the jester's pub

How does it feel to be rich?

I complain too much. I have too much. Max Lucado once wrote, "We cry over spilt champagne." How true. You might not think your rich, but you are. This website will open your eyes. Go to Global Rich List to see how rich you are.

Here is what I am:

You are the 47,380,745 richest person in the world!

You're in the TOP 0.78%
richest people in the world!

How rich are you? >> I'm loaded. It's official. I'm the 47,380,745 richest person on earth!

Maybe we need a Pandemic?

In his book,The Monkey and Fish, Dave Gibbons quotes a story about how Christianity grew in its early days. It is an interesting theory.

Historian Rodney Starks in his book, The Rise of Christianity, concluded that the surge in the growth of Christianity was rooted in the response of early Christians to a wave of great pandemics. At least two plagues wracked the developing world in the first three centuries after the death of Christ, and the Christians did something no one else would do. They stayed. They helped. And many gave their lives in doing so. In Starks book, Dionysius, the bishop of Alexandria, described in a letter how believers responded to a deadly plague that killed an estimated five thousand people a day in the Roman Empire sometime around 260 AD: 

"Most of our brother Christians showed unbounded love and loyalty, never sparing themselves and thinking only of one another. Heedless of danger, they took charge of the sick, attending to their every need and ministering to them in Christ, and with them departed this life serenely happy; for they were infected by others with the disease, drawing on themselves the sickness of their neighbors and cheerfully accepting their pains. Many, in nursing and curing others, transferred their death to themselves and died in their stead...The best of brothers lost their lives in this way."

Maybe it is time as the church to ask ourselves, "What are we doing that no one else will do?". Maybe it is time for me to ask myself that.

Sometimes I Like Cheese!

What can I say....

300

No not the movie, which honestly I didn't think was all that great. I know that might hurt my "manhood" a little with some of you guys but it just didn't do it for me.

300 is the number that I have been reading about as the ideal size for a church. Big enough to enjoy some of the benefits of a large church like energy and the feeling of being part of something bigger than yourself but small enough to retain intimacy and a family feel. This size is especially appealing to young adults and emerging generations. This is a move away from the mega-churches and mega sanctuaries.

So when a church hits somewhere around 300 they just plant another church instead of growing bigger in one place.

Personally, I like this model. I think it is where the church is going in the future. What do you think?

It also begs the question of what is the ideal size for a youth ministry. I have led two high school groups of over 100 students and one that was over 200 and I feel like the ideal size for a bigger group is around 100-150. After that you lose something. I am not sure BIG youth groups work. I have seen really large churches high school groups where they had like 400-500 students coming but the church had 20,000 people in it. I think you reach a number with a large group that becomes ineffective.

Now I know the "big numbers" people out there will say "Why wouldn't you want to have 500 students?" To them I say I am not saying we shouldn't reach 500 it is just don't expect to do it in the "one-youth group" model. Those days are gone. I am not sure discipleship really can work in a youth group that big and usually you can't find enough adult leaders to support it.

Maybe after you get to 150 or so you should plant another youth group? Just some thoughts.

Chime in!

**Sorry for the long delay between posts, just been real busy!

Seasons

Saturday was a big moment in my life. I was in Green Bay to do the Ys One Day which is my last YS One Day (formerly the CORE) forever. I have had the privilege of traveling around the country for the last 6 years speaking to thousands of youth workers just like me who are on the front lines with students. My travels have taken me to all but 8 states and to cities like Fargo,North Dakota, Lebanon, New Hampshire and a host of other small cities but also to places like Boston, D.C. and Atlanta. I have been to over 60+ cities in six years and have had crowds as small as 12 people to as big as over 400. It has been an incredible ride. 

It has been an amazing season of my life. When I started I had been married less than a year and had no children. How life has changed. The first thing I ever did as a member of the YS presenting team was go to Saddleback Church to be a part of a test run of the CORE that year. It was held shortly after Mike Yaconelli died. I was the only new member of the team that year and the only person in the room who didn't know Mike personally. Everyone else was grieving in such a deep personal way, it was somewhat of an awkward beginning to my time with YS. I do remember that Dan Jessup took me to Ruth Chris steakhouse for my first YS meal when I first arrived. It would be an example of how well YS would treat me over the next six years.

It has been an incredible privilege for me to be a part of this team, one for which I am eternally grateful. I was given an opportunity that so few our given. Many times I have wondered why God allowed me to be a part of this, for I am so unworthy. I have learned so much from my time with these people. I have seen such excellence, experienced community, brutal honesty, beautiful flaws, teamwork and through it all people who passionately love Jesus. I hope I gave as much to this team as they have given to me and the same for the youth workers I met on the road.

I want to especially thank Tic and Marko for believing in me an entrusting the YS name and history of excellent youth ministry into my hands wherever I went to represent the company. You have both made a huge impact on my life and it has been awesome to learn from you and serve alongside of you. Thanks for the generosity you have shown my wife and I over these years. Also to all of the YS staff who was so awesome to me, even when I didn't get my stuff in on time. Thanks Carrie, Michelle and all the rest.

I am so grateful to my teammates and the friendships that have been formed over these last six years. You all made the journey so much fun. I had such great times with Dave, Fred, Danny, Megan, Marv and Heather.  It was so cool to become friends with people like Duffy, Chap and Les who I had read their books as a young youth pastor, unbelievable! Can't wait to see all of you at the end of May. I also want to thank Brock Morgan who has become such a close friend, confidant and ministry partner. If nothing else amazing had come out of this, it would all be worth it because we have become friends.

I am sad when seasons of life end, by nature I am a sentimental person and relational changes are very hard for me. So in the midst of being sad, I am excited for what adventure God has waiting. I will still be teaching at the YS Conventions but it won't quite be like being on this team.

Some final words to my fellow YS teammates to never forget: GAMES IS FUN!

Love you guys!

This Can't be Good...but it is so good!

Just came upon this little tidbit last week. It is kinda scary!

Today's Consumption: The average American consumes 2-3 pounds of sugar each week. At the end of the 19th century (1887-1890), the average american consumed only 5 lbs per year.

A Continual Rise: Over the last 20 years, sugar consumption in the U.S. has increased 26 punds to 135 lbs of sugar per person per year.

This is unbelievable, I gotta do something about this right after I finish this candy bar!