Stress, the High School Student and Community

Last night at The Garage we talked about community. And, it was pretty special. News flash time:High School Students Care Deeply About Community. It's got to be tough to be a high school student today. The demand for their time and attention is constant. When I asked our students how many of them were stressed out, almost all of them raised their hands. Sure, it's May, and that's a crazy time for students, but I'm convinced that I could have asked that question at any point in the school year and received the same response. And, that makes me wonder . . .

How can we do a better job of alleviating the stress load that our high schoolers are under?

Why do we push our students to be involved in so much?

How much is too much?

How much should a high school ministry at a church offer?

Do our students have any idea what it means to experience authentic community in the way that they live their lives?

We are in the midst of reimagining what student ministry can be in the lives of high schoolers. One of the things that we are sure of is that living life on the ragged edge isn't what God has called us to. We are also convinced that we need to live life in community. As we look at the upcoming year, we are getting ready to experience community like never before. Randy Frazee's book Making Room for Life has been very helpful for us as we take a look at what our future could look like.

We're imagining small groups that meet in the neighborhoods where our students live. We're talking about changing the world one neighborhood at a time. We're talking about the believers gathering daily -- and we truly believe that can only happen if the church is local. Imagine groups of teenagers meeting together in their neighborhoods for the common goal of honoring God by making more disciples for Jesus Christ. Imagine this happening as they commit themselves to spiritual growth.

Frazee talks about what all small groups should have in his book. He uses the acronym SERVICE. Our students resonated with these things.

Spiritual Formation
Evangelism
Recreation
Volunteerism
International Missions
Care
Extend Compassion

So, what do you think? How do we help high school students navigate today's world so that they do not become workaholics who never experience true community?

Jerry Falwell's Death

I'm sad.

I just found out that Dr. Jerry Falwell passed away. He's been gone for a couple of hours. I believe with all of my heart that Jerry is in the presence of Jesus right now.

So, here's the deal. I graduated from Falwell's Liberty University and Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. I serve on the pastoral staff of a church in Minnesota. Prior to that I served on the pastoral staff of a church in Illinois. Graduating from a school like Liberty means that you carry baggage with you for the remainder of your life. People make assumptions about what you believe, what your political persuasions are, and how you view the world because of where you attended college.

I'm not Jerry Falwell. There are things about who Jerry was that bother me. But, on this, the day of his death, let me say that I thank God for the influence that Jerry had on me.

I went to Liberty as an accounting major. My God was money and Liberty had a great accounting program. My plans when I graduated from college were to work for Arthur Anderson, one of the Big Six Accounting firms, and retire by the time I hit 40. Something happened to me at Liberty. I learned about lordship. I learned about what it meant to really give Christ your entire self. And, my freshman year, I surrendered to God's calling in my life. I changed my major from accounting to pastoral ministries, and I sat under Falwell's teaching for the next six years.

From time-to-time I remember getting frustrated in chapel services. I felt like Falwell was being too dogmatic, too political, or too judgmental. But, there were also times when I learned things that I would carry with me the rest of my life.

As a pastor I often times find myself quoting things that I first heard from Jerry. Quotes like:

"If it's Christian, it ought to be better."

or . . .


"Our greatest failures are prayer failures."

or . . .

"The biggest difference between us now and five years from now is the people we meet, the books we read and the places we go."

I know that there are many more.

Jerry's biggest impact on my life was the way that he taught me vision. Dr. Falwell was never lacking in the vision department. The guy planted one of America's first mega-churches - in Lynchburg, Virginia, of all places. And, he did it when his greatest mentors told him not to. He started a school system that he dreamed would go from pre-school to grad school. And, it happened. He dreamed of Liberty being for the Evangelical Christian student what Notre Dame was to the Roman Catholic student or Brigham Young was to the Mormon student - competing academically, athletically and in reputation. It's getting there. At 7,700 on-campus students and another 20,000 distance education students, Liberty is the largest Evangelical Christian University in America. They boast the number one debate team in America, a law school training constitutional lawyers, a seminary, and high rankings in U.S. News and World Reports annual ranking of America's best colleges.

I worked in Liberty's admission department for a two year period following my graduation from the University. It was a turbulent time for the school. We were rocked by the televangelism scandals of the 80's and couldn't recover financially. We were $20 million in debt. There was an entire month where I went without a paycheck. But, Falwell's vision convinced the work force at the school (Professors, Administration, Assistants, etc.) to work for a month without pay. He couldn't force us to. And, some chose not to work. But, the majority kept going to work. And, in God's providence, the school came out of it.

For lessons on leadership, faith, trust in God, failing and recovering, and for the passion for evangelism that Falwell helped instill in me, I will always be grateful. Join me in praying for the family, and the faculty and staff of Thomas Road Baptist Church (voted last year as one of America's most influential churches by The Church Report Magazine), Liberty University, Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, Liberty University School of Law, the Liberty Godparent Home (a crisis pregnancy ministry), the Elim Home for Alcoholics, WRVL (the radio ministry of the church), the Liberty Channel (Satellite Network), Lynchburg Christian Academy (one of the largest Christian elementary and high schools in America), the Liberty Bible Institute, and all of the other ministries associated with this man of vision. I have never met anyone who had as much influence on his community as Jerry Falwell. Love him or hate him, he'll be missed.

Generation X Is Growing Up

Todd Rhodes writes one of the most influential blogs for church leaders. It's read by thousands of pastors each week. This past week, Todd blogged on the phenomena of Generation Xers feeling obsolete. It's worth a read. You can find his post here: http://mondaymorninginsight.com/index.php/site/comments/the_stuck_generation_xers_feeling_a_new_kind_of_obsolescence/.

So, what do you think? Is this just the case of a generation growing up, and not liking the fact that they are no longer the most marketed to generation? Or, is there something more here. I'm an Xer. Our numbers are no where near that of the Baby Boomers who preceded us, and they pale in comparison with the Millennial Generation. We were once the generation that was dubbed the slacker generation. We have become known as a generation that cares much more about relationship than achievement. We're told that the Millennial Generation shares much in common with the Builders (The Greatest Generation), and that Generation X will always be sensitive about our place in history. Hey friends, let's get over it, and get about being who God created us to be.

Faith Matters Hit's the Blogosphere!

The Official Faith Matters blog launched yesterday! Faith Matters is the radio teaching ministry of Leith Anderson, the Senior Pastor of Wooddale Church. You can read a transcript of each day's radio broadcast by visiting the blog here: http://yourfaithmatters.blogspot.com. I think you'll really enjoy and be blessed by what you read!

This Just In!

I just found out that People Magazine has rated me #51 in this year's 50 Most Beautiful People Issue. Unfortunately, this means for the 38th straight year I didn't make the magazine, but hey, it's good to know that you almost made it.

Thanks, People!

Okay, so this didn't really happen. I'm not rated #51, and may not even be in the top 5,000,000. But, I know this, God loves me. He really does! He's passionate about me, and you, and everyone else on this earth.

Aren't you glad that God doesn't keep a 50 Most Beautiful People list? Aren't you glad that God's view of our worth has nothing to do with what we look like, who we know, how much money we make or what are what we do?

So, God, you are #1. You are the most beautiful. You are beauty. And, I am in awe!

Pizza and God Talk Updates

You won't want to miss Pizza and God Talk the next two times that we meet. This Wednesday night's (April 25th) Pizza and God Talk discussion will include a Stump the Pastor discussion. You will have the chance to ask Geoff Bohleen, Wooddale's Outreach Pastor, Fred McCormick, Wooddale's Adult Ministries Pastor and me any question that you want about the Bible, spirituality, religion, God, etc. We will do our best to answer those questions the best that we can.

In two weeks, May 9th, Paul Helseth will be with us. Paul teaches theology at Northwestern College in St. Paul, MN. He is the co-author of the book Beyond the Bounds: Open Theism and the Undermining of Biblical Christianity with John Piper and Justin Taylor. He will be addressing the concept of Open Theism, and what you need to know about it.

Pizza and God Talk happens at Davanni's in Eden Prairie and runs from 9:00-10:30 PM. As always, if you would rather have your own discussion rather than talk about the topic of the night, there will be several open tables for people to talk theology.

Remembering Virginia Tech

It's been one week since life at Virginia Tech was changed forever. I was thinking earlier this morning about how fast life can change. Virginia Tech is a beautiful place. The serene setting of this campus tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains is incredible. I used to pass Virginia Tech several times a year as I would drive from my home in the suburbs of Chicago, to my college campus that was located in Lynchburg, Virginia. I remember gazing upon the VA Tech campus each time I drove by, thinking this is a beautiful place.

No amount of beauty can change the ugliness of what happened last week. And, in the ugliness, the new sort of beauty that arose. From the ashes of lives that were torn apart sprung up a new kind of hope. When the Virginia Teach family was too weak to stand on their own, a country surrounded them with prayer, words of affirmation, and offers of help. When the Virginia Tech family was in despair, a country reminded them that tears are okay, and hugs are important, and that all of humanity identifies with their pain. When the Virginia Tech family was in despair, we were also reminded about how small we really are. We were reminded about the uncertainty of life. And, we were reminded that God, who is debated in the public arena and mocked in plenty of university classrooms, is still there. He is there to go to in prayer. He is the source of healing. Prayer vigils sprung up on campuses all over the world on behalf of the Virginia Tech family.

Virginia Tech, it's been one week, but our prayers are still with you. Our hearts are with you as you start class back today. Our prayers are for the countless people who lost loved ones, and who have a huge hole in their hearts today. God has not forgotten you, Virginia Tech. He loves you. He wants to help bring hope and healing out of despair. And, we want to help.

I'd love to hear from fellow bloggers on what you think are some practical ways that we can come along side of the Virginia Tech family at this time.

Tax Day Relief

Today is April 15th. This is the day that taxes are traditionally due for most Americans. Because April 15th falls on a Sunday this year, taxes are not due until Tuesday, April 17th. Procrastinators are engaged in a collective sigh of relief. For, this year, they have two extra days to get their taxes done. It's a two-day grace period, which allows them to wait until Monday, April 16th to get really stressed out.

I don't know about you, but I'm a big fan of grace. I loved when I was in school and was given an extension to finish a paper, or to study for an exam. I love it when I'm forgiven by someone, when I really don't deserve to be forgiven. I love it when I'm given two extra days to get my taxes done. And, I love that Jesus Christ has provided more than enough grace for me on the cross of Calvary.

So, have you accepted God's grace? Have you placed your trust completely in Jesus Christ for your salvation? Unlike tax day, which only gives grace every several years, God gives grace every day. Every day that you are alive is an extension of God's grace to you. Like tax day, we will all one day have to make an account of the way that we have lived our lives before a holy and righteous God. Unlike tax day, none of us know when that day will come. If we fail to seek God's forgiveness and allow Him to take control of our lives before the end of our lives, no extensions will be given. Your grace period is now. Don't procrastinate.

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."
-- Revelation 3:20

When Birds Attack

A couple of weeks ago I was preparing to go to church when I head this incredible racket outside of my home. The front yard was abuzz with the sound of this Coopers Hawk killing a grackle. Can you believe this picture?

The Bible Literacy Project

Did you happen to catch Time Magazine last week? The cover story is about, Why We Should Teach The Bible In Public School. The article has caused quite a stir. What do you think? Should we use this textbook by the Bible Literacy Project in public schools? If you didn't get a chance to read the article, here is a good look at what people across the religious landscape are saying about it: http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070330/26610_Christians_Pleasantly_Surprised_by_Time%27s_Pro-Bible_Article.htm

Thank You For Praying

The funeral service for Daniel Olsen took place today. I really believe that God was glorified in this service. There was something so special about Dan's funeral. The full military honors that he received at both the funeral, and the graveside ceremony was something that was truly spectacular to behold. I've acquired a deeper appreciation for the brotherhood of the Marines.

Holly Collison's rendition of The Battle Hymn of the Republic sent shivers up my spine. It was hard not to want to jump out of my chair in applause. I felt a great deal of pride for our country. The Iraq war is an unpopular war, but the men and women who are fighting in the war are heroes in my book.

Please keep Wayne, Gwen, Shelcy and Shaina Olsen in your prayers as the emotion of this day now moves to the very sober reality that life goes on. Dan's body is in the grave. But, Dan is in heaven. Praise be to God for His unbelievable gift.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Tonight, we pray for all members of our armed forces. We pray for those families that are dealing with the pain that distance brings. We pray for wives who miss their husbands. We pray for husbands who miss their wives. We pray for children who miss their moms and dads, and for parents who miss their sons and daughters. We pray for protection for all who are in harm's way, and pray that you would bring peace to the waring regions of the world. We pray for courage and hope for those fighting in this conflict, and for peace, hope, and joy for the families that have lost loved ones. Thank you that You are the God of love, the God of reconciliation, the God of hope, the only wise God. To You be all praise, glory and honor. In Jesus' name, Amen.

There are some nice stories about the funeral that you can find by following these links:

http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=250942

http://wcco.com/local/local_story_101184659.html


http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_101184659.html

A Little Bit of Bonhoeffer?

We had an incredible discussion at Pizza and God Talk tonight. We were talking about the issues that the church is going to have to deal with in the next 10-20 years. While speaking I shared a quote from Deitrich Bonhoeffer's classic, The Cost of Discipleship. If you don't own this book, go to Amazon and order it tonight. It's an essential for any library. I shared part of a quote from this book with our students tonight, and thought I'd put the complete quote in this blog. This is from a section of Bonhoeffer's book where he is dealing with the concept of cheap grace.

Bonhoeffer wrote, ". . .this cheap grace has turned back upon us like a boomerang. The price we are having to pay today in the shape of the collapse of the organized church is only the inevitable consequence of our policy of making grace available at all too low a cost. We gave away the Word and sacraments wholesale; we baptized, confirmed, and absolved a whole nation unasked and without condition. Our humanitarian sentiment made us give that which was holy to the scornful and unbelieving. We poured fourth unending streams of grace. But the call to follow Jesus in the narrow way was hardly ever heard."

I wonder sometimes if we are guilty of this. What do you think?

Jim & Casper Go To Church

It's a fascinating premise -- a Christian hires an Atheist to accompany him to several churches and give his impression of Christians. Jim & Casper Go To Church is a new book publshed by Barna that is tough to put down. I'd highly recommend this book to any pastor, church leader, or sincere Christian that wants to understand how at least one Atheist views the church. Jim, the Christian, and Casper, the Atheist, visited such churches as Saddleback, Willow Creek, Mars Hill, Mosaic, and others, and rated their experiences. You can read about their ratings, and those of many other Atheists at http://www.churchrater.com. The site causes one to pause, and really think about what it is that we are communicating to spiritual seekers. I'd love to hear your reactions to the book or the site.

Great Article on Billy Graham

The Minneapolis Star Tribune ran a great article in yesterday's paper on Billy Graham. Graham doesn't give many interviews anymore. This was a beautiful glimpse about what his relationship with Christ, his wife, and his calling looks like now. Read it. I'm sure you'll be blessed.

http://www.startribune.com/614/story/1106109.html.

A Couple More Issues To Think About

A couple of days ago in my post, What are the Top 10 Issues the Church Will Face in the Next 10 Years I spoke about a number of issues that the church is dealing with. In the post I mentioned that these are not the 10 issues that will make it into the book, but some of the issues that I see.

Here are a couple more.

1) Holiness - I was having dinner with a couple on Friday night. They are also involved in ministry at a local church. They talked about the seeming lack of desire for holy living that they see in so many people their age in their church. It's easy to get discouraged. It's as if we have a generation of people who want to be Christian, but be able to do what everyone else in society is doing. A challenge for the church in this and every generation is how do we live in such a way that pleases God and inpact society. How do we say, "No," to sinful desires and pursue righteousness. It's like the quote I posted by John Piper last week. "Sin is what you do when your heart isn't satisfied with God."

2) Lack of Credibility in Church Leaders - The trust level of those who lead churches has been damaged in recent years. Tales of corruption, unethical behavior, and church leaders who live anything but holy lives has hurt the cause of the church. Human beings are flawed. We are sinners. But, those who have the unique role of being leaders in the church of Christ need to live lives that are above reproach. This can only happen when the Holy Spirit is controlling us. One of the challenges that pastors face in this generation is the amount of time that it takes to earn credibility. So many pastors jump ship after just a couple of years in a church. We need leaders who are committed to serving for the long haul.

So, what do you think are some of the issues that the church has to grapple with in the next several years?

Nice Story on Daniel Olsen's Impact on KSTP Web Site

There is a touching story on Daniel Olsen's impact on children on the KSTP website. You can view that video here: http://www.kstp.com/article/stories/S43979.shtml?cat=1. Daniel's funeral will be at 2:00 on Wednesday, April 11, at Wooddale Church. He will be buried at Fort Snelling immediately following the service. A reception at Eagan High School will follow the burial.

Please keep the Olsen's in your prayer during this time.

He Is Risen!

Have you heard the news?
In the middle of life's chaos
In the wars and rumors of wars
In the hustle and bustle of life on the street
Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today!

Have you heard the news?
In the family crisis
and school crisis
In the workplace struggle
and neighborhood squabble
Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today!

Have you heard the news?
In the homeless' plight
and widow’s tears
In the aged's pain
and the young person's indifference
Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today!

Have you heard the news?
In Hollywood's self absorption
and Bollywood's worldly fortune
In palaces and shantytowns
and everywhere in between
Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today!

Have you heard the news?
In the secret places of your heart
and mine
In the public faces on you and me
Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today!

No scholar or skeptic
No pastor or priest
No celebrity or star
No scientist or Atheist
No billionaire or pauper
No discovery or philosophy
No greed or philanthropy
No government or institution
No TV special or blockbuster movie
No book or periodical
No diversion or distraction
No boy or girl
No man or woman
Can stop the news
Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today!

Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today!
He is Risen, Indeed!

What are the Top 10 Issues the Church Will Face in the Next 10 Years?

I'm working on a new book that deals with the top 10 theological or ecclesiological issues that the church is going to face in the next 10-20 years. These are issues that currently hang in the balance. I'd be interested to hear from you about what you think that some of these issues are.

Here are a couple of the issues that I see:

1) Soteriology - I am so concerned as I read more and more people who would self identify as Christians who are saying that Jesus is not the only way to salvation. In a world that has become increasingly diverse, we are seeing more and more people, perhaps because they are afraid of offending, perhaps because they want to create God in their own image, who say that all religions essentially lead to the same place.

2) The Embrace of Open Theism - So many of the college students and young adults that I work with have bought into this doctrine, which among other things, teaches that God does not know the future. They would teach that God knows all of the possible futures, but not a specific future. This has a major impact on how we view the omniscience of God, what we believe about prayer, etc.

3) Homosexuality - How does the church respond to the homosexual community? How do you teach biblical principles regarding homosexuality and still love homosexuals?

4) Ecclesiology - House church? Emerging church? Traditional? Contemporary? Multi-ethnic? Homogeneous? Seeker sensitive? Seeker driven? Gather for edification, scatter for evangelism? Mega-church, bad? Mega-church, good?

5) The Bible - Absolute truth? Inerrant? Infallible? I belive it is with all of my heart. I'm in the minority.

6) Social Justice, Global Warming, etc. - Creation care has caused quite a stir in recent months. Younger Evangelicals are passionate about social justice. Jesus was passionate about social justice. What would Jesus do?

7) Red Letter Christians - Are Jesus' words the most important in all of Scripture? Do we pay as much attention to the teaching of Paul, Peter, John, etc.? What about the Old Testament?

8) Infighting in the Church - Satan is having a heyday here. When does God want us to go to the mat with other Christians? Emerging church vs. Traditional Church? Prayer styles? Worship styles? Theological issues? Urban vs. Suburban?

9) Jesus Junk - The consumerization of the American church. When is enough, enough? What is too much?

10) Friend or Foe? - Is the Gospel a friend to culture or a foe to culture?

Some of these issues will make it into my book, many won't. I have several more, but wanted to get the discussion rolling. Tell me what you think. What are your top 10 issues?

Easter Gift from iTunes and Zondervan

The good folks at Zondervan have made The Easter Story available on iTunes this week for free! This is the Easter Story read from the pages of Scripture by a number of different actors, pastors, musicians, etc. I purchased the entire Bible Experience for my iPod in November. This is a great product. I use it all of the time when I am exercising.

To find the free Easter Story on iTunes, go to the front page of the iTunes store, and then scroll down to the Free on iTunes section. The Easter Story will remain free on iTunes until Monday, April 9th. Enjoy! And, when you listen, praise God again for His incredible gift to us.

Congratulations Phil and Naomi!

A couple weeks ago I had the privilege of officiating the marriage ceremony for Phil and Naomi Horn. Their wedding was beautiful. They were married at the Como Conservatory in St. Paul, and the setting couldn't have been more fantastic. Picture walking down the aisle with thousands of flowers surrounding you. Pretty amazing, huh? Here is a picture of the happy couple!

Joel Hanson at The Gathering on Easter Sunday

Joel Hanson will be leading worship with David Olson and Elizabeth Honeycutt at The Gathering this Sunday night at 5:15 and 7:00 PM. Joel used to be the lead singer in the group PFR, one of my all time favorite Christian groups. Don't miss it! It's going to be a special night. We get to celebrate the resurrection of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and enjoy some incredible music and an awesome message!

Are We Done Yet?

I saw the movie, Are We Done Yet, with the Shortreed twins today. (Chris and Tim are two cool brothers). And, even though the Star Tribune only gave this movie one star, I thought it was really fun. Two thumbs up.

I'm telling you, I think Ice Cube and I could be twins. He needs me to be his new rap partner on his next CD.

Jamal Hashi and Chicken Fantastik on KARE 11

Many of you who hang with me on a regular basis have had the privilege of dining at Safari Restaurant or Safari Express in Minneapolis. Safari is owned by my good friend Jamal Hashi. My favorite dish that he cooks is called Chicken Fantastik. Jamal was on KARE 11, the NBC affiliate in Minneapolis cooking this dish for Showcase Minnesota. Here is the link to that television appearance and the recipe for Chicken Fantastik! Bon appetit!

Recipe: http://www.showcaseminnesota.com/recipes/recipe_detail.aspx?rid=4389

TV appearance: http://www.showcaseminnesota.com/video/player_recipes.aspx?fname=/recipes/040207_4389_safari_kare.wmv

'Twas The Sunday Before Easter

Leith Anderson preached a message at Wooddale this week called, "'Twas the Sunday Before Easter." It was my privilege to write an article for the Wooddale Week about the theme of the message. I wrote two articles. One was a poem, and the other was an inspirational thought. At the time I wrote the poem, I was unaware that there would be an amazing drama this week, using a poem with the same name. So, this didn't appear in the Wooddale Week, but I thought I'd share it with you.

'Twas The Sunday Before Easter

‘Twas the Sunday before Easter
And all through my life
Was anxiety, hopelessness
And a great deal of strife

When what to my wandering soul should appear
But the hope of our Savior,
Who loved the one in my mirror

A perfect life lived
He was celebrated
As He rode down the street
Knowing death He would meet

Celebration one day and rejection the next
The King given over, His followers perplexed

Anxiety? Yes. And, hope? It was lost
Because they knew not, just what was the cost
Of so great a salvation, that is the foundation
Hope lost on Friday, and found on that Sunday

So, where are you on this Palm Sunday?
Living on Friday or Easter Morning?
Remember, He conquered death and the grave
For you and for me, our lives to save

Another Book

I received word from Zondervan yesterday that they will be publishing my third book, When I. . . in January of 2009. What's the Deal With. . . comes out on December 7th of this year. The cover art for that book accompanies this post.

CT article on Passion

If you haven't picked up the current issue of Christianity Today and read the article on The Passion movement, you need to do so. They call Passion the most influential movement amongst young evangelicals. I would have to agree. Passion has decided to suspend all Passion conferences in the United States. They will be taking a world tour sometime in the next year. Louie Giglio's reasoning for this is right on. Read the article. It's worth your time. It's interesting to read what the article has to say about John Piper and Beth Moore's relationship to the Passion movement. It's also interesting to read about the passion that twentysomethings in the southern part of the United States have for God. The vast majority of twentysomethings that go to Passion are from the south. The article talked about the need to reach twentysomethings in the north. I'm not sure that is an entirely fair statement. Going to the Passion conference is not what makes you passionate about God. In a very real way, we are seeing a revival amongst twentysomethings in the Twin Cities. Here at Wooddale Church, Chad Erlenborn, our young adults pastor, has found that 20% of people in our twentysomething community have come to faith in the past six months. That's pretty cool!

Foreverandever, Etc.

The David Crowder Band is one of my all time favorite groups. And, now they have a new video for one of my all time favorite songs. Here is the David Crowder Band's foreverandever, etc. video. You've got to love Youtube.

Bookstores and Future Grace

I love bookstores. There is just something about standing in racks upon racks of books that motivates me. Each book on a shelf has a story behind it. There is the author's life experiences and education. There is the publisher's willingness to take a risk. There is the marketing team's creativity in artwork and advertising.

It amazes me how the same book can bring about such different responses in readers.

I spent some time in a used book store yesterday with my three boys. While there, I went to the religion section. I was perusing the shelves when I came upon a book by John Piper that I was previously unfamiliar with. It's called Future Grace and it was published by Multnomah in 1995. I just looked on Amazon, and it was republished in 2005, with a new cover.

I haven't read the book yet. I bought it, because on pages 9-10 you'll find this paragraph:

On the other side of the coin, the aim of this book is to emancipate human hearts from servitude to the fleeting pleasures of sin. Sin is what you do when your heart is not satisfied with God. No one sins out of duty. We sin because it holds some promise of happiness. That promise enslaves us until we believe that God is more to be desired than life itself (Psalm 63:3). Which means that the power of sin's promise is broken by the power of God's. All that God promises to be for us in Jesus stands over against what sin promises to be for us without him. This great prospect of the glory of God is what I call future grace. Being satisfied with that is what I call faith. And therefore the life I write about in this book is called Living by Faith in Future Grace.

That's pretty profound. I was just having lunch with a student on Monday, talking about why so many of his friends choose sin. I wish I read this quote about sin earlier.

If you've read this book, I'd love to hear what it meant to you. I'm looking forward to taking the journey.

Prayer for Olsen Family

I received word on Monday that Daniel Olsen, a former student of mine at Wooddale Church, was killed by sniper fire in Iraq on Sunday.

Please be in prayer for the family of Daniel Olsen. Daniel's sister Shaina is a senior at Eagan High School, and an active part of our ministry. Please pray for Daniel's parents Wayne and Gwen, and his older sister Shelcy. You can read the Minneapolis Star Tribune account of Dan's death here: http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1096811.html.

Dan is the guy on the right of this picture.

One of the things that you won't read about Dan in the Star Tribune story is of his love for children. Dan volunteered in our children's ministry in his time in high school. The kids that he worked with loved him. When he left to go into the Marines, his class of first graders presented him with a Marines Bible and prayed for him. They laid hands on him as you would for a missionary, prayed that God would protect Dan. Please be in prayer for these children too.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

Blog Silence

It's been several months since I posted an entry on Pass the Salt. I'm making a commitment to get back in the habit starting today. So, get ready. . .

California!

Breanna and I had a blast yesterday in Hollywood and Anaheim. It was so fun watching Breanna's face as she experienced California. Here's a quick picutre of Breanna by Frank Sinatra and Julie Andrews' hand and shoe prints in front of Grumman's Chinese Theater.

You Go, Heather!

I am convinced that I work with the best Junior High Pastor in America. Heather Flies has been at Wooddale Church for 10 years now, and among the students that she loves is my daughter. Heather has been making a huge impact on youth ministry nationwide for several years now. She serves on Youth Specialties national CORE training team, was a featured speaker at DCLA 2006, and is so well respected. Youth Specialties has a monthly podcast that they make available for free to anyone who wants to grow. On the podcast they interview some of the most influential voices in youth ministry. This month's interview features Heather talking about the unique calling of the middle school pastor. You can check it out here.

Heather is also the author of an extraordiary new book on talking to your teenage daughter. I'd highly recommend it. You can order it here or pick up a copy in the Wooddale Church Bookstore.

King of the Hill and The Mega Church

I'm at a conference this week, and this video from King of the Hill was shown today. It's a pretty insightful look at how the world looks at mega churches.

Spiritual Moments

It was a profoundly spiritual moment when I saw this picture. 33 years ago there was a swingset in this yard. It was on Easter Sunday after listening to my Sunday School teacher share the story of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ that I was challenged so deeply in my life. I went home, considered what my Sunday School teacher had said, and prayed in this yard to ask Jesus to become my Savior and Lord. My life has never been the same.

This home is for sale now. I lived there from the time I was 2-7 and my brother Mark recently came across the MLS listing for the home. He e-mailed the photos from the MLS listing to every one of my siblings. I love what God did in that house in my life. He gave me parents who loved Him, brought me to church, and exposed me to the Gospel. Thanks Mom and Dad, and thank you God!

I had another cool spiritual moment recently. Erik and Joel Bakke came into my office and asked me if I had any books by Arthur Pink. Erik and Joel are in high school and Arthur Pink was born in 1886. I was blown away that they would want to read a book by Pink. I had Pink's commentary on Genesis in my library. It's called Gleanings in Genesis. When I pulled it off of the shelf, I thumbed through the book. A business card fell out. It said, Ray Schulenburg, on the front. Ray was my Grandpa. He died several years ago. There was a note from Grandpa on the card to me. It said, "Brian . . . some Bible teachers consider this the best exposition there is on Genesis. Study it. Grandpa" I'd never seen that note before. Kind of wierd to get a note from your Grandpa years after he's died. I let the guys borrow my book, but you can be sure that Gleanings In Genesis is at the top of my reading list.

Thanks God, for my spritual heritage that I take for granted way too much. You have blessed me beyond measure.

Breanna's Surprise

At 6:30 this morning, my 14-year-old daughter began to open her birthday presents. I know, it's early, but I've been invovled in a conference all week long and don't get back home until 6:00 PM, and I wanted Breanna to be able to enjoy her gifts all day long. OK, maybe it is less about Breanna and more about me. I really let Breanna open her gift early because I couldn't wait.

For the past month I've had to keep a secret from my daughter. I'm terrible at keeping secrets when I have really good news to share. This weekend I'm speaking at The National Youth Workers Convention in Anaheim, California. I told Cyndi last month that I had throught of the perfect birthday gift for Breanna. I'd cash in some of my frequent flyer miles and bring Breanna with me. Cyndi agreed, and today, while opening her gifts Breanna unwrapped some pictures of California. She immediately said, "I'm going to California?" Then she saw the airplane ticket and said, "I'm going to California on Saturday?" She couldn't wait to get on the bus and tell her friends.

This weekend Breanna and I will fly together for our first ever father/daughter trip. She's decided that she wants to visit Hollywood and Beverly Hills. A girl after her Dad's own heart. We can't wait to experience this together. She's also excited about going to the National Youth Workers Convention with me and hearing the David Crowder Band and Jars of Clay in person. Saturday can't get here fast enough.

Birthday Week

It's birthday week at the Schulenburg home. 14 years ago today, Cyndi and I were at a homecoming football game at Williams Stadium in Lynchburg, Virginia. We were expecting our first child any day. That night, Cyndi began to go into labor, and on November 1st, our beautiful Breanna was born. Our lives have never been the same! The moment I saw Breanna, I was instantly in love. She is so precious. 14 years later, I consider myself the most blessed dad in the world. How did I get so lucky? Breanna, I love you. God, thanks for the gift of my girl, Breanna.

It was 12 years ago today that Cyndi went to the doctor and was told to go straight to the hospital. She was ready to have baby number two. Cyndi disobeyed doctors orders, wnet home, got her bag, called me and said, "Let's go have a baby." Then Christopher was born. Instant love again. I had a boy! It was hard not to project my feelings of baseball and basketball superstardom on to him from the time he was a baby. Now, hundreds of video games and baseball games later, I have to admit that God has really, really blessed me. Chris, I love you. God, thanks for the gift of my son, Chris.

Eight years ago, Cyndi was starting to feel labor pains. She said, "There is no way I'm having baby number three on either of his siblings birthdays." So, somehow, Cyndi delayed labor for two days, and on November 2nd, Jeremy was born. We had lost a child in between Chris and Jeremy, and so when he was born we named him, Jeremy, which means, Appointed by Jehovah. We knew that God has something special planned for Jeremy, because had his brother been born, Jeremy wouldn't have been here. Jeremy was born, and instant love once again swelled from my bones. I love that boy. I love his smile that lights up any room he walks into. I love his contagious belly laugh. I love his passion for life. Jeremy, I love you. God, thanks for the gift of my son, Jeremy.

I could have never imagined how much my life would change in the past 14 years because of these gifts that God has brought my way. Zachary, our youngest is five. His birthday is in May. For the past few years he's wondered why he doesn't get gifts this week like the rest of his siblings. This week, he's been finding gifts from his room for his brothers and sister. He's learning that it's better to give than to receive. One of these days, I'm going to have to give my children away. Psalm 127:4-5 says, "Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate." God, you've given me an incredible gift in my four children, but they are not mine to keep. Lord, use Breanna, Chris, Jeremy and Zach for your glory and honor. Let them be a light in their generation. Keep them close to you. Help Cyndi and me to be godly role models and to trust them to your tender care. As we give them birthday gifts this year, let our greatest gift be a passion for you that we share together.

I Love Youth Workers!

I just returned from a couple of days in Austin, Texas at The National Youth Workers Convention. What an awesome time with 3000 of my fellow youth workers. While there, many youth workers shared their hearts with me.

Some were down. They were tired of being misunderstood by other adults who look at them suspiciously because they have chosen to dedicate their lives to a generation that desperately needs love and affirmation, and most importantly, Christ. While speaking on the MySpace phenomenon, many youth workers shared with me how difficult it is for them to even bridge a gap with students because parents are suspicious of this strange breed of human being that would choose to spend time with teenagers. They were tired of reading articles like the one that appeared in the The New York Times on Friday, declaring youth ministry as ineffective and proclaiming that the church in America is losing the next generation. Most of the youth workers that I talked to took offense at the article. They were vocal when the The Austin American Statesman newspaper interviewed them about the present state of youth ministry.

Some were tired. Youth minstry is hard. It is a calling that is demands long hours consisting of morning, night and weekend hours. It pays very little in most churches and junior and senior high students are not very quick to affirm you in that calling. I spoke to many youth ministry couples that were on the verge of quitting. They were ready to chuck it all for more lucrative careers and less headaches. By the end of the conversations, these same youth workers came to the conclusion that as much as they sometimes dream about doing something else, they are called to serve students, and they know nothing else is as important.

Some were ecstatic. They were being ministered to. They were singing songs with David Crowder, not just David Crowder songs performed by their youth band. They were rubbing elbows with Doug Fields, not just reading his books. It was so much fun to watch some of the leading youth workers in America taking time to listen, talk, and minister to their fellow youth workers. It was a great weekend.

The Austin version of the National Youth Workers Convention ends tomorrow. Join me in praying for these 3000 youth workers as they head back to their respective ministries. Join me in praying for teenagers. Pray that God will continue to do His new thing in this generation. Pray that churches will have the courage to invest in youth ministry, no matter the cost to tradition. Pray for the 10-15,000 other youth workers that will be going to National Youth Worker's Conventions in Cincinnati, Charlotte and Anaheim this year.

When I was in college a pastor once said, "Satan possesses a double-edged sword. On one end is doubt, on the other is discouragement." It makes me shudder to think of great youth workers on the brink of leaving ministries over their own doubt and discouragment about ministry. This is clergy appreciation month. Why not show your youth worker how much you appreciate him or her this month? It may be just the encouragement he or she needs to make it through another year.

One more thing: Mark Oestreicher, the president of Youth Specialties has a blog. It's a great one. He regularly posts entries on the changing face of ministry to students. He has some great thoughts about the future of youth ministry here too. Check it out.

God bless.

MySpace and Going Deep in Austin, TX

I'm headed off to Austin, Texas on Friday morning to speak at The National Youth Workers Convention. I'll be speaking in two sessions. The first session is entitled, How MySpace, Facebook, Xanga and iPods Are Changing All The Rules In High School Ministry. The second session is entitled, Going Deep: How To Get High School Students Talking About Spiritual Things.

Both of these sessions will be heavy on practical ways that youth workers can engage in the lives of their students. Please pray that God would use these sessions to make a positive impact on ministries all over the world.

You can find out more about The National Youth Workers Convention at Youth Specialties.

Take Your Family on a Mission Trip Today, For Free!

Have you ever wished that you could expose your children to life in another country? My wife Cyndi and I have four kids, and it would be really difficult for us to pull together all of the finances that we would need to bring all four of our kids oversees. But, this weekend, our kids had a chance to be on the mission field. Within 20 minutes of our home is incredible diversity. I was recently told by Eden Prairie's Chief of Police that Eden Prairie is home to 16,000 Somalians. Drive a little further into Bloomington and you'll find a thriving Hispanic community. Drive just south into Shakopee and you'll see large numbers of Russian immigrants.

We live in an exciting time.

This weekend, I took my family to the Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis. You can visit their website by going to http://www.midtownglobalmarket.org. The Global Market is an amazing place. You can visit people from Guatemala, El Salvador, Somalia, Sweden, Israel, Turkey, the West Indes, Mexico, and more in less than one hour. My friends, Jamal and Shadi opened a branch of their restaurant, Safari, in the market this past Sunday. Safari is a phenomanal Somalian food restaurant. As I ate with my kids we had spiritual conversations about what was giong on around us. I spent time talking with a family that had recently immigrated to the States from Mexico. It was fun getting to talk with them about our mission trips to Central America. Cyndi talked for several minutes with a shop owner. She told the owner about Mexican pralines that can be purchased from a distributor in Texas. The shop owner was so excited. She even exchanged e-mail addressses with Cyndi. We listened to Salsa music and Irish music, and we wondered at our incredible God who created the world with such beauty and diversity. As different as each person is, as unique as each culture is, we are all created in the image of God. Aren't you glad that our loving God loves people regardless of our view of Him? Christ's heart beats for all those in the Market who have never considered who He is. May God use us to reach those around us.

Why not take your family on a mission trip this week? It's really easy to engage in conversation at the Market. People want to talk. There are dozens of restaurants that share a common eating area that encourages communication. There are several chess sets waiting for people to play. There is live entertainment every weekend, featuring the music of different cultures. And, the food? It's so interesting to try the foods from the different cultures. The Midtown Global Market is located on the corner of Lake and Chicago in Minneapolis. Go, you'll be glad you did.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8

Fall Retreat This Weekend

The Wooddale Senior High Fall Retreat takes place this weekend at Lake Geneva Christian Center in Alexandria, MN. This is a phenomenal way for students to connect with each other and God at the beginnnig of the school year. Because of some misinformation that we were given, this retreat is taking place on the same weekend as homecoming at many of the top schools that we draw students from. Please pray that God will work with the students that we have coming. There are over 65 signed up already. We're praying that God will bring in another 20 students in the next two days.

The theme of our retreat is Uprooted. We're talking about the parables in Matthew 13:1-30. If you haven't read it recently, here are the first 30 verses from this incredible chapter of the Bible:

Matthew 13
The Parable of the Sower
1That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9He who has ears, let him hear."
10The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?"

11He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 13This is why I speak to them in parables:
"Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
" 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15For this people's heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.'[a] 16But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

18"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. 23But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

The Parable of the Weeds
24Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
27"The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'

28" 'An enemy did this,' he replied.
"The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'

29" 'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.' "

Please pray that God will speak to our students this weekend. The passage naturally yields itself to a farm theme, so we've go some really fun activities planned including a square dance and hay ride. If you are a high school student in the Twin Cities and want to join us this weekend, give our office a call at (952) 944-8360.

The Gathering Starts This Sunday

It's been a long process, but this Sunday night, at 7:00 PM in the Great Room of Wooddale Church, the Gathering will begin. This is a five week pilot of an alternative worship service. I'm so excited about the potential that this service has to reach people for Jesus Christ. So many of the students that I work with are making plans to attend The Gathering and to bring friends with them.

This past weekend my family and I spent some time with some of my friends that are seekers. They were so excited about the concept of The Gathering. I've included a video in this post so that you can see what the Gathering is all about. Let me know if you have any questions.


Get this video and more at MySpace.com

Can It Really Be?

15 years? Has it really been that long? It seems like only yesterday that I was waking up in my parent's home getting ready for the most exciting day of my life. Yesterday, Cyndi and I celebrated our 15th Wedding Anniversary. We had an incredible day -- (Breakfast with our 4 kids, a house decorated so incredibly by Breanna, Chris, Jeremy and Zach, Swim Lessons for all four kids, Lunch and dinner at two of our favorite restaruants, bowling, a walk around one of the most beautiful lakes in the Twin Cities, riding scooters -- I've got to tell you my wife looks so incredible when she's riding a scooter!).

Thank you Lord, for the wonderful wife you've given to me. I could have never known the trials that you'd take us through over these 15 years. You've tought us so much about what love really is. Thank you for bringing us together.

Amen.

If You're In The Twin Cities On Sunday . . .

I'll be preaching at Oakwood Community Church this Sunday at 10:30. Oakwood is a daughter church of Wooddale, and meets at Waconia High School, 1400 Oak Avenue in Waconia. I'm preaching on the Nine Values of World Changers. Hope to see you there!

Choose Your Top 3

I received my first copy of Choose Your Top 3 in the mail yesterday. It's pretty exiciting to hold in your hands the author's copy of your first book. Choose Your Top 3 will be released nationally on August 1st. You can pre-order the book on a number of web sites including amazon.com and walmart.com. I'm grateful to the good people at Zondervan and Youth Specialties who believed in this project and put their efforts behind it, and I'm praying that God will use this book to be a blessing in churches and homes across the world.

Why I Should Only Ride Scooters

Cyndi, the kids and I went to the cabin of some of our dear friends earlier this week. It was beautiful. We watched fireworks on Bay Lake, rode wave runners, went tubing, had an awesome time with friends, and at the very end of the trip, my friend asked me if I'd like to try his dirt bike. If you are a regular blog reader you know that I have been dying to purchase a scooter, so the chance to drive a dirt bike was too tempting to pass up. I said, "Sure, but I'm not very good at this." My friend wasn't worried about that, and helped me get his huge 650 cc scooter started. Within five minutes I had crashed his bike and had deep second degree burns on my right leg. The burn will take at least a month to heal. It's pretty painful and I'd appreciate your prayers. Praise God I wasn't hurt worse, and I've learned my lessons. I'm a scooter guy only from now on.

God Is An Artist

It must take a special person to be an entomologist. They have a fascinating life, circulating around the globe in search of . . . BUGS! Most people do everything in their power to avoid getting near the things that Robert Gallardo is passionate about. Gallardo is a world renowned entomologist who resides in Copan, Honduras. While he studies all types of bugs, Gallardo is particularly passionate about butterflies. His study in the field of butterflies or mariposas as they are known in the Spanish speaking world has led him to the remote jungles of Honduras’ Mosquito Coast in search of new butterflies. Gallardo’s work has been featured in National Geographic Magazine, The Discovery Channel, and numerous television shows.

Just before I left for Central America my wife Cyndi said, “Brian, if you could get me one thing in Central America this year, I’d like a butterfly.” You see, Jeremy, our third child has become somewhat of a junior entomologist himself. Jeremy’s idea of the perfect day would involve catching butterflies. And, with the help of mom, Jeremy puts the butterfly on a specimen board that now houses several beautiful butterflies. Cyndi and Jeremy love this new hobby. When I left the United States I was determined to find a butterfly and get it home for the two of them.

My attempts at catching butterflies have been rather futile. With no net, a busy schedule, and hands that are usually attached to video cameras or digital cameras the best I’ve been able to do is capture digital images of the beautiful creatures. When we entered Honduras, our team ate lunch at the hotel that would house us several days later. A couple of English language travel magazines were available for the general public to have, and the June, 2006 edition of Revue magazine immediately caught my attention. There in front of my eyes was a magazine with a beautiful butterfly gracing the cover. Inside was an article about Robert Gallardo’s Enchanted Wings Butterfly Sanctuary. It turns out that Gallardo has discovered over 30 different types of butterflies previously unknown in Honduras, and two types previously unknown to science. Gallardo proudly raises these in his butterfly sanctuary. I asked Jaime, our Guatemalan missionary if he’d take me to the sanctuary on our return visit to Copan. He assured me that he would.

When we arrived at Enchanted Wings, both Jaime and I were struck by the beautiful butterflies that surrounded us. Hoping to purchase some butterflies that were preserved, Jaime and I were not disappointed when we saw a beautiful collection of butterflies for sale. They were presented beautifully in glass surrounded by wood frames that come from a wood co-operative in Honduras. We each looked for the butterflies that we would take home to our family. As we waited for our treasures to be wrapped in protective paper, Jaime said to me in his wonderful accent, “Brian, des is proof dat God ees an arteest.” Yes, Jaime, you’re right. God is an artist. The greatest artist of all time.

"When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars,which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?" Psalm 8:3-4

I love it when . . .

I´m writing this entry from an internet cafe in Campur, Guatemala. If ever there was a city that an internet cafe just didn´t quite look like it fits it is Campur. Campur just got electricity five years ago, and now this. How cool!

We are having a tremendous ministry here. I love this city. There is something so special about it. I love it when suburban high school students, who for the most part are very affluent, come to a region like this and realize that there is more to this life than what we own, or what we´d like to own next.

I love it when students who have worked very hard all day, take even more hours out of their day to love kids during their non-official ministry team hours. For instance, yesterday . . .

Jordan Lilienthal spent hours playing with children, letting them braid her hair, tossing a frisbee, and just blowing bubbles long after her children´s team had returned from four presentations.

Patrick Mennefee was tossing a baseball with one solitary local boy. The boy loved the attention that Patrick gave him. His eyes were huge as he watched Patrick throw him the ball, and the smile that the boy had was unforgettable.

Josh Patil and Derek Schell walked through town practicing their Spanish on anyone who would listen. The people laughed, joked, and loved it.

Today, as I walked to the Internet Cafe, I passed . . .

Students building a home, and loving the children in it. I watch high schoolers like Brittany Murphy, Annika Johnson, Rachel Patil and Jill Tebbe manning a pharmacy, mixing prescriptions with the delicate care of any pharmacist in the U.S.A. I watched as Natalia Hart, Katelyn Hatmaker, Laura Wollan and Michelle Olson took the vital stats (bloos presures and temperatures) so delicately with the patients that were waiting. I watched Kelsey Bohleen, Stephanie Snyder and Lindsay Nicholson provide patients with much needed health education.

Can I tell you how much I love it when high schoolers allow themselves to be stretched beyond their wildest imaginations?

Oh, and I love it when today, a group of basketball players decided to play at the local park, since there was no game scheduled. Why? So, that they could reach out to kids. The kids came in swarms, and believed it when Bret Fox told them that they were training for the Olympics.

God is good, and He is blessing this team. Keep us in your prayers.

When Fathers Pray

I had the chance to witness one of the most precious things last night. It was during the send-off service for our Operation Central America trip. Each team had a chance to share their prayer requests and then all of the parents and supporters of the teams came up to lay hands on the teams and commission them. The commissioning involved a time of prayer. What I heard was awesome. One dad prayed, with tears in his eyes and voice quivering for his son. He thanked the Lord for the incredible opportunity that his son had to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others. I loved hearing the passion in the voice of that dad. He communicated love in a way that his son will never understand until he is a dad too. Another dad prayed passionately in Spanish. His son went as a student last year, and goes as a leader this year. The dad made sure that his son grew up to know other languages, and was so proud of what his son was doing. He gave a dignified and most appropriate gift to us when he prayed in the native tongue of the land where we not stay. Thanks to all of the parents and supporters who made this trip possible, and who showed love in such tangible ways last night. Keep praying for us!

We Made It!

You know, we really serve an incredible God.

I am writing from a computer room in a seminary in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Our plane landed about three hours ago, and it has been a long, but very good day. All 59 of us have our bags, our ministry bags, and great attitudes. I could not have been more proud of our students today. They had great attitudes, made God look good wherever they went, and all seem very excited about what lies ahead.

I was not really sure I would be feeling this good about twelve hours ago. We were supposed to leave from door number five at Wooddale Church at 12:45. I was finishing up a few last minute things in my office and got to the door right at 12:45. I found 58 people ready to leave, over 100 parents, and no bus. We had triple checked everything with our bus company to make sure that the bus would be at Wooddale at 12:30, but there was no bus there. I phoned the bus company and they could not find our driver. God was good. We had enough parents present, with vehicles to drive the entire team to the aiport. We had more than enough time to board the plane, and my wife Cyndi reminded me that maybe God had something important planned for the money that we would have spent on the bus to take us to the airport. Our eyes will be open.

We flew from Minneapolis to Houston, and then from Houston to Guatemala City. We had one student who had never flown. It was fun to watch his reaction to the flights.

We will be leaving early tomorrow morning for the six hour ride to the rain forest of Campur, Guatemala, where we will have no access to cell phones or the internet. So, my next entry will be on Thursday, at the earliest. The weather here is rainy. It has been raining for the past week, and they do not expect it to let up. If you pray, please pray for safety for us, especially the service team as they hike to their construction locations. Pray for team health, for team unity, for strength, and pray for the church services that will be taking place this week. I will be preaching in Campur tomorrow night. The sermon will be translated from English to Spanish, and from Spanish to Queche Mayan. The total time of the service will be near three hours. Pray that our students will have enough energy to make it through, and that they will have enough energy to use the gifts that God has given them to be a blessing to others.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the safe trip that you have given us. Protect us. Use us as your hands and feet in this land. Teach our students through the beautiful people of Guatemala and Honduras. Help our students to understand and know You better because of the time that they spend here. Help them to be more like Jesus every day. In the precious name of Jesus, amen.

48 Hours

In 48 hours I'll be with 58 other wonderful people at the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport waiting to board our plane for Houston, and then Guatemala City. I can't wait.

There is something so special about taking groups of students on foreign mission trips. The way that God works in their hearts. The way that students see the world around them in a different light. The way that God continually shows that He is faithful. The way that God allows just enough tests to keep our hand firmly clenched in His, and just enough joy to keep us coming back again and again.

Over the next 48 hours I'll be packing my personal items, spending time with my family, going to a few graduation open houses, packing with our entire Operation Central America team, participating in a team send-off service, and going to church on Sunday morning where we will have a very special ten:fifteen class that is devoted to mission trips. We'll attend church together as a team at 11:30, and then we'll board a bus. In all of that preparation it could be easy to leave God out of this thing -- to be so busy getting ready to do stuff for God, that we forget that He wants to do it with us. Please pray that we'll be ready to see God work.

In my last post I put information about our official Operation Central America blog. You can access it at http://operationcentralamerica.blogspot.com. One of our incredible students also has a blog that she has been working on for the trip for a few months. You can find her's at http://operationca.blogspot.com.

I'll close with my favorite verse in the Bible when it comes to mission trips. It's two verses that the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome, and is always the prayer of my heart before these trips:

"I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith."
Romans 1:11-12

Operation Central America

In ten days 59 of our students and staff will be taking off for Operation Central America. Sarah Bancroft has created a blog for this trip. You can access it at http://operationcentralamerica.blogspot.com. Check it out.

Here is a little bit of information about where we are going, and what we'll be doing.
About Our Ministry Locations

Campur, Guatemala – Campur, Guatemala is a community of 65,000 people located in the rainforest of Guatemala, about 1 ½ hours away from Coban, Guatemala. The Coban region is famous for its coffee. German settlers began large coffee plantations in Coban in the 1800s, and evacuated the area during World War 2. Campur is a Mayan community. The indigenous people are mostly farmers, growing cardamom, a spice that is exported to the Middle East and Scandinavia, corn, which is used for their famous tortillas, and coffee which is exported around the world. The farmers work in co-ops in order to gain the greatest income for their crops. Wooddale’s relationship with Campur began in 2004. We work with Viva Abundante Church, which is pastored by a woman named Isabelle. Isabelle is known around Campur for her heart for the people, and her sacrificial commitment to them. In the past two years OGES teams have built four homes, installed water filtration systems, provided solar powered lighting and ministered in a variety of ways amongst these beautiful people.

Siguatepeque, Honduras – Located about 40 kilometers from the famous Mayan ruins of Copan, Honduras, Siguatepeque is a thriving community of around 75,000 people. The towns around Siguatepeque are not so fortunate. Poverty rules the outlying rural areas. This year’s Operation Central America team will help construct a church building for Ministerio Christiana Canaan. This church is located in Via Cruz Grande, a community that is full of children who are too poor to go to school and many times do not have enough food to eat. Pastor Kolmar hopes that after the church has been constructed, a school can also be started and that the church can begin a strategic partnership with Compassion International. This will allow the children of the village to be fed, educated, and to hear about Christ. The church already ministers to 250 children and 90 adults on a weekly basis. This is the only church in the community. We will also be working alongside Iglesia Bethel, an established church in Siguatepeque with a strong school and long term ministry in the area. Pastor Hugo Tobar shepherds this congregation. Finally, we will be constructing bunk beds and painting a home for missionaries and pastors to use.

Copan, Honduras – This year’s R & R will take place in Copan, Honduras. We will stay at a beautiful resort with a water park, horseback riding, athletic fields, restaurants, game room, and a beautiful chapel that we’ll use for team devotions. Copan is most famous for its 1,500-year-old Mayan ruins. We’ll take a tour of the ruins and learn about the Mayan people, an amazing culture whose descendants we will be working with throughout the trip. On the tour you’ll learn about 18 Rabbits, Smoking Rabbit, Smoking Jaguar, and the other kings who ruled this Mayan community. Be prepared to be absolutely blown away!


Huehuetenango, Guatemala – Located in the Western Highlands of Guatemala, Huehuetenango is another new ministry location for the Operation Central America team. We will be partnering together with Willie Peralta, a Sepal missionary who is passionate about seeing the Mayan tribes in the area come to faith in Jesus Christ. Willie will bring together three churches to house our team and partner with us in our different ministries. Willie is actively working with Bible translators to see the Mayan people be able to have the Bible in their own language. At least six Bible translations are being worked on right now for the people in the villages that surround Huehuetenango, because each Mayan tribe speaks a unique language. The city of Huehuetenango is made up of around 75,000 people, with thousands more living in the outlying communities where many of the Mayan tribes call home. Huehuetenango is home to another set of ancient Mayan ruins, known as the Zaculeu ruins.

Antigua, Guatemala – Once the capital of all of Central America, Antigua, Guatemala is now known as one of the world’s most beautiful cities. It is unique for its well preserved Colonial architecture. The city is a menagerie of colors with each building on a street a differing shade of pastel hues. You’ll enjoy a night at the beautiful Hotel Antigua and a day of shopping for traditional Central American goods. Antigua is surrounded by dormant volcanoes and is absolutely breathtaking. You’ll meet fellow tourists from all over the world during your stay in one of the oldest cities in the western hemisphere.

Graduation Season

It's one of the most bittersweet times of the year for a youth pastor. In one sense, you are excited for the students that you have spent the better part of their high school experience mentoring. On the other hand, there is a part of you that wants to hold on and say, "Hey, wait! I'm just getting to know you. I've loved sharing your life with you. Can't you just stop growing up now. Don't go!"

It's graduation time again. And that means our ministry, like thousands of others across the country will be saying, "Good bye," to our senior class. It's going to be hard to let them go.

Last night we held our annual baccalaureate service. Here is what I shared with our students and parents.

When he was the President of the United States, George Bush, Sr. began the Thousand Points of Light Foundation. It was an organization whose purpose was to increase the level of volunteerism in America. President Bush believed that people getting involved in the service of others would have a positive effect on them, and the people they served, thus making America a stronger nation.

It was about that time that President Bush came to the university that I attended to deliver the commencement speech for the graduating class that preceeded mine. Like most students I was excited at the prospect of President Bush visiting our university. I'll never forget a line that the President gave in his commencement address. He said, "Here at Liberty, you've shown how a 1000 points of light can become a galaxy of stars working to make a difference in your own backyard. And now, let America follow your lead."

Jesus liked to talk about light too. And when He referred to light, He was talking about you! In His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus said, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

Here at Wooddale, Pastor Anderson is fond of telling us, five or six times a year to, "make God look good." You, class of 2006, are the Light of the World. You have a responsibility as such to make God look good. I like what President Bush said, but I like what Jesus said better. In fact, I'd like nothing more than this to be said about you. "Here at Wooddale you've shown how dozens of young men and women with the light of Christ shining through them can make a difference. You have shone brightly. You have been used by God to draw hundreds of people to His son. And now, let our church, and the world around us, follow your lead!"

So, as you leave, leave as men and women committed to changing your world, by being image bearers of Christ to the world around you.

While in high school, I've shared with you the nine values of world changers on multiple occasions. These are the values that those who are committed to be light in this world will embrace.

Value number one is the everything principle. It's the idea that Christ is preeminent above all else. The wisest man to ever live said in Ecclesiastes 12:13, "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." Solomon knew that nothing in life is as important as God. So, whether you leave here to study medicine, law, accounting, music, art, education, ministry, or serve in the armed forces, keep God number one. You do what you do because of Him and for Him.

Value number two is excellence. God is honored when we do our best. Many of you have talked about the "senior slide." Some have even lamented that you senior slide began your sophomore year of high school. Don't let your senior slide be the excuse that you give for not giving it your best. In Genesis 1:31 it says, "God saw all that He had made, and it was very good. (Incidentally, God's very good is better than our excellent). And there was morning and there was evening - the sixth day."

Value number three is that we become people who are "each other focused." That means that we care more about others than we do about ourselves. It is the antithises of the way that the world operates. In His Great Commandment, Jesus said, "Love your neihbor as yourself." Jesus cares about how we love the world around us.

Value number four is endurance. There will be many a time that you feel like chucking it all and giving up. May we be like the Apostle Paul who wrote, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also all who have longed for His appearing." (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

Value number five is education. Many of you are moving on to institutions of higher education. And while that education is valuable, the principle of which I speak is the principle of being a lifelong learner. It is becoming one who is a student of the Word of God. When the Apostle Paul wrote to his young protege, Timothy, he wrote, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). May we be students of the timeless truths of the Word of God.

Value number six is enterprise. That is, the ability to take risks. Sometimes God will call us to take incredible risks for Him. We need to be willing to do this even if the rest of the world scoffs. God is worth it. In Luke 17:6 Jesus said, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you." Maybe the reason we don't see God work sometimes is because we are afraid to trust Him.

Value number seven is exercise. And, I'm not just talking about physical exercise. While God cares about our physical bodies, He cares too about our spiritual body. He wants us to take care of the bodies that Christ has given to us, and to the Body, which Christ has given to us. That means we are to exercise our spiritual gifts -- to use the gifts that God has given us to be a blessing to the overall body of Christ. I've told you all on multiple occasions that each one of you is special, with a unique gift from God to offer this church. As you go from here, do not leave Christ's church. Use your gifts in a local church setting wherever you go. You are so valuable.

Value number eight is ethics. Nothing will ruin your opportunity to be a light to the world as quickly as compromise. The spiritual road we walk is littered with the corpses of so many who have said, "I'll never compromise in my spiritual walk," only to find themselves and their names totally destroyed because of a series of wrong choices. There will be so many opportunities for you to make those mistakes in college, the work force, or wherever life's journey takes you. Don't let your name be one that is forever marred because of compromise. Proverbs 22:1 says, "A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold."

Our final value is evangelism. Nothing rings so dear to the heart of God as evangelism. He is absolutely passionate about it. Since the time you've been in Wooddale Senior High, close to 150 of your friends have become Christians. There are very few people that Scripture calls wise, but Proverbs 11:30 says this, "The fruit of the righteouls is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise."

And now, Class of 2006, may you let your light so shine before men, that they might see your good deeds, and praise your Father in heaven.

Mother's Day

It was 4:15 a.m. and the giggles had started. This morning, Breanna and Chrisopher decided to surprise Mom. Breanna had purchased 50 balloons and three rolls of crepe paper. In order for their mom to be taken by surprise, they decided that the 4 o'clock in the morning time frame would be the best time decorate the house. Dad was in on the gig. They had been planning it for days. When they went to bed last night, they made sure that their alarms were set and even went so far as to make sure that the dog was in her kennel with a blanket over it so that they would not wake her up. The plan was foolproof, except that they did not take into account their own propensity to giggle, and the propensity of balloons to make noise when placing them in a bedroom with sleeping people.

I heard them first. For fifteen minutes I layed as still as possible while they giggled, took multiple trips up and down the steps to gather more balloons, shined thier flashlight in our room, and whispered. It was great! And then, mom heard. And she too was still as the kids kept working. We finally got out of bed at about 4:45. The kids ran as fast as they could and hid in a corner of our living room.

Most nights I hate being awoken in the middle of a deep sleep. Not last night. Last night was a display of pure, unadulterated love for their mom. And, she's worth it!

I am truly blessed. I have the best wife, the best kids, and God has given me more than I'll ever need. Thanks God, for Cyndi. Thanks for my mom, and the role model that she was and is to me. Thanks for Cyndi's mom. She is a great mother-in-law. No, she's a great mom. God, help those families that are going through their first Mother's Day without a mom, and those who have never known what it means to have a mom.