This year for youth group, the main theme has been “How to live as a believer in an unbelieving world?” Our first step was to spend time studying how to study the bible. Our next step involved going through a study on the book of Daniel written by yours truly.

Our final step is a series on engaging culture by analyzing movies and music: teaching the kids not to be oysters (and suck everything in), but to engage with ideas presented, evaluate them biblically, and hold fast to Jesus. Well, one great joy as a teacher has been seeing a ‘student’ begin to teach.

I gave some framework to a youth and let him ‘run with’ the discussion on Harry Potter V. He did quite well. There is something beautiful in seeing information, passion, and skill passed on to the next generation.

The Harry Potter ‘Handover’ happened because I hadn’t seen ANY of those movies. I just watched the fifth one. While I enjoyed it, I wasn’t quite ‘qualified’ to lead the discussion, seeing as I couldn’t remember any of those weird names.

But for our next movie, I’ll be intentionally allowing another youth to lead the discussion. Hopefully I can train up some new youth leaders who can continue the process in due time. Allowing new people to lead does a few things.

First of all it allows me to see if they are ‘getting it.’ A seminary professor once said, “You don’t really grasp the material until you can teach it.” Whether in a classroom, discussion, or one-on-one setting, I think he’s right.

Next it gives youth more responsibility and ownership. If we don’t push them and expect anything out of them, we’ll see very little out of them.

Finally, giving over control of the these lessons, trains new leaders. It’s what Paul did to Timothy. But Paul did so with the expectation of him continuing the process of raising up new leaders (II Tim 2:2). In other words, do everything you can to make yourselves expendable. You won’t be around forever. One of the goals of a pastor or any elder or lay leader in a church should be to do all he/she can to work himself out of a ‘job’ and make himself more and more expendable. Strange goal, but I think a good one.

I spent most of today in Lakeland, FL. It was a “training day” of sorts for me and several others. An elder at Trinity Pres named Tim is on the board of I See Jesus (the study is called The Person of Jesus ) and trains leaders to more fully master the craft of leading these discussions. Our community group had been going through this study but have since taken a break.

The format was fairly loose. Five people presented and led us through a study of 5 different lessons. Each of these sessions took 45 minutes to an hour. Afterwards we all helped in evaluating the discussion, with Tim (all 6 foot 9 of him) of course taking the lead.

At first I felt a little nervous for those leading the discussions. Second, I thought, “I’m glad I’m not leading one of these babies.” I hadn’t really been in one of these group evaluation things since preaching Lab (where people critique your sermons and take notes while you’re preaching!). However the group was extremely loving, quick to commend, and yet still offered some constructive feedback.

Tim mentioned that there is very little evaluation that ever goes on within the church body. And he was not talking about people critiquing sermons. I think that he had a strong point. Very few people seek input on how they can do something better. Very few people even listen to input without getting defensive.

But the other day, Amy gave me some constructive criticism on how to ask questions in youth group. Its not too hard (its always a little hard because of that pesky pride problem we all have) to hear that kind of stuff from her, because I know she loves me and respects me.

I can’t read minds or hearts (I leave that to Jesus-and you should too), but it seemed like the discussion leaders actually welcomed the constructive feedback. No one was defensive at all. It was beautiful. It was loving. Not self-protecting, and not enabling (both of which pass for love these days), but actually loving.

Everyone in there definitely respected each other’s commitment to ministry and to Jesus. And over time, I really got to like the folks. When those two components collide, evaluation is much easier.

While there are many folks who reject all authority as evil, I found, via another blog, one who doesn’t. Stephen Colbert has a theistic worldview (I think he’s Catholic) and argues with a doctor on where good and evil comes from. Since his show is primarily comedy, I can’t tell how serious he really is. However I found this dialog humorous, somewhat surprising, informative, and slightly encouraging. By the way, it only takes 5 minutes. Click here to view the clip from his show “The Colbert Report.”

We had a fruitful discussion on the movie To End All Wars in our Christian Ed Sunday. While we had fewer people than with The Waitress (which surprised me-this movie actually had a Christian screen writer), our time was beneficial to me-and I hope to all who participated. I highly recommend this movie. However, recognize that it is HEAVY. But I’ve not seen a movie that more clearly and practically displays the gospel and its power to change lives.

The movie is based upon a true story of Scottish POW’s in WWII who build the trans-Burmese railroad. Obviously conditions didn’t prove beneficial to living or loving, yet some prisoners found strength through the gospel and its application to life. For anyone to love in those conditions, the power of the gospel would HAVE to be real. And it was. And it still is. Fortunately, that means there’s hope for all of us to love our enemies.

One of the topics of discussion-and there will probably be several more to follow-was the need to understand the culture/background/personal idols of people among whom we’re living. The Japanese followed (to some extent) the Bushido code, which valued honor and deference to superiors, and devalued the individual and right to life.

Upon arrival, the POW doctor reminded the Scottish lads that beating a White person was like beating someone of an inferior race, tantamount to beating a dog. In addition, they had to learn to bow in deference to the guards. Since these guards were the lowest of the lows (that’s how you get to run Japanese prison camps), respect went a long way to these folks. In time, the POW’s learned how to better relate AND communicate with the Japanese. In one instance, a guard (an enemy) actually became friends with and stayed with the POW’s when all the other Japanese fled the scene.

We agreed that it is necessary to understand the mindset of those among whom we live. For all people subscribe to some sort of code, idol, or system of thought. It is nearly impossible to get to heart issues without understanding where one’s ultimate allegiance lies. In other words, we need to understand WHY people do things: they act according to what they hold most dear. We should always be on the lookout for the WHY. The POW’s began to understand the WHY and thus managed to live among and communicate with those hostile towards them. So too must we seek the WHY, in order to live among our neighbors, become friends with, and eventually, hopefully, communicate the gospel to them via our lives, Christian community, Church, and personal discussions.

On Valentines Day, Amy and I did what most love birds do on this special day: go to the dentist. It would have been romantic, I guess, if we had been in opposite rooms or something. But our appointments were staggered so we didn’t quite get to share the moment.

Regardless we shared a great joy through sharing good news. I had no cavities (by the grace of God), great teeth (still not really sure what that means), and she didn’t complain about my small mouth (she only mentioned it after I first brought it up). Hygenist of the year for sure. Of course Amy’s report was similar.

While being subjected to one of the few necessary evils (the dentist office) left in this world, I had two predominant thoughts.

1.) I was impressed at the hygenist for being able to talk with me, in a conversational way, that still afforded me a chance to respond with grunts and ‘uh-huhs.’ That takes skill.

2.) Since her hands were in my mouth pretty much at all times, I had to listen to what she said. And she was interesting and surprisingly inquisitive so it wasn’t all that hard. But I really had no choice either. I couldn’t speak. I was reminded of two verses.

a.”Be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to become angry (James 1).” This is hard for
pastors-we spent 3 years of our lives studying so that we could come back and teach people. But its probably hard for most, and necessary for all.

b. “I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth while the wicked are in my presence….(Psalm 39:1-2a).” At the dentist office, we have a muzzle. But when we leave, we leave that muzzle behind. I’m going to try to remember the blessing of someone having their hands in my mouth: I’ll listen better. After all, its better their hands than my foot.

I can’t remember what I did on many Valentines Days before I met Amy. If I were dating or trying to date (as was usually the case) a girl, that relationship rarely, if ever, occurred over a V-day. But I do specifically remember one V-day in college.

Most of us in the dorm were not dating anybody. Hence most of us were in the dorm that night. Being the responsible and shepherd-ly RA (resident advisor), I gathered some freshmen in my room and we all listened/sang along with Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry.” Besides the fact that it might be one of the best songs ever-with a guitar solo voted in the Top 10 of all time-I felt it was apropos.

We had no woman, and we declared to each other, that we would not cry. No woman, no cry. No woman, no big deal. Right?

Well, I found out years later, from a true Bob Marley fan (I just have the greatest hits album), that what the song really communicated was this: Woman, please don’t cry. We had interpreted the song in a manner not intended by the original author; and had championed the song for our purpose.

Bob Marley was not American, but Jamaican. And they talk a little different down there.
So we needed to know something about his language and culture before we could interpret what he was saying. But we also could have simply listened to the words of the song, “Hey little darling, don’t shed no tear.” The context is everything.

Folks often believe something, find A verse or two that backs up that belief, then assume that belief or conviction is taught by the bible. But if we know nothing or little about the context (how that verse fits into the passage, that passage to the book itself, that book itself into the entire bible) or the language and culture from which it came, we can easily err. We might even end up looking like a bunch of college students singing “No woman, No cry” to find comfort, when the song was intended to comfort the ‘opposing party.’

Whether its worth it or not, the Feds have become quite involved in sports related issues. You’ve probably at least heard of Roger Clemens, regardless how disinterested you are in baseball. He’s being accused of using HGH and steroids, and is coming in front of all kinds of officials-I’m losing track of where he is each day. 

As is custom on my day off, I went out fishing-this time with a buddy. A buddy who also happens to be a part time guide. So when we don’t catch fish, its the fault of the fish, not the fisherman. I managed a few big trout and a small flounder. But it was a really a slow day. 

Some of you locals may have read my Bradenton Herald article. In case you haven’t and would like to do so, here it is. Of course the title bandit struck again and butchered it. My original title wasn’t all that good-I had a bad ‘title day.’ But it is supposed to read: How’s Your Offensive Line?

I guess because Valentines Day is approaching I’ve had some ‘love’ thoughts and feel its an apropos time to share them. The other day I was watching a Saturday Night Live Commercials special that my Pops had Tivo’d (or DVR’d or whatever contraption he has). Since the best cast members, in my opinion, are no longer with the show, or no longer ‘with us’ at all, I never really watch it anymore.