fasting and lava lamps

Revelation on fasting: God doesn't owe me anything for my empty belly.

I initially had that revelation months ago when I took over the Switch worship team. After one particularly dry Friday night I decided to fast the entire following week - Monday through Friday (probably more out of desperation than anything else). I did it and I prayed earnestly and I can say my heart was in the right place in that I really wanted the people who come Friday nights to meet God during worship. I secretly had this idea, that I didn't know I had until it was all over, that if I fasted all week God would just have to do something. Friday night came and went and it was dead. Eureka.

So I've known that, and even before that happened I knew that. If you'd asked me, "Does fasting twist God's arm?" I would have said, "Of course not!" Now it's in me, though. Again, I have been fasting and fervently petitioning Holy Spirit for some intervention tonight, BUT I'm now doing so ... more humbly, I guess.

On a totally unrelated note, you have to check this out: prayer lamp. It's a virtual lava lamp designed to add a different element to your prayer life. At first I was just playing along, but when I started to type out my prayer I really had to think about the wording I was using. Was I even praying Biblically? It'll definately make you focus - and it's fun.

some postmodern thoughts

I'm on my third book, now, about the drastic shift our spiritual society (and in many regards our society as a whole) is just stepping into. Miller calls it a new era, Kimball (it's okay - I just heard Schwarzenegger's voice in my head too) calls it vintage faith, Barna calls it a revolution, but they're all talking about the same thing. That is: why young, hip kids, teenagers, and 20-somethings don't want to go to church. Allow me to dump some of this out of my brain.

Miller will tell you this emerging generation is different from any other before it. The age of "broadcast" is over, and the digital is taking over. Kids are involved in their learning experiences in hands-on ways, they're connected via the internet, and no longer does an action have one equal and opposite reaction. Don't believe me? Visit a wiki site, or MySpace, or watch this. (Even if you do believe me, watch that anyway - it's a 22 month old playing Wii. Pretty amazing ... and he falls over once, which is just hilarious to me. He's playing virutal tennis, but he can't stand up in the real world.)

Kimball ("It's not a tumor!") will tell you this emerging generation is different from any other before it. Most of them have none of the Judeo-Christian foundation that we expect of people when they enter a church. We expect to be able to use words like "Abraham" and "redemption" in sermons, but they don't get it. What's more - and what's really exciting if you ask me - is that they're looking for a spiritual experience. The parents that sit in churches today were raised on teevee with the idea that a traditional church experience is boring - so our churches are brightly lit, sometimes rather sterile, and void of religious symbols. The new kids want to meet God and they expect to walk into a church that is dim, intimate, and decorated with things that remind them of God (like a cross). We wonder why they reject a Christian church for Buddist temples or palm readers - have you ever experienced the ambiance in those places?

Barna will tell you this emerging generation is different from any other before it. There's a revolution at hand in which people are tired of the shallow society all around them, and are determined to live for something real. They're willing to do it with or without the local church because they understand that they are the Church. If the church wants to remain part of the Church, she'll have to catch up. (Don't believe me? Check out Threads.)

So when you put it all together, what have you got? A generation of young people raising themselves with all the knowledge of the world at their fingertips. They're searching for Truth, but it's a needle in a haystack with every world faith or anti-faith claiming to be truth. All they know of Jesus is that He was a really good guy. Most of them think Christians are mean, hypocritical people, and they wonder why our spiritual gathering places look like department stores.

What does it mean for the western Church? I'm not sure it's my place to say, but I like Kimball's take. At the very least it means we need to be aware. Obviously the local church can't please everyone on any given Sunday morning (and we can't change the way we do things on the whim of a couple authors), but if we really want to reach a postmodern, post-Christian generation we might have to do it a different evening. Are we willing to step out and try something new?

this summer ...

Global Expeditions

I got to spend last Saturday (all of last Saturday) at a Global Expeditions leadership training ... thing ("seminar" sounds lame, "class" doesn't do it justice). What a good time.

First of all I learned a ton. Communicating vs. speaking, confrontation, etc. Good stuff, even just for our youth ministry 'cause teenagers are teenagers regardless of what country you put them in. Can I get an "Amen?"

Secondly, I really want to go to Thailand. There was this little table tent sitting in front of me for 10 hours with cute kids and a story from Thailand. Our India trip this year is not through Global Expeditions, but I'd like to go with them at least once, I think. The project director that was working with our break-out group asked if I would like to be a team leader this summer. If only I didn't have to work. I really need to find someone who wants to sponsor a CITW youth leader - just pay my salary so I can bring teenagers and Jesus together full time. If you're interested ...

Best of all is that I have a good understanding of Global Expeditions now, and much respect for the organization. I've heard a lot of horror stories about kids who have gone on missions trips that turned out to be a lot more like vacations - or even service trips. Building houses is nice, but if no one gives his/her life to Jesus at the end of the day you've done a great injustice. GE is all about having a good time, but they understand the gravity of their work as well. I like 'em.

finally

It happened. What a great Switch meeting last night. I felt the presence of God like I'd been waiting to all of Faith Week. It was one of the most powerful experiences I have ever had with Him - top five for sure, and definately the most annointed I've ever felt on a stage. Wow. I started to cry, even. He's not a Faith Week God, not a Jay Fallon God, not even a Sunday morning God - He loves teenagers and He loves Friday nights. Keep the youth ministry in your prayers - we want encounters like that every weekend.

Actually - on a bit of a tangent here - I'd say the kids almost need encounters like that on Friday nights. You'd be amazed at some of the stuff the average 14 year-old goes through these days (if I can say that without sounding too old). Just last night one of our guys testified of how he was giving a speech in his Language Arts class about why evolution shouldn't be taught in schools (and we're proud of him for sticking his neck out there like that!), and his teacher stopped him - and then insulted his Bible. So there - pray for us and pray for them.

what about God?

A minor point that Jeff mentioned in yesterdays Comments. "What about God?" Our church is doing well in tithing and volunteering compared to the national average ... actually, the national average is my job right now, so I've got those numbers in a stack of papers on my desk. Hold on ...

I have it broken down by age group, but probably the largest percentage of our church was born between '65 and '83. According to the Barna Research Group, 29% of people in this age group volunteer their time in church. So we're actually pretty average. Tithe? 9% of born again Christians tithed 10% of their income to a house of worship during the year of Barna's most recent study (2002). Again - average. I hate to burst bubbles.

But the comment that struck me was ... what about God ('s standards)? I wonder how often we make our standards "God's" standards. I wonder how often we compare ourselves to ourselves (which we know is not wise). How often do I eat a cookie mid-fast and justify it by telling myself that I still did better than the last time I tried to fast - whose standard is that? I we give 5% one month because the car needed repaired - whose standard is that? If we drive 5mph over the speed limit, but are still going slower than everyone else on the road - whose standard is that? Tell a little white lie, argue with parents (over something small), pray for half as long as we watch teevee (but 10 minutes longer than yesterday) - whose standard?

I wonder how many of God's standards we're falling short of because our society has so compromised them that we don't even see them anymore. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells his disciples that if someone were to sue you and take away your coat, give him your shirt too. Imagine someone taking off with your wallet and you chase him down just so you can give him the $40 that was in your coat pocket too. Or, "give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away." (Matt 5:42) And there's always, "Be holy, for I am holy." (1 Peter 1:16) Whose standard?

the church

I just finished reading The Emerging Church by a pastor in California named Dan Kimball. Really good stuff and I highly recommend it, especially if you work in youth ministry. It got me really excited, but I'm not going to go into all of it.

It also got me thinking about the Church (as opposed to the church). Most of us know - because most of us have the same good pastor - that the body of Christ is the Church, not the building we meet in. We know it, but I wonder how much we really believe it.

We believe that the church should produce a good Sunday morning service and attract people to Jesus. So if we really believed that we are the Church we would do the things that we expect the church to do.

We would volunteer in a ministry.
We would tithe regularly and give extra for special events or causes.
We would pray for our church leaders every day.
We would live like Christians in our workplaces.
We would worship, read a Bible and pray every day.

It wouldn't just be a good sermon to talk about reflecting Jesus or preaching without words ... We'd be doing it. Our passion would be as obvious in a traffic jam as it is on Sunday morning - because both are good times to worship or listen to a sermon.

So are we the Church or do we go to a church? Just a thought.

marimba ponies

Hey, I've got a great idea. Let's get a bunch of Asian youth, put them in blue, striped overalls and red barrets, and let them loose on marimbas, pianos, and percussion instruments. Great. And what should we call it? Wait, wait ... I've got it: Marimba Ponies. Perfect. My favorite is the little girl with the crash cymbals.

nothing really

I am just not feelin' Faith Week. I'm excited. I'm having a great time. Faith Week is my favorite time of year, but, for instance, worship the past few nights (for me) has been sub-par an average Sunday morning. I'm not feelin' it.

So I sat down to talk to Holy Spirit about it yesterday and had one of those conversations that you sometimes have with the Lord wherein you hear what you're saying and wonder how it sounded good in your head. It was childish, I admit. It went something like, "I don't really feel Your presence during worship ... I mean I know You're there because You say You're there and You're Truth, but I don't feel it ... and I know it's not about feelings, but it's nice when feeling is a part ... okay I'll shut up now. Do you know what I mean, though? I haven't felt Your presence or power once in four wonderful nights ... What's the deal?" Do you know what He said to me? Of course you don't, but I'll tell you: You focus on the Word.

And I sighed and said, "Okay." Because it wasn't so much a harsh instruction as it was a promise.

Then I wondered if part of it isn't just that we have a great pastor, so my expectation for serious God-encounter goes up because my average in-church God-encounter is relatively amazing anyway. I'm still wondering on that.

Secondary thoughts:
I really like listening to Brian Zahnd. We could have Faith Week every spring, and then a Brian Zahnd week in the fall or something - I'd be down for that. Of course, every week can be Brian Zahnd week if you get to the WOLC website, but he really is good in person too - very energetic. I like it when I'm asked to think.

We went out with Gracie last night, and I absolutely cannot take anymore Steak 'n Shake. Don't even bring it up - I won't go. I wish I had a picture of Gracie right now to post, but I don't.

AND we're getting quite a crew together for the drama on Saturday. If you were only going to come out for one night of Faith Week (you'd be silly, but) you should make it Saturday night. The youth/missions drama is going to be awesome. Oh, and there's some Jay guy speaking who I guess is alright too.

it snowed yesterday

It probably snowed somewhere, in fact I know it did because I chased down a lion and killed it. There were no pits nearby, so I chased it into a 24-hour chain restaurant. The padded booth did the job.

I'd been thinking about Benaiah. One of the churches I've been researching at work is National Community Church in D.C. (I know, that name kind of sounds odd, "national community"). They meet in three different movie theathers in the D.C. area (sermons are pre-recorded and shown on the big screen). Not because they don't have money for a building; they don't want one. They're taking the gospel to the people and it's working very well. Their pastor, Mark Batterson, wrote a book called In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day. I thought that was kind of weird - to turn two pretty obscure verses into the subject of a book. Honestly, even after I read those two verses I wasn't all that impressed. I had been turning it over in my head for days, wondering why on earth it was such a big deal.

Greg explained Monday night, which was nice. If you weren't there, the answer is the same as it was Sunday night: perseverance. Or determination. Passion. Pick a noun, but you get the idea. Run headlong at your enemy, and don't be satisfied when he's trapped: jump in there and kill it.

See you tonight.

group1crew

While you're waiting for Faith Week Night #3 to start up, check out Group 1 Crew.



The first time I heard the chorus I thought it was pretty stinkin' cheesy, but the verses are all about the God of love. I dig it.

3rd of Faith Week

Faith Week is off and running. Wow.

The parade of ministries was fun, of course. Our youth ministry was absolutely the best. I was so proud *sniffle*.

Rick Godwin spoke Sunday night, and boy did he. He doesn't pull any punches, that's for sure. And he doesn't like tight-perms either. His message was about perseverance, and what a good way to open the week.

Greg Howse spoke last night, and will again tonight. He's energetic. He brought part of his dance team from Chicago with too; they were awesome. Interestingly enough, he spoke on building a house that expands God's kingdom ... something that takes a lot of perseverance. Hmm. Alter time with Greg was something else - lots of deliverance and lots of words of knowledge/wisdom.

Come out tonight. Or the next night. Or the night after that. Or the night after that. Or all of the above.

freedom!

I was set free this afternoon - dually.

There was this situation that I'd been praying about being free from. Freedom at a certain point was guaranteed, but I was really petitioning the Lord to perhaps speed it up if it was alright with Him. It happened this afternoon ... but not any of the myriad of ways I'd daydreamed about, and rather than the waves of relief I expected to feel at that moment, I got a little offended.

So I was talking to the Lord about it while I mopped my kitchen floor. The dialogue went something like this:

HS: Well, you wanted to be free of it, didn't you? And isn't this perfect timing?
me: Ya, but I didn't want it to happen that way.
HS: Why not?
(pause)
HS: Because it made you look bad in the eyes of men?

Oh ya. Hmm. So I'm good now. Free and loving it.

And, you know - as a little PS, here - what a good God that even in the process of a little answered prayer, He gives us avenue to grow.

a thought

2.5 days until Faith Week!! You should be excited.

I don't have a lot of time to chat, but I wanted to tell you to read this. Brian Zahnd just got back from Russia, evidently, and has a cool story to share (and lots of pictures) on his blog. I recommend clicking on the links in the story to get the pictures along the way - 'cause when was the last time you read a good story with pictures?

People say ... if you ignored the link just there to go to Brian's blog, go back and read it first ... that it's a small world, (seriously, if you're reading this and you haven't clicked the above link you're missing out) but I think it's actually very big. That's my revelation for you today: the world, contrary to popular opinion and the occational theme park ride, is actually quite large.

I don't know anything about the Church in Russia.

Or Bulgaria. I went to lunch today with some people from my new office; one is married to a woman from Bulgaria and he was telling us all about the missionary work they support and their plans to eventually move there to help full time ... Bulgaria for goodness' sake. I couldn't even point out Bulgaria on map (now I can because I looked it up for that link, but 30 seconds ago forget about it).

(Also noteworthy is that B.Z. will be speaking at Faith Week on Tuesday and Wednesday the 13th and 14th, respectively. You need to be there.)

wake and funeral

Info on the wake and funeral for Dave, in case you haven't heard:

Wake
This Friday (the 9th) at Willow Funeral Home from 4 to 9pm.

Funeral
This Saturday (the 10th) at Church in the Word at 10am.

fear

We were blessed to have dinner with one of the cutest couples I know last night. I like the Inghams because we sit around and talk for hours after dinner and it's always about good stuff - Jesus stuff. Last night was no exception.

Several hours later I was having a terrifying dream. I won't go into it because I'm told no one likes to hear about dreams, but suffice to say I felt myself catch fire. I woke up probably at the point that I would have passed out from the pain, and I have never, ever felt such a strong presence that was not God.

I don't know if it was strong or if I was sensitive, but I was probably more startled upon waking than I was scared in the dream. It was right there and I could feel it look at me and sneer. I moved to wake up my husband to pray with me, and it turned in an instant, "Oh don't do that. He's sleeping, and you know how hard it is for him to fall asleep. You're just imagining it. Just go back to sleep." He's a liar, and the father of it, eh?

Everything was fine in about 10 minutes, but it was strange.

a eulogy

I watched a man leave this world Saturday morning. It's one of those images that you wonder if you'll ever be able to forget.

For the out-of-towners: Mr. Dave Pitner suffered massive heart failure Saturday morning in the church lobby as we prepared for another monthly, ministry meeting. It only lasted about 10 minutes, which is about as long as it took for the ambulance to get there. Mercifully there is a wonderful new couple at our church: a paramedic and a nurse. In the end, they couldn't do anything for Dave, but they sure did something for the rest of us. I can't image what those 10 minutes would have been like without them there.

Which makes you think about timing. Ten minutes earlier and he would have been driving with his wife in the car and other motorists possibly in the way. It's not as though God were absent Saturday morning.

Pastor addressed Dave's passing with amazing clarity and grace Sunday morning. Thank you, Lord, for Pastor Hoban. He presented the conversation between the Lord and Satan in Job in light of, "Have you considered my servants at Church in the Word?" The devil answers, "Let me have one of them, a good man in whom is found no blame, and they will curse You to Your face." Dave's happy, and we'll pass this test to come through to a Faith Week that will tear down principalities over the northern Chicago area, set people free, and encourage the faith of the Church in our area.

Our hearts go out to Dave's wife and children. A year ago I would have been appalled at the idea that God would allow the devil to take a life. More recently, Timothy and I have been watching the Omega course from Mike Bickle. In discussing some of the unhappy events of the last days, Mike puts death in perspective. The bible refers to the 80 to 90 years of your life as a "vapor"(James 4:14). What's the last 10 years of that vapor? Nothing. Look at it from eternity's perspective, trust that God has a plan, and it's less painful an idea.

So the only thing left to do is share a warm, fuzzy story that accents some lovable character trait of the dearly departed. Here's my contribution:

Months ago Switch was hosting a bowling over-nighter. After the service, we were going to take the kids bowling and then split up the girls and guys and try to make them sleep. We under-estimated the kind of draw such an event would have and ended up with more kids than the four of us could possibly get to the bowling alley without the added complications of leaving some behind with a leader and then getting all the cars there ... Dave Pitner just happened to be there. Friday night at about 9pm, Dave was at the church fixing a light switch in one of the childrens' classrooms.

When we explained our little problem, he dropped his screwdriver and was more than happy to load his van full of teenage kids that he didn't know to drive them to the bowling alley across town. What is normally a traumatic event for a teenager (being the "unlucky" ones who get stuck in a van with a guy they don't know) turned out to be the best ride any of the kids had; for whatever reason when we all got there these four were going on about Dave and his cool van.

That's Dave. We'll miss him ... but we'll see him again soon.