Baby!

While I will not try to use this blog for things other than communication regarding student things, today I want to make an exception. I wanted to take time to let you know that Abigail Nicole has arrived safely, weighing in at 7 pounds and 14 ounces! Both Abby and mom are doing great! Thanks to all of you have asked, stopped by the hospital, called, or sent cards and gifts. Your kindness and keen interest overwhelms us! I will have to post pictures soon so be watching!!

I was asked an important question today by another minister regarding how to deal with discipline and students within the student ministry context. I have to admit I was taken back by the question because it has been so long since I have even thought about it because our students never give any real problems. I suppose that is why I was asked.... Anyway, I reminded him and myself of a lesson the first pastor I worked under taught me: no matter how hard they try to portray the opposite, kids, students and even adults crave boundaries, discipline and consistency. That is why the first thing I always do when starting a new ministry (and periodically from there) is lay down my expectations of our students and the consequences of what will happen if my expectations are not met.
Then I do the most shocking thing of all, I wait for the testing to begin so I can "make an example" of the first challenge I face so a clear message is sent to everyone: "this guy is gonna do what he said he would every time." Now this may seem to much like a scene out of basic training for some, but here is the deal: not only does this work, but even the worse and most disruptive students actually will thank you for it in the long run. Yes that is correct, each place I have gone to I have had students who have verbally thanked me for taking control of the ministry environment.
Maybe I can give more specific examples of this working in the future, but for now I hope you will take me at my word. I believe that students want to know what is expected of them, what the limits and consequences are and that these things are constants. Even though I am not a parent (yet) I suspect that if this works in the ministry context, it will work at home with students. So my question today is how are we doing with letting our students know the expectations, boundaries, consequences and most importantly following through with what we say we will at home? I would love to hear your thoughts....

Coachability

Seems like I have been taking on the role of a coach a lot lately. Not sure why, but God has been placing me in front of people to be a coach and help develop people and ministries. I have been coaching individual students, groups of students, one author, other ministries and other ministers. I am really surprised people would want to learn from me to be quite honest but even more surprising than there wanting to learn is there willingness to listen and be coached. This leads me to a question in my own life, how coachable am I? Coachability is more than a desire to learn (although that is the foundation I guess) but it is the willingness to listen and change. I imagine it most any leader wants to learn and get better but how many of us are really willing to listen to areas we need to improve and more importantly change?

another year

Well, it is that time of the year again... school is almost back. I know that brings a lot of things with it (that are not so exciting) but with it also comes another year of Sublime. I can already feel the excitement and anticipation growing among our students. It is in the air! Teams have been praying and working this summer to get ready for our kick off and their plans are starting to take shape and are bringing with them a great anticipation of what God is going to do in us and through us. It is time for our leaders to begin to rise and prepare for the destiny God has for us in the mission field we call school. I can't wait to see what He is going to do in and through us! Get Ready!

ps i love you

I am very excited about our new series that starts tonight called ps i love you. we are blessed to have a place that is willing to tackle tough family issues that many churches would run away from. so many of you (and me too) have been praying about it and I am excited to see what God is going to do through it. i really believe he is gonna change lives big time through it!! please remember to invite everyone at school! you know that you are the only way we reach our schools. with the flu going around and end everyone being sick, it is important to remind those of us who may have been sick and gotten used to being at home about things. lets continue to change our community!!!

interesting day.

So I had an interseting day today. I had to take Pamela's car to have new tires put on it. I went to this place close to where my parents live and as I was driving through the area I grew up something hit me that has been on my mind since God laid it on me last night at Sublime: I am the luckiest person who has ever lived.
I know that sounds crazy, but I really mean it.
Most of you who know me well, know that I am not a very sentimental person and in my mind, logic rules, not emotion. However, as our leaders we were praying before Sublime, I was walking around the room praying ,and as I was, I could see a few of our leaders praying. For whatever reason that got me thinking about something some people have told me recently. They told me that the students of Sublime are lucky to have me as a leader. However as I looked around the room and saw some of our leaders (no one in particular), people who I really do love deeply, I was overcome by the thought that I was the lucky one.
I mean God has blessed me so much. How many people in their 20's get to do what they love everyday? How many get to be surrounded by a move of God? How many people get to share life, growth, God, tears, laughter, jokes, beach trips, ski trips, pranks, videos, phone calls, myspace messages and on and on with people who have become another family to them? God has blessed me beyhond belief.
It is not just church though, as I drove through where I grew up (which i hardly never go back to) I was reminded of my salvation and all the people God put in my life their and all the fun and crazy and serious times we shared. Then their is my blood family, which isn't perfect (but whose is?) but has been way great too.
I can't explain it all on a blog, there are way to many memories and you just would have had to lived them to get it, but God reminded me to be thankful for what He has given me. Just like we talked about last night, a life marked by being full of the Spirit is life that thanks God. So as I drove home today, I thanked God the whole way for everything I could think of. I never even came close to running out. I want to encourage you to make time and do the same.

i john

i am so excited about the real world real temptation series we are starting!! i have been learning a lot from the book of i john. here is one thing that sticks out to me: are we successful as pastors? john was pretty much a failure as a pastor by the worlds standards. his church never blew up in numbers or power (the very thing he fights against). however what i have found though is that more important than being a successful pastor, john was a faithful pastor. faithful to his calling. may this be said of all of us when we are long gone from here.