment, challenge, and training. I overheard one volunteer youthworker attending her first convention tell another, "This weekend has changed my life!" I'm especially grateful for Youth Specialties' generosity in allowing me and CPYU to be a part of the Convention. During the time I've been speaking at the NYWC I've intentionally kept my ear to the ground to discover how the culture of youthworkers and youthwork has been changing. As I returned home from last weekend's Atlanta convention I pondered how there's a growing army of people who are getting and embracing the importance of knowing the emerging culture as a prerequisite for effective cross-cultural "missionary" work with today's children and teens. I've been working to beat that message home for years and I've been thrilled to see how resistance has dropped as folks examine the Scriptures and see that cultural engagement is not forbidden, but commanded. Even people from the most conservative and fundamentalist traditions who have been taught that coming to faith means living in a bunker are seeing the need to obediently move out of the bunker and into the world. It's awesome. The church needs to purge itself of the sin of dualism that has created the false dichotomy of the sacred and secular realms. There are signs that we are moving in this direction. But at the same time, there's another movement that's been picking up steam that I fear may be less a case of "getting" in step with God's will for His church, and more a case of "losing" our commitment to the truth. My fear is that more and more of what we're hearing and seeing in the youth ministry world is looking more and more like a case of the church viewing the Word through the world, than the church viewing the world through the Word. The shift can happen so subtly that we don't even know it. In fact, church history shows that to be the case. I'm guessing the shift will continue and it will occasion a discussion that may get intense and heated at times. Because iron sharpens iron, all of us in youth ministry would benefit from such a discussion. If a commitment to the truth is at stake, then it's a discussion that's sorely needed. That said, my greatest concern for people in youth ministry is that we would be praying for and developing a strong sense of discernment. If we are people of discernment, our lives and ministries will more likely be marked by getting it, rather than losing it.

11/16/04

Desperate for viewers

I'm a football fan. . . . a huge football fan. My favorite professional team? The Eagles. . . . or the Iggles as those of us who grew up in Philly like to call them. Sadly, the team I love to love, the NFL, and the network that carries Monday Night Football stooped to the lowest of lows last night in the opening bit that preceded the Eagles/Cowboys game. I was late tuning in so I missed it. But I've heard about it from enough people to ask with astonishment, "What in the world were they thinking????" Sadly, I think I know the answer. They were thinking. And what they were thinking about was nothing that could be construed as edgy or morally wrong when seen in the context of their world view. The opening bit? It featured Terrell Owens (no stranger to controversy himself) preparing himself in the Eagles locker room for the game which is due to start in just 10 minutes. Nicolette Sheridan of the blockbuster show "Desperate Housewives" appears before Terrell wrapped in a towel. She seductively invites him to forget the game and play a little game with her. She drops her towel and he decides to "play." She proceeds to jump naked into his arms and he verbalizes his decision to forego the game. (read full script here) The scene cuts to two of the other female leads in "Desperate Housewives" as they have watched the scene between Owens and Sheridan unfold on their TV set. They criticize the "trash, sex, lies, and deception" they've just watched before turning the channel to Monday Night Football. Hmmmm. What in the world have we become??? To ABC and Monday Night Football I've got to ask, "Are you really that desperate for viewers? Why are you stooping so low? Do you care at all about what I'm trying to teach my kids? What does desperate housewives have to do with football?" To be honest, I'm not surprised. It's just another reality check as we wear our heart and soul on our cultural sleeve. Distressing.

11/09/04

Wow. . . . and thanks.

I saw something amazing happen on my way home from Nashville last Saturday. I had been down in country music town to visit my good friend Mark Devries at his church in Nashville (www.ymarchitects.com – a site you should check out). I was getting ready to fly home and was making my way from security to my gate. As I approached the gate, I noticed a group of people standing in the terminal at the end of the gate ramp, looking expectantly for someone they knew and loved to step off the plane that had just arrived from the gate. I knew they were on a mission because two women in the group were holding between them a big, brightly colored "welcome home" sign they had unrolled. Some small American flags had been taped to the top of the sign. The sign was covered with messages welcoming a relative – a Seargent First Class – home from Iraq. I know nothing of the story of this female soldier's trip to Iraq except for the ending. And I only know that because I was there to witness it. It was amazing. The soldier's mother had positioned herself at the front of the group and she was craning her neck to see down that ramp in excited anticipation. I sat and watched knowing that this was going to be a tearjerker. All of a sudden, the mother happily wailed at the top of her voice, "THERE SHE IS!!!" The young soldier appeared out of the tunnel and ran to embrace her mother. The embrace lasted about five minutes with mom grabbing the girl's face between her hands and holding it out to stare at it with joy about every 15 seconds. The entire terminal erupted in spontaneous applause of thanks to this young servicewoman. I was clapping, but having difficulty as the tears ran down my face. I had never witnessed anything like this before. I had several thoughts. What about those parents whose sons and daughters sacrificed their lives for our country? The sadness and grief they must feel as they welcome home a body in a box. Was what I was witnessing a taste of what it must have been like when the prodigal son returned home? Finally, my mind took me to a place where I imagined what the homecoming of the redeemed will be like. Somehow, seeing what I saw in Nashville has me looking that much more forward to the embrace.

11/03/04

Election day. . . . . three things that happened.

And so our heads continue to spin and we wonder when the spinning will end. How late did you stay up last night? . . . . or this morning. Even though there's been no official declaration of a winner as I write this, there are three things that happened yesterday that I noticed that I believe tell us something about our culture. First, Arnold Schwarzenneger called me at home! Yes, that's right! The Terminator called me! I wasn't home to take the call but he was kind and patient enough to leave an extended message. He wanted me to know that he was calling me to "pump you up" to vote for George W. Bush. I'm not sure how Arnold got my number, but I'm thrilled that he thinks I'm important enough to deserve a personal phone call. The fact that I got a phone call from Arnold got me thinking. . . .only in America can a foreigner who was a world champion body builder, blockbuster movie star, and husband of Teddy Kennedy's niece become the Republican Governor of California. Second, our culture is very impatient. We want instant results, a quick fix, and a pill for everything. And so we can't wait to count votes. Instead, we rely on exit polls. The lesson? Sometimes jumping the gun isn't the best thing to do. And third, I was right, wrong, and right about the youth vote. I was right in that the effort to get young people registered to vote was very effective. I was wrong in my assumption that the youth vote would play a major role in the election. Perhaps a more accurate prediction is that the "watershed moment" facilitated by the youth vote is going to take more than a moment and will actually stretch out over the course of four years. I think it will be significant next time around. Sadly, I was right in something I've been saying about the Millennial generation for some time. While many have predicted that this Millennial generation is one that's active and hopeful, I've always felt that prediction is far too optimistic. On a more realistic note – and I've been criticized for this conclusion – I don't think young people can be truly hopeful if their hope is not placed in the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Nor do I think they will be activists if the postmodern worldview is guiding force in their lives. Consequently, we've seen election day apathy. Keep watching the culture. There's so much to learn.

11/02/04

Election Day. . . . three things you must do.

Perhaps, maybe, possibly we'll all know this time tomorrow who will be leading our country from the White House for the next four years. But before tomorrow comes, there are three things I want to challenge you to do today. First, be sure to pray for our country and for our world. As you pray, remember that God is not a Republican, a Democrat, or a member of any other political party. My guess is that you'll be tempted to pray as one informed more by your political leanings than by the Scriptures. A better way to pray is to ask the Lord to reveal His will and way, and to ask Him to make us people who live what we pray when we say "Thy will be done, Thy Kingdom come." Don't forget, God doesn't just care about America. His heart is for His world. Second, be sure to exercise your right and responsibility to vote. The older I get, the more I appreciate the wonder and nuances of living in a democracy. And third, spend some time today learning a little bit more about how MTV is influencing youth culture. I said last week that I think this will be a watershed year as far as the youth vote goes. While I'm convinced that more young people will be voting, I'm not convinced they'll all be doing so in a thoughtful manner. I think the MTV marketing and publicity machine has done a stellar job at getting folks to register. Now we'll see if they can get them to vote. And, we'll see if they can get them to vote a certain way. Yesterday I watched a news commentator interview someone from MTV. They asked if MTV is trying to swing the vote in one particular direction. Well, how about you be the judge of that. Take a few minutes right now – on Election Day – to go to mtv.com and do two things. First, take a look at the "Choose or Lose" box in the upper left hand portion of the mtv.com homepage. Work your way through it to learn a little more about the voter registration campaign. Then, click on the #1 video in the box directly beneath it. There you can watch that #1 video, Eminem's "Mosh." Interesting, huh? Now you know a little bit more about today's youth culture and how it might effect today's vote.

10/28/04

What I think I know about Tuesday. . . .

It's heating up everywhere. Living in Pennsylvania – a key battleground state – has certainly made that clear over the last few weeks and months. I'm not sure who's going to win the election on Tuesday but I have a hunch that 2004 will be remembered as a watershed year in terms of the role young people and their emerging postmodern worldview play in the larger culture. I've been monitoring the ongoing "Rock The Vote," "Choose or Lose," and other voter registration campaigns designed to get youth to vote for years. Slowly but surely, they have worked. This is a great sign as more and more young people are understanding and acting on their rights and responsibilities as citizens of a democratic society. The end result, I think, will be that a generation shaped somewhat consciously but far more unconsciously by the emerging postmodern worldview will in turn be shaping the face of American politics and policy in major ways beginning with this election, regardless of who winds up being the next President. I believe we're entering more fully into a period where the ideological/philosophical divide will grow in obvious and dramatic ways as the curtain continues to close on the modern era and the curtain continues to open on postmodernism. What does it all mean? That's yet to be determined. I'm simply guessing that a fundamental shift that's been going on under the radar for quite some time is about to rock the cultural landscape in some major and obvious ways. My concern is not with partisan politics. Rather, it has to do with the church. Whether we are Democrats, Republicans, or followers of Ralph Nader, we can agree that the church has been failing to be salt and light where it really counts – on the streets. While we pat ourselves on the back for our involvement in politics – something we as Christians must be about – we've mistakenly believed that if all we do is vote for the "right" candidates morality can then be legislated. But making laws never changes hearts. Maybe, just maybe, the fundamental shift we're about to see and experience like never before – regardless of who is in the White House - will serve as the God-given gift of "crisis" that will waken us from our sloth and slumber. Maybe we'll begin to realize who we're called to be and who it is that we can depend on. The fruit that's soon to ripen on the trees of our cultural landscape will be somewhat bitter as it reflects, less and less, God's way and will for His world. But don't be surprised as, after all, shouldn't that be expected if we haven't been tending the orchard?

10/26/04

Acid Reflux. . . . ?!?!

I'm not feeling too well this morning. I'm thinking it's best to let you know that right out of the gate. You see, what you're reading is not something that I'm writing right now. In fact, the words you are reading existed long before I even wrote them. But then again, it is me that's doing the writing. Bear with me here since this is a little embarrassing. When I went to post these words on our website it was the wrong words that appeared. Initially, I thought I would do an awkward little jig and then walk off to another room to work on something else while the rest of our staff just kept right on doing what they were doing already. Knowing I'd have to eventually face you, I considered blaming it all on the guys in the office. . . . . "They started posting the wrong blog!" Then I thought about telling you that Chris Wagner – our website maintenance man – happened to push the wrong button and it was all his fault. Rather than get into playing the blame game by drawing others into it, I thought it might be better to blame it all on acid reflux disease. After all, the numerous side effects can hinder one's ability to successfully write and post blogs. That said, let me get to the heart of the matter that I intended to address in the first place. . . . no kids, Ashlee Simpson doesn't always sing along when she's "singing" live. Surprise, surprise. She's not alone. In fact, she's one of the many "talented" recording industry creations who have the package that sells. And we continue to be manipulated. There's a message or two in there for us and for the kids we know and love. It's a great way to get kids talking about marketing, about talent, and about consumer manipulation. By the way, Ashlee's coming to one of our local high schools on Thursday to perform as part of a contest prize for one of the school's students. She'll be here performing live. . . . or will she? One thing's for sure. Her drummer won't be pushing any wrong buttons again anytime soon.

10/18/04

Seminary – yes or no?

Someone recently reminded me that there's an ongoing debate raging among youthworkers regarding the value and/or necessity of a seminary education. The reminder first came in a question from a youthworker who was wrestling with making the decision for himself. It came a second time when I heard that there was a late-night forum at the recent National Youthworkers Convention where the question was being debated/addressed. I often get asked my opinion on the question. When asked, I typically respond with the question, "Why wouldn't you want to go to seminary?"  Some youthworkers believe that seminary might "mess me up" by dealing with so much heady stuff. The assumption is that the heady stuff will drain one of their ability to deal with the heart stuff that's so important in the relationships we build with kids. When pressed, others are downright scared by the workload, afraid of failure, and paralyzed by the thought of having to study Hebrew and Greek. When push comes to shove, I'm not sure I've heard any really convincing reasons about how avoiding seminary is an ingredient in youth ministry success. In fact, if our goal is to lead young people to the cross, shouldn't we be doing everything we can to deepen our understanding of the Scriptures, to broaden our knowledge of theology, to wrestle with difficult questions under the direction of those who have been in the same wrestling matches themselves, and to develop our skills in applying the Word to our rapidly changing world? My own experience has shaped my thinking. I was in youth ministry for several years before I went off to Gordon-Conwell Seminary to pursue a Masters of Divinity degree. I put the move off for quite some time for the reasons I mentioned earlier. Once there, my faith wasn't ruined. In fact, the exact opposite happened. It came to life. It was as if my eyes were being opened in big, big ways. While there, I didn't take one youth ministry class. Instead, I focused on skills that would benefit the students I was going to work with – Biblical studies, theology, missions, contemporary culture, etc. Even Hebrew and Greek became like dropping a bucket down into a well and pulling up bucket after bucket of gold. When I graduated and went back into local church youth ministry, my teaching and relating were transformed! It was amazing. There was a new depth to everything I did. Perhaps the two best lessons I learned in seminary were these. . . . . . First, I realized that I knew a lot less than I thought I knew. Funny how that happens. Since then, that realization has continued. That's a good thing. Second, I learned that teachability is one of the greatest character traits a follower of Christ must have. I'll be honest, I find it very difficult to be around people in youth ministry who think they know so much that they have nothing else to learn. This realization that we must always be learning needs to continue. I guess it's for that reason that I'm still in school. So now you know where I stand on the issue. One more thing. . . . make it worth your while by investing your valuable time and your money to get the best education possible. If you want to know my thoughts on that, drop me an email.

10/11/04

Dead men. . . . living values.

My daily morning visit to the newpaper reported the deaths of two men who have left a significant mark on today's youth culture. The first was 74-year-old Jacques Derrida, the French philosopher who fostered the advance of postmodern thinking by developing and espousing his theory on deconstruction. Over the past few decades, Derrida's ideas have been applied to language, art, and other pursuits. Simply stated, his belief was that the listener must decide for himself or herself the meaning of "texts" and "words" through the process of deconstruction since authorial intent means little or nothing. In other words, everyone is free to interpret meaning and significance for themselves. This belief is at the core of postmodern thought and the postmodern worldview. While Derrida was known as a thinker, the other obituary I read was for someone known for the dangerous road he went down in an effort to improve his baseball abilities. Once an average professional baseball player, Ken Caminiti juiced himself up so much on steroids that he won an MVP award. In the process, he was destroying his internal organs. While impressionable young athletes should have been learning from the damage Caminiti was doing to his body, most were merely looking at the end result of his baseball "success." In a classic case of "the ends justify the means," young male athletes continued to mimic Caminiti's dangerous behavior by following him down the same road in the hopes that someday they too, would wind up at the top of the heap. For the last three years I've been showing parents and youthworkers the before and after photos of Ken Caminiti (see below). I've also been telling them that while these visuals can draw kids into steroid use, they don't tell the whole story. While Caminiti was winning the MVP trophy, he was killing himself. Not surprisingly, Ken Caminiti died from a heart attack at the age of 41 on Sunday. While Derrida and Caminiti are both dead, their dangerous values and ideas live on in today's youth culture.

                                   "before"                                  "after"      

10/06/04

A Must Read

Head's up! . . . . there's a new book out there I want to encourage you to read. It's a wonderful and deeply insightful new book "for those who are willing to consider how life is different for today's high school students compared with past generations." The book is from my friend Chap Clark, one of those strange guys in youth ministry who is a combination of youthful charisma, deep faith, and sound scholarship. (I say "strange" because good scholarship is often lacking in our youth ministry world). If you've been around youth ministry for any amount of time, then you're already familiar with Chap. If you're not a youth ministry person then you might be more familiar with Chap as Dr. Chapman Clark, the Fuller Theological Seminary professor that appeared on "Amish In The City" a couple of weeks ago to help Mose decide whether or not he should remain Amish. (Yes, that's true! Sorry Chap. . . . I couldn't resist). Chap's new book is called Hurt: Inside the World of Today's Teenagers. The book's compelling and engaging content comes from Chap's many years working with teens. But at its core is what Chap learned when he functioned as a "participant-observer" during his six months as a substitute teacher at Crescenta Valley High School. If you've been around me for any amount of time, you've heard me preach the "gospel" of knowing the culture as a necessary prerequisite for preaching the Gospel to today's emerging generations. That said, Chap's done us all a big favor by researching and writing Hurt. Now it's our turn. All of us must do the students we know and love the favor of knowing them better than they know themselves. That's why I'm not hesitating to tell you that this is one book you must read.

You can obtain Chap Clark's Hurt from the Henri Nouwen writes, "For in our suffering, not apart from it, Jesus enters our sadness, takes us by the hand, pulls us gently up to stand, and invites us to dance. We find the way to pray, as the psalmist did, ‘You have turned my mourning into dancing' (Psalm 30:11), because at the center of our grief we find the grace of God." While details aren't important, the last three weeks have been a time of entering into and moving through the dark woods. While in there, I kept reminding myself and the others who were there with me that the facts are the facts are the facts and feelings are nothing but feelings. What are the facts? That God is God. That God never backs down on his promises. That pain is necessary for growth. And, that we are to rejoice in our sufferings for that very reason. While we might still be in the woods, there's lots of light coming through the trees. I realize the facts are the facts more than I've realized that before and God's grace always comes in just the right measure. I realize that the prayers of God's people serve as a lifeline when the hurricane's churning all around. I realize that God's word sustains us. We grow through our difficulties. The words of David in Psalm 119:71 are so very true: "It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees." If there's something I might say to those of you who are parents or youthworkers going through the dark woods of difficulty, it would be this: Once you start to come out the other side, you begin to realize that to avoid the darkest of woods wouldn't have been a good thing at all. What you learn about yourself and your Savior isn't worth trading for the comfortable life that never takes you through the woods. It's at the center of the dark woods of grief that we find the grace, mercy, and peace of God.

9/20/04

Tough Times

Tough times. . . . I'm coming through one again. They are hard to handle, but they bring clarity to the truths of God's word and the merciful face of God. I see that he is who he is, and what he says is trustworthy and true. If difficulty is what it takes, then it's all worth it. Three years ago a difficult situation left me hanging on the first four verses of Psalm 13: "How long, Oh Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, O Lord my God. Give light to my eyes or I will sleep in death; my enemy will say, ‘I have overcome him,' and my foes will rejoice when I fall." I prayed, and prayed, and prayed and I just couldn't get past those four verses. Then, in God's appointed time, I was able to get to verses 5 and 6. With the Psalmist I was able to say, "But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me." The truth became clear, I experienced the freedom of mercy and grace, and I saw the face of God. I've lived these words again over the last ten days and I've been reminded of what it means to "consider it all joy. . . ." God is still in the business of turning mourning into dancing. I don't know how we'd do it without hope in Christ. How horrible it must be to mourn with no hope for a dance. Thanks be to God.

9/8/04

The Real World

Yesterday's USA Today reported on a survey that suggests something we've all known for quite some time: "a steady diet of sex-saturated television might encourage teens to start sex earlier." The study's author, psychologist Rebecca Collins, says that "It's social learning: 'monkey see, money do.' If everyone's talking about sex or having it, and something bad hardly ever comes out of it, because it doesn't on TV, then they think, 'Hey, the whole world's doing it, and I need to." On the very same day this report was released, the 15^th season of one of the most watched MTV series and the "grandfather" of reality TV shows got started with the highly publicized first episode of The Real World – Philadelphia. USA Today devoted an entire half-page to introducing the cast of seven young adults who will be followed around by cameras as they live together in a house in my hometown of Philly. I watched last night's premiere episode. The cast includes four young men in their early twenties. Two are homosexuals. The cast's three women include Sarah, who told USA Today, "I've always been in touch with my sexuality. I consider myself very flirty. I'm aware of how to use my sexuality." In the show's first episode, Sarah lived up to her self-billing. Melanie's audition tape showed her showering with a male friend in her parent's home. And Shavonda is paying her way through college by waitressing at Hooters. Besides the ever-present cameras, there will be others following the group around for the next several weeks. A few middle-schoolers, many high-schoolers, and a large group of college students across North America will be tuning in over the weeks that follow to religiously track the stories in this real-life soap opera. Whether the stories are real or not, they will influence and shape the values, attitudes, and behaviors of a generation of impressionable young people growing through the stage of life where one decides what he or she will believe and be for the rest of their lives. The fact of the matter is that The Real World – Philadelphia will leave a lasting impact  - with lessons on sexuality, partying, alcohol use, and a whole lot more - on the real world and lives of many young people.