mike collins' blog

A thought I can't shake...

2012-02-22T09:59:00.000-06:00

While listening to a lecture in my youth ministry evangelism course, a short rabbit trail stuck out to me about who our neighbors and friends are.

"When little kids in gym class are told to grab a friend, they reach for the kid's hand right next to them. Teenagers and adults often look around the room and ignore the person right next to them."- Chap Clark

I do the same thing. I hadn't realized how the messages I received from my culture pressured me to ignore my neighbor. At my darkest I look to partner with people who can give me something or promote me or make me feel good. I don't have any profound things to add to that quote, just the image of children in some PE class grabbing their neighbors hand.

What kind of world would this be if we took to heart this notion of friendship? How would we treat our neighbors? our coworkers? our family?

What Will Consume you?

2012-02-09T12:05:00.002-06:00

Our cohort is taking a look at the impact of economics on culture. Of our reading material, I was so interested in the concept of consumption. What consumes you and what do you consume? I appreciate the potential Christians have to speak to this issue. Check out these videos.

What challenges you about the concept of our consumer culture?

2012-02-06T11:54:00.000-06:00

This week my cohort is looking at economics and social justice issues and we will do some processing together about ways the church can speak to these issues. This is one of the first quotes I came across in my assigned readings.

Mother Teresa said, “The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis, but rather the feeling of being unwanted, uncared for, and deserted by everybody. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love.”
Arloa Sutter (2010-09-01). The Invisible: What the Church Can Do to Find and Serve the Least of These (Kindle Locations 448-450). Wesleyan Publishing House. Kindle Edition.

What is a convert?

2012-02-02T11:04:00.000-06:00

This semester I'm taking two classes. One of which is with one of my youth ministry heroes, Dr. Chap Clark, Author of Hurt: Inside the World of Today's Teenagers (Youth, Family, and Culture).

In our first few weeks we have been reflecting on something called Incarnational Witness. The basic idea is that our methods of evangelism should reflect the life and model of ministry Jesus practiced. This model dictates that evangelism should be motivated by the same things that motivated Jesus, like being sent by the Father. We should model our evangelism after Christ's example, leaving our place of comfort to go to the broken, the hurting, and the forgotten.

These lectures are invigorating my love for youth ministry!
The course material is also solidifying my belief in relational youth ministry as opposed to creating a class or a program for every kind of problem teens will face. When I look back at my adolescence, it was people who journeyed with me that made the difference and not classes or even sermons! I remember the way my youth pastor and youth leaders listened to me, came to my games, and took my questions. I pray that I can be that for our youth and train others in the same model.

When you think back to your teenage years or even a recent crisis, what made the difference for you?

Are we welcome?

2012-02-01T10:38:00.000-06:00

This past Sunday we had a service where our youth sent in questions via text message and our team took turns answering them. I was struck by one of the questions, "My parents and I used to be Jehovah's Witness and now we've made up our own religion. Are we welcome at Shoreline?" Most of my thoughts were drawn from Shaping of Things to Come, The: Innovation and Mission for the 21st-Century Church

First off, I posted about our predominant culture's posture towards 'do it yourself' religion and was not surprised to see it show up in our youth meeting.
I also spoke to her about our Church's philosophy. Shoreline wishes to engage Austin's culture and to say that they were not welcome to attend our services based on their beliefs of behavior wouldn't sit well with our leadership. We don't make attendance about belief and behavior, however we make no apology for teaching very specific things about how we believe and how our church family should behave.
Then, there was almost sadness in the question. "Are we welcome?" That part of the text, as it was read aloud broke my heart. In it I heard a longing for community, for belonging, and for connection. This is so prevalent in our culture, regardless of age.

How about your experience with church communities? What is your experience with church community? Are there things that people do or believe that would make them unwelcome?

"Radical Alternative"

2012-01-31T10:30:00.000-06:00

I forgot where I found this, but it showed up in a file I clipped from my studies.

Stanley Hauerwas and William Willmon propose a "confessing church" model as a "radical alternative" to the "activist" (Constantinian) or "conversionist" (privatized) models that are current. What they envision is the church as "an alternative polis, a countercultural social structure called church." Such a church has its overriding political task "that again asserts that God, not nations, rule the world, that boundaries of God's kingdom transcend those of Caesar, and that the main political task of the church is the formation of people who see clearly the cost of discipleship and are willing to pay the price." They invite us to see ourselves with the exilic eyes as "resident" aliens, an adventurous colony in a society of unbelief."

The privatized church model is centered too much on the individual for me. The church is not a provider of goods and services. It is something so much more than that.

Whether we like it or not, we are "resident" aliens in our surrounding culture.

What if we (as the church) viewed our apartments, homes, or where ever we live as foreign embassies, representing another kingdom?

How would this change our church programs? How would this change the way we work, go to school, and interact with our neighbors?

Risky Improvisational and Experiment

2012-01-30T10:12:00.000-06:00

A church which pitches its tents without constantly looking out for new horizons, which does not continually strike camp, is being untrue to its calling. . . . [We must] play down our longing for certainty, accept what is risky, live by improvisation and experiment. —Hans Küng
Frost, Michael; Hirsch, Alan (2001-01-01). Shaping of Things to Come, The (Kindle Locations 34-38). Baker Book Group. Kindle Edition.

This is the type of life I know the Collins' family is called to. This is the kind of church community I dream of, one that lives like performance artists and functions like a light in the darkness. Have a great week!

What thoughts have challenged you recently?

Is there one way to Heaven?

2012-01-24T14:58:00.001-06:00

In a service on Christmas day, our worship pastor made a comment about Jesus being the only way to Heaven. The claim was a little more direct than we usually make, but I thought it was well in the appropriate bounds for a Christian worship gathering. I knew there was a Muslim man attending our service to watch his son perform in our service. I remember glancing his way to see his reaction and I was surprised to see him clapping. Even more so, he came up to me after service to tell me how much he enjoyed worshipping with us and to thank me for mentoring his son.

That's not the first surprise. The people who were offended by the claim were from our congregation. This week, these two youtube videos are assigned viewing in my Contemporary Cultures class at Fuller.

What do you think of these? Is there one way to Heaven or are there multiple ways? Has Oprah gone off the deep end here? How would you respond to these women?

I'm pretty conservative in my beliefs, but I'd like to know what you think.

I want to be missional.

2012-01-17T00:16:00.000-06:00

I've been a way a while because of work and school, but I have been reading a lot and I'm ready to start posting again. This one is longer than usual, but it encapsulates what I've been chewing on and wrestling with in my life and calling. I hope you enjoy!

The missional church is incarnational, not attractional, in its ecclesiology. By incarnational we mean it does not create sanctified spaces into which unbelievers must come to encounter the gospel. Rather, the missional church disassembles itself and seeps into the cracks and crevices of a society in order to be Christ to those who don’t yet know him.

The missional church is messianic, not dualistic, in its spirituality. That is, it adopts the worldview of Jesus the Messiah, rather than that of the Greco-Roman empire. Instead of seeing the world as divided between the sacred (religious) and profane (nonreligious), like Christ it sees the world and God’s place in it as more holistic and integrated.

The missional church adopts an apostolic, rather than a hierarchical, mode of leadership. By apostolic we mean a mode of leadership that recognizes the fivefold model detailed by Paul in Ephesians 4. It abandons the triangular hierarchies of the traditional church and embraces a biblical, flat-leadership community that unleashes the gifts of evangelism, apostleship, and prophecy, as well as the currently popular pastoral and teaching gifts.

Frost, Michael; Hirsch, Alan (2001-01-01). Shaping of Things to Come, The (Kindle Locations 346-356). Baker Book Group. Kindle Edition.

How to be a man part II

2011-10-19T10:57:00.002-05:00

Here's the presentation from tonight's talk to our guys. I'm highlighting some concepts as road markers for them to look at as they pass on to manhood. The presentation will make more sense along with my talk, so it may seem a bit abstract.

How To Be a Man Part II on Prezi

Awake

2011-10-07T14:21:00.000-05:00

A week ago I was awakened to the wonderful world of records. My friend bough me a real record player on craig's list and the first album I've ever known is U2's "The Unforgettable Fire." I know our Fuller Seminary rapid reading instructions tell us that music impairs us from reading well, and know the instructions are correct. Some habits are hard to break, but I'm glad I didn't.

While reading Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership I find myself repeatedly setting the book down because the lyrics and tones of the songs intersect perfectly with what I'm reading. It is too much of what my soul needs to be a coincidence. The album's title just hit me! "The Unforgettable Fire!!!"

Rock and Roll may not be your cup of tea, but I thought I'd share my experience because I feel like I'm so good at sharing the struggles I have, especially with my friends in ministry and at Fuller. At times I fear I'm too honest. The image manager inside my soul kicks in and I wonder if everyone thinks I'm a "downer." These past two weeks have seen major times of renewal in my family, professional, and soul life.

Marie and I are finding "the new normal" with two kids instead of one.
Conflict and Crisis at work doesn't take the emotional toll on me like it used to.
I'm having personal time with God more regularly again. I even dusted off my personal rule of life (from my first Fuller class) and set up a reminder for the doc to automatically pop up in my outlook calendar at the appropriate intervals. My soul is feeding for the first time in a long while.

If viewing on facebook click here.

Awareness

2011-10-06T09:25:00.000-05:00

Today, may you have the courage to "be." Be still. Be yourself. Stop for a moment. Notice God in your life. God's all around.

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV ²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Summer Wrapup

2011-09-08T10:13:00.000-05:00

Elevate 2011 Camp Recap from Shoreline Church on Vimeo.

My Grandparents on Youtube

2011-08-11T14:50:00.000-05:00

I just found this little gem of my grandmother (Mimi) and my grandpa (Pop) on the PTL club talking about Christmas memories. They begin talking at 2 min 50 seconds if you want to skip forward.

Way to go Mim!!!

If you are reading this on youtube, the link is here: http://youtu.be/_uLTOA6IrbE

Flowers don't lie: We are loved.

2011-07-30T03:15:00.001-05:00

Barak and I grew up in the same youth ministry. He was my theatrical mentor in middle and high school by example. I learned the art of improv from him and it was so encouraging to have an upperclassmen affirm me at such a young age. He really left a mark on my life.

I did and do now look up to him as a good buddy of mine and a wicked talented artist, actor, and comedian. I go to his site often for inspiration and often wind up procrastinating there for a while, but it is time well spent. This video made me realize that I extend grace to other people but not myself. Hey, if a flower says it, it must be true!

Let's realize that We really are loved!

Flowers Don't Lie from 50YearPlan on Vimeo.

Spiritual Formation. How do you do it?

2011-07-29T04:54:00.000-05:00

Just came across this quote while doing a paper on Character, Community, and Leadership.

"There are no formulas-no definitive how-tos-for growth in the inner character of Jesus. Such growth is a way of relentless seeking. But there are many things we can do to place ourselves at the disposal of God, and "if with all our hearts we truly seek him, we shall surely find him" (Jeremiah 29:13, PAR)"

Of our studies this far, this book has impacted me the most. I have a feeling that there will be more to come. Back to the paper.

The Bible and Missions

2011-07-26T00:14:00.000-05:00

Helen Montgomory was more than an author. She was a public offical, missionary, scholar, political activist and preacher (Rochester Regional Library Council 2000). Living at the turn of the 20th century dramatically effected her worldview, especially in the area of justice. I think this plays a large part in her perspective on the Bible and Misisons. She spent most of her life on missional projects and her education, culture, and gender must have made the missioal motifs of justice, God’s heart for the oppressed, and the nations leap off of the page.

Her thesis is clearly claims that the Bible is concerned first and foremost with God’s mission (Page 7). Her thesis goes so far as to claim that when one reads the scriptures, “the missionary message is inescapable.” (Page 7)

Montgomory remains true to her predominant modern culture by presenting a well constructed linear presentation to support her thesis. She shows the reader what she will say in outline form (Page 5-6; 52-53) before each chapter. As she begins to unpack her arguments she opens with definitions of various missinal motifs and key concepts (Page 8). Her prose is lively and it conveys the feeling that she strongly believes in what she’s writing.
Then she gets to work. In he following secsions she highlights in broad strokes the missional motifs in the major sections of the Hebrew Bible. She strengthens her claims by admitting that she cannot mention every motif and every example because there are too many for a brief treatment. This concession only helps her declarations because it makes the reader wonder how many other examples there are to support her thesis. Montgomery repeats the same pattern for the Christian Testament in the second section, organized first by section or genre and stopping at various high points of each book.

I must respond to Montgomory’s thesis as directly as I can. To put it bluntly, She had me at Goethe. Her diction and writting style was thoughtful, but not too thick to take down. I did make liberal use of the dictionary feature in my PDF reader though. To analyze this book after the ML 520 seminar is not much of a fair fight. I came into this assignment with some strong preconcieved ideas, so I must admit my bias.

I was particularly drawn to her treatment of Micha where she highlights his distaste for as she calls it “formal religion” (Page 35). Working in a Mega Church causes a tension inside me as I reconcile my weekly activities. I want so badly to make sure that I’m pleasing the Lord, but the seduction of performing or working to make things look good is an easy pattern to fall into. This book is familiar to me, but she highlighted something new to me in the previous sections. I never consicously considred that most the Hebrew prophets wrote about cultures similar to mine. I knew it, but the reality never sunk into my heart in a way that got my attention.Taking Micha’s words to heart, I am asking God to continually “purify” my religion and make it an offering that will please him.

This book will compliment shifts in living and thinking Marie and I are already attempting to make. We converse about what kind of children we think God wants us to raise and what kind of family God wants us to become. My preaching and teaching topics are also more missional in the kinds of words I use. Many of the topics are the same. However, I approach them from a different perspective of God’s mission. For a while, I will use this book as a resource for preaching. When I’m preaching on a text, I’ll make sure to glance at Montgomory’s comments about it, as to avoid proof texting or justifying my mission (Page 7).

References Cited

Rochester Regional Library Council: Western New York Suffragists. 2000. “Helen Montgomory” http://winningthevote.org/HBMontgomery.html

Elevate 2011 Summer Camp: Last Morning Service

2011-07-25T15:40:00.000-05:00

What is the Bible?

2011-07-25T15:36:00.000-05:00

Our ML 520 Biblical Foundations of Misison class is exploring the idea that the Bible is a missionary book. Of all the ways I've heard the Bible explained, (handbook, rulebook, instructionbook, etc) this is the theory I'm most attracted to. I'll post my report soon. Can't wait to dig into this one!

"That Book is not the book of a nation, but the Book of nations, because it places before us the fortunes of one nation as a symbol unto all the rest, because it connects the history of this one people with the origin of the world, and by a series of earthly and spiritual developments, of facts necessary and accidental continues it unto the remotest regions of the farthest eternities."

-Goethe

Elevate 2011 Summer Camp: Preservice

2011-07-25T14:59:00.000-05:00

We like to have a little bit of fun... I love that we did this at a Baptist camp.

homosexuality: stumbling towards a youth ministry response

2011-07-11T11:48:00.002-05:00

You Were Born What Way? | Youth Specialties

I just came across this article on the YS site. It's about the first time a youth pastor had a young person tell of their struggle with sexual identity.

He walked into my office, a junior high student in my student ministry – a young man that I had led in the salvation prayer several years ago when he was still in our children’s ministry program.
This was my first year as a student pastor – a novice. A newbie. I thought I knew all there was to know and thought I was prepared for any situations that came my way.
I was not.
He sat in my office and quietly began to tell me that he was unsure of his sexual identity.

This is not a new issue, of course. I am grateful for his perspective. Dealing with the topic of homosexuality is tricky for sure. In my experience there are no nuggets of truth to instantly take the struggle, feelings, or whatever away. I don't know of any homosexuals that have been argued out of their persuasion.

If I could do anything differently… if I could somehow go back in time to that first encounter in my office, I think that I would want the first and last words out of my mouth to somehow communicate that I loved him. And then I’d take him out for a coffee or soda and try and let him know that I’d be with him for the long haul.

Honestly, I've been cautious to address homosexuality directly in our services, because I've noticed that highlighting a particular sin can sometimes make young people think that they SHOULD be struggling with that area. However, I do feel the responsibility to address the issue, but will another sermon really help? In my experience, the approach of the author is highly effective, it just takes effort, prayer, lots of time, and wisdom.

Does this topic come up in your church or youth group? How have you approached the subject? How have you seen God's redemption at work in this area?

If you are a youth pastor, you need imovie.

2011-07-09T14:54:00.000-05:00

I was goofing around this morning and made a little trailer for summer camp. If you go to lift, sign up today! The registration deadline is tomorrow!!!

Stanley Hauerwas on Leadership

2011-07-06T23:43:00.001-05:00

We just finished a book by this guy. It was a collection of his essays and it really challenged the was I look at my family, Shoreline Church, and topics like sex and abortion. If you are a youth leader or a leader in the church. This is a guy you should know about. He's brilliant. He's a bit over my head, but it's a good stretch. Check out this video and get a few nuggets of wisdom out of it.

I also think he may be the voice of Jesus in the Vintage 21 videos. (posted below) :-)

Planning Season for Youth Ministry

2011-07-06T11:32:00.001-05:00

The first half of the year is over and it's well past time to put our fall ministry plan into effect. This video explains how how I feel about the process. If Jesus was running your church's youth ministry (it's a crazy claim, I know), what would his dreams be? (HT to Chad for the vid)

Top 20 Youth Ministry Blogs of 2011 | Youth Specialties

2011-07-06T09:39:00.000-05:00

Top 20 Youth Ministry Blogs of 2011 | Youth Specialties

I just came across this link on the YS blog and Marko's. I check these regularly for new ideas and to stay up to date with the American youth ministry conversation. Add them to your RSS feed or google reader to make it easier to follow. Enjoy!