sharing life

Recently, I have signed on as a member of www.teenfocus.com, a website where people involved in youth ministry can interact and access resources. I have a great deal of respect for the ministry's founder, and sites like this in the church circles of my heritage are few and far between, so I want to support it.

I wrote the following and posted it to my teenfocus blog:

God has called me to replant a church on Indy's northeast side. We're not at a place where we have someone who focuses on youth ministry, so life with teens is part of what I do.

It seems ironic sometimes, but at this point in the life of our church, some of our most faithful, authentic, passionate followers of Jesus are unchurched teenagers. God has seen fit to bring them into our lives, and He has taught me a ton through my interactions with them.

One of the ways that I disciple these teens is by having them with me every chance I can. So when I got the call that one of our men had been admitted to the hospital with stroke symptoms, I called Shameer to see if he wanted to come along with me. He was eager to do so, and we had a great conversation during our trip to the hospital. He wanted to know what he could do to minister to the man's wife, and he talked about how he needed to have empathy for people who were going through painful situations.

When I had pulled up to Shameer's house to pick him up, his brother SoHaan got in the van, too. So did Anthony, who has been coming to our Sunday evening gatherings. Anthony had just found out that his mother was moving them away over the weekend, and he was upset that he wouldn't be able to come to church anymore.

So the four of us set out for supper and the hospital. Oh, and we had my four kids, too: Kristy was spending the evening at a scrapbooking gathering.

None of us had eaten yet, so we headed to the food court of the mall close to the hospital. As I ordered for the kids, got their food set up to eat, and prayed with them, I talked to the guys about the importance of taking care of your wife, and giving her a break now and then.

After we ate, Anthony wanted to show me the skateboard his friend was getting. So we walked into Zumiez (the skate shop in the mall), and with absolutely no hesitation, Anthony walked me around to the half-dozen skaters hanging out in the store, introducing me as his pastor. One guy mentioned that he had reason to cuss Anthony out, but would wait until later, since I was there.

With stomachs full of Chick-Fil-A and a newfound appreciation for all things skate, we headed to the hospital to see Kenny. He was resting when we arrived, so we prayed over him, talked about how we could help his wife, then headed toward home.

"I'll see you Sunday, Rev. Peace out." Shameer smiled as he walked up the sidewalk to his house.

When you allow people - young or old - into your life, they will often return the favor. It is a gift, and a special privilege that is one of the joys of being a pastor. It is something that I treasure.

Anthony, me, SoHaan, and Shameer (I'm the white guy)

we're back

At last!

My computer's back from the shop, running better than ever. It's back on my desk, where it belongs, and I can get back to blogging!

But first, a great Sunday is in store...

i usually take my elitism with cream and sugar

The selection of Sarah Palin by John McCain as the Republican candidate for Vice-President has elicited an almost bizarre spectrum of responses from all sides. But no one gets to his point quite like Sam Harris, in this LA Times piece:

"Americans have an unhealthy desire to see average people promoted to positions of great authority. No one wants an average neurosurgeon or even an average carpenter, but when it comes time to vest a man or woman with more power and responsibility than any person has held in human history, Americans say they want a regular guy, someone just like themselves. President Bush kept his edge on the “Who would you like to have a beer with?” poll question in 2004, and won reelection."

"This is one of the many points at which narcissism becomes indistinguishable from masochism. Let me put it plainly: If you want someone just like you to be president of the United States, or even vice president, you deserve whatever dysfunctional society you get. You deserve to be poor, to see the environment despoiled, to watch your children receive a fourth-rate education and to suffer as this country wages – and loses – both necessary and unnecessary wars." (emphasis mine)

So much for softpedaling it. I'm used to having to see through the rhetoric to recognize when someone thinks they know what's best for me better than I do.

Not this time.