Not Complicated

I was reading the creation account (in Genesis Chapters 1 and 2). I was really struck by the simplicity of it.

It is not complicated... miraculous yes... complicated no.

Perhaps I have a tendency to over-complicate things when it comes to life and more importantly faith. I am neither the first or the last to make this observation, but today, I make it again. Perhaps you will join me in the thought.

Just when I thought I was ready to move on to all the stuff I had to do today, I came across an email from my brother. He wanted my mother and me to watch this video. It is not complicated... just miraculous...


[If you honestly don't have time... start at the 5:30 mark (you will miss something but still get the main focus)]

A Video About Discipleship - NOT

In my research of Discipleship, I came across the following video...
It is a nice video... but it isn't depicting Discipleship. While I'm being negative let me add a few more critiques. Discipleship is not evangelism and it is not ministry (it includes them, but they are not equivalent as the video implies). It also is wrong when it implies that community does not happen inside a church building. ALSO, Implying that we Christians in the United States are going to save the whole world by sending OUR missionaries ignores the last 40 years or so. IN FACT it is we Christians in the USA who need others to send missionaries to us. Although, you have to admit, the missionary "launching" really looks like a whale of a lot of fun. Programs, events and meetings are not necessarily bad.

But let's not throw the baby out with the bath water... This is a great challenge to churches. "Go" does seem to mean to go to "home," "school," "work," etc. The video calls us to utilize Christian community in order to minister to our neighbors. But "Who," you ask, "is my neighbor?" That's a blog for another day.

Even though my critique is extensive ... I still think it is well worth watching.

Family and Youth Coordinator - the start

There are certain days when life takes a dramatic turn, today is one of those days...

Today, I begin a new position at New Covenant Presbyterian Church in Monroeville, PA. For the first time in 20 years, I will not be directly involved in church planting.

My initial philosophy of Family and Youth ministry looks something like this...

... I should note that this diagram represents my own philosophy of Discipleship as it currently stands.

The official job responsibilities are...

... this second word cloud was generated from the responsibilities section of the job description as follows...

1. Program Ministry - provide leadership in planning, implementing and leading activities such as, but not limited to Sunday school, Youth and stand alone programs, i.e. retreats and summer programs.
2. Leadership Development - Identify, recruit, train and mentor Sunday school instructors and youth volunteers. 
3. Ministry to Families - develop and implement educational ministries to assist parents in their spiritual leadership role. 
4. Administration - a) maintain on-going communications with Session, the church staff and the Discipleship committee, b) create routine communications for the congregation regarding ministry offerings, programs and schedules and c) attend Session meetings and Discipleship committee meetings, as appropriate.

I am NOT publishing these word clouds in order to to make an editorial observation - I am too new for that. Rather, I publish these to document this point in time, where I begin the quest of better understanding where my responsibilities and priorities will be.

In order to begin, I will be meeting with as many church people as I can. I love this phase... as Henry Blackaby urges... I am looking to see where God's Spirit is already blowing in order to hoist my sail in His wind.

Lord Jesus... I ask your blessing as I enter this process.

Cal's First Blog Entry

I make this journal public with the hope that others will correct when I stray from the true, good and beautiful. My primary purpose is to maintain a record of my thoughts. I welcome your reactions, thoughts and corrections.

Well, here I go...