All posts by mjfelker1980

Live Music, Music, Popular Culture, Remarkable, U2

Scenes from U2360

I had an absolute blast at the U2 concert on Monday. Unfortunately, my camera battery died halfway through the show so these are the best of best shots I was able to capture. I cannot explain to you how great this show was. U2 has ruined all other bands for me.

I was able to catch them in Atlanta last week and the show was great. the Dallas show however, was over the top! The energy level was amped up, Bono’s voice sounded crisp, and the whole thing was just that much better. What an experience! See ya next time boys!

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General

Recharge

I’m off to Catalyst in the morning. This conference is always one of the big highlights of my year and I am very much looking forward to a chance to connect with God and to recharge the old batteries.

This year the conference is completely SOLD OUT!!! 12,000 of my closest friends will be gathered in the arena for a few days of worship and incredible speakers. I think I am most looking forward to hearing Matt Chandler, Francis Chan, and Reggie Joiner. This looks to be a great couple of days.

To kick of this great week I’ll be seeing U2 tomorrow night in the Georgia Dome. It doesn’t get much better than this. Life is sweet!!!

Discipleship, Ethos, Jesus, Worship, Wrestling With Scripture

14 Jesus Did Not Say

Perry Noble is a great young minister in South Carolina. He is the pastor of NewSpring Church and he maintains a great blog. I find myself there several times a week reading his thoughts on ministry, parenthood, and leadership. Yesterday he wrote about 14 things that Jesus did not say but, for what ever reason, our culture often believes he said them. Often times we give weight and credence to these lies because our actions live them out.

Let’s avoid these mistruths and perversions of the message of Jesus and boldly proclaim- in word and deed- the powerful truth of the Son of God.

We get things messed up from time to time…especially the words of Jesus…here is what He did NOT say…
#1 – “They will know you are my disciples by your theology, and the arrogance that accompanies it.” (John 13:35)

#2 – “Dream really small dreams and make sure you never ask for anything big!” (John 14:12-14, Psalm 2:8)

#3 – “If someone doesn’t believe just like you believe…make sure to do all you can to attack, criticize and beat them down as much as possible.” (Mark 9:38-41)

#4 – “Be tolerant of everyone…I am one of the many ways to God.” (John 14:6)

#5 – “Make sure you make the church about you…that you are served well…please, don’t do anything that might cause you any type of inconvenience. My goal is for you to be happy!” (Matthew 20:28, Luke 9:23-24)

#6 – “Please, whatever you do, DO NOT tell people the good news…keep it to yourself! The reason I died on the cross is so that you could get into really small groups of people and talk about ‘deep things’ that aren’t going to help anyone when it comes to eternity.” (Matthew 28:20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:48, John 20:21, Acts 1:8, Romans 10:14, Romans 10:17)

#7 – “Don’t EVER try anything new…don’t ever take a risk…don’t ever take a step of faith. Be AVERAGE!” (Isaiah 43:18-19, Hebrews 11:1, Hebrews 11:6)

#8 – “You can follow me and it will not impact your money at all!” (Matthew 6:19-24)

#9 – “Pray a prayer to get out of hell…and then live however you want.” (John 14:15, John 14:21)

#10 – “You can do it without me!” (John 15:5)

#11 – “I don’t expect you OR your church to be fruitful in any way.” (John 15:4)

#12 – “Isolate yourself from the world!” (John 17:15)

#13 – “Make sure there is a time when you question my word because it will one day be no longer relevant.” (Luke 21:33)

#14 – “Stop crying out to me in desperation…can’t you see I’m busy.” (Mark 10:46-52)

Link

Music

Put A Little Fixin On It

I am a huge sucker for 90s grunge and alternative music. Nobody epitomizes 90s grange and alternative better than one of my favorite bands: Pearl Jam. While most rock acts from the 90s have gone the way of the dodo, Eddie Vedder and company have continued to release album after album with great new material each time. Pearl Jam was the musical guest on the very first episode of The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien and they totally rocked out the first single from their latest release. The self-produced album, Backspacer, is a good mix of tunes and I’ll be giving it a very thorough listen on my road trip this week. Not only is the first single an upbeat rocker, it also has some great lyrics. I was taken by surprise with the over all positive and cheerful message of “The Fixer”. That first verse is pretty great.

When somethings dark, let me shed a little light on it
When somethings cold, let me put a little fire on it
If somethings old, I wanna put a bit of shine on it
When somethings gone, I wanna fight to get it back again

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, fight to get it back again
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

When somethings broke, I wanna put a bit of fixin on it
When somethings bored, I wanna put a little exciting on it
If somethings low, I wanna put a little high on it
When somethings lost, I wanna fight to get it back again

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, fight to get it back again
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

When signals cross, I wanna put a little straight on it
If there’s no love, I wanna try to love again

I’ll say your prayers, I’ll take your side
I’ll find us a way to make light
I’ll dig your grave, we’ll dance and sing
What’s saved could be one last lifetime

Hey, hey, hey
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, fight to get it back again
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Fight to get it back again, yeah, yeah, yeah
Fight to get it back again, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

The Fixer
Backspacer
Pearl Jam

Facebook, Ministry, Popular Culture, Resources, Youth Ministry

10 Ways to Use Facebook In Your Youth Ministry

Create a group page or a fan page for your youth group. This will allow you to send out group messages, post group photos, and create group events all in one place. Create a group today, invite your teens and their parents to join, and then begin building your group by adding some photos and creating an event for your Sunday morning class.

Send birthday messages to your teens and their parents. Facebook reminds you which friends have a birthday coming up. Post a quick birthday message on your teens wall and let them know that you are thinking about them on this special day.

Use your status to brag on your teens. In the status bar Facebook asks, “What are you thinking?” Let everyone know that you are thinking about your teens by posting a quick message about how well the retreat went or how proud you are of what they accomplished at the service project.

Encourage your teens with messages on their wall. Maybe one of your teens received an award or maybe they passed their driving test or maybe they are feeling hurt or frustrated. Posting a message that says “Way to go!” or “I’m proud of you!” on their wall let’s your teens know that they aren’t just someone in the youth group- they really matter to you.

Post photos from events and trips. Upload photos of your students on your wall or organize your photos into folders.

Tag your teens in photos. Facebook lets you tag the individuals in pictures. When you tag a person they receive a message that they have been identified in a picture. Tagging your teens in photos helps drive them to the photo and often they will comment about the event with memories from the trip.

Create an event to remind students and parents of things coming up on the calendar. Invite students and their parents to a devotional or a lock-in or your Sunday night worship event. Facebook lets you create an event page and send our invitations. The students can then RSVP giving you an idea of how many to expect.

Comment on the status updates from your teens. Reading your teen’s status updates gives you insight into what’s going on in their lives, what they are thinking, or what they are feeling at any given time. Comment on their status to engage them in conversation.

Use your profile pic to rotate in pictures of you and your teens.

Create an event page for a particular class or study and use that page to continue the conversation, thoughts, and lessons beyond the meeting time. Link to articles, post questions, or upload a summary of that day’s class notes to your Facebook event to help students process your Bible study throughout the week. You could also post thoughts or questions beforehand to stir up dialogue or prepare your teens for what you’ll be covering.

Book Review, Ministry, Resources, Theology, Tragedy, Wrestling With Scripture, Youth Ministry

Book Review: If God Is Good

In my ministry career there have been a handful of events that have occurred where I had to completely throw out my lesson plans for the week and deal with the fears and questions brought about each horrible incident.

After 9/11 I can remember sitting with the teens and college students in the class room- all of us seemed shell shocked and confused. “How could this have happened?”

After Katrina ripped into New Orleans and the Gulf Coast I gathered with some students in the gym as we tried to make sense of what we were witnessing on television. “What can we do?”

After the Virginia Tech massacre I struggled to help my students process through why something so senseless could have happened. “Why?”

Asking questions about evil and suffering when world events happen is one thing. But how do you deal with pain and hurt and cancer and evil and suffering and death when they strike closer to home?

Many have wrestled with the question: “If God is good why does evil and suffering happen?” As a minister I wrestle with finding a resource out there that will help me walk alongside someone as they struggle through personal pain, agony, and questions. Unfortunately, finding the right resource has been next to impossible. There are just way too many mixed messages out there.

Typically books concerning the nature of evil and suffering in this world and whether or not an all-powerful God can do anything about it typically fall into three categories: 1) They are written from the perspective of an atheist and therefore write off any discussion about God and faith, 2) They are a sugary sweet devotional book that can be summed up with a pithy “Trust God and it will all work out” finale, or 3) They are deep philosophical treatises that often take readers, who are desperately seeking answers now, months to work through (if they finish).

If God Is Good by Randy Alcon is decidedly much different and, rather than adhering to these categories, charts a brand new course. Alcorn does a tremendous job discussing the problem of suffering and evil in a way that is both personally engaging and full of scriptural integrity. This book is filled with personal stories of those who have been subjected to the worst that evil and death could throw at them. Some of these stories will tear your heart open. Make no mistake, this is no warm and fuzzy devotional book meant to rest on your bed side table. This is an engaging, thoughtful, well-reseached, and challenging book that will give you answers and hope in the middle of whatever storm you are facing.

Alcorn finds his hope within the pages of scripture. He writes in the opening section that, as believers, we can deal openly and honestly with the problem of pain and suffering because God’s Word deals openly and honestly with it. He writes, “The Bible never sugarcoats evil.” Alcorn takes on false arguments, false gospels, and false expectations that all seek to distort, confuse, and destroy the faith of millions who face suffering and true evil. One recurring theme in his book is that it seems that those who have only dealt with suffering in the philosophical realm have walked away from their faith while those who have experienced real suffering draw closer to God and have found meaning and purpose in his loving arms.

As a resource, I love this book. Alcorn has meticulously studied this subject and each chapter includes generous footnotes. There is a helpful Scripture index as well as a topical index that make this a user-friendly book about a most difficult subject. Every minister should read this book and keep it at close reach on their desk. Evil and suffering will strike sooner or later. With If God Is Good by Randy Alcorn you will be prepared to minister to those left in its wake.

From the publisher:
Summary
Every one of us will experience suffering. Many of us are experiencing it now. As we have seen in recent years, evil is real in our world, present and close to each one of us.?

In such difficult times, suffering and evil beg questions about God–Why would an all-good and all-powerful God create a world full of evil and suffering? And then, how can there be a God if suffering and evil exist? ??These are ancient questions, but also modern ones as well. Atheists such as Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and even former believers like Bart Ehrman answer the question simply: The existence of suffering and evil proves there is no God.??

In this captivating new book, best-selling author Randy Alcorn challenges the logic of disbelief, and brings a fresh, realistic, and thoroughly biblical insight to the issues these important questions raise. ??Alcorn offers insights from his conversations with men and women whose lives have been torn apart by suffering, and yet whose faith in God burns brighter than ever. He reveals the big picture of who God is and what God is doing in the world–now and forever. And he equips you to share your faith more clearly and genuinely in this world of pain and fear.??

As he did in his best-selling book, Heaven, Randy Alcorn delves deep into a profound subject, and through compelling stories, provocative questions and answers, and keen biblical understanding, he brings assurance and hope to all.

Buy If God Is Good at Amazon.com

Ministry, Popular Culture, Resources, Twitter, Youth Ministry

10 Ways Twitter Helps Me Be A Better Minister

Twitter helps me communicate quickly and effectively. I have 140 characters to say what I need to say. No long messages. No wasted words. I have to find the most concise and specific way to communicate an announcement.

Twitter lets me encourage my students and parents. Often I will send out a quick word of encouragement or a Scripture to let my parents and teens know that I am praying for them, thinking about them, pulling for them.

Twitter helps me tell our parents (in real time) when they can expect us back from an event. If the group is late, I can quickly inform parents on our new arrival time so they aren’t waiting around in the parking lot. If we are going to arrive early, I can quickly inform parents on our new arrival time so I am not waiting around in the parking lot.

Twitter lets me advertise upcoming classes and events. Sometimes the only thing that keeps a teen or parent from attending a class or event is a quick reminder or short preview. Example: Come to REFUGE and celebrate the God who gives you a “do over” in life. 7:15-8:15p. Take some time to honor and to seek God with us 2nite.

Twitter lets me continue classes and events by sending out follow-up questions or challenges. Often I’ll send out a follow-up message after class with a scripture reading or a spiritual challenge for students. Since this message also goes out to parents, thy can get an idea of what their teens are working through and even join them on these challenges.

Twitter lets me send out prayers and prayer requests to those who follow me. I can quickly send out urgent prayer requests to everyone as soon as I get them. I also can send out messages asking my followers how I can pray for them.

Twitter can be used to get teens and parents to sign-up for events through direct messaging or can be used and a reminder for upcoming deadlines. Again, anything that helps me streamline my announcements or administrative work gives me more time to build relationships.

Twitter lets me get to know my students by asking fun questions and seeing the responses. Sometimes I’ll ask a fun question about something we talked about in class or sometimes I’ll ask a question about things going on in the lives of teens. I always enjoy seeing their responses.

Twitter allows me to send out a weekly devotional thought or challenge. During holiday weeks- Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Spring Break- I send out a daily prayer, scripture reading, and challenge to those who follow me. This connects us even as we are scattered across the country.

Twitter can help everyone participate in a trip even if they are at home. I have Twittered our last two mission trips allowing those left at home- parents and teens- the chance to see what we are doing, keep them updated on what’s happening, and ask them for prayers. Last year, we pulled into the parking lot from our trip to Atlanta and a parent bypassed his teen to give me a huge hug saying, “Oh I loved the Twitters you sent. They were awesome!”

Campus Ministry, Faith in Action, Ministry, Sermons, The Word, Wrestling With Scripture, Youth Ministry

The Star Maker

3 Comments

Psalm 147:4
He determines the number of the stars & calls them each by name.

Growing up I always felt pretty average. I wasn’t ever the best at sports or the smartest in class or anything like that. I was smack in the middle. Completely average in every way.

In football, I was the only starter under 6 feet. I played hard but my name never appeared in the paper next day and there was never any chance that I would play beyond my four years in high school.

As for my grades, I graduated 25th in my class… out of 54. It doesn’t get more average than that!

Even today I still feel pretty average. I’m not the best looking or the most talented. This average guy is just pretty plain vanilla. Rather than feeling sorry for myself I feel pretty great about my average status. When I look in scripture, I see a plethora of average or below average individuals. Even a cursory reading of the Bible makes me see that I am part of a very large group of average men and women. Some might even have called these people losers. They started life out as average joes and janes but they didn’t remain average for long. These average people rose above themselves and became great and powerful, amazing and world-known. These individuals went from average so-and-sos to international super stars. Let’s take a quick look at a few nobodies to find out who they were and what they became.

David- When we first meet David he is a mere shepherd boy so average that his own family essentially forgets about him. When Samuel comes calling looking to annoint a new king they “conveniently” forget he’s even a part of the family. However, this shepherd boy showed his mettle when he killed Goliath, became a feared warrior, and became a great and mighty king. Don’t forget that he also came to be known as a man after God’s own heart. Average no more.

Gideon- In Judges 6, Gideon is told (by the angel of the Lord no less) that he is a mighty warrior. Gideon’s reply shows just how average Gideon saw himself. “How can I save Isreal?” he asks. “I am the least in my family.” The least in his family ended up leading the army of Israel into a great battle where they triumphed over an army that greatly outnumbered his own.

Moses- He left Egypt as a disgraced prince and lived for 40 years in utter obscurity as a shepherd. He returned to Egypt in order to lead the Israelites out of slavery and triumphed by standing toe to toe against the most powerful man in the world.

Joseph- Joseph was seen by his brothers as some punk with a loud mouth and a big head (full of crazy dreams). To silence him they sold him into slavery. After toiling away as a slave and then in prison, Joe rose to the ranks of a great leader and literally saved the world from famine and starvation.

The Woman at the Well (John 4)- She was an outcast so outside of her community that she had to fetch water at a time when no one else would be at the well. But after a chance encounter with The Living Water she went back into town and became a powerful witness for the Gospel. “Come and meet a man who told me everything I ever did.”

The Apostles- They were simply a rag-tag group of no names and nobodies. They were simply average men living in the middle of Palestine, a obscure Roman outpost. It is hard to believe that these nobodies took the message of Jesus to the masses and turned the world upside down.

But let’s be clear. In fact, I want to be crystal clear that these people became stars because of one reason and one reason alone.

They didn’t become stars because they were the smartest, the best looking, or the most talented. It wasn’t because of their titles or their deep pockets. They didn’t become stars because they were born that way.

The only reason these average people became stars is because they had the faith and the courage to obey when they heard the voice of God.

One more time: The only reason these average people became stars is because they had the faith and the courage to obey when they heard the voice of God.

The world around you will encourage you to be average. The world wants you to look and be just like everyone else. They will tell you to just go along. Don’t stand up for your beliefs or stand out in the crowd. Don’t cause a scene. Do as your told. Blend in.

That is no way to live your life. Nobody should shoot for average.

The only way for us to shine out like stars is to give our lives over to the Star Maker. No one in the kingdom of God is average. Jesus Christ came to this earth to invite us into the family. The Father takes us in and through the power of the Spirit average lives are transformed in to the extra-ordinary.

In order to shine like a star you must have the faith and the courage to obey when you hear the voice of God.

So here’s the question.

What is the voice of God calling you to today?

Do you need to make that apology? Do you need to confess that sin? Patch up that friendship? End that relationship that is dragging you down?

If you want to rise above mediocrity- to be more than average- you have to step out in faith and into obedience.

Leadership, Ministry, Remarkable, Resources

Nine Moments from The Nines

9-11am:
1) 5 Step Apprentice Process (Dave Ferguson)
2) “Stay Close to Jesus Son.”
3) My number one prayer is that I’ll hear God’s voice everyday and that I’ll have the courage and faith to obey. (Scott Hodge)
4) Have the faith to walk away from the orchard. (S. Hodge)
5) A movement cannot be planned but it must be prepared for. What are you doing to prepare for God’s movement in your church? (Perry Noble)
6) The Daisy Cutter Doctrine: the larger the impact of the ministry, the more legitimate the ministry – this is false!!! (Skye Jethani)
7) Numbers 20: Moses was disobedient but a miracle happened anyway. Maybe outcomes are not an accurate portrayal of legitimacy in ministry. (Skye Jethani)
8) Root your legitimacy in Jesus not in outcomes (Skye Jethani)
9) The Red Sea is gonna part! (Steve Robinson)

11am- 1pm
1) You are a “spiritual coach”- help people discover their gifts/ministry/desire for Christ (Scott Wilson)
2) Phil 3:10: Know Christ. Know the People you Serve. Know Your Partnerships. Know the Poor. (Dino Rizzo)
3) Spiritual Malpractice- offering people Jesus as the healer but failing to offer the safe places, people, and processes to help them heal. (Jorge Acevedo)
4) As people get closer to me, do they really grow closer to Jesus or do I turn them away from Jesus? (Nancy Beach)
5) Guard your heart (Prov 4:23) through 1) Spiritual Practices, 2) Safe Relationships, 3) Stretching experiences
6) I hope that I can give you INSPIRATION and INFORMATION that leads to TRANSFORMATION not STAGNATION that leads to FRUSTRATION. (Steven Furtick)
7) Elijah never would have gone to Mt Carmel if the brook had not dried up. Even when you are doing what God has called you to do- the brook might dry up. God’s glory will be revealed. 1Kings 17:7. (Steven Furtick)
8) You must learn to do Ministry out of the overflow of the Spirit of God in your life. (Craig Groeschel)
9) the challenge is to engage in the stream (of people, the culture) that flows right outside our doors. (Rick Rusaw)