These Are a Few of My Favorite Tweeps

It's hard to believe that it has been nearly 5 years since I joined the revolution in social media known as Twitter. After a year or so of thinking of it as a place where celebrities told us in 140 characters or less what they had for breakfast or who they saw out at the clubs, I decided in July of 2010 to open an account and explore it myself. My first step was to follow some athletes and broadcasters I admired and seek out anyone I knew who might be on Twitter- which was a short list. Eventually my list expanded to include lots of youth ministers and Disney fanatics, and slowly but surely people began to follow me. I tweeted often and responded to anyone who mentioned me. Every Friday I participated in the now nearly extinct tradition of Follow Friday (#FF) which led to numerous conversations and lots of new contacts. There was a time when I hoped to someday have 100 followers. It seemed odd when my list of followers reached 500; it seemed surreal when it reached 1000 and surpassed the number of members whom I followed. I remember one night at Tijuana Flats sharing with an employee that I was on Twitter, and she asked how many followers I had. When I responded 1100 she gasped, and said "WOW- you are Twitter famous!" The answer, of course, was NO. The list kept growing until I reached the over 2500 that follow me today. It has also been instrumental is spreading the word about this blog. So to paraphrase the great Chico Escuela, "Twitter has been bery, bery good to me!"

But that's not what I wanted to write about today. Twitter was first and foremost for me a place where I encountered some wonderful, loving, caring and thoughtful people who gave me encouragement and support. Many of us used Twitter to converse on a regular basis about things both meaningful and silly. Friendships developed with people we had very little hope of actually meeting. When many of them discovered my past transgressions in May of 2011 through posts on this blog, they simply reached out with grace. These strangers became part of my inner circle, members of my family. And I love them.

Twitter has changed. There are fewer conversations and more posturing and agenda promoting now than ever before, and I am as guilty as the next person. Politics are used to divide people and label each other. And some of my favorite Tweeps, not willing to put up with that nonsense, have left or are seldom around anymore. And I really, really, REALLY miss them, and I miss talking to so many others. So today on Twitter I am using the hashtag #TwitFavs to shout out to many of those who were so important to me in my early days on the medium and to let them all know they are thought of and missed. The lists will also acknowledge those who are still important parts of my life on Twitter. The lists will be long and scattered throughout the day, but I hope to convey a sense of just how many Tweeps impacted my life over these past 5 years. And if you are on Twitter and looking for some people to follow, I suggest EVERY SINGLE PERSON that I mention today. They are simply the best! Have a Happy Hump Day, and keep on tweeting my friends!

Thunder Road

"Heaven's waiting on down the tracks 

Oh-oh come take my hand 
We're riding out tonight to case the promised land 
Oh-oh Thunder Road oh Thunder Road..." ~ Springsteen

When talking about the #NarrowRoad that we walk when following Jesus we often think of it as peaceful and serene place, a place where we walk in quiet solitude. This is not always the case, and scripture makes this very clear. Over the weekend I was reminded of this and also of one of the greatest nicknames ever bestowed upon human beings. In the Gospel of Mark, chapter 3, we read a synopsis of Jesus calling the 12 disciples. If you are like me, the disciple you can relate to the most is Simon Peter- because he was as big a screw-up as we are, yet Jesus built the church on his faith. Who wouldn't love to be a Simon Peter? But also among the 12 are the brothers James & John, the sons of Zebedee. Let me press pause and say that if the story ended there, James & John would already be awesome, because Zebedee may be the best name ever! I would have fought to name my son Zebedee, but I enjoyed living with my wife and didn't want to spend all of my time praying to the patron saint of lost causes. Still, just being the sons of Zebedee would have been cool enough. But Jesus gave them a nickname that transformed them into rock stars. He called them "Boanerges," which means Sons of Thunder. While no explanation is given in scripture, it is assumed by scholars (and me!) that this nickname was a reference to their bold and zealous personalities - illustrated by a later incident in which they wanted to "call down fire from heaven" to destroy the people of a Samaritan village who had refused to allow Jesus and His apostles to pass through on their way to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51-56).  These guys knew what it meant to be passionate for Jesus. They had the fire in their eyes. These guys understood that the #NarrowRoad sometimes needs to be Thunder Road!

And clearly their Master appreciated this in the two brothers. James & John were always there (along with Peter) when Jesus needed his "inner circle." James would go on to be the first of the disciples to be martyred (Acts 12:2) and John would write his "revelation" from prison on the island of Patmos. These were men who gave their lives to Christ, not just in word, but in deeds- in big, honkin', passionate deeds. 

So it seems to me that walking the #NarrowRoad may require us to be a part of a 21st century chapter of the Sons of Thunder. This would be a group of believers who understand that following Jesus is everything. They would understand that being a people of love, grace and peace is not a weakness, but a bold stance for our Savior in this world we live in. The modern Sons of Thunder would be a radical presence for Jesus in our communities and a passionate thorn in the side of the institutional church. I am not much of a joiner, but this is a group I want to be a part of- and soon! How about you? The team would be filled with folks (male & female!) with the cajones to call down fire from heaven when the occasion calls for it. To join is to understand that if Jesus were walking the earth today he would be hanging out with the most unlikely people, demanding peace and justice, confronting false idols and fake teachers and calling us to do the same. Accepting such a call is not without risk. Your passion may offend your neighbors and other Christians. Your churches may be among the first to disown you. The love and grace you offer to others may baffle them. You will almost certainly be called upon to sacrifice for the cause. You may receive a vision from God that will confuse people for the next 2000 years. But when it comes to following Jesus, I am ready to make some noise. It's time to bring the thunder...

Let's be bold together and change the world. Let's be radicals for Christ. The 1st century Sons of Thunder helped turn their world upside down. A modern version could do the same. If you're in, leave me a comment and let me know. Seriously. It's going to be a wild ride on the #NarrowRoad. And we're going to have AWESOME t-shirts...

Because of Jesus,

The Week Long One Day Choir Tour

Andrew Lewis was a fixture at FUMC-Kissimmee by the time I arrived in 1994. Over the years he served the church as organist, interim youth pastor and eventually Director of Music and Worship. He also directed the youth choir (first called Celebration Singers and later nUsong) during my tenure and often helped with other youth activities as well. Andrew was (is!) a great guy, a wonderful musician, and one of my best friends during the Kissimmee years. We started making plans as early as 1995 to try and do a youth choir tour as a part of our summer ministries, but it didn't come together until June 20-27, 1998. This is the story of that tour- a short story!

Andrew had nUsong ready to hit the road and sing. Our youth worship band (which I called Spicy Bean Burrito; they actually had no name) was ready to rock. We had skits prepared, roadies to help us set up the sound equipment and drivers for the vans. My job was to find us places to play. The first stop was easy; I booked us on a Sunday morning at my old stomping grounds, Springfield Friends Meeting in High Point, NC.  Two of our youth, Jill and Erica Souther, got us a gig on that Sunday night at an outdoor venue in Wilkes County, NC, sponsored by a church their relatives attended. I had a possibility of a host church for Tuesday, and on Wednesday we were to go to my uncle's church near Raleigh. On Friday we were to be back in the Greensboro area at another Friends Meeting. Things were coming together- that is, until they completely fell apart!

By the time we left Kissimmee, there was nothing left of our choir tour but the two Sunday events. We would spend the rest of the week travelling around, calling people and begging them to let us come sing, and trying to fill the days. Those two worship events were wonderful; unfortunately they were the only two we played all week. It was quite a disappointment for the group, and I was miserable, knowing I had let everyone down. Because of all the free-time, some of the relationships in the group became a little strained as the week went on, and there were two youth (now a lovely married couple) I thought we might ditch at a gas station in Georgia; but we all survived. Don't get me wrong, we had plenty of fun that week. We visited Carowinds (see picture at top) in Charlotte, made a stop in Myrtle Beach, played lots of Spoons and loved being together. But the bottom line was I failed the group, and we didn't get to do many of the things we had prepared so hard to accomplish. We had wanted to bring Jesus to people in a fresh, exciting way, and we did. But only twice. We were the first (only?) live rock band to play worship at Springfield Friends, so we had that going for us, but all-in-all I consider it a major OOPS in my career. And I felt really bad for Andrew, who had wanted the tour to happen for so long. When I pick my all-time  church staff in a future posting, you can bet Andrew will be in that group. I just have to figure out which job to give him...

There is one final epilogue to this story that has been mentioned here before. All of the playing of Spoons that helped fill the long hours we spent in motels became quite competitive. It became fashionable for the losers in these games (GASP!  There was gambling on a youth trip?) to have to do something embarrassing. One such loser had to run up and down the hall outside her room with only a towel wrapped around her. A few years later, at her Senior Roast, an 8x10 full color picture (albeit a bit blurry) of her running in that towel showed up. I still have that picture. I don't know how often Cyndi Reep Browning reads this blog, but if you are out there, Reep, that picture is safe- for now!  I know I have threatened you with it before, but the time draws near! The rest of you may want to warn her...

Because of Jesus,

Happy Mother's Day!

Today I remember the moms who are such an important part of my life. I think of my own mom, Anne, with whom we celebrated this past Friday. We remember Marilyn's mom Marie, who Marilyn is spending the weekend with in NC even as I type this. My dear friend Lisa Jewett is celebrating today with her mom and her two adult children. And all over the country countless other moms are spending today being reminded just how amazing they are. My prayers go out to all mothers everywhere- prayers of blessing and protection. My prayers also go out to all of you whose moms have gone to be with God. I know this day can be hard for you, and please know you are in my thoughts.

We never outgrow our need for our mothers. The needs may change, but they are ever-present. I think this says it so well:

A Mother…
When you’re a child she walks before you,
To set an example.
When you’re a teenager she walks behind you
To be there should you need her.
When you’re an adult she walks beside you
So that as two friends you can enjoy life together..
Author Unknown

Have a blessed and wonderful day all you moms out there. Consider this post to be one more hug just for you...

Because of Jesus,

Flashback Friday: Puppets, Red Flags & Black Holes

Puppets still make me nervous...

Today's Flashback Friday post takes a look back at one of the weirdest weekends of my life. And the worst job interview ever!

Every now and then I read a few posts and tweets that talk about the ups and downs of seeking employment as a youth pastor. I have even received a couple of requests asking me what to look for when interviewing with a church. I tell them to pray that God would direct their steps as they seek out a new ministry. They are also warned to beware of Red Flags. What do those Red Flags look like? Here is one example from my past, originally posted in September of 2010. Welcome to the Black Hole of youth ministry...

One of the churches that caught my attention in my 1999 job search was a United Methodist church that advertised that they were located in Cincinnati. From what I had been able to discern, they were a growing church with a solid youth ministry that had never had a full-time youth pastor. I spoke with a woman who (along with her husband) was heading up their search effort, and several things about the position resonated with me. After being dazzled by the New Orleans offer and the relentless pursuit of Dr. Tommy Dunbar, I felt good about this church. God was leading me to explore this ministry. I accepted their offer to fly me up for an interview.

In retrospect, there were a few warning signs before ever boarding the plane. It turned out the church was in the suburbs of Cincinnati, but was actually located in Kentucky. It bothered me that no one in the church seemed to be claiming Kentucky as home. It also seemed a bit odd that I was going to visit this church but had yet to speak with the pastor. I passed that off as a Search Committee doing a good job; I would meet the pastor upon arrival. The emailed me an agenda for the weekend less than 24 hours before my departure, and conspicuously absent from it was any opportunity to meet any of the youth. It just all seemed a bit weird to me. And finally, I arrived at the airport only to discover that the Cincinnati, Ohio airport is also in Kentucky. Everything just seemed a bit off.

The pastor (his name was Paul- I only remember that because I prayed for him for months afterwards...) met me at the airport and drove me to a restaurant. On the way there, he explained to me that he had been cut out of the loop on the entire youth pastor hiring process because he opposed hiring anyone. Red Flag #1  He felt like the church could not afford a new full-time staff person. Red Flag #2  He explained to me that the couple who were heading up the search committee had been the volunteer youth leaders for several years and had no intentions of leaving- they just felt they needed more help. Red Flag #3  We arrived at the restaurant and he dropped me off and left. And that was my last real conversation with Paul until I called him after I returned home.

Lunch was with several adults associated with the youth ministry, and it was pleasant enough. Afterwards we went to the home of the couple in charge and sat around their house talking about the future of student ministry at their church. The backbone of the ministry had been a Puppet Ministry, which they led- and neither wanted nor needed help with. Red Flag #4   It was their pride and joy, and really (their words) "the only thing that mattered." The job of a new youth pastor would be to run all of the "day to day" stuff while they focused on the puppets. There was no need for mission trips- the puppet ministry took care of that. Red Flag #5  There was no possibility for trips of any kind- all of the money went to puppet team. Red Flag #6  In fact, a huge part of my task would be to raise money for the puppet team. BIG HONKIN' RED FLAG #7  And on it went, never getting any better. When I started to ask questions and mentioned the concerns Paul had shared with me, they told me not to worry about it. They already had enough votes on the Staff-Parish (HR in a UMC) Committee to have him moved the next June. He was a lame duck. Red Flag #8  By the time we went to the church for my interview my only real question was "Can I fly out tonight?" It was awful. The committee confirmed that the new youth pastor would basically work for them. Red Flag #9  And finally, as I by now suspected, the salary that had been discussed originally was off the table. They were offering me less that I was making at FUMC-Kissimmee. Red Flag #10  Ten red flags and absolutely no contact with the youth. This place was a student ministry Black Hole, and I wanted nothing to do with it.

The worship service the next morning was wonderful. It turns out that Paul was quite a preacher, and very innovative as well. I got several ideas that morning that were used a number of times later on and which prevented the trip from being a total waste of time. By the time my plane left Kentucky that afternoon, they knew I was not interested in the job- and a few of them knew why. I did call Paul when I got home to warn him of the"coup d'etat" being planned against him and to tell him he would remain in my prayers. The whole thing was quite a mess, and for that one weekend working with  The Pastor Who Shall Not Be Named didn't seem quite so bad. But it only took one day back in the office to remind me that they were. So the search continued and eventually took me Chicagoland. But that's another story...

Because of Jesus,

#TW3- Welcome Aboard the Worldwide Cruise!

I hope you all are ready- it's time to launch the Youth Week that never happened!  Join us on our Worldwide Cruise each Thursday or follow along with the hashtag #TW3- That Was The Week That Wasn't! To read more about WHY I'm writing these posts, click HERE. And remember- it's a fictional dream week, so we can do anything I want to! Cost and location are no object. This is going to be fun!

"One hope, baby- only God can save the humans now..."

The Youth Week Worldwide Cruise departs today! You will not want to miss this fictional adventure with a different Port of Call each day, as well as many festive On-board Activities! We will be pulling restaurants and attractions from pretty much every place I ever served a church, including sometimes several in one day! To paraphrase Walt Disney, "If I can dream it, we can DO it!" Each day will be laid out like it would have been in one of my summer brochures, complete with times. Exactly where we are when we do things "at the church" will remain a mystery! Here is the schedule for Sunday:

6 PM-  All students and their families are invited to join us for the Captain's Dinner in the Fellowship Hall, featuring catering by Stamey's BBQ! This is a great opportunity to meet your crew (our fabulous Youth Ministry Team) as they serve you dinner. You can also connect with passengers you may not yet know as we play some dreaded Name Games. It's a great time to get your passports that serve as tickets for the rest of the cruise. And did I mention it is all-you-can-eat? Plus have your picture taken with a very special guest- and it's not Jerry Hanbery! Then be sure and stick around for an evening of entertainment. 

7 PM-  We set sail and celebrate with a Bon Voyage Party! The evening will begin with a concert from our favorite Slinky players- Lost And Found! You'll hear Lions, Slide Girl, Baby and many other classics! Be sure and come dressed in blue- 'cause that's what slide girls do! A skit featuring some of your peers will follow, helping us introduce our theme and scripture for the week for the week. Our scripture comes from 1 Thessalonians 2:8- "We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel, but our very lives as well, because you have become do dear to us." This amazing evening will wrap-up with the improvisational antics of CPR- Carl, Pete and Ringo (I know they broke up 10 years ago, but this is my dream week, so shut up!)! You and your family and friends will become part of the show, so don't miss out on the fun. Plus there will be prizes and surprises galore as we set sail on our week-long adventure, going worldwide to Save the Humans! It's all over by 9:30. Join us- and Stein Auf! See you next Thursday for Day 2 of this fabulous fictional adventure!!!

Because of Jesus,

Farewell, Dave!

Monday night my family sat down together for a rare chance to watch a TV show as it was actually being broadcast. This momentous occasion was created by the airing of 90 minute special honoring the career of the great David Letterman. We all LOVE Dave and are sad to see his 35 year run on television come to a close, and so we gathered to celebrate his genius. In some ways these last 13 shows are like a farewell tour for a family friend. Why do we love Dave? Let me count the ways...

My own relationship with Letterman began sometimes in 1980 when I stumbled across The David Letterman Show, an NBC morning talk show that aired at 10 am. I was immediately mesmerized. There is a very vivid memory of Dave calling someone out of the studio audience and talking about their job with them. He got the phone number of the woman's boss and called him at the office. After some small talk and outing the employee for being at his show instead of work, Dave demanded a raise for the woman, threatening to have her quit if the employer failed to comply. The boss was confused, the woman terrified and the audience on the floor laughing. It was all so wrong- and yet it was amazingly funny. Dave started his career way ahead of his time. The morning show only lasted just over a year, but it won 2 Emmys and set Dave on the path to stardom and Late Night with David Letterman.

It didn't take long for Late Night to turn the talk show world upside down. Nothing Letterman did was normal; from Top 10 Lists to Stupid Pet Tricks. His interviews were neither fawning nor condescending; in fact, Cher called him an "A-hole" on air. There were skits and recurring characters, like Chris Elliot's Man Under the Seats who "lived" in the theater. He destroyed things with great comic effect, like dropping watermelons from the top of 30 Rock or launching bowling balls through TV screens. He also began a career-long tradition of bringing us music and bands we couldn't see anywhere else. The show was edgy and unpredictable, and was a cult smash among college students- which at the time included me.

When it came time for Dave's idol and mentor Johnny Carson to retire in 1993, Letterman was clearly Johnny's choice as his successor. NBC saw things differently and allowed Jay Leno (who has never once done anything original) to snake the show away from Dave, and make no mistake- the "nicest guy in show biz" did indeed steal The Tonight Show. So Dave headed to CBS for The Late Show with David Letterman and we went with him. His first show on CBS was August 30, 1993 and featured Bill Murray (one of my favorite people) and Billy Joel (my wife's favorite musician). The date is stamped in my head, because we stayed up late on our 7th wedding anniversary and watched live. One of the highlights of the night was the late Paul Newman standing up in the studio audience to a great ovation before asking Dave, "Where the hell are the singing cats?" and announcing he was in the wrong theater. Dave had moved, but not much had changed. There were still wacky antics and crazy game shows like Will It Float? and Know Your Cuts of Meat. He gave away canned hams to audience members. The monologue got longer and the interviews got better, but the spirit of Late Night remained intact. For several years we would use the old VCR and record Dave each night and watch him the next evening. That ended as Will became a toddler and our lives changed, but we watched whenever we could and were always comforted knowing Dave was still there to make us laugh and bring us the absolute best in musical acts. Eventually, we began to DVR shows again and Will became a huge fan as well. We were with Dave though 9/11 and his heart attack, through his scandals and his triumphs. In the early 2000s I was n the studio audience at the Ed Sullivan Theater on 3 occasions, and each one is a treasured evening. Dave was part of the family.

If we made Dave a part of our family, he included us in his as well. We got to know Paul, Biff, Tony the Cue Card Boy, Stephanie the Intern, Alan the Announcer and other crew members through the years. He introduced to the neighborhood and such memorable people as Rupert Gee, Mujibar and Sirajul. He took us out the streets of NYC to goof on locals and tourists alike. His friends, like Murray, Steve Martin, Michael Keaton, Don Rickles, Regis Philbin, Julia Roberts, Bruce Willis, Tom Hanks and so many others were always anxious to spend time in the chair next to Dave. He both touted and tortured politicians and leaders. And he never let us forget about "that thing on Donald Trump's head..."

There were so many amazing moments. The 1982 night Andy Kaufman and wrestler Jerry Lawler got into a "fight" on the old show. His ongoing feud with Oprah and his "Oprah Journal." The 1994 Norway Olympics when Dave sent his Mom as a special correspondent and she was truly amazing, The night in 2008 when John McCain lied to Dave about his reasons for backing out of an appearance on the show and Dave proceeded to destroy him over the next three weeks until McCain finally showed up and admitted, "I screwed up." The night Paul McCartney played the marquee of the Ed Sullivan theater in a free concert for the people of NYC. Drew Barrymore dancing on Dave's desk before flashing him. The Christmas traditions of Darlene Love singing Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) and Jay Thomas telling the Greatest Talk Show Story Ever Told before trying to knock a pizza off the the top of the Christmas tree with a football. It would be difficult to pick a favorite moment, but if forced it might be Dave's interview with Rush Limbaugh in 1993. After trying to get Limbaugh to stop his disparaging comments about the Clinton administration and talk about himself, Dave finally looked at Limbaugh with exasperation and said, "Hey Rush- do you ever get up in the morning and think, Geez I'm full of hot air?" Shutting up Rush Limbaugh is no easy task- but Dave did it! Or it might be the night that Sixpence None the Richer performed and Dave called Leigh Nash over to the couch to talk and explain their name. The two of them talked about C.S. Lewis, faith and hope. And then Dave finished by saying, "Well God bless you and what you are doing." It was a magic moment.

The best way to judge David Letterman is through the affection of his peers. Old SNL cast members used to wait outside the stage door at NBC just hoping to met him. He is a hero to all of his contemporary late nights competitors- Fallon, Kimmel, Colbert, Stewart and Conan. They freely admit that without Dave, their lives would be vastly different. Kimmel worships him and Fallon steals from his old shows on a regular basis. In last week's Entertainment Weekly Conan had this to say: "Dave was a true revolution- and I believe his innovations are up there with the light-bulb and the Twix Bar." Musicians adore him as well. Dave Grohl, former Nirvana drummer and lead singer of the Foo Fighters had this to say to EW: "We've done a lot of those shows, but nobody has the heart that he has. Not even close." Presidents and presidential candidates from both sides of the aisle have come on the show because they know the power of Dave. Comedians lobby for a few minutes of air time. After his retirement, Carson made several appearances on The Late Show, even taking time to write jokes for Dave on occasion. The Late Show was seldom the most watched show in late night, but it was ALWAYS the most important.

And now it's about to be over. In this last year I confess we have watched Fallon more often, in part to start the grieving process. We will miss Dave very much. When Ed Sullivan did his last show in the same theater back in 1971, nobody knew it was his last show. It was cancelled after the end of the season- so no one got say, "Thanks Ed,  for all those years of amazing entertainment." That was a shame. And we should not let it happen again. Do not let May 20th pass without saying, "Thanks, Dave- for changing everything." So THANK YOU, David Letterman, for being the most creative and lovable curmudgeon ever. You will be missed.