Designing a Crest

What does it mean to be a mentor?

So I spent yesterday designing this crest. Tonight we are doing something we’ve really not done much of in our congregation, kicking off some official mentoring relationships. Adults (men in this instance) will be joining with teens and kids (boys) to become mentors and role-models in their lives. I wanted there to be an official start to this so we’re holding a ceremony of sorts to mark the journey’s beginning. As I was deciding what I wanted to do I had the thought to design a type of crest that would appear on any materials handed out tonight, something that was full of symbolism and myth.

The good kind of myth that invites you into something bigger than yourself.

ReImagining the Church: Sticky Faith Final Thoughts

Observations from the Sticky Faith Webcast: LINK

I am including this in my reImagining the Church series because I believe that the conversation coming out of the Sticky Faith research is born from the same Spirit that is moving through New Life Christian Fellowship, calling us to reImagine what it means to be the church in light of Jesus.

Sticky Faith Final Thought: Without Christ, it’s all Pointless

All too often I get caught up on executing a plan. As a youth pastor and a member of a pastoral staff whose job it is to consider the spiritual direction of a congregation, my instinct often moves me to address issues at an organizational level. What might we do differently? Where are the weakened areas of our church and how can they be strengthened? What could we be doing differently in order to help more people grow? These and other similar questions often dominate my own assessment of the ministry and its effectiveness and has led me and the people I work with to look to resources like Sticky Faith and ask, “What could we be doing better?”

I wonder though, is this the right question?

ReImagining the Church: Sticky Faith #4 and #5

Observations from the Sticky Faith Webcast: LINK

I am including this in my reImagining the Church series because I believe that the conversation coming out of the Sticky Faith research is born from the same Spirit that is moving through New Life Christian Fellowship, calling us to reImagine what it means to be the church in light of Jesus.

Observation #4: Parents are “bar-none” the people with the most impact on the life and faith of a teen even through their teen years.

It’s November 16th, and I’m itching to hear some Jingle Bells. The song, the actually jingly-bells, the head-elf at Santa’s workshop, and everything else that goes into the bizarre and unique season of Christmas. I want to listen to choirs sing of the glory of the coming of our savior, and I want to hear artists who I will never listen to the other 11 months of the year sing about chestnuts, and talking snowmen, and the dangers of venturing out in the snow late at night. Plastic trees, and candy canes, cookies galore, and snow! While people bemoan the arrival of Christmas already, I’m biting my nails waiting until the pre-Thanksgiving ban is lifted and we can get this show on the road. December is my favorite month of the year.

What does this have to do with observations four and five from the Sticky Faith webcast?

I’m glad you asked. 

100th Post – ReImagining the Church: Sticky Faith #3

Thus begins the 100th Post Comment Contest! Without further ado, please join in the conversation about placing our trust and faith in Jesus and how that might lead to a more Sticky Faith for the next generation. Good Luck!

Thus ENDS the 100th Post Comment Contest! Thank you all for your participation. The winner will be drawn at random and announced Monday, November 14th.

Observations from the Sticky Faith Webcast: LINK

I am including this in my reImagining the Church series because I believe that the conversation coming out of the Sticky Faith research is born from the same Spirit that is moving through New Life Christian Fellowship, calling us to reImagine what it means to be the church in light of Jesus.

Observation #3: We must learn to filter every part of life, private, public and otherwise through faith in Jesus.

ReImagining the Church: Sticky Faith #2

Observations from the Sticky Faith Webcast: LINK

I am including this in my reImagining the Church series because I believe that the conversation coming out of the Sticky Faith research is born from the same Spirit that is moving through New Life Christian Fellowship, calling us to reImagine what it means to be the church in light of Jesus.

Observation #2: Teen discipleship must center around faith and inner transformation, not behavior modification.

ReImagining the Church: Sticky Faith #1

Observations from the Sticky Faith Webcast: LINK

I was glued to my computer screen last Tuesday as I watched the hour-long webcast produced by the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI) in conjunction with the release of their Sticky Faith books. While I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my copies from Amazon, I thought I would write up my nine observations that I tweeted during the webcast.

I am including this in my reImagining the Church series because I believe that the conversation coming out of the Sticky Faith research is born from the same Spirit that is moving through New Life Christian Fellowship, calling us to reImagine what it means to be the church in light of Jesus.

Observation #1: Having 5 adults invest in every child/teen in the church can change lives.

So Stoked for Sticky Faith

I wrote a long reflection piece about today’s Sticky Faith webcast. I liked what I said and I might post it later this week. But as I read it I realized something was missing.

I had totally left out just how jacked up I am coming off of that webcast.