full disclosure. I’m participating in a blog tour with Zondervan to review a newly-published book your church is too small by John Armstrong. I ran into the author a bit when I was a teenager at America’s KESWICK. I received a pre-published copy for free.

This is not a book about making your local church bigger. It’s a book about discovering the width and the depth of God’s people, joining them and worshiping God as a result. The book is split into three different points.

past: The Biblical and historical basis for Christian Unity
John explores his own story – an spiritual, intellectual, theological journey from a sort of practical fundamentalist separatism to a fresh catholicity. He guides the reader through many  historical problems with Christians through the present-day and points out that church separatism/elitism is a great danger to the Gospel and is hurting the cause of Christ. He opens the Bible and points to Gods intent that the church be united. (I really appreciate his candor and his openness in telling his own story and ‘conversion’ experiences.)

present: Restoring Unity in the Church Today
John maps a clear direction for accomplishing unity. In a nutshell – churches become more united as they become more Christian. It’s a prideful church that emphasizes their distinctions more than Jesus. Churches should all be about Jesus and the gospel instead of “human systems”. Essentially, we should expand our idea of “church” to all Christians in areas, and work together as God’s servants. (I appreciate his emphasis on history and the critique of the present Church and her problems.)

future: The Missional-ecumenical Movement
John unveils a  new (old?) paradigm for thinking about the Church. “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity.” (Psa 133.1) This is where the rubber hits the road – hardly anyone is explicitly against church unity, they just differ on what that looks like. His answer comes in 7 commitments.

1. a restored commitment to the sacraments
2. an increased appetite to know more about the early church.
3. an obvious open expression of love for the whole church and a real desire to see the church become one.
4. the blending of the practices of worship, devotion and prayer from the three streams tradition.
5. an interest in integrating more liturgical depth and structure with spontaneity and freedom in the Holy Spirit.
6. a greater involvement of sign and symbol in worship through banners, crosses, Christian art, and clerical vestments.
7. a continuing commitment to personal salvation, solid biblical teaching and the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

My Take
First, I like this book. Its a book that some people absolutely MUST READ. Everyone should go on this journey of discovering what God has in the global, national, state-wide, city groupings of Christians. I am passionate about networking with other local churches for the Gospel. In the last week, I’ve spoke at a church outside of our tradition, I’ve planned a VBS that DHEFC will be putting on in an Urban church, I’ve been a part of a youth pastors networking group where we support each other… and almost anyone doing youth ministry on Long Island. No single church is an island so to speak. Jesus has a huge mission for us and we need each other to accomplish it.

Second – it’s a book that I didn’t need to read.  For me this idea is like a family reunion. It’s important (I guess) to realize I have relatives in Switzerland or Indiana and its nice to see them, but I’m not planning on moving in with them. What I missed in this book is an affirmation that each church’s flavor is valid and the diversity that it contributes puts God’s glory on display. I really appreciate what my former professor Peter Enns said on this - (and I wish I could quote him correctly) but he was talking about Fundamentalist churches (and i guess, on my background at BJU) – Lots of people outside of the separatist tradition would say that they’re wrong, and they need to change – their church is too small one might be quick to say. Pete said (loosely quoting) ~”Most people think about Paul’s ‘the church is the body with diverse parts’ as talking about people in a local church each being unique and gifted, but I wonder if it’s also talking about local churches in a universal church, because even churches and movements that I disagree with contribute important things to the body. Perhaps it is arrogant of us to look at certain parts and wish they were more like us”. (again loosely quoted, based on a recollection) What I didn’t like about John’s book is that it seemed to at times confuse unity with uniformity. I wish there was more of an affirmation that of unique worship styles cultures, or languages – something that can get lost in a zeal for unity. I love the Church on Long Island, but I’m also thankful that God made the churches as diverse as the people living here.

This book is an encouragement about the Gospel and I left it with renewed thanks to God for how big and expansive is his church.

I read the post and kind of felt like something was wrong — not necessarily with her, but maybe me? Was I judging her, cause I know God doesn’t like that. Was I jealous of her life — that things had worked out exactly according to her plans? Yeah I was jealous! I’m lucky if my meal plans work out! Was I suspicious? You bet. I immediately started analyzing things looking for the loop holes — peoples’ lives just can’t be that perfect, right?  Sam would say it’s the New Yorker in me that doesn’t buy into these posts. New Yorker or not,  in the pit of my soul I know I long for a bigger God than one who helps me realize the American Dream. As a matter of fact, when I look at my rich blessings, sometimes I feel that they are almost the opposite of what I would have planned for myself (hello, me, a pastors’ wife?). I have sensed who God is as I struggle with him, for him–it’s that bit that makes me roll my eyes anytime I hear words coming out of Joel Osteen’s mouth! I don’t believe granting me my wishes is God’s priority. I don’t even know if God wants my happiness all the time — I just think he wants me to say (and act upon) “God, you are my God.” And sometimes–I’m just not happy with the way things are:

“Why couldn’t that couple conceive a  child?

How does an 11 yr old boy get terminal cancer?

Why don’t some parents love their children more?

How does a girl leave home for a jog and never make it back?

Why should earthquakes steal lives?

How could he leave her?

How could she leave him?”

My friend Missy and her husband John are missionaries in Nigeria. In her latest blog post Missy detailed her latest venture into a brothel.  When I first read it I felt frustrated and helpless and struggled to form a prayer that felt fitting and adequate for the great need there.  I think part of it was I knew that the level of injustice and darkness that Missy struggled with was probably far greater than any human could communicate.

Missy outlines her plan–she is going to pray, to visit the brothel again, bring candy for the children and embark on making relationships.I feel God’s glory is being shown off in this story.

Sometimes I revel in God’s “bigness.” Albert Einstein said that no problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it. Sin-created by man. Living in the effects of sin-reality. God–bigger than my consciousness. I feel freedom and liberty to leave these problems with God, to trust and obey when he calls me to participate.

Acts 17:24-28 has kind of become my go to answer verse when I feel like I’m in the in ring with my opponent–struggle. I spent a lot of time thinking why — why wasn’t I that young girl, born into the brothel? Who am I, that I should be spoiled with comforts? From verse 26 – 28:

²⁶From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. ²⁷God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. ²⁸‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

The curse of blogging is that I don’t always “publish” polished work–my argument might not be gracefully articulated so please forgive me if I have offended…If you agree, please discuss. If you disagree, discuss as well.

Here are some pictures from our winter retreat at camp spofford – we really have a fun group of students and leaders.

Would you join with me in praying for the girls of the youth group? Pray that they wouldn’t go off course, following the empty promises of the world, but that they would know the greatest love there is, the greatest eternal purpose that they could live for, the most loving being who out-shines any other suitor. I get excited thinking about young women who will change lives by showing the world a faith that is gentle yet strong…I think of the hope they profess and how that hope will come into the lives of those who are at wit’s end.

Barb/Dave sent me this comic about youth group attendance. It made me laugh, but as I thought about it I was really thankful for our group of students in our youth group or even our other church ministries.  Our attendance is consistently higher for service activities over fun activities. During the summer, I’ll get like 17 people for Great Adventure, and 40 for putting on an urban VBS in Roosevelt. We’ll get 4 for beach day and 15 for Helping Hand rescue mission.

Maybe that’s something really admirable about Long Island – the schools really promote community service. Way to go students! (and lots of good parents that encourage loving through service)

The Complete NEW TESTAMENT resource for YOUTH WORKERS.

Jack Crabtree and some of his youth ministry friends (like Me, Kevin and EmLam and Jimmy)  wrote a bunch of youth group lessons complete with games application, etc – and finally the first volume is published. It’s a pretty huge publisher (that’s right dad, you will probably be able to pick this book up at Ollies soon LOL) So, I’m praying that this is a help to especially the volunteer youth group teachers who can use some guidance in knowing how to teach students.  Volume two is on its way

Publisher Blurb:

The Complete New Testament Resource for Youth Workers, Volume 1 by Livingstone Corporation, General Coming Soon!

Never before has there been a resource this comprehensive, this practical, and this relevant for teaching the New Testament to your students. With the topic overview, ideas for games, outlines for messages, study questions, and ideas to incorporate media or real-life experience into the teaching, and a searchable CD-ROM, you now have everything you need to lead students through more than 100 New Testament lessons.

Walking students through the New Testament can feel like a daunting task?especially if you’re trying to create studies that are relevant and engaging to your students. But fear not! You now have a diverse team of nearly thirty youth ministry practitioners working for you and they’ve put together more than 100 studies that will make your job easier while helping your students dig into the Bible! Never before has there been a resource this comprehensive, this practical, and this relevant for teaching the New Testament to your students. With the topic overview, ideas for games, outlines for messages, study questions, and ideas to incorporate media or real-life experience into the teaching, the Complete New Testament Resource for Youth Workers, Volume 1 has everything you need to lead students through these New Testament books:

• Matthew
• John
• Romans
• Galatians
• Ephesians
• Philippians
• Colossians
• 1 Timothy
• 2 Timothy
• Titus
• Philemon
• 1 John
• 2 John
• 3 John
• Jude

Whether you lead them yourself or hand the lessons over to your volunteers, each lesson is easy to implement and can be used alone or combined with lessons that have already been planned. You?ll also find a searchable CD-ROM, making it even easier to find exactly what you need to help lead your students deeper into some of these life-changing books from the New Testament.

Jesus Loves Muslims, and so should you! Loving your Muslim neighbor as Jesus would.

“And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29) – In the parable of the Good Samaritan Jesus teaches us to love even those who we are inclined to hate. There is a good analogy to make between Christians/Muslims and Israelites/Samaritans. Both groups claim the same heritage and have awful histories of hatred that separates them. This quarter-long class on Christianity and Islam has some pretty simple, Jesus-commanded goals.  1) Understand your Muslim Neighbors. 2) Figure out how to show them love.  We’ll be studying Christianity to know how and why our theology differs. We’ll study the history and theology of Islam and the differing beliefs of different forms of Islam.  This will be an intense course with assignments; students will learn both sides of the conversation well – come for the challenge.  Lord-willing we will be able to have some real conversations with Muslims from our area.