CAREFUL WHAT YOU PRAY FOR

We prayed that our house would be a place kids feel welcome. As I type, after 4 doorbell rings, there are:

11 kids.
5 bikes
3 scooters.
and 2 dogs (yep, even the neighbor dog came to play)

in our house, on the trampoline, in the yard, and eating my food.

thank you Jesus.

I think.

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QUESTIONS FOR TEACHING

I was inspired by this post to share a list of questions that I have acquired/created over the years to ask myself when teaching. I don't get to all of them-all the time. I don't always have an answer to all of them in every message, but I try to at least consider them and wrestle with them. I've tried to internalize this list so it becomes part of how I teach, but it's good to go over the list and edit/add to it with new learnings. So I re-read it and added my most recent learnings.. After my seminar at YS on the big picture, I'll post some learnings on how I plan messages and such.

For those of you who teach out there, here's my current list of questions/learnings:


Dealing with the text:

• What is the historical context? Does my theme fit the theme of that context?
• What is the author talking about? What is he saying about it?
• What problems do I have? What doesn’t make sense to me?
• Which did I do: a) bend my thoughts to Scripture or b) bend scripture to support my thoughts?
• Have I crawled into that context and asked, “What was this like? How would I feel? What was I thinking?”
• Have I prepared the listener for the text before it is read? Use scripture to open the eyes not confuse the reader. Allow them to discover it themselves and say “ah ha”, not “huh?”
• Have I given the listener enough (history, language, other texts, etc.) so that they can check my interpretation themselves?

Structure of the message:

• Who cares? So what? Have I grabbed the attention of my listener? Why should they bother to listen? Is there an element of mystery, confusion, or curiosity developed so that they lean in to listen?
• Title should: capture attention, be clear, be positive, let it relate to everyday life.
• Can I state in one sentence the essence of my message? (my subject + my solution)
• Are my main points my application points? Do they have a verb?
  
• Have I trimmed my outline to give not all of what I know, but all of what is needed?
• Have I used my file/library resources well?
• Have I legitimized the listener’s doubts/unbelief? Will people buy it?
• Do my points make sense? Is there a logical flow of thought? Why these points in this order?
• Can it be said simpler? Keep the cookies on the lower shelf. Be clear and concise!
• Have I presented the gospel? Did I make a beeline for the cross?

Application of the truths:

• Have I been genuine and authentic sharing failures/successes in me?
• Have I clearly gone beyond illustration into application? Have I applied it to more than one demographic group?
• Can it be communicated visually? Do I have an object or picture I can use?
  
• Have I made application to not just Christians but seekers/unbelievers too?
• Where do I see this in today’s world? How does it fit with current issues/headlines of today’s listener? Is this culturally relevant today?
  
• How does this fit into the bigger picture of the kingdom of God?
• How does this message meet the needs of our church/youth ministry?
• What would happen to our church if all the listeners actually applied theses truths to their lives? To our nation? To our world?
• Did I give them the first few steps but not the last few. Leave some mystery and questions in there. “the problem with most communicators is that when they’re done, it’s over.”- Rob Bell

Personal Presentation:

• Smile, let them know it’s a blessing they are there.
• Don’t preach. Don’t teach. DO COMMUNICATE- be genuine and real
• Don’t push. Do lead
• Say it once. Restate it. Move on
• Talk to the hurting. They’re always there.
• Use voice inflection and pauses on purpose.

When teaching a Narrative in Story Form OR creating a drama:

• Who am I?
• Who is the audience?
• How will I begin- once upon a time, I’ll never forget the day, etc.
• What provides tension: Who is the antagonist. What is the “but then, one day moment?”
• Ending: Did they live happily ever after… is it to be continued?… what?
• Can you smell it?
• Can you taste it?
• Can you hear it?
• Can you see it?
• Can you feel it?

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NEW GADGET

Just got this to help with this presentation so I don't have to stand there clicking my computer by myself, the problem I've run into the last 3 presentations I've given. It also controls itunes (so I'm going to use it to control my playlist in youth group too), idvd, quicktime, powerpoint, and about a million other things. SWEET!!!

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OFFICE CONFESSION

I tried to watch the office this year. Everyone in the world I think watches it. I don't watch much TV, so I even DVR'd the first episode and thought, dude, this is going to be great. I picked a time when I was ready for a solid 22 minutes of vegging. I thought, "I'm going to get cooler. I finally will be in on the jokes and can laugh with my friends and feel like I am funny." Problem is:

1. I tried, but I don't think the office is funny. I just sit there, trying to laugh but only smiling in hope that soon, I'll bust a gut.
   
2. I feel like I'm at a party where I'm the only one in the room who doesn't like the beverage everyone else is drinking.
3. Since like 5 billion people do think it's funny, I must not be that funny.
4. I still don't think the office is that funny.
5. I think I'm the only person my world who doesn't think the office is funny.

not funny Brian out.

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MUSIC CAN...

...encourage your soul and be #4 on the itunes album chart list. Be the Remedy!!!

OR

... be the number seven download on i-tunes on the same day as the above and be very cool sounding, but be Godless in it's lyrical content. If you work with students, they know this song, like this song, dance to this song, and will turn this song up on the radio. In fact, when I visited a girl in the hospital, it was on the TV in the bed next door today. The groove is that cool. The lyrics are not as bad as almost anything by 50 cent, but they're godless for sure. See for yourself.

The music video makes me think they might think they are being satirical. I asked my high school men's group what they think a few weeks ago. They are split a little. Some say it is, some say it's not. I think it's cuz some really like the band. I do too. However, I think, it's too cool and too vague to be truly satire.

here.. see the video for yourself.

what do you think... can music as satire work if it's this vague? Is it satire?

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YOUNG PEOPLE ARE SKEPTICAL OF CHRISTIANS

Here's a study of those ages 16-29 by the Barna group that most could predict the results of- but worth the read regardless.

Here's the quote that worried me the most:

Yet, the research shows that millions of young outsiders have significant experience with Christians and Christian churches. The typical young outsider says they have five friends who are Christians; more than four out of five have attended a Christian church for a period of at least six months in the past; and half have previously considered becoming a Christian.

Sometimes I think that we should spend 5% of our time trying to bring people into the Christian faith and 95% of our time trying to help those who enter it, understand and own it. I think they might stay longer than 6 months before they head for the door. I'm deeply concerned about lasting impact these days. I don't want to be a stopping place for high school students on their journey to disenfranchisement with those who claim to follow Jesus.

Here's the quote that surprised me.

The book (Unchristian, by David Kinnaman) also includes exclusive perspective from 30 Christian leaders, including Mark Batterson, Chuck Colson, Louie Giglio, Dan Kimball, Brian McLaren, Kevin Palau, John Stott, and Rick Warren. Kinnaman described their contribution as an effort "to make sense of the complex and challenging project - both why the problems exist as well as what Christians ought to do in response to the information. We looked for the biblical space in order to respond to the sharpest criticism. Beyond simply reporting the problems that we discovered among a skeptical generation, my partner Gabe Lyons and I want the book to help Christians find a way forward, to read positive examples and find hope that their life can provide a clearer picture of Jesus to skeptical people around them.

Check out that list of contributors to this book. I might buy it for that reason alone. Should be a smorgasbord of opinions.

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