Mike King

Jessica and Micah return from their honeymoon...

I have been asked by some why I haven't posted on the marriage of our third child and only daughter Jessica to Micah Thomas.  The answer is - It felt overwhelming!  Not in a negative way but there is just so much to say and share.  Jessica Lynn King is now Jessica Lynn Thomas and we couldn't be happier.  We love Micah. 

Giving our daughters hand in marriage was new ground for me.  Those of you who know me know that I am not one who defines manhood by the ability to withhold ones emotions.  I cry!  98% of the time I cry because of deep joy and/or beauty.  I knew that if I was going to make it through walking Jessica down the aisle to an expectant Micah and then officiate the wedding, without being a blubbering mess of tears and snot, I had to make a plan.  If I didn't maintain composure during the wedding it would take the attention off of Jesus Christ and the two people who the day was about - Micah and Jessica.

The plan!  I would get all the crying out of me during the month leading up to the wedding so I would be steeled to emotional responses.  For other Fathers out there facing this -- here are some of the details of the plan.

Stories - Vicki and I recalled and listed all the stories we could about Jessica's life.  We talked about the hope for a daughter after having two sons and the astonishment when we found out (at birth) that we had a baby girl.  We talked about our hopes and dreams for her.  Childhood stories - funny and sweet things she did.  Trips we had taken.  Challenges that we faced and worked through.  We talked about how she couldn't walk through a room without skipping, doing a cartwheel or a flip.  We talked about the first love letter she received from a boy and how it crushed her that I found out.  We relived her spiritual development and her heart of passion for those less fortunate.  I was reminded by Vicki how Jessica has always had me wrapped around her finger and still does (example - the week before the wedding - "hey daddy, wouldn't it be great if we both went and had massages this week.  I really need one." Yes, of course, she got her way).  We remembered the beginning of her relationship with Micah. The way the courtship progressed.  How much we had come to love Micah and felt that he was perfect for her.  I thought about all the times I prayed for Jessica to be protected from the wrong guys but mostly the years I prayed for Micah (Jessica's future husband) before I even knew who he was.  Lots of stories and the years flew by.  Many of these stories we told and relived with Jessica.  I had many personal moments in the car or during times of contemplation when I thought about my little girl who was now a beautiful woman and my heart was so thankful.  Yes, lots of tears.  This plan was working.

Songs - Jessica asked me to think of an appropriate song for her and I to dance to at the reception.  I have an amazing playlist now of Father/Daughter songs.  Lots of tears here too.  I made a CD for Jessica to listen to.  I finally decided on I Loved Her First by Heartland.

Events - We planned several things that enabled us to celebrate Jessica and tell her stories.  Vicki and I had our last date with her a couple nights before she got married.  We took her to Ruth's Chris Steak for a great meal and another chance to let her know how proud we were of her.  Jessica has lived closer to school, in our Condo for the last couple of years, so during the last week she stayed at home with us.  We have a King bed so Jessica insisted on sleeping in our room which was great for talking before falling asleep but not so good for Vicki trapped in the middle with hot flashes throughout the night.  The night before the wedding Jessica's bride's maids along with Anne, our daughter-in-law piled in our bed, Micah, our son, on the floor, while Vicki and I curled up in the love seat so that we could watch one of Jessica's favorite movies Father of the Bride.  Of course I was made fun of by all the girls who think that George Banks is me.  Thank God that Vicki is the strong "Nina Banks" type of woman.  I also get compared to Clarke in Christmas Vacation.

Rehearsal Dinner - During the day Jessica had to rebuke me from being hyper/stressed out and reminded me through her tears that she wanted me to "chill out."  She was right.  I was freaking out.  I recovered and the rehearsal went really well.  My heart exploded with a rush of adrenaline when the doors of the Sanctuary were thrown open with the musical crescendo cue as we rehearsed, for the first time, the walk down the aisle.  Yes, I cried all the way down the aisle.  At the rehearsal dinner we had a time where family and friends told stories and communicated how they felt about Micah and Jessica.  This lasted for nearly an hour but seemed like twenty minutes.  Yes, lots of love and tears (of joy).

 The Wedding Day - Throughout this beautiful day I choke back emotion.  Jessica is so beautiful.  One of the coolest parts of the day was how joyful Jessica and Micah were.  A real highlight was Micah and Jessica, breaking with tradition to greet the guests at the door as they arrived.  This was surprising to many but clearly communicated that Micah and Jessica were thrilled with their presence on this special day.  I was so proud of them (Ok, I'm in tears right now reliving that moment).

The Wedding - The church was packed with friends and family.  My heart was pounding.  Vicki looked beautiful.  I got choked up watching Micah (our son - yes we now have two sons named Micah) and Daniel walk their mother down the aisle and kiss her before she was seated).  Lexi (our three year old granddaughter) the flower girl and Soren Leafblad,  and ring-bearer, walk down the aisle perfectly.  I think about how Jessica looked identical to Lexi 20 years ago at my sister's wedding.  It didn't seem that long ago and I thought about how quickly Lexi is growing up.  I'm thinking, "I can do this."  "I will remain composed."  The doors swung open and we were off.  A magical, enchanted moment.  I'm a blessed man.  My dear friend and pastor, Tim Keel, performing one of his last pastoral functions before he leaves Kansas City to teach in Auckland, New Zealand asks, "Who gives this woman to be wedded to this man?"  After the pass off, I take the role of Priest.  The ceremony was a mix of traditional liturgy with a Celtic influence and quite poetic.  The sharing of the Eucharist was sacred and beautiful.  I had discerned a theme of hands in the development of the ceremony and ended with something I found and tweaked a bit to fit Micah and Jessica. (See Hands of the Bride and Groom below).  Once again Jessica and Micah were so full of joy during the wedding.  People commented that they were sure they would steal a kiss with each other before the Wedding Kiss.  Several times during the ceremony I felt the lump growing in my heart and throat.  I needed the strategic pause a couple of times.  I welled up with emotion again and again BUT, I made it.  I kept my composure and I know, for sure, several who lost money because of it.  You know who you are and I'm sorry you lost the bet.  It was truly a beautiful ceremony that honored Jesus Christ and focused on Micah and Jessica's vow to a covenant relationship forever. 

Wedding Reception - One thing the King Family is good at is throwing a party.  Around 450 guests gathered at the Youthfront Auditorium for a wonderful evening of celebration.  Vicki and Jessica headed up a team that created a very enchanted environment for a night of good food, good drink, good music and great fun.  It couldn't have been more perfect.  Jessica was having the time of her life.  Dancing, laughing and celebrating life.  My friend Jess Elmquist, who drove in from Minneapolis pointed out to me one of the inspiring moments of the evening - Jessica was bent down speaking to five totally enthralled little girls who were fully focused on her princess-like appearance.  There was our Jessica making a memory for these girls, burning an image in their minds of the good things that God will bring to a life committed to love and Jesus Christ.

The Honeymoon - Vicki and I picked up the newlyweds the next morning and took them to the airport for a flight bound for Waikiki in Honolulu, Hawaii.  We have taken Jessica there several times and we couldn't be happier that she was now going there with Micah, her new husband.  God has answered our prayers, beyond our capacity to hope, for a godly man for Jessica.  Micah has grown up involved in Youthfront and is now the Director of Youthfront Camp South.  Micah is a beautiful human being.  We are blessed. 

Today, Micah and Jessica return home and tonight we will gather with family and friends to eat and watch them open their wedding presents.  I'm giddy with excitement to see them and hear their honeymoon stories.  What a life.  Jesus said, "I have come that you might have life to the full."

Hands of the Bride and Groom

Jessica, please face Micah, and hold his hands, palms up, so you may see the gift that they are to you.   Jessica, these are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and vibrant with love, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as he promises to love you all the days of his life.  These are the hands that will work along side yours, as together you build your future, as you laugh and cry, as you share your innermost secrets and dreams.  These are the hands you will place with expectant joy against your stomach, until he too, feels his child stir within you.  These are the hands that look so large and strong, yet will be so gentle as he holds your baby for the first time.  These are the hands that will work long hours for you and your new family.   These are that hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness.  These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes: tears of sorrow and tears of joy.  These are the hands that will comfort you in illness, and hold you when fear or grief wrack your mind.  These are the hands that will tenderly lift your chin and brush your cheek as they raise your face to look into his eyes: eyes that are filled completely with his overwhelming love and desire for you.

 

Micah, please hold Jessica’s hands, palms up, where you may see the gift that they are to you. Micah, these are the hands of your best friend, smooth, young and carefree, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as she pledges her love and commitment to you all the days of her life.  These are the hands that will hold each child in tender love, soothing them through illness and hurt, supporting and encouraging them along the way, and knowing when it is time to let go.  These are the hands that will massage tension from you neck and back in the evenings after you’ve both had a long hard day.  These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times.  These are the hands that will comfort you when you are sick, or console you when you are grieving.  They are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness.  These are the hands that will hold you in joy and excitement and hope, each time she tells you that you are to have another child, that together you have created a new life.  These are the hands that will give you support as she encourages you to chase down your dreams.

Prayer of Blessing: God, bless these hands that you see before you this day. May they always be held by one another. Give them the strength to hold on during the storms of stress and the dark of disillusionment. Keep them tender and gentle as they nurture each other in their wondrous love. Help these hands to continue building a relationship founded in your grace, rich in caring, and devoted in reaching for your perfection. May Micah and Jessica see their four hands as healer, protector, shelter and guide. We ask this in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

New Cabin at Youthfront Camp West

We recently received a significant gift that will move the completion of a new cabin to the front burner at Youthfront Camp West.  If you are interested here are a few pictures and a progress report.

*  The basement floor was poured last week and it looks really great.

*  The main I-beam should be delivered soon! We got it for less than 1/2 price!

*  We've been getting bids on roofing, electrical, drywall, and carpet installation while looking for folks who would be willing to donate their time and expertise.

*  The walls of the cabin have already been built and are presently being squared up to be delivered next week.

*  We have been getting bids on the remaining lumber needed as well as insulation, paint, shingles, drywall, etc.  We are also connecting with Team Home Depot's volunteer labor program!

*  We are hoping to beat the bad weather which is sure to come.  We need teams of volunteers to help with construction.  Maybe you're small group at church could plan to spend a weekend doing some work on the Cabin.  Installing insulation, drywall, painting, etc.

We are praying that our year end giving will be strong.  Here is a copy of the Year End Appeal that I just finished.    Download Year End Appeal 2009

YouthSpecialties/Zondervan

I have a lot to say about the YouthSpecialties/Zondervan issue but it is such a dynamic complexity that involves so many people, years, narratives and relationships that I am choosing to keep mostly silent. I will declare that I really like the team from Youthworks who will be acquiring YouthSpecialties.

Eboo Patel

I had the privilege to meet with Eboo Patel on his whirlwind tour through Kansas City.  I got an e-mail last week from some of Eboo's associates about trying to connect the two of us.  Recently, Eboo Patel made the Top Ten List of America's Best Leaders of 2009 in U.S. News and World Report.  Eboo is a Muslim who was born in India but grew up in Chicago.  Eboo serves as an adviser to President Obama on Faith Issues. 

We met for for thirty minutes and had a very interesting discussion.  Eboo shaped language used by President Obama in the memorial service for the victims of the Fort Hood tragedy which was happening as we met.

See here for Eboo's response to the situation in The Washington Post. I really admire Eboo for the stand he is taking and his commitment to peacemaking.  I look forward to working with him in the future.

Here is an article featuring Eboo in the Kansas City Star.

Monday at Youthfront

There is so much going on this week in the world of Youthfront and the King Family.  We have been in a real growth and synergistic phase in our ministry.  Lot's of great things are going on.  We (King Family) are also getting ready for a big wedding this week.  Our daughter Jessica is getting married to Micah Thomas (who works at Youthfront).  So the two worlds mix it up.  It all makes for great times.

Youthfront hosted Ed Dobson on Monday to speak to ministry leaders and staff.  We've know Ed and Lorna Dobson for thirty years.  It was very fulfilling, given Ed's and my past history of fundamentalism, to find ourselves where we are today.  It was also cool to have my friend Zack Exley (an architect of MoveOn.org) who has become a Christian and Ed Dobson (an architect of Moral Majority) in the same room and have now met (I wanted to say in the middle but it is more beautiful than that) at the table of the Lord Jesus.

Anyway, this was a great day.  Part of our Youthfront Rhythm of Life is to eat together as a staff at least once a month.  Since the weather was in the mid-seventies we fired up the grill and ate outside.  Jimmy Dodd and Roy Bilyeu from PastorServe came to present the PastorServe Founder's Award to Youthfront.  Youthfront was integral in launching this ministry to serve Pastors.  On their 10th Anniversary they honored Youthfront.  I accepted the award at a citywide banquet of pastors a month ago but they came to present it to our entire staff and honor them.  It was a sweet time.

Vicki and me with Ed and Lorna, Micah our son and Micah our soon to be son-in-law.

Jimmy Dodd and Roy Bilyeu presenting PastorServe Founder's Award.

Not a Christian, But a Follower of Jesus???

For some time it has been quite common for people living the Christian life to make a point that they are "followers of Jesus" instead of identifying as "Christians."  Dallas Willard is one of the first people I heard say this many years ago.  Jason Byassee addresses this in a very thoughtful manner in a recent post.  I really appreciate the stuff Jason Byassee writes.

"There’s some sleight of hand here. Imagine a banker in the current financial crisis objecting when you name her job description. “I’m not a banker, I’m a cashier.” You would be unimpressed. Or a Major League Baseball player seeking distance from the steroid scandal this way: “No no no, I’m not a baseball player, I’m a second baseman.” It’s as if my alma mater, Davidson College, disgraced itself in some horrible way. When people cluck their tongues at me, I cleverly respond: “Not me, I’m innocent, I’m not from Davidson, I’m just a Wildcat.” I’d be fooling no one. So too with these non-Christian Christians."

Read the entire post here.

Can you hear me now?

In a world where everything (technologically) is screaming for our attention, nothing usually gets our attention and if something gets our attention we, too often, only commit a few seconds of focus before we are pulled on to the next amusement.

On March 4^th 2009 in the Wheaton Chapel, Dr. Read Schuchardt, Wheaton College Assistant Professor of Communication spoke.  I recently listened to his lecture and I encourage you to do the same.  You can find it here.  Here are some of my notes...

“God speaks in “a still small voice.”  But scriptures use of natural phenomenon may not work for you.  “While God works in mysterious ways and does speak through the tongues of human beings, God has not, so far in recorded human history, spoken through an electronic medium.  People throughout history have heard God’s voice and sometimes they have heard it audibly but they have never to my knowledge received an e-mail from God, a text message or an apparition of God’s visage on their television.  God does not post to YouTube.  If so, I Kings 19:11-12 would read much differently – The Lord God said, ‘Go out and stand in a WiFi hot spot in the presence of the Lord.  For the Lord is about to pass by.  Then a great and powerful electronic media revolution tore down all previous pre-electronic media forms and shattered their business models but the Lord was not in the media revolution.  After the internet there was the cell phone but the Lord was not in the cell phone.  After the cell phone, came the Blackberry but the Lord was not in the Blackberry.  And after the Blackberry’s battery died and the recharger was lost, there came a gentle whisper and the whisper said, ‘Can you hear me now?’” 

“Consider that all of our presence is based upon technologies of absence.  The Greek word for distance is ‘tele.’  Telegraph means ‘distant writing.’  Telephone means ‘distant speaking.’  Television means ‘distant seeing.’  Telefusion (the internet) means ‘distant togetherness.’  There you are on Facebook with 243 friends alone in your dorm room at your computer.  In all these communications you are in your body and yet you are also out of your body – somewhere in between sender and sent.  The only comparison is to schizophrenia or to the idea of bi-location, of being in two places at once which the Catholic church claims is possible for many of its Saints.  In U2’s song Fast Cars, from the album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, Bono sings, ‘I’m not used to talking to somebody in a body.’  If all your communication is based on distance, then consider why the word ‘communicate’ implies presence, it means ‘to make as one.’  It comes from the same root word as commune, community and communion.  Real communication requires ‘being there.’”

“In 1844 when the telegraph was invented there was one classification of mental disorder – insanity.  In 2009 there are 297 classifications of mental disorders.  One of the most recent classification of mental disorder is ‘texting addiction.’  Which is what Mr. Sanchez had, while engineering the L.A. train that crashed after he had made his 43^rd text message resulting in the deaths of 25 people.”

“Incarnation is about BEING THERE.  You can send a friend an e-mail when a loved one dies.  You can send an electronic fund transfer to a foreign country that has been hit by a tsunami.  But we are called to love and love involves sacrifice.  Our call is to sacrifice the efficiency, convenience and distance that our technology affords us and to show up in person and feed the hungry, clothe the poor, comfort the orphans and widows in their distress and not be corrupted by the care of our iPhones.    Real presence is a pre-requisite for real love.”

There is a difference between having a lifestyle and a life.

God wants us to be temporal echoes of God’s eternal word.  To be human beings, incarnate in a word that is discarnate - to be present.

Ed Dobson returns to Youthfront

Ed Dobson will be at Youthfront on Monday morning, November 9th from 10:00 to 12:00 speaking to youth workers, pastors and ministry leaders.  If you fit in that category e-mail me and I will let you know more details.  There is no cost for this event. 

It has been more than two dozen years since Ed Dobson has come to Youthfront.  He was a frequent speaker at our camps and other events.  Ed Dobson was instrumental in getting me to do a M.A. at Liberty University back in the mid-eighties.  We both later became disillusioned with fundamentalism and the agenda of the Religious Right.  Ed became pastor of Calvary Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Ed was also instrumental in planting Mars Hill led by his youth pastor Rob Bell.  Ed also has Lou Gehrig's Disease and has made his story all the more compelling.

Ed serves as an advisory editor for Christianity Today and consulting editor for Leadership. He was named "Pastor of the Year" by Moody Bible Institute in 1993.  Ed has been featured recently in USA Today, Good Morning America, plus many other national media outlets. Ed, inspired by A.J. Jacob's book The Year of Living Biblically, just completed The Year of Living Like Jesus.

Watch Ed Dobson discuss his book The Year of Living Like Jesus on Good Morning America.

 

Lexi's Third Birthday

Our beautiful granddaughter Alexis Victoria King just turned three.  We are continually amazed at her verbal skills and how much fun it is to be a grandparent. Lexi's big challenge comes next Saturday night when she walks down the aisle as flower-girl for Jessica and Micah's wedding.

 

 

Youth Worker Training Day

We had around 100 youth workers for a day of training with Andy Root.  It was such a great day, a lot of energy and the feel of a learning  environment.  The Oklahoma Joe's BBQ provided by Barefoot Publishing added an exclamation point to the day.  We had a good mix of academics and practitioners in the room.  The breakout sessions were open source with a facilitator introducing the following discussions in light of Andy's presentation on Relational Youth Ministry rooted in a theology of the Incarnation.  I particularly liked the afternoon session when Andy responded to some of the issues that surfaced in the group dialogues. 

Relational Youth Worker as Environmentalist

            In many contexts the youth worker is expected to develop, lead, and sustain a robust youth program. For some, such an emphasis detracts from the calling to journey through life with students. How do we move from being programmers, who create events and programs that tend to create mere connections with adolescents, to those who craft environments where young people are able to inhabit transforming space with adults in true relationship? This break-out session looks at how relational youth ministry depends upon the acquisition and development of skills in reflecting upon and shaping an environment of place-sharing in your ministry.

 

Place-sharing for Place-sharers: Relational ministry among youth workers

            “Truly relational relational youth ministry,” as Root puts it, demands that we enter into the same place as young people without agendas and easy quick-fix solutions. Rather, we are there to bear witness to Christ by entering into their hurts, joys, sorrows, and suffering. Such a calling and task is often daunting, and at times, brings to light our own suffering, both on behalf of and because of the young people whose place we share. As youth workers, we find that as we share the place of young people, we too need someone to share our place. This break-out session looks at ways to develop a youth staff that serves not only as place-sharers for adolescents in your community, but also for one another.

 

Christological Youth Ministry: More than a model

            Jesus is often appealed to as a model for relational or incarnational ministry in youth ministry. Our Christology often stops at this point, content with Jesus as our example for ministry. Most though probably want to say more about who Jesus is, the role Christ’s presence plays in our ministry, and how Christ’s presence is still at work. We need more sustained reflection on Christology and how that informs our ministry. This break-out session examines why such theological questions matter for our ministry with young people.

 

Missional Youth Ministry: Its Place-sharing Center

            Missional youth ministry is rooted in the church’s calling to bear witness in all of its life to Jesus Christ. This means that how we develop programs, run events, and engage with adolescents ought to be shaped by this calling. Root’s category of place-sharing relational youth ministry can aid us in becoming missional in our ministry with young people. This break-out session explores the implications of making place-sharing the center of a truly missional approach to youth ministry.

Still Time to Come Learn from Andy Root

My friend Andy Root is spending the next couple of days with us here in Kansas City.

Andy Root, PhD (Princeton Theological Seminary) is Assistant Professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary. He is the author of Revisiting Relational Youth Ministry: From a Strategy of Influence to a Theology of Incarnation (IVP, 2007) and Relationships Unfiltered (Zondervan/YS, 2009).

We are expecting around 100 youth workers to spend the day with Andy tomorrow (Thursday, November 5th from 9:00 to 2:30 at Youthfront.

 

Andy is making a huge impact on the theological thinking of youth workers.  It's not too late to come if you are in the Midwest.  More information here.

Confessions of an Aging Youth Worker

…When I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God…

Fifty-two years of age seems old for a youth worker.  When I started in youth ministry at Youthfront at the age of 18-years-old I was still a teenager myself.  I had the stamina of an Eveready Energizer Bunny.  I lived for all night lock-ins, long road trips and non-stop sports competition.  My energy source was a steady diet of McDonalds, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell.  Middle school kids were my favorite (probably because I was too close in age to high schoolers).  Middle school kids didn’t wear me out. They energized me.  I loved the fact that they weren’t jaded.  They weren’t too cool to admit that they didn’t know something and they were curious about everything.

 

A lot has changed since those early days of youth ministry.  I quit doing all night lock-ins ten years ago, a long road trip now is a drive to Youthfront Camp South and right now (with my aching lower back) sports competition is something I watch. 

 

For the last seven years my personal passion has been youth ministry with late adolescents.  Pre-adolescent ministry happens with young people ages 10 and 11 (approximately); Early Adolescence stages cover ages 12 to 14; Mid-adolescence stages are 15 and 16 year olds; and Late Adolescence covers from 17 to as late as 24 to 25 years of age.

 

I wonder if I focus on Late Adolescents because they are more focused, more thoughtful and require less physical energy to keep up with?  I am intrigued by the reality that Late Adolescence is the time when a majority of young people leave church.  I’m challenged to engage Late Adolescents in evangelism, discipleship and Christian formation that nurtures them in a consistent walk with Jesus Christ and engagement in their church community.

 

However, I am the President of an organization that works with thousands of pre-adolescents and middle school kids.  Youthfront is also partnering with Stuck in the Middle Ministry.  Stuck in the Middle has twelve weekend conferences around the country involving several thousand middle school kids.  We are doing Youthfront’s Feed the Hunger initiative at all the conferences.  We worked really hard getting the curriculum and program together for a transformational encounter with the serious issues of spiritual hunger and physical hunger.  At the first conference it became apparent that the middle school kids weren’t too interested in the information part.  They didn’t want to really linger over the scripture.  They wanted to do the tasks – package the meals and write messages on the shipping boxes to the children who would receive the food. 

 

Yes, this is how they learn.  Some of the verses will sink in, maybe as they are falling asleep or when they sit still long enough to think back on all the reasons they participated in Feed the Hunger.  But I was reminded how old I feel trying to keep up with middle school kids.  For now, I will let our younger staff wrestle with the joys and energies of this age and I will stick with the high school and college students. 

 

However, I have a sweet little granddaughter named Lexi that is only seven years away from pre-adolescence so I’m saving up my strength for one more round of middle school ministry.  I can’t wait.

  

 

Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.  Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come. Psalm 71:17, 18

 

Easing back in...

I've been thinking about resuming my blog posting.

Men do not quit playing because they grow old; they grow old because they quit playing. -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Living

"Finding ecstasy in life; the mere sense of living is joy enough."  Emily Dickinson

Abstinence focused approach hinders a more biblical approach to Marriage

I love books, posts, articles, etc. that flesh out positions that I hold and things I try to communicate.  I wish I had more time to write but I don't right now so when an article like The Case for Early Marriage by Mark Regnerus comes out I am very thankful for the authors hard work.

No doubt, Regnerus will be misunderstood and threatening to a strong stream of "misguided" Evangelical thinking on the approach to sexual behavior and marriage but most of what he says is spot on and desperately needs to be stated.  This issue of abstinence, the age of marriage, and our attitudes toward the covenant of marriage is another great example of how often our "Biblical Positions" are more often shaped by cultural norms than scriptural truth. 

This article is filled with lots of important thoughts on sex, dating, marriage, and the role of the church in helping restore the sacramental covenant nature of marriage among the people of God.  If you are a youth worker, parent of a teenager or twenty something, a pastor, a single person, married person, aw heck, if you are a human being and follower of Jesus who can read you should read THIS.

Caught up in the dance...

If Jesus came to give us "life to the full" (John 10:10) and I believe he did, then why are our churches often viewed as being places not "full of life" but places where people go to protect themselves from the "evil world" out there?  Why can't our church communities be about people who are caught up in the dance of our Triune God (perichoresis) engaged in a movement toward restoration and life to the full?  Wouldn't those outside of our communities of faith be more compelled to deal with their own brokenness if they knew there was an invitation from the savior to change their minds (metanoia) and enter into a community of other broken people who were beginning to lean into a new reality of life, beauty and redemption?  This missional view of church as fragrance of life with God, a community of people who embody the great good news is compelling to a world looking for beauty, love, life and meaning.

There is a video on YouTube that has had more than 8 million views so far.

In the video 200 plus dancers were performing and singing Do Re Mi in the Central Train Station of Antwerp, Belgium.  They were involved in a promotion stunt for a Belgian television program about finding a new Maria (the character played by Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music).  After a couple of hours of rehearsal they performed their routine right in the middle of the busy train station.  The response of the commuters is extraordinary as they move from surprise, awkwardness and discomfort to finding themselves caught up in the experience.  I think this video is a fitting metaphor for the church and our invitation to those outside our communities of faith to enter into the joyful story of God unfolding in the world.  The biggest difference is that our dance should not be staged but a genuine expression of who we are in Christ.

The Most Dangerous Place in America?

I strongly resonate with Dave Gibbons as he opines about our American suburbs being silently sinister.  Read the article here.

KC Star covers Feed the Hunger

The Kansas City Star came to Youthfront Camp last week to cover our Feed the Hunger initiative.  Reporter Debra Skodack did an excellent job of telling the story.  The article was also picked up by other news services like Olathe News, etc.

Read the story here.

Significant day for Jacob's Well Community...

Yesterday Founding Pastor Tim Keel announced that he is ending his role as Sr. Pastor of Jacob's Well.  The day was a challenging but beautiful day in so many ways.  Tim Keel is one of my closest friends and partners in ministry and life.  This is shocking for the Jacob's Well Community but not surprising.  Tim's gifts are very Apostolic.  I've received several calls today from people outside of the Jacob's Well Community who acknowledge that Tim's departure is not only a huge loss for Jacob's Well but a huge loss for Kansas City.  It is also a big loss nationally because Tim is accepting a position as a Lecturer at Laidlaw College in New Zealand.  He will also begin the process of earning a PhD. 

So many of us are extremely excited for the Keel family as they embark on this adventurous journey together but we are also deeply saddened by their departure from our community.  We shared the news with the Elders on Thursday (early morning) followed by the staff.  I had the privilege of speaking after Tim's announcement and message on "Holy Spirit as provocateur" (we are in a series on the Holy Spirit).  I spoke about the blessing Tim and Mimi have been to our community and the story we find ourselves in.  Click here to listen to the service.

Please Pray for Tim, Mimi and family AND please pray for the Jacob's Well Community during this transition.

N.T. Wright speaks out...

N.T. Wright speaks out on the crises within international Anglicanism over ordination of persons in active same-sex relationships.  Read his comments here.