April 4, 2011
Team means together
The last few months, I’ve been teamed with a Mountain Christian School student Mark P in MCS’s “Pass the Baton” mentoring program. For those who know me, no surprise that we’ve worked on projects that combine sports stories and technology as discipleship tools 
Our latest effort is the powerpoint “Play Together or …”
We started the project before the just ended NCAA “March Madness” Men’s Div I basketball tournament. Neither Mark nor I had much success with our brackets 
but all along, we discussed the importance of working together, not trying for individual glory. The championship game wasn’t “classic” but when the star of the winning team didn’t play well, the team together played defense and just enough offense to win.
“Our Pass the Baton” student-pastor mentoring team is ending in a few weeks 
but I’m grateful for his help in projects like researching International Disaster Emergency Services and Monvee.com, and picking new resources for MCC’s adult small groups.
October 14, 2010
Catalyst 2010 takeaways: Seth Godin, Francis Chan, Andy Stanley
Schedule too hectic during the Catalyst leadership event last week for me to blog live, but I know if I don’t post at least a rough draft of my reactions from Catalyst (pun intended), I might never post anything
First time I heard Seth Godin live, and is sometimes the case, I get more from his written words than his spoken words. Fortunately, Catalyst provided a booklet version of his presentation, with highlights from his recent bestseller Linchpin. The personal takeaway for me was envisioning myself as an “artist” in his definition, but not w/ paint or music, instead as an innovator-champion in my workplace in using tech for Christian discipleship.
Also my first time hearing Francis Chan live, and is sometimes the case, his speaking passion reinforced the power of his written words. Strongest takeaway was his repeated use of the phrase “That’s so weird” as a tool to measure myself, and my ministry, by the Bible – what my intellectual reflex calls “weird” might truly be closer to God’s call.
Having heard Andy Stanley before, as has always been the case, he gave some great themes which I’ll continue to use. His memorable phrase was “bowl of stew” from the story of Esau selling his birthright to his scheming younger brother Jacob for a bowl of stew. Most encouraging takeaway was “reframe your appetites in the context what God has
called you to do . . . . 2 yrs from now . . . 10 yrs from now . . . . the clearer, more defined your future, the less grip
appetites have on you.”
September 18, 2010
clergy burn-out, congregation demands, culture negativity
The NY Times printed an op-ed by clergyman Jeffrey MacDonald “Congregations Gone Wild” which was a response to a recent study on increasing burnout among American clergy. At the MCC pastoral staff meeting I blogged about earlier, our senior Pastor Ben Cachiaras also observed that for a large chunk of America’s history, clergy had a respected standing in the community – “the home team” – but the last several decades have seen a culture shift. Pastors, and Christians in general, are viewed with increasing skepticism.
Speaking from experience, we who are in vocational ministry sometimes do have a tendency to “superhero” overwork. As Jeffrey MacDonald notes, some congregations do view ministers from a consumer mindset, “what can this church (and pastor) do for me?” I think another factor in clergy burn-out could be the discouragement that comes from being bombarded by so many negative cultural depictions of Christians ministers. Think about how often Christian pastors in movies, TV, and the news are comic buffoons, hypocrites, or close-minded bigots. While tragically there are real-life examples of all those behaviors in the ministry. How often do we see or hear about the majority of pastors who are genuine, compassionate servants?
We shouldn’t be surprised at our culture’s negativity. After all, Jesus told us the world would hate us because it hated him.
July 6, 2010
NACC 2010: choices, choices!
Familiar dilemma at the N American Chr Conventions – which of two (or more) attractive events do I attend? Both the Cincinnati Chr U reception and the Filipino & American Chr Convention “Filipiniana” celebration are tomorrow night 7 July. Sigh – I might try to catch a little bit of both, especially since Filipinos are known for starting (and ending) a little late My wife correctly made the point that we’ll see many CCU friends throughout the convention (hint-hint, post a comment / ReTweet / FB “like” if you want my mobile number to text me during the convention!!!), while we’ll rarely be able to experience the Filipiniana. The video has a taste of what we’ll enjoy tomorrow night (from the Kapwa dance group from Loyola University, coordinated by Rene Esmane)
February 13, 2010
Tony Dungy @ North American Chr Conv
A few weeks ago I wrote a post on the way Tony Dungy used the moral authority he gained in his decades-long football career to reach people-Jesus-misses-the-most, including troubled athletes who might reject more conventional Christian spokesmen. Earlier today, MCC’s senior pastor and 2010 North American Chr Convention president Ben Cachiaras updated his Facebook status “Highlight of my week: Talking on the phone to Tony Dungy! I’m excited he’s coming to the North American Christian Convention in Indy July 6-9. You should too!” I also posted about another NACC featured guest, Efrem Smith, and will be mentioning more about the NACC in the months to come – our family already has our registration in! For a glimpse of what to expect from Coach Dungy @ the NACC, here’s part of his testimony at the Super Bowl 2006 prayer breakfast:
February 6, 2010
Super Bowl + important things
As a fan of NY sports teams (the NY Giants in the case of the NFL), this year’s Super Bowl holds less rooting interest for me than did last year’s World Series. For family and anti-New England reasons (the more Super Bowls Peyton Manning wins, the less I have to read about Tom Brady), I’m cheering for the Colts. MCC teammate Rob Kastens also sent an email about this NY Times story about Haiti relief, featuring Haitian-descent Indianapolis wide receiver Pierre Garcon and Northwest Haiti Christian Mission.
MCC is working with three partners in Haiti relief: FAME (Fellowship of Associates in Medical Evangelism), IDES (International Disaster Emergency Services), and Alberto Rivas of Christian Dominican Evangelistic Mission. Alberto has already made one trip across the border to bring relief supplies, and MCC plans on sending a mission team of its own in the days to come.
For snowbound MCCers, and others, looking for relief from Super Bowl hype, here are a Christianity Today article critiquing Christians succumbing to the sports culture, while this NY Times op-ed examines the roots of the role of sports in American culture, and its value.
February 5, 2010
Tim Tebow speaking up
As the Super Bowl approaches, the multi-million dollar commercials that air during the game are again competing for attention with the action on the field. Focus on the Family will spotlight University of Florida star quarterback Tim Tebow and his missionary mom Pam. Here are two ESPN perspectives cautioning against associating with a “far-right, fundamentalist organization that does many good deeds and holds many views that are outside of mainstream thinking” & praising his willingness to take a stand on a controversial issue. Religion and culture site First Things looks at the political firestorm of pro-abortion protests against the ad.
Because of his athletic ability, Tebow has been in the spotlight for years, and he’s used the attention to be a role model of becoming a better disciple. In keeping w/ 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12, be praying for how the Spirit will speak up through Tim Tebow.
February 4, 2010
Students (+ Adults) and Tech
MCC teammate Matt Silver passed along an email he titled “Students and Tech” which included this introduction to the PBS series Life on the Virtual Frontier (I confess I’ve not yet watched the video!). Matt makes good use of tech for communication, including YouTube video updates for Student Ministry volunteers. He’s also one of the other MCC staff to use Twitter (@silvertims). Occasionally you’ll see me “ReTweet” (cite his short 140 character quick updates) in my own Twitter feed – the left-hand column of this blog =>
Here’s a Christianity Today “Out of Ur” point-counterpoint on “In Defense of Virtual Church” and Virtual Church is STILL a bad idea.
February 2, 2010
Beyond Racial Zones
. . . will be one of the 2010 North American Christian Convention program events, featuring speaker Efrem Smith of Sanctuary Covenant Church in Minneapolis MN. He was recently interviewed about Sanctuary Covenant’s community and multiracial impact.
MCC senior pastor Ben Cachiaras recently wrote:
Mountain is committed to being a place where faith in Christ is shared across racial lines. A place where everyone is welcome. We are a people who will do more than shake our heads in dismay at the problems; we will be part of the solution. That’s part of our DNA. If you’re part of this church, I’m asking you to think about what you are doing to break down racial walls and build bridges of trust and friendship.
You can start this week by walking across the room to speak to, acknowledge, honor, lift up, or go out of your way to be friendly to someone who is not like you in color or culture.
January 31, 2010
Tony Dungy “Higher Calling” moral authority that reaches out
On a football season Sunday without a professional game (no, the Pro Bowl doesn’t count ) an insightful ESPN article on Tony Dungy. Coach Dungy balances
being a better disciple In the article Dr Harry Edwards says of him, “If you asked me, ‘Is there one person who you do not feel who would betray that trust?’ it would be Tony Dungy,” Edwards says. “And I’m a person who doesn’t believe there are any angels or saints down here. All the saints are dead, all the angels in heaven. Post-Tiger, at some level, we manage to blow it one way or another, but if there is one person, it would be him, and I’m so grateful and happy that he’s here.”
and reaching to make more disciples even and especially those that might seem far from God. “I always ask [the person he's trying to reach] about religion because it gives me a direction of where they need to go,” he said. “If they say it’s something I’ve considered, then we can talk about it, because maybe there is a lesson the Lord may be trying to teach. If someone says religion isn’t really important in my life or they aren’t of the Christian faith, that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop dealing with them. It just means I have to go about it in a different way.”
UPDATE: MCC Men’s ministry used Dungy’s Quiet Strength DVD + men’s group study materials for our Second Saturday Men’s Breakfast. Coach Dungy will speak at the upcoming RED ZONE Men’s Conference on Saturday 17 April 2010.
