Confession 5 – Levites

You guys think that Aaron and his sons were psyched to Priests? That they knew exactly what was going on? That they were 100% prepared to serve God with their lives that way? Do you think they had it all together? Do you think that when they were being called and anointed in Leviticus 8 they were all smiles and sunshine? Maybe they were scared to death, maybe they didn’t have a clue why they had been chosen, or why they were doing what they were doing.. I mean I’m a Youth Pastor I work at a church, have my office and resources to use, skills and gifts to employ. However, most of the time I come in to my office and look at what needs to be done, the list of students on my desk and I think, “Who am I that I am responsible for this ministry?” I really hope that the Levites in the Bible where like this, otherwise I guess I feel quite foolish.

Idol’s

I’ve just finished reading the book of Exodus. As I read the last Chapter something struck me. “You shall put the holy garments on Aaron and anoint him and consecrate him, that he may minister as a priest to Me.” (Exodus 40:13) God commands that Aaron is to be anointed and consecrated to be a priest. Earlier in this book, Aaron creates a ‘god’ out of Gold and allows the nation of Israel to worship the idol. This really sticks out to me because as a pastor sometimes I feel unworthy to lead in this capacity. I’m not perfect, I’ve made mistakes, and I have put ‘idols’ up before God. Granted I never bowed before a golden calf, but things do come between God and I. However, here we see God still anointing Aaron to be a priest, He gives Aaron another chance. As pastors in todays world we are more or less the equivelent of those priests we lead the people of God, we teach them and hopefully bring them closer to God. Like Aaron we have a messy and imperfect past, but I believe that God has anointed, consecrated and ordained us for this work. There may be earthly processes that reflect this, but the most important part is that God has done it for and to us. So Church leader, pastor, elder, who ever you are, let your past remind you of the grace of God, not make you guilty, and press on doing the work God placed before you.

How many of you feel guilty ministering knowing you have made mistakes in the past, at least sometimes?

Resistance is Futile!

This phrase has been made popular by the Borg from Star Trek, but thats not what I’m here to talk about. Today I was told about a story of a Youth Pastor in Roseville, CA that got harassed by mall security and later arrested for sharing his faith. (http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread539524/pg1, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westfield_Galleria_at_Roseville#Controversy) There are a few links to info about the incident. From what I can tell this youth pastor didn’t do anything but talk to someone about his Faith. He didn’t resist the Mall Security or the police. But apparently telling people about your faith in a mall is grounds for being arrested. The title comes into relevance here because we should know that no matter how hard people resist the movement and plan of God that in the end it won’t matter. I just think it’s awesome that this YP was willing to share his faith, and that he even took a lot more flack then probably he should have, it still getting the word out, and hopefully some people are upset that the 1st amendment is being spit on here a little.

Late

So I broke down and decided to finally see ‘To Save a Life‘. I usually avoid ‘Christian’ movies, music, stories, etc. I mean how much cheesy can you take in your life. However, I kept hearing good things so I decided to go and check it out. I will probably write about my thoughts on the quality and plot later. There is a scene (that I think some people will just blow over) that I wanted to point out.

In the movie the Youth Pastor (Chris) invites the main character (Jake) to come check out Youth Group. Jake wakes up late, and ends up walking to the Church, and gets there towards the end, late to church, if you will. It struck me, that if a student or person walked into church late and I saw them I would shake my head and think something negative about them. However, Chris doesn’t comment on it, and when Jake does, Chris tells him it doesn’t matter, and offers to take him home. It stuck me there, that often ‘Church People’ can be judgmental without even knowing or trying. Someone walks into church late and we just think something bad, or stare at them as they find a seat. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t (as regular Churchies) get to Church on time, I think that is important. However, what about those that are searching or ‘just checking’ it out. How often do you think they don’t return because we ’stare them down’ when they walk through our church doors 20, 30, 40 or more minutes late?

Miracles

This year I’ve decided to do the ‘Bible in a Year’ reading for the first time. As I’ve read through, now getting to Exodus, I find myself wondering about the miracles of God. I’ve been wondering how do the miracles that God has done in these stories fit into nature. If God created all things in nature, then they ought to fit, at least that if my thought process. For instance, is there a natural occurrence that would cause water to turn red like blood? Or perhaps something that would cause a fiery hail to fall from the sky? A volcano eruption maybe? I’m not saying that God cannot operate outside of what we perceive as natural. He is God he must. However, if God is creator of all things that makes everything natural, or everything super-natural. I’m not cheapening the power of God at all, or the importance of Holiness, however, if God created all and is everywhere, then we walk on Holy Ground everyday, everywhere we go. ” . . . remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” Exodus 3:5b (NASB) Did this ground become holy at that moment? Or was the ground always holy and Moses made aware of the holiness? Do the miracles of God happen in special circumstances, or do they happen everyday in normal places, that we are sometimes made aware. Perhaps a little of both?

Where have you seen God’s miracles?

Potential

I was reading this article today online about a 13 y/o teen who is triple majoring Morehouse College. This teen, Stephen Stafford, isn’t necessarily some brainy nerd, awkward type teen, he has his act together. According to a professor he not only achieves at a high level, but motivates his fellow students (all older than he is) to do better. He plays the drums, and enjoys his video games like any teen. As a Youth Pastor I just had to throw this one out there so that we can be reminded that teenagers have great potential. The challenge for us as parents, and youth leaders is to help them realize it!

Link to the article: http://www.bvblackspin.com/2010/01/13/morehouse-college-stephen-stafford/?icid=main|aim|dl5|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bvblackspin.com%2F2010%2F01%2F13%2Fmorehouse-college-stephen-stafford%2F

Mystery

One of the best parts of being a youth pastor is seeing the mystery in students minds, faces, and eyes. They, like me, don’t have the God thing all figured out yet. For most of the students I have 10 or more years of experience, and so I know a little bit more, but when revelation comes to a student and they learn more of what God is not because I told them but because they sought it out themselves, it makes all the hard, not fun stuff worth it.

Is God still mysterious to you?

Take it for granted?

Last Saturday my wife, Amy, left for Redding, CA. She is going to be there for 4 months as she works on finishing her degree. I however am staying in Renton, WA a 9 hour drive, on a good day. She has gone on trips without me before, and I usually survive, the house feels a little more empty without her. Now however the house feels infinity more empty knowing she will be gone for 4 months. We’ve been married for three years, and I think we’ve settled in a rhythm. We do spend time with each other and try to go on dates, but with the economy and what not we don’t do it as often as we like. I think perhaps I took her for granted, like she would always be there, and now she is away. I am not trying to blame her for leaving for school, I encouraged her to do it. However, despite the fact we have video chat, I do and will miss her for the time she is gone. So if you’re married, engaged or even dating, don’t take your spouse, fiancé, or significant other for granted, ever!

Whats the longest you’ve spent apart from your spouse?

New Year, same messy package

I think New Years is one of my least favorite parts of the year, firstly its cold (at least in the Northern Hemisphere), and secondly New Years resolutions. I’m sure that a lot of people make a lot of great promises to themselves at New Years about the coming year, and beyond. However, why wait for a new year? Why not start as soon as you think of it. For instance, if I decide I need to start working out over the summer why wait for the new year, just do it. There is no reason to wait to improve yourself. I think that we have this mind-set that the new year is a fresh start, when in reality we have the same messily wrapped package as the year, before. We want our lives to be neat and orderly. Our very human nature doesn’t allow this.

I don’t mean this to be a downer by any means, I mean to really encourage you, the reader, to live life as well you as you can. John 10:10 says that Christ came that we may have life and life to the fullest, one translation says life overflowing. If we wait for the New Year to ‘live life’ to ‘improve ourselves’ are we really living life fully? If we believe that we can have a nice neat life are we living an overflowing life?

A Neat Little Package

Well 2009 is wrapping up (for some it’s a neat package for others not so neat), and 2010 looms in the not so distant future. I don’t normally take time to look back over my year or plan the next year, I’m not a big new years resolution guy, I just try to live life to the best every day. However, my 2009 year has been full of insane-ness. Those of you who have been with me on the ride know that Amy (who can now be followed on twitter @guamie1) and I moved to Yakima, WA to take a youth ministry position at a CMA church there. While there my brother Steve returned from his deployment to Afghanistan, a little beat up, but none the worse for wear. We didn’t last through the 6 month probation they promised us at Yakima before we were ‘released from our calling’. However while there we made some good friends and built a significant relationship or two with a few students, and had a great time. Literally the week after I wrapped up (in a not so neat package) my ministry there my brother Dan (who can also be followed on twitter @dtmepl) married Meghan Flinn (now Anderson) on August 1st, and I was privileged to be able to preside over the ceremony, I love doing weddings especially those I am close too. Not two weeks after that I was contacted by David Lawson from May Valley Alliance Church to interview and candidate for the Youth Pastor position there. After a quick process, a lot of prayer, and a few well placed hints from God I took the position. And now here I am in Renton, WA a place I had never heard of a year ago. SO as my year wraps up I would say that God has made it a messy package, but ya know, if it was neat what would I do next year. The only time I think I want God to wrap something neat for me is when I die. Because then the ‘here after’ is neat and glorious and bright and happy, and well you know. So this New Year Eve raise a glass to the messy little wrapped package the end of your year should be!

How neat or messy is your 2009 package?