Sunday, October 30, 2005

The Outside World


This past week I was given the opportunity to go to Indiana University. Now this wasn't to go visit my dad's old school or to just goof off, we were asked to come for the IU Mentoring Confrence. This was the first annual confrence that IU put on, and there were many school from around the state present at this confrence. IWU was the only Christian School there and we were asked to be on some of the discussion panels. During the first discussion panel, Julia Hurlow (who is the grad. assistant for mentoring) and myself realized how much different we were. It was like we were looking into the outside world! Our view of mentoring was so different from the worlds view. Mentoring here at IWU has been discribed as a wholelistic life style. Which means that mentoring isn't just fixing a problem it is living life together. Walking a journey together as one. Well as Julia and I presented this idea, everyone else seemed really confused by the idea. A man named Nigel from New Zealand said "so you're bascially you're saying that was should call for a cultural revolution...that life shouldn't be lived as individuals but together? I like it, you're right, but can it ever happen?" The more I thought about it the more it made sense, we are living a life that is different from the rest of the World. As we look through the window of the Church we must realize that they don't think like we do. So how do we connect to them? How do we make our lifestyle make sense to the rest of the World? Invite them in! And the end of the confrence this week, i was talking to a man named Frank (who was the man who made the whole confrence possible) and he said "I don't know how we here at IU could make happen what you are saying about this wholistic mentoring, but i would sure like to see it happen, keep up your enthusiasim. " My resonse was I hope that you and I can continue to work on this together. He was more than willing to stay incontact and work together at making something schools could use to set up and train a mentoring department. Now i know it wasn't much but it did open the window up so that he could see in with what i was doing and why i was doing it. How do we get the world to see inside the window? Any thing that you all have seen that works well with bringing non-christians in? How do we build those relationships?

Monday, October 24, 2005

unexpected


So this is week five officially of doing this blog and to be honest the slowest blog report of all time. I'm not really sure but it was an amazingly slow week for me, at least at work. My practicum didn't require a lot from me this week expect to preach wed. night. I think it had a lot to do with mid-terms and my boss understanding the business of the week. But to reflect on the week:
I preach wed. night and that was the most unexpected sermon I've ever done. Shortly before i was to go up the LORD changed the sermon on me. To go up on stage without sermon notes, is a very scary thing for me. But God spoke through me. The pastor watching gave me some good comments of review, and gave me some great pointers when those situations happen. But i'm not going to lie the response of the kids was very unexpected. They loved on me so much and responded well, at least to my face, to what the LORD said through me.
Another unexpected week, was the lack of sleep i got and the amount the devil attacked me last week. I'm learning this year how important it is to be a great leader off stage and last week put me to the test. I'm not going to say i was perfect but God gave me grace at times. I long to worship him through my living and last week was tough but the LORD got me through! To challenge you...be flexible allow God to do things through you that you weren't expecting. Some times when you're looking fast ball the LORD likes to through a nasty breaking a ball and see how you respond to it! So be flexible and let him lead!

Monday, October 17, 2005

Iron sharpen Iron


During this very busy time of the school year I'm finding how important it is to stay connected with other ministers. This week I met with my staff and we connected and just had a great time praying for each other and learning about what was going on in our lives. A great time to encourage each other in ministry. Then I met with Phil Straum...we had lunch this week not just once but twice, and it was great to hear about how things were going and what we each were learning from classes and ministry. I had a third time with one of my mentees named Chad and he and I encouraged each other for a good half and hour before we got down to the discussions we've been haven...All three of these moments brought great joy to my life and encouraged me. All three helped me work through this busy week and the week to come. I'm seeing more and more what it means to have people walk this journey with us. 1 Peter 1 talks about how we "should love people like our lives depend on it" We have to walk this journey together, continually sharpening each other. All three of those instances that I had last week made me a better leader and a man of God. What people are investing into you? Who are you letting sharpen you? What are some ways that I can be helping you walk this long road of ministry?

Monday, October 10, 2005

Wedge


I learned a lot this week about what it means to be busy. This week was not one that I would have concidered a winning week but a rough week. I was asked to speak at two different events that were back to back. One at 9 the other at 10, and yes two different sermons. I jumped at the opportunity to do both but little did I realize that I was not prepared for any of what was about to happen. I felt so stretched! I the thought went through that I am doing everything I'm supposed to do right? I mean God gave me the gift of teaching lets use it. But I was way off, also this week I had my one on one mentoring meetings that I couldn't put my whole self into, then my d-group which I felt so distracted from because I was preping for these messages. My wedge was a mile wide and an inch deep. I missed out on so much I believe. I'm not saying that the Holy Spirit didn't do amazing things but in my life I wasn't satisfied with what had happened because my heart was to stretched to accomplish everything I felt it had to. How do we in ministry handle the things we love? I mean I love to teach I love people, and I love to invest? Is it true that "more time with less people equals greater impact for the kingdom?" Josh Jackson. Maybe so...My challenge for myself and others this week is make sure your wedge is an inch wide and a mile deep...pick a few and invest, instead of taking on the whole world.