Messy Spirituality
by: Michael Yaconelli
After reading this book for the 2nd time this summer I think I'm ready to write something about it. I needed to read it again to remind myself of some things. It seems that too often the church has boiled spirituality growth down to a recipe and if you follow the recipe you will get delicious spiritual growth...one problem with that theory; God us not an oven and is not limited to a recipe. So often it seems people claim that those who believe in God never have doubts or struggle; that their spiritual growth is a steady incline. Messy Spirituality reminds us that Spirituality is so much more complicated than an escalator going up. Spirituality has periods of "resting, listening, waiting, starting, returning, savoring, celebrating, dancing, learning, [and] growing" (pg 130). These times make the "graph" of our spiritual life's filled with highs, low, and a steady line that neither goes up nor down. Michael Yaconelli writes about some of the most spiritual people he knows not fitting the norm of what the church calls spiritual; their lives are messy, just like mine, some people use "colorful language", some deal with alcoholism, and some have had divorces that have made the church reject them. Messy Spirituality reminds us that we do not have to have it all together to be acceptable to God; God uses those of us with messy lives to do his work just the same. I do recommend this book to those looking to be reminded that they do not have to have look like the recipe perfect christian with their lives all together to be loved by God or spiritual.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
My thoughts on the book: A New Kind of Youth Ministry by Chris Folmsbee
A New Kinds of Youth Ministry
by: Chris Folmsbee
I do recommend this book to those searching for a way to direct youth ministry towards something that seems to reach students. Instead of the traditional "make a lot of events that attract youth and hope they apply the theology to their lives" discipleship Chris Folmsbee encourages a ministry that guides youth into a relationship where they live their daily lives (not just Church days) as disciples of Christ. A New Kind of Youth Ministry acknowledges that change is not easy and that many people in the church like the traditional event based youth ministry model because it is easy to see the results (X number of kids showed up etc) even if those results do not reveal the true health of the youth's spiritual life. Chris Folmsbee encourages those in youth ministry to "re-culture" their way of "doing" youth ministry so that the youth do not "graduate from Christ when they graduate from school." Instead let them graduate with a spiritual life they are already practicing and living out. A New Kind of Youth Ministry is a great read that has challenged me to pursue a youth ministry that walks with the youth engaging them and challenging them to live out Christ now and not being afraid of making mistakes along the way. Chris Folmsbee urges and guides those in youth ministry to have a plan for change, engage their volunteers, and have mentors to help and guide them along the way. The book is clear with examples and models to help those in youth ministry apply the concepts introduced into their own youth ministry. The book enables the reader to apply what he/she reads because the "how to" is reachable.
It has certainly encouraged me to pray, talk to mentors, and think about what God may have in store for me after I graduate from College next May. I feel less overwhelmed with possibilities (and sometimes the feeling of there not really being any options) and more directed. Certain areas of youth ministry have always stuck out to me and I have often felt helpless in knowing how to get from point A (college) to point B (a place I can best serve God and others). The book challenges those in youth ministry to make a plan of change (because without a plan it is likely no change will happen), and because the "how to's" are included I could apply these plans of change to my discerning, pulling out, and narrowing down where I can best serve God and others after graduation.
by: Chris Folmsbee
I do recommend this book to those searching for a way to direct youth ministry towards something that seems to reach students. Instead of the traditional "make a lot of events that attract youth and hope they apply the theology to their lives" discipleship Chris Folmsbee encourages a ministry that guides youth into a relationship where they live their daily lives (not just Church days) as disciples of Christ. A New Kind of Youth Ministry acknowledges that change is not easy and that many people in the church like the traditional event based youth ministry model because it is easy to see the results (X number of kids showed up etc) even if those results do not reveal the true health of the youth's spiritual life. Chris Folmsbee encourages those in youth ministry to "re-culture" their way of "doing" youth ministry so that the youth do not "graduate from Christ when they graduate from school." Instead let them graduate with a spiritual life they are already practicing and living out. A New Kind of Youth Ministry is a great read that has challenged me to pursue a youth ministry that walks with the youth engaging them and challenging them to live out Christ now and not being afraid of making mistakes along the way. Chris Folmsbee urges and guides those in youth ministry to have a plan for change, engage their volunteers, and have mentors to help and guide them along the way. The book is clear with examples and models to help those in youth ministry apply the concepts introduced into their own youth ministry. The book enables the reader to apply what he/she reads because the "how to" is reachable.
It has certainly encouraged me to pray, talk to mentors, and think about what God may have in store for me after I graduate from College next May. I feel less overwhelmed with possibilities (and sometimes the feeling of there not really being any options) and more directed. Certain areas of youth ministry have always stuck out to me and I have often felt helpless in knowing how to get from point A (college) to point B (a place I can best serve God and others). The book challenges those in youth ministry to make a plan of change (because without a plan it is likely no change will happen), and because the "how to's" are included I could apply these plans of change to my discerning, pulling out, and narrowing down where I can best serve God and others after graduation.
My thougths on the book: Your First Two Years in Youth Ministry by Doug Fields
Your First two Years in Youth Ministry: A personal and Practical guide to starting Right
by Doug Fields
This book provides helpful input for youth ministers who are looking for advice in specific areas. Each chapter focuses on helping the Youth Minister deal with or develop certain areas of his/her ministry. While I am sure this book would come in handy if I was stressed, discouraged, or seeking to better a certain area of my ministry reading it for a college class made the advice sound good but I had no forum to put the advice to use. I can see myself keeping this book on my shelf as a handbook for dealing with the areas it addresses (Listed in my words below), but I cannot see myself reading through the book as a whole again. Like a manual, generally I look at a manual when I need assistance in a certain area or wish to know how to do certain things differently. I rarely read a manual all the way through; instead I open up to the chapter that best suits my needs. I believe that if this book is used in a similar way one may find encouragement/assistance/ideas that he/she can adapt to his/her ministry.
Chapter 1: discovering my role at the beginning
Chapter 2: Discouragement
Chapter 3: Keeping myself Spiritually Healthy
Chapter 4: Students like relationship most
Chapter 5: Working with parents
Chapter 6: Difficult people
Chapter 7: advice for working with/finding leaders
Chapter 8: Help from team leaders
Chapter 9: student leaders
Chapter 10: evaluating programs
Chapter 11: making changes
Chapter 12:job descriptions
by Doug Fields
This book provides helpful input for youth ministers who are looking for advice in specific areas. Each chapter focuses on helping the Youth Minister deal with or develop certain areas of his/her ministry. While I am sure this book would come in handy if I was stressed, discouraged, or seeking to better a certain area of my ministry reading it for a college class made the advice sound good but I had no forum to put the advice to use. I can see myself keeping this book on my shelf as a handbook for dealing with the areas it addresses (Listed in my words below), but I cannot see myself reading through the book as a whole again. Like a manual, generally I look at a manual when I need assistance in a certain area or wish to know how to do certain things differently. I rarely read a manual all the way through; instead I open up to the chapter that best suits my needs. I believe that if this book is used in a similar way one may find encouragement/assistance/ideas that he/she can adapt to his/her ministry.
Chapter 1: discovering my role at the beginning
Chapter 2: Discouragement
Chapter 3: Keeping myself Spiritually Healthy
Chapter 4: Students like relationship most
Chapter 5: Working with parents
Chapter 6: Difficult people
Chapter 7: advice for working with/finding leaders
Chapter 8: Help from team leaders
Chapter 9: student leaders
Chapter 10: evaluating programs
Chapter 11: making changes
Chapter 12:job descriptions
Friday, June 12, 2009
An Iowan for the summer!
Welcome to Iowa! So for those of you who missed the boat I am living in Iowa this summer with my uncle Duane, aunt Karen, and cousin Aleigha! On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I babysit my cousin Jeremy's 3 children and on Tuesdays and Thursdays I babysit my cousin Natasha's 3 children. Once I week I volunteer at the youth center "Elements" in town. It is great!
I'm here until August 1st. I will head home then and be home for my whole birthday for the first time since I turned 15! I am excited and will enjoy spending 2 weeks at home before I head back out to Hesston for my last year of college.
I've come to realize that I do not know how regularly I will be able to get to Iowa after I graduate next year. Growing up we came out 2 weeks a year or more and I know that after I graduate and continue on I may not be able to come out here near as often. Which is so sad, all my vacations growing up were here with my Gugel family. I am grateful for the chance to spend this summer here with my family.
Wednesday night I went out for a motorcycle ride with my cousin Shannon, her husband, and their friend. After cruising around for several hours we headed back. It was probably around 11pm when a deer ran out in front of Scotty and Shannon's bike. They hit the young buck and crashed. We were following them on our bike and stopped. Thankfully they are okay. Scotty fractured at least 1 rib and broke a finger, both Shannon and Scotty have plenty of road rash. They were wearing helmets, Scotty had a leather jacket on and Shannon was wearing four shirts. The accident could have been so much worse, the ditch was deep, it could have happened when they were alone, we could have collided into them with our motorcycle if we'd been to close, the bike could flipped. Thank you God.
I'm here until August 1st. I will head home then and be home for my whole birthday for the first time since I turned 15! I am excited and will enjoy spending 2 weeks at home before I head back out to Hesston for my last year of college.
I've come to realize that I do not know how regularly I will be able to get to Iowa after I graduate next year. Growing up we came out 2 weeks a year or more and I know that after I graduate and continue on I may not be able to come out here near as often. Which is so sad, all my vacations growing up were here with my Gugel family. I am grateful for the chance to spend this summer here with my family.
Wednesday night I went out for a motorcycle ride with my cousin Shannon, her husband, and their friend. After cruising around for several hours we headed back. It was probably around 11pm when a deer ran out in front of Scotty and Shannon's bike. They hit the young buck and crashed. We were following them on our bike and stopped. Thankfully they are okay. Scotty fractured at least 1 rib and broke a finger, both Shannon and Scotty have plenty of road rash. They were wearing helmets, Scotty had a leather jacket on and Shannon was wearing four shirts. The accident could have been so much worse, the ditch was deep, it could have happened when they were alone, we could have collided into them with our motorcycle if we'd been to close, the bike could flipped. Thank you God.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)