"Come Follow Me"

Matthew 4:18-22 (The Message)

Walking along the beach of Lake Galilee, Jesus saw two brothers: Simon (later called Peter) and Andrew. They were fishing, throwing their nets into the lake. It was their regular work. Jesus said to them, "Come with me. I'll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I'll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass." They didn't ask questions, but simply dropped their nets and followed.

A short distance down the beach they came upon another pair of brothers, James and John, Zebedee's sons. These two were sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, mending their fishnets. Jesus made the same offer to them, and they were just as quick to follow, abandoning boat and father.

Questions:
1)  What have you "dropped" from your life in order to follow Jesus?
2)  James and John left everything, including their father, to go with Jesus.  They were truly living life WIDE OPEN.  What is keeping you from being a fully devoted follower of Christ?  Will you follow where He leads without questioning where you are going?
3)  Are you a "new kind of fisherman?"  Who are the people in your life that you need to introduce to Jesus?

Because of Jesus,

44 Signs You Were Part of the FUMC-Kissimmee Student Ministry, 1994-2000

For those who may not know, there will be a reunion in April of my youth groups from the First Untied Methodist Church of Kissimmee, where I served from 1994-2000.  We are getting a great response already, but I wanted to help those who may have trouble recalling their teenage years with a few signs that you were a part of that amazing ride. They won't all apply to everyone, but see if any of these ring a bell. They should- I mean unless you thought the blue van and the white van were of equal quality. Then I just can't help you.  I swiped this basic idea from another blog, but as you can see this one is all about us! Let me know which of these resonate the most with you!  Why 44?  Why not?  :)

1) You participated in an Egyptian Mummy Race.

2)  You rode on this bus...

3)  with these guys driving!

4)  You knew a song about Centipedes. You knew the Egyptian verse to Pharaoh, Pharaoh.  And you knew the exact right moments to shout BEEFY CHEESY and SLINKY! 

5)   You spent hours in the youth room listening to this album...

6) or this album...

7) but mostly to THIS album!

8)  And you just might have owned one of these t-shirts!

9)  You saw the Orlando Solar Bears play ice hockey.

10) You actually understand what this means...

11) You really thought that her name was Bob...

12) and that his name was Chico!

13) You remember playing Do You Love Your Neighbor, Shuffle Your Buns, Pass the Pigs and The Technicolor Stomp...but mostly you remember playing Four Square!

14) Either you or one of your friends (or everyone you knew!) wore one of these for a while.

15) You drank from one of the 10,000 Wendy's cups that were given to us following a train wreck.

16) You spent every Wednesday night at Wednesday Night Live, where you used this Bible...

17) and occasionally attended a LUAU!!!

18) You brought quarters for the Compassion Jar and sponsored kids through Compassion International!

19) You knew a lock-in was really called Rec Around the Clock!
20) And so you only knew how to bowl at midnight...

21) and ice skate at 4 AM!

22) You saw Geoff Moore & the Distance perform live at LEAST once!

23) You know Spanish Wells is in the Bahamas...and it is entirely possible you have been there!

24) You eagerly awaited one of these every summer!

25) There was culture too!  You got to attend some pretty fancy Christmas parties...

26) see the occasional Broadway show...

27) and even take a ride in a limo!

28) You learned how to make Jello the hard way- eat the mix, power slam a bottle of water, and then jump up and down!

29) You ate like royalty!  SHO-Time at places like Rio Bravo, Olive Garden, Planet Hollywood and Roadhouse Grill, and best of all, Kyoto's - where they knew us by name!!!!

30) You remember the magic, the excitement and the sheer exhaustion of Youth Week!

31) You knew that our wild and crazy summers were not officially over until we had a Last Gasp Summer Blowout at Melbourne Beach...

32) and that there was no place more special than the Betsy B at North Myrtle Beach!

33) Lots of you went skiing in West Virginia and North Carolina.

34) You remember calling 847-XLAX.
35) You had many an adventure in Dr. Jill's pool!

36) You know who Spooky Tuesday is, and you may have had a CD or a t-shirt!

37) You may have have survived rafting the Ocoee River- and even more importantly, staying at the Ocoee Inn!

38) You learned the correct way to cross arms, hold hands and twist out of our prayer circle. Even if I never did! :)
39) Besides Spanish Wells (twice), you went on mission trips to Mountain Top, Memphis, Orlando and Nashville.

40) You often stopped by my office, sat on my sectional sofa, listened to my music and ate all my candy!

41) It is possible that you learned how to hunt for Pink Panthers at the Florida Mall.

42) You had the best group of volunteer Youth Counselors- EVER!!!
43) You gathered every Sunday evening to Sing Alleluia and to learn more about Jesus!

44) And finally...for reasons unknown, you followed these two yahoos everywhere they went!  Even with our flaws and failures, we were a family- and we still are!  That's why we are having a family reunion on April 20th!

I hope you enjoyed this little romp through history!  Use the comment box below to share your memories, and let me know what I left out.  Have a blessed day!

Because of Jesus,

Flashback Friday: February 15, 2006

Will, Baloo Bear & Dad

The day had arrived for me to leave for a new youth pastor position in Waycross, GA- February 15, 2006.  I had taken most of my office stuff up when I had driven up a couple of weeks earlier, so this time my station wagon was packed with clothes and a few other things I would need for my six months of living alone.  Leaving was hard.  I was going to miss Marilyn and Will so much.  Plus, another complication had arisen over the previous few weeks.  My Dad had gotten very sick.  He was 71 years old and had always been one of the most vibrant and active people anyone could ever know.  He still played golf, softball and tennis. He rode his bike.  He and my Mom spent lots of time at their favorite place, Walt Disney World.  And then in the blink of an eye, he became weak and frail, and a battery of doctors could not seem to figure out why.  I had driven up to Leesburg, FL to see them a couple of days before my departure for Georgia.  Dad was in the hospital and seemed to be getting worse, and the doctors had finally decided it was a blood-based cancer that was tearing him down.  It was so sad to see him like that.

I headed out of Tampa around 10 AM and stopped at the Tampa Christian Supply to pick up a few more things that I thought I might need as I began my new adventure at Trinity UMC. I was shopping when my cell phone rang.  It was my Mom calling to tell me that my Dad had just passed away.  I was dumbstruck.  Here I was, leaving town, leaving my family behind and heading out to a new and somewhat scary place, and now my Dad- without a doubt the most important influence in my life- was gone.  My head was spinning.  I could not imagine how we were going to tell Will.  This was not just his grandfather (Paw-Paw) who had died- this was his best friend.  My 10 year-old son was hardly ready for this.  I was hardly ready for this.  I called Marilyn and told her the news and that my plans had changed.  I called Trinity UMC and told them I would not be arriving that day, or anytime that week.  All of the energy and excitement that had been building in me for this new opportunity and this new ministry was drained in one 5 minute phone call.  I was very frustrated with God's timing, and I told Him so.

My Dad had wanted to be cremated, and we honored those wishes.  Mom didn't really want to do any kind of formal service, but after some convincing she agreed to a memorial service in North Carolina that May so that all of our extended family and friends could remember my Dad, who through coaching and chaperoning youth trips had been a huge part of so many lives. I eventually made my way to Waycross on February 22nd.  My usual positive attitude, however, would lag far behind.  Instead of hitting the ground running and getting off to a flying start, my energy would now be invested in just trying to survive and advance.  Fortunately, even when we doubt, even when we are frustrated, even when we feel all alone- God is faithful.  

As I remember my Dad today (hard to believe he's been gone 7 years already) I think of the amazing relationship he had with my son Will.  A couple of years back I put together this little slide show of pictures of the two of them, set to Steven Curtis Chapman's Remembering You.  Will actually sang this song at the memorial service.  I can think of no better way to celebrate Dad's memory than with pictures of he and Will. I hope it will give each of you a small glimpse into the joy and vigor of a great man. Today- just like every other day- I miss you Dad.  Have a great weekend, everyone.

Because of Jesus,

That's Just Foolishness

"Charlie was a fool, did you hear what he went and did?

He quit his job, threw it away, gave his life to a bunch of kids

He said he was in love with Jesus

But his friends called him a fool..."  -Geoff Moore

A few days ago I was in a drug store standing in line to pay, and in front of me was a man and little boy, who I assumed were grandfather and grandson.  The little boy was maybe 4 years old and was rather rambunctious, and the grandpa had put up with all he was going to take. He finally grabbed the boy by the arm and said these words: "Will you quit acting the fool, for christ's  sake!" I was immediately struck by the irony of those words.  Let me tell you why.

I knew a guy back in 1980s who graduated with honors from a fine institution of higher learning in North Carolina.  He went on to get his master's degree in engineering, and could have had his pick of prestigious, high-paying jobs.  Instead, he answered the call of a small Quaker church that needed a youth pastor. His parents and friends were stunned.  Giving up all of that money to be a youth pastor.  Seemed foolish to them, but he heard the call of Christ.  He served that church for several years, eventually going back to engineering.  But to this day he is still a volunteer youth worker at his church.

I knew a school teacher who was sitting in worship one Sunday morning when she heard a voice speak to her, telling her to go to Belize and be a missionary.  She had never considered mission work, and had no idea where (or even what!) Belize was.  Seemed like a very foolish idea.  So she went.

I had a friend who was the general manager of a large car dealership. She was very successful and very good at what she did.  She began teaching bible study and volunteering with the youth ministry at her church, and began to feel Jesus pulling on her heart, calling her to do something that seemed foolish to so many around her.  She eventually quit her job, went back to school, and took a position on staff at the church. She is now an ordained United Methodist minister, a Senior Pastor who LOVES her work and her congregation.  

I met a guy in the mid 1990s who was in central Florida supervising the installation of the industrial sprinkler system in a new Walt Disney World resort hotel.  He was the chief engineer on the project, and was making the big bucks. He also was a great volunteer with our student ministry.  He left when the job was done, but returned to the area soon afterwards to do similar work at Raymond James Stadium here in Tampa. A bit later the pastor at his home church asked him if he would be interested in becoming their full-time youth pastor.  Seemed like a foolish question to ask.  And "yes" seemed like a foolish answer.  But when Jesus calls you, it is not about being normal- or even sane.  It's about following him.

We love in a world where most people seek to live normal lives.  They want regular jobs that pay as much money as possible.  They want 9-5 hours and pension plans and health insurance.  Why would people like the ones above give up security and normalcy for lives that seem to be a step down to much of society?  Why would they make changes that cause friends and family to question their sanity?  Why would we follow Jesus and love everyone including our enemies, turn the other cheek and care more about others than we do about ourselves?  To do that, you'd have to be some kind of fool... for Christ's sake.

Because of Jesus,

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is the traditional beginning of Lent and a time during which Christians everywhere dedicate themselves to the last days of Jesus.  Today, in churches of many denominations all over the world, believers will gather in somber recognition of the sacrifice Jesus would make for us.  Many will mark the occasion by having ashes rubbed on their foreheads in the shape of the cross. The ashes are often palm branches from the previous year's Palm Sunday that were burned and saved. In many cases the minister will remind us that "from dust we came, and to dust we shall return."  The entire service is a call to repentance.  If you are able to attend an Ash Wednesday service at your place of worship, please do.  It will provide a moving start to your Lenten adventure.

If you are unable to attend a service, then take time today to focus on being WIDE OPEN to the meaning of Lent. I call it being Crosseyed- keeping yourself aware of the cross of Christ and the resurrection that would follow.  Assuming you don't have any ashes handy, I suggest that you take some sort of marker and mark yourself with the cross.  Pray about the things in your life that you need to let go of- the things you REALLY need to repent of.  Look at the mark of the cross on your body.  Do people see the mark of Jesus on you everyday?  What do you need to do over the next 40 days to make your life a testimony?  Praise God for Jesus, and for the journey his church is about to begin to take together!

Fat Tuesday

Today is Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.  Also known as Shrove Tuesday (but Fat Tuesday sounds much more fun!) in many protestant circles, Fat Tuesday is a day set aside for indulging and decadence before the denial and commitment of Lent.  For many, pancakes are the official food of the day, and as I sit here writing this morning I am wishing my friend Teresa Reep Tysinger was here to make me the chocolate chip/banana pancakes I have heard so much about!  Just that picture makes me want to commit gluttony...   :)

One particular Mardi Gras in Kissimmee, Jill Augenblick, Andrew Lewis, Debbie Davis and I put together a Fat Tuesday pancake supper for FUMC-K.  We invited people to wear beads and festive clothing.  Families and groups were invited to create miniature Mardi Gras floats (they had to fit through our Fellowship Hall door!) and we had our own parade, followed by worship together.  We drew a much larger crowd than anyone expected; I never did get a pancake that night!  It was a great lead in to a wonderful time of year in the church- preparing for the high holy day of Easter.

So enjoy your day of decadence, and begin to prepare your heart for the season of Lent.  There is no better time to focus your heart and your thoughts on Jesus!

Because of Jesus,

Why Youth Ministry Matters

It is fashionable in some circles to decry modern student ministry in our churches as a failure, because many current church leaders doubt whether or not it has a lasting impact. I have seen blog posts from veteran youth workers wondering aloud if their work really matters. Early yesterday morning I received a text from a former participant in one of the youth ministries I led, completely out of the blue.  I was last the youth pastor for this wonderful young woman in 1994. The text said this: "I just wanted to say hi and thank you. You taught me years ago that my relationship with God doesn't have to fit in a box. It is mine. I don't know why God wants me to tell you that this morning, but He does."  I headed off to church with a tear in my eye and a song in my heart.

All over the world yesterday and every day, current and former youth pastors and volunteer youth workers heard messages just like that from students whose lives they have touched. You cannot judge the effectiveness of student ministry by whether or not kids stay in church when they go to college or being their families.  You judge it by the impact it has on the lives of students 10 years after they leave your ministry.  Our God is a God of relationships, and youth pastors are tasked with helping teenagers build relationships with Jesus and each other. One of the advantages of my advancing age is that I have been around long enough to see that impact, to see the difference a youth ministry can make in the lives of students.  Student ministry is far from perfect.  But it does matter...

Because of Jesus,