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I’m out of town for about 2 weeks (rock and raft training) and I’ve invited several bloggers to weigh in on a few questions.

Blogger: Kevin Twombly

Blog: http://revkevgcc.wordpress.com

Kevin’s answers to questions 1 from yesterday is here…

2) One way God continues to inspire and give me hope is ____________ .

One way God continues to inspire and give me hope is when I am able to sit and listen to a teenager who has experienced true life transformation through connecting in relationship with Jesus.  There is nothing that gives me more hope and inspires me to continue doing what I do then when I can hear first hand from someone who “once was lost but now is found.”  When I speak with a parent that is in complete awe of the changes in the attitude and lifestyle of their son or daughter I get recharged and realize just how worth all of the tough times are.  When a parent makes the statement, “I don’t know what you have done with my kid but please keep at it.”  I find the hope to keep connecting with kids who are sometimes very hard to love.  No one is beyond the love of Christ and I am reminded of this every time I speak with a young person who shares what God has brought them through.

3) Where do you see God moving in the world today?

I see God moving in this current generation of young people today.  I see God moving in the hearts of teenagers who have chosen to forgo personal gain and pleasure to serve “the least of these” and sacrifice their time, talents and treasures to make it possible for a child to receive an education, a village to have the opportunity to access fresh, clean water, and provide for families who are in need of basic necessities that seem to be overlooked by the masses.  This next generation is on the move and they are setting the pace for the rest of us who have been far too obsessed with the need for personal possessions and gain.  I am inspired to see just how far they are willing to go to make it possible for people around the world to have what they need most.
While I will acknowledge that it is my personal opinion that the greatest need of all people is to encounter and accept Jesus as their savior, many people will never hear that message if their immediate needs of food, water, healthcare, and shelter are not first met.  By meeting these needs first there is a softening of their hearts that takes place.  There is an openness to the Gospel when they see that people who are associated with Jesus are also the ones that are providing aid to their situations.  We must continue these efforts, encourage many more young people to engage with social causes, and resource them with the necessary training to send them out into the world to serve all of His people (that means everyone!)

I’m out of town for about 2 weeks (rock and raft training) and I’ve invited several bloggers to weigh in on a few questions.

Blogger: Kevin Twombly

Blog: http://revkevgcc.wordpress.com

1) Even thought I’ve experienced______ in ministry, I still keep going because of _________ .

Even though I’ve experienced burnout in ministry, I still keep going because of the work of the Holy Spirit in my life.  Several years ago I was running at far to fast a pace in my life.  I was 32 years old and averaging a 85 hour work week.  My desire to do the work of the Lord was killing the work that the Lord was trying to do in me.  It was the end of a very long, stressful day and I was getting my (at the time 1 year old) ready for bed.  As I was getting her dressed in her “jammies” I began to lose all of my peripheral vision.  Shortly after the loss of vision I began to feel a tingling in my arm.  As this was occurring I began to lose focus of my thoughts.  My wife was working hard to find out the name of my physician and I could not remember.  She called a friend who came over and watched our kids as she drove me to the ER to get checked out.
At 32 years of age I had a stroke.  I was burning the candle from both ends all in the name of ministry and ruining my life at the same time.  Fortunately the stroke had no lasting effects on my body or mind and I was able to get back into the swing of my regular life.  This was quite the wake up call for me and it caused me to make some radical changes in how I was living.  During this time I cut out many of the non-essentials from my life.  I engaged more time in finding quiet for my life.  It was during this time that the Holy Spirit spoke most clearly to me about the pace that I was moving thru life.  I was drawn to Matthew 11:28-30

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a     real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-        fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
All that I had been striving for in leading a successful, thriving ministry was killing me.  All that Jesus ever wanted for me and from me was to walk beside Him.  To learn the “unforced rhythms of grace” and I had lost sight of all of that.  It took a stroke to wake me up to the work that the Holy Spirit wanted to do in my life.  I have experienced burnout in ministry – it almost took my life, I still keep going because of the work of the Holy Spirit in my life.

I pray that you will to…

the rest of Kevin’s questions tomorrow…

I’m out of town for about 2 weeks (rock and raft training) and I’ve invited several bloggers to weigh in on 4 questions.

Blogger: Jay Phillippi

Blog: Da Youth Guy Thinks Aloud

Jay’s answers to questions 1 & 2 from yesterday are here…

3) Where do you see God moving in the world today?

Well you see I’m an optimist, though it can be well hidden at times.  I see God moving everywhere!  I know plenty of folks will sniff in derision at that but I think they’re expecting to see massive movement.  For me God shows up in the tiniest places.  Have you see the TV ad, for insurance I think, where one person helps someone else and a third person sees it happen.  So they help some one else out and are seen and it goes round and round?  For me that’s how God is working in the world.  When a kid comes back from a mission trip with new eyes to see their world.  Yes, the mission trip was a big thing but it’s insignificant compared to the tiny changes that will be made every day for that young person for years to come.  As Americans we get so caught up in “Big” we overlook the powerful force of a thousand thousand tiny changes.  A seismic jolt will bring change but can bring destruction right along with it.  A tiny shift here and there and here and there will create a change that will last for generations.  Look around, watch for the tiny things, wait for your chance to make those little changes in the world.  The burning bush or the great flood may arrive in time but we can make great changes with simple kindness, an open heart and a helping hand.

4) I am most hopeful about the church today because_________. I am least hopeful today about the church because ____________.

I am most hopeful about the church today because the young people (I know, a broken record) I am least hopeful today about the church because the adults.  There’s a very real chance we are going to mess this up so badly that not even the vigor of the new young leaders coming up can fix it.  We spend so much time and energy arguing and playing politics and trying to insure institutional purity and perpetuity that we lose sight of the real work that is out there.  Let’s face it if every church institution on the face of the planet disappeared tomorrow but the people were really focused on “The Work” we’d roll right on.  Sure we’d mourn the loss of things that have meant a great deal to us.  But when they get in the way of doing what we are called to do they have become idols and lead us away from God.  The big “issues” facing the church are of, IMNSHO, barely worth the time to mention.  Based on my reading of the Gospels I can not believe that God will give a hoot about whether or not we got the “rules” just right, if we said our prayers just right, if we sat in the same pew with just the “right” people so long as we fulfill his new commandment – “Love One Another”.  Sadly we do a fairly crappy job of it.  We’re much better at flaming each other and diminishing each other and judging each other.  I pray for the young people to lead us back to The Work and I pray that we old folks will listen.

I’m out of town for about 2 weeks (rock and raft training) and I’ve invited several bloggers to weigh in on 4 questions.

Blogger: Jay Phillippi

Blog: Da Youth Guy Thinks Aloud

1) Even thought I’ve experienced______ in ministry, I still keep going because of _________ .

Even thought I’ve experienced disappointment and lack of support and people talking behind my back in ministry, I still keep going because of my young people .  The one great wonder I have discovered in this very weird job known as youth missioner are the young people I have had the great honor to walk a ways with.  I know that sounds like the pat youth minister answer but I’ll bet every youth minister who reads those words will start to nod their head.  I have seen great courage and great wisdom and great forgiveness and great healing and great wonder and great faith in people who aren’t old enough to drive or vote.  They have inspired me often and humbled me more often than I like.  One of our bishops has said that the most important things he ever learned about faith  he learned from children.  I know just how he feels.  A group of camp counselors got me started on my journey of faith, a couple parish priests have important roles along the way.  But it has been the young people that have truly helped me grow.  And that gives me a reason to keep on despite that other “stuff”.

2) One way God continues to inspire and give me hope is ____________ .

One way God continues to inspire and give me hope is through the people I find around me.  That’s a change for me.  In many ways I’m not a big “people” person (honestly, most of you annoy the daylights out of me.  Nothing personal, I’m just sayin’)  But over the last 25 years or so the Big Guy has tapped on my shoulder and said “Watch this”  or “Listen”.  When I have wonderful people have wandered into my life.  Two special ladies who made sure to always say hello when I first started showing up at church.  They helped me find the place that is surely “home” now.  The list goes on and on right up to just a couple weeks ago when I met this amazing lady who didn’t know me from Adam but by the end of our week together (at a conference people, at a conference!  I know how your minds work.  And you wonder why you annoy me, lol!)  sat me down to tell me things about myself that she couldn’t possibly know. She spoke to my fears and my frustrations in ways that are helping to heal me and make me believe in myself again. I’m not sure she even knows how much she helped me.  Or how much I needed to hear someone say those things to me.  God still taps me on the should from time to time but I’m getting much better at seeing them on my own.

Jay answers questions 3 & 4 tomorrow…

I’m out of town for about 2 weeks (rock and raft training) and I’ve invited several bloggers to weigh in on 4 questions.

Blogger: Adam McLane

Blog: http://AdamMcLane.com/

1) Even thought I’ve experienced______ in ministry, I still keep going because of _________ .

Even thought I’ve experienced betrayal in ministry, I still keep going because of I have a fundamental belief in the imperfect local church. It pains me to see friends give up on church altogether. Ultimately, the church is full of people who are just as corrupt and broken as I am. Embracing that as a reality as well knowledge that Jesus wants the church to be His instrument of expressing grace, love, and forgiveness gives me strength to move forward.

2) One way God continues to inspire and give me hope is ____________ .

One way God continues to inspire and give me hope is that He just won’t leave me alone. As a young adult many people in my life poured themselves into me and affirmed my call into vocational ministry. The last year or so I’ve been in awe of how God works. Even when I don’t want to be used as God’s minister, He uses me.

3) Where do you see God moving in the world today?

In the city. While the attractional evangelical churches continue to grow and firmly establish themselves in the suburbs, I see God moving remarkably through city ministries seeking practical justice, community development, and even in the political arena. City churches operating in both traditional and new formats are helping to root out the long-standing adage that Sunday morning at 11 AM is the most segregated hour of the week.4.

4) I am most hopeful about the church today because_________. I am least hopeful today about the church because ____________.

I am most hopeful about the church today because of the men and women who are investing in my community. I am least hopeful today about the church because I see people losing hope as their denominations disintegrate. There are times where I wonder if people believe in Jesus Christ for their salvation or if they have placed their hope in a system created by man.

I’m out of town for about 2 weeks (rock and raft training) and I’ve invited several bloggers to weigh in on 4 questions.

Blogger: Brian Kirk

Blog: Rethinking Youth Ministry

Questions 1 and 2 were answered yesterday…

3) Where do you see God moving in the world today?

In the work I see being done in our urban areas with children, the homeless, the unemployed, the neglected.

4) I am most hopeful about the church today because_________. I am least hopeful today about the church because ____________.

I am most hopeful about the church today because, in many ways and places, it is getting smaller. This may sound counterintuitive. Don’t we want to the Church to grow? Of course, but what is growth? Is it always numerical, or can it also be in a deepening of living out the way of Christ and our commitment to the peace and justice of God? Perhaps the shrinking of the Church worldwide is simply a way of tightening our belts, cutting away the waste, getting down to the real nitty gritty of what it means to follow Jesus. If we are smaller, that means we are also lighter, more mobile, better able to manuever within the changes of the culture. We are less tied to big buildings and the need to be “all things to all people.” In fact, the smaller we get, the more we will be forced to attend to the particular call and gifts God has placed on us and follow those into ministry, rather than taking a marketing approach of trying to offer a huge smorgasboard of programming in order to cast the widest possible net for new members. Conversely, I am least hopeful today about the church because of the way many fear these changes. They talk of the Church as being “in decline,” which is a judgement statement that suggests that “small” is a sign of failure and success always means “bigger.” Once the Church can move past its fear, once it’s ready to follow Jesus walking on the water and in his ministry to calm the storms, there’s no telling what amazing growth may happen.

I’m out of town for about 2 weeks (rock and raft training) and I’ve invited several bloggers to weigh in on 4 questions.

Blogger: Kevin Bussey

Blog: www.kevinbussey.com

1) Even thought I’ve experienced Pain in ministry, I still keep going because of the Calling .

2) One way God continues to inspire and give me hope is: seeing people give their lives to Christ.

3) Where do you see God moving in the world today? I see him moving in my ministry, the workplace.  People are hurting and need the love of Christ.

4) I am most hopeful about the church today because: God made the church His instrument to reach the world. I am least hopeful today about the church because: it isn’t as relevant as it should be.