Why I Am About Numbers in Youth Ministry

A comment was made to me the other day that, as a youth pastor, I put a lot of emphasis on numbers. And it is a fair statement. I do emphasize number, but never to the detriment of the students who are currently attending.

Here are some reasons I put an emphasis on numbers.

• Larger numbers of students mean more students are hearing the Bible. The more students we have in attendance, the greater the chance of growth in Christ.
• Larger numbers mean more opportunities to share the Gospel and see students come to Christ. Statistically, there will be unsaved students in a large group. The larger the group, the more unsaved students we may encounter and the more opportunities we will have to share Christ with them in our youth group setting.
• Larger numbers mean more students missionaries in our schools. As a youth pastor, I cannot be in our public schools (well, I can because I am a public school teacher, but that's another story.) As we see our numbers increase, it increases the number of students who are being trained to reach their friends.

So, yes, I put an emphasis on number. It isn't about me or my ego. It is all about reaching a generation for Christ.

The Hate-filled United States Will Destroy our Children

We live in a world full of hate. In a time when we are told to be tolerant of each other, I think there is more hate now that I ever remember. Hate is everywhere...and most of it is done in the name of tolerance.

• Black people hate white people.
• White people hate black people.
• Conservatives hate liberals.
• Liberals hate conservatives.
• Some "Christians" hate gay people.
• A lot of gay people hate Christians because of the actions of the "Christians."
• Just about everyone hates the President.
• "Christians" hate Muslims.
• Muslims hate Jewish people.

The list goes on and on. There is no end to the amount of hatred that is found in the world. And, quite frankly, it is completely ridiculous. If we continue to hate each other, we will destroy our children.

Romans 2:11 states "For God shows no partiality." No group is better than the other. We are all, whether we want to admit it or not, sinners. Every one of us is a wicked, condemned individual who on our best day deserves to go to Hell. With that in mind, there is no room for hate. There is no place for looking down on someone because of the color of their skin or because of their religious choice. We can disagree and we can believe the other person is wrong, but there is no place for the hate and rhetoric that our world is full of.

And we wonder why there is so much violence and bad behavior with students today.

What is my suggested solution? Prayer and a whole lot of it.

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. - 2 Chronicles 7:14

The Sad Reality of Abortion

I know the other day I wrote that I was going to focus on all things youth ministry and attempt to keep that focus for this blog. However, as I am typing this, I am looking at my beautiful wife and my newborn son sleeping on the couch. I can't imagine a more beautiful picture and I am overwhelmed by the blessing that God has given me.

At the same time, I just read a blog post about a woman in China who was abducted and forced to abort her second child because she was in violation of the one-child policy and could not afford to pay the penalty. While I am not writing this to debate the morality of that policy, my heart is breaking for that family and for those who believe that abortion is a "reproductive right" and who will angrily argue for a woman's right to choose to terminate a pregnancy.

Please take a moment to visit the link below. I must warn you that the pictures are incredibly graphic and sad. You will see the devastating aftermath of abortion, forced or otherwise. The aborted baby's body was thrown on the bed next to the woman. With the exception of the fact that she is dead, the baby in the picture is no different than my son.

This is the reality of abortion, a very sad reality. A dead child and a heartbroken mother.

Here is the link. You may also want to visit here.

Terrell Suggs and the Foolishness of Disrespecting God

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past couple of months, you have at least a passing knowledge of who Tim Tebow is. Tebow, for the uninitiated, is the quarterback for the Denver Broncos and an extremely vocal Christian. He is also the architect for some amazing come-from-behind victories. And, while they were winning, a lot of people were saying that God was helping Tebow and the Broncos win. Then, when the Broncos started losing, a lot of ridicule began flowing Tebow's way and, by association, God's way.

On Tuesday, Terrell Suggs, a linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens, had this to say on ESPN:

"With all due respect we don't need God on our sidelines."

Well, with all due respect, Mr. Suggs, I think you are wrong. You do need God, but not to help you win football games. You need Him to save your soul.

The other day I was reading in the book of Acts and I came across a similar story, a story where Herod did something similar to what Mr. Suggs did.

On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. And the people were shouting, "The voice of a god, and not of a man!" Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last. - Acts 12:21-23.

I am by no means saying that Terrell Suggs is going to be eaten by worms for his lack of respect toward God. I am simply seeking to point out the danger that is inherent with not giving God the proper respect. Without God, Mr. Suggs, it is very likely that you would not even be taking the breath you need to say that you don't need God, let alone playing football.

Why Shane Hipps is Very, Very Wrong

I consider a possibility when it’s something I don’t know. This is something I merely believe. Either because someone I trust told me, or the Bible seems to say it, or reason supports it. But until I’ve experienced it, this is only something I believe– a possibility. And possibilities should be held with an open hand, perhaps with some humility and even humor. Who knows, I could be wrong about what I believe?

These are the words from Shane Hipps, the man who was chosen to replace Rob Bell. In case you were unaware, Rob Bell, the pastor/writer who sparked a huge controversy with his book Love Wins, has resigned to pursue other avenues. Hipps will now be the pastor of a church that is extremely influential and followed by many.

What I find really sad about this is the dangerous tone it sets for believers. When someone who is a pastor and leads a large and successful church states that he doesn't really know what happens when we die, where does that leave the rest of us? How can we know we are right?

Fortunately, Hipps is wrong. Dead wrong. We can know what happens after death because the Bible tells us. For those of who are saved, we know that to be absent from our bodies is to be with Christ. For those who are not saved, the outcome and destination is not quite so rosy.

I hope that this will not gain any traction and that Hipps and Bell will simply fade away. I don't think that is the case, but it is certainly my hope.

Christian Phrases that I Never Want to Hear Again

Christianity has its own language. We have different phrases and sayings that we use that have a lot of meaning to us, but mean absolutely nothing to anyone outside of our system of beliefs. The phrases below are so overused that they no longer have any meaning and have simply become a bunch of jargon. I think we use them to sound smart.

Here is the list. Feel free to add your own or make some commentary.

• Be the church
  
• Do life together - how exactly does one do life? Don't we just live?
  
• Be authentic - as opposed to fake?
  
• Be in community
  

There are more, but that should be sufficient for now. I don't have a problem with the sentiment behind the phrases; it is just the words that drive me crazy.

Learning about Being a Christian from My Son

Many of us struggle with the Christian walk. We start and fall, get up and stumble again. This happens over and over. Every time we try to do something under our own power, we end up frustrated and tired. It isn't until we finally just lay down that we come to understand that our Father is just waiting to pick us up and hold us tight. I learned this from watching my youngest son as he is learning to crawl.

Steve Jobs and Thoughts on Death

As many of you know, Steve Jobs passed away yesterday. Many people across the world had been profoundly impacted by him and the work that he did. I have never been an Apple guy and I don't own a Mac. However, a few years ago, one of the students I taught was gracious enough to give me an iPod Touch as a gift. I must say, it was probably the nicest gift I had ever received from someone who wasn't family. The iPod Touch has been an awesome tool. It entertains my children. It allows me to carry a library in my pocket. I can memorize Scripture in a way that was never available before.

All thanks to Steve Jobs. God gifted Steve Jobs with an amazing mind and the ability to see the future. God has used those gifts and the products that were created as a result to impact many around the world with the Gospel.

It is my prayer that Steve Jobs knew Christ. I have read things that would be to the contrary, but I am hoping that Christ was able to seize his heart and save his soul. Death comes for everyone, not because God intended it that way, but as a result of sin. How we prepare for death and how we leave this world must be decided. Will you choose to follow Christ or will you choose otherwise?

Here is great tribute to Steve Jobs and the impact he had on the spread of the Gospel.

Treat Mosques the Way You Want Your Church Treated

Recently, a Facebook friend posted a response to a list of things Christians shouldn't be scared of. One of the items that was on the list was "Mosques". Here is what my Facebook friend had to say:

Oh, right. Because the religion associated with mosques is all peaceful, rainbows, and butterflies. Hello? I’m scared out of my mind of mosques, what they stand for, and the little middle-eastern people who see no problem with being used as human bombs.

I have to disagree with my friend and here is why: the way we treat a mosque today is the way that our churches will be treated tomorrow.

We live in a country that prides itself on religious freedom. We have the right to worship in any manner that we desire, within the confines of the law. That means I can be a Baptist, a Presbyterian, a Buddhist, a Sikh, or even a Muslim. I can worship in a church, a temple, or a mosque. Yes, there is an ugly element to the Muslim religion, but there is also an ugly element to Christianity. Westboro Baptist Church, anyone? There is ugliness to be found in all religions.

By the way, I'm not the only one who feels this way. Ed Stetzer feels the same way.

I'm sure that some of you will disagree with me and that's totally cool.

Shotgun Wedding to Jesus

Right now, I am taking a class from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary called Personal Evangelism. For one of the assignments, we are required to read Share Jesus Without Fear. It's not a bad book and the information that I've read so far is quite interesting. That being said, the author, William Fay, shared this story and it struck me the wrong way.

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Fay said that he was driving home on night when he saw a horrible car accident. He pulled over and ran to the young man who was about to be loaded onto a helicopter and taken to the hospital. Here is the conversation he had with the driver:

I knelt by his head and whispered, "Are you a sinner?"

"Uhhhh."

"Do you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for you and rose again?"

"Uhhhh."

"Are you willing to surrender your life to Jesus Christ?"

"Uhhhh."

"Are you ready to invite Jesus Christ into your life and into your heart?"

"Uhhhh."

Fay goes on to say that he shared this story at one of his seminars a few months later and the grandmother of the young man (who died the next day) came up and thanked him because she believed that he was in Heaven.

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Now, I'm not one to blow someone up for sharing their faith because I do not do it nearly enough. I just don't think what happened here was appropriate. I give credit to Fay for getting out and sharing the Gospel, but the groanings of a dying young man hardly equate understanding and accepting the gift of salvation. I also think that he may have been giving the grandmother false hope that she will see her grandson in Heaven. Of course, only God knows the heart (good Christian cliche).

I entitled this post "Shotgun Wedding to Jesus" because I think too often we try to cram Jesus down the throat of individuals and don't give them the opportunity to make the decision of their own desire (or the nudging of the Holy Spirit). The person prays the Sinner's Prayer just so you will shut up and leave him alone. I think we are at our best when we ask the Lord to give us opportunities to share and understand that salvation is dependent upon Him, not anything that we do.

What are your thoughts?

Mark Driscoll Labels Cessationists Worldly

I have a love/hate relationship with Mark Driscoll. Driscoll, as many of you may know, is a well-known and highly influential pastor. He is the pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle and leads a number of initiatives designed to lead unsaved people to Christ. I have learned a great deal from listening to his sermons and from reading his books. Driscoll is also extremely controversial, causing concerns because of his often brash and offensive language.

In a recent lecture, Pastor Mark declared that those who hold to a cessationist view are worldly, influenced by the same thinking as atheists and deists. He said that atheists believe that God cannot do miracles because He does not exist, deists believe that God can do miracles but does not, and that cessationists believe that God used to do miracles, but does not do them anymore. Pastor Mark then cracked a joke that cessationists claim to believe that God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, even though He changed in this area. He also stated that the verses (1 Corinthians 13:8-13) cessationists use as evidence of their beliefs have been "twisted into origami".

As a person who holds cessationist beliefs, I have a real issue with this broad characterization. My belief, and the belief of my particular denomination, is that the supernatural gifts (prophecy, speaking in tongues, interpretation) existed until the completion of the Bible. At that time, the supernatural gifts ceased to exist, but the spiritual gifts of faith, hope, and love continued. I fully believe that miracles can, and do, occur.

Please understand that this post is somewhat reactionary. I will readily admit that Mark Driscoll is immensely smarter than I am and has studied this issue much deeper than I have. However, to label individuals and groups as "worldly" and to group them with atheists and deists simply because they interpret a passage differently smacks of arrogance.

Please take the time to listen to lecture and see if you agree or disagree with what I have written. It is possible that I misinterpreted his intentions.

What are your thoughts on this?

This Life is Not About Me

One of the things that I am trying to make true about myself and something that I am trying to instill in my children is that our lives are not our own. I used to joke about Rick Warren's The Purpose-Driven Life because the opening sentence is so hokey: "It's not about you". But in reality, that is a fact. We were put on Earth in order to bring glory to our Father in Heaven. That is our sole purpose. The Westminster Larger Catechism tells us that the chief end of man is to glorify God (Romans 11:36).

With that in mind, my prayer is that I will live a selfless life, one where, when I am done, people can look back and not see me, but see the amazing things that God allowed me to be a part of. A life like this is not easily achieved. This is the reason why I am running the 10K. I want to be able to say to my children, "God allowed me to run so that other boys and girls can have food and water. God let me be a part of something bigger." I want to set an example for them in such a way.

One of my favorite bands is Anberlin. Stephen Christian, the lead singer, is an amazing lyricist and has a real heart for God. I posted a video from their song "Northern Lights." I think it is rather fitting for this discussion.



Purchase the MP3 from Amazon.com: Burn Out Brighter (Northern Lights)
Buy the Album:New Surrender | MP3 Album: New Surrender

The Battle Over Music

When I was coming up, the church that I grew up in was very conservative about music. Then in high school, the music gradually changed. Our youth pastor had taught against rock music, but as we introduced him to more and more of the music that we listened to, the more the music began to change.

In college, the school that I attended was VERY opposed to any type of rock music and individuals who played or listened to Contemporary Christian Music needed to examine their hearts because it was likely that they were not saved. Especially those guys in dc Talk.

Of course, on the other side of the argument are those who look down on individuals who choose not to listen to CCM or Christian rock. It often turns into an either/or situation. No one really wins.

The sad fact is that this argument still rages today. In fact, just recently I had a potential friendship crash and burn before it even got started because of the issue of music. When it comes to the issue of music, I think it is important for us to make sure that we are following our own convictions and not attempting to force them on others. And not letting friendships be decided because of the music that a person listens to.

For a slightly satirical look at this issue, check out the video below.