Current thoughts on life

This week has been quite challenging in terms of work/profession/calling. I recently had the opportunity to have lunch/dinner with my good friend Tim. I've never had my brain picked at at the intensity level with which he had picked it with.

Youth Pastor-ing is not easy. Pastor-ing in general, is not easy. I mean, we're suppose to act as event coordinators, counselors, public speakers, managers, trainers, and so much more all in a weeks time?

Don't get me wrong... I LOVE IT!! I LOVEEEEEEEEEEEE DOING IT!

I remember going to one of my friend's graduation ceremonies (from nursing) and they would have their own lingo, term, or adage that would get them through their schooling, through the vigorous and seemingly impossible work ahead of them - and I thought back to my undergrad days where every week we'd talk about getting through only to find that ministry is delayed gratification.

What an interesting couple of words... delayed gratification. Yesterday, while I was at church, I spoke to one of the seniors who told me that he had shared a story to a starving family in the Philippines saying, "we will be fasting a day a week for you!" and in response, one member of this starving family said...

"...fast for one day? Over here it's like we're fasting for weeks at a time!"

When we're hungry, we eat. When we're thirsty, we drink. When I need entertainment, I head out to target. When I'm bored, I flip on the tele and watch a show...

Delayed gratification? Does that even exist in this culture?

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Another topic... the church

I am recently aware of some changes that need to be brought into our ministry context. Not for the sake of incorporating change, but for the sake of accomplishing the overall mission (set aside by Pastor Paul) of the church.

How often or more importantly, HOW ACTIVE should each member of the church be in ministry?

People come in and out of church whenever they please. Culture is showing us that people hop churches to get what they want - you want to sleep in? catch an afternoon service at another church... but is that truly the way to go?

LESSON: Commitment

Where we spoke of delayed gratification early, we will now speak of commitment. Commitment to the body of Christ. Now more than ever before in my life am I seeing the value of church membership. We used to blow aside the idea of church membership 101 during Sunday schools in the past... but now, I'm beginning to see how effective it can be.

Incorporating a solid church membership can benefit the church by allowing us to keep track of those who are solidly committed to the church, what gifts they possess (so we can place them where they can enjoy using their gift), tracking whether or not our church is growing (if it's growing, praise the Lord, if it's not, through church membership we can find out what's going on!), and finally, it gets people on the same track... i.e. we're not always mixing the teaching content of mature believers to the foundational 101 lessons of those new to the faith.

But with the lack of commitment to going to church - moving forward is a huge difficulty.

What do you think about that? PosMos (post modern culture people) are starting a trend within emerging churches that reveal that their average attendance is 1-2 Sundays a month!!!

It can be pretty tough encouraging people to go to church if they've already made up in their mind that the church has nothing for them...

Was it JFK who once said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country"? Isn't that true of the church? Sometimes we come in with the mentality that I need this, I deserve this, the church should give me that.... which is true for most new believers within the church, but what if you've been attending for a while? What then?

Commitment - the thought of sleeping in on a work day, although tempting, never actualizes (well, maybe sometimes), but for some reason, meeting up in fellowship with other believers... for some reason, less effort is made on the part of the church.

Young people that do stumble across this blog: Keep that fire going. Those of you that serve in the church, your work is not in vain, you are truly making a huge impact for the kingdom of God!

Older young people: Love the church that provides for you, and if the church sucks at providing for you, find ways to feed into the church...

AGREE? DISAGREE?

Thanks for reading!