Look at them, they’re fine!

So this might be a vent but maybe it will help someone in some way…maybe just me. This has been heavy on my heart for the last day and I need to get it out.

I think that once again I am beginning to reflect upon my youth ministry years and how I plan to guide and direct our new youth pastor. This is one area that I feel has to be stomped into the mind and heart of him. So if you are reading this future youth pastor person…listen up.

This is also something that parents need to know and understand too as they look upon the youth pastor.

Pastor Mark Beeson writes these words:

“My nephew Isaac Hunter is such a leader. He’s a young pastor and his church is experiencing phenomenal growth. I picture Isaac (with his oldest child) on this blog post because it clarifies the truth; his priorities, his purposes and his values are well ordered. God first. Family second. Church leadership after that…His priorities give him the potential to lead a growing church.”

To read the full post from Pastor Beeson click here.

There is no doubt that most people in our ministry would agree with this but the words and actions often do not line up with it.

Please experience a few comments made to Joanna and I over the last few years:

Who Me?

This might be a surprising statement to some of you…but I am a ridiculously shy and quiet person. For many years I saw this as a failing on my part. I would look around especially at my friends who just seemed as if they did not have a care in the world and would talk to anyone. Rabbit trail…it’s always the quiet ones who have the loudest friends…that is another post. So back to my perceived failing of being quiet and shy.

Mentors

I’m currently in the midst of a class at Fuller Theological Seminary called Mentoring. It is an examination of spiritual mentoring that has occurred in my life and how I go about mentoring as a leader.

Bobby Clinton says that the simplest definition is that mentoring takes place when one person helps another person to grow.

Stuff Christians Like

Christians take themselves too seriously. Really they do.

It is really important to laugh at yourself sometimes.

Enjoy and laugh. Stuff Christians Like

Here is an example, this was my experience in Aunt Evelyn’s class:

Let Me In

This could be the story of our neighbors animals. Sometime they can be so loud. This video made me laugh.

HT: Amber

The Last Two Weeks

Once again it has been an insane two weeks! Now there will be a few days of rest, reading, and reflection.

Let me catch you up to speed…

* Aubrey is growing like crazy. She is holding herself up while on her stomach and has been rolling over onto her back for the last few weeks. We have been cheering for her when she does it and you can tell that she is so proud of her accomplishment. She has also been “talking” a ton recently!

*Joanna is an amazing mom. As the youngest child and with having very limited experience with children she is a natural. And the great and mature thing is that when she does not know something we look at a book or seek advice. She is patient and loving with Aubrey and Aubrey knows it.

*I just finished a two week series at church called “Christ and Culture”. We took these weeks and looked at how God has used culture to carry on his message throughout time and when we as Christians isolate ourselves from culture we damage the message of Jesus and the world. We looked at Acts 17 where Paul took the message to Athens into a culture that knew very little of Jesus. I challenged the church to see themselves as missionaries and to stop speaking the language of the church and communicate in ways that the world with see Jesus as Jesus. You can listen to them on I-Tunes or by clicking here.

*We have almost completed the final room upstairs which means that we have officially transformed and remodeled each and every room in the house. Joanna has put many hours into this final room which will be a study area off of our master bedroom

*Last week was spring break here in Marshall. We had a few events for the senior high and junior high. We picked up trash, planned on raking but the wind was crazy, played Frisbee, did a video scavenger hunt, had a bonfire (which got a bit too large for my comfort at one point), and played capture the flag. It was a great time.

*we as a church also had the privledge to host the Kuyasa Kids from South Africa for a concert. Our church has partnered with Horizon International to do work in South Africa. It was an amazing evening and time spent with the kids. I had to laugh that during lunch they wanted to watch on the big screen High School Musical 2.

I’m sure there is much more to share so I will save it for a future post.

God bless!