If you didn’t know, I spent my entire summer interning with the awesome people at Gateway Church in Austin, Texas. Yes, this means that I had to deal with Kenny Conley every day. And other great people at Gateway like Cathy Harwick (the fantastic children’s pastor at Gateway), Corey Schwarz (the south campus children’s pastor who was never, ever mean to me), Linnea Danna (the wonderful Operations Director), and Wendy Justis (she’s the one with the orange hair up above). I also got really connected in Gateway College, the awesome-tastic college ministry at Gateway. I met lots of great people like Mattias, Sledge, David, Colin, and tons of others who are simply too awesome to name here.

I learned a lot of awesome stuff this summer. I met some really awesome people. Time is too short to share it all here. But I’ll share some of it below in blast-out bullet point form. If you want to know more, just talk to me. I’d be glad to tell you.

• Austin is amazing. It has the best food of I think anywhere on the planet.
• Kenny Conley loves movies. Cathy Harwick likes to get a little crazy. Corey Schwarz has a beard. (And it felt weird.)
• Small groups work.
• Trust is essential to a community and to a team.
• Leaders reproduce themselves in others. They work themselves out of a job.
• Dreamers need doers.
• Kids are hurting and broken. They need someone to love them.
• None of us are perfect. We’re all in process together, growing and becoming more like Christ.
• Community is critical to growth.
• Christ shows up in a whole lot of places you’d never expect.
• We all have something to contribute to the conversation. Listen.
• Story changes lives.

That’s just a little spurt of some of the things I took home with me. It was an awesome summer. I’m hoping to go back next summer. Maybe sooner. It was good stuff.

I just got done watching the movie Invictus for the first time. And I must say, it was an amazing movie. Probably one of the best movies I’ve seen this year. It’s about the true story of Nelson Mandela using the game of rugby to unite the incredibly divided nation of South Africa in the mid-1990s. Before going any farther, watch the video above for a reference point.

As the South African rugby team enters the last 7 minutes of extra time, the score is all tied up. The team captain, François Pienaar (played by Matt Damon) calls his team into a huddle. The entire crowd of 63,000 South Africans breaks into a song of support for their team. And not only those 63,000, but millions of South Africans all over the country. In the huddle, François says to his team, “Do you hear? Listen to your country! Seven minutes. Seven minutes!”

I won’t ruin the end of the movie for you, but I will say that hearing the voices of their nation completely changes the way the South African team plays. Hearing the support of their entire nation transformed them.

If you didn’t know, I’m interning this summer with Kenny Conley and Cathy Harwick at Gateway Church in Austin, TX. As I’ve been hanging out with them and talking ministry, I’ve come to understand how truly important it is to have the voices of the entire church cheering on volunteers. It’s one thing to have the coach (kids’ pastor) and your teammates cheering you on. It’s something else entirely to have the voices of your entire church behind you! It’s vitally important for you, as the leader of the kids ministry, or any ministry for that matter, to communicate to your church how important it is for your church to encourage your volunteers and let them know how vitally important what they do is to the body! It’ll completely transform the way your team plays. Cheer them on!

Image from Flickr user Jo Ingate.

This morning in kidmin at Liberty (my church) was awesome. We were using week 3 of the God to the Rescue Easter curriculum, available absolutely free online. It’s really great stuff. Most importantly, the kids connected really well with the message and had a lot of fun. We did some wild and crazy stuff like the Licorice Race (look it up in the Kommunity at KidzMatter.com!) and Human Horseshoes. I tried to greet as many of the kids as I could personally and ask them how their week was going. It was just overall a really great morning.

After the service though, I began to think: there are so many kids that come in and out of those doors every week, and hundreds more just in our community that are unreached. It’s kind of overwhelming to think about. To think: how can I possibly impact the lives of all of those kids? I felt like the lonely sailboat in the middle of the huge ocean that you see above.

But then I realized: I’m not called to impact all of those kids. That’s not my mission. My mission, as a servant of God, is to put what little I have to offer into His hands and let Him do the work. My call is to put the one drop of influence I have to offer into the lives of the kids I minister to. My one drop sometimes seems insignificant in the context of an ocean. But it’s not. My drop, and your drop, and the drop of the dozens if not hundreds of other believers that will minister to these kids at some point in their lives accumulate. And not under our own power. He brings the people into the lives of these kids that they need at that time to be their “drop.”

The next time you’re sitting around and questioning: can I really make a difference? Remember this: you’re just a drop. You’re a meaningful, God-inspired, God-fueled drop. And He can’t wait to use your drop to make a change in the world.

So I decided to do a little research. For those of you who don’t know, I’m currently a freshman at Indiana Wesleyan University double majoring in Christian Education and Public Relations. I visited IWU’s online catalog and looked at the bachelor’s programs offered by the School of Theology and Ministry. Of the 12 ministry-related majors IWU offers, none of them include any communication-related classes.

I’m sure it’s the same at other Christian universities as well. We have devalued what good communication means to community-building, which is sad. Our goal and passion as the church is to build the community that is the church as well as the community around the church. Without communication, we can’t do either. I wonder at times how the effectiveness of the church would differ if we would learn to communicate effectively in a Christ-centered manner.

What does your church do to train its leaders in communication? Have you taken any courses or learned anything at a conference about ministry communication that you found especially helpful? Do you think I’m totally off base with this whole “communication is vital to community” thing? Talk to me in the comments.

Originality:
Dwight definitely presents some great content in Plan A. He desires to see God’s Kingdom established on earth today, and writes with that passion in mind. Some of the thoughts are thoughts I had heard, read, or thought myself before, but he puts them in a different light and presentation that makes them new and fresh again.

Overall Readablity:
You need not have any concerns here about readability. Plan A is extremely enjoyable and has a low entry point into the way it is written. The author does assume some familiarity with “Christian-ese”, but as this is a book written by a Christian for Christians, that is naturally to be expected. The book uses many stories to communicate its points which works very well, even more so than I’ve seen in many other texts.

Outstanding Quotation:

In reality then, your story is powerful because it’s an expression of his story. People can argue with logic and information … But no one can argue with your story!

- p. 93

Observations:
While it is a short read at around 150 pages, Dwight manages to cram a lot of good content into those few pages. I especially connect with his emphasis on us as laborers of Christ- not to glorify ourselves and make ourselves more famous, but to make God more famous. I loved the book, as evidenced by the amount of underlining I did. (For me, more underlines=better book.)

Own It:
I think so. It’s a good read for you, and it’s great to lend out to others as well. This is one that should find a place on your shelf.

O Book Reviews Rating:
4/5 stars

Full Disclosure:
This book was provided to me (and the entire student body) at no cost by Indiana Wesleyan University and Kingdom Building Ministries.

Note: The version of Plan A I read was a copy self-published by Kingdom Building Ministries in 2006. The book is being re-released in March 2010 by David C. Cook.

I don’t know about you, but those numbers overwhelm me. I cannot even begin to fathom the destruction of human life and property. This quake has been called by some the worst natural disaster in the Western Hemisphere in over 100 years. The images (warning: very graphic) emerging from the nation are astounding. The nation’s infrastructure was already weak before this catastrophe. Now it’s in a state of chaos. No hospitals, no phones, no electricity, no clean water, no food, no transportation. Their president doesn’t even have a place to sleep tonight.

They need us as Christians to step up and spread the love and compassion of Christ. Right now more than ever we have an unprecedented opportunity to say with our giving, “God loves you.” I have literally spent time weeping today over the loss of life. Thousands of people are dead. People who haven’t lived a life of privilege like we have here in America, but people who have spent their lives in poverty.

Scripture calls us to this work. We cannot ignore it. One of my favorite passages of Scripture reads:

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him…

Isaiah 58:6-7

The following organizations, and many more, are accepting donations for Haiti relief. Please consider taking part in this effort. Literally every penny can change the life of a Haitian without a home.

Care
Compassion
Mercy Ships
Red Cross- Visit redcross.org or text HAITI to 90999 to donate $10
Samaritan’s Purse
UNICEF
World Vision
Yele Haiti- Visit yele.org or text YELE to 501501 to donate $5

Another thing the Opryland is known for is its lush indoor gardens. The interior of the resort is full of tropical plants and rushing waters. Inside this tropical paradise, it’s always sunny with a high of 75º and about 80% humidity. All the time. It’s crazy. You begin to forget after a time that you’re even inside. It feels like you’re wandering through a tropical forest that just so happens to have paved walkways, giant Christmas trees, and $20+ buffets. They’ve created an entirely artificial environment. When you step outside the doors of the Opryland, you realize that you’ve been missing reality. Reality is that it’s 20º, cloudy, and buffets are just $5.99 across the street.

The sad reality is that many churches have created the same artificial environment. I read an article earlier today from Time Magazine about the segregation of the American church. They cite a survey which revealed that just 8% of American churches have a significant racial mix. If I based my view of American society solely on your church, would I know there were such people as African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Latin-Americans and even Native Americans; or would I think that we were a nation that was solely Caucasian? Would I know that sometimes people struggle in life, or would I think that everyone here has a perfect life? Would I know that you care about people, or would I think that Americans are cold and heartless? Would I think that America loves every era of its worship music or would I think that all of our songs were either written 150 years ago or 15 days ago? Would I see the diverse heart and soul of Jesus Christ reflected in your church or would I think that people had forgotten who He was and what He had done?

Reflect on your church. What artificial environments have you created? What falsehoods do you need to break down? What doors do you need to let a blast of cold air through? How are you going to break through the glass ceiling that supports the artificial environment? How does God want you to break through?

Overview:
Churched is a semi-memoir/semi-humor/semi-theological book by Matthew Paul Turner. (That sentence had more semis than a truck stop…) Matthew tells the story of his experiences growing up in a fundamental Baptist church, from “Baptist haircuts” to Barbie burnings. Through all of this, Matthew still manages to grow up and become someone who’s madly in love with Jesus. (But not John Piper.)

Originality:
Matthew’s book is unlike any other I’ve ever read, but in a good way. He approaches his experiences with fundamentalism with a lighthearted yet serious attitude. The book isn’t designed to give Christendom “5 Steps to Overcoming Fundamentalism”, but to address the situation and let you chew on it. While he’s using personal stories, he makes you feel like you experienced the story right along with him. It’s got a memoir-ish feel, yet you know you’re learning from it. Another great original work from Matthew Paul Turner.

Overall Readablity:
Churched is extremely easy to read. I read all the way through in about 4 or 5 days. While it may be a quick read, it’s an enjoyable, profitable read too. Matthew adds lots of great detail without using obscure wordage. It’s a great break from the extreme depth of many books in the Christian publishing world.

Outstanding Quotation:

“People said odd things about God. They said he was in control, but then when a teenager was killed in a car accident or a young mother died of cancer, they said that he allowed those deaths to occur so other people would come to know Jesus. That only made me fear God more, not have faith in him.” -p. 151, emphasis added

Observations:
I’ve grown up in what I would call a semi-fundamentalist background. Yes, my pastor graduated from “Fyles Sanderson”, as Matthew calls it in the book. Yes, I’ve read the Sword of the Lord newspaper. Yes, my pastor’s sermons are rated in decibels. Yes, we have a bus ministry. But we’ve managed to keep a bit more sane than the church Matthew describes in his book. We’re free to dress as we please, cut our hair as we please, and play with Barbie dolls. And yes, we can even listen to “satanic” Christian rock music. So I’m able to relate to many of the stories Matthew shares in his book, and laugh and be pained right along with him. Anyone who’s spent any time with Baptists will relate to Matthew’s stories.

However, I’m not entirely as ready as Matthew to discard fundamentalism entirely. In the form he describes, yes, for the most part I am. Yet I also see the value that it does have in some respects. I disagree with his assertion that “fundamentalism has little to do with Jesus.” (p. 213) Do I think it needs to change? Absolutely. It can’t continue like this. It doesn’t reflect Christ’s character. But I also know some “fundamentalists” who are the most loving, compassionate people I know.

Overall, I loved Matthew’s book. It was great, and he makes great points about Christianity in the end portion of his book. There’s something here for everyone to learn from.

Own it?:
Yes, yes, yes, a thousand times yes. Everyone should have this book on their shelf. When we begin to get too caught up in the “rules” of Christianity, Churched serves as a reality check reminding us to come back to what Jesus is all about: love.

O Book Reviews Rating:
4.5/5 Os

Buy your copy from Amazon (affiliate link):

“Look, a new star. Is it the predicted one? Something is new. Something we’ve awaited has arrived. Let’s go and see.”

“I wish I had somewhere else to put Him. Something warmer to dress Him in. But I’m so glad He’s here. I may not be his “father”, but I feel a connection with Him like no child before. The one I’ve awaited has come. Can I see Him, Mary?”

“I can’t believe it. A teenager from Nazareth. That’s all I am. Why was I chosen? I’m so glad He’s here. (And I’m so glad He’s out!) The long awaited, momentous One has arrived. Let me see Him.”

Whether the world knew it or not, it was transformed on this day. He came to change things. The awaited One arrived. Not in the way anyone expected, however. All throughout the Christmas story, we see the unusual being chosen to do the extraordinary. They all ask “Why me?” They can’t believe that a glorious God would choose them. But He did. He chose to use them to bring peace to the world. Today, He’s chosen us to bring peace to the world. We’re called to be His Marys. And Josephs. And shepherds. And wise men. And temple workers. And stable-owners. We all have a part. And we can all rejoice in His arrival. Thankfully, we know that not only did He arrive once, but He’s arriving again. His Kingdom has been established for us to work in and love in and grow in and change in. One day not too far away, He’s coming to rule His Kingdom. What kind of kingdom are we preparing for Him? Are we anticipating His momentous arrival?

Live life all year in Advent mode. Anticipating. Have an incredible Christmas in remembrance of what He has done, is doing, and will do. He changes everything.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!

Luke 2:14

Just think back to this night some 2000 or so years ago. Mary and Joseph just finished up a long few days of travel from home to visit a little town called Bethlehem to be counted in a census. They searched the village for any place to stay: a home, an inn, a tent, anything. Yet all they found was a little stable.

I can only imagine the thoughts flying through Mary and Joseph’s minds. Did they know the time was coming? I mean, Mary was probably 9 months pregnant and looked like she was about to pop. (I wonder what the pregnant food was in Israel. I suspect they didn’t have nachos and milkshakes in the stable.) They had to suspect it was coming soon. But would it be tonight? They were anxiously awaiting the arrival of something incredibly momentous.

Today, the Christ child has come, lived, died, and risen again for us. Today we live anxiously awaiting the arrival of a Savior again. Before His last coming, He sent a messenger named John. Before this coming, He sent a messenger named you. He wants you to share the anxious awaiting with others. Something momentous is coming.

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Luke 1:68-79