Thinking Between Generations

There's a saying that I have heard in recent years.  "If you can't figure out some kind of technology, just ask a teenager to show you."  The reality truly does seem to be that the younger generation is more up to date on technological advances.  After all, that is the world that they are growing up in.  For kids, even as young as elementary school, computers, tablets, and the like are already in use when it comes to the education task, so it makes sense that they would know more about such things than those of us who don't have that extensive of a background in them.

Yet, one thing we also recognize is that, with age often comes wisdom.  Those who have been there, done that, actually do have some wisdom and knowledge that they can pass down to the younger generations.  Even as they may struggle to relate to those younger than them, the effect that they can have when they take a younger person or two under their wing can truly be a remarkable thing.

However, when you look at a typical Christian church in our day and age, you are more likely to find that the ages and stages get somewhat segregated from each other.  There is Children's Ministry, Youth Ministry, Single Adult Ministry, Family Ministry, Senior Ministry, and perhaps many other flavors.  While the intent behind these is actually a good thing, the one side effect that they can have is to isolate one generation from another, and in doing that, actually increase the distance between people of faith.

Think of how these often come to light.  One generation finds their worship life enhanced by traditional music and liturgy, while another generation finds their worship life ehanced by more contemporary expressions.  Instead of working together to see how they can praise God with a new song, these often end up sitting in opposite corners, each saying that the other just simply doesn't get it. 

What if these generations were to come together in a study of God's Word, actually listen to each other, and calmly discuss what they hear the other saying, and expressing what their thoughts are?  Wouldn't that seem more conducive to building up the body of Christ, rather than having them cast their flaming arrows at each other from opposite corners?  It's a worthwhile thing to consider.

As a pastoral leader of a congregation, this is the shape of some future ministry directions that we will be going.  It will not be easy as we engage on this journey, but one thing I have noticed is that the most worthwhile things in life are not the easiest to do. 

Sitting in The Right Seat

"Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them..."  Romans 12:6a.

For a moment, try this exercise.  Find a piece of paper and write your name.  Okay, you did that?  Now, transfer your pen or pencil to the other hand and try the same thing.  How'd that go?  I bet it wasn't nearly as easy to do, was it?  It didn't feel natural, you had to think about how to do it, and it may not even be all that clear what you were just writing (okay, maybe that's only for people with poor handwriting like myself).

When you try to do something in an area at which you are not gifted, talented, or trained, you're going to have a tough time of it.  It's not going to be easy or natural.  Now, I will grant you, even those areas in which we have gifts, talents, and abilities require some degree of refining along the way, in order to be better at them.  But if that's the case, then if it is something that you don't have a gift in, it will be even more challenging to do well at it.

Too often, in our life together as God's people, we end up putting people in seats that just don't fit them.  We want to find someone to do the work of ministry, but we don't see if God is providing that person to us.  Sure, there may be someone who wants to do it, but may not have the gifts to do it well.  We can free them to do it, but if they struggle, we should also point out that God may have gifted them for other areas that may bring even greater joy.  Likewise, when we see that someone has an area of giftedness, we should encourage them to minister according to that gift, as they can see the joy of God in that work.

It's not a bad thing to hear that we aren't gifted in a particular area, and it shouldn't be a source of shame to step away when we aren't, either.  Granted, too frequently, we can make the mistake of thinking we can't move away, but what if that is God's way of saying that He has a different direction for you, or for the overall body?  Our refusal to sit in the right seat, our holding on to the wrong seat, may actually end up working contrary to God's will.

What is the seat for which God intends you to minister in His name?  Well, think about the gift areas.  Think about your passions and joys.  Think about your strengths.  Then, see if there are areas that match that are already in existence where you are part of the Body of Christ.  And if there aren't those areas, perhaps God is opening a door for you and others to sit in the right seat and minister in His name. 

Just what the Dr. Ordered

Over the past several years, I have been astounded at how God works.  Now, to be sure, I've always been astounded at what God has done for us, and how He continues to show His hand in this world, but there are those times when it becomes so obvious that even a blind guy like myself cannot help but notice.  Maybe it's just that He recognizes that I need the brick to the side of the head to get my attention every once in a while.

Let me start off by saying this.  I am an information junkie.  I am an information hoarder.  I love learning, and I love learning new things.  I love reading the things that are current, whether they are ministry, business, or leadership oriented.  I love reading them, learning new things, and then looking for ways to try them out.  I see my whole life as one long learning experience.

Over the past several years, it has just seemed way too obvious on the part of God that He would put exactly the information piece in front of me that I needed at that particular time, to fit a particular situation, problem, or challenge that lay ahead of me.  This week, already, I have had two occasions where there was some minor challenge or situation that needed addressing, and wouldn't you know it, I'd open up my email, or check out my facebook page, and there would be a link to the exact thing that I was thinking about and needing some guidance on.  I'm not one who believes in coincedence, but sees the guiding hand of God working unseen, behind the scenes.

Sometimes God shows His nature through His hiddeness, and sometimes He reveals exactly what is needed at exactly the right time.  And somehow, that just seems fitting for an information junkie like me.

A Labor of Love

I remember someone once either saying or quoting to me something like this: do what you love, and find a way to get paid for it, and then you're getting paid to do what you love.  In a sense, if you can find a way to get paid to do the things that you most love in life, you'll always love your labor, and your work won't feel much like a burden.

I share these sentiments in some ways.  Actually, in a lot of ways.  I love the labor in which I am engaged.  I find joy in sharing what God has to say, in encouraging and exhorting people, and in teaching people what God says and what that means for their lives.  There is a great joy in that.  Sure, there are some parts of the labor that are a little more tough, like comforting people in loss, supporting them in sickness, or helping them to find solutions to the challenges of life, but really, I more and more believe that God created me with the desire to do that, and I'm very fortunate that it's part of the task to which I am called.

However, I do think that we, in our North American culture and society, have gone too far in one way.  We tend to think of our vocations as merely those places where we go to work.  In a simple, mathematical way, we think Vocation=Work.  And while there is some truth to that, I would argue that God's Word in the Bible displays a much deeper approach to vocation.

Think of it this way.  God doesn't really have a lot to say about the individual directions that we should go in regard to our work in this world.  Whether I work to install carpets, fight fires, stay at home with my child, or minister to people with God's Word, doesn't seem to make that huge of a difference to God.  Sure, He creates us with certain talents, abilities, and desires that tend to work better in one field than another, but overall, it sure doesn't seem that we can choose the "wrong" career in God's eyes.  (Of course, I should mention that any careers which are blatantly sinful would not be included in this category.  I'm sure you can think of a few on your own.)

However, there are a great number of "vocations" that God does say a lot about in the Bible.  Tomorrow I plan to touch on a few of these to show us that God really does have a much greater scope of the thought of vocation than what we tend to apply.  So stay tuned!

When Relational Doesn't Work

I've been reading a very interesting book on youth ministry over the past week.  I've only gotten through three chapters so far, but that's somewhat expected, as it's a bit heavier of a book, and my time has been somewhat limited for "extra" reading.  It's entitled, "Eutychus Youth", talking about an applied theology for youth ministry.

One of the things I read last night has struck a chord within me.  The author, a man that I have a great deal of respect for, takes a bold stance in a current "trendy" direction in lots of churches and youth ministry programs.  Much has been made of having "relational" ministries.  This means that churches don't rely upon programs as the means of drawing people to Christ, but utilize relationships on the part of God's people to influence and connect with people.

So this author makes an assertion that I hadn't fully thought about before.  He says that relational ministry has been misused in some ways.  Relationships are good in and of themselves.  However, in some ministries, the relationships have been contrived, seen merely as a means to an end, that of connecting people to Jesus or getting them to be part of the ministry or the church.

Here's where this is problematic.  If we strike up a relationship with a person without intending to maintain that relationship, but instead we have ulterior motives for instigating that relationship in the first place, we have done nothing more than a very clever "bait and switch" on the person.  And yes, people will recognize when we seek to create a relationship with them, only to reveal our ulterior motives later.  And if we do that in the name of Christ Jesus, we not only hurt the person we strike up the relationship with, we also bring damage to the name of Jesus.

What's the solution?  Well, it's both very simple and very complex.  We initiate relationships, not with the intent that we will bring them into our congregation or our youth ministry, but because we desire a relationship with that person.  Yes, it is fully appropriate to interject Jesus into the relationship, but the relationship should never hinge upon that person's acceptance or denial of what Jesus has done.  If we only build relationships in order to bring people to Christ, we show that we value converts more than friendships or relationships, and in the long run, that's going to hurt our efforts to share the good news. 

Being relational is a great thing.  However, when we initiate relationships with ulterior motives, it will inevitably come back to haunt us.  So may we seek out relationships, not merely to draw people to Jesus, but to also truly relate to those individuals with whom we strike up relationships.