Be sure to be used

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think so. I've been noticing a trend that seems to be happening more and more in today's churches. It's something I've been observing for many years and only have talked to a few people about. Today's churches are really hurting from what I'd like to call spiritual driftwood syndrome. Let me take some time to explain.

When it comes to many things in life that we as Americans take part in, we tend to over do it. When we sit down to a meal, do we eat until we're full? No way! We eat until we think we're going to puke, then we unbutton our pants in order to fit those last few remaining bits into our ever expanding stomachs. It's the same when it comes to satisfying our need for the newest and best gadgets. It's nothing to walk into someones house and find a huge TV mounted on their wall and in some cases it's more than one. We tend to participate in life a grand scale.

Even when it comes to driving, going 70 MPH is not enough. We always push it to the limit trying to go as fast as we can without getting caught. I've got to admit I'm guilty of the same thing. On a side note I once heard a cop use the phrase "9 you're fine, 10 you're mine" in regards to how fast someone is going over the speed limit before he'll stop them. Since I heard that I figure those are words to live by. OK, I'll get back to my point.

Unfortunately Many Christians don't have this same desire to participate in the function of their church as they do in seemingly every other aspect of their life. These are the people that I like to call spiritual driftwood.

You know them, you see them week in and week out coming into the doors of the church walking to the same seat every week, listening to the sermon then they get up and head right to their car, leaving and never contributing a thing. Much like how driftwood starts out a Christian seems to get tossed in the the river of church soaking all they can as they float in a and out with the tide of the church. Never do they find what their God given intended purpose was. Finally after a while they are almost all but forgotten about. They sink to the bottom and never contribute or are used to their fullest like so many before.

If you're suffering form this syndrome or know somebody that is, it's time to pull yourself to the surface and star to dry yourself out. Wood always burns better when it's dry. It's time to get back to being on fire for the things of God.

Automakers and Youth Ministry

All the distress nowadays over the American big three auto makers, has really been a problem a very long time in the making. I could go into the politics of it all and how the UAW and the Federal government really hold much of the blame for the crisis that the automakers find themselves in, but I won't. Instead I'd like to focus a little on the automakers themselves and a lot of the problem as really boiled down to creativity.

Being in the Tool & Die industry, injection molding to be more specific, I've seen a lot of different car components from their concept and to be honest they are rather dull. It seems like each new part is just a poor knock-off of the previous years model. You can ask just about anyone in the automotive manufacturing industry and most will tell you that it has been a long time since any of the big three automakers have come out with anything really exciting. Sure the cars of today still do their job, they get you from point "A" to point "B", but that's about it. Think about it, when was the last time that the big three put out that "must have" car or truck.
All this has caused the consumers to look elsewhere for that sweet ride. They want a car that functions just like they always have, but they want them to have a fresh new look.
To get right down to it, the American automakers need to retool! If they don't they will just continue to loose more and more market share and eventually have to close up shop. So what does this have to do with youth ministry?

Well, teens today are a lot like today's automobile consumers, especially when it comes to the youth ministry that they are a part of. They want to have a youth ministry that provides the same things it always has. They want to know it's a place that they can go to learn more about Christ, a place where they can be served and learn to serve others. They want to know that it's a place where they know they can go and feel like they belong and are accepted. They want all of this but they want it in a new refreshing way. The type of youth ministry that their parents had, while effective, will not work for today's youth, it just won't! While the message of the Gospel will always be timeless, the way in which it is presented must be timely!

In the times we live in, trends come and go at lightning quick speeds. The attention of today's youth is being pulled in several different directions and I'm afraid that to many churches have not retooled their youth ministries. They're just doing the same old thing year in and year out, because it's always "worked". While the old methods may still get you from point "A to point"B" so to speak, it doesn't make it exciting or very personal for the teen. It makes it more of a necessary evil. Just like I know I need a car, many teens that truly love Jesus know they need to be a part of a ministry. I don't like my car, it's old but it still runs and is paid for. However I know that there is something better out there. The world has a lot to offer teens today and if we as youth leaders don't retool our ministries, we might have to close up shop because all of our "customers" have gone elsewhere.

Take some time to laugh!

We as followers of Jesus need to and should be able to laugh out loud. Forget about all the pressures that fill our lives knowing that God is in control and is with us no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in. If we can't do something as simple as that, what message does that send to unbelievers? What does that tell them about or faith or the power that God has? So take 5 minutes and watch this clip from one of my favorite comedians, Jim Gaffigan, and laugh a little.

Female Rockers

Over the the last ten years or so the "Christian Music" industry has changed a lot, and it can't be more true when it comes to that of hard rock. It used to be that only the "best" bands were a bunch of "church acceptable" looking guys that just happened to play music. That's not the case any more. Today the look and sound of most bands has changed, and I must say it's for the better.

The music today is a lot edgier, harder and in your face. The cool thing is, it's more blatant about spreading the the truth of the gospel as well as the person and message of Jesus. It seems like in the past that bands would try and hide their message in order to get that bigger contract or to get the cross-over radio play. I don't think people had much respect for that. People want to know what a band is all about, what ever it may be.

Not only has the music and the message gotten better, but the face of a lot of bands has changed. Once dominated by men, women have taken over as the lead vocals of many new metal bands. I have to say, I was once skeptical of having a woman being the lead of a hard rack band. Not because I didn't think a woman could do it, it's just that up until recently there were very few and the ones that were around weren't any good. That is not the case any more!

If you like hard rock, check out some of the bands I've listed below ( in no particular order). They all have a great sound and a greater message. Let me know in the comments section of any other new bands out there, I'm always looking for new music.

Flyleaf, Breaking The Silence, Ilia, Fireflight,

Jesus Rules!

Man, I can't say it enough, Jesus is awesome! The last few months have been really hard for my family and for most families living here in Michigan. But you know, the Lord never fails. This post is sort of an extension of the last one, but I have to give praise and credit to the one who sustains.
The Lord has blessed even more than I can imagine. We sort of get in this rut thinking that blessings come in the form of money and while that is true, it's not the only form of blessing.
Blessings can come in the form of money, time, health, family, struggle, peace, hurt and the list could go on.
Yes even things that might seem hard to go through can indeed be a blessing, although we may not see it as such until after we have gone through it.
I'm reminded of the song "Count your blessings" it says "name them one by one, count your many blessing, see what God has done!" Go ahead take time to think about all the blessings that God has given you, and not just the monetary ones. Maybe even write them down. I bet you'll be surprised at the length of the list.

Gods Advice Through These Hard Times

"All of You is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You is more than enough

You are my supply
My breath of life
And still more awesome than I know
You are my reward
worth living for
And still more awesome than I know...." you probably recognize those lyrics from the song "More Than Enough" written by Chris Tomlin. They are great lyrics and in these tough economic times, those lyrics really make me think. Is God my supply and is He truly more than enough for me? I'd like to challenge you to think about and question where does your faith rest? I know these are just lyrics to a song and are not divinely inspired, but I have a verse, three in fact.

Matthew 6:25-27 25 says this: "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?(ESV)
Lets take a minute and pick these verses apart.
First in verse 25 and 26, we are not to be anxious or worried about our lives. Our lives are compared to the lives of birds. Birds don't sow reap, save or store for the future and yet he takes perfect care of them. Then in verse 26 it asks the question "Are you not of more value then they?" Let me answer that for you, YES!!! I really like what it goes on to say in verse 27, "And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?" There is no point in worrying, it's not going to add anything to your life. In fact in will only rob you of life. So then what are we as followers of Christ supposed to do, walk around with our heads in the clouds and wait for God to drop a big sack of money on our heads?
No way! We need to have a good testimony by working hard, being faithful with what God has given us and keep on working to further the kingdom of Christ like we were called to do.
We need to stay faithful to God, He will always be faithful to his children!

Check out this sermon by Mark Driscoll on putting preachers (preaching) in their place. It's a great message on the importance of preaching the Bible in todays churches. Pass it along to any preacher or senior church leader you know. Good stuff!