Categories
Family Parenting

What’s the news?

                Kids used to pass a note to classmates in school wanting to know if their classmates liked them or not. At some point in your life, you have probably read, written, or at least heard about the note a student gives that says, “Do you love me, check yes or no?” If you’re a student today, you’re more likely to get a text message from another student saying “What’s the news?” Both the note and the text carry the same meaning as they both serve as a check-up on the status of the relationship. DTR or “define the relationship” is also a popular term that describes the same notion.

                Back in the day, a boy would call a girl to ask her out. Today, students can check up on each other through social media outlets, pictures, and posts. There is a lot of teen slang found in texts and posts today. To begin decoding the new language, you can start by googling “teen slang and text.” Netsanity.net has produced a decoding guide and says some acronyms are fun and harmless, some you just need to keep an eye on, and some are warning flags.

                A popular game as of late is the game app Fortnite. Students have fallen in love with this game because it offers them two things: (1) Competence and (2) Connection. Students want to achieve the highest levels and most points in games because games make them feel good about themselves. Students like challenges and overcoming challenges. Achievement is important to the next generation. Perhaps you are not challenging your student enough. Provide them a vision big enough to latch onto.

                I recently heard of a dad who couldn’t understand why his good Christian daughter enjoyed dating a pothead. Problem is the dad had not painted a brighter and bigger picture for his daughter to admire than her boyfriend could offer. The dad then decided that his family was going to get involved with building an orphanage in Africa. Guess what? The family did and the daughter dumped her boyfriend. Besides the challenge, I’m sure the event made the daughter feel more competent as well. Dad had raised the bar and his daughter passed the test with flying colors!

                But games also provide students with talking points. Since “everyone is playing,” students can easily initiate or jump into conversations with friends. Students are really just looking for acceptance. They have achieved their game goals and they talk about their story of doing so along the way. This way, students stay plugged into the game while staying plugged up with their friends.

                I met a veteran youth minister today by the name of Drew Hill. Drew shared a story that will stick with me. He said he went to his daughter’s soccer game. She was the goalie and made a bad mistake allowing the ball to go across the line. As her father, he yelled from the sideline, “Honey (that was her real name), I love you. Keep your chin up.” It’s easy to be there for our students when they win and the frenzied crowd is all around them at the end of the game. But who will be at the locker room when the game is over to support them when they lose and the crowd has disappeared?

                What’s the news? The news is that God loves you. God is not mad at you. He is not out to get you. He has provided you with his own Son’s death. What more could he give? Students are looking for love through messages, games, and sports. Will you let them know that God accepts them as they are? When the news students get isn’t good, when they can’t beat the game, when they feel they’re the reason the team lost, will you be there to offer them an alternate story? We have good news and it is the gospel!

Categories
Mentoring

Hi-Yah: Keep Chopping*

Ninja

Chances are you don’t know who Ninja is. Perhaps when you think of Ninja, you think of the old video game Ninja Gaiden or the Mighty Morphin Power Ranger ninjas. Or perhaps you think of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or the Karate Kid. Working with teenagers, the classic youth group game “Ninja” might come to mind. But Ninja is none of these.

                Chances are your students know who Ninja is. When professional golfer Tiger Woods won a golf tournament this past Sunday for the first time in five years, a mob of people followed Tiger up the fairway. All followers had their arm up in the air and held their phone sky high in hand so they could take a photo of the historic moment. I bring up Tiger’s name because Ninja has a crowd just as big following him. The difference is Ninja’s crowd is mostly online.

                Ninja is a pale, gangly young man with neon pink hair that students are going googoo-gaga over. Ninja is a far cry from Elvis. From a social media perspective, Ninja is bigger than soccer stars Ronaldo or Neymar. Ninja has 11 million, yes  11 million (and climbing), Twitch followers. Havn’t heard of Twitch either?

                Twitch is a livestreaming video platform produced by Amazon. Of course, there are multiple platforms in today’s world. In just two days, Ninja garnered 5.2 million Instagram views. Ninja has 3.2 million Twitter followers at the moment. Ninja has endorsements from Samsung, Red Bull, Uber Eats, and You Tube. It is estimated Ninja makes $500,000 a month. Ninja lives in a gated community outside of Chicago alongside other Chicago Bears football players.

                Ready to know who this masked man is? Ninja’s real name is Tyler Blevins and he is 27 years old. Tyler is married to his manager Jess and together, they own two Yorkshire terriers in their million-dollar home. In reality, Tyler lives in his basement. He sits in front of a couple of screens wearing a t-shirt and plaid pajama pants playing and streaming games all day. Ninja is a professional e-gamer.

The gig is harder than it sounds as Tyler is interactive, talking with others all the while he plays. Tyler spends about thirty minutes with his wife in the morning before streaming for six hours while she takes his business calls. Tyler and Jess take a break around 4 pm and then Tyler streams another six hours beginning at 8 pm. Tyler says his job is both physically and mentally exhausting and that he has only had one vacation in the past eight years. When the rich and famous Ninja does leave the house, he is mobbed and can’t do normal things like go to the mall, the movies, or out to eat. Would you expect anything different from a guy who plays Fortnite with Drake?

I have a two-fold purpose in writing this post. Many of our students really believe they are the next Ninja and that they are going to enjoy this lifestyle. Gaming is not only a dream students have. Gaming is a job they think they can have and make a living off of. We need to temper our student’s expectations a bit and ground students into a better reality. However, I wouldn’t shatter students’ dreams. I would just let students know the cream rises to the top and that it is very unlikely they will be the one. I would compare it to aspirations students entertain when they think they will be the next professional athlete. There is only one Tiger and there is only one Ninja. Even these names carry the notion that the feats these people are pulling off in their chosen fields are inconceivable for the average person.

Secondly, there is a life lesson students can learn from observing Ninja. Ninja is a tireless worker, a grinder. He has plays the popular app Fortnite twelve hours a day and has played 2,738 hours in 11 months (that’s 114 full days). He has streamed 8,203 total hours since 2015 (that’s 342 days). Ninja has been a professional gamer for the last seven years and went to his first gaming tournament eleven years ago.

When Ninja was asked how long he is going to keep playing, Ninja responds, “Until my family is taken care of. Say this ends tomorrow, we don’t have enough for the rest of our lives. I tell Jess, ‘Honey we’re not going to have that much quality time this year, or even next year. But if we do this right and I continue to grind for a couple more years, we can set ourselves up, and our family and our family’s family, for the rest of our lives.”

I love this response. I think God has blessed Ninja’s work ethic and Ninja’s love of family. I like and respect Ninja’s generational outlook on life, especially in relation to providing for his family. God often speaks of blessing the third and fourth generations. We should advocate for our students to hold the same values. We just need to remind them that the pro gaming (or pro golfing) lifestyle is a fantasy for most.

*Much of the content of this post comes from ESPN the magazine’s article: “The Legend of Ninja: Biggest Gamer in the World” by Elaine Teng.

Categories
Next Generation Ministry

New Book Release!

I am excited to inform you I have written another book! This book is primarily intended for youth pastors, student/family pastors, and next generation pastors. 

Come with me as I take student pastors and leaders on a ride through time to explore the history and future of student ministry! We will also look at where student ministry is today.

Trust me when I say this is an adventure you do not want to miss. 
Time-travel is quick! Hurry and jump in the student ministry time machine if you want to understand where professional student ministry has come from and where professional student ministry is going!

You can order your book from Amazon by clicking here.

Categories
Mentoring

To the 4th Generation

“You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” -2 Timothy 2:1–2

Generations are important! They matter. If you don’t believe me, just look down at your smartphone. Each generation of mobile technology gets faster and faster. If you did not know, 4G means the 4th Generation of mobile networking.

In 1940, there was 0G. This was the day of the “mobile radio telephone.” We wouldn’t think it was too mobile today. You could even find these phones installed in briefcases.

In 1980, there was 1G. Analog radio signals were key. International roaming began in 1981.

In 1990, there was 2G. This is when short messaging service (SMS) text messaging came into play.

In 2003, there was 3G. This was the first mobile broadband capable wireless network. In other words, we started emailing one another, browsing the web, and watching online TV. Speed = 384 Kbps.

In 2009, there was 4G. 4G provided us the first true Internet broadband data transmission rates. Just look at your phone bill. 4G LTE simply meant “Long Term Evolution.” Speed = 100 Mbps

And in or by 2020, there will be 5G. This is the next generation of cell phone technology. Speed = 10Gbps.

I want to stop at 4G. No need to get to far ahead of ourselves! In 2 Timothy 2:1–2, George Robinson has pointed out in his book With that there are 4 Generations represented (in italics)!

  1. “what you have heard from me” (Paul=1G)
  2. “what you have heard from me” (Timothy=2G)
  3. “entrust to faithful men” (3G)
  4. “who will be able to teach others also” (4G)

Paul understood the value of generational investment. Paul knew the gospel would spread to our day and time through generational handoffs. I like a church sign I recently read. I liked it even more because its football season and I like watching football. The sign said, “God recovers our fumbles.” As we pass off the gospel to the next generation, we make mistakes. We are human. God knew this or would not have referenced us as sheep. Sheep are dumb. What God is concerned about is that we try our best to pass down the gospel to those who follow us. The gospel message will never change. Methods do. When your method fails, God can recover your fumble. Go back to the drawing table and try again. We are in trying times, but we can’t stop trying.

Just as the phone has evolved, so must we. Knocking on doors might not be as effective as it once was. But utilizing social media may be even more effective. Find people who are faithful, available, and teachable whether they are online or not. And then start sharing the gospel and your life. Share the gospel the way you have been made. For me, its sports talk. As I talk college football, I begin connecting with people in the real and the virtual world. Then I can begin sharing the gospel and my life. It may be a longer process, but the pain is worth the gain when you see that person come to the Lord or sitting next to you at church (when they used to not attend).

How have you been wired to share the gospel? Maybe its music, cooking, writing, playing sports. You’re an artist. Start drawing!

Categories
Mentoring

Being WITH the Next Generation

How do we reach and keep the next generation for Christ? Biblical relational discipleship in the form of discipleship groups is essential. For more on this, read my two new books! Allowing the next generation to follow Christ (and to see what following Christ looks like) with other like-minded students pursuing the Savior cannot be underestimated. Teaching, fellowship, and community were always important to Jesus. But Jesus went beyond formal mentoring when making disciples. In other words, Jesus did not say, “Guys, I’ll meet you at the coffee shop this Friday, talk Scripture and life, and then see you again next Friday.”

Now, there is nothing wrong with meeting the next generation at Starbucks every Friday to study how the Bible meets life. In fact, meeting the next generation at third places such as Starbucks have become standard procedure. ‘Nones’ (the religiously unaffiliated) often opt not to enter through the front doors of a church until they feel comfortable doing so. We could consider ‘nones’ in the coffee shop Bible study as pre-disciples. Jesus didn’t call the pre-disciple fishermen to follow him at church, but rather  when they were mending their nets. Do you think these fishermen with the foul mouth of a sailor would have felt comfortable going to church? Now, I know Scripture doesn’t say these men cussed, but men who were out on the open sea two-thousand years ago are the same as men out on the open sea today. I can only imagine the words Peter would have used.

Imagine yourself before you met Christ. I’m sure you felt the same way, that church people would look down on you because you didn’t measure up. To reach the next generation for Christ, we must begin by placing ourselves in their shoes and remembering where we came from. All too often, those who have followed Christ for many years or who have been indoctrinated into the church begin to adopt a “holier than thou” attitude. But once our hearts have been corrected, we can begin to follow the ways of the Master. How did Jesus go beyond formal mentoring with the Twelve? He informally mentored them! He walked with his disciples, living life and applying truth to their world daily. He took everyday life as a practical means of teaching truth. And He expects his followers (that’s you and me) to do the same with others. Yes, we need a mentor, but we also need to be mentoring others.[1] Think Titus 2 where you see older men mentoring younger men and older women mentoring younger women. The next generation desperately seeks mentors to show them how to live for Jesus in the real world. The next generation doesn’t need another Bible study as much as they need to see older men and women living out Bible truths in front of them.

The greatest impact a leader can make is not in the masses to whom he speaks but in the few he mentors. Jesus poured himself into three men: Peter, James, and John. When you’re living life, there are no fronts. People see you for who you are. What are some normal or natural activities that you could begin to bring the next generation along with you on: Running errands, Taking a walk or drive, Cleaning your office, Going to the grocery store, Washing clothes, Preparing dinner, Working on a project, Doing yard work. Informal mentoring is not another item on the to-do list. It’s bringing others along with you for the ride and talking life and godliness with them as you go. Life-on-life discipleship is the superior model for intentionally making disciples. Just remember the mentoring relationship is not about the mentor, but rather Christ. The results speak for themselves: “When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).

[1] Italicized sentences come from the book With: A Practical Guide for Mentoring and Intentional Disciple Making

Categories
Creativity

Taking a Byte out of Apple

Apple recently became the world’s first trillion-dollar company. Apple is a company which has designed products that have completely altered our world. There is the real world and there is the virtual world and the two worlds have increasingly become one. For instance, now at the click of a smart phone, you can order full-course meals sent to your house rather than taking a visit to the local grocery store to buy an assortment of items you will have to cook. We used to hear the phrase, “what is the world coming to?” I think we have a better clue.

Not all the change has been good. I recently had a dream where God’s hand was in a wrestling match with man’s hand to let go of his phone. It’s as if man will give God anything, but not his phone. When this happens, which would you say has become god to man? Some people don’t think God ever gets jealous or angry, but they obviously have not read the numerous scriptures that speak to God’s jealousy or the account of Jesus flipping over the tables in the temple and driving out the money changers with a whip (Matthew 21:12–17). God got in a wrestling match with Jacob and Jacob walked away with a dislocated hip (Genesis 32:22–32).

The iPhone hasn’t caught God off guard. It’s not like God didn’t see it coming. I don’t believe God is anti-phone either. But, all things must be put in their proper place. In the creation account, Adam sins by taking a bite out of the forbidden fruit. Now, many in our modern world immediately show this fruit to be an apple, however scripture does not specify. But, I do think it would be fair to say today that people are taking a byte out of Apple. Craig Detwiler quotes Craig Watkins by saying thanks to the iPhone, “we have evolved from a culture of instant gratification to one of constant gratification” and then expands,

“The iPhone is always on, always wired, always with us. It wakes us up, putting a song in our hearts. It delivers text messages and email from friends and family throughout the day. It accompanies us when we travel, offering directions and restaurant recommendations. It can almost feed us—or at least get food delivered to our door. We check in with it at night before we close our eyes. The iPhone orders our lives in comparable ways to praying the hours in ancient church. There is the constant temptation to relate to the iPhone rather than our world. It is a convenient filter for screening calls, keeping colleagues at a manageable distance. It provides a safe place to hide when we’re anxious in a crowd. We avoid awkward moments by fading into our phone. It prompts us to look down rather than up, to ask Siri for answers rather than our friends, our parents, or our God. The iPhone is our most valuable possession and our closest companion. It records our lives, broadcasts our photos and thoughts, and serves as our traveling studio and electronic megaphone. It lives up to its hype (iGods, p. 65).”

Rather than praying without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), are we on our phones without ceasing? If God asked you to unplug for a day, could you do it? I think God does ask us to unplug quite often, but I wonder if we hear him through all the notification alerts, bells, and whistles coming from our phone? Maybe God is calling you at times to enjoy life, walk outdoors, or visit loved ones without a phone in hand. Is it possible? In a world where the two worlds have become one, maybe not. But if you can still hear God’s voice, see God active in nature, and experience a world outside of your phone, it is! Many studies have been done and research has concluded that those who drop their phone for a day or two feel revitalized and refreshed. Though there is relief in unplugging for a day, I think the real difference comes with those who plug into God during that same time span. We used to call this Sabbath or a Sabbath day of rest.   

Give Steve Jobs his due credit. He created a phone and a computer that have become a religion unto themselves. Just be careful not to worship the creation over the Creator or you may be feeling a bit of tension. God disciplines those he loves (Hebrews 12:6). I’m just trying to spare you the trouble of having to walk away with a limp.

Categories
Leadership Legacy

Faith, Family, and Football

Fall is one of my favorite seasons of the year. Not only do the temperatures drop, but college football and hunting seasons begin! You can always tell Fall is around the corner when the NFL Hall of Fame game comes on. Now, the NFL itself is in a mess.  I’m not a big fan, but one thing the NFL always gets right is its Hall of Fame induction ceremony. I always enjoy watching speeches from legendary players because the speeches are unfiltered!

The speeches are always heartfelt and awe-inspiring because most of the players come from single-mother homes and poverty-stricken areas. Many of these players have never met their dad and should have just been another statistic. But, they overcame! Jesus Christ, God, came through for them and their families through all the trials and tribulations. A common word spoken among the Hall of Famers’ was, “Football is what I do, not who I am.” Football was a way out, a job, something fun to do, but the sport didn’t define the man. “Faith, Family, and Football in that order.” Through all the fame and fortune, these players didn’t forget where they came from. They stay humbled and their speeches are real!

I love good speeches. They motivate me. I’ve heard many good speeches in my lifetime and I have my favorites. But, ranking right up there with the best of them is now Baltimore Ravens Linebacker Ray Lewis Hall of Fame speech! If you have not heard Ray’s speech, I would challenge you to listen! Ray has been a perennial leader on and off the football field for many years. But, hearing his life story and how he arrived at this point is amazing!

What I love about Ray’s speech, besides his life story, is how he uses his platform to inspire the next generation. Rather than talk about all his accolades and accomplishments, Ray tells his audience (which includes you and me) to overcome the ills of today by loving and by serving. Ray takes a page from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s playbook and uses his platform to talk about loving people. Reminds me of Jesus. Want to stop school shootings? The suggestion is to start loving your neighbor. I think I’ve heard that line before!

Rather than quote the whole speech, why don’t you listen to it yourself! Just click on “Watch on YouTube” after you see the message pop up that the NFL has blocked it on this site.

Categories
Great Commission Next Generation Ministry

Exciting Announcement!

I am thrilled to announce the release of 2 new books!

In Next Generation Ministry and Discipleship, you will learn

-What next generation ministry is and how it differs from traditional children, youth, and family ministry.

-What a M.A.P. is and how it works.

-What a M.A.P.’s Journal is and how you can get it.

-What a Discipleship Group (D-group) is and how to have a meeting.

-How parents and leaders can disciple the next generation for real-life.

———————————————————————-

The M.A.P.’s Journal is designed for students to use in D-groups.

Currently, you may only purchase these books in print. Click on the title link to order from Amazon.

_______________________________

Students are returning to school now! Students are also returning to church. Leaders, as you launch your fall groups and studies, remember The M.A.P.’s Journal. This is the perfect resource for scripture memorization, spiritual development, and developing student leaders. I would have loved to offer M.A.P.’s for less than $9.99, but if I did, I wouldn’t be making anything. For those of you who don’t know, most authors don’t make much from their books. I have done M.A.P.’s as a service to you and not to make money. Look at it this way: D-groups are smaller than life groups, so you won’t have to order as many!

For those who are not familiar with the new model of student ministry called Next Generation Ministry, I would highly encourage you to buy Next Generation Ministry and Discipleship. Contrary to what many churches advertise on job boards, etc., next generation ministry is not the same as family ministry. And it is not your traditional children’s or youth ministry. Buying the book also brings you an extra benefit in that you will learn about practical discipleship, an area I think too many ministry leaders are ignoring. The M.A.P.’s Journal is also explained and only in Next Generation Ministry and Discipleship can D-group leaders get the Scripture passage that goes along with the M.A.P.’s weekly Scripture verse.

The M.A.P.’s Journal is the companion book to Next Generation Ministry and Discipleship.

I hope both books will benefit you and your ministry. Even more, I hope both books will benefit the Kingdom. Praise Jesus!

Categories
Parenting Teaching

For History’s Sake

This past Sunday, my church celebrated Independence Day. I was asked before service if I could lead the congregation in the pledge of allegiance. I said yes and then two funny things ensued. First, I asked the church to place their hearts over their chests (your heart should already be in your chest). Now, everyone knows I should have said “hand over your heart,” but the more I think about it, I wonder if I wasn’t right after all. If you’re not going to say the pledge from your heart, why say it all. Secondly, I was late in saying the word “indivisible.” You might as well say I made the word invisible.

In our postmodern society, the next generation struggles with saying the pledge of allegiance, singing the national anthem, etc. In some ways, our nation’s symbols and values are becoming invisible. It’s not the next generation’s fault. What passes for being taught as history in some schools is not history at all. Our very constitution is being rewritten and revised to say something it never originally intended. This is why the next Supreme Court justice selection is such a big deal. We need Judges in office who will interpret the Constitution as it was written, not the way they want it to be said.

But we have got to do far more than select the right judges and teach American history to our children. We must teach the next generation biblical and church history as well! What is America after all without the Bible and our Christian heritage? Help them discover God! Tell them the stories of creation, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, the judges, kings, and the prophets. Tell them about the tabernacle, the temple, and Bible geography. Tell them about Jesus’ miracles, teachings, crucifixion, resurrection, and Pentecost. Tell them about the birth of the Church, missionary journeys of Paul, and the Revelation. Introduce them to the religious practices of Christians, Christian symbols, and the Christian calendar. Walk them through the time line of the history of the Church . . . destruction of the temple, fall of the Roman empire, the Crusades, the early reformers, the Reformation, the age of reason, and mass evangelists (many have never heard the name of Billy Graham). Talk to them about Christian missions and the Apostles’ Creed. Introduce them to Christian works of art, architecture, paintings, and music. Help them understand that science and the Christian faith are not enemies.

This takes time, but there are resources available to help you in the task. I recommend the Parent/Teacher Handbook series (4 volumes) by Dr. Edward Buchanan.

Have we all but forgotten the pledge to the Christian flag? Teach this to your children as well. There are many in our nation who would like to turn our red, white, and blue flag into a rainbow-colored flag. We must not. We cannot forget who we are, where we come from, and the price paid to get us where we are. American blood and the blood of Christ are what paved the way for the freedoms we enjoy today. History is after all His Story! Take time to study history and make time to share His Story with those you love.

Categories
Parenting

Where the Ten Commandments turn

Father’s Day has come and gone this year, but I learned something this past Father’s Day that I did not know. Take a look at the Ten Commandments below:

  1. You shall have no other gods before Me
  2. You shall not make for yourself any idol, nor bow down to it or worship it
  3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God
  4. You shall remember and keep the Sabbath day holy
  5. Respect your father and mother
  6. You must not murder
  7. You must not commit adultery
  8. You must not steal
  9. You must not give false evidence against your neighbor
  10. You must not be envious of your neighbor’s goods. You shall not be envious of his house nor his wife, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor.

It is commonly known that the first four commands relate to man’s vertical relationship with God and the last six commands relate to man’s horizontal relationship with his fellow man. Of course, all commandments relate to obedience and to loving God, but nonetheless, a clear distinction can be observed in the commandments between loving God and loving man. I have heard that Billy Graham used to read five Psalm’s a day so he could better love God and one Proverb a day so he could better love man. There is a reason Psalm and Proverbs are in the middle of the Bible.

Likewise, there’s a reason the fifth commandment is in the middle of the Ten Commandments. The fifth commandment is the hinge or the pivot point where the commandments turn. It is in some ways a line of demarcation, but the commandments remain connected. For the next generation must be raised in the admonition of the Lord to love God and parents must likewise teach their sons and daughters how to treat their fellow man. Take parents or guardians who love the Lord out of the equation, and following the commandments become nearly impossible for a child’s natural bent is not toward following God.

Of course, the truth is following the commandments is impossible for any person of any age. I would agree that if you have obeyed the first commandment, you have obeyed all of the commandments. The problem is no one has been good enough to even obey the first commandment. The Bible says if you’ve broken one commandment, you’ve broken them all. The whole point of the Law was to point man toward his recognition for his need of a Savior. Only Christ fulfilled the whole Law thus only Christ can save.

But, God has given parents the spiritual responsibility of being the primary disciplemakers of their children. Children learn about holiness through the Ten Commandments and children learn that to love God is to obey him and to obey God is to love him.

From the next generation’s point of view, the key to unlocking the Ten Commandments may just be found in the simple instruction coming from those who have sovereignly been placed over them.