Here's What I Think

Here’s what I think: I think that Facebook status updates are abused by far too many people far too often. I mean, I am genuinely interested in getting to know people, but do I really need to know when you are showering? I think there is a limit. In fact, I think there should be facebook police that give people a fine for unnecessary status updates. Or how about a fine for too many status updates in one day. It would be kind of like a speeding ticket, except online. “Sir, you are currently travelling 50 in a 30 status update zone. That will be $200.”

Here’s what I think: I think that there are too many choices at fast food joints. The slowest part of “fast food” is waiting for people to decide what they want. Either people should be more decisive or fast food joints should have fewer choices. I guess I could learn patience too.

Here’s what I think: I think that people far too often say things digitally that they would never say in person; texting and emails mostly. There is something about not having to look the person in the eyes and saying something that gives people false confidence in themselves. Whether it’s a compliment or a criticism, if you can’t say it to the person’s face, you should question why you are saying it at all.

On that note: people, don’t flirt with someone over texting or email in a way that you would not do in person. In fact, if you want to flirt with someone, your best chance of success is in person. Every time. Yes, yes, I know I’m single right now, but I also know I’m right about this one. This is more of a “here’s what I know” post rather than a “here’s what I think” post. But I felt compelled to say it.

Here’s what I think: I think that if you don’t sweat when you work out, you have no business going to the gym. If you want to flex in a mirror, your washroom at home is free. If you want attention from that cute guy or girl, try talking to them. Again, talking is free. If you want people to see how good looking you are, hate to break it to you, but if you are in the gym or not, you still look the same. Just accept it and save your money; no need to buy a gym membership. If you want to check out people who are working out, you are a creep and getting fit is the last thing on your mind. Do us all a favour, save the gym for those of us who ACTUALLY want to use it. Because believe it or not, my gym membership was NOT free. Thank you.

Here’s what I think: I think that playing co-ed sports is a bad idea. I mean, seriously, how is a guy supposed to concentrate on the game when there is a smoking hot girl on the other team who has the ball. I mean, is he going to go up to her and steal the ball from her to impress her? And he can’t play hard against her because what if she gets hurt? I mean, what if the two of them go hard for the ball (playing soccer of course), kick the ball at the same time, causing the girl to sprain her ankle, start crying, and causing the guy to look like a complete bonehead, all the while crushing the guy’s hopes and dreams of ever getting the girl’s number? I will leave it up to your imagination whether or not I am speaking from personal experience on this one.

Here’s what I think: I think that the only way you are going to succeed in New Year’s resolution is by starting before New Year’s. The reason resolutions don’t work is because people don’t know what commitment is. Figure out commitment first and then figure out a resolution.

Here’s what I think: the weather is extremely interesting. I mean, you could spend hours just talking about different types and shapes of clouds. You could spend more hours just talking about the crazy storms and non-seasonal weather. Weather is extremely interesting. As such, it is a perfectly acceptable opening conversation piece.

Here’s what I think: if you have read this far, I am extremely impressed and a little encouraged as well. If you have not read this far, well, your loss.

Here’s what I think: Youtube is going to overtake TV soon in terms of time spent viewing. I think people are more interested in watching ridiculous 5 minute clips than the terrible sitcoms on lately. I enjoy Big Bang Theory, Simpsons, Sports and News. The rest is a waste of time. I for one would watch 5 minutes of youtube way before losing valuable brain cells to the likes of American Dad or NCIS. Also, I find it amazing how entertaining some commercials are. I would go on youtube and watch half an hour of old spice adds or Reebok “Terry Tate” adds before half the stud on TV any day.

Here’s what I think: Facebook’s days are numbered. It was an incredible fad, I will give it that. And, it has lasted for quite a while, but its days are numbered; especially considering the fact that it keeps changing the appearance and settings. Seriously, what is up with facebook messaging these days. I can hardly read a message from someone now without looking forever just to see where the conversation originated. And what is up with the security settings? Every month it seems some new adjustment has been made that alters my security settings so that anyone and everyone can have free reign over all my content. It’s bad enough having the top of the screen on each person’s profile detailed with: “Name... Home City... Current City... Status... Relationship status... Cell phone number... address... family... who you’re voting for... where you are right now” I’m quite surprised it doesn’t say, “Social Insurance Number... Credit Card information... Medical history.... When I will be back home... best times of day to be robbed and/or kidnapped...” But now with the bi-daily changes in security settings, who knows what’s next. Facebook’s days are numbered. At least in my books.

Here’s what I think: I’m glad you took the time to read this. I should do these more often. What do you think?

Kyle

I am Resilience

I am roots in the ground.
I am a pillar in the foundation.
I am a brick in the mortar and
I cannot be moved.

I am strength to hope and hope to fight
I am will to risk and risk to try
I am resilience and
I cannot be moved

Not by anything
Not by wind, not by wake,
Not by trials will I break.
Not by crowds, not by friends,
Not by failures will I bend
I am faith and
I cannot be moved

I will press against the tide
I will stand against the wind
I will push against the current
I will grow against the storm
I am courage and
I cannot be moved

If the odds are against me
I would push forward and conquer
If there is no one beside me
I would refuse to give up
If my past says I can’t and my present is impossible
I will yet believe and not doubt
I am established and
I cannot be moved

Yes I am established in One who is greater
One and only One
And by Him and through Him and in Him alone
I have meaning and purpose and reason to live
And by his grace
I am saved and
I cannot be moved

~ K.G. Miller

Never Expected to Start Like This

I have a very odd demographic for my youth group. It adds quite an interesting flare to my first year of full time ministry here in Lethbridge. Let me break it down for you:
My youth group is whack. Ok, no, not my youth exactly (although I’m sure even they would admit to certain moments of ‘whackness’), but more so what I have to work with in terms of the nature of the youth group and my leaders. Let’s start with the boy/girl split. A normal group of kids in a youth group would be slightly male dominated. Where I am, we are heavily female dominated. 80-90% of the group is made up of females on any given night. WOW. That’s all I can really say about that. I’m sure you can only imagine what that must be like for me on a Friday night. But, oh, it gets much better. Not only is the group made up of mostly females, but the large majority of the group is Jr. High, super hyper –active females. Pure energy all the time. I do admit, for the most part, this is awesome. I love the energy these girls bring to youth. It’s contagious for everyone. But, too much of anything is never a good thing... that’s where my youth leaders come into play to help.
Thankfully, yet oddly enough, I have a female dominated youth team. In fact, I only have one guy leader and the rest are girls. This is a much needed balance to the nature of the youth group we have at the moment. I think the best part of this is that my leaders are all so quality. It is so wonderful for the youth to have someone that’s been through their own same stuff to look up to. Having these quality female leaders to be there for all the girls that show up to youth is such a blessing, both for the girls and for me.
There is one more odd component of youth this year. I am particular in using the word “odd” as not to elude to some negative nature in this component, because honestly and truly it is a blessing. I have a huge youth leadership team for the size of youth I have. In fact, I have more youth leaders than I have youth on some nights. I’ve had to start turning leaders away, which I absolutely hate to do. I have to admit, I am quite confused why God would provide more leaders than youth. Maybe he is helping me prepare for growth. Maybe he is giving me a unique opportunity to bring depth. Maybe I will never fully know why.
One thing I am sure of is this: when God wants to accomplish something, he will always provide the means to do so. If you only get one thing from this post, get that.

Who’s the one confusing it?

This is a response to the last post that Joel put on here. Right off the bat I want to say, I couldn’t agree more with you, Joel. These have been my exact thoughts lately. I have been thinking and praying about where the ministry should go here, and every time I do God brings me back to the conviction that everything we do must focus explicitly and intentionally on him. Of course, to someone reading this, even someone like myself as a recent graduate of Bible College, this sounds pain-stakingly obvious. Why else would a ministry be run in a church except to focus on God? For that matter, why else would we as Christians do anything except to focus on God? You know what, that’s actually not a bad question. Unfortunately, however, it’s not always that easy.

Here in my first few weeks of trying to relaunch this ministry, I have to confess that the majority of my energy has been spent on trying to figure out budgets and programming. Let me tell you, it’s very easy to begin thinking that these things, the numbers and systems of running an organization, are the reason the ministry exists. More than that, we become so easily blinded by the unknown of the future that we think somehow the right numbers and systems will provide us security. Have you ever been there?

It becomes even more confusing when we begin to see there are certain things we do or have that may not actually be bringing us closer to God. Perhaps some of these things may be bringing us further away from God and purpose for existing. But these things are so hard to let go of because they are attractive to us, and likely attractive to others. Take the hyped up games at youth for example; not to say at all there is no place for these, but what happens when we start relying on these to increase the numbers of our ministry? What happens when these things become the focus of why we exist? What happens when the people in our ministry come primarily because of entertainment and socialization? Even more, what happens when those in our ministry leave as soon as we teach them how to grow closer to Christ?

And so, while the question may be simple, the answer is not always as obvious. The answer may even be confusing. The question, then, is why. Why is the answer so confusing to us? In looking for the answer, perhaps it has much less to do with the answer, but the one trying to answer. I think as humans we have this habit of trying to find every solution outside of ourselves. It never has anything to do with us because, I mean, after all we have it all together. How could we possibly be part of the problem? It must be someone or something else, right?

If we took some needed time and breathed deep of humility and correction I think we may find the confusion lies in our need to justify the comforts and securities around us. We don’t like the idea of running a ministry that will hold people to character and conviction. We would rather hold to the things that we are familiar with and can somewhat seemingly control: numbers and systems. We would rather keep things comfortable in the name of being “seeker friendly”. We would rather suggest morality than warn of the eternal consequences of sin and lovingly restore a sinner. We would rather keep our doors open, hoping that somehow, somewhere a lost soul will come to us looking for answers than go out into the world with urgency to tell the world that purpose has been found in the Son of God who paid our penalty on the cross and rose from the grave to conquer death once and for all.

Who’s the one confusing?

You see, when we try to justify, things become confusing. When we focus more on compromise than conviction, our perspective becomes blurred even to the point that we firmly believe what we are doing is good even if it is not bringing us closer to God. However, something different happens when we hold on to our conviction in Christ. In Christ, there is no confusion. For those who are in Christ, there is no confusion because by the Holy Spirit they have the mind of Christ (cf. Rom 8:1-15). Therefore, in Christ there is no confusion. There may, however, very likely be difficulty and pain, but when it comes to right and wrong, there will not be confusion. If you find yourself asking of your ministry, “I wonder if this is honouring to God,” you have a much more serious issue than trying to figure out what events to run.

So forget your events, forget your numbers, forget vision planning. Do you have a passion for Christ? Do you desire with every piece of your being to know, love, serve and proclaim Jesus at every moment? Is it your inmost purpose to bring others closer to God?

How much clearer things would be if we focussed on Christ!

Dispel the confusion, hold on to conviction.

Re: How Would You Start?

Starting up a ministry is something that isn't easy. It's the question I have been asking myself over the last month and a bit. Where do I start, what are my priorities? At first, my biggest priority was getting to know people. Meet with this person, meet with that person. Chat about this, talk about that. It was a good way for me to get an idea of what is going on here at NAC but also to get to know the people that I will be working with. Also, I started to plan. Get things planned for the year and even start to dream and vision for the next three to five years. Where to we want to be and who do we want to be were the questions I was asking and trying to answer. As much as those things are great and will probably help me in the long run, over the last week I have started to change my thoughts. This is what I read that changed my mind:

"The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But the prayer of the upright is His delight
The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But He loves one who pursues righteousness" -proverbs 15.8-9

Looking at it now it seems pretty simple. Pursue righteousness and be upright and God will be happy with you. I think what I got from this is that how I should start up my ministry here is to focus on myself. Make sure I am pursuing righteousness and being someone who is upright. I also need to be praying though. So if there are three things that I am going to put in priority for starting up in full time ministry, these are them: pray, pursue righteousness and be a person who is upright. Easy huh?

How Would You Start

This is my first full week of ministry at UDAC (University Drive Alliance Church) and the question of the week is: how do we launch a new youth and young adult’s ministry? Have you ever thought about that? You don’t need to be a pastor to think about this or try to answer the question for yourself. In fact, I believe it is crucial for the church of God to be thinking through these kind of questions whether you are paid for full time ministry or not. So what would your answer be?

I don’t claim to be any genius on this issue. I actually think I’m quite “green” when it comes to the ins and outs of youth ministry. However, I know at least a little bit about leadership and a bit about the bible, so I think I may know at least where I could start. The questions I believe to be essential to answer in starting a youth ministry are as follows:

Why does the ministry exist?
Why would someone want to be a part of the ministry?
How is this ministry going to make a difference where you are?

These questions are not easy to answer. Take a moment and reflect on the ministries you have. Whether these ministries are in a church or in the community, how would you answer these questions?

everything

What does it take to give everything to God? What does it take to give just one thing to God? What does it take to dedicate something to God? When we ask for something, does God it to us for ourselves? Or does he give it to us so that we can turn around and give it right back?

1 Samuel 1:20-28

This is what challenged me today. Hannah showed ultimate faith.