Youth Ministry People I respect and why

So,

As a first year youth pastor, I have come to find that I need guidance. I am constantly looking for material to go off of, consume and learn more about. I really want to be good at my craft and I wouldn't be doing it if it weren't for a few ministry heroes. So, those same people I respect are now the people I am turning to for advice:

Nate Rice: Jr. High Director, Forest Home- has probably helped shape me the most in my preparation for ministry. Mad respect for Nate and all the wisdom he has passed down.

Heather Flies- Jr. High Pastor, Wooddale Church- She was the woman that started it all. If it hadn't been for Heather and her ministry to me in Jr. High, I probably wouldn't be in ministry today.

Jordan Frye- Musician- Demonstrated a life of love that truly pursued the passion of Christ while we worked together at Forest Home. One of the most influential people in my life.

Dan Kimball- Pastor- Vintage Faith Church- His books have helped me land theologically and practically in my desire to work in a church, and to navigate the road of Emergence. Thanks Dan for your voice.

Angie Horn-Andreu- Program Director, Forest Home- Angie gave me the recommendation that gave me my first shot at Youth Ministry at Forest Home. She has not been as hands on, but she has helped shaped me more than she knows.

Steve Osborne- High School Pastor, Desert Springs Church- Best friend and partner in ministry. We shall walk this road together. It is always good to have someone to banter with. Not sure if I could do it with out you.

Angela Hall- Bethel University- Demonstrated to me that Youth Ministry is a way of life, even if you aren't a Youth Pastor. Thanks for the many conversations and for the priceless advice that you so freely give.

My Future Wife, Mars- For being the support I need. I love you.

And the many students, pastors, staff members that I have worked with. You are too numerous to name, but have still played a large role in my story and I am grateful to have had you as a part of my life.

Going to the Chapel...

After a busy weekend, my fiance and I have finally landed on a date and location to get married. It is now the time when it all sets in and feels really real, and slightly daunting. I will probably write about a few steps of the process in coming weeks...

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Me and My Liberal Ways

I have been labeled a liberal in many cases through out my life. The tattoos, the style of dress, my politics and especially the way I approach the way the church runs. In my current position as a church Youth Director I am definitely seen as the young, mostly immature, liberal just out of college mind that still has to embrace the reality of the "real world". My boss even quoted to me that most conservatives are "liberals who have been punched in the gut by reality", meaning that give it time Wes, you will realize that with a family, kids especially, that it suites you better to play it safer and therefore be a conservative.

I am not sure how I feel about that. And actually don't know how super left that I really am. Over coffee yesterday, my best friend was able to point out that he doesn't believe that I am that liberal, at least not from a theological stand point. Instead, I am some one who rebels from the system and most of my growing up years was experiencing how the "system" was flawed. Church structure, government, the education system, cultural expectations are all things that I think twice about and sometimes will fight against just because I don't want to conform. I think that puts me in Driscoll's first lane of Emergence...the one that still uses the scripture as my base, but wants to see Church and therefore life gone about in a different way.

I have to ask myself, was Jesus a liberal? Was he a rebel? The bigger question to those however, is why? Why would he be considered liberal? Why would he be considered a rebel? And I believe that the reality of those statements is that Jesus knew that He had a better way, something greater than the system that was in place. So, where do I go from here?

A Sobering Reality

So,

Yesterday I took a trip. My best friend was in town and we needed to see the sights of San Diego and do some research for an upcoming wedding and possible seminary education. We ate good hamburgers (you know, the kind that you still remember 6 hours later because they sit like a brick in your belly) and drank a lot of coffee (well he drank a lot of coffee, I tend to get the shakes if I drink too much).

The most memorable element of my adventures yesterday though was the visit to seminary. The reason it was so important is the wake up call that is was to me. Here I am, 23, working in my career profession, getting married, living on my own, basically doing all of the "growing up" things that I was told would happen after college. I am sure that it is slightly premature because I am still 8 units away from "after college", but when life hits, you carpe diem. And those 8 units play a part in why I came to a sobering realization yesterday at the seminary.

I am not ready to go back to school. I don't even really like school to begin with, and seeing a classroom again sent chills up my spine. Those were chills because I knew at some point I was going to have to go back...but my visit had been premature. I have a lot on my plate right now (refer to the "growing up" section) and I just need to focus on those things.

So what about you pastors and grad students out there? What was your story about going back to school. Were you ever "ready" to go back? What is some conventional wisdom you can send to the youngin'?

Technology is not Dead

So,

I know that I am behind the curve, but I have found that the technological advances in our world have crept into my life. I have been a long time Facebook user, almost since the beginning, utilize blog reading as a source of "research", have a smart phone that organizes and helps make my life easier and now I am starting my own blog. Even in these times, I feel that I am pretty balanced in my approach and that they don't run my life. If they ever got to the point where they did run my life, Marla would not allow me to be like that for long. She already is telling me that I can't be "the guy who is on my phone all the time" and tells me that I update my status too much. So, we keep it in the moderate category of use.

But, I have to say that these advances really have helped me in my job as a Youth Director. The ability to look things up when I get lost or a planned event goes wrong and have move on the fly, or just texting students for event announcements. All of those things have become normal and expected, and I like it. There has been a lot of discussion at my church going around about how much technology is hurting our students and that their communication skills are being hindered, and I have to ask myself, is that truth or is it because the people saying those thing are behind the technological curve and don't know how to keep up.

Despite these new techies norms, I still find that my favorite way to communicate is face to face and make the most time in my schedule for interpersonal communication. I am the guy who still gets out of my office and walk down the hall to ask a question rather than just emailing it or using the intercom on the phone system. I guess that is another way that I stay balanced with my tech use.

So, what do we think? Is technology meant to be used in a balanced way or should we really invest more time and energy in keeping up because it is the future of what we say, do and even think? How does it affect what job your in, whether ministry, education, so on?