Imagine a youth who is well behaved, polite and properly attired. Someone who listens and obeys their parents. Works as a volunteer at church and social organisations on the weekends. What would you call him or her?
An oddball. A freak. A nerd.
Can we just take a breath and a pause to reflect on what has happened to our perception of moral values and cultural mores? The absurdity of taking what looks to be a more biblical model for behaviour and saying that it is out of the norm? We sometimes need to step back and take a look in the mirror to see how warped we've become, because we have accepted the lowest common denominator of social behaviour, applied the weakest of standards to our youth, and deemed it okay; even worth developing
It is the equivalent of giving everyone an 'A' because we don't want to damage their precious self esteem.
I see this in many instances. When a youth event is Bible study, hardly anyone turns up. When it is a 'fun' event involving worship, food and what-not; the place is filled to the brim. The watchwords of this age are fun, good feelings and being happy. To which I say: Beware - these will not get you the Kingdom of God.
Look, I don't have just classical music on my iPod. Nor do I dress like someone out of 'Revenge of the Nerds'. What's on the outside doesn't always reflect the inside but it is folly to suppose that there is no connection between the two whatsoever. You are what you eat. You dress and behave the way you feel and think. Perhaps, we need to think about that a little and check the way we portray ourselves to the world.
I gauge it very simply. Whenever I drop my 89-year old grandmother at church on Sunday, hardly anyone ever bothers to open my car door to help her out. They just walk by caught in their own little world. So, really , there is nothing radical about our faith when this happens, nothing radical about our church and nothing radical about our people
To paraphrase a song, 'We are the World', and that is a sad indictment indeed according to biblical standards
Monday, June 29, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Really Radical Youth - Part 1
This is a follow up to my previous post on Radical Youth Ministry. Some questions were posed to me once when I mentioned the example of Mark Dever's youth ministry at his church. Primary among them was : " Is it really possible that these kind of youth exist?"
You see, the problem with youth these days is that we are prepared to accept the lowest common denominator from them in terms of behaviour and attitude. Adults have already inwardly typecasted them as rude, rebellious self-centered individuals with a short attention span. But, so as not to alienate them or make them worse; they obligingly pander to these characteristics by giving them at church the music they want to hear, the topics they think they can relate to and the latitude to dress in the manner that they choose to.
What poppycock.
It is not that I think the youth today do not display all those aforementioned characteristics. They do. I did, when I was young. At times, I stil do. But the answer does not lie in mere capitulation to the mores and ways of the world and admit defeat in the cultural wars. This does not mean locking citadel doors and bringing up the drawbridge over the moat as well. You can't effectively shut out the world, even if you were Amish. But you can engage it from a Christian perspective and win; especially if your base is Biblical
What do I mean? Let's take an example.
Now I can tell you to turn off the TV when hot chicks on MTV in skimpy outfits start prancing around in a Jay Z vid. But that doesn't really work. Nor will browbeating you with Christian alternatives. I've known people who started lusting after singers on the Christian Contemporary Music scene just because that's all they were able to see and listen to. It doesn't make it any holier or rightheous; it's just transference
The key is to apply good, solid biblical teaching on this issue. I would talk about a simple issue; why are those dancers on MTV dressed in hardly anything at all? You mean they can't dress in a full dress and dance? In fact, why do they have to dance like that? And furthermore, what are those lyrics about? Why is it always about ho's and bling? Pardon the street vernacular.
In short, a process of enquiry through the whole issue will reveal certain points.
1) You're being manipulated hook, line and sinker by media companies and a greedy system
2) The singer and dancers don't care two-hoots about your wellbeing or love you. They really don't. They just want you to buy their CD's
3) My weaknesses are being exploited. How do you feel about that?
All this comes about because the Word of God makes one think differently about how the world is viewed. It's not an amazing revelation. It's a Biblical one because somewhere along the line, the Word of God has been used for teaching, exhorting and guidance in it's proper context.
A youth who subscribes to that view is not going to be the same. His or her world will slowly turn upside down, and they will start on the path to be really radical. But more about that in part 2.
You see, the problem with youth these days is that we are prepared to accept the lowest common denominator from them in terms of behaviour and attitude. Adults have already inwardly typecasted them as rude, rebellious self-centered individuals with a short attention span. But, so as not to alienate them or make them worse; they obligingly pander to these characteristics by giving them at church the music they want to hear, the topics they think they can relate to and the latitude to dress in the manner that they choose to.
What poppycock.
It is not that I think the youth today do not display all those aforementioned characteristics. They do. I did, when I was young. At times, I stil do. But the answer does not lie in mere capitulation to the mores and ways of the world and admit defeat in the cultural wars. This does not mean locking citadel doors and bringing up the drawbridge over the moat as well. You can't effectively shut out the world, even if you were Amish. But you can engage it from a Christian perspective and win; especially if your base is Biblical
What do I mean? Let's take an example.
Now I can tell you to turn off the TV when hot chicks on MTV in skimpy outfits start prancing around in a Jay Z vid. But that doesn't really work. Nor will browbeating you with Christian alternatives. I've known people who started lusting after singers on the Christian Contemporary Music scene just because that's all they were able to see and listen to. It doesn't make it any holier or rightheous; it's just transference
The key is to apply good, solid biblical teaching on this issue. I would talk about a simple issue; why are those dancers on MTV dressed in hardly anything at all? You mean they can't dress in a full dress and dance? In fact, why do they have to dance like that? And furthermore, what are those lyrics about? Why is it always about ho's and bling? Pardon the street vernacular.
In short, a process of enquiry through the whole issue will reveal certain points.
1) You're being manipulated hook, line and sinker by media companies and a greedy system
2) The singer and dancers don't care two-hoots about your wellbeing or love you. They really don't. They just want you to buy their CD's
3) My weaknesses are being exploited. How do you feel about that?
All this comes about because the Word of God makes one think differently about how the world is viewed. It's not an amazing revelation. It's a Biblical one because somewhere along the line, the Word of God has been used for teaching, exhorting and guidance in it's proper context.
A youth who subscribes to that view is not going to be the same. His or her world will slowly turn upside down, and they will start on the path to be really radical. But more about that in part 2.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Really Radical Youth Ministry - another perspective
When a nationally renowned and respected youth worker in the U.S one day paid a visit to Mark Dever's Capitol Hill Baptist church youth program in Washington D.C. he was shocked. They were studying Wayne Grudem's "Systematic Theology" quietly and earnestly and discussing the subject of the atonement on the book of Romans
He admitted a little embarassedly that at his church, he had to rely on all the normal stereotypical elements to keep the youth interested in church; loud music, games, drama skits, exciting topical sermons etc. When he asked Pastor Dever about what special planning he instituted to get the youth to be like this, and what program he put in place - this was his response:
" I have 150 youth doing bible study on a Saturday afternoon and after that, we sing hymns written by people who have been dead for over a 100 years. And you ask me if I planned this? "
The ironic point here is that we have been conditioned to believe that the youth of today cannot take bible study, that the old techniques are passe. And we need a new approach, radical ideas and constantly changing techniques to keep them interested. Thus, a whole new industry based on keeping the youth in church has surfaced. And it is based on the premise that youth today have short attention spans, an incapacity to digest complex and tedious information and are inclined to the experential rather than the intellectual.
Mark Dever's approach takes the opposite approach, and it is a uniquely Calvinist one. God is sovereign. He does not need to pander to you, or study you. You need to study him. And worship him reverentially.
Thus, the program (if I may call it so), has the paramount aim of going back to the basic fundamentals of knowing God through his primary source; The Bible. All other stuff is then built on it. How different this is from the modern day church where it is the other way around. We design our activities first, then fit the Bible around it, or as an afterthought.
I admit that as a one time youth counsellor, I have been guilty of doing that. In an effort to keep the youth interested, I had committed the gross sin of putting God into the background, and then wondered why the program was ineffective. But there was this great fear that every counsellor felt, that if they did what Mark did, then the youth would find it boring, irrelevant and leave for another more fun church
In the end, I realised that if this was the case, then so be it. The Word says : "The heart is deceitful above all else, who can understand it". We have made the classic error of thinking that the heart is essentially not-too-bad, and that if we tweak it through some cool church programs; the youth will see that Jesus is the way to go.
Not so. The heart is deceitful. Mine, yours and that seemingly innocent kid in your youth group. All of us deserve God's wrath, and would surely get it if not for his amazing and salvific grace. That is the failure of modern programs. Man, or in this case, the youth is placed first, not God. I don't care these days if your youth assembly is growing by the multitudes or even if they are laughing and crying in the streets. If God is not primary, all is secondary and an illusion; no matter how real it seems
I don't know whether the youth worker went back to his church and instituted a program like that. More than likely, he would have been shouted down by the church board and deemed a heretic for curtailing their 'dynamic' youth ministry. I hope not but I am not too optimistic. Which is why I still pray for really radical youth ministry like Mark Dever's to have more followers, and more truly radical youth to follow
SDG
He admitted a little embarassedly that at his church, he had to rely on all the normal stereotypical elements to keep the youth interested in church; loud music, games, drama skits, exciting topical sermons etc. When he asked Pastor Dever about what special planning he instituted to get the youth to be like this, and what program he put in place - this was his response:
" I have 150 youth doing bible study on a Saturday afternoon and after that, we sing hymns written by people who have been dead for over a 100 years. And you ask me if I planned this? "
The ironic point here is that we have been conditioned to believe that the youth of today cannot take bible study, that the old techniques are passe. And we need a new approach, radical ideas and constantly changing techniques to keep them interested. Thus, a whole new industry based on keeping the youth in church has surfaced. And it is based on the premise that youth today have short attention spans, an incapacity to digest complex and tedious information and are inclined to the experential rather than the intellectual.
Mark Dever's approach takes the opposite approach, and it is a uniquely Calvinist one. God is sovereign. He does not need to pander to you, or study you. You need to study him. And worship him reverentially.
Thus, the program (if I may call it so), has the paramount aim of going back to the basic fundamentals of knowing God through his primary source; The Bible. All other stuff is then built on it. How different this is from the modern day church where it is the other way around. We design our activities first, then fit the Bible around it, or as an afterthought.
I admit that as a one time youth counsellor, I have been guilty of doing that. In an effort to keep the youth interested, I had committed the gross sin of putting God into the background, and then wondered why the program was ineffective. But there was this great fear that every counsellor felt, that if they did what Mark did, then the youth would find it boring, irrelevant and leave for another more fun church
In the end, I realised that if this was the case, then so be it. The Word says : "The heart is deceitful above all else, who can understand it". We have made the classic error of thinking that the heart is essentially not-too-bad, and that if we tweak it through some cool church programs; the youth will see that Jesus is the way to go.
Not so. The heart is deceitful. Mine, yours and that seemingly innocent kid in your youth group. All of us deserve God's wrath, and would surely get it if not for his amazing and salvific grace. That is the failure of modern programs. Man, or in this case, the youth is placed first, not God. I don't care these days if your youth assembly is growing by the multitudes or even if they are laughing and crying in the streets. If God is not primary, all is secondary and an illusion; no matter how real it seems
I don't know whether the youth worker went back to his church and instituted a program like that. More than likely, he would have been shouted down by the church board and deemed a heretic for curtailing their 'dynamic' youth ministry. I hope not but I am not too optimistic. Which is why I still pray for really radical youth ministry like Mark Dever's to have more followers, and more truly radical youth to follow
SDG
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Take a break before it really breaks
Imagine this. Maybe you've had a series of spritual highs in the past. Been to 50 church camps in a row, sang Hillsong till you dream the lyrics and read the Bible back to front - what, only 66 books?!? ). Along the way, you've told anyone and everyone about the gospel, your nickname is Hudson Taylor and your parents are already packing your bags to the seminary
But now you're frustrated. Your spiritual life seems to be stuck in neutral gear, your haven't opened your Bible in a while and prayer seems to be something said just to get it over and done with. What do you do?
Nothing. That's what
When I gave this advice to a friend of mine, I bet he thought I was the anti-Christ (Sinner! You want to stumble me!!! ) Surely I should have been exhorting him to pray more, sing harder, read more books, get more involved in church. Was I being a stumbling block?
No, I was trying to be a friend
Take it from someone who has been burntout and injured from sports in the past - the same thing can happen to your spiritual life. The only difference is whether you want to admit it or deny it. Many Christians refuse to confess that they are burnt out or have hit a plateau - they rather say that they are a little "tired" or just need to have more "faith".They see it as weakness if they have to admit otherwise
In sports, this overtraining and non-recognition that you have hit a plateau can have devastating and debilitating consequences. Lets say I am already tired, a little injured, weary and frustrated that I can't progress in my training. I urge myself on, pushing on, berating myself for being weak, shouting "ganbattei" all the way...until something snaps. Like an achilles tendon or a bone
And then suddenly, I am out for two years. Bitterness and woe sets in. Why? Not because I wasn't strong, it's because I wasn't smart. I was egoistical, thinking that I was invincible and super tough, only to find out that I was just a lump of clay. Broken clay now. It's all pride
It is much the same with our spritual growth. We sometimes hit a plateau. It's natural and is because we are flesh and blood. Push the rubber band that is your body, mind and spirit beyond the breaking point and be prepared to suffer the consequences
We live in a world that prizes fast paced spiritual growth, action and doing rather than being. Ironicaly, all this serves to place more faith in one's own ability rather than God. In other words, it's what the devil wants. All we want to do is "kar yow" (add oil) when you drive but do you know where you're going?
The most interesting thing about this is that when an injury occurs, it's usually not because it happened there and then. Usually, it was slowly occuring over a period of time, sort of like a small crack in a dam finally leading to it's collapse.
On the positive side, a time of rest where you go about living a Godly life (without being overtly Christian - I will write more about this one day) might be the tonic needed to heal you. It's much the same way that cross training prevents injuries by working other muscles that strenghthen the ones you use all the time. God is building you up behind the scenes, quietly.
You just don't see it but he is there. That is the essence of faith
But now you're frustrated. Your spiritual life seems to be stuck in neutral gear, your haven't opened your Bible in a while and prayer seems to be something said just to get it over and done with. What do you do?
Nothing. That's what
When I gave this advice to a friend of mine, I bet he thought I was the anti-Christ (Sinner! You want to stumble me!!! ) Surely I should have been exhorting him to pray more, sing harder, read more books, get more involved in church. Was I being a stumbling block?
No, I was trying to be a friend
Take it from someone who has been burntout and injured from sports in the past - the same thing can happen to your spiritual life. The only difference is whether you want to admit it or deny it. Many Christians refuse to confess that they are burnt out or have hit a plateau - they rather say that they are a little "tired" or just need to have more "faith".They see it as weakness if they have to admit otherwise
In sports, this overtraining and non-recognition that you have hit a plateau can have devastating and debilitating consequences. Lets say I am already tired, a little injured, weary and frustrated that I can't progress in my training. I urge myself on, pushing on, berating myself for being weak, shouting "ganbattei" all the way...until something snaps. Like an achilles tendon or a bone
And then suddenly, I am out for two years. Bitterness and woe sets in. Why? Not because I wasn't strong, it's because I wasn't smart. I was egoistical, thinking that I was invincible and super tough, only to find out that I was just a lump of clay. Broken clay now. It's all pride
It is much the same with our spritual growth. We sometimes hit a plateau. It's natural and is because we are flesh and blood. Push the rubber band that is your body, mind and spirit beyond the breaking point and be prepared to suffer the consequences
We live in a world that prizes fast paced spiritual growth, action and doing rather than being. Ironicaly, all this serves to place more faith in one's own ability rather than God. In other words, it's what the devil wants. All we want to do is "kar yow" (add oil) when you drive but do you know where you're going?
The most interesting thing about this is that when an injury occurs, it's usually not because it happened there and then. Usually, it was slowly occuring over a period of time, sort of like a small crack in a dam finally leading to it's collapse.
On the positive side, a time of rest where you go about living a Godly life (without being overtly Christian - I will write more about this one day) might be the tonic needed to heal you. It's much the same way that cross training prevents injuries by working other muscles that strenghthen the ones you use all the time. God is building you up behind the scenes, quietly.
You just don't see it but he is there. That is the essence of faith
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Why I prefer the gym to church - Part 1
Some of you know that one of my main passions is the martial arts, and that I spend a good (my parents would say disproportionate! ) amount of time training at my coach's gym. Lately, I've been teaching a lot of classes as well due to the fact that my coach's mum has been criticially ill. The irony is that far from being a drag on my schedule or a stressful situation, I've actually enjoyed it. Why is that? And why do I not get the same level of satisfaction from serving at church?
Now I know this is inherent blasphemy to some. And believe me, I've thought long and hard before writing this. Gym over church? Heresy! Hear me out first
I believe that one reason why most people don't want to serve at church in the first place, or give up serving is not because they are worldly (although some are) or not sacrificial. It is that their experience bucks one integral rule of continuing service - positive feedback. In other words, the sense that you are doing something useful and beneficial.
If I serve, and I see that I make a difference, and that my work is appreciated - I will endeavour to do more. But if I suffer ridicule, negative backchat and the slings and arrows from those whom I try to help - well, in the parlance of the times, only a doofus would stay.
So, this is the critical issue. If a church provided an environment where service - true service and not blind slavery - was appreciated, there would be a slew of people begging to want to part of this. But most times, the church is a full of mini napoleons, fiefdoms and self-interested groups which at times looks more like the secular world than my gym, which is avowedly secular.
The church was never supposed to look like that. It was intended to be a place where the light shone in the darkness. And those in the darkness would gravitate towards it. But instead, in many cases, it reflects the darkness so well that people get confused.
I now choose not to be a part of that mechanism, which is why I have gradually dropped my level of service in various ministries. Does this mean I love God less? On the contrary, this has given my faith a new and more vibrant dimension and I am more in touch with God than I ever have before. It's like throwing off a backpack full of rocks. A backpack is only useful if you have necessities like water, food etc. Rocks are useless, and thus, it is better discarded.
Discard what is useless. Appreciate the minimalism and sheer simplicity of a life in Christ alone. And then, you'll see the abundance.
Now I know this is inherent blasphemy to some. And believe me, I've thought long and hard before writing this. Gym over church? Heresy! Hear me out first
I believe that one reason why most people don't want to serve at church in the first place, or give up serving is not because they are worldly (although some are) or not sacrificial. It is that their experience bucks one integral rule of continuing service - positive feedback. In other words, the sense that you are doing something useful and beneficial.
If I serve, and I see that I make a difference, and that my work is appreciated - I will endeavour to do more. But if I suffer ridicule, negative backchat and the slings and arrows from those whom I try to help - well, in the parlance of the times, only a doofus would stay.
So, this is the critical issue. If a church provided an environment where service - true service and not blind slavery - was appreciated, there would be a slew of people begging to want to part of this. But most times, the church is a full of mini napoleons, fiefdoms and self-interested groups which at times looks more like the secular world than my gym, which is avowedly secular.
The church was never supposed to look like that. It was intended to be a place where the light shone in the darkness. And those in the darkness would gravitate towards it. But instead, in many cases, it reflects the darkness so well that people get confused.
I now choose not to be a part of that mechanism, which is why I have gradually dropped my level of service in various ministries. Does this mean I love God less? On the contrary, this has given my faith a new and more vibrant dimension and I am more in touch with God than I ever have before. It's like throwing off a backpack full of rocks. A backpack is only useful if you have necessities like water, food etc. Rocks are useless, and thus, it is better discarded.
Discard what is useless. Appreciate the minimalism and sheer simplicity of a life in Christ alone. And then, you'll see the abundance.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Why the 286 generation needs to learn how to make their bed
There has been a lot of talk about how the current young generation is going to go out there and win souls for the glory of God. Preachers exhort it from rallies. Personal prophecies are given (those of you who know me will know that I am rolling my eyes when I write this one..), and kids are fired up because they are more passionate about God and want their lives to be transformed and others, as well
Well, before they pack their Psalty Zonderkids and their best of Hillsong CD's (or illegally ripped MP3's) into their J.C Rox my Sox backpack, maybe they do well to heed the words of someone a lot wiser than them, or me, for that matter- the apostle Paul
"Do nothing from rivalry and conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves" - Philipians 2:3 -
You see, I am rather old fashioned. I think today's youth are insolent, rebellious, lacking in all manner of social graces, indolent, prone to backchat and lazy in the intellectual sense. They are also spoilt beyond belief, indulged to the point where the fat of arrogance drips of them. Like battery hens bred for a life of solitary confinement, they open they mouth for what they feel is their divine right to the good life, and their own inalienable rights
Of course, there are exceptions. However, finding one or two is about as easy as finding a fund manager who didn't hit in the financial crisis in 2008. If you find one, let me know. It's akin to stiking the lottery
Thus, it is even more repugnant when they are in church singing away to Jesus and patting themselves on the back for being 'spiritual'. The odiousness of layering a false sense of humility while backstabbing and displaying all the mores of total depravity are made even more sickening by the fake protestations of faith and sanctification. I should know - I used to work with these youth
Rather than being difference makers ( another catchphrase) and being 'in but not of this world', they are in this world, and they LOVE it. They love it with such a passion that they don't want to leave and would happily go on with their merry ways even if Jesus came again. Of course, that won't happen when the King comes, which is why the 'gnashing of teeth and the wailing' never rang so true
So, who is to blame? Their parents? A church seduced by the secular? Chris Tomlin? All of the above, except Chris - he's da man! But levity aside, all play a part, and thus all are guilty of gross mismanagement of these young souls. But they are not blameless either. Their fallen sin nature is partial to this and thus, rather than rebel in a good way to follow the light, the path of darkness looks more attractive
One common lament that the youth make is that they get no respect from the older people. But respect is earned. It is not a right. If I am applying for a job, I need to earn the respect of the interviewer, and I have to respect him or her. Any less than that will have dire consequences for employability at this company. When I see the youth totally absorbed in their own lives, and it's all about them and their needs, why should the older folk care about them? That kind of selfishness eventually comes back to them
The gospel has the power to change lives. Young or old. The famous mathematician and thinker, Blaise Pascal was notoriously selfish and cantenkerous - essentially not a nice person to be around. Intellectuallly brilliant but with a low emotional quotient. However, when he met God, he became a different person. Those who knew him said that the best indicator of change in him was this - he made his own bed. In the past, he left it to his servants but in his later life, a wave of humility swept over him and he humbled himself to make his own bed.
It is my wish that the young generation be different in this sense. When they meet the real risen Christ and their lives are changed, their difference is seen by everyone around them. Their parents, friends, teachers and pastors will notice that there is real transformation - not just glib superficiality
But I'm not holding my breath
Well, before they pack their Psalty Zonderkids and their best of Hillsong CD's (or illegally ripped MP3's) into their J.C Rox my Sox backpack, maybe they do well to heed the words of someone a lot wiser than them, or me, for that matter- the apostle Paul
"Do nothing from rivalry and conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves" - Philipians 2:3 -
You see, I am rather old fashioned. I think today's youth are insolent, rebellious, lacking in all manner of social graces, indolent, prone to backchat and lazy in the intellectual sense. They are also spoilt beyond belief, indulged to the point where the fat of arrogance drips of them. Like battery hens bred for a life of solitary confinement, they open they mouth for what they feel is their divine right to the good life, and their own inalienable rights
Of course, there are exceptions. However, finding one or two is about as easy as finding a fund manager who didn't hit in the financial crisis in 2008. If you find one, let me know. It's akin to stiking the lottery
Thus, it is even more repugnant when they are in church singing away to Jesus and patting themselves on the back for being 'spiritual'. The odiousness of layering a false sense of humility while backstabbing and displaying all the mores of total depravity are made even more sickening by the fake protestations of faith and sanctification. I should know - I used to work with these youth
Rather than being difference makers ( another catchphrase) and being 'in but not of this world', they are in this world, and they LOVE it. They love it with such a passion that they don't want to leave and would happily go on with their merry ways even if Jesus came again. Of course, that won't happen when the King comes, which is why the 'gnashing of teeth and the wailing' never rang so true
So, who is to blame? Their parents? A church seduced by the secular? Chris Tomlin? All of the above, except Chris - he's da man! But levity aside, all play a part, and thus all are guilty of gross mismanagement of these young souls. But they are not blameless either. Their fallen sin nature is partial to this and thus, rather than rebel in a good way to follow the light, the path of darkness looks more attractive
One common lament that the youth make is that they get no respect from the older people. But respect is earned. It is not a right. If I am applying for a job, I need to earn the respect of the interviewer, and I have to respect him or her. Any less than that will have dire consequences for employability at this company. When I see the youth totally absorbed in their own lives, and it's all about them and their needs, why should the older folk care about them? That kind of selfishness eventually comes back to them
The gospel has the power to change lives. Young or old. The famous mathematician and thinker, Blaise Pascal was notoriously selfish and cantenkerous - essentially not a nice person to be around. Intellectuallly brilliant but with a low emotional quotient. However, when he met God, he became a different person. Those who knew him said that the best indicator of change in him was this - he made his own bed. In the past, he left it to his servants but in his later life, a wave of humility swept over him and he humbled himself to make his own bed.
It is my wish that the young generation be different in this sense. When they meet the real risen Christ and their lives are changed, their difference is seen by everyone around them. Their parents, friends, teachers and pastors will notice that there is real transformation - not just glib superficiality
But I'm not holding my breath
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Fun is a four letter word - Part 2
When I wrote the earlier post on 'fun' I did not expect it to be a two parter. It was just an off the cuff article. But now after some reflection, I have some additions to make
The notion that making fun is the main aim of everything is more insidious than it appears. Wanting fun in every activity means that you want that shot of endorphin or dopamine in every activity. So, any activity that doesn't give you that is deemed not to be of interest to you. This meas that you short circuit rational though processes and depend only on one feedback qualifier: feelings of fun
Notice how dangerous this can be to your spiritual life. A bible study is 'boring' because you it involves work and processes of thought which at times can bypass those yearnings for emotional stimulation. What happens? You give up and thus, what could have been an important tool for spiritual growth is neglected because you let 'fun' be the dictator of what should be undertaken
I notice this all to much at church. We fear boredom and pain. Why? Sometimes, these two seemingly unwelcome fellows are exactly the teachers that we need
The best story I have heard regarding this comes from Gary Player, the world famous golfer who is up ther with such amazing legends as Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer.
Once, while Gary Player was at the driving range hitting balls, someone came up to him and said:
" I wish I could hit the ball like you"
Gary then thought about it and told the man:
" Sure, you can. Just get up at the crack of dawn. Hit a thousand balls until your fingers bleed. Wash the blood off. Then go hit a thousand more. Then, you'll hit the ball like me"
Gary said that the man then left looking sad. And this was his final comment:
" The man wanted to hit like me but he didn't want to do the hard word. Nor suffer the pain. It doesn't work that way - you have to go through all of that"
Likewise, recently when some of the youth asked me about how to deepen their spirituality, they didn't like the answers I gave. Hard bible study doesn't sound like fun. Disciplined prayer sounds even less. But that's what you need to grow into mature christians. And like that man, they will probably look for more 'fun' ways of becoming more mature or not bother. That is up to them
I have taken a stance like Gary. You want to know how to grow, I'll tell you with the limited knowledge I have. But I won't cajol or make you hit the balls. Nor will I call you at the crack of dawn to get to the driving range. You will have to dig deep and find the motivation to do so. Champions are driven from within, not from the outside.
So too with saints of God
The notion that making fun is the main aim of everything is more insidious than it appears. Wanting fun in every activity means that you want that shot of endorphin or dopamine in every activity. So, any activity that doesn't give you that is deemed not to be of interest to you. This meas that you short circuit rational though processes and depend only on one feedback qualifier: feelings of fun
Notice how dangerous this can be to your spiritual life. A bible study is 'boring' because you it involves work and processes of thought which at times can bypass those yearnings for emotional stimulation. What happens? You give up and thus, what could have been an important tool for spiritual growth is neglected because you let 'fun' be the dictator of what should be undertaken
I notice this all to much at church. We fear boredom and pain. Why? Sometimes, these two seemingly unwelcome fellows are exactly the teachers that we need
The best story I have heard regarding this comes from Gary Player, the world famous golfer who is up ther with such amazing legends as Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer.
Once, while Gary Player was at the driving range hitting balls, someone came up to him and said:
" I wish I could hit the ball like you"
Gary then thought about it and told the man:
" Sure, you can. Just get up at the crack of dawn. Hit a thousand balls until your fingers bleed. Wash the blood off. Then go hit a thousand more. Then, you'll hit the ball like me"
Gary said that the man then left looking sad. And this was his final comment:
" The man wanted to hit like me but he didn't want to do the hard word. Nor suffer the pain. It doesn't work that way - you have to go through all of that"
Likewise, recently when some of the youth asked me about how to deepen their spirituality, they didn't like the answers I gave. Hard bible study doesn't sound like fun. Disciplined prayer sounds even less. But that's what you need to grow into mature christians. And like that man, they will probably look for more 'fun' ways of becoming more mature or not bother. That is up to them
I have taken a stance like Gary. You want to know how to grow, I'll tell you with the limited knowledge I have. But I won't cajol or make you hit the balls. Nor will I call you at the crack of dawn to get to the driving range. You will have to dig deep and find the motivation to do so. Champions are driven from within, not from the outside.
So too with saints of God
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