What are you writing?

I came across a post on Tentblogger today about notebooks. He lists 10 of his favorite writing notebooks and that got me thinking about the pages I've used over the years. As a kid, I missed out on the typical black and white composition notebooks (which are number 10, by the way) because we were always well stocked with those really inexpensive spiral notebooks - the ones you see the cheap frugal moms lugging around at Target at back to school time for like 17¢ each or something (like my wife). I didn't know what a Moleskine was until just a few years ago (and still wouldn't mind a good debate about the proper pronunciation of that brand), but I have at least seen most of the options on the list.

Though the usually smashed spiral inevitably made page turning a little tricky, I was at least privileged to write almost exclusively in college rule notebooks. This was necessary mostly because I write tiny (not small - tiny), which some handwriting expert will probably tell you indicates a lack of self confidence or an introverted and academic personality. I hated Big Chief, with his cocky wide lines and paper that was impossible to erase without burning a hole through 3 pages. I secretly looked down on teachers that accepted assignments on wide rule. How could they be at peace with such sloppy arrogance?! Ok, maybe that's exaggerating a little bit...

I've never been a die hard journal keeper, but have filled more than a couple notebooks with what would pass as journal entries. Someday, someone is going to read them and say, "Wow, I always thought he was  more well adjusted than that." That's because my journals are often filled in mildly distraught moments of prayer - pouring out to God what I don't think I should dump on others. A lot of people don't notice the rougher edges of me because I've learned to tuck them away in writing that doesn't usually see the light of day. I can imagine my grandkids finding an old box of my stuff and thinking, "Grandpa was really weird and moody. With all those years being unhappy, it's no wonder he's so grumpy now!" Part of what may make me seem well adjusted (whatever that means) is that I don't go around spewing all my garbage because I've found a better dumping ground than in your lap.

The thing is, what I write in notebooks can be easily misunderstood, especially since it's because a sort of salvage yard of my broken pieces. If parts of it are taken out of context and the rest of it ignored, those parts don't really accurately represent who I am. Whether it's a song (which are mostly written upside down from the back of the notebook for some reason that still escapes me), a prayer, some sermon or lesson notes, a rant, or just a catchy line I wanted to remember... you can't know me fully from just that piece. If you only know me from this blog, you see me only through the limited lens this blog affords. My private writing gives an even less illumined view.

This leads me to how we treat the Bible. There's no doubt in my mind that reading God's Word can help a person get to know Him. (And yes, I realize the Bible is much more than God's personal little journal.) But we will not get to know God fully by taking our favorite bits and pieces of Scripture and divorcing them from the context of the rest of Scripture. We won't even get a very full picture by reading the whole text year after year. The Bible isn't a compilation that's meant to only be read and discussed - it's meant to be done. It's meant to be lived. It's meant to be demonstrated by His kids.

It's only when we act on the Word that we really understand the Author. Write that down in your hand-crafted Ciak or your bamboo Writersblok...  scribble it into your spiral bound cheap-o college rule... maybe even scrawl it in your Big Chief (use a crayon)... but don't forget what James wrote, "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." God doesn't just write in notebooks - He writes in you for all to see. What's He writing?

The Book of Ax?

Our high school class on Sunday mornings has been studying the book of Acts for the past couple months. I love the look in their eyes as our students hear how the Holy Spirit was moving in the first century church and as they come to understand that the same Spirit lives in the church of this century as well. But I was caught off guard a little bit yesterday.

We're just getting into the shift between Peter's meeting with Cornelius' family and Paul's travels through Asia Minor and his hope to reach Rome. It's amazing how a little splinter cell of Jews loyal to a carpenter became the multi-cultural church stretching throughout much of the known world so quickly (all without the help of blogs, mass-texts, or facebook). I wanted to recap the first several chapters that we'd covered up to this point, so I started at the beginning and asked them to "Tell me about the book of Acts."

As they began talking about Jesus ascending into heaven and the Apostles waiting in and around Jerusalem, I asked about the name of the book. "Why is it called Acts?" The one student who piped up first offered only a shrug, a confused look, and a frustrated "I have no idea what any of this has to do with an ax."

The Ax of the Apostles. The Ax of the Holy Spirit. Ax.

You need to know this is not a dumb kid. He's been to church all of his life and reads his Bible more than most adults I know - by a lot. He's not Biblically illiterate and often leads in our student ministry in many ways. He's a great young man. But somehow, when he was a little kid his mind latched on to an "Ax" metaphor instead of more of an "Actions" picture - and it stuck until yesterday!

I've been reflecting on this in a couple ways:

1. A church that doesn't Act with the Holy Spirit will soon see His Ax. That's cheesy enough to fit on a church marquee (sorry), but we have to remember the stakes are high. When we stop following His lead we're not really being the church.

2. Spelling Matters.

3. Don't assume everybody knows what you know. Cover the basics and re-cover them frequently.

4. There may be more teaching going on than learning - and that's not ok. If you teach or lead a group, be prepared when it comes time to deliver and fill in the gaps that even the best curriculum will leave. Don't settle for the Saturday night, flip through the workbook then read it Sunday morning approach. The way you fill the role (whether it's in the nursery or the nursing home or anywhere in between) is shaping the church. Shape it well.

Take Me to Your Leader

Since the 50's, cartoon aliens have been making the demand, "Take me to your leader." Get me to the one in charge because I'm too important to be dealing with a peon like you. You can't possibly be able to answer my questions or be interesting enough for conversation, so take me to someone who is. Take me to your leader. The phrase has entered our culture so deeply that it's been used by everyone from the Newsboys to Ninja Turtles.


But, what if you and I were really asked that question? Who are your leaders? Look back over your life objectively - what is it, or who is it that has led you to where you are today?

Shifting away from an individual focus for a minute, I want to ask the church something. Together, who are our leaders? Who are we following? I know the easy answer to throw out is 'Jesus', but if Marvin the Martian showed up Sunday morning with his ACME ray gun and demanded to know who's in charge around here, would we all point to the stage? The elders & staff? Teachers and small group leaders?

As followers, how do we balance our loyalty to our flesh and blood leaders (and our own preferences) with being disciples of Jesus? As leaders, are we doing everything possible to lead people to follow Him, not just us?

A Quick Message for my WestWay Students

As I was thinking over what we talked about last night, I began reading in 1 Peter this morning and came across some stuff I wanted to share with you guys. I noticed some things there that I think you need to know as you get back into school.

You may not think you're much, but together, God is making something amazing!

"And now God is building you, as living stones, into His spiritual temple." Guys, I think that verse is for us, not just the Christians in the first century. It's for you. God is still building His people into a living, breathing, dynamic place where He makes Himself available. As you check out your new classes and new teachers and teams... make sure you're letting Him live in you AND make Himself known through you.

"They stumble because they do not listen to God's word or obey it... But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God's holy nation, His very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light." As you finish up Filter over the next couple weeks, finish strong. But don't just read your Bible - live it. Obey it. Let His Word sink into your soul and reshape you from the inside. Then, you become more than just a youth group, more than just a bunch of kids who like to hang out together and stay out of trouble - you become His Church (His priests, His nation, His possession...) - an unstoppable force of light, showing others the goodness of God.

Whether this is your first year at a new school, or your last year as a Senior, make this year a time when you really step out to shine Christ's light. Make Him known. Your schools are your mission field: show His goodness there.

img: Jono Hale @ creationswap.com

The Middle School Milestone

Earlier this summer, for the first time, one of my own kids was with me as a camper for Middle School camp. This morning, I took her to middle school orientation. I spend a lot of time around middle schoolers, so the mix of excitement and nervous fear in the building today wasn't too surprising - but it's been "interesting" making adjustments to actually having a middle schooler of my own (who thinks 11 is way more adult than her father does, by the way).

Emily's looking forward to getting back to school and is excited about the schedule. We got to walk through the building this morning, finding classes and seeing friends who haven't connected much over the summer, as well as meeting teachers. She seems to have a really good group of teachers, so as a parent and a youth pastor, that's something for which I'm very grateful.

And just as my daughter's entering a new phase, I think I am too. For 12 years, I've done ministry with other people's kids, but now, the first of my own kids will begin a wave that will have them being more present than they have ever been. Here's what I'm hoping:

I hope having my own daughter in my primary ministry group won't cause me to hold back in challenging my students to fully chase after God. It's one thing to encourage someone else's little girl to listen when God's telling her to go into dangerous situations on His mission, but what about my own daughter taking that risk? Will I still be willing to nudge my students toward the God-led risks they need to take? I think so, but I have a lot more skin in the game now - my own flesh and blood...

I hope I can be even more present for her peers without sacrificing the special relationship a daughter should have with her dad. As a youth pastor, I want to take advantage of every opportunity to help young people see Jesus, but I don't want to manipulate my daughter's relationships toward my own ends. She's not my little spy into the world of youth culture. I have to admit, sometimes I feel a little awkward as a mid-thirties guy showing up at a Jr. High band concert/football game... If I didn't know my own motives, it could be a little creepy.

I hope I can be the dad I need to be and the pastor I need to be. The tension between what my family needs and what my ministry needs is not an easy tension to manage. I hope I can leverage that tension well to propel both my kids and the other people's kids that I'm privileged to serve into the life Christ dreams for them.

What's a Healthy Youth Ministry Look Like?

I had a brief discussion the other day with another youth minister about where youth ministry is at today - where things are going well and where youth ministry in general could improve. I'm not one to say that youth ministry is a total failure and may not have even been a good idea in the first place, but I have seen some practices that I think are unhealthy habits at best that we need to stop doing or do better. There is room for improvement.

But this has me thinking... I've been in youth ministry full time since before the Y2K bug failed to hatch. Before that, I read and studied about everything youth ministry related I could get into my paws for 4 years of college. I live and breathe in the waters of youth ministry and like a fish doesn't know it's wet, maybe my perspective is skewed.

I know some of you who read this blog regularly have a similar place in the world of youth ministry and some do not. Some of you are parents, some are students, some are curious relatives, and some are secret agents of enemy forces keeping tabs on me (ok, maybe not so much of that last one). Your vantage point on youth ministry may reveal something to you that I don't notice, so I want to know...

What are you seeing in youth ministry?

What needs to be better?

What are the marks that help you recognize a healthy student ministry?

For the Sake of Argument

"Why shouldn't we quarrel about a word? What is the good of words if they aren't important enough to quarrel over? Why do we choose one word more than another if there isn't any difference between them? If you called a woman a chimpanzee instead of an angel, wouldn't there be a quarrel about a word? If you're not going to argue about words, what are you going to argue about?"

G.K. Chesterton's MacIan in The Ball and the Cross

My kids seem to have a great propensity for arguing about really stupid things. Not just my kids at home, though... I have a couple guys in my youth ministry who love each other like brothers. And by "love each other like brothers" I mean they "feel obligated to disagree with anything the other guy says." Seriously these two are good friends, but they argue incessantly.

For the first few hours of any trip, I usually just laugh at the arguments. I'm a patient guy, but usually the rest of the van is ready to trade them for the next bit of roadkill within the first hour. I'll often step in just before someone opens the door to push them out with what seems to me should be an end to the argument (it never is).

Usually, it's like this: "Guys, you both are saying the same thing! Shut up and listen to each other." I know "shut up" is not proper youth minster etiquette, but sometimes, it's just the most appropriate phrase. It amazes me how often these guys will escalate an argument where they both are saying THE SAME THING because they're not really hearing each other. They're ignoring the words each other are saying with their eyes set on winning some imaginary argument trophy. Sometimes I just throw out something really contradictory to get them to realize they're on the same side.

Some arguments aren't worth having. But some are. What is something you're willing to argue about? What's something you currently are in the middle of arguing? Is it worth the quarrel?

NewsMakers?

"It is the one great weakness of journalism as a picture of our modern existence, that it must be a picture made up entirely of exceptions. We announce on flaring posters that a man has fallen off a scaffolding. We do not announce on flaring posters that a man has not fallen off a scaffolding. Yet this latter fact is fundamentally more exciting, as indicating that that moving tower of terror and mystery, a man, is still abroad upon the earth... Hence, the complete picture they give of life is of necessity fallacious; they can only represent what is unusual."

G.K. Chesterton in The Ball and The Cross

Two things have been rattling around in my head since a couple days ago, when I came across this passage:

1. If we rely solely on media to define our perception of the world around us, we won't get a very clear picture of that world. Even with the wide array of media choices available to us, we'll only be getting a few of the most unusual pieces, pieces which someone else has deemed most important. If you want to know what the world is really like, get out there and do something - experience it! Better yet, shape it.

2. Chesterton's description of man as "that moving tower of terror and mystery" points to the great capacity that each of us has. Our actions have the potential to change the very world we live in. Each breath that fills our lungs carries with it one more opportunity for meaningful action. The fact that our lives may never make headlines should never deter us from doing what we can to make a positive impact wherever we are.

Anybody made any good news, lately? Share your story in the comments - you can even start with the fact that you're still breathing!

8 Random Reflections After CIYMove

Some summary thoughts and random reflections from last week's CIY Move in Durango:

1. CIY is awesome. I love what this organization has been doing in the world of youth ministry. It's not just about a 1 week summer conference, but about building platforms for launching young people into kingdom work as they reframe their lives around His Word and His mission.

I love the crepes in that little wagon!

2. For the first time in my life, I was complimented on my handwriting! I've always seen my handwriting as fairly crappy, very tiny, and barely legible. There's a long and traumatic story about how I held my pencil wrong in 2nd Grade, but I'll spare you the graphite details... But this week, adult leaders hand wrote brief letters to the students, noting a verse or two of Scripture that we are praying for our students. And despite cramping fingers (I rarely actually write anything anymore) from an afternoon scribe session, at least one of my students gave my penmanship an A. Take that Mr. D. Thanks Jadie!

3. On Friday night, after the girls left group time, I kept the guys behind for a little while and had a moment where I spoke "heart to heart" (and very bluntly) to each of them in an effort to individualize some of what had been going on in our group throughout the week. I want to see these guys be men who passionately honor God, so this was a chance to point out some personal obstacles they each will face and some gifts I can already see in them. They enjoyed the praise, and took the criticism pretty well. This was difficult to do, but I'm praying for those seeds to germinate and grow. I know that's a little vague, but I have huge expectations for these guys. They're filled with incredible potential, and we're kicking out the chocks that keep them parked in the hangar. Time to fly, boys...

4. I love how guys like Kevin Greer and Mark Moore continue to pour themselves into young people - in teaching settings, but even more deeply as mentors for a small handful of guys at a time. The most lasting life change I've seen in youth ministry has happened in the context of a committed adult dumping truck loads of love and experience into a young person's life in a small, discipleship group. (WestWay, this is one of the deficiencies in our youth ministry that we need to improve. Be watching for how you can help.) None of my time in youth ministry could have possibly been productive without teams of people like Jackie and Harriet and Matt and Melissa and Debbie and... many others who loved a few kids enough to disciple them.

5. Lights off laser tag is hazardous. I should have taken the cue when she asked if anyone had a fear of the dark. We'd played a couple rounds already, so the laser tag attendant upped the ante a little bit by going dark. As I was being chased by Michael, I thought I was running full speed down a long corridor. Turns out, I was not. Like the jaws of an alligator, the walls pulled closer and closer, but by the time I realized I was being swallowed by an acute corner, it was too late! Ouch.

6. Our perspective needs broadened continually. Think of the church. What do you picture? Does it include this?

If you're here at WestWay, you'll be hearing more about this film. CIY has highlighted these snapshots of the persecuted church, but there is so much more. We are comfortable here, but don't forget that our family is attacked in much of the world.

7. While I was still in college, I attended a convention CIY used to do for youth leaders. The theme that year was "Standing in the Gap." It was 1997 & I knew nothing about leading a church in youth ministry, but I felt pulled to become someone who would stand in the gap to help young people connect with the Body of Christ. It's really hitting me right now that (at least in part) the reason I feel so out of place all the time is because I've chosen to live my life in that gap. Duh. Hey, guess what? If you choose to place yourself where no one else wants to go, you'll feel alone sometimes. I was reminded this year that there are others who live in that gap - we're not alone there. I was also reminded of some of the strategic thinking I did back then in order to narrow the gap. I'd been given an essentially blank slate and told, "Let's do what needs done." As I sat in an elective class with other leaders this year, I was really convicted that I need to return to being more strategic. I have to admit that some of what we do in our youth ministry is only done because that's what we do. Even worse, some of it may be producing little more than another generation of consumer Christians who whine when we don't sing their favorite song and do little else than show up a couple times a week. I hate that. I'm not a rinse & repeat kind of guy, but I've fallen into that mentality in a couple areas, maybe been lazy with a few things... that has to stop.

8. Sorry about the graphite pun in #2 - I blame sleep deprivation!

Being a Disciple Means Love

Hi guys. I'm leading worship here at WestWay this weekend and want a little help. The theme of Willie's message is that a disciple loves the church family. I'm looking for ideas to incorporate into the service: specifically stories of how you've loved or been loved by the church.

So in the comments section here, tell me your best stories of seeing the church's love on full display... of loving the church even when it was hard... of being loved by the church even when you were undeserving...

Thanks.

Trip-Notes at CIYmove

For those of you keeping track at home, we're into the second day at CIYMove. Vehicles and weather have all been pretty cooperative to this point, and things are going well. I'm hearing some positive feedback already from the first elective sessions this afternoon. Please be praying for the 18 of us to be focused in on what God has to say and courageous enough to follow.

Last night's session focused on young Eli's answer to God's voice: Speak, Lord - I'm listening. This fit amazingly well with what we've been talking about (and hearing) for the past couple months, getting into Filter! Our students are hearing and responding, and it's exciting to think about where God is leading.

Today has been about trusting God when He calls us into something. We talked about Rahab this morning and the amazing change God brought to her life when she responded in faith. She went from "hooker in a town about to be destroyed" to "ancestor of King David - and Jesus, the Messiah." If God can do that with her, there's nothing the rest of us have done that places us beyond the hope He brings.
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On a side note, the adult meeting this morning included a great reminder from Kevin Greer that we're planting seeds that change the world. Some of you at WestWay may remember Kevin - he led adult sessions at Spring Thing several years ago. I always appreciate his long term perspective on youth ministry.

He also led a section later that reminded me of the importance of strategic thinking & planning in youth ministry. There are too many things that we do just because 'that's what we do' in youth ministry. I've always hated that, even though I can fall into the same monotonous sinkholes of pointless activity, and it's always good to be reminded to step back once in a while and evaluate. Youth ministry's hard enough as it is, even when you do know exactly why you're doing it. There are some things I need to do to stop making it harder on myself than it needs to be - hope you'll help...

2 Obstacles & 1 Solution for Effective Preaching, Teaching, & Youth Ministry

If you've been involved in youth ministry in just about any capacity for very long, you know 2 feelings all too well... The feeling that nobody is listening & the feeling that you're on your own. You can hear the words coming out of your mouth. You know it's English (or whatever the first language is of the students you're with) & you've even taken out the confusing words, but as you look at your kids, the glazed eyes looking back toward you (or not) cause you to wonder, "Is anybody listening?" Sometimes, I'm amazed when a student that seemed completely checked out was actually paying more attention than a hawk locked in on an absent minded jackrabbit. But still, the feeling persists that what I'm saying just isn't getting through.

Img: "Let God Speak" via Justin Stagge on creationswap.com 

Couple that with another feeling I often come across and you have a train-wreck waiting to happen - the feeling that we're on our own. It's just you and a couple semi-neurotic volunteers to ensure the spiritual well-being of the next generation. Where is the rest of the church? Why don't the other leaders care more about the teens? Why is the single ladies' knitting guild so concerned about the 20 year old carpet? Stain is ok for the benches and windows, why not the floor, right?

I know that sounds a little over dramatic, but feelings aren't objective. Feelings don't just stick to the pure, untainted facts. Sometimes, they lie. But, the truth in your ministry is they ARE listening. They may not be hanging on every word you say, but they are hearing the message of your life loud and clear. The truth in your ministry is you're NOT alone. The leadership may need some explanation of why you just spent $200 with your kids at a pizza place, but they're not against you. The people in your church may not be knocking down your door to volunteer for the next youth group lake party, but that doesn't mean they don't care.

The Spirit pulled Ezekiel aside to begin his prophetic ministry and God gave him some words that we need to live by in youth ministry:

Do not fear them... Do not be dismayed by their dark scowls... You must give them my messages whether they listen or not.

To be clear, these messages that God wanted Ezekiel to deliver weren't received as good news around the campfire. He warned of impending judgment and implored the people to repent of their rebellion and turn once again to their God. Ezekiel was opposed... fiercely. God told him people would reject what He had to say, their hard hearts unwilling to accept his instruction.

But look, I have made you as hard and stubborn as they are. I have made you as hard as rock! So don't be afraid of them... Son of man, let all my words sink deep into your own heart first. Listen to them carefully for yourself. Then go to your people in exile and say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says!'

I wish every preacher, pastor, teacher, youth speaker, & volunteer would hear that well. Let His words sink deep into your own heart first... Then go. Then speak. Then teach. We only have something worth saying after we've allowed His message to take root within us. Don't just speak because it's Sunday (or whatever your main teaching day is). Speak because His message has grown within you to the point where you can't hold it in. Teach because there is no levy strong enough to hold back the grace you're being given. Then, you'll have something to say worth hearing and you'll know you're not standing alone.

WestWay Student Ministry's Filter Update

As I write this, it is Day 23 of Filter - our summer Bible reading challenge. In case you don’t remember, I’ve challenged our students here at WestWay to read the Bible for 1 hour each day for 100 days. About a quarter of the way in, and some great discussions are already happening centered on what’s being read. Even those who’ve fallen behind keep moving forward and deepening their understanding of God through His Word. A large part of what has motivated this project has been this desire for depth.

I believe that students who have given themselves to Jesus are more than just the church of tomorrow. They’re the church, period, and they’re called into Christ’s mission, not just to hang out and be well-behaved together. Instead of teaching them to wait quietly on the sidelines until they’re “old enough”, what if we trained them to hear the voice of God today and equipped them to respond immediately? What if they began to see themselves, not as the church youth group, but as young, vibrant cells of the Body of Christ? What if we cleared the runway for them to launch their own new ministries, putting their passions and energy to work to make His Kingdom known?

These aren’t just hypothetical questions. I really wonder what the church would look like if all of us could see young Christians the way God sees them. I pray for His perspective. That’s really what Filter is about for us - understanding the mind of Christ like Paul mentions in 1 Cor. 2, knowing what He wants, walking in step with His Spirit to reveal His greatness to a world that rarely notices.

Please be praying for our students this summer as we dig into God’s Word together - and take a deep look into how you treat the Word of God in your own life. The church that can’t hear the Shepherd will wander aimlessly and ineffectually. Let’s not be that church.

4 Quick Thoughts about Being a Disciple

I've been hearing about and talking about discipleship a lot lately with friends in several different contexts and thought I'd share a few quick thoughts here that have come up:

• Being a disciple is as simple as hearing the voice of God and doing what He says - seeing Him move and moving in response. I didn't say easy... but simple. When did you last hear Jesus saying, "Come, follow me."?
• Discipleship is costly. It's not supposed to be easy. Being a disciple does not mean you agree to give 52 hours per year to the practice of sitting on your butt in a church building taking notes you'll lose in a few weeks and pretending to mean the words that show up on the screen. It means you've given every fiber of your being to the pursuit of Jesus. If your hobby gets in the way of that, get a new hobby. If your job keeps you from following His lead, find a new job, a new excuse for your disobedience, or a new label to wear besides 'disciple'. Jesus didn't just ask you to follow when it's convenient, but to "take up your cross and follow..." Crosses are for dying. Discipleship costs everything. Are you ignoring His invitation to come and die?
• Discipleship is rewarding. There is no life like a life lived in surrender to our Father and Maker. He knows His plans for you - to prosper, not to harm. He knows how your life would be best lived. So listen and follow, learn what you can in difficulty and celebrate the victories only He can explain. How's life?
• Making disciples is not optional. If you are following Jesus, you will be making disciples. If you're not making disciples, you're not being a disciple. That's the standard He raised up; we don't get to change the rules in the middle of the game to make discipleship something else. We need to refuse to accept anything less for our lives - even if the religious leaders of our day want to settle for attendance, compliance, and donations. God deserves more. Have you moved beyond making introductions to making disciples?

I want to challenge you a bit today. If you consider yourself a disciple, what does that mean? How does that play out in your life?

What do you think of discipleship?

Top 3 Posts of May

May wasn't a very heavy posting month for me, but the top 3 posts here were all sort of 'tying up loose ends' kind of posts. If you missed them, (which you probably didn't since they were the most visited posts) here's a second chance:

1. The Envelope Fundraiser. We ended up raising just over $2100 dollars for our upcoming trip to CIY Move. This is a great start and our group is excited to go in just a few more weeks. Please be praying for the spiritual impact of Move to reverberate well past the week of conference. Also, Christ In Youth is based in Joplin, and while their offices are located outside the path of recent destruction, some of the staff have had heavy losses - be praying for their recovery as well as their efforts to help the rest of their community heal.

2. Sticks & Chisels 4.Bonus. For the last post in the series I did for class, I was thinking about the idea of motivation. My guess was that a lot of my classmates would not be blogging too much now that the external motivator was gone (the assignment done, the class finished). What is sufficient motivation for being a part of the church? For my job and ministry? For your job and ministry? What motivates you? Is it enough?

3. 10ST - 6 More Stupid Things In Youth Ministry. This was also a final post - the last post of a series I did reflecting on each chapter of Geoff Surratt's 10 Stupid Things that Keep Churches from Growing. I'd talked about how each of those chapters pertained specifically to youth ministry, but felt like I should add a few more.

2 Keys to Making Disciples

This post is a summary of the message from Sunday for those who missed it (sorry for the delay).
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Jesus told us to go and make disciples, but sometimes we settle for making introductions. We can mention Jesus, or invite someone to a church gathering, but how are we doing at actually making disciples? Last week Willie shared that here at WestWay we've had 370 baptisms in the last 10 years. That's about 1% of our area population and should definitely be celebrated. But our average attendance this year has been about 350, so I wondered with the congregation Sunday, "Where are they?"

We have about 165 people in small groups and about 100 come to classes on Sunday morning (there is a fair amount of overlap in those numbers). I wonder, what would happen if each of those 370 had been plugged in to a discipling group or class? What if each of the 370 had been paired with a spiritual mentor to help them grow in their new faith? 

Why do we not do a better job discipling?