Here was the prayer little Susanna threw down:
"Dear Jesus, I pray that everyone has a wonderful Christmas... especially people in New Zealand and Australia. Oh, and people on the beach too. Amen."
Wha? I love the innocence. The randomness. To my readers in New Zealand and Australia: Susanna hearts you! She rocks.
Labels: Personal, Students Only, Youth Pastors
TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO DONATE in our special 50,000 pairs in 50 days challenge. Please, go donate and help make a big time impact.
Labels: Social Justice
I honestly could not believe the drama. I do understand that a lot of the hype came from the fallout from Warren's stance on Proposition 8 but did it really have to get this ugly over someone praying before the ceremony? We have hit a new low point in America. Seriously. Obama has made it clear from day one that he truly wants everyone to be welcome at the table. He really preaches equality for all and the president-elect asking Warren, quite possibly the most well-known evangelical, to be a part of the ceremony (among others he invited) underscored this.
Rick Warren just recorded this video to explain to his church his response to all the accusations and questions that have been directed at him in recent days:
Click here to watch his video response.
Labels: Church, Culture, Hot Topics, Issues, Leadership, Media, News, Politics, Television
Labels: Manic Monday Minute
(ht to Brad Ruggles)
RSS Subscribers: There is video here.
Labels: Straight Up Funny, Students Only, Videos, Youth Pastors
Dear Reader,
I made you a painting for Christmas. It started out as a star... then a Christmas tree... then lights. Not sure what you see in this painting... but I just call it "Christmas 2008." Merry Christmas to you!
May you find real joy through Jesus Christ, our Saviour, this Christmas.
O Holy Night (one of my faves), from NewSpring's Christmas
Labels: Personal
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Labels: Videos
Labels: Manic Monday Minute
Labels: Church, Culture, Hot Topics, Issues, Leadership, Youth Pastors
(3 of 4) Blogging Crossover: [The Shift Has Hit the Fan...]
2 Comments Published by Terrace Crawford on at 6:15 AM.
THE SHIFT HAS HIT THE FAN...
I volunteered a number of hours this year to a charity store for needy families. On Saturday we invited Santa to visit and provided free pictures to attendees. Later I got to speak to Santa myself and I wasn't quite ready for what he had to say. No, it wasn't that I had been a "bad boy" but he told me how moved he was by one child who said that "all he wanted for Christmas was for his family to have a Christmas tree."
[Ouch] That broke my heart.
The next day I found myself at the hardware store picking up a few things. I was standing in line behind a gentleman and overheard him telling the cashier how he had an abormal passion for Christmas and had been working on his home decor for months - even mentioning he had a ferris wheel, garden of lights... and on and on he went. I spoke up and said "um, Mr. Griswald I presume?" He laughed and said, "actually, I have several inflatables and hundreds of lights in storage that I'm not even using."
We are in a desperate need for a shift. In fact, our nation is experiencing a financial crisis thanks to the greedy. It is a big problem... and the only real way to fix things is for a shift to happen. I wish it were as easy as snapping our fingers but its not. I see the classic scenario all the time -- one family is struggling to put food on the table and their neighbors are geeking out their home next door... and constantly wanting more. Sadly, its found in common place, America. Population: too many.
So whats the answer? Well, I personally think its the church. But it begins with YOU. It will take steps... or rather a shift to bring radical results. Aren't you tired of the materialistic society we have found ourselves in?
A post on a topic like this can get real negative, real quick. Let me shift the focus to highlight some real life examples of how we can begin to change the world around us:
- A pastor-friend of mine told me that he started challenging his kids when they were young to giveaway their favorite gift (under the Christmas tree) to a needy child. He told me how they give cheerfully and have been changed by this challenge.
- Two social justice teachers decided to change their lifestyles and practice what they teach by committing to live on just one dollar a day. Most of the world lives on just a few dollars a day or less.
- A lady attending a housing auction provided a bailout miracle for a complete stranger later creating a foundation to help the masses suffering home foreclosure. (This story blew me away).
- A young man who lives in an apartment complex (with community laundry room) buys extra laundry detergent and leaves quarters behind for his fellow tenants to find them.
...and on, and on and on the stories go.
So wherever you find yourself... begin to take steps and shift things in your world. In each of the examples above the masses have been affected. You could say that the shift has hit the fan... and thats a good thing.
This post is part of a blogging crossover partnership with Brad Ruggles, Clayton Bell and Zak White. I encourage you to check out their sites.Labels: Church, Culture, Hot Topics, Issues, Social Justice
Here is what you do to get in on this little contest...
The book is called Youth Ministry 3.0 and is about how Youth Ministry has evolved over time and provides you with lots of thoughts on where we need to go from here. For this contest I thought it would be fun for you to come up with a throw back of sorts to Youth Ministry 1.0 or even 2.0 (which were never written) and the classic quotes from those books. Make sense? You are basically coming up with text that we might have found among the pages of YM 1.0 or YM 2.0. I might encourage you to provide mentions of what YM 1.0 or YM 2.0 type-ministry looks like, commentary on why that worked or did not-so-much work, etc. Be creative, be funny... and give it your best shot. After all, that may secure your FREE copy of this book! You can enter as many times as you like before the contest ends -- Friday, December 19, 2008 at 5.00PM, est [Entries only accepted in the comments form of this post]. Ready? Now, GO.
Two things:
Labels: Marketing, News, Personal, Resources, Youth Pastors
An Arab reporter displayed his contempt for our president and a vid mashup is making the rounds on the internet today as part of a replay with Austin Powers clip.
Really, who throws a shoe?
Link to full news story.
RSS Subscribers: There is video here.
Labels: Celebrities, Hot Topics, News, Straight Up Funny, Videos
Granted, there are not always check marks by each of these. I also realize every case varies. You might even totally disagree with this list... but its definitely a fairly accurate picture of traits I've personally noticed in ministry.
It is also important to mention that volunteers aren't always at fault. Sometimes its a lack of direction or an unclear vision that rests solely on the primary leader.
We've been blessed by some incredible volunteers at Cornerstone who get the vision... but there have been some along the way who didn't get it. Pretty soon you find out because they aren't a part of the program anymore. They perish.
The scriptures say a little something, something about that... "where there is no vision the people perish." Rings true here. Volunteers need to "get it."
Labels: Church, Culture, Hot Topics, Issues, Leadership
Summer is when most people plan their missions trips but what if I told you that you could take a group of people on a FREE missions trip, redeemable at any time. How does that sound? My good friend, Tim Schmoyer, has created Online Missions Trip.com and you need to check it out.This online missions trip is a two week outreach campaign for leaders (adults and students) who want to share their faith using the tremendous social opportunities that exist on the internet. There are videos, downloadable training resources and more available at the click of a key and absolutely FREE to you on this site. Very cool idea.
Labels: Creative, Marketing, Resources, Site Shout, Students Only, Youth Pastors
Labels: Manic Monday Minute
你 們 要 先 求 他 的 國 和 他 的 義 ， 這 些 東 西 都 要 加 給 你 們 了 。
This is actually Matthew 6:33 in Chinese.
Does this scripture mean anything to you? It means a lot to me.
When God speaks to your heart you never soon forget it. NEVER. I have been forever changed by the words he has spoken to me. Each word, phrase or whatever I've clung to... as if they were gold-laced. Over five years ago God spoke to me about something specific. It was about a woman. My wife-to-be. No, I didn't have one in mind (and still don't) but that is what I was praying over... and I'll tell you now what He said to me about it.
You see, for years I have prayed for a wife. I imagined what she'd be like. I dreamed of her hair color, eyes, how she would make me laugh (that's a MUST-have), etc. But its never come to pass. Doesn't mean it will not come to pass. God said it would... and I can take that to the bank.
Some people have trouble hearing from God. Others doubt He speaks or consider it very mysterious. All I know is, you KNOW when He speaks to you.
One day I was sitting in my chair at home and I was very upset with God. I did not understand why he had prolonged such a great gift. Most of my friends got married right out of high school. Many of my friends got married while in college. I've had many people try to set me up. Yes, several blind dates gone by. I even had a creative friend, who I worked with in radio, that asked me about getting dressed up in a tuxedo and wanted me to set a table up at a bridal fair at our local civic center to meet prospects. He thought it would be a great publicity stunt and maybe even secure a genuine prospect for me. Wha? Yea, I dropped him from my Myspace Top 8 real fast after that idea.
So I'm sitting there upset with God and demanded that he speak to me on this particular area of my life. Pretty soon He did. He simply whispered Matthew 6:33 to me. Actually, not the scripture... but the reference. Odd right? I knew I was not making this up in my head because at the time I had no clue how the scripture read. I bolted over to my desk, grabbed up my Bible and read these words: "But seek FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness, and ALL these things will be added to you." WOW. That is gold to me. I will treasure this scripture forever.
For five years I've been learning what it means to really seek His Kingdom. Perhaps I'll share that in future posts. For now, I wanted to share this-a very candid moment-with you, my readers. Some may ask "why would you share something so private publicly?" For a period of time it was very personal to me. Still is. But I've counseled many, many young men who settled for less than God's best or have dealt with depression over this very area in their life. My experience seemed to really encourage them. So I share it here, publicly. Hang in there young men (and might I add, young women)... seek God... and this too will be added to your life. May this scripture offer not only instruction to you as to what to do while you wait but also encouragement in your personal journey.
Labels: Personal
Since that time SolesforShoes has sweetened the pot for those who donate:
Labels: Social Justice
I'm borderline coveting. Just being honest.
These are definitely on my wish list.
Labels: Media, Personal, Technology
What is most hilarious about this whole thing is that we actually got emails from people who viewed this on the web asking if they could purchase the CD! We could not believe it.
RSS Subscribers: There is video here.
Labels: Creative, Straight Up Funny, Students Only, Videos, Youth Pastors
Labels: Manic Monday Minute
I think I would thrive working for an organization like Catalyst because major event planning and production gets me going. For this post I'd like to use their latest conference as an example of what I'm talking about when I speak of said WOW factor. Exactly how do you plan an event for such a diverse crowd? I cannot speak for their team but I imagine that the thrill of steering a ship like Catalyst would be the response of the audience. If the leadership in their organization were honest they would probably admit that hearing each person say "WOW" is what gives them drive in their planning. They, of course, don't do what they do for applause... or even just for the response... but their planning is for a greater cause -- to impact and grow the next generation of leaders through world-class experiences.
One of the things that was most interesting to me after attending Catalyst was the mixed reviews I heard after the fact. Some thought a certain speaker was compelling while another slept through his talk. Others thought the production was too much while another group thought it was just right. Sheesh. We've never been so hard to please.
Ben Arment on his blog mentioned that Catalyst raised the bar on the production this year. Were you impressed? Nice theatre in the round feel...360 LED screen...did I hear a WOW?
There may not be one solid person who doesn't like Andy Stanley speaking from the Catalyst main stage. If there is one I have never met them. He is so favored that Catalyst gave him two slots this year...booked him for the Catalyst One Day events and he will probably be on the main stage in 2009. Does this make you say WOW?
What does it for you? What makes you say WOW?
Labels: Church, Conferences, Creative, Culture, Issues, Leadership, Marketing, Youth Pastors
I love the idea, the name, the theme this year and hope you'll check it out when it comes to a city near you! Watch this hilarious promo vid and then I'll mention a few more details...
YS OneDay will feature four general sessions on The Bible. I love it... and think its overdue. Here are the titles just as an added teaser:
Session One: The Word is More than Words.
The bible is the living and active word of God. It has authority, power and value in the lives of youth workers and students.
Session Two: Digging Deeper: Uncovering the Riches of Scripture. Digging deep into the word doesn’t have to be daunting or overwhelming. There are tools and techniques that anyone can use to understand the bible, apply it to their own lives and teach it to the students in their ministry.
Session Three: Chronological Bible Storying: Leading Students into a Fresh Encounter with God’s Word. For thousands of years, stories were the key means for Jewish and Christian people to learn and experience God. Help students to enter into the entire panorama of God’s story.
Session Four: Ideas, Ideas, Ideas: More Ways for your Students to Experience Scripture. The bible is not simply a school book, a text book, or an encyclopedia. The bible is a life book, with deep implications for our lives. We desire to help students experience the Word, not just hear it and we’ve collected hundreds of practical tools and ideas to help you do just that.
Check out the training team, dates and locations and even download an event flier from the official website.
RSS Subscribers: There is video here.
Labels: Conferences, Marketing, Resources, Youth Pastors
Here are some things I ran across in the last few days...
I would have had more links for you but most blogs were very inactive this week... What did I miss?
Labels: Linkalicious, Random
What if...we closed OUR church doors this Sunday and attended THEIR church?
I think that would be another taste of The Kingdom.
Labels: Church, Culture, Hot Topics, Issues, Random
We cannot even begin to understand how difficult this Christmas will be for our military as they are away from their families this holiday season... or the family away from their soldier. Would you like to be able to encourage our armed forces as they serve our country during the holdiays by sending a simple greeting card? You can. Holiday Mail for Heroes is a partnership between the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes to deliver one million holiday cards to American service members, veterans and their families in the United States and around the world. Please send cards to this address and check out the following the guidelines listed below before mailing:
Holiday Mail for Heroes
PO Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456
You can also:
Download and print a free card.
Learn about other ways to participate.
Get the latest news about Holiday Mail for Heroes.
Please follow these simple guidelines when sending your card to ensure it will quickly reach service members, veterans and their families.
Labels: Culture, Hot Topics, Social Justice
Moral of today's show: Be Kind to the Letter "S"
Brought to you by our friends at the Electric Company.
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Labels: Straight Up Funny, Students Only. Random, Videos
Labels: Manic Monday Minute
Today is my birthday. Celebrate with me!
Make a Donation: If you've been following my blog recently you know I've been passionate about raising awareness of the great need for shoes around the world. Numerous bloggers have joined this cause to help raise 50,000 shoes in just 50 days. If you had planned to give me a present or a monetary gift, please consider donating to this cause instead. If you choose to donate, please make me aware of your gift.
Labels: News, Personal, Random, Social Justice
