Francis Chan brought TRUTH this afternoon to the NYWC.  He talked about not holding anything back, making the church unstoppable like the church in Acts.  No more of this “They changed the service time?  TIme for me to find a new church.” stuff.  It’s time we stopped worrying about who we might offend and got back to speaking the Word.  It’s time we started being “salty” again…otherwise we are useless.  We water things down to increase our numbers and what is the result?? Nothing….

I grew up listening to Harry Kalas call Phils games with Richie Ashburn.  Hearing his voice takes be back instantly to my youth….and here is classic Harry…

This about sums it up!

I am still waiting for my heartrate to return to normal…the Phils really are Champions of the World!

I grew up breathing in sports…I was and am still a sports addict.  I still remember, albeit vaguely, the Flyers winning the Stanley Cup….twice.  The Phils won multiple division titles in the late 70’s.  Then they won the series in 80.  I can still clearly see Rose catching Boone’s bobbled pop foul.  The image of Tug is ingrained in my memory.  Then the Sixers.  I had penants in my room from each of these.  The championship pennants listing down the names of the players on the roster that year….I still know most of them.  In the first 18 years of my life the 4 major Philly sports teams won 23 division titles, 13 trips to their  respective chamionships of which they emerged with 4 titles.  It is probably the greatest 18 years put together in the history of Philadelphia professional sports. However, the following 18 years made up for it as those numbers were reduced to just 10 division titles, 4 finals and no titles.  I learned throughout my adult life what I was privilidged to not have to learn as a child.  The heartbreak associated with being a Philadalphia fan. Now in the 7th month of my next 18 years, we have started off with a resurging Flyers team, and now a WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP by the Phillies.

I was lucky enough to be inside the Vet for the 9th inning in 93 when the Phillies won the pennant.  I got to a World Series game that year.  I’ve never been to a parade.  I was too young in 80 and 83, and now I am too broke and too far away.  I will, be there in spirit (and maybe through phone lines if one of my friends is nice enough to call while they are there), but know this……

FLYERS GOT NEXT!

…and if I have to hitchhike from Nashville to Philadelphia…I will be attending that parade!

I’ve settled and setup our first major fundraising event!  I desperately wanted to do a cookie dough sale.  I’ve been involved with them in the past, and when done just before the holidays in the fall, they do very well.  I cheked out a number of companies, but everything I found had a catch that just wouldn’t work for my current situation.  Being this was our very first fundraiser, I have no clue how the students are going to respond.  They could sell 50 or they could sell 300. I think they will do well, but being we have no funds, I have to be very careful in not taking risks on these things.  Every company I lookes at had 1 of 2 gotchas.  Either they had a large minimum order (150+) or they made you order by the case(So if the case had 8 units, and you needed 9…you had 7 extra..ugh!)

Well, one company, All Aboard Fundraising I checked out called me yesterday and I was blown away by the quality of service.  I didn’t feel like I was getting a sales pitch, but was talking to someone who had a true desire to see my group succeed.  He set us up with a situation that left us with no risk and still able to make some decent money off of the fundraiser!  He even followed up the next day to check-in…which was good, because I was so busy today that I forgot to call him to tell him I wanted to go ahead.  He was never pushy, but an absolute pleaseure to deal with.  So if you need a fund-raiser anytime soon, I highly reccomend Derek at All Aboard Fundraising!

So…if you need some cookie-dough…..let me know and Ill set you up good!!!

I recently got accepted into Tim Schmoyer’s youth ministry mentoring program.  I cannot express how thrilled, excited, and thankful I am for this opportunity!  One part of the program is to read a couple of books which I recieved today.  I started reading Doug Field’s “Your First Two Years In Youth Ministry.”  He starts it off by going over the 10 Commitments he feels are most important.  Here they are and an evaluation of where I am with them:

1.  I will move slowly.

This one is so-so hard for me…I am a jump-in-with-both-feet kind of guy.  However, I have been learning to step back a bit and survey the field before making my decision and throwing the pass.

2. I will regularly check my motives.

It isn’t hard for any of us to get selfish.  We all want attention, whether we admit it or not.  I’ve been doing OK with this one so far(I think), but want to be certain to keep an eye on things.

3. I will steer clear of the number’s game.

This one isn’t so hard.  Our church is not really numbers-driven.  We pay attention to our numbers, but I don’t think we obsess with it, or let it dictate how/why/when we do things.

4. I will not criticize the past.

This one should be easy….I am starting the youth minsitry here from scratch.

5.  I will avoid the comparison trap.

OK….this is probably my toughest one.  I am surrounded by giants in the youth ministry world.  I have friends at Youth Specialties, recently volunteered at one of the larger youth ministries in Nashville, and was mentored by the best youth pastor I have met.  I care a lot about my kids and want to provide the best possible.  I want everything to be spot on.  And will beat myself up to do it.  So I need to watch this like a hawk.

6. I will focus on priorities

Another hard one…between Diabetes-brain, Fibro-fog, and ADD I can get lost in my agenda to the point I don’t know up from down.  I need to remember to slow down(#1) and keep myself organized (I was voted Most Disorganized in high school and not much has changed)

7.  I will pace myself.

This is a medium level one.  I mean I am at the helm of a youth ministry for the first time at 36, so I’ve learned to wait on God’s timing for things.

8.  I will serve.

Probably one of my easiest.  I don’t know why, but I love to serve…especially the youth.

9.  I will be a learner.

Another easy one.  I live to learn.  I am sponge.  Almost to a fault.  I tend to learn so many subjects that I became a “Jack of all trades, master of none”

10.  I will pursue contentment

God taught me early on to be content with what I have.  Whiel, I still long for many things, I have/am learning that it is all in God’s time.

I can’t begin to express my excitememnt over this program.  God has been doing some incredibly amazing things lately and this is just one of them.  To say that I am blessed doesn’t even begin to cover it!

P.S.  My wife made a wonderful post over at her blog regarding some of what has been going on here recently!  Check it out!

Well…some…and this is a message I can really get behind…..

I am missional in my theology…especially right here in our own community.  I can’t tell you how blessed that we have found a church right in our sub-division, Lake Forrest Estates, one of the 10 largest in the country, that has a real heart for the neighborhood around it.  There has been an increase in the crime rate, and people are always putting it down, but I really love the neighborhood and believe it is getting a “bad rap.”  All it needs is a little love….

Got to watch a replay of Last Comic Standing from last Thursday….always been a favorite show of mine….but I don’t think I’ve ever laughed as hard as i did when God’s Pottery did the following routine….

And some other funny ones….

Enjoy!!

HT to MPT

Now that our life is falling into the routine again, I am back blogging!  Although we are prayerfully considering some changes to our lives(details further down!) I think that I will be able to maintain the blog through those changes!

Erica & I are prayerfully considering getting plugged in at a new church we have been attending.  This “plugging-in” is looking like it may include my starting up their youth program, and becoming the youth pastor!  Details are still being ironed out, but this is something that I have been praying for for years!!

And for the not so serious side of things….
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