Archives for August 2008

I enjoy TV. Let me say that up front. I don't let it rule me. Once I might have given too much time to TV. Interestingly, now that we have a DVR I spend quite a bit less tie watching. Partly because I can spend 25% less time on each show by skipping commercials, but more because I know what I want to watch and record those few shows for viewing after my kids have gone to bed. It isn't that I don't want my kids to watch the shows I watch, but because I'd rather spend my evenings with them. I've said this to make it clear that I am not trying to convince people to throw their TVs out.I … [Read more...]

Hey. Sorry about missing yesterday with this post. My wife had a minor surgery so I took the day off. If you haven't read Youth Pastor Fail below I listed the first 6 of the top 10 YP fails. That list focused on failing with the Youth by trying to be just like them. I'm still new at this but I think teens want real more than anything. I told them on my first night I was a geek and I haven't tried to be anything else. I love geeky stuff and I reference it in my sermons. That is just who I am. The last 4 are things that will be sure to get the rest of the church mad. Without further … [Read more...]

It seems that there is not a lot I can get in real trouble over. I can do a lot of crazy things and then pull the "I'm the Youth Pastor" card and it's ok. I like to keep people guessing so this works very well for me. I have been thinking about the line though. I figure some things are just going too far. Now I know there are the obvious abuses, but I think I can be a bit more creative. So in the spirit of the Late Night Show with David Letterman, here is a top ten list of how to achieve a Youth Pastor Fail10. Design FailSo your church is finally getting on the ball with marketing. They … [Read more...]

So here is the follow up to the post I made about “Love and relationship: or how do you deal with a homosexual?” a few days ago.  This post is why I am doing this as anonymous as I can. I knew on some level that I would eventually have a teen wrestling with their sexual identity in my Youth group, but I am less than prepared.  Right now there are two.  It isn’t that they have come out to me but rather it is about things I have perceived.  Now don’t get me wrong.  I’m not relying on some internal “gaydar” or something.  This is a bit more logical than that. The one is a … [Read more...]

I have a floor. Ok, maybe it wasn’t ever that bad, but the past few weeks have been pretty busy, so my weekly plan has fallen by the wayside. Normally I like to come in on Monday and clean my office first thing. Then I sit down and prioritize my week. It takes me 2-3 hours first thing each week, but I wager that I gain more than that by going in with a plan. I find that I just can’t focus when the mess piles up around me, so the ritual of cleaning is very important, but it is the first thing that I nix when I feel like I’m overwhelmed with things to do. I also know that sitting down and … [Read more...]

I am intentionally making a stark departure from the seriousness of yesterday's post. I will be addressing the subject again in the next couple of days. Before that I'd like to consider some funny illustrations I have used. First let me say that technology is apparently of the devil. I love tech, but it always seems to fail at the worst possible moment when I'm preaching. That said, if I use a video in my sermon I like to have multiple ways of accessing the video so that when the embedded video in my power point fails even though it worked every time that I tested it including just before … [Read more...]

I want a freakin’ giant bean bag chair. I need the biggest bean bag chair that will fit into my office. My office chair is possessed and so needs to be replaced. I have been sitting in a chair from the 7th circle of hell for the past several months so I deserve a giant bean bag chair. Unfortunately I don’t have the budget to buy one. I could see it now though. I get a huge one for my desk chair, and then an even bigger one to replace that drug out of a dumpster couch and a smaller one to replace the stolen from the sanctuary chair. Then people would come by to chat and we … [Read more...]

This is a book I have on my shelf.  I had to read it for my one required music class at Bible College.  In this class I was taught the most basic information about music.  I learned how to read sheet music, but not cord charts, I learned to conduct various rhythms, and I learned I didn’t want to take any other music courses.  Basically I felt this class was a waste of time.  As a person planning on going into not music I’m not sure why they felt it necessary to know how to conduct or read sheet music.  I could understand teaching us useful information, like how to read cord music, use … [Read more...]

I was a carpenter for a few years. I really enjoy carpentry and it makes me feel closer to Jesus to think that he was a carpenter for years before starting his Earthly ministry. I don't know all that much about what Jesus did; there is a lot of speculation, but nothing absolute. I do know what I did. Pretty much everything. I did cabinetry, new construction, remodeling, repairs, drywall, finish carpentry, flooring, concrete ... I didn't go to a trade school, and quite frankly I don't think any trade school could have prepared me for all the situations I encountered. I learned everything by … [Read more...]