There are a lot of things that are frustrating and make no sense. Sometimes we are confused, other times we are ignorant, and sometimes we are neither rather we are just frustrated.
Though the joys far outweigh them, I think those are things that we experience and feel a lot in ministry.
For example; one might wonder why a minister/elder/deacon/secretary/volunteer/etc in a church can exhibit a constant bad attitude with no consequence, but upon committing some kind of "more serious" sin such getting caught up in pornography, getting too friendly with alcohol can be relieved from their ministry or position with haste.
What I want to do is give you an opportunity to vent about what it is about ministry/church/faith/christianity/etc that frustrates you, confuses you, makes no sense to you, or just hurts your heart. We will do this anonymously.
So here are the rules...
1) Leave a comment that vents your biggest frustration, confusion, or hurt with the topics mentioned above.
2) Leave it anonymously (sign out of your blogger account). If you leave a name or account link, your comment will be deleted.
Go!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Re-Open...
This blog will open up for business again in an hour and fifteen minutes.
Check it out and play along.
Check it out and play along.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Txt Mch? Using Twitter To Text Your Students...
Twitter is an amazing, FREE, way to send text message announcements to your youth group. I got the idea and instructions from ChurchyMedia, but I wanted to write it out in a little more detail for some of my less technologically inclined friends.
Quick Directions:
1) Register a twitter account (ex: wpyouth)
2) Have students text "follow account" to 40404 (ex "follow wpyouth")
3) They text back their name, and boom, they will receive updates.
4) They can send "stop" to 40404 if they want to stop receiving updates.
Detailed Directions:
1) Go to www.twitter.com and get a twitter account started. Ours is "wpyouth" (twitter.com/wpyouth)
2) Once your account is set up, have anyone that wants to subscribe to text message updates text "follow account" to number 40404 where account is your account name (ex: "follow wpyouth")
NOTE: They must remove signatures, any other characters in their text message will screw it up. Also, I believe the message has to be all lowercase. I just offer these pointers from the troubles I have had with getting my students signed up.
3) They will then be asked to send their name, and boom, they are following you. Now when you update that twitter it will send a text message to all your cell phone followers!
4) For those who do not want to receive text messages, they can still keep up with announcements by going to the twitter webpage. (ex: www.twitter.com/wpyouth).
5) If at anytime they want to stop getting the updates, all they have to do is send "stop" to 40404.
6) For those of you that have a personal twitter account as well, I reccomend the Twitterfox add-on for your browser (I don't know if there are similar add-ons for other browsers. If you know link it in the comments.) With a single click you can switch between accounts (as opposed to having to login and logout all the time.)
This is a great means of communicating with your students. I am still working on getting all my teens signed up and on board. We use this to send announcements to the group, but also to play games. For example, I sent a message "first person to call the church and ask for eddie gets free cookies." Its just a fun way to interact with students.
And of course, you can use this for any ministry or group you organize. Try it out and let me know what you think!
Quick Directions:
1) Register a twitter account (ex: wpyouth)
2) Have students text "follow account" to 40404 (ex "follow wpyouth")
3) They text back their name, and boom, they will receive updates.
4) They can send "stop" to 40404 if they want to stop receiving updates.
Detailed Directions:
1) Go to www.twitter.com and get a twitter account started. Ours is "wpyouth" (twitter.com/wpyouth)
2) Once your account is set up, have anyone that wants to subscribe to text message updates text "follow account" to number 40404 where account is your account name (ex: "follow wpyouth")
NOTE: They must remove signatures, any other characters in their text message will screw it up. Also, I believe the message has to be all lowercase. I just offer these pointers from the troubles I have had with getting my students signed up.
3) They will then be asked to send their name, and boom, they are following you. Now when you update that twitter it will send a text message to all your cell phone followers!
4) For those who do not want to receive text messages, they can still keep up with announcements by going to the twitter webpage. (ex: www.twitter.com/wpyouth).
5) If at anytime they want to stop getting the updates, all they have to do is send "stop" to 40404.
6) For those of you that have a personal twitter account as well, I reccomend the Twitterfox add-on for your browser (I don't know if there are similar add-ons for other browsers. If you know link it in the comments.) With a single click you can switch between accounts (as opposed to having to login and logout all the time.)
This is a great means of communicating with your students. I am still working on getting all my teens signed up and on board. We use this to send announcements to the group, but also to play games. For example, I sent a message "first person to call the church and ask for eddie gets free cookies." Its just a fun way to interact with students.
And of course, you can use this for any ministry or group you organize. Try it out and let me know what you think!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Five Thought Friday...
1) The stimulus plan: The only thing I know to say about the stimulus bill is that is gonna destroy our economy. Many politicians have said that we need to pass this as soon as possible so that we are at least doing something. That makes about as much sense as giving someone with a cold rat poison so that they are least doing something about their sickness. Ugh, people just stop spending money you don’t have. That goes for you businessmen too. And if none of you can live that way, don’t cry when your stuff is repossessed and your companies fail.
2) Moving Mountains: If you have never checked them out, you need to listen to them. I find them to be very relaxing and inspiring.
http://www.myspace.com/movingmountainsmusic
3) Liberty Tax Service: It is ridiculous how they promote their services. Having some dude prance around in a lady liberty costume just strikes me as silly. I have more thoughts about this, but I think I will write separately about that. What I really wonder is how many people would forget about taxes if it weren’t for that dancing fool? Kinda scary to consider.
4) Money Money Money: Speaking of taxes (3) and financial responsibility (1) I find myself awaiting that tax return. And although I have pretty much decided that other than a new phone, I want to put it all into savings, lately the temptation has been getting at me to spend some more of it on stuff I want but don’t need. What are you planning to do with your tax return?
5) God has reminded me this past week that I have so many good people in my life. My family is awesome, friends I have from back in the day are awesome, and my newer friends are awesome as well. So take a minute today and thank God for the good people in your life.
2) Moving Mountains: If you have never checked them out, you need to listen to them. I find them to be very relaxing and inspiring.
http://www.myspace.com/movingmountainsmusic
3) Liberty Tax Service: It is ridiculous how they promote their services. Having some dude prance around in a lady liberty costume just strikes me as silly. I have more thoughts about this, but I think I will write separately about that. What I really wonder is how many people would forget about taxes if it weren’t for that dancing fool? Kinda scary to consider.
4) Money Money Money: Speaking of taxes (3) and financial responsibility (1) I find myself awaiting that tax return. And although I have pretty much decided that other than a new phone, I want to put it all into savings, lately the temptation has been getting at me to spend some more of it on stuff I want but don’t need. What are you planning to do with your tax return?
5) God has reminded me this past week that I have so many good people in my life. My family is awesome, friends I have from back in the day are awesome, and my newer friends are awesome as well. So take a minute today and thank God for the good people in your life.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Resurrection...
I need to start blogging more. I will do it! Tomorrow I will bring back my old school blog feature from Xanga. That's right, five thought Friday!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
The Banana Christmas Tree...
I noticed it about a month ago. If you go to the Taylor Bend YMCA you may have seen it yourself.
I walked upstairs one day to head to my workout, and there it was; a Christmas tree. However this Christmas tree was oddly decorated. It had clusters of grapes and bananas and other fruit placed all around its branches. It also had the usual things like lights, tinsel, and the star, but honestly the only thing that stood out to me was the fruit.
So, I hurried off to start lifting weights (its seems like I am always in a rush at the Y) and as my iPod was singing to me and my muscles were cussing at me, for some reason the thought of the tree decorated with fruit would not escape my mind. In my head I was trying to think of reasons why someone would decorate a tree like that, but I came up empty. I decided to walk by again, look at the tree, and see if they had some kind of program or activity they were promoting through this display. After all, they do frequently use creative means for advertising upcoming events and programs. Upon further inspection, I could see no evident promotion. For whatever reason, I was intrigued by a pine tree that was clothed in delicious fruit.
It was different than what I expect out of a pine tree. Because it was so odd to me, I desired some sort of explanation for it. This is nothing new. I mean, who doesn’t demand an explanation when something exists in a manner that is contrary to their understanding of the world. Bananas don’t grow on pine trees. What gives?
So I ponder a little further and it hits me. The words of Jesus in Luke 6:43-45 come to mind.
“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”
While I suppose in a forest of pine trees there is no morality at stake if a tree were to literally bare bananas, it goes without saying that the tree with the bananas would stand. I want to be a banana pine tree. I want to bear fruit that is memorable. I want to live selflessly in a way that causes observers to notice the fruit so that they may ponder about my fruit in the same way I pondered about the banana Christmas tree. I hope that they can look at my life, and upon seeking an explanation for the odd fruit they see, I hope that they will find God.
I don’t want to be like an ordinary pine tree. I want to stand out to the world like a banana Christmas tree.
What about you?
I walked upstairs one day to head to my workout, and there it was; a Christmas tree. However this Christmas tree was oddly decorated. It had clusters of grapes and bananas and other fruit placed all around its branches. It also had the usual things like lights, tinsel, and the star, but honestly the only thing that stood out to me was the fruit.
So, I hurried off to start lifting weights (its seems like I am always in a rush at the Y) and as my iPod was singing to me and my muscles were cussing at me, for some reason the thought of the tree decorated with fruit would not escape my mind. In my head I was trying to think of reasons why someone would decorate a tree like that, but I came up empty. I decided to walk by again, look at the tree, and see if they had some kind of program or activity they were promoting through this display. After all, they do frequently use creative means for advertising upcoming events and programs. Upon further inspection, I could see no evident promotion. For whatever reason, I was intrigued by a pine tree that was clothed in delicious fruit.
It was different than what I expect out of a pine tree. Because it was so odd to me, I desired some sort of explanation for it. This is nothing new. I mean, who doesn’t demand an explanation when something exists in a manner that is contrary to their understanding of the world. Bananas don’t grow on pine trees. What gives?
So I ponder a little further and it hits me. The words of Jesus in Luke 6:43-45 come to mind.
“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”
While I suppose in a forest of pine trees there is no morality at stake if a tree were to literally bare bananas, it goes without saying that the tree with the bananas would stand. I want to be a banana pine tree. I want to bear fruit that is memorable. I want to live selflessly in a way that causes observers to notice the fruit so that they may ponder about my fruit in the same way I pondered about the banana Christmas tree. I hope that they can look at my life, and upon seeking an explanation for the odd fruit they see, I hope that they will find God.
I don’t want to be like an ordinary pine tree. I want to stand out to the world like a banana Christmas tree.
What about you?
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Hello...
Man, this past week has just reminded me how blessed I am. A vacation with great friends and Christmas (be it a late one) with a wonderful family.
I am humbled and blessed.
I am humbled and blessed.
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