I think one of the best feelings in the world is to know that what you do for a job is what you'd be doing anyway, even if you didn't get paid for it.
I know that there are a lot of people who don't like their jobs, and only do them ebcause they need money and a job affords them the ability to live, eat, provide, and get ready for the future. But if you find youself at a job where you actually say to youself, "I can't believe that I actually get paid to do this," then you're having a good day.
That's all I got.
23 July 2007
19 July 2007
Baseball
I've been waking up early to throw a baseball for 30-35 minutes in the mornings. It always feels good to start your day with something active. My arm hurts though. It feels kind of like my shoulder is boycotting the rest of my body. But it's okay, it is a good hurt.
I've also bee listening to a lot of Jonny Lang recently. He's good, makes good music. I recommend giving him a listen. Peace out.
I've also bee listening to a lot of Jonny Lang recently. He's good, makes good music. I recommend giving him a listen. Peace out.
11 July 2007
Alone?
A recent aquaintance said something to me that I can’t stop thinking about.
“A place doens’t feel like home if you don’t have a place in somebody’s heart.”
This last week I was at a conference that was all about getting connected to one another. As I look back at different times in my life I’ve come to realize that we really never were meant to be alone. Adam and Eve knew it. Jesus knew it. Paul knew it. The woman at the well knew it.
I think “alone” is the scariest word in the english language. If you truly have “alone” in your life, then I bet your life feels like hell. I don’t have a lot else to say, other than relationships are the key to a full life. Without relationships, you’ll never feel at home anywhere.
God made us to interact, and to impact other’s lives.
“A place doens’t feel like home if you don’t have a place in somebody’s heart.”
This last week I was at a conference that was all about getting connected to one another. As I look back at different times in my life I’ve come to realize that we really never were meant to be alone. Adam and Eve knew it. Jesus knew it. Paul knew it. The woman at the well knew it.
I think “alone” is the scariest word in the english language. If you truly have “alone” in your life, then I bet your life feels like hell. I don’t have a lot else to say, other than relationships are the key to a full life. Without relationships, you’ll never feel at home anywhere.
God made us to interact, and to impact other’s lives.
14 May 2007
Do you remember junior high? I do. For my years in 6th-8th grade I was in 3 different schools. Lyndsey Middle School for 6th. Central Middle School for 7th. Whitman Junior High for 8th. My family moved a lot - we were a military family. The reason I have been thinking of this is because I’m trying to remember when my innocence was lost. I know that there was a point in my life when I wasn’t aware that the people around me could do drugs, smoke, or drink. There was a time when I wasn’t aware that kids in my school might be in gangs, or might try and shoot people in my school (that actually happened). I didn’t think the guys in my gym class could be capable of gang-jumping my older brother and breaking a bunch of his teeth. I never knew that my friend Rob would offer me marijuana, and that a girl I liked could want me to come over to her house after school when her parents weren’t home (I didn’t go, by the way).
There was a point in my life when I wasn’t aware of all the bad stuff. However, sadly, there was a point when my eyes were opened and I realized all of this bad stuff not only existed, but existed in my school. I went to a party at my friend Mike’s house in 8th grade and everyone was smoking and drinking. My friend Wilbert, from gym class, is the one who broke my brother’s teeth. My friend Lupe had his head slammed repeatedly into a urinal in the bathroom. In 7th grade, while I was at my locker, some guy ran by and punched me in the head and ran away (he didn’t even go to my school). One day there was a shooting in my school - not the kind you hear about on the news though - it was a gang shooting at the kind of school where gang shootings weren’t huge news.
I don’t know when my eyes were opened and my innocence was lost, but I know it happened in junior high.
Working with junior high students can break your heart sometimes. I know some kids whose parents still pick out their clothes. I have other kids who get in trouble at school because they took drugs. Some junior high kids take comic books to school, others take semi-automatic weapons. Some are having sex, others don’t even like girls yet. Some still look like elementary school kids, others already have to shave everyday. I even saw in the news that drug dealers are now making fruit flavored/scented drugs to appeal to younger people.
I know of a kid who saw some pornography for the first time. He didn’t even know what he was looking at, but he knew that it was wrong. He confessed to his parents, but he didn’t know why. While I watched him bear-hug his mom, soaking her shirt with his tears, I knew that I was watching his innocence dissolve. It broke my heart. A few months later I found out that he didn’t know what a child molester was. As it was explained to him I could tell that the innocence was almost gone. Soon I know he’ll come into contact with other things that might infect his youthfulness even more, and he’ll be forced to grow up with the realities of all the sin in the world.
I’m crying a little right now as I type these words.
In this life we all lose our childlike innocence at some point. There was a time, though, when everything was black and white, right and wrong, good and bad. Life was easy then. Sadly, that part of life doesn’t last very long, and the realities of a fallen world tear the purity from our hearts.
It reminds me of something Jesus said. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." That verse makes me wonder if, as they lose their innocence, they are also losing their ability to see God. Jesus also said, with a child standing by him, "I’m telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you’re not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God’s kingdom. What’s more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it’s the same as receiving me."
There’s no way to keep a young person from seeing the reality of this world, but I think it is possible to be good role models to show them that even when the world is at its worst, we can show them that the world doesn’t have to infect us with sin, but that we can infect the world with God’s love. We’ll never be able to be children again, but we can humble ourselves like children and love the world with all we have, and do our very best to bless the junior high kids as their innocence is fading.
There was a point in my life when I wasn’t aware of all the bad stuff. However, sadly, there was a point when my eyes were opened and I realized all of this bad stuff not only existed, but existed in my school. I went to a party at my friend Mike’s house in 8th grade and everyone was smoking and drinking. My friend Wilbert, from gym class, is the one who broke my brother’s teeth. My friend Lupe had his head slammed repeatedly into a urinal in the bathroom. In 7th grade, while I was at my locker, some guy ran by and punched me in the head and ran away (he didn’t even go to my school). One day there was a shooting in my school - not the kind you hear about on the news though - it was a gang shooting at the kind of school where gang shootings weren’t huge news.
I don’t know when my eyes were opened and my innocence was lost, but I know it happened in junior high.
Working with junior high students can break your heart sometimes. I know some kids whose parents still pick out their clothes. I have other kids who get in trouble at school because they took drugs. Some junior high kids take comic books to school, others take semi-automatic weapons. Some are having sex, others don’t even like girls yet. Some still look like elementary school kids, others already have to shave everyday. I even saw in the news that drug dealers are now making fruit flavored/scented drugs to appeal to younger people.
I know of a kid who saw some pornography for the first time. He didn’t even know what he was looking at, but he knew that it was wrong. He confessed to his parents, but he didn’t know why. While I watched him bear-hug his mom, soaking her shirt with his tears, I knew that I was watching his innocence dissolve. It broke my heart. A few months later I found out that he didn’t know what a child molester was. As it was explained to him I could tell that the innocence was almost gone. Soon I know he’ll come into contact with other things that might infect his youthfulness even more, and he’ll be forced to grow up with the realities of all the sin in the world.
I’m crying a little right now as I type these words.
In this life we all lose our childlike innocence at some point. There was a time, though, when everything was black and white, right and wrong, good and bad. Life was easy then. Sadly, that part of life doesn’t last very long, and the realities of a fallen world tear the purity from our hearts.
It reminds me of something Jesus said. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." That verse makes me wonder if, as they lose their innocence, they are also losing their ability to see God. Jesus also said, with a child standing by him, "I’m telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you’re not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God’s kingdom. What’s more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it’s the same as receiving me."
There’s no way to keep a young person from seeing the reality of this world, but I think it is possible to be good role models to show them that even when the world is at its worst, we can show them that the world doesn’t have to infect us with sin, but that we can infect the world with God’s love. We’ll never be able to be children again, but we can humble ourselves like children and love the world with all we have, and do our very best to bless the junior high kids as their innocence is fading.
02 May 2007
The Naughty Silver Dollar City Kid
I want to share something I read recently with you. Research from a Barna study said that 60% of people say they accepted Jesus before they were 18. (How many of you accepted Christ before your 18th birthday?) 43% say that they accepted Christ by the time they were 13.
You all know that this ministry that we are a part of is important, but sometimes it is easy to get frustrated because we don’t think we’re having the impact that we feel we ought to. I understand this feeling. This weekend we had a trip to Silver Dollar City, and there was one student who, over and over, had to be told to behave. He mocked authority, ignored adults, and generally was acting terribly – and he’s been in church his whole life.
This happens a lot. Kids who know what’s right and what’s expected of them are in the growing stages of life right now.
Junior High is a time when students begin to decide who they are going to be forever (even if they don’t think of it that way). But before they decide, a lot of them like to try and figure out what kind of person they want to be. That’s why you’ll see kids change styles of clothes, groups of friends, and even genders of pants before they figure out who they are going to be forever.
Those of us who know him expect the “naughty-Silver-Dollar-City-kid” to grow into a solid Christian guy. He’s going to be okay – I just know it. We’ve got to remember that Jesus made us all different, and there was some time in your life when you werne’t sure who you would become, but you knew that it would be defined by Jesus.
When we grew up there were people in our lives that affected us in immeasurable ways, even if we don’t remember who they are. I say all of that stuff to say this: You never know whose life you’ll end up changing this week, just by saying something profound, something funny or something dumb. Don’t underestimate yourself, or the power of God to work through a game of catch, a secret handshake or a song on Guitar Hero.
You all know that this ministry that we are a part of is important, but sometimes it is easy to get frustrated because we don’t think we’re having the impact that we feel we ought to. I understand this feeling. This weekend we had a trip to Silver Dollar City, and there was one student who, over and over, had to be told to behave. He mocked authority, ignored adults, and generally was acting terribly – and he’s been in church his whole life.
This happens a lot. Kids who know what’s right and what’s expected of them are in the growing stages of life right now.
Junior High is a time when students begin to decide who they are going to be forever (even if they don’t think of it that way). But before they decide, a lot of them like to try and figure out what kind of person they want to be. That’s why you’ll see kids change styles of clothes, groups of friends, and even genders of pants before they figure out who they are going to be forever.
Those of us who know him expect the “naughty-Silver-Dollar-City-kid” to grow into a solid Christian guy. He’s going to be okay – I just know it. We’ve got to remember that Jesus made us all different, and there was some time in your life when you werne’t sure who you would become, but you knew that it would be defined by Jesus.
When we grew up there were people in our lives that affected us in immeasurable ways, even if we don’t remember who they are. I say all of that stuff to say this: You never know whose life you’ll end up changing this week, just by saying something profound, something funny or something dumb. Don’t underestimate yourself, or the power of God to work through a game of catch, a secret handshake or a song on Guitar Hero.
01 May 2007
In a world full of nasty...
This, I believe, is my 4th blog site. I started with xanga way back when. Then I tried myspace, but it got too silly. I tried to convert to blogspot for a while, but it wasn’t very interesting. Then my friend, Joe, introduced me to wordpress. I wasn’t convinced, however, until my other friend, Christopher, showed up with some wordpress action.
Now I want to become a wordpress-er (ie: one who “presses” words).
I’d like to start by making a simple observation - often times people love to take advantage of an opportunity to be nasty. Or at least I’ve heard.
My wife works at Kohl’s (at least until tomorrow). Everyday I hear tales of horrible customers, terrible managers, and spiteful co-workers. She often gets chewed out because some dummy is upset because she won’t honor a coupon that expired in 1983.
I am a minister. Which, sad to say, means that I hear a lot of bad stuff about people by means of the prayer chain that goes around the staff (prayer is good, prayer is powerful - so we pray for all this stuff). I also am the first to hear about the kids getting in trouble at school, break-ups, fights and snottyness.
But sometimes, when the nasty of the world is particularly potent, I love to hear a good story.
There’s a kid in the youth group that I am minister of. He is a solid guy. He’s constantly wrestling with God over big decisions, always looks for the outcast to befriend, always wants to help serve in any way, and loved to be one of the first people to give a hug. I am really fond of this kid. He told me that he wants to work at camp this summer. He wants to take a week off of his job and spend it washing dishes at camp for all the little kids. He wants to do this so he can get money to go towards the cost of CIY (a summer conference for youth groups). The kicker is this - he’s not going to CIY this summer. He’s going on a mission trip out of the country somewhere. This students wants to spend a week of his last summer before college working at a camp so he can help pay for someone else’s CIY cost. He’s not going to spendthe week with his friends, or sleeping, or going to New York, or making money for himself - he’s going to pay for someone else’s CIY. Anonymously. Did I say that? He doesn’t want the person to know it was him. He doesn’t even want to know who the person is going to be that gets the money.
I spend a lot of time wondering if the students I teach “get it.” I preach about love, servanthood, and Christlikeness, and sometimes, when the world seems to be up to no good, I wonder if anyone really gets it. But every now and then, I found out that someone does, and it is on those occasions that warm me back up and make me ready to go out for just one more inning. In a world full of nasty, I love to hear stories of people who get it.
Now I want to become a wordpress-er (ie: one who “presses” words).
I’d like to start by making a simple observation - often times people love to take advantage of an opportunity to be nasty. Or at least I’ve heard.
My wife works at Kohl’s (at least until tomorrow). Everyday I hear tales of horrible customers, terrible managers, and spiteful co-workers. She often gets chewed out because some dummy is upset because she won’t honor a coupon that expired in 1983.
I am a minister. Which, sad to say, means that I hear a lot of bad stuff about people by means of the prayer chain that goes around the staff (prayer is good, prayer is powerful - so we pray for all this stuff). I also am the first to hear about the kids getting in trouble at school, break-ups, fights and snottyness.
But sometimes, when the nasty of the world is particularly potent, I love to hear a good story.
There’s a kid in the youth group that I am minister of. He is a solid guy. He’s constantly wrestling with God over big decisions, always looks for the outcast to befriend, always wants to help serve in any way, and loved to be one of the first people to give a hug. I am really fond of this kid. He told me that he wants to work at camp this summer. He wants to take a week off of his job and spend it washing dishes at camp for all the little kids. He wants to do this so he can get money to go towards the cost of CIY (a summer conference for youth groups). The kicker is this - he’s not going to CIY this summer. He’s going on a mission trip out of the country somewhere. This students wants to spend a week of his last summer before college working at a camp so he can help pay for someone else’s CIY cost. He’s not going to spendthe week with his friends, or sleeping, or going to New York, or making money for himself - he’s going to pay for someone else’s CIY. Anonymously. Did I say that? He doesn’t want the person to know it was him. He doesn’t even want to know who the person is going to be that gets the money.
I spend a lot of time wondering if the students I teach “get it.” I preach about love, servanthood, and Christlikeness, and sometimes, when the world seems to be up to no good, I wonder if anyone really gets it. But every now and then, I found out that someone does, and it is on those occasions that warm me back up and make me ready to go out for just one more inning. In a world full of nasty, I love to hear stories of people who get it.
19 January 2007
Oasis and The Zone
We have this thing on Wednesday nights called Oasis. Oasis is a time in the middle of the week for the students to come together and be refreshed by the study of God's Word.
Oasis is pretty awesome (Can something be "pretty awesome" or is saying "pretty awesome" like saying "sort of infinite"? Nevermind.") Oasis is a Bible study for both Jr. High and High School students, but they have separate Bible studies.
The High School students gather together for a Bible study with a guy named Jason French and after he teaches for a while, they break up into small groups and have more in depth discussion and study.
The Junior High hangs out in the Refuge area (our Youth Worship center) and Johnny Scott leads worship. He has different Jr. High students play in the band with him - which is awesome! They are so talented, I'm very impressed. After the worship time we'll usually have some kind of interactive element (eg: writing on a prayer wall, prayer time, responding to a video, or reading out loud some scripture). Then someone will come up and teach a short 10-12 minute lesson (sometimes it will be me, other times it will be a Youth Coach or guest teacher).
This lesson time is intended as an introduction to the topic for the evening. At the end of the lesson the teacher will dismiss the students to go into their small groups. The groups are divided up by grade and sex (7th grade boys, 7th grade girls, 8th grade boys, 8th grade girls). We don't want the groups to be much larger than about 5-6 kids, so there are about 7-8 groups.
The small group time is the most important! It is where the meat of the Bible is discussed. We devote at least 40 minutes to the small group time. The lessons are written and given to the small group leaders in advance so they can prepare for the lesson - and the focus of the small group time is for the students to really interact with the Bible and learn by discussion and study. All groups study the same topic, but the leaders are free to teach in any way they decide.
We also value hang-out time. So we build hang-out time into each evening both before and after Oasis. We don't play games and we don't get too crazy on Wednesday nights because I believe that Junior High students are ripe and ready to be challenged to go deeper into the word. On the other hand, I know they need a time to go nuts! So we have a thing on Sunday nights called The Zone.
The Zone is a night of craziness for the Junior High students to be themselves. We have games, videos, loud music, energy and a lesson with some time for the students to pray together in small groups.
But what I want to focus on is Oasis. Oasis is serious business. At the end of the 2 years of Junior High school these students will have the opportunity to get a good dose of the Bible. We focus the teachings into 5 major catagories - Gospel, Epistle, OT, Doctrinal/Foundaitonal, Topical (relationships, another OT series, current events). Everything is based on the Bible, and everything is entrusted to God. Johhny, the youth coaches, and I have a deep desire to see these Junior High students become who God wants them to be - fully devoted followers of him.
That's what we do. We meet the kids where they are and take them where God wants them to be. Plain and simple.
Junior High Ministry
Jr. High Ministry
One thing I have figured out is that Junior High students are a lot of fun. Sure, they are rowdy, they don't listen sometimes, and they are often really little. But I think they are a blast! Not only are they fun, but Junior High ministry is incredibly important! Check out what Barna says (the Barna group is a huge research group)-
Barna's research discovered that a person's lifelong behaviors and views are generally developed when they are young – particularly before they reach the teenage years.
First, a person's moral foundations are generally in place by the time they reach age nine. While those foundations are refined and the application of those foundations may shift to some extent as the individual ages, their fundamental perspectives on truth, integrity, meaning, justice, morality, and ethics are formed quite early in life.
Second, a person's response to the meaning and personal value of Jesus Christ's life, death and resurrection is usually determined before a person reaches eighteen. In fact, a majority of Americans make a lasting determination about the personal significance of Christ's death and resurrection by age 12.
"In essence," the researcher noted, "what you believe by the time you are 13 is what you will die believing. Of course, there are many individuals who go through life-changing experiences in which their beliefs are altered, or instances in which a concentrated body of religious teaching changes one or more core beliefs. However, most people's minds are made up and they believe they know what they need to know spiritually by age 13.
I am fully convinced that ministering to Junior High students is HUGE! In the Youth Department of the Church I minister at, we have spent many hours trying to figure out the best way to turn our students into disciples of Christ. I am incredibly fortunate to be in a church where I can focus my attention solely on Junior High students, and that has helped me be able to be very focused on just 7-8th graders. Everything I do is intentional - and everything I do is in order to help students get closer to where God wants them to be.
People blog for many different reasons, but usually people just want to share their thoughts with whoever will read. So I wrote this blog today so that I can share my thoughts with whoever chooses to read this (other ministers, youth workers, musicians, friends, preachers, people who drink too much coffee, fans of the Redskins, left handed people, etc.) There will always be more to follow, but for now...take it easy.
-- Matt
"The biggest lie I have ever contended with is this: Life is a story about me."
One thing I have figured out is that Junior High students are a lot of fun. Sure, they are rowdy, they don't listen sometimes, and they are often really little. But I think they are a blast! Not only are they fun, but Junior High ministry is incredibly important! Check out what Barna says (the Barna group is a huge research group)-
Barna's research discovered that a person's lifelong behaviors and views are generally developed when they are young – particularly before they reach the teenage years.
First, a person's moral foundations are generally in place by the time they reach age nine. While those foundations are refined and the application of those foundations may shift to some extent as the individual ages, their fundamental perspectives on truth, integrity, meaning, justice, morality, and ethics are formed quite early in life.
Second, a person's response to the meaning and personal value of Jesus Christ's life, death and resurrection is usually determined before a person reaches eighteen. In fact, a majority of Americans make a lasting determination about the personal significance of Christ's death and resurrection by age 12.
"In essence," the researcher noted, "what you believe by the time you are 13 is what you will die believing. Of course, there are many individuals who go through life-changing experiences in which their beliefs are altered, or instances in which a concentrated body of religious teaching changes one or more core beliefs. However, most people's minds are made up and they believe they know what they need to know spiritually by age 13.
I am fully convinced that ministering to Junior High students is HUGE! In the Youth Department of the Church I minister at, we have spent many hours trying to figure out the best way to turn our students into disciples of Christ. I am incredibly fortunate to be in a church where I can focus my attention solely on Junior High students, and that has helped me be able to be very focused on just 7-8th graders. Everything I do is intentional - and everything I do is in order to help students get closer to where God wants them to be.
People blog for many different reasons, but usually people just want to share their thoughts with whoever will read. So I wrote this blog today so that I can share my thoughts with whoever chooses to read this (other ministers, youth workers, musicians, friends, preachers, people who drink too much coffee, fans of the Redskins, left handed people, etc.) There will always be more to follow, but for now...take it easy.
-- Matt
"The biggest lie I have ever contended with is this: Life is a story about me."
Random Joke
Bryce and I were talking recently about how both of us have been posting pretty serious blogs lately. So I have decided to post a blog with no purpose, just for kicks.
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Belligerent Panda
A Panda Bear walks into a café and orders a sandwich and a drink. After he is finished eating, the waiter comes over to bring him the check. When the waiter arrives at the table, he just starts to ask 'Would you like any des...' Then the Panda Bear reaches into his fur, pulls out a gun, and shoots the waiter dead. The Panda Bear then wipes off his chin with his napkin, gets up, and starts to walk out. Just as he is about to go through the door, the manager grabs him. 'Wait a minute!' he yells, 'You just killed my best waiter! Besides that, you didn't even pay for your sandwich!'
The Panda Bear grasps the manager by the throat, lifts him up, and growls, "Hey man! I'm a PANDA! Do you know what that means? Why don't you look it up!"At this the Panda walks out the door and ambles down the street.
The manager, shaken, returns to his office and consults a dictionary. He reads: "Panda - a large mammal related to raccoons and true bears and characterized by bold black and white markings. Eats shoots and leaves."
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Until next time. -- Matt
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Belligerent Panda
A Panda Bear walks into a café and orders a sandwich and a drink. After he is finished eating, the waiter comes over to bring him the check. When the waiter arrives at the table, he just starts to ask 'Would you like any des...' Then the Panda Bear reaches into his fur, pulls out a gun, and shoots the waiter dead. The Panda Bear then wipes off his chin with his napkin, gets up, and starts to walk out. Just as he is about to go through the door, the manager grabs him. 'Wait a minute!' he yells, 'You just killed my best waiter! Besides that, you didn't even pay for your sandwich!'
The Panda Bear grasps the manager by the throat, lifts him up, and growls, "Hey man! I'm a PANDA! Do you know what that means? Why don't you look it up!"At this the Panda walks out the door and ambles down the street.
The manager, shaken, returns to his office and consults a dictionary. He reads: "Panda - a large mammal related to raccoons and true bears and characterized by bold black and white markings. Eats shoots and leaves."
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Until next time. -- Matt
Bible Study
I preached a sermon recently that was about the importance of studying the Bible. There was something I said in it that I cant get out of my head.
God didnt intend any of us to ever do any part of the Christian life by ourselves.
I typed that sentence on my computer in my living room as Tessa was on the couch reading. After I typed it I paused and read it about 5 times thinking to myself, Is that really true?
I couldnt decide how I felt about it. It seemed correct and I couldnt think of anything that would make me disagree with my own statement. So I did what all good thinkers do, I asked my wife.
She thought about it for a few seconds and said she thought it was pretty true. There were only 2 things we thought should be done alone. One was prayer. There are occasions when it is cool to pray in public, but Jesus modeled to us that there is a time to pray alone (go into a room, close the door, pray). The other thing we came up with is personal Bible study. You know what I mean, that thing were all supposed to do in the morning (or at night) by ourselves.
Honestly, I have always had trouble with the personal Bible study time. Can I say that? Is anyone offended? Am I a bad minister now? A bad Christian?
I have always struggled with the personal Bible study time. Not that I think it is a bad idea (I think it is a very great idea), Ive just never been very good at it. Ive never been good about reading having a regular personal devotional time where I read the Bible to see what it is saying to me. For some reason, Ive always felt like the Bible doesnt read that way. It wasnt written for individuals to read. It was written for the church to read. It was written not for one person, but for all. When the Epistle writers were talking to someone in their letters they were talking to you (plural) not you (singular). Does that make sense? For you southerners they were writing to yall they were writing to groups of people. When they wrote the Bible, they intended groups of people (possibly whole towns) to hear the Bible read aloud. People didnt have their own personal Bible back then. Usually, one town had a Bible for everyone to share. Personal Bible study didnt exist back then because virtually no one owned their own Bible.
Thats why I think Bible study is best done in groups.
Theres a great thing said in Blue Like Jazz, a good book by Donald Miller. Miller is talking about how his friend Penny came to Christ while studying in France with a friend named Nadine. Penny said, We would eat chocolates and smoke cigarettes and read the Bible, which is the only way to do it, if you ask me. Don, the Bible is so good with chocolate. I always thought that Bible was more of a salad thing, you know, but it isnt. It is a chocolate thing. (pg 47).
Now, I dont want anyone to get hung up on the word cigarettes in that quote. I dont want to discuss the health hazards of cigarettes and whether or not a person can smoke cigarettes and be a Christian.
I also dont want to focus on the chocolate thing, nor do I want to discuss the health hazards of chocolate and whether or not a person can eat chocolate and be a Christian.
I want to focus on the fact that these two girls would eat chocolate and smoke as they read the Bible together. It is the together I want to look at.
Jesus said this cool thing once while talking about dealing with forgiveness For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them. (Matthew 18:20). I know Jesus wasnt talking about Bible study in this passage, per se. But I think this is a good point that we can see from the mouth of Jesus about how together is better than alone.
Is the Bible meant to be studied alone? Am I supposed to go to a quiet corner by myself and put my face into a Bible and figure out what it is saying?
I dont want anyone to think Im saying that the Bible cant be studied alone. I think there is great value in having a time where you read the Bible, study the Bible, and carve out some time to devote to diving into Gods word. I don't want anyone to use this as an excuse to not read the Bible on your own - "Matt says that I don't need to have personal Bible study time!" That's not what I am saying!! Personal Bible study is a great value to the Christian life. I just dont think it is the best.
I think a much better idea is to go and be with other people and discover the Bible together.
Rob Bell talks in Velvet Elvis about how community is huge when trying to understand and interpret the Bible. He says that maybe the best way to study the Bible is together, with others, as a group of people who are wrestling with scripture and engaging the Bible as students who are hungry to know God so that they can follow Him.
Perhaps this is why the Bible can be confusing to some the first time they read it. I dont think any of the writers of the Bible ever intended people to read their letters aloneIf it didnt make sense, you could stop the person who was reading and say, Help me understand this. (pg 53)
It seems to me that rarely does the Bible tell us to do stuff by ourselves. Jesus went and alone he prayed by himself, and he tells us to pray by ourselves sometimesbut past thatI can think of nothing else we are to do alone.
I love the idea of D-groups because it is a small group of people who are studying the Bible together trying to figure out what it means. I love the idea of husbands and wives studying the Bible together. I love the idea of two friends eating chocolate while studying the Bible. Christianity is a together thing. We do it together. We have 1 God who at the same time is 3. He is community in and of himself. And if we truly want to be more and more Godly every day then we cant try and do it alone. God intends us to be in community with other people.
Community, community, community. So how about forming a Bible study group or joining a D-Group. What a great place to start being community Christians! Come to church.
Come to Refuge! Come to Oasis! Join a D.Group!
If youre in a different Youth Group or a different church get in a Bible study. Find a bunch of people that you can get with to discover the Bible together. Find someone wiser than you to help you along!
Dive in and wade around for while in Gods Word! But dont do it alone!!
God didnt intend any of us to ever do any part of the Christian life by ourselves.
I typed that sentence on my computer in my living room as Tessa was on the couch reading. After I typed it I paused and read it about 5 times thinking to myself, Is that really true?
I couldnt decide how I felt about it. It seemed correct and I couldnt think of anything that would make me disagree with my own statement. So I did what all good thinkers do, I asked my wife.
She thought about it for a few seconds and said she thought it was pretty true. There were only 2 things we thought should be done alone. One was prayer. There are occasions when it is cool to pray in public, but Jesus modeled to us that there is a time to pray alone (go into a room, close the door, pray). The other thing we came up with is personal Bible study. You know what I mean, that thing were all supposed to do in the morning (or at night) by ourselves.
Honestly, I have always had trouble with the personal Bible study time. Can I say that? Is anyone offended? Am I a bad minister now? A bad Christian?
I have always struggled with the personal Bible study time. Not that I think it is a bad idea (I think it is a very great idea), Ive just never been very good at it. Ive never been good about reading having a regular personal devotional time where I read the Bible to see what it is saying to me. For some reason, Ive always felt like the Bible doesnt read that way. It wasnt written for individuals to read. It was written for the church to read. It was written not for one person, but for all. When the Epistle writers were talking to someone in their letters they were talking to you (plural) not you (singular). Does that make sense? For you southerners they were writing to yall they were writing to groups of people. When they wrote the Bible, they intended groups of people (possibly whole towns) to hear the Bible read aloud. People didnt have their own personal Bible back then. Usually, one town had a Bible for everyone to share. Personal Bible study didnt exist back then because virtually no one owned their own Bible.
Thats why I think Bible study is best done in groups.
Theres a great thing said in Blue Like Jazz, a good book by Donald Miller. Miller is talking about how his friend Penny came to Christ while studying in France with a friend named Nadine. Penny said, We would eat chocolates and smoke cigarettes and read the Bible, which is the only way to do it, if you ask me. Don, the Bible is so good with chocolate. I always thought that Bible was more of a salad thing, you know, but it isnt. It is a chocolate thing. (pg 47).
Now, I dont want anyone to get hung up on the word cigarettes in that quote. I dont want to discuss the health hazards of cigarettes and whether or not a person can smoke cigarettes and be a Christian.
I also dont want to focus on the chocolate thing, nor do I want to discuss the health hazards of chocolate and whether or not a person can eat chocolate and be a Christian.
I want to focus on the fact that these two girls would eat chocolate and smoke as they read the Bible together. It is the together I want to look at.
Jesus said this cool thing once while talking about dealing with forgiveness For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them. (Matthew 18:20). I know Jesus wasnt talking about Bible study in this passage, per se. But I think this is a good point that we can see from the mouth of Jesus about how together is better than alone.
Is the Bible meant to be studied alone? Am I supposed to go to a quiet corner by myself and put my face into a Bible and figure out what it is saying?
I dont want anyone to think Im saying that the Bible cant be studied alone. I think there is great value in having a time where you read the Bible, study the Bible, and carve out some time to devote to diving into Gods word. I don't want anyone to use this as an excuse to not read the Bible on your own - "Matt says that I don't need to have personal Bible study time!" That's not what I am saying!! Personal Bible study is a great value to the Christian life. I just dont think it is the best.
I think a much better idea is to go and be with other people and discover the Bible together.
Rob Bell talks in Velvet Elvis about how community is huge when trying to understand and interpret the Bible. He says that maybe the best way to study the Bible is together, with others, as a group of people who are wrestling with scripture and engaging the Bible as students who are hungry to know God so that they can follow Him.
Perhaps this is why the Bible can be confusing to some the first time they read it. I dont think any of the writers of the Bible ever intended people to read their letters aloneIf it didnt make sense, you could stop the person who was reading and say, Help me understand this. (pg 53)
It seems to me that rarely does the Bible tell us to do stuff by ourselves. Jesus went and alone he prayed by himself, and he tells us to pray by ourselves sometimesbut past thatI can think of nothing else we are to do alone.
I love the idea of D-groups because it is a small group of people who are studying the Bible together trying to figure out what it means. I love the idea of husbands and wives studying the Bible together. I love the idea of two friends eating chocolate while studying the Bible. Christianity is a together thing. We do it together. We have 1 God who at the same time is 3. He is community in and of himself. And if we truly want to be more and more Godly every day then we cant try and do it alone. God intends us to be in community with other people.
Community, community, community. So how about forming a Bible study group or joining a D-Group. What a great place to start being community Christians! Come to church.
Come to Refuge! Come to Oasis! Join a D.Group!
If youre in a different Youth Group or a different church get in a Bible study. Find a bunch of people that you can get with to discover the Bible together. Find someone wiser than you to help you along!
Dive in and wade around for while in Gods Word! But dont do it alone!!
You know what I've decided? Loneliness stinks.
I preached this past Sunday and in my sermon I told a story from my high school days. As Ive been sitting here thinking about this story from my past I can't help but think about loneliness...because this was one of the loneliest moments in my life.
I was 16 years old. My parents had divorced a few months before and I moved with my dad and younger brother to Oklahoma City. I didnt like Oklahoma. It was different from Northern Virginia (where I had moved from). To me, Oklahoma was full of kids with bleached hair, tight jeans, tucked in shirts, and country music (I later found out that this wasn't really the case, but it was what I thought at the time). They all seemed to have lived there all their lives, so they all knew each other, and when the school year started no one seemed to notice a new face with baggy pants and grungy clothes. I was out of place.
At home things werent much better. It wasnt bad, but it was just quiet. My dad was dealing with his recent divorce. My little brother wasnt doing well either. So I would just come home at night and watch TV or play guitar or sleep. I had no friends. I didnt want any friends.
I joined the high school baseball team, but those kids in Oklahoma were serious baseball players, and I wasnt as good. They also were crass in a way I had never really encountered before. No comfort on the baseball field.
Thinking back on that time in my life now I realize that things werent that bad, I was just lonely. The worst day happened a little before Halloween.
I was walking in a crowded place in the school. I was wearing my baggy jeans and a long sleeved navy blue shirt with a picture on the front. I remember exactly what I was wearing that day because my clothes were exactly what one guy chose to emphasize. As I walked down the hall I heard a voice say, "Nice ______ shirt, ______."(I leave blanks because the words used there arent really appropriate). Over and over I heard this phrase. It took me a minute to realize he was talking to me. He was following me too, so I couldn't get away. People were staring. He was getting louder. All I wanted was for him to shut up, but the words kept coming and I couldnt get away. The mocking continued. He was judging me because of my style in clothes, and the names he as calling me cut me deep. Derogatory words that serve to only batter and beat down people.
When he finally stopped shouting the phrase at me I heard something even worse than his taunts: laughter. People were laughing at me.
My mind was racing...How did this happen? How could people be laughing at me? I'm cool aren't I? What's wrong with these people...no, whats wrong with me?
I still remember that feeling. Because in my whole life I had never felt that low. I had never felt so alone.
It hurt so bad. I dont know how to describe how bad it hurt. But I bet lots of people know exactly what I'm talking about. I wanted badly to look around for a friend. The saddest part was that I did not have any friends to stand beside me. All I had was a hallway full of people whoe were ready to chime in a word of critique.
This memory is one of my least favorite memories. Sometimes, I wish it would leave my mind forever. But I'm actually glad it stays. It makes me think of the Bible, to tell you the truth. It makes me think of that story in Matthew about the leper. You remember the story? The leper runs to Jesus and says, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean."
It makes me think not so much how Jesus healed him and all the implications of that healing, but it makes me think of this poor guy's life up to this point. What I mean is, I had only felt extreme loneliness a few times in my life, but this poor leper had a lifetime of loneliness. He couldn't worship with anyone else in the synagogue because he was declared unclean due to his disease. He couldn't touch a non-leprous person because that would infect the clean person with the unclean disease. He had to walk down the street with his face and body covered and he had to shout, "Unclean! Unclean!" so people would know to stay away from him. Some Rabbis were known to actually run in the other direction when they saw a leper coming. Others had been known to throw rocks at a leper to get the leper to leave the area.
This leper was completely shunned by society. That is, until Jesus entered the picture. When Jesus came along he did what no other person had ever done to this poor leper: Jesus touched him. He reached out in kindness and love and physically touched this man...not only cleansing him of his disease, but touching him as if to say, "You're not alone anymore."
This was not just a physical healing, it was also a spiritual healing. Now that the leprosy was gone, this man could worship with other Jewish people in the Temple (which was THE place to worship God in those days). Not only that, he was now a new man who could be emotionally connected to others. He could give and receive hugs. He could hold hands. He could kiss. He could wrestle. Can you imagine what it would be like if you were in his shoes? Could you imagine what it would be like to touch a person for maybe the first time in your life?
One thing I've been reminded of this week is the complete and total healing that we receive from Jesus. He not only forgives our sins and allows us to go to Heaven, but he gives us the opportunity to have real community with other people. I hope we all can remember that. When you're plugged in to a group of believers there really is no reason to be completely overcome by loneliness. Well probably still feel lonely sometimes, but the thing is, Jesus loves us always, even when times are dark and we feel alone. He said it himself, I will never leave you, nor forsake you.
:::Book Recomendation: Encounters with Christ by Mark Moore:::
I was 16 years old. My parents had divorced a few months before and I moved with my dad and younger brother to Oklahoma City. I didnt like Oklahoma. It was different from Northern Virginia (where I had moved from). To me, Oklahoma was full of kids with bleached hair, tight jeans, tucked in shirts, and country music (I later found out that this wasn't really the case, but it was what I thought at the time). They all seemed to have lived there all their lives, so they all knew each other, and when the school year started no one seemed to notice a new face with baggy pants and grungy clothes. I was out of place.
At home things werent much better. It wasnt bad, but it was just quiet. My dad was dealing with his recent divorce. My little brother wasnt doing well either. So I would just come home at night and watch TV or play guitar or sleep. I had no friends. I didnt want any friends.
I joined the high school baseball team, but those kids in Oklahoma were serious baseball players, and I wasnt as good. They also were crass in a way I had never really encountered before. No comfort on the baseball field.
Thinking back on that time in my life now I realize that things werent that bad, I was just lonely. The worst day happened a little before Halloween.
I was walking in a crowded place in the school. I was wearing my baggy jeans and a long sleeved navy blue shirt with a picture on the front. I remember exactly what I was wearing that day because my clothes were exactly what one guy chose to emphasize. As I walked down the hall I heard a voice say, "Nice ______ shirt, ______."(I leave blanks because the words used there arent really appropriate). Over and over I heard this phrase. It took me a minute to realize he was talking to me. He was following me too, so I couldn't get away. People were staring. He was getting louder. All I wanted was for him to shut up, but the words kept coming and I couldnt get away. The mocking continued. He was judging me because of my style in clothes, and the names he as calling me cut me deep. Derogatory words that serve to only batter and beat down people.
When he finally stopped shouting the phrase at me I heard something even worse than his taunts: laughter. People were laughing at me.
My mind was racing...How did this happen? How could people be laughing at me? I'm cool aren't I? What's wrong with these people...no, whats wrong with me?
I still remember that feeling. Because in my whole life I had never felt that low. I had never felt so alone.
It hurt so bad. I dont know how to describe how bad it hurt. But I bet lots of people know exactly what I'm talking about. I wanted badly to look around for a friend. The saddest part was that I did not have any friends to stand beside me. All I had was a hallway full of people whoe were ready to chime in a word of critique.
This memory is one of my least favorite memories. Sometimes, I wish it would leave my mind forever. But I'm actually glad it stays. It makes me think of the Bible, to tell you the truth. It makes me think of that story in Matthew about the leper. You remember the story? The leper runs to Jesus and says, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean."
It makes me think not so much how Jesus healed him and all the implications of that healing, but it makes me think of this poor guy's life up to this point. What I mean is, I had only felt extreme loneliness a few times in my life, but this poor leper had a lifetime of loneliness. He couldn't worship with anyone else in the synagogue because he was declared unclean due to his disease. He couldn't touch a non-leprous person because that would infect the clean person with the unclean disease. He had to walk down the street with his face and body covered and he had to shout, "Unclean! Unclean!" so people would know to stay away from him. Some Rabbis were known to actually run in the other direction when they saw a leper coming. Others had been known to throw rocks at a leper to get the leper to leave the area.
This leper was completely shunned by society. That is, until Jesus entered the picture. When Jesus came along he did what no other person had ever done to this poor leper: Jesus touched him. He reached out in kindness and love and physically touched this man...not only cleansing him of his disease, but touching him as if to say, "You're not alone anymore."
This was not just a physical healing, it was also a spiritual healing. Now that the leprosy was gone, this man could worship with other Jewish people in the Temple (which was THE place to worship God in those days). Not only that, he was now a new man who could be emotionally connected to others. He could give and receive hugs. He could hold hands. He could kiss. He could wrestle. Can you imagine what it would be like if you were in his shoes? Could you imagine what it would be like to touch a person for maybe the first time in your life?
One thing I've been reminded of this week is the complete and total healing that we receive from Jesus. He not only forgives our sins and allows us to go to Heaven, but he gives us the opportunity to have real community with other people. I hope we all can remember that. When you're plugged in to a group of believers there really is no reason to be completely overcome by loneliness. Well probably still feel lonely sometimes, but the thing is, Jesus loves us always, even when times are dark and we feel alone. He said it himself, I will never leave you, nor forsake you.
:::Book Recomendation: Encounters with Christ by Mark Moore:::
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