running for home

We're Moving!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:26:00 +0000

I'm condensing down all of my Google stuff under one address, and so I've moved this blog as part of that. For the three of you who read this (thanks mom for being faithful) you can find it pretty easy. Same name, address is almost identical. its http://jasonchenoweth1.blogspot.com. Thanks.

Silver Birch Ranch

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 15:03:00 +0000

maybe.
hoping.
too long.
excited.
wishing.
could it be?

Age Isn't All Bad

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:47:00 +0000

Last night, I had the opportunity to help out a couple of our middle school boys. It didn't look or feel like that is what happened, but I know it is. We have a couple of guys in 6th grade who want to be cool. I don't know these guys well, they are in the group lead by Mike, our other youth pastor. But I know them well enough. They are scared, hurt, and uncertain little guys, afraid of life. They choose to deal with it by being "tough", at least as tough as you can be when you're 12, 5'4", and 83 pounds. They roll in with attitudes that would make an NBA player proud. But they're broken.

They push everyone away. They argue with you, no matter what you say. They have no problem arguing both sides of a discussion, at the same time, and telling you how wrong you are. Needless to say, they can get under your skin.

We've loved on them all year. We've tried to help them. We've taken about 30 different steps to show them a positive way, a healthy way to act. They don't care. So, last night, they laid out their attitudes, and we sent them home early.

Man, the threats out of those two little mouths. The accusations. The feigned hurt. They are impressive, I have to admit.

Here is where my age is an asset. None of that matters. I know that if I don't speak truth and hold a line which requires respect, they will never get Jesus. They just won't. I 'm not mean to them at all. I won't argue with them. But I'm calling them to step up to a base level. I used to think if I did this, I'd lose them forever. Then I went through a long phase of "I'll sacrifice a few for the good of the whole" idea. But now, now I know better. I know that God works beyond and outside of my ministry. I've seen it. Over and over, firsthand. Emails and letters from former students, now in their 20's and 30's, telling me how 10 years after they left our group for the last time, God has gotten hold of them. They tell of His grace and forgiveness, and the power to change.

It's not that I think discipline and being "firm" changed them. I just believe in God. In His relentless love AND power. It is His to work in someones life. It is just mine to be faithful.

So, I don't know if my latest pair of tough guys will be back. If they are, they'll have to agree to live in community at a base level. If they don't come back, I know that God has wonderful plans for them, and that this is all part of His plan.

Age isn't all bad.

Couple of Recommendations

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 19:55:00 +0000

Okay, I have a couple of sermons that I think everyone ought to listen to. It's a guy named Steev Inge from Mystery Church in Joplin, MO. You can get them from iTunes, or from the church's website. I recommend the Life Lived Before the Throne messages, and the One Thing message. If you listen to them, drop me a line and give me your thoughts. They are all working on me hard right now.

Oops, I Did it Again...

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:18:00 +0000

I don't like Brittany's song (publicly), but it fits right now. It's one of those times where I made a mistake, thought I could fix it, and now it's worse than ever. I set up a youth trip, didn't think through the dates well enough, and now, I have to cancel it. No big deal, except I've got my whole leadership team on board with the trip, promoted it to parents, posted the dates, and set the whole thing up. Now it's gotta change. I have to admit I'm wrong, ask for a lot of forgiveness, and move forward.

I do not like it when this kind of stuff happens because of my stupidity. I really don't. I like it when someone else does it, and I can be gracious about it. I like it when I plan so well, that I gain tons of trust from everyone around me. But I don't like it when I blow it.

Something I notice though. I am much more penitent and sad about disappointing the people around me, than I am when I disappoint God. If I sin and blow it, I ask for forgiveness. But I don't stress it the way I stress situations like this. Why is that? Why is God's opinion of me so much easier to blow off? I think I assume too much about God's grace. I know He forgives me, He already has. I know He will never leave me. I don't need to earn His love. But I don't take seriously enough my need to live in such a way to make Him proud of me. I don't own the Job factor, where He lived in such a way that Satan couldn't take it anymore. I can't imagine Satan needing to go to heaven and complain to God about me because of how I live. If he did, I can't imagine God trusting me enough to let Satan loose in my life like that.

So, I want to spend more time focusing on what God sees in me, and what He knows about me, and what He feels about me. I want God to be proud of me. I want to be more concerned about what He thinks of me when I mess up, and when I obey.

Just some random stuff rattling around inside of me. What about you?

It's Finally Back!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:38:00 +0000

On my micro iPod screen, today I found happiness. The Relevant Podcast is back after three months of desert dryness! I'm so happy it's back! I just miss Lloyd.

Cheap Grace is No Grace

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:13:00 +0000

I continue to work through these questions about salvation and what I/we are calling our students to. Last night, I met with our senior high leadership team, and we spent some time discussing who we are calling our kids to follow. I've got a growing uneasiness that we may have made Jesus more buddy, or uber-patient father, than we have Lord. I'm still not sure, but it won't go away. The more I pray about it and think about it, the stronger the feeling gets. I can't believe I would have ever fallen into the cheap grace side of things, but I think I have. I've felt this way for well over a year, but it's really coming to a head now.

I mean, we still teach Christ and Him crucified. But I think I may have painted a picture of Jesus that is not strong enough. It seems that our kids hold onto Jesus for as long as He "works", then when something "better" comes along, they bail. Usually it is sex somewhere in the system that ruins them.

I don't think more teaching on sex and abstinence is the answer though. I really think we need, I need, to present a much clearer, stronger picture of Jesus as King, Lord, Redeemer, Lover, and Creator. Sigh...

God, please give me the truth and direction I need to speak to these kids.

Pray for me, for us, in this.

One Small Step at a Time

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:36:00 +0000

We are doing something in our youth ministry that is new for me, and I'm excited about it. We're doing a study series with all of our high school students combined (Beyond and Exit 112). We are doing a guys group on the Doug Fields study Guy Talk.
We have a girl's group going through the book L ies Young Women Believe.

We are doing a simlutaneous group for the parents of the girls, leading them through the book.

And we are leading a group for parents of the guys, teaching them the guys material.

All four groups meet on Sunday nights at the church at the same time.

This past week was our first week, and I loved it! We didn't see huge numbers of parents, but just the fact that we took a step towards doing more family oriented ministry has me so juiced! I'm leading the guys parents group, and we had the best discussion I've ever had in a parent's session. Parents are ordering the books we are teaching from, and diving in. We're providing discusison guides for them to use at home through the week with their kids. Students are seeing their parents come and invest in their spiritual growth, and feeling cared for. It's cool.

And since we're doing it during regular youth group hours, the kids whose parents won't come aren't left out. It just feels like regular youth group to them. The breaking along the gender lines is a creative twist we don't often do, so it adds energy to the discussions as well. We've got five weeks to go, and I couldn't be more excited.

Me < Him

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:26:00 +0000

We're reading John 3:22-36 this week as a church. Two things are working on me from this story.

John the Baptist gives his famous "He must increase, I must decrease" speech. How do I do this? I am praying and asking God to show me what this means today for me. I have a strong desire to do it. But some areas of my life seem completely entrenched. I have things I want to go away, and I want to hold on to for dear life, simultaneously. It's tough. So, I'm reminding myself of this goal, and praying the Lord's Prayer. A lot. I know God will be faithful, it's just painful.

The second thing I'm working with is the idea of "whoever believes in the Son has eternal life". I know, I know, simple, basic, 101 level theology. But I'm being pushed on what it means to be a believer, a follower, a disciple. Christ's calls to discipleship are sky high. His parable of the soils is haunting me right now. Francis Chan and his book , Crazy Love, are just feeding the questions. (You REALLY should pick up this book!) So what does it mean to "believe in the Son"? What all does that entail. Does true belief, the size of a mustard seed, produce life change automatically? Does a person who claims faith, but lacks serious growth, only deceive themselves? At what level is growth real? At what level is it just self-help stuff?

I'm honestly not worried about myself, not because I'm so great or wonderful, but I know that I rely on Christ and need Him above all else. I can't breathe if He doesn't show me His grace and mercy every nano-second. I can be selfish and ungrateful, I sin, but I know that I am trusting Him for everything. But as a pastor, how do I gauge what we are calling people to? Especially students?

Anyway, that's where I am today, in John 3.

Time Out

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:54:00 +0000

I've been on a vacation for the last two weeks. I haven't taken two weeks off since I was in college. I say that with regret, not pride.

It was simply fabulous! I can not express what good it did me to be gone for an extended period of time. If you have the ability to link some days together to get an extended break, take it. It is healing and healthy. My family is better off, my marriage is better off, and I am definitely better off.

It's funny that God prescribes rest, He orders it and calls for it, but we don't take Him seriously. Then we wonder why our faith is weak, our ministries are a weight, and our burden is heavy. At least I do. My challenge from here is to do a better job at building rhythm. I've worked at it before, but I have to continue to try. I can't give up.

What are you finding that works for you to help with the rhythm of life?

Doves, Lambs, and Swords

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:07:00 +0000

What is it about Jesus that makes Him so hard to be seen as the One? John the Baptist says that he wouldn't have known Jesus was the Messiah if God hadn't told him ahead of time to watch for a sign. He was supposed to watch for the Spirit to settle on someone. Again, we have that imagery from Genesis. God the Creator, speaking words about the Spirit. When John saw the dove settle on Jesus, he knew.

What about Jesus makes it so hard to take Him seriously? I still struggle with it. Just today I blew Him off completely and did things my way, making a total mess of it. (And it's only 10 am!) What would help was if He showed up with a sword, swinging, demanding, telling everyone to drop and give Him twenty! He will do this one day, but not yet. He comes as the "Lamb of God", John the Baptist says. (This is, by the way, the only place in the whole Bible that phrase is used.)

But then, when I do screw up, His love and willingness to carry my mess drops me to my knees. I am so completely messed up and unworthy of His forgiveness, yet He drops it, heavier than any sword. He forgives, loves, and reaches out to me, over and over and over.

This Lamb of God is unlike anything I've ever known.

Who Knew?! John 1:19 - 28

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 14:13:00 +0000

Reading through John 1:19-28 today. Wow, I learned a lot!

For example, in this passage, John begins telling us about the first week of Jesus' ministry. I never noticed the "the next day" verses in 29, 35, 43, etc. John continues his parallel to Genesis 1 that he began in the very beginning of the book. I love that kind of detail that God puts in. Here the creator is creating again, a new ministry, a new era, a new history. All in seven days, ending with a miraculous marriage and party. And what about this idea of ending with a marriage? The whole Bible begins with a marriage (Adam and Eve), and ends with a marriage (Christ and the church). So, here in Jesus' first week is a microcosm of history. Too cool!

Secondly, I want to be like John the Baptist (JtB). I've read this passage a couple of dozen times, and never really stopped and looked at what John is doing here. JtB gets this delegation out to see him, to legitimize his ministry. It's his chance to step onto a national stage and establish himself. What an opportunity! But he blows it. As these big leaders question him, each answer speaks less and less about him and more and more about Jesus. His first answer is "I am not the Christ". Then "I am not". Then down to "No". He simply doesn't want to talk about himself. That is ALL I want to do most of the time. But JtB wants to talk about Jesus. I love that, and am going to consciously work towards that.

Also, the bit about him being unworthy to strap Jesus' sandal is something I never got before, at least not totally. I just discovered that in their culture, a disciple would do many things to help out their rabbi. The rabbi wouldn't get paid for teaching the scriptures, it was an honor. (I don't get paid for teaching either. I love that part of my job. I get paid for doing paperwork! Ugh!) So the disciples would offer service to help out their rabbi. But there were limits to what they would do. There is an ancient rabbinic saying that goes "Every service which a slave performs for his master shall a disciple do for his teacher except the losing of his sandal-thong." It was beneath the disciple to do this. But here, JtB picks that very thing to say he is unworthy of doing. I often think Jesus owes me, and JtB says he isn't even worth touching Jesus shoes. I have much, much work to do in this area.

Just some thoughts as I was reading today. I love the fact that this book never gets old!

Deep Justice in a Broken World

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:03:00 +0000

Recently, I've read Deep Justice in a Broken World. I've had my Taylor students working though it. Of course, I'm learning more from teaching it than they are. They are brilliant, I'm not. So, I have more to learn.

The core idea of this beast is that there are three levels of service. The first is physical, and it like giving food out at a food pantry. Excellent ministry, and one of my favorite service opportunities at our church! The second level is relational. This is more of befriending the folks who are hungry, and helping them learn to grow their own garden. You hang with them in the training time, and then stay with them afterwards. I am not nearly as good at this level. The third level is systemic, and this is the farthest from my current lifestyle. This is asking why the people are hungry to begin with, and then doing the long term work to fix the systems around them. Political, social, anthropological, etc. It's working to find what are the reasons working men and women still can't feed their kids? What is taking their money, and how do we help rectify that situation?

The book challenges that all three are the realm of a solid, Biblical youth ministry. Man, that hurts. We are barely scraping 1/3 of that calling. So, I'm looking at it and praying about it. I want to dismiss the whole thing as socialism run amok, and unrealistic for kids. But, I know better. We are called to defend the poor, the widow, and the oppressed. You can only help the oppressed by resolving the oppression. So it is with this that I am wrestling.

What does this look like in Shelbyville? What do we need to meet physically, then emotionally, and then systematically? We have a growing homeless population. I know we must do something. So we are. We will start with what we know, and trust that as we seek, ask, study, and look, God will show us the next piece.

What about you? Your ministry? What will you do?

Youth Ministry 3.0

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:44:00 +0000

When I was in Nashville for the NYWC, I picked up Marko's Youth Ministry 3.0. I've been reading a lot of the reviews on it, which you can find on his blog. They are pretty accurate with what I found. I was really surprised at how short it was. Don't know why that surprised me. I guess I thought "manifesto" and assumed a few hundred pages. Instead, it was 108 pages, mid sized print, with 27 pages of footnotes (that part I appreciated). I read it on three levels: first, as a lifer in youth min (17 years and counting), what is God showing me here? second, as a leader of a mid sized team of leaders, is this helpful for them? third, as a youth ministry prof, will this work for my college students?

In short order, it helped me personally to ask questions. It isn't a resource that I will put in my volunteers hands. They don't go this philosophical in their thinking of ministry. I'm not sure about my students. I'll re-read it for them again. It might hit, I'll have to see.

Overall, Marko has done a great job of asking questions. His retelling of how we got where we are is succinct, but helpful. For more of that thought, look to Revisiting Relational Youth Ministry by Andrew Root. (Deep, but excellent!) I think Marko's tone is one of the healthiest I have heard in an author wanting to question the church; he's honest it seems, owns his own contributions to how we got here, isn't advocating an "abandon ship" attitude, and wades in with ideas and theories, knowing they are not a "one size fits all" solution. I'm really impressed. Marko, keep writing in this vein, you're only going to get better at it. I need it, and we need it.

But, as a youth pastor at a large church in a small Midwest town, does it help? Yes. And no. I feel like Marko is pointing to the same questions I'm asking. He is giving permission to continue the ongoing conversation about "why is this not working?" He provides a model for humble AND honest dialogue. He reminds me that I am not alone. But I don't feel any farther down the road than before I read the book. I just feel like I have more companions on this journey to "who knows where?"

Don't misunderstand. I'm not discouraged. I know God is well aware of where we are going. He just hasn't shown me the greater picture. I'm not sure He will. I'm not sure He will give it to anyone to write a book about. That's the challenge of the 3.0 idea. Organic. Different. Marko makes this clear. It won't be another program we all adapt. It is simply a journey. The Way. Jesus.

I'm just glad Marko is on it with me.

NYWC follow up

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:00:00 +0000

I had the beautiful opportunity to be at the NYWC this past weekend in Nashville. A few of my leaders, Michael, Justin Douglas, and one of his students, Paul, all went together. It's always fun, it's always refreshing. But, God is continuing His discussion with me about youth ministry, and where we need to go. I really feel this year He has/is pulling me forward more than in years past. Pieces are beginning to gel inside my mind and soul about where we need to be moving towards. I'm excited for the changes, I'm grateful for his leading, but I'm mostly scared. I don't usually get afraid, but what I'm beginning to see in the fog seems like it's going to be costly to me personally. So, I'm scared.

I know He will take care of it. I know that.

But, I'm still nervous.

NYWC

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 20:12:00 +0000

I'm at our annual youth workers convention in Nashville, TN this weekend. God always works on me during these trips, and this one is no exception. We have so much to do to continue growing in our ability to connect students and Jesus. Our conversations this year are very healthy, and I am SO grateful for the leaders I have here with me! I'm really excited to see where all of this leads. I sense God working in a bit deeper, long-term change this time around. It should be fun.

Beep Beep

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:36:00 +0000

The craziest thing happened while I was sitting here. Jim's heart started beeping. Loudly. Jim is the pastor who shares the office with me, and apparently at 10:06 every morning, his heart beeps for 45 seconds very loudly. It was crazy! He explained it to me, it's his pacemaker. The thing is talking to him, because the battery is starting to wear out, and has to be replaced in the next two months.

First of all, having your heart beep at you, and I mean loudly beep at you, is freaky enough. But then to be told that the battery in it will only last two more months, that's some stiff news. Jim has to schedule an appointment to get his pacemaker replaced. Major surgery. Big time stuff.

Yet, Jim handles it all pretty well. I mean, I'm sure he worries about it at some level, but his faith seems to be carrying him along.

Now before we get all upset about Jim, we need to consider that the only difference between him and us is his heart beeps loudly. Listening to him explain what is going on reminded me that we all have a beeping heart at some level or another. Death is that topic we all hate to admit exists, yet it's simply a universal part of living. So, the real question is what do we do while our heart is still beating along? How do we invest our days? It's the age old question, yet it is still well worth asking. And answering.

Invest your day well today. After you read this, pray. Ask God what He has for you. Listen to what He says. The beeping is only the signal for a transition. What we do here carries on once we are done. Don't be afraid of what is coming. Let your faith carry you. But don't miss today either.

Did Huey Lewis Have It Right All Along?

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:02:00 +0000

I'm a little worried. I've made a decision, I've opened a new chapter in my life, and I'm not sure if it was a good thing or not. Today, I have a delivery coming my way, and it might be something beautiful and good, or it might be a tool of destruction and pain in my life. I'm not sure at all which it will be. Other people who deal with it call it a destructive pattern, or an addiction. They compare it to being hooked on crack. And here, me, as a pastor, I've opened my soul up to it.

I ordered a Blackberry, and it's scheduled to arrive today.

I'm afraid. Very afraid. Am I strong enough to handle it? I've always approached this issue from a standpoint of staunch abstinence. What will become of me? Will I be an addict, with the shakes from email withdrawal? Or will it propel me towards organizational greatness?

Actually, I know the answer. It's neither.

But it's funny how I can get so attached to stuff, even before I have it. It's funny how stuff is a center for conversation with others. When it's all said and done, it's just a phone. It's just a tool, a thing.

But I'm still excited it's coming.

Investment Options

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:39:00 +0000

Last night, one of our leaders, Renee Ramsey, taught in our 7th and 8th grade group. Man, did she knock it out of the ballpark. It's so exciting to see someone grow up in the ministry, and become such an amazing minister and teacher. Unreal!

So, I want to encourage you, who are you building into today? Be faithful to pour yourself into some other people. We won't see all of them turn out the way we hope. Some of them will let you down. Don't give up on them. Their story isn't done, you don't know what God has in store for them.

But some of them will exceed your hopes. That is a beautiful thing to see and be a part of.

So keep investing in others. If you haven't started yet, just ask God. I guarantee there is someone He wants you to mentor and invest in. It's what we do.

A 33 Year Old Teenager?!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:03:00 +0000

In an article I just read on a site called Marketing Vox ("Youth No Longer Defined by Age; Consumers Stay Younger Longer"), it describes, from a business and marketing side, how adolescence is extending up to 34 years old. Yeah, you heard me, 34 years old! Good grief!

But, as this is bearing itself out to be true, whether we like it or not, how does this affect the church? How about youth ministry? What should we do to look forward towards this issue?

I'm not sure, but it's worth thinking though. If you have any ideas, please throw them in and let's talk about it.

(If you go read the article, don't look directly at the picture of Cher on the left side of the page. It will cause you severe physical and emotional pain!)

Inside Out with Peter

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:56:00 +0000

I've been reading in 2 Peter this week (2 Peter 1:3-11). Chapter one has some really cool stuff in it. When you look at it, the first four verses talk about how Jesus has "given us everything we need for life and godliness." That's an amazing statement. We're packing all we need. Wow. So why do I still struggle?

Well you look at the following verses, and Peter gives this disjointed list of virtues for us to add to our lives. But he follows the list with this promise "if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of Jesus". That gets my attention! So I've been pouring over the list of virtues, and trying to see the connection between them all. One of my friends, Annette, made the comment she can do most of these, but only one at a time. So, I've been trying to find the connection.

Here's what I'm seeing. The list goes faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. Beginning with faith, we are at the "core" of our being, the center of our soul when dealing with faith. Then it moves to our soul, our mind, our ability to limit our actions, our ability to keep at other actions, what people see in us, how we treat other believers, and finally how we treat everyone. It seems to be an inside to outside progression.

I got thinking about this, and how so often I try to go from faith to self-control to love, missing key components along the way. So, I'm beginning to work on following Peter's progression with a few things in my life I have been unable to beat. I'm just into it today for the first day, so I'm interested in seeing how it will play out.

Any thoughts you guys have would be really cool to hear!

Daytona Here We Come

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:34:00 +0000

Back in 1991, I headed from Virginia to Florida for a big bmx skatepark competition. It was a really big deal back then. As I recruited some friends to go, we decided to rent a (dum de dum dum duuummmmm.....!) mini van. I had never drove one yet, but I thought they were cool. So we rented a Pontiac Transport that was 1/2 car and 1/2 space shuttle. It was cooler than cool.

Now I realize that a mini van isn't cool. But when you're in college, the thought of all of your friends getting to travel in one car instead of two was really exciting, especially back then when it didn't happen often. So, we rented a mini van that could seat seven, but ended up with nine going. We crammed nine bikes, spare parts, safety gear, luggage, and people into that thing, and left on a Thursday night to drive through the night to Daytona Beach in Florida. It was nuts! We had bikes and parts strapped to the roof, to a WAY overloaded bike rack on the back, and crammed floor to ceiling in the van. We had people literally buried under suitcases who had to be rescued whenever we stopped. We had guys riding on the floor next to seats. It was packed, loaded, close quarters, hot, and smelly. Hands down, it was one of the best trips I've ever taken.

It was great because I loved the guys who went. And we were out to accomplish the mighty task of having fun and adventure. The conditions only made it that much crazier and funnier. We loved every truck stop we hit, with people counting as we got out of our clown car. We laughed at jokes, yelled at each other, and generally had a time of mayhem.

There are so many stories from this one trip. We lost the place we were supposed to stay, so we crashed in a single hotel room, only to have eight more guys join us. We have at least six stories from just the competition itself. There is a classic story of Eight Ball having a run in with a Quickie Mart clerk in the middle of Georgia at three am. So much fun and memories.

When I think of what community can be like at it's best, I think of this trip. I miss those guys. I miss those times. I miss being that well known, accepted, and loved. I long for it. I mean, my family far exceeds those bonds, don't misunderstand me. But outside of my family, it's hard to come by those types of relationships. We are too busy, too pre-occupied, too overcommitted, too tired. But I know one day, this world will pass. There is more to life than what we see here. So, I'll continue working to build community with those around me. I'll love, give, pray, and hope. But I know one day, there is a world of mini vans and too much luggage coming. Actually, one far far better than anything I've ever seen or tasted yet. I'm ready for that road trip, no doubt!

Worship Soon and Worship Often

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:25:00 +0000

Lately, I've been wrestling with what worship looks like, especially in student ministry. Our church has the standard youth worship team comprised of students who give time, prayer, and practice towards leading the group musically. Honestly, they are excellent. They even lead our adult services on a somewhat regular basis. We do a monthly worship night with our senior high students where we set aside two hours for times of contemplation, prayer, art, rest, listening, writing, confession, and scripture reading. They have historically been powerful times of us giving our attention and time to God as a gift. But what more is there?

In thinking about this, and praying through it, God's really pushing on me with this whole idea. I thought I'd share where I'm at, lay out in a couple of pieces what's going on and what I see coming, and then I'd love to get your feedback. Honestly, I really need your feedback to see how God is working in everyone else on this issue.

Ok, so here it is. I'll start with the Biblical side and encourage you to add to or challenge what I've found. As I have been looking through the Bible at worship, it seems to be centered around the idea of responding to the good things God has done and who He is. But more than just responding. Immediate response seems to be a high value as well. You have Adam and Eve simply spending time with God, talking to Him, loving Him. But then after the fall, it continues. Moses worships at the burning bush, Jacob stops in his flight from men who want to kill him to build an alter and worship. Job worships every day, praying for his kids. David mourns until his child dies, then immediately cleans himself up and worships. Isaiah falls down at the sight of God and worships. Jesus worships His Father many, many times in the gospels. The disciples stop what they are doing to give thanks to the God who saves them. The angels fall in Revelation every time God speaks. There seems to be an immediacy, an urgency to worship. It isn't always a planned event, but often is a response to God's showing Himself. The timing is irregular, and spread all throughout the day. And, by the way, singing is a minority act.

Obviously there are many, many more examples from Scripture. But as we find them, we see in them a responsive quality. There are the days set aside for celebration in the community. The Jewish temple feasts were regular days on the calendar. But even those are in response to God moving in large, redemptive ways.

It seems to me that we have, or at least I have, shifted to more of a model that says we will show up and worship on our schedule, and we will worship in the ways we want to, focusing on what we wish. My faith community doesn't seem to do much in direct response to what God is doing or revealing Himself to be.

I recently spoke with some students at a Christian college that I teach at. I asked them when they worshipped. "Chapel" was the unanimous answer. "What is done that is worship in chapel?" "We sing", they replied. If you ask my youth group, they would say we sing. If you prod them, they will pull up the other pieces of communion, prayer, listening, meditation, scripture, etc. But singing dominates the landscape of our worship. Many of us have developed a stage based program where the shiny happy pretty people are on stage using their musical abilities, while the rest of us who aren't as brave or talented face them and join in. Now, before anyone gets upset, I'm not saying we pitch student worship teams, or that we abandon singing. I am asking have we gotten lopsided in our approach, and what values are we communicating about people and worship through our approaches?

I look at how we put together a worship service. Typically it is comprised of songs we like to sing, because of the tune or the lyrics. They typically move in a direction in their styles. Either fast to slow, or fast to slow to fast again, etc. We arrange them, and sing them because they are true. As long as we are singing songs that are theologically true, then we are doing worship. I'm not convinced. Now obviously, we would include that the singer needs to be aware of the lyrics, and "mean" them "from their heart". But even with that clarification, does that guarantee worship? I'm not sure.

So, we are looking at making a shift in our understanding. We are going to begin working on making worship more of a rhythm in our times together. We want to see our students respond to God on a daily basis in smaller, less programmed ways. Therefore, we're going to work on giving them a time to respond to God at our weekly meetings. We're just on the beginning side of this, and haven't gotten far into it yet. But we want to have students wrestle with what God is doing in their lives, and then give them creative ways to respond to Him. We will probably still use some of the same tools we have (journaling, prayer, creative art, poetry, communion, etc.) But instead of keeping it to one night a month, we are going to work smaller pieces into each week. And then they will be very focused on what God is revealing to us right then.

The other piece is that our leaders, starting with me, are going to need to begin practicing this daily form of worship as an immediate response. If we don't live it, then it won't be passed on. It's like teaching about the need to regularly fast, and then only fasting during the 30 Hour Famine. It rings hollow. (Not that I've ever done that!) I'm working on building into my daily rhythm small times to stop and worship God. Nothing big, but actually stopping what I'm doing to worship. It's coming really slowly, unfortunately. I simply forget. And I think that's the idea behind it. So we won't forget.

My hope is that my life will be one of worship, and that student's will catch a picture of what their lives could be like as they worship whenever and wherever they need to.

This is where I'm really need your ideas. What are you working on? Do you agree with the theological ideas, or are they off base? How is God challenging you, and what steps are you taking? Any help you can give will definitely be appreciated on my end.

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:03:00 +0000

As I've been on my rear with a virus (who knew a doctor can't prescribe medication for a virus? huh....anyway) I've had some time to read. So I've read the Ted Dekker trilogy of the Circle.
The first book is Black, the second is Red, and the third is White.

Honestly, if you dig fiction, go the library and get these. They've been out a few years now, and they were amazing! The scene of Eden in the first one brought me to tears in my desire to be home with Jesus. I'm not kidding, and I don't think it was the high fever and Dayquil entirely at fault.

I really encourage anyone who enjoys fiction in the whole espionage, fantasy, spy game genre to check this series out. It's well worth it.

Five Days and Counting

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Chenoweth) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:48:00 +0000

Okay, I admit it. I have trouble slowing down when I'm sick. I've been feeling under the weather for the past five days. It always goes away on it's own. Always. Sometimes. But I'm starting to wonder if it's going to this time. I may have to do the one thing I have such a hard time doing...go to the doctor.

Why does this bother me so? Because I'm the fixer. I mean, my name, according to all of those cheesy Christian store bookmarks and coasters, means "Healing One". I fix everyone else. I don't need fixed. Oh, I know, this sounds ridiculous. But it's there, under the service. It's not an idea that I am regularly aware of, but it is definitely a value that drives me. I encourage others to get help when they need it, but I rarely take that advice. I'm a complete hypocrite in this area.

Isn't self revelation tough?

So, what am I to do? I'll go to the doctor in the morning, for one thing. I'd go today, but I have to teach my class at Taylor. (How do you like that justification?) But I need to do more than this. I mean I have spiritual sickness and emotional sickness as well as my physical ailments. I've got to return to trusting my friends and letting them into my soul and life.

Sigh...

When? It's easier to write it than to do it.

I honestly don't know. Unfortunately, it won't be today. I am legitimately too busy.

Wow. More than an excuse, I have ordered my life poorly, in such a way that I really have boxed myself in. It will take a while to rework this. But I must. God's been pushing me on it for a while, so I need to keep moving towards this.

He is faithful. I just need to follow. I can do that.