Christmas is great. I love to get up and celebrate with Shaina...who is apparently not accustomed to getting up early on Christmas morning. Every year I get up and excitedly urge her to get out of bed...which always goes poorly.
This year, we were both exhausted and slept until 8. I got up...Shaina was still disinterested. So I called my family using "the bird" this ridiculous ornament from our family that plugs in and chirps. It has been a nemesis for all who sleep. And I made sure that I had possession of it. It has been used at 3 or 4 in the morning...It has been hidden in closets and plugged in with extension cords. It has been used for phone calls at odd hours. This year was anti-climactic with an 8 a.m. call.
Now for the Christmas gifts.
Shaina got me a new Approach Wedge (which will serve as both my pitching wedge and sand wedge.) She also got me some Red Shoes which are amazing!
We then went for a delicious brunch at Shaina's parents and I got four commentaries to add to my set I'm building on as well as a 24 pack of Mountain Dew and an iTunes gift card (thanks Alicia).
Then my family came over for Christmas Dinner and all the kiddos scored an abundance of presents and we did our name exchange and my brother in law got me a new basketball, some new golf balls and a gift card to Old Navy. The night ended with my mom giving my sisters and I pillows that she made out of my dad's old shirts. It was a very meaningful end to the night.
It is easy to get excited about being blessed and thought of by others. What I've found though, is that I've gotten more excited about giving gifts than getting them. I got Shaina some kitchen gadgets and then I surprised her with a new earring and neckalace set that had some pretty big sentimental value. When we were in Kenya, Leah, a woman on the staff over there for Empower snuck her earrings into Shaina's camera bag right before we left. It was a very meaningful gift as Leah had very little of her own. Unfortunately at some point on the trip home, one of the earrings disappeared. So I had a friend from church look at it and she knew someone who was able to handcraft two matching pieces to be earrings and put the lone earring on a neckalace.
Remember we are blessed to be blessings...so enjoy gifts given to you, but be willing and attentive to bless others with your abundance.
What gifts did you give or receive?
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Year In Review
So...usually I think Facebook Apps are lame and ignore them like yellow traffic lights.
But I saw this one today...sort've a year in review collage of your facebooks statuses. It was actually meaningful to do this and eye opening to how big a year it was for Shaina and I.
Top Ten Significant Things
-We moved to an amazing new place in Canal Fulton
-We had Elvis come to our church to help us raise money for missions
-I graduated from seminary.
-Shaina and I both could claim one job status for the first time in our marriage.
-We went to Kenya!
-REAL Men of Genius the Manquel was great.
-I got to preach a number of times and phrases like Go and Do Likewise and I'm adopted and Just Walk Across the Room have stuck both for me and for the Church.
-We got a new vehicle (well new to us)
-We retained the gold medal as overall champions for backyard olympics
-Shaina and I hit 6 years of marriage!
There is a lot to be thankful for. What is your year in review?
Monday, December 21, 2009
5 Reasons Young Adult Ministry Matters in Your Church
1. Churches have developed a mindset of raising up a child through Children's Ministry and Youth Ministry and then when they reach 18, its like they become prodigals and are left to go and squander their inheritance of a good foundation. Young Adult Ministry reminds them of their roots.
2. I haven't done any reasearch on this, but I think there are more crisis points in the years 18-25 than any other age span. College students are presented with liberal (sometimes I'd add, irresponsible) views that create questioning and doubting. Add to that the whole "What am I doing with the rest of my life" decisions and this can be a fruitful time if they have somewhere safe to come to in order to ask those questions and wrestle with God.
3. There is no other age group that seeks greater meaning and will surrender to the cause of Christ with more passion and ferociousness than young adults. They want a cause bigger than themselves to get wrapped up in. They dream bigger dreams than other age groups and just need to know what the Utmost Cause to live for actually is.
4. There's no age group that will be as fun, honest, spontaneous and open as young adults.
5. Without a young adult ministry to bridge the gap, church statistics suggest that people generally leave the church at age 18 and then return around age 33 (typically because a child or two are now in the picture.) This gap will debilitate the church if it is not addressed. We end up spending a good portion of adult ministry trying to reestablish the roots that were laid in children and youth ministries because they have stunted their own growth and are like infants in their spiritual journey.
There ya have it...So how are you supporting young adult ministry in your church?
2. I haven't done any reasearch on this, but I think there are more crisis points in the years 18-25 than any other age span. College students are presented with liberal (sometimes I'd add, irresponsible) views that create questioning and doubting. Add to that the whole "What am I doing with the rest of my life" decisions and this can be a fruitful time if they have somewhere safe to come to in order to ask those questions and wrestle with God.
3. There is no other age group that seeks greater meaning and will surrender to the cause of Christ with more passion and ferociousness than young adults. They want a cause bigger than themselves to get wrapped up in. They dream bigger dreams than other age groups and just need to know what the Utmost Cause to live for actually is.
4. There's no age group that will be as fun, honest, spontaneous and open as young adults.
5. Without a young adult ministry to bridge the gap, church statistics suggest that people generally leave the church at age 18 and then return around age 33 (typically because a child or two are now in the picture.) This gap will debilitate the church if it is not addressed. We end up spending a good portion of adult ministry trying to reestablish the roots that were laid in children and youth ministries because they have stunted their own growth and are like infants in their spiritual journey.
There ya have it...So how are you supporting young adult ministry in your church?
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Got it done.
This is what I was working on. Had an idea to promote the 2010 church preaching plan. Appreciate constructive criticism! I'm no computer extraordinaire, but I'll take it for a 3 hour project! haha. Enjoy.
Church Promo Video from Ben Thompson on Vimeo.
curse you Mrs. Singleton
I was cruising along innocently enough until the 8th grade came.
It was bad enough that this brought on my chubby phase (The basketball team's bench was up on a stage so when you subbed out, you had to hop up on the stage...this was quite the task for me in 8th grade!)
But no...chubbiness was not the biggest life problem for me...It was American History. I don't know why I remember this, but my teacher was Mrs. Singleton and she was rather eclectic...zany...psychotic even.
But she challenged her students to some seriously outside-the-box thinking, projects, and concepts. In fact, she was the first one to jade me to the real Christopher Columbus! (Traumatizing.)
But worst of all, she forced us to be creative. I remember to this day doing a research project and presentation on the development of warfare/weaponry in Early U.S. History...and I owned this thing...Had cardboard cut out in the shape of a cannon...steps to making a cannon ball labeled on a stack of paper cannon balls...Got an A on the project and she even pulled it out of the pile and said, "This is what I'm looking for" to the whole class. Inflated my ego and unleashed something that I hadn't really pinpointed its epicenter until tonight.
She tapped into a creative gene that torments me. The creativity rarely happens well in advance of when something needs to be completed. It rarely happens at a decent hour of the day (hence I'm up at 1:30 a.m. working on an idea). This is maybe the greatest curse and the greatest gift God has ingrained in me. It helps me articulate important ideas and visions in ways that are memorable and lasting...but it also is not something that can be turned on and off...Hence when its on...I have to ride it!
So whether its teaching the Old Testament Tabernacle with Legos, presenting communion with only one shoe on, or coming up with a campaign slogan to help raise awareness of poverty in Kenya, that's the life of a guy with a flair of unorthodoxy.
What is your biggest gift/curse?
It was bad enough that this brought on my chubby phase (The basketball team's bench was up on a stage so when you subbed out, you had to hop up on the stage...this was quite the task for me in 8th grade!)
But no...chubbiness was not the biggest life problem for me...It was American History. I don't know why I remember this, but my teacher was Mrs. Singleton and she was rather eclectic...zany...psychotic even.
But she challenged her students to some seriously outside-the-box thinking, projects, and concepts. In fact, she was the first one to jade me to the real Christopher Columbus! (Traumatizing.)
But worst of all, she forced us to be creative. I remember to this day doing a research project and presentation on the development of warfare/weaponry in Early U.S. History...and I owned this thing...Had cardboard cut out in the shape of a cannon...steps to making a cannon ball labeled on a stack of paper cannon balls...Got an A on the project and she even pulled it out of the pile and said, "This is what I'm looking for" to the whole class. Inflated my ego and unleashed something that I hadn't really pinpointed its epicenter until tonight.
She tapped into a creative gene that torments me. The creativity rarely happens well in advance of when something needs to be completed. It rarely happens at a decent hour of the day (hence I'm up at 1:30 a.m. working on an idea). This is maybe the greatest curse and the greatest gift God has ingrained in me. It helps me articulate important ideas and visions in ways that are memorable and lasting...but it also is not something that can be turned on and off...Hence when its on...I have to ride it!
So whether its teaching the Old Testament Tabernacle with Legos, presenting communion with only one shoe on, or coming up with a campaign slogan to help raise awareness of poverty in Kenya, that's the life of a guy with a flair of unorthodoxy.
What is your biggest gift/curse?
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Vision
I had the opportunity last night to dream and vision with the head pastor of our Church about 2010. We hung out in the podunk village of West Salem and thought through the preaching calendar a bit. Vision matters. I am excited because we will do a good deal of expository preaching, which is simply taking a text and going through it in a more verse by verse manner rather than just talking about topics.
I love dreaming and fear that as we get older, we either stop dreaming or tame our dreaming down to 'adult sized' dreams. Then we arrive at the end of our lives and have a crisis of meaning and legacy.
When people cease to dream they begin to die. If your aim is to simply survive life and get by or get through, your lifestyle and outlook will look very different from someone who yearns to enter the epic adventure that God has in store for those who follow Him.
Before I began the epic journey, a place like Kenya was meaningless to me. Oh, they are starving and dying of AIDS? Sucks to be them.
But Jesus gives us corrective lenses to our vision. Its no longer about having things. It's no longer about a self centered way of life, but when we yield to God, we surrender ourselves to something bigger. Our hearts beat in line with God's and His ways become ours.
The adage is true, we are either getting busy living or getting busy dying.
Honestly? For me,I have five dreams. One is to return to Kenya and explore ways to develop a community that is empowered and self sustaining. With that, I would like to also begin the adoption process with Shaina so that we can move closer to adding to our family. Three is to be liberated from debt completely. Four is to pursue Shaina and know her more than I do right now (to get my master's degree in Shaina haha.) Last is to become more faithful in Bible Study and prayer. These dreams are in some ways stepping stones to dreams down the road. But I am convinced that if we do not look ahead, we will fall behind.
So what is your dream for 2010?
I love dreaming and fear that as we get older, we either stop dreaming or tame our dreaming down to 'adult sized' dreams. Then we arrive at the end of our lives and have a crisis of meaning and legacy.
When people cease to dream they begin to die. If your aim is to simply survive life and get by or get through, your lifestyle and outlook will look very different from someone who yearns to enter the epic adventure that God has in store for those who follow Him.
Before I began the epic journey, a place like Kenya was meaningless to me. Oh, they are starving and dying of AIDS? Sucks to be them.
But Jesus gives us corrective lenses to our vision. Its no longer about having things. It's no longer about a self centered way of life, but when we yield to God, we surrender ourselves to something bigger. Our hearts beat in line with God's and His ways become ours.
The adage is true, we are either getting busy living or getting busy dying.
Honestly? For me,I have five dreams. One is to return to Kenya and explore ways to develop a community that is empowered and self sustaining. With that, I would like to also begin the adoption process with Shaina so that we can move closer to adding to our family. Three is to be liberated from debt completely. Four is to pursue Shaina and know her more than I do right now (to get my master's degree in Shaina haha.) Last is to become more faithful in Bible Study and prayer. These dreams are in some ways stepping stones to dreams down the road. But I am convinced that if we do not look ahead, we will fall behind.
So what is your dream for 2010?
Monday, December 14, 2009
Top 5 Christmas Songs
I am not a huge Christmas music guy. Shaina loves it. A radio station started playing Christmas music nonstop before Thanksgiving and she listens to nothing but that now. I get tired of the music because theres only about 5 songs and they get played over and over.
But here's 5 songs that are worth getting excited about.
1.
Downhere is playing in Mansfield Thursday. Wish I could get over there.
2.
I generally don't get amped up for Relient K, but this song is really good.
3.
Shaina has been playing and singing this. I like the style. It's Nora Jonesish. If I ever convinced Shaina to write and record...this is a lot like what I'd hear her doing.
4.
Bebo Norman has been one of my favorite artists for about 10 years.
5.
If you can make my windows vibrate by the bass of your voice, you're okay in my book.
So what is your 'go-to' Christmas song.
But here's 5 songs that are worth getting excited about.
1.
Downhere is playing in Mansfield Thursday. Wish I could get over there.
2.
I generally don't get amped up for Relient K, but this song is really good.
3.
Shaina has been playing and singing this. I like the style. It's Nora Jonesish. If I ever convinced Shaina to write and record...this is a lot like what I'd hear her doing.
4.
Bebo Norman has been one of my favorite artists for about 10 years.
5.
If you can make my windows vibrate by the bass of your voice, you're okay in my book.
So what is your 'go-to' Christmas song.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Eric Mangini for President
After a season of ineptitude, Mangini comes out on a short week, and totally redeems himself! To beat the Steelers is always a treat but to ruin their playoff hopes? That makes a season. Now we just have to lose out and try to get back in the hunt for the number one pick.
I sort've had a bit of optimism going into the game, because the Steelers couldn't handle Oakland or Kansas City in recent weeks. Go Brownies.
I sort've had a bit of optimism going into the game, because the Steelers couldn't handle Oakland or Kansas City in recent weeks. Go Brownies.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Christmas Lights!
I finally got my Christmas lights display finished. Took a little video to share with you. Enjoy.
Obviously, I kid.
Carol of the Bells - 2008 Holdman Christmas Display from Richard Holdman on Vimeo.
Obviously, I kid.
Mini Milestone
This is the 400th blog ever posted at the Mustard Revolution. Here's what I'm thinking about today.
People are busy. I don't pity or even sympathize with this truth. Sometimes people choose to live in such an unhealthy way to receive attention or to be appreciated or to live vicariously through their children. I don't know, but the truth is people are cramming more and more into their days, their weeks, their years.
So here is how I see this in terms of church leadership. For the last 30 or 40 years or so, the Church has seen this busyness pandemic pile up all around them. People build these 'silos' which consume their time. I have a silo for work, a silo for kids, a silo for housework, a silo for _______. You get the picture. By the end of the day, we've created any number of silos that consume our day, our energy...everything.
But the Church noticed this was happening and the brilliant idea was established to show that the church's silo was the nicest, most important, most rewarding silo to dedicate time, money and energy into. So out comes the church mentality to 'compete' for people's time. Yet what we've found is that in most churches, the silo competition is failing. Churches aren't winning all that often in getting commitment from the people. So some churches said, well, we just have to offer everything in our silo that the people are going to in other silos so that they will choose us. So large churches buy up tons of land and build giant gyms and have basketball leagues, soccer camps, etc. trying to lure the people back to church.
This is backward thinking. Churches with this mentality seclude themselves. Now they say that its open to the community and they do a little half time Bible Study with the kids, which is fine and works sometimes. But ultimately this view suggests that this whole Christian movement is primarily Church Centric...that it all revolves around the church. But the reality is that it is Kingdom Centric and that God is at work around the world...outside the churches often time and we need to open our eyes and join in where He is at work.
This is counterintuitive for a lot of people. If I have a church member that is a community leader, maybe heading up a big soccer program, I shouldn't be thinking, "Wow, I should get him or her to start a soccer initiative at our church." I should be thinking, "How can I encourage, equip and empower him or her to use that position of influence for God's glory to impact a bunch of kids and their parents?
So to recap. This really has everything to do with the future of the Christ movement in the U.S. There are three significant shifts we need to make.
1. From Church Centric to Kingdom Centric...Jesus was about Kingdom of God stuff...The Church should be too.
2. From Attractional Church to Missional Church...It can't any longer be "Come and See our Silo. It is beautiful and majestic!" It has to be, "Go and Be" the people of God to a world in need.
3. From Program Development to People Development...Some churches think that if we just have enough programs to offer...and they are the right programs...our church will go. But Jesus has always been about relationships not systems. Maybe we should try it out.
People are busy. I don't pity or even sympathize with this truth. Sometimes people choose to live in such an unhealthy way to receive attention or to be appreciated or to live vicariously through their children. I don't know, but the truth is people are cramming more and more into their days, their weeks, their years.
So here is how I see this in terms of church leadership. For the last 30 or 40 years or so, the Church has seen this busyness pandemic pile up all around them. People build these 'silos' which consume their time. I have a silo for work, a silo for kids, a silo for housework, a silo for _______. You get the picture. By the end of the day, we've created any number of silos that consume our day, our energy...everything.
But the Church noticed this was happening and the brilliant idea was established to show that the church's silo was the nicest, most important, most rewarding silo to dedicate time, money and energy into. So out comes the church mentality to 'compete' for people's time. Yet what we've found is that in most churches, the silo competition is failing. Churches aren't winning all that often in getting commitment from the people. So some churches said, well, we just have to offer everything in our silo that the people are going to in other silos so that they will choose us. So large churches buy up tons of land and build giant gyms and have basketball leagues, soccer camps, etc. trying to lure the people back to church.
This is backward thinking. Churches with this mentality seclude themselves. Now they say that its open to the community and they do a little half time Bible Study with the kids, which is fine and works sometimes. But ultimately this view suggests that this whole Christian movement is primarily Church Centric...that it all revolves around the church. But the reality is that it is Kingdom Centric and that God is at work around the world...outside the churches often time and we need to open our eyes and join in where He is at work.
This is counterintuitive for a lot of people. If I have a church member that is a community leader, maybe heading up a big soccer program, I shouldn't be thinking, "Wow, I should get him or her to start a soccer initiative at our church." I should be thinking, "How can I encourage, equip and empower him or her to use that position of influence for God's glory to impact a bunch of kids and their parents?
So to recap. This really has everything to do with the future of the Christ movement in the U.S. There are three significant shifts we need to make.
1. From Church Centric to Kingdom Centric...Jesus was about Kingdom of God stuff...The Church should be too.
2. From Attractional Church to Missional Church...It can't any longer be "Come and See our Silo. It is beautiful and majestic!" It has to be, "Go and Be" the people of God to a world in need.
3. From Program Development to People Development...Some churches think that if we just have enough programs to offer...and they are the right programs...our church will go. But Jesus has always been about relationships not systems. Maybe we should try it out.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Idolatry and God
We have a mixed up view of God in the West.
If things are going well...it's our doing...our maneuvering...our manufacturing.
When things go bad...It's God's fault. We ask Him why he is forsaking us. Why he lets bad things happen. Why he is hiding his face from us.
Here's the reality...This is not the way of God's people...It's the way of idolatrous people.
I am convicted that I need to fully embrace an attitude of gratitude. I have two working legs. A brain that, though it only functions at 1 percent its capacity is still functioning. My immune system, nervous system, muscular and skeletal systems are all so spectacularly designed that they work in concert to let me move about freely. I have a couple windows that are really drafty which means I have a home. I have choices each morning for breakfast, which means I have food and income. I have friends and family who would be there for me when the storms come, which means I am loved.
Quit acting like you have done anything on your own behalf. Get on your knees and repent to the God who let Noah survive a flood, helped Moses lead the people out of enslavement in an empire, and allowed His very Son to be born into a world that would despise him and reject his message and crush his body. We have a God who meets needs on so many, wonderful, awesome levels. So when the trial comes...when the storm rages fierce...don't play the victim of an evil and vengeful god...but come full fledged, unabandoned to the throne of grace and be grateful for all you have...all that has been provided for you from the Ultimate Provider.
If things are going well...it's our doing...our maneuvering...our manufacturing.
When things go bad...It's God's fault. We ask Him why he is forsaking us. Why he lets bad things happen. Why he is hiding his face from us.
Here's the reality...This is not the way of God's people...It's the way of idolatrous people.
I am convicted that I need to fully embrace an attitude of gratitude. I have two working legs. A brain that, though it only functions at 1 percent its capacity is still functioning. My immune system, nervous system, muscular and skeletal systems are all so spectacularly designed that they work in concert to let me move about freely. I have a couple windows that are really drafty which means I have a home. I have choices each morning for breakfast, which means I have food and income. I have friends and family who would be there for me when the storms come, which means I am loved.
Quit acting like you have done anything on your own behalf. Get on your knees and repent to the God who let Noah survive a flood, helped Moses lead the people out of enslavement in an empire, and allowed His very Son to be born into a world that would despise him and reject his message and crush his body. We have a God who meets needs on so many, wonderful, awesome levels. So when the trial comes...when the storm rages fierce...don't play the victim of an evil and vengeful god...but come full fledged, unabandoned to the throne of grace and be grateful for all you have...all that has been provided for you from the Ultimate Provider.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
How the Mighty Fall
It has been a really beneficial thing for me to methodically study through 1 and 2 Samuel this fall. One of the things that has stuck out to me is how quickly power can corrupt us.
David is reigning over a somewhat united kingdom of Israel. God seems to be blessing everything that he does. And then his power goes to his head. He sees someone that he wants and because he is king, he believes its his right to take her. The affair with Bathsheba happens, leading to cover up attempts then ultimately murder, confrontation and repentance.
What a lesson for those in leadership or those with significant amounts of influence. The minute we let that go to our heads, is the minute we falter.
For those who don't think the Bible is relevant to today. Ask this guy whether his choices as one of the most powerful icons of the day have caused him some turmoil in the last few weeks. Tiger Woods was supposed to be the model image of sport, competitiveness, and victory. And right now the headlines seem to suggest that he is another example of moral failure.
There is certainly forgiveness from the Lord available for all who repent...but I wonder how he will be received by those who have held in in such high regard.
It's true. Pride (and arrogance...and power) come before the fall.
David is reigning over a somewhat united kingdom of Israel. God seems to be blessing everything that he does. And then his power goes to his head. He sees someone that he wants and because he is king, he believes its his right to take her. The affair with Bathsheba happens, leading to cover up attempts then ultimately murder, confrontation and repentance.
What a lesson for those in leadership or those with significant amounts of influence. The minute we let that go to our heads, is the minute we falter.
For those who don't think the Bible is relevant to today. Ask this guy whether his choices as one of the most powerful icons of the day have caused him some turmoil in the last few weeks. Tiger Woods was supposed to be the model image of sport, competitiveness, and victory. And right now the headlines seem to suggest that he is another example of moral failure.
There is certainly forgiveness from the Lord available for all who repent...but I wonder how he will be received by those who have held in in such high regard.
It's true. Pride (and arrogance...and power) come before the fall.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Pray for Matt Chandler
One of the best speakers at Catalyst this year was a guy named Matt Chandler. He just preached the gospel unapologetically, with passion and craft.
He's 34.
On Thanksgiving morning he apparently had a seizure and collapsed. They rushed him to the emergency room and discovered that he has a large mass on the frontal lobe of his brain. He goes in for surgery on Friday. Not sure what the prognosis is.
Pray for Matt. For his family. For his church. For God to be glorified.
He's 34.
On Thanksgiving morning he apparently had a seizure and collapsed. They rushed him to the emergency room and discovered that he has a large mass on the frontal lobe of his brain. He goes in for surgery on Friday. Not sure what the prognosis is.
Pray for Matt. For his family. For his church. For God to be glorified.
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