Eh?
We are off with our good friends Julie and Chase to celebrate the 4th... oh wait we're missing that! I hope to blog about Sierra Leone, but if I don't... I promise to upon my return. I'm super tired so I hope this is coherent. (Note: 4 days, 4 countries is not my best plan ever!)
Friday, July 3, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Home
I'm home, and we didn't even have to fly through East Africa to get here! I have much to post and much to show, but for now I will leave you with some "snaps."
Monday, June 29, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
SL Update #3
Nicole and I talked briefly on Thursday right before they had their send-off celebration in Banta. Everything has continued to go really well (health, in-services, team unity, etc.). Today the team is back in Freetown enjoying some time off and relaxation before flying back to the US on Sunday and Monday.
Today, tomorrow, and Monday I'll be trying to get done lots of things around that house that I haven't gotten around to yet in anticipation of Nicole's arrival.
Today, tomorrow, and Monday I'll be trying to get done lots of things around that house that I haven't gotten around to yet in anticipation of Nicole's arrival.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Missing Nicole
I'll be able to talk to Nicole tomorrow morning (afternoon for her) and then see her (hopefully if all flights go as planned) on Monday night.
I've found myself missing Nicole way more this year than last year. I think the primary reason for this is because last year I mostly just wasted time playing video games and such while she was out of the country. This year, not playing video games at all basically, I've found myself really busy and really wanting to spend time with Nicole doing things together.
I've found myself missing Nicole way more this year than last year. I think the primary reason for this is because last year I mostly just wasted time playing video games and such while she was out of the country. This year, not playing video games at all basically, I've found myself really busy and really wanting to spend time with Nicole doing things together.
Thoughts on Youth Ministry
This summer I've been blessed to have lots more hours at church. Most of these hours have gone into spending time with students and hashing through my thoughts on youth ministry and setting up some short and long term goals and objectives for our youth program.
I've really been wrestling with what I see as a basic dichotomy between the need to provide a youth environment that is cool, exciting, engaging, etc. in order to attract students vs. the desire to be real, genuine, and avoid the pitfalls of feeding youth self-centered entertainment all the time.
On the one hand, I've seen from personal experience that one has a hard time growing a youth program without answering the question, "why would 16-year old so-and-so come here tonight instead of going out with his friends?" This leads me to believe that part of reaching students with the Gospel really does mean catering to their desire for entertainment, coolness, and excitement.
On the other hand, I look at "successful" youth programs at large churches in this country and all I see are glorified video arcades with a little bit of Jesus sprinkled on top. I do not believe it is good for youth to spend their lives plugged in to games, and I do not believe it is good for youth to believe that the world should cater to their desire for entertainment and amusement.
I also do not believe that unchurched youth are liable to attend a "boring" youth program and hear the Gospel.
Somewhere between these two extremes I think is a youth ministry model that offers students the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ, manages to excite their interest, and avoids teaching them that their entertainment is the chief pursuit in life.
I've really been wrestling with what I see as a basic dichotomy between the need to provide a youth environment that is cool, exciting, engaging, etc. in order to attract students vs. the desire to be real, genuine, and avoid the pitfalls of feeding youth self-centered entertainment all the time.
On the one hand, I've seen from personal experience that one has a hard time growing a youth program without answering the question, "why would 16-year old so-and-so come here tonight instead of going out with his friends?" This leads me to believe that part of reaching students with the Gospel really does mean catering to their desire for entertainment, coolness, and excitement.
On the other hand, I look at "successful" youth programs at large churches in this country and all I see are glorified video arcades with a little bit of Jesus sprinkled on top. I do not believe it is good for youth to spend their lives plugged in to games, and I do not believe it is good for youth to believe that the world should cater to their desire for entertainment and amusement.
I also do not believe that unchurched youth are liable to attend a "boring" youth program and hear the Gospel.
Somewhere between these two extremes I think is a youth ministry model that offers students the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ, manages to excite their interest, and avoids teaching them that their entertainment is the chief pursuit in life.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
SL Update #2
Just got off the phone with Nicole (which is awesome).
* In-services are going really well
* Nicole is healthy
* Team dynamic is great; everybody is getting along well and working together
* Nicole got to participate in a "dance-off" with the youth group last night... :)
She and I should talk again next Thursday, so until then you can keep an eye on the SL team blog for updates from Sarah.
* In-services are going really well
* Nicole is healthy
* Team dynamic is great; everybody is getting along well and working together
* Nicole got to participate in a "dance-off" with the youth group last night... :)
She and I should talk again next Thursday, so until then you can keep an eye on the SL team blog for updates from Sarah.
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