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Associate Pastor, the work of the associate Pastor

Are church staff associates sidekicks?

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With my new book The Work of the Associate Pastor out, fellow blogger and Baptist minister, Tripp Huggins (aka AngloBaptist) posed an interesting question to me, “are associates sidekicks?”

I wonder if this imagery is helpful or even healthy?

Tripp quotes from the book, The Wicked Truth About Love:

Sidekicks have enormous hearts and are incredibly intuitive about what other people need. They live to serve and get real joy out of helping those around them be successful. They don’t need the spotlight but celebrate when the spotlight shines on their family or friends. Sidekicks need to be needed more than they need to be loved. The Wicked Truth About Love can help a Sidekick lover figure out why they fall into this pattern.

I have not read the book, but at first I had a hard time with this image of church staff associates as sidekicks.

joe paterno, penn state

The Story Behind the Penn State, Nebraska Pre-Game Prayer

If it is one thing that came out of the Penn State-Nebraska game, it was not a loss for Penn State. It was a win-win for both teams. Why? Check out how the game started:

That man standing in the center is Ron Brown, an assistant coach with Nebraska. Notice in the picture that in a packed stadium, both teams, game officials, and coaches are present. What a display of unity, support, and class for college football. While many students rioted (or for some, protested) Joe Paterno’s departure, these college athletes stopped and made a statement. They prayed. For some, it may have been a moment of silence, but for others it was a start to the path of healing.

This shows all the world what is at the heart of people in college sports despite the actions of key leaders in the Penn State football program and university. There is still a sense of concern for the victims, the university, and students. They are all in it together. We are all in it together.

Back to the picture.

Who is Brown? And what did he say when this picture was taken? The Washington Post gives us some more info on Brown:

joe paterno, penn state

Sins of Omission: Paterno, Penn State

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Joe Patern...

Image via Wikipedia

By now, most the country has heard about the shocking revelation that former Penn State football assistant coach Jerry Sandusky had inappropriate sexual contact with children associated with his foundation, The Second Mile. Sandusky is accused of sexually abusing several, possibly 20, boys from 1994 to 2008. A three-year grand jury investigation revealed that several Penn State administrators knew of Sandusky’s actions but did not report it. Penn State officials Tim Curley and Gary Schultz appeared in court yesterday to answer charges of lying to the grand jury.

Sandusky’s action, as reported by the grand jury investigation, are appalling. What is almost equally shocking is that it appears that people at Penn State knew of at least one case of abuse and failed to act. A graduate assistant coach, Mike McQueary, witnessed Sandusky engaging in inappropriate contact with a boy and the assistant coach reported it to head coach Joe Paterno:

Halloween

Why We Love the Paranormal

What is it about the paranormal that Americans find so fascinating? A Gallup poll found that about 75% of Americans believe in the paranormal (ghosts, telepathy, clairvoyance, astrology, etc…) Nearly 50% believe in ghosts and 41% believe in extrasensory perception. And, almost a third believe that ghosts can haunt people. There is an extremely small percentage of Americans (less than 1%) that celebrate Halloween in neo-pagan ways and most see it as a time to dress up. Many in Christianity believe Halloween to be such an evil day that they shun any connection with it. Still, we find so many fixated on the holiday with billions spent on costumes, candy, and parties.

Maybe it goes beyond a fascination and the paranormal has become a love affair. According to Romance Writers of America, paranormal romance books are the fasting growing segment in their industry with such big sellers as the Twilight series selling 1.3 million copies on the first day of release. (Ladies, Edward or Jacob?) In fall of 2005, we saw a rise in shows like Medium, Ghost Whisperer, Night Stalker, Supernatural, A Haunting hitting the TV scene. Ratings for shows like Ghost Hunters and Celebrity Ghost Stories continue to drive ad sales.

Our preoccupation with the unknown is nothing new. Throughout human history we have always wanted to believe in something greater than ourselves. Religion can give us a sense of divine comfort and direction but for some that is not enough. For those who seek the paranormal it is a way to have a connection with supernatural forces. Paranormal interests are not only for men, but also women. Even housewives are getting in on the act by forming their own paranormal groups.

Lynn Schofield Clark, associate professor of communication at the University of Denver and author of From Angels to Aliens: Teenagers, the Media, and the Supernatural, explains why we love the paranormal:

At its heart, this interest in the paranormal and supernatural is about coming to terms with the fact that we have less control over things than we thought we did,” Clark says. “And with the fact that maybe we know less than we thought we did, too. Stories about the supernatural and paranormal occur right at the intersection of faith and science. They’re titillating, because they ask us to consider questions such as, ‘How do we know what is real?’ and ‘How do we know that what we think is real is actually real?’

Keeping such fascinations are a part of life as long as they do not become obsessions. Obsessions with the communication with the dead, occult practices, and the like are often fill with people searching for meaning but unable to find it. Abuse is common. Fortunetellers are often people making money off of desperate people stuck in grief with the loss of their loved ones. Occult groups are often places of manipulation.

For some, the scare of a movie gives us a sense of “safe adventure”. We sit in a theater with others to be scared only to be reassured with pop corn and soda. For others, the mystery is always there to prove if ghosts are real or not. No matter our level of interest in the paranormal, it is part of our humanness to want to know more. To discover. To try to push the boundaries of the known and unknown.

Let us not push our boundaries too far from curiosity to obsession. I pray that we can separate the desire for a suspenseful thrill and unhealthy fascination with evil this Halloween. Stay safe.

Culture, steve jobs

Steve Jobs, the Modern Prophet?

This past Sunday a private memorial service was held at Stanford University’s chapel for Steve Jobs, the juggernaut of the personal computing world. Jobs’ passing has many of us reflecting on the work of one man’s life. His leadership provided for many visionary changes that have affected the world. Like the prophets from old, one man, albeit with blue jeans and a turtleneck, could prophesy the future. Unlike a prophet foretelling of doom, Jobs showed the world that the future was encased in a neat, clean, and powerful package.

He gave people something to hope for… even if it was just a product.

Connecting Steve Jobs to the concept of a “prophet” may cause some consternation in the Evangelical Christian community, but it is there. Much like prophetic leadership guiding people to an unknown place and time, Jobs was able to motivate people into action and embrace the future. The iPhone, iPad, and other “i” products enabled people to take their relationships with them and put their interests, music, pictures, and friends in their pockets and backpacks.

Like a Moses or Joshua, Jobs was able to lead people to a promised hope. Steve Jobs had the ability to encourage people to change, and that’s a hard thing to do. People followed Apple and Jobs into a new era of computing and personal electronics. That’s great and all, but what makes Jobs so prophetic?

His speech in 2005 to graduates at Stanford illustrates his prophetic ability:

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because death is very likely the single best invention of life. It is life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but some day not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

What profound cryptic philosophical and religious language. Death the single best invention of life? Jobs is preaching a gospel that so many know, but few want to admit. American Christianity has a lot to learn from Job’s words. We Christians believe in a faith of death and resurrection, but we cannot let churches die. In biology, the death of one organism means life for another. We are afraid to close churches for fear people will lose their faith. Yet, letting one church die can mean life for a new church. Resources, ideas, and property can be given for a new faith community to form.

Steve Jobs may have not been a believer or even religious, but he sure acted like a prophet. What more can we glean from such secular individuals in order to better Christianity?

One definition of a “prophet” in Christianity is someone who speaks the truth about God. Steve Jobs spoke the truth about death and its ability to change, but can we embrace this message?

Rob Bell

3 ways Rob Bell will affect everyone

Rob Bell, the controversial mega church pastor and author of “Love Wins”, recently announced that he was leaving the Grand Rapids church (Mars Hill) that he founded. There was so much interest in the announcement that Mars Hill’s website crashed. To most, Bell’s departure does not really cause the world any concern. Usually when a pastor leaves a church it has a great impact on a small group of people, both in positive and negative ways. However, Rob Bell’s departure affects just about everyone in the country.

How can one pastor’s departure affect a whole country?

1. Robb Bell is working on a major TV project with Carlton Cuse, the executive producer and screenwriter for LOST. The New York Magazine reports that the two are working on a show that would be loosely based on Bell’s life. The show is rumored to be called “Stronger”:

Stronger is similarly expected to explore spiritual themes but without being as on-the-nose as other recent series that have tackled these issues, such as 7th Heaven and Touched by an Angel. There’s also expected to be a narrative twist to the project that will make it a bit unconventional, but for now, that detail is being kept secret (this show is from a Lost-ie, after all).

Bell and Cuse met at TIME’s 100 most influential person dinner. With the power of a big time TV producer, especially one from LOST, millions of people will be exposed to Bell’s brand of Christianity. Clearly, Bell’s move to Los Angeles will position himself to rub shoulders with celebrities, politicians, and other influential people.

2. Bell’s teaching and writing are changing the way Christians and non-Christians think about God. Through his book, “Love Wins” Bell explained that we should think more about God’s care for people rather than God’s plan for damnation. The reaction caught the attention of CNN, ABC News, Newsweek, and other major media outlets. The topic of “who goes to heaven” is an extremely sensitive subject. You do not think he is making that big of a splash in the world? Well, his story and his book were the subject of a TIME magazine cover story that questioned, “Is Hell dead?” Bell reengaged the debate of annihilationism, universalism, and salvation on a secular level. What pastor can do that? With about 78% of the country claiming some sort of Christian identity, Bell’s teaching will continue to make waves within a large majority of America.

3. By leaving local church ministry, Bell will reach an audience that few have been successful with. Rob Bell has big plans. He has accomplished what few pastors can do: grow a church from nothing, write books, star in his own DVD series, and speak all around the world. Bell is no Pat Robertson, Jerry Fallwell, or Jim Baker. His “hipster” image is putting certain Christian stereotypes to rest. He is perhaps in the best position for a mega church pastor to become mainstream. When we say mainstream, we mean not just with all Christians, but with the secular world. To some, that is a very encouraging thing but to other it is frightening. Perhaps, Rob Bell could tap into that demographic that is quickly disappearing from church life: the Millennials.

Stay tuned. Rob Bell just may begin to change the face of Christianity.

joel stein

How I became ‘friends’ with TIME’s Joel Stein

It’s not often that us lowly non-celebs get replies on Facebook or Twitter from big time Hollywood types. Fans frequently annoy stars to interact with them online. Usually, celebrities carefully decide who to follow on Twitter (mostly other celebrities).

A few months ago, I befriended TIME magazine’s witty and very funny Joel Stein. For years, I enjoyed reading his column and articles, which covers such topics as: a quest exploring circumcision for his son, ridiculous privileged preschools, lamenting the influx of Indians in his hometown (Edison, NJ), doing improv for mega church Pastor Rick Warren, and how he nearly killed VH1. Speaking of VH1, you might remember him from the series I love the 80′s. For a guy who had his own cartoon, he is pretty down to earth.

You may be thinking, all that stuff doesn’t make Joel Stein a true celebrity. If celebrity is measured by how long your Wikipedia page is, then Joel Stein isn’t a celebrity to you. Unlike other celebs, he doesn’t have his own reality show that highlights his drunken escapades with his family. Joel never went to Italy with Snooki, but as a writer for the LA Times and television humorist, he is entertaining.

So, how did I become ‘friends’ with Joel? I tried to be his ‘friend’ on Facebook but he exceeded the limit of friends already (With the creation of Facebook, the meaning of ‘friend’ means anyone with a computer and an IQ of 63). Since Joel is “desperate for attention“, I decide to give him some and become one of his 1 million followers on Twitter. After reading his Twitter feed, I tweeted:

My goal in life is to get @thejoelstein to follow me so that all my followers grow tired of bragging and unfollow me.

Apparently, he thought I was interesting enough and he started following this random minister-blogger from New York. I direct messaged Joel and thanked him for the follow. I mentioned that I used one of his columns in a sermon and he said he loved to hear about it. He gave me his email address, which I found out later that he tells people not to email him:

I don’t want to talk to you. But don’t make me feel like you expect a return email. Because this takes my assistant four to five hours every week. I know this because my assistant is me.”

I felt special. Really special. Like a groupie who just got a backstage pass at a Steely Dan concert.

We emailed a few times and explained how I used part of his 2005 column on happiness and marriage in a sermon. He replied that I was the third pastor to tell him that (Rick Warren was the second). I joked about cursing in front of my congregation (which I didn’t do) and he gave me some advice to never use “blue” material. We exchanged some Twitter messages about how his wife went to nearby Skidmore College, travel to a little town called Albany, and life in general. I knew Joel and I would become fast friends because he ended one email with, “Great to sort of meet you.”

A few weeks later, I asked him on Twitter if I could blog about the experience of befriending such a huge celebrity. His response?

I’d be honored if you blog about me. Or at least ambivalent about it.

Ambivalence from Joel Stein? I’ll take it!

I feel horrible that I haven’t interacted with my new friend Joel for a few months now, but then again we are not that great of ‘friends’ because we don’t talk on the phone anymore and our kids don’t play together like they use to. I could be upset about that, but those things never happened.

Joel if you are reading this, call me or stop by to catch up on all the things we never did together. You’ll have always have a place to stay in New York when you fly in for your wife’s college reunions at Skidmore. And, thanks for the advice on my sermons too. Since rabbis now pay comedians to write jokes for their sermons, maybe you could write a few for me?

front, new, sub1, Unvirtuous Abbey

A Bunch of (un)virtuous Monks

Church and religion doesn’t have to be stuffy and boring. Several monks prove that. Enter the Unvirtuous Abbey. A bunch of monks give us everything regrettable about Christianity, culture, people, and Facebook but make us laugh at it… in a good way. The Unvirtuous Abbey ministers to people from their Facebook and Twitter page with funny and some serious tweets and updates. Some proclaim them virtuous and others unvirtuous. I took some time to sit down with these humorous monks to see what makes them tick. You be the judge:

You monks have some very funny and very serious prayers on Twitter and Facebook. Where do you receive inspiration?

What’s become evident is how many people have been hurt by religion/church. We wondered, “What if there were unapologetic monks who actually stood up to religious bullies? And what if we threw in a bit of ‘snark’ just to make it fun and interesting?”

Humour has incredible power. Religion has the capacity to be hurtful, and many people have used it was a weapon. It’s fun mashing up cultural references with Jesus. Of course Jesus didn’t have a magic sword, but it’s interesting to put him in that scenario:

Jesus held aloft his magic sword and said, “By the power of Grayskull!” And they spake unto one another, saying, “He has the power.”

The truth is, he does.

Your prayers mention WiFi, beer, fanny packs, Harry Potter, tattoos, and Joel Osteen. Is this what makes the monks “unvirtuous”?
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