on young leaders.

12Nov09

– the following is a post that i wrote for my friend who is ben davis. last week was his infamous #leadershipweek where he had numerous leaders from different places author posts that he put up on his blog. you can check them out if you like. this was my small contribution. –

ben asked me to address the topic of what leadership in the church will be like when we (i am 21 so “we” are young leaders/pastors/whoevers) have become the old guys.

this is impossible to answer so instead i will give something that is more of what i “hope” it will be and what i pray it will be. things i want to address are problems i see in young leaders as well as particular advantages that they have. after that i hope to give ways that we can change the problems and capitalize on the advantages in order to provide the best opportunity for those who follow.

problems

1) young leaders can be rebellious. i think this is probably the most common problem and the one that most others flow from. we want to do things differently than the way they were done for us. it’s not even that we are actually thinking of “the best way” to do things as much as it is any way that’s different. sometimes we even want it to succeed just so we can shove it in our old leaders faces and say “see! i was right!” this is rebellion. rebellion is sin. sin is bad.

2) being young! i look back on who i was one year ago and sometimes i want to puke. wisdom comes with age. not all the time (there are some old people that are dumb), but it is a simple fact that people learn as the grow. if you are going in a maturing direction you will become more wise. we are not there yet. we are not yet as wise as we will be. we are still rebellious. we still have many dumb decisions to make that will make us become wiser.

3) ingratitude. very often young people are not grateful. we are proud and arrogant. we do not honor the people who have sacrificed for us. we think we are the stuff.

advantages

1) old people. there are people who have been there, they know there stuff and we can learn from them. there are mistakes before us that we can avoid thanks to them. there are also great ideas that we can use from them to do things better right away.

2) being freakin’ young! with this youth comes, at least for me, a drive that is different from older people. i’m still planning on changing the world. sometimes i don’t know what to do with the amount of ideas i have and i think i’ve probably forgotten some of my best ones because i didn’t write them down. there is a creativity that comes with being young. there is an ability to identify with a generation that needs to be reached for Jesus. i could go on.

i’m sure there is a lot more to all of that but those are just the pieces that i perceive to be the biggest. i think that capitalizing on the advantages and shutting down the problems go hand-in-hand.

the key for young leaders is humility. we need to chill. we need to slow down on our love-affair with rebellion and sit at the feet of our Savior. Jesus doesn’t give us room to be proud. we suck. that’s why he came. Jesus saved us and now is using us to do that same thing for other people so that he will look more awesome. it doesn’t get much more humbling than that. to borrow a phrase from my generation, we are not the s***. more accurately, we are s*** that Jesus changed and made new to the praise of his glorious grace.

we need to be grateful for and seek the wisdom of our elders. one time, they were young (believe it or not). there was a day when those guys were 21 like me. they made a lot of dumb decisions that they can keep me from making if i am smart enough to ask and listen. a big step towards humility is gratitude. take some time to thank the old people who have invested in your life. they may be parents, pastors, friends, whoever. it will go a long way in showing you your inadequacy.

finally we need to rely on Jesus. that’s what holds all this together. that’s what keeps us humble. this goes for everyone, old leaders, young leaders, people who are not leaders… Jesus is everything and it needs to stay that way. he needs to be our source of inspiration – not rebellion. he needs to be our source for wisdom – not our youth. he needs to be the source of our humility – not ingratitude. he is all of those things. more importantly, he is also God. and we need to not forget that. Jesus is God. he rules.

i hope that the leaders that come after us will be able to look at us and see a humble group of old men. that they will approach me with humility and that i will treat them with respect. i hope that i can show them the areas where i have failed so they won’t make the same mistakes. i hope that i can show them the awesome stuff i’ve done so they can do things that are almost as cool. what will it look like? God only knows. what do i hope it looks like? i hope it focuses on Jesus. because that’s all that will matter.

mark.

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elder meetings that work

11Nov09

from the pure church blog:

1. plan on meeting together more often and for a longer period of time.

2. challenge each other spiritually.

3. discuss the state of the flock.

4. have an agenda.

5. actually pray for individuals and issues being faced.

6. study together toward a unified position on difficult issues.

7. make these meetings non-optional.

 

sweet business.

mark.

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what does “total church” look like?

10Nov09

from the introduction to total church (which you should purchase and read. period.):

“being both Gospel-centered and community-centered might mean…

- seeing church as an identity instead of a responsibility to be juggled alongside other commitments.

- celebrating ordinary life as the context in which the word of God is proclaimed with “God-talk” as a normal feature of everyday conversation.

- running fewer evangelistic events, youth clubs, and social projects and spending more time sharing our lives with unbelievers.

- starting new congregations instead of growing existing ones.

- preparing Bible talks with other people instead of just studying alone at a desk.

- adopting a 24-7 approach to mission and pastoral care instead of starting ministry programs.

- switching the emphasis from Bible teaching to Bible learning and action.

- spending more time with people on the margins of society.

- learning to disciple one another – and to be discipled – day by day.

- having churches that are messy instead of churches that pretend.”

sweet. get the book. read it. do it.

mark.

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cool post on “where the wild things are”

20Oct09

i read this post and thought it was really good. it reviewed the movie briefly, remembered the book and why it was so awesome, gave great insight into the mindset of children and why this story would be great to them and why the movie fell short, and what it means for Christians. this post from the gospel coalition was fantastically insightful. read it.

mark

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why the “coherence theory of truth” doesn’t work for Christianity

15Oct09

for my traditions of spirituality class i was assigned to read an essay called “toasters and God” and write a short reflection on it. i found this exercise to be particularly interesting and decided to post my response on here. because i can’t post the entire essay on here (it’s rather lengthy, you wouldn’t read it) i will briefly explain what it said:

the purpose of the essay is to understand how to select what religion or worldview to have. which one is TRUE and how do you figure that out.

there are two popular theories of discovering truth (discovering truth – basic definition for epistemology). they are the “foundational theory of truth” and the “coherence theory of truth.” in the beginning of the essay, the author ruled out the foundational theory of truth because it is too difficult to apply to choosing a religion. that theory must begin with a CERTAIN BASIS and then build a worldview from there. the reason it doesn’t work is that it requires leaps of logic and rather difficult presuppositions that will not be shared by everyone. it’s more complicated than that, but that’s the basics of the basics.

the coherence theory of truth is what we use when we select which toaster to buy. we compare prices, we look at quality, we check to see how long it will last, etc. when we find the toaster that MAKES THE MOST SENSE we purchase it. in the essay this approach is applied to religions. how does one discern which religion is true? by analyzing them. comparing them. seeing which one is most consistent. the analogy isn’t perfect, you SHOULDN’T select a religion because of how it will work for you. the point is to logically and honestly analyze them to see which one is the most consistent and then selecting the one that MAKES THE MOST SENSE.

i liked this article a lot. it helped me to understand some basic epistemology and really made sense as far as that goes. on the other hand, i don’t think this works for Christianity. my response was the following:

“i think the greatest weakness of this line of thought is brought up by the author at the conclusion. at a certain point, even the coherence theory of truth is incapable of proving anything and ultimately, if relied on too heavily, makes for a weak foundation. perhaps that sounds contradictory to the purpose of the article which is to help the reader to build a stronger foundation for their belief, but i think it is true. data and information will continue to change as long as people are around. on the other hand, hopefully, our Scriptures will remain the same as they have been. as information continues to to develop (and it will never stop), one who relies on the coherence theory of truth must be open to the idea that they may be proven wrong. while this may seen as a humble approach, when dealing with things like the Son of God becoming a man and dying for sins to have a relationship with people devoted to this theory of truth, it seems wholly inadequate and disrespectful. i do not choose Jesus because he makes the most sense consistently and if he stops (based on data that is not seeking to make sense of him) then i’ll drop him. i choose Jesus because he chose me. if he is willing to give his life for me, i am going to give my life to him. while i CAN use this theory to give myself a stronger foundation and learn better apologetics from it, it CANNOT be the basis for my relationship with God. as you say, i will take the kierkegaardian “leap of faith” and trust that the God who became a man will be there when i break my neck.”

thoughts?

mark

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album review – crash love, afi

02Oct09

on september 29th afi released their eighth studio album. i’ve always loved afi, sometimes for reasons i can’t explain. i’ve followed along with their past five albums (including this new one) possibly because i’ve always been into punk rock. i love punk rock, i don’t know why. actually i do. another post another time maybe.

there’s something about a band that you’ve followed for a while that makes them mean something different to you. it’s easy to observe a band’s musical maturity and songwriting ability grow. i’ve respected afi for always pushing forward and not getting stuck in one niche and becoming stagnant. i’ve spent some time with “black sails in the sunset” and “the art of drowning” when they had a more gothic, horror-punk sound reminiscent of the misfits. from there they progressed to “sing the sorrow” which was an album that still makes my rotation from time to time. still a dark feeling punk rock but more polished. their previously most recent release (and personal favorite) was “decemberunderground” through which they came to their current status as one of the most internationally recognized bands in punk rock. decemberunderground struck me with its flawless production. each note clear and smooth while still retaining the punk edge that beats the same as my heart.

there was my mini-review of afi as a band.

crash love did not disappoint me. i was once again struck by their masterful production. there is no one who makes punk rock albums that sound as good as afi does. that’s just the way it is.

lyrically, i’ve appreciated them for a sense of honesty and admitting weakness and failure. this album focused on love but not in a happy romantic contented kind. rather the kind of love that destroys. over-attachment, hating what you love and wanting it gone.

it starts off strong with “torch song,” which is a song about attraction that is far too strong. “i’d tear out my eyes for you my dear/to see everything that you do, i’d tear out my soul for you my dear/to feel everything as you do.” musically it is intense and driving as opening tracks should be (with this style).

“beautiful thieves” followed and is one of my favorite songs on the album (probably my second). it begins with a strong lead guitar line that sticks in my head. the chorus is catchy. the lyrics are weird.

the single that was pre-released is track seven, “medicate.” this is probably my least favorite song on the album because it feels very single-esque to me. it’s that song that is easy to listen to like it was written for the radio. it’s still a good song. but the feel takes a little away from the sincerity for me. the guitar solo at the end is pretty ridiculous though.

my favorite track on the album is “darling, i want to destroy you.” sounds great, doesn’t it? well it is. you know how sometimes you can have music on when you’re doing something else and not really paying attention to it but then there comes a song that pulls you from your stupor and you just start to listen? that’s what i experienced with this song. it’s just awesome. this song also reminded me of the ridiculous notes that davey havok can reach with his voice.

conclusion: afi adds another excellent album to their already impressive list. if you like rock music, and punk rock in particular, you should get it. as far as musical production goes they do not get better than “crash love.” as far as lyrically… they don’t get much weirder. but it’s worth it. if it sounds like you might be interested, check it out. if it’s not your thing you won’t like it. i love it.

mark

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the world of 100.

01Oct09

i saw this on a sweet blog.

mark

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sweet poem.

30Sep09

this poem changed my life in 3 minutes.

it’s by karsten luke piper on luke 18:25.

He spread his blanket on the sand,
kneeled and arranged his bowls and tools:
hook, mallet, clamp, chisel, rasp, razor.

His smile glinted in the rongeur’s claws,
and upside down in the curette’s spoon.
Light shone out of the needle’s eye.

“Hoosh,” he said and began plucking hairs,
paring calluses, shearing wool, shaving
to the follicles, cutting to the quick.

He sorted these, trimming skin with skin,
hair with hair, into rows of clay bowls,
and set a large basin to catch each sour drip

as he sliced the hide and used both fists
to yank back the whole stubbled, gray pelt,
as wet and red on its underside as afterbirth.

He piled this heavily away, draping it
in clean linen, and turned to the meat and bone
heaving under sheer, tight membrane.

Sawteeth chewed into femur, rib and shoulder.
Pliers twisted and wrenched away tendons
until everything softened, canted, and collapsed—

yet not one sliver dies. Each ribbon and shard
bawls for the horror and hurt of their missing,
wishing for the old braying wholeness.

Pain bloodies evening and morning,
stabbing day after day from even the first cuts,
like the slow light of far stars.

Eyeballs and heart float alone in the last bowl,
dark and defenseless, quavering when he leans down
and they recognize in his eyes how little is left.

“Easy now, Camel,” he says and lifts me
in his fingertips, one quivering strand at a time,
through the eye of the needle.

mark.

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happy 250th, chuck.

24Sep09

in honor of charles simeon’s 250th birthday, some quotes…

“my dear brothers, we must not mind a little suffering for Christ’s sake.”

“i have continually had such a sense of my sinfulness as would sink me into utter despair, if i had not an assured view of the sufficiency and willingness of Christ to save me to the uttermost. and at the same time i had such a sense of my acceptance through Christ as would overset my little bark, if i had not ballast at the bottom sufficient to sink a vessel of no ordinary size.”

and my favorite…

“a nominal Christian is content with proving the way of salvation by a crucified Redeemer. but the true Christian loves it, delights in it, glories in it, and shudders at the very thought of glorying in anything else… let all your joys flow from the contemplation of his cross.”

these quotes are taken from john piper’s book the roots of endurance.

check out more about charles simeon here.

and this interesting conversation between him and john wesley (two outspoken theological “opposites”.)

happy birthday chuck, and thank you for your humble confidence in the sovereignty of God.

mark

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a taste of poetic calvin:

22Sep09

“so that we may be permitted to say that in baptism our pharaoh is drowned, our old man is crucified, our members are mortified, we are buried with Christ, and removed from the captivity of the devil and the power of death, but removed only into the desert, a land arid and poor, unless the Lord rain manna from heaven, and cause water to gush forth from the rock. for our soul, like that land without water, is in want of all things, till he, by the grace of his spirit rain upon it. we afterwards pass into the land of promise, under the guidance of joshua the son of nun, into a land with milk and honey that is the grace of God frees us from the body of death by our Lord Jesus Christ, not with sweat and blood since the flesh is then most repugnant, and exerts its utmost force in warring against the spirit. after we take up our residence in the land, we feed abundantly. white robes and rest are given us. but Jerusalem, the capital and seat of the kingdom, has not yet been erected; nor yet does Solomon, the Prince of peace, hold the sceptre and rule over all. the souls of the saints, therefore, which have escaped the hands of the enemy, are after death in peace. they are amply supplied with all things, for it is said of them ‘they shall go from abundance to abundance.’ but when the heavenly Jerusalem shall have risen up in its glory, and Christ, the true Solomon, the Prince of peace, shall be seated aloft on his tribunal, the true israelites will reign with their King.”

– john calvin

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