Pumpin' the wattage into your cottage

I was asked this morning to be on the radio this Thursday to speak about college and young adult ministry. It is a great opportunity to spread the word about a demographic the church knows less and less how to reach and particularly about what it does look like.

We have already briefly discussed the reality that this is a group that is rapidly giving up on church, faith, etc. That reality drives a lot of us who doing what we can to reach out to this group.

They have asked that I prepare about 15 questions they can ask of me.

HERE'S WHERE I NEED YOUR HELP!

If you are involved in college and young adult ministry: If you were were given this opportunity, what would you want to be sure you addressed? If you were given an open radio mic to speak about the ministry you love to and for college students and young adults, what would you want to broadcast to many people who do not know how to reach this 'people group' we love?

If you are NOT involved in college and young adult ministry: Do you ever read this blog or hear other things from me and wonder "What the heck is he doing anyway?" If you could ask a college pastor anything about reaching this 'postmodern', 'post-Christian', generation-X-Y-Z, etc., what would you want to ask? Do you just wonder what I actually do at the coffee shop every day? What questions do you have?

I will be on air this Thursday, so I need your questions as soon as possible. You can comment them here at Ragamuffin Ramblings.

You can email them to ragamuffinpc@gmail.com

You can tweet me your questions @ragamuffinpc

So

You reap what you sow (Gal. 6:18) why are you surprised when you are lukewarm apathetic bitter ...

Others reap what you sow (Jn. 4:37) why are you surprised when they are lukewarm apathetic bitter ...

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READING: Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman LISTENING TO: Absence by Paper Route

Film Review to come...

A couple of great friends have sent me a rough cut of their film No Parking for me to review. Please take a couple minutes to check out their website for more information about this inspirational and infectious film, and check back to see the official review here at Ragamuffin Ramblings.

My Inept Ministry Degree

Undergrad Graduation Day
Many pastors and ministers to be are thrilled to "go unto the world and preach the gospel". Chalk full of theology, exegesis, and confidence, and we are ready to reach the world for Jesus Christ.

Year Following Graduation
Work the backroom at American Eagle or make lattes for Starbucks while you apply for grad school or seminary.

Graduate School/Seminary Graduation
The joke that theologians are just people answering questions nobody is asking is not funny. More and more confidence abounds to will-be-pastors and ministers.

I was ready and prepared to do ministry now. I am pretty solid on where I stand doctrinally, theologically, and most importantly, I know where I fall on the T.U.L.I.P. scale.

First Month of Pastoral Ministry
I have no idea what to tell a student who comes to me fearing she may have contracted AIDS while doing missions work in Africa.

Where was THAT class?

Second Month of Pastoral Ministry
Random jibberish terms like: ministry budget, proposed budget, faith budget, overdrawn, fleeting resources, income not meeting spending, church mortgage, pay roll, etc.

"It was my understanding there would be no math."

Third Month of Pastoral Ministry
A call is made of an elderly man in the ICU who is not expected to live through the weekend. All he wants is to speak to a pastor.

You're a pastor! Your nicely framed diploma says so.

It turns out a man who has owned more cars than years you've been alive does not want to hear much from a young ministry graduate as he's preparing to meet Jesus face to face.

He asks nothing about total depravity. Too bad, I was prepared for that question.

Fourth Month of Pastoral Ministry
Another homeless addict has made his way through the doors wanting to speak to a pastor. Maybe he's in dire need! Maybe he's manipulating you for things he does not need that you do not have.

I don't remember learning about this anywhere.

Fifth Month of Pastoral Ministry
The congregation is already a bit upset with changes you have made when God continues to inspire you to new things. One person wants to talk about it WITH YOU (if you're lucky).

Conflict!

And it is not conflict about whether baptism should be sprinkle or immersion.

Conflict = YOU! You are the problem...always!

Where was my class about that?

Sixth Month of Pastoral Ministry
Start to wonder if your pastoral ministry degree and classes really gave you everything needed to be a pastor.

You Are Insignificant?

"Today is just a day fading into another, and that can't be what a life is for." - Counting Crows Life at times feels like just another day like the one before it fading into the one after it. We move at a crawl through each day without any sense of direction or reason.

When our days are limited, coming to the end of a day like that seems pointless and disappointing. At the end of today, will I be able to say it was significant?

Will today have been intentional in any way? Will today have made any difference at all? Will I have made any significant step toward a vision? A goal? A purpose?

Today does not have to be just a day fading into another!

Significance is not an issue of fame or even recognition. Significance is an issue of making a difference where you are.

If you are a person of faith, significance is making a difference where God has placed you now today at this moment. (Eph. 2:10)

The main thing that will make this day significant is intentionality.

Intentional about relationships around you now...today. Intentional about resting and taking it all in now...for a second. Intentional about creating something now...no matter how tiny...

Run with that idea...

Review of "Derailed" by Tim Irwin

Derailed by Tim Irwin is the vaccination every leader needs but rarely gets, and the reason it is so rare is because it stings a bit. Irwin takes traces of common factors of decline for leaders of large and recognizable corporations and forms a powerful vaccination sure to immunize you from your own downfall as a leader.

The overall intention of this book is clear. It reveals certain vulnerabilities if left unattended can and will lead to ‘derail’. Character is the impetus for everything we do, and Irwin is clear in stating that the greatest impact of our leadership can always be traced back to our character.

The first ingredient in this vaccination is 5 parts profile. The reader is given a glimpse of 6 high level leaders who have derailed due to a character flaw left unattended. These profiles are written to not only commiserate with each fallen leader, but to identify with one or more of them. You quickly discover where this book may be leading you once you read these profiles.

A quick explanation of derailment follows. There are 5 stages to the process of an eventual derailment: Failure of Self-/Other-Awareness, Pride Before the Fall, Missed Early Warning Signals, Rationalizing, and Derailment. It is revealed how if left ignored, these stages happen almost effortlessly.

Irwin develops 4 dimensions of character each leader, no matter the capacity, should develop and maintain: Authenticity, Self-Management, Humility, and Courage. The explanations of these dimensions are the alcohol swab before the injection.

Injection: the derailment factors to be aware of if your leadership lacks any of the aforementioned character dimensions. The healing vaccination Irwin provides in this book necessarily is applied with a sting.

The book is closed with a soothing band-aid in a description of the ways to stay on the track without derailing. You can still be a dynamic leader if you do not ignore the danger, face the sting, and move forward. Irwin closes this book with a great look at how this is accomplished.

I received this book for free in exchange for a review to be written for Thomas Nelson publishing, but knowing what I know now, I would have paid a good amount to gain the tools provided in the reading of it. No matter the capacity in which you lead, this book will serve you very well in forming a long-lasting leadership wherever you are. It is the vaccination every leader needs.

My Favorite 3 Books (this year)

A friend of mine just asked me what my favorite 3 books I read in the last year are. I have not answered him (though I suppose this very post can be my answer). That is not a very simple question for me. I read a lot of books in a year. I also try to read about a variety of topics. Typically, I try to cycle through books on leadership, spiritual development, art, creativity, and church stuff. So it would almost be easier to select top books from each topic, but alas, that was NOT the question.

So here is my immediate reaction to his question, but not be the most thought through. This short list may be more adequately entitled "most memorable books I've read this year". No...thats not it. I'll just stop explaining and start writing:

"A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" by Donald Miller I like Donald Miller. I'm not obsessed with him like many are, but I really like Don Miller. This is his most recent book, and I loved it. The whole idea of living a great story is incredibly intriguing to me.

 "The Artists Way" by Julia Cameron This is one of the best books about art and creativity I have ever read. It is not a "new" book by any means, but I only read it for the first time in the last year. If you want to see your inner artist sparked again or for the first time, this is a great book.

 "The Tangible Kingdom" by Hugh Halter This book will not blow you away. It will not rock your world. It will not turn your perspective of the Church upside down, but it will certainly challenge you to begin thinking of things very differently. I loved this book, but I think it is only because it simply resonated well with where my heart had already been as it relates to the Church.

HONORABLE MENTION: "Angry Conversations with God" by Susan Isaacs "DeRailed" by Tim Irwin

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What are your favorite 3 books you read this year? (you may not post if your titles include the words: moon, eclipse or rogue)

How to Park at CSUS

I am a college pastor in Sacramento, and a majority of my students attend Sacramento State. I have come to discover there is a list of things every college student complains about, regardless of which school they attend: tuition, the food, the rules, and parking.

Most college pastors spend a decent amount of time on campus to hang out with their students, and I like to do this from time to time...if it weren't for the horrific parking situation. Allow me to elaborate on my experience.

STEP ONE Park in the 30 minute parking spaces. There are a few precursory steps before actually parking, so you can park for free in 30 minute parking while you run these quick errands.

STEP TWO - ATM Parking is going to eventually cost me $6 for the day, and who really carries cash any more aside from your grandmother? So I will need to go to the ATM on campus to get out cash. Naturally, you are only allowed to get cash in increments of 20.

I know what you're thinking; "But you only need $6." Yeah, I get it! What's more, the parking machine only takes exact change. So unless I want to make a $14 donation to California State University Sacramento, I now need to break my 20 to get exact change.

STEP THREE - Coffee Shop As expected, I will be getting coffee eventually. It may as well be now. I have to order my medium americano from one of the 75 Java Cities on campus in order to get my coffee AND break my 20 so I can pay my $6 parking fee.

If you're counting at home, my visit to campus has costs me nearly $8 for the price of parking plus americano.

STEP FOUR - Parking Machine The parking machine is located on the 3rd floor of the parking garage. You round your way up the garage to park (at your risk) in the flow of inattentive traffic with your hazards on while you pay for your parking pass. Ignoring the honks and near collisions, you collect your pass and prepare for the parking spot search.

STEP FIVE - Parking Garage Can you imagine a place where you drive an eternal circle while dodging vehicles and pedestrians who pay no mind to your existence? This is the reality of the CSUS parking garage. I have have driven the endless circles for nearly an hour and a half at busy times looking for a spot that never opens.

I am generally uncomfortable with the often necessary "stalking" approach for parking. This is the discovery of a solitary student walking in a fashion which makes you wonder, "Is he on his way to his car?" You drive slowly behind him as he walks, hoping not to creep him out in any way. If he is a decent human being, he will notice you are drafting him and will motion to you that he is NOT in fact walking to his car. But if he is typical, he will let you follow him for several minutes to the stairs in the parking garage where he leaves to go to class. SON OF A....!!!

You await the break in class times when enough people are leaving to find that spot accompanied by gleams of light and cozy chorale music. Alas! I am parked!

My americano is not lukewarm, and I've spent nearly 2 hours preparing and looking for a spot, but the opportunity to hang out with my students on campus is worth every second.

Something About Jesus: random notes on Matthew 13-21

On December 1, I began a challenge to read through the gospels in 30 days.  Along with a few other good friends, it has been a great journey through the life and teachings of Jesus. My hope was to include reflections along the way and offer a place for those taking the challenge to post their reflections as well.

Due to the weekend, I read a lot and posted little. So here are just a few random reflections on I had from chapter 13-21 of Matthew.

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CHAPTER 13 13:20-21 - I don't want to be without deep roots so my faith may last longer...this soil speaks of those who fall away or walk away from faith as soon as there are problems or questions. This seems to define too many college and young adults without deep enough roots to last 13:33 - Do we permeate our world like yeast? Or are we clumped up? 13:38 - THE GOSPEL IS NOT THE SEED! WE ARE THE SEED!

CHAPTER 14 14:15-16 - How often we want Jesus to just do something instead of us actually acting on things we are not only capable of, but called to do.

CHAPTER 15 15:18 - How much of my worship do I offer with my lips but not my heart? 15:15-19 - the heart, the HEART, THE HEART

CHAPTER 16 16:4 - A wicked and adulterous generation looks for miraculous signs - in the age of the "new atheism", we are a generation...a culture...a mindset not only looking for miraculous signs but demanding them 16:13-15 - Who do YOU say I am? - some say a lunatic, some say just a good man, some say only a great teacher, some say a prophet...but who do YOU say I am?

CHAPTER 17 17:17 - How long shall I stay with you? - Jesus knows he has to leave and die, but I wonder if he wonders at this moment, "Is this a good idea; leaving my Father's message and mission in the hands of these people?"

CHAPTER 18 18:7 - Things that cause people to sin - this shows us that bad things do happen in this world, and people have the choice to do horrible and bad things. These things will happen, and it is no good for the one who makes those things happen...but it is not God or Jesus who makes them happen 18:10-14 - I must not be a shepherd, because I would "count my losses" in this situation. If I leave the 99 for 1, I leave 99 at risk for that 1. This has to do with the difference between how I see the world and how God sees the world. I see it as good vs bad and he sees it as lost vs found. If I could change my perspective of the world, perhaps that 1 would be worth the risk of the 99 18:21-35 - ANY TIME I DECIDE TO LOOK DOWN ON ANYONE FOR ANY REASON (especially for not following Jesus), it is a clear indication that I have forgotten the depth of my own failure. I have forgotten how amazingly good God is

CHAPTER 19 19:16 - I noticed the rich young ruler wanted to know "what good thing" he needed to do to get eternal life...so familiar to those of us today who just want to be good enough or do enough good to get into a perfect heaven with a perfect God 19:17 - and Jesus is quick to show him he certainly is NOT going to be good enough to get eternal life...only God is truly good enough 19:18-19 - so Jesus shows him ways to be good, and the rich young ruler thinks he can accomplish these things UNTIL Jesus sets the hook in verse 21 19:21 - a good reminder that no you are NOT "good enough" 19:25 - The disciples ask the right question: "then who CAN be saved" if nobody can be "good enough" ANSWER: 19:26 - With man, impossible! With God, always possible!

CHAPTER 20 20:10-12 - Christians always think they are entitled 20:15-16 - How arrogant we are! 20:31 - WHEN THE WORLD DROWNS OUT OUR CRIES for Jesus, we have a choice. Will we just give up...OR...will we shout all the louder?

CHAPTER 21 21:9 - HOSANNA = "Save us" 21:44 - I want to be broken to pieces as I fall on the solid Rock of Christ, but I hope not to be crushed UNDER the weight of that Rock.

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LISTENING TO: Sidewalk Prophets (self-titled album)