Adaptive Challenge?
During discussions about the future of the United Methodist Church, including the Call to Action and the Global Leadership Summit, there’s been much discussion of the “adaptive challenge” facing us. But official presentations go on to say that we know exactly how to meet that adaptive challenge. So here’s an alternative perspective of poetry, not … Read more
Envisioning Campus Ministry Anew
In yesterday’s post I talked about giving up our Babylon-like assumptions about how campus ministries might work, and focusing on what we might call the Israel model: a smaller community, dedicated to the highest ideals of faithfulness to God’s calling and mission. But this means quite a bit of adjustment about how we might go … Read more
What’s our story in campus ministry?
One of the best resources I’ve used so far in campus ministry is Sean Gladding’s The Story of God, the Story of Us which has just been published by IVP; I’ve used it 3 times in its manuscript form after Sean was kind enough to email it to some of us who asked after hearing … Read more
What are Campus Ministries?
I am not sure I’m even an average campus minister. To look at the statistics, Lamar’s Wesley Foundation isn’t doing great in my 5th year. Better than when I got here, sure: building gutted, zero program and students, poor relationship with the university and area churches, & a board of directors which was outdated and … Read more
A Funny Thing Happened…
…on the way to last night’s Astros game. Well, actually right before the game got started. Here’s how it all began. At the end of last season, the team was clearing out game-worn jerseys. Christie, knowing how much I wanted one, stopped into the store during a game, and found a batting practice jersey worn … Read more
Teach Me To Live…
An often-sung evening hymn is the post-Reformation English chorus that appears in our United Methodist Hymnal at # 682: “All praise to thee, my God, this night.” Of its many beautiful phrases that match the famous “Tallis Canon” tune (meant to be sung in a round, like “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”) my favorite is: … Read more
Discipleship and Attending Worship
One of the things that Mike Gaffney said this morning has really stuck with me. When asked, “How many college students attend worship” at his collegiate church-based ministries, he would respond, “I don’t know and I don’t care. The much better question is, ‘How many students are connected in relational way to a member of … Read more
Priorities
Flipping through the wonderful new handbook from United Methodist Communications, I was impressed again by how much ministry our church does with so many people in so many places. The handbook does a great job of putting into words and images the scope of ministry (and structure!) in which our denomination engages. (I’m even in … Read more
Chess, Dysfunction, and Misfits
Pity the child who has ambition Knows what he wants to do Knows that he’ll never fit the system Others expect him to Chess is perhaps one of my favorite musicals. A product of the 1980s, with a libretto by award-winner Tim Rice & music from Benny Andersson & Bjorn Ulvaeus (two members of ABBA), … Read more
Asking the Right Questions (6 of them)
As a pastor, I often get asked the question: “So how do I know what God wants me to do?” And the answer I give is pretty much the standard issue one: pray + read your Bible + listen to the wisdom of the people God gave you + use your own common sense. But … Read more
