One of the Cloud

Long before iCloud, there was the “cloud of witnesses” mentioned in Hebrews 12. I recently attended the funeral of one of the cloud, my father-in-law Rev. Marvin Ottmers.

He died at 87 surrounded by his family. We should all be so blessed.

Marvin served as a pastor in the Lutheran church for more than 60 years. He retired at 80! All the parishes he served were small, rural congregations throughout central Texas. He and Louise raised four great kids (my wife Elaine being one). And they endured a parents worst nightmare when their oldest, Kathleen, died in an apartment fire while in her early 40's.

Marvin also served in the United States Air Force and fixed planes coming back from combat in North Africa.

He was a quiet, unassuming man who faithfully served his God, his family and his country. In our age of media celebrity he would never be noticed, nor would he want to be.

Hebrews 12 reminds us that we are surrounded by “so great a cloud of witnesses.” Some of the people in this cloud are mentioned in chapter 11, but most are anonymous and forgotten. Nevertheless, they made a difference and it is upon their shoulders that we all stand. Marvin was one of them. A quiet servant of the Gospel.

I’m curious to know who are the people in your life who are part of the Cloud?

 

Keeping it in Perspective

Tim Tebow, quarterback for the Denver Bronco’s, captivates the sports world and Christian faith communities.

He makes it clear he is an active Christian (demonstrated by his “tebowing” prayerful stance he sometimes takes on the field) and he does it without being pious, obnoxious, or judgmental.

This past Sunday his Bronco’s got creamed (45-10…ouch!) by the New England Patriots. There were no fourth quarter heroics (for which he is famous) on this day.

However, Tebow won the real game based upon what he said after this loss. Contrast his remarks with that of New England quarterback, Tom Brady.

Brady: “It’s all about winning.”

Tebow: “Overall, it still wasn’t a bad day,” said Tebow citing his pre-game opportunity to spend time with a fan who was partially disabled from a football injury. “Sometimes it’s just hard to see, but it depends what lens your looking through. I chose to look through those lenses and got to make a kid’s day. Any time you do that, it’s more important than winning the game.”

I don’t know what Tebow’s future will be as an NFL quarterback. But his perspective on life, what is important, and what really matters demonstrates wisdom way beyond his years.

Tebow knows how to major in the majors, as opposed to majoring in the minors and minoring in the majors.

And as long as he’s not playing the Packers, I’m cheering for him. Question: When do you take the long view and when do you allow yourself to lose perspective?

 

Old Men Need to be Explorers

Two of my favorite explorers are Lewis and Clark (photo). Having been a wilderness canoe guide in my youth I’m amazed by their accomplishment. And I’m well aware that my guiding days are over.

Then I read this from T.S. Elliot: “old men need to be explorers.” Now, I don’t consider myself to be an old man, but I’m certainly not young anymore (I’ll turn 61 in two months).

I’m struck by Elliot’s understanding of aging. It inspires me. And scares me too. I want to be brave enough to explore and to be a wise elder, but it would be easy to kick back and let others deal with the problems facing the country and the churches.

Then it struck me, Elliott doesn’t have it quite right. I would put it this way: “Old men need to be explorers with the next generation of explorers.” Exploration should be done cross-generationally.

I find that exciting because there are so many incredible younger people I’m privileged to meet and journey with. For example, I recently taught a class at Luther Seminary that had 10 outstanding young explorers. And last summer I was blown away by the character and skills of the camp staff at Flathead Bible Camp.

So, in this New Year I’m going to commit to exploration, but I’m going to do it cross-generationally. Maybe that’s what Jesus was doing on that road to Emmaus.

Who are you exploring with? What are you exploring? Will it make a difference in the Kingdom?

 

Merry Christmas

All of us at Vibrant Faith Ministries wish you a very Merry Christmas!!

As I look at this photo of the VFM team I am amazed at how we have grown this year.

We’ve added Leif Kehrwald (far right) out of Portland, to build our new VibrantFaith@Home website. Launch date is March 1 and all those getting a sneak peak say it is kickin. Let me know if you’d like to take a look.

Anna Rendell (far left) has changed our world view by serving as our social media team leader. Her cutting edge work redefines how to do ministry. And as you might suspect, her baby is due any moment.

John Roberto (4th from right) built and manages the Faith Formation Learning Exchange. And he is leading our new 21st Century Leadership Training events. Both are total game changers. His book FAITH FORMATION 20/20 is getting a lot of attention and shaping the conversation on effective ministry.

I could say even more about each one of these characters. The faith, talent and passion of this team make it a joy to go to work. We work hard, study hard, pray hard and laugh hard. Yes, we love to laugh and I think it is a sign of our health as people and as an organization.

In the picture starting from the left:
Anna Rendell: Social Media
Stuart Larson: Investments
Carol Parrish: Accounting
Paul Hill: Exec. Director
Julie Claeys: Shipping
David Anderson: Teacher, author, coaching
Julie Diedrich: Resource sales, development
John Roberto: Learning Exchange, teacher, author
Patty Matthews: Marketing
Jim LaDoux: Coaching, author, teacher
Leif Kehrwald: VibrantFaith@Home, teacher

 

Incredible Photos

Pictures always say more than words. Recently I was shown the most amazing website called “totallycoolpix.com”. The pictures are simply astounding.

Click on this link, http://totallycoolpix.com/, and immerse yourself in this plethora of images. Use them to trigger conversation with others.

For example, over the holidays I was thinking of going to this site with friends and family and let them guide personal talk, God talk, wonder talk and more.

On New Years Eve this site would be an awesome place to look at as we remember the past year. You could wrap up the evening with a simple Christian devotional prayer:

“Dear God, as we review these images of the past year we remember with sadness those who have suffered, died, or continue to be in need and want…hear our prayer,

And as we review these images of the past year we remember the moments of ecstasy, joy, and wonder…thank you lord,

And as we review these images of the past year we give thanks for all the beauty of your creation…hear our prayer,

And Lord, we ask that on this New Year’s Eve we would commit to alleviating suffering, celebrating wonder, and saying thanks daily…strengthen us Lord. Amen.

 

Rethinking the 8th Commandment

The 8th commandment use to be clear and unambiguous to me. It states, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor”. Or, as I teach it to jr. highers, “don’t diss”. I always teach this one first because being “dissed” is what they fear most.

Gossip, especially in the form of cyber-bulling, is a clear violation of the 8th commandment. So far so good.

Then I saw the inside cover of the November 28th issue of Newsweek. The UNHATE FOUNDATION sponsored a picture of President Obama kissing the Premier of China on the lips, (http://unhate.benetton.com/campaign/china_usa/). Obviously photo-shopped, the picture really offended me. Neither leader had given permission to create this picture. It seemed highly disrespectful of the offices they hold. The picture created a false impression regarding their relationship. An obvious violation of the 8th commandment.

“Not so fast there,” said my very politically aware and graduate student daughter. “The picture is making a statement about the need for reconciliation and peace,” she continued.

So I looked up the UNHATE FOUNDATION’s mission. It states, “We seek to contribute to the creation of a new culture of tolerance, to combat hatred.” Amen to that!

But does the picture accomplish that? Or is it just good old fashion “bearing false witness”…a lie about who these people are and what they think?

The internet creates a lot of fuzz and blur around the 8th commandment. For example, a couple years ago, by pure chance, I came across a blog post that was highly critical of our organization. I contacted the Christian author and reminded him of the 8th commandment and Jesus teachings in Matthew 18:15. (If you see your neighbor sin, tell them their fault directly.) The blogger, a pastor, seemed surprised that I would take offense. “It’s the internet, you can say what you want.” True, but doesn’t direct communication seem more…well Christian?

These are two examples of how fuzzy interpreting the 8th Commandment can get. Am I just an introverted Neanderthal clinging to some quaint code of direct communication, or should Christians consider the 8th commandment more carefully before posting?

Just because we can post, blog, or photo-shop doesn’t mean we should…or does it?

I would like to hear what others think about this?

 

Where are the adults?

I’m a baby-boomer and I’ll be the first to admit that my generation leaves a lot to be desired. We are a big, self-absorbed, career obsessed, adolescent generation.

Want proof? A recent political add from a national senior citizen lobby stated starkly to our political leaders; “There are 55 million of us and we’ll be watching.” The message is…don’t touch my entitlements.

Certainly entitlements for the poor need to be preserved, but how is it that the elderly class in America now go on TV and threaten the younger generations? What happened to adult elders whose job is to set the stage for the next generations?

At Vibrant Faith Ministries we are huge advocates for linking the generations, not playing them off against one another. Were we to run a political add we’d say: “There are 55 million of us and we are watching…and acting to see that our children and grandchildren have opportunities to be all that God has made them to be, and to share a faith to sustain them through life.”

And then this week, even as I was fuming over my generations selfishness I met two men who run counter to the “me” generation. One has created an incredible organization www.watertothrive.org. This man has been successful in business and is now giving of himself by digging wells in Ethiopia. The other gentleman had a long career in manufacturing and is now giving back through an organization called SCORE. They link retired executives with young business leaders in need of mentoring. Both do this work for FREE! Now that’s more like it!

The book of Proverbs emphasizes the importance of cross-generational sharing. And in Ephesians 6:4 father’s are encouraged to “bring their children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” That takes work and self-sacrifice.

So, if I was to create a T-shirt company and we only sold one type of shirt that said “I’m older and it’s not about me!” would you buy it?

Blog your thoughts about this commentary.

 

Did Jesus ever get on that retreat?

Among other things, the story of the Gospels is the story of a guy always trying to get on a retreat and having trouble getting there. Poor Jesus, his retreat plans rarely worked out.

1. The Sermon on the Mount begins with him leaving the crowds and going up a mountain. It ends with the crowds surrounding him.
2. He tried to get away to grieve the death of his friend, John the Baptist….but the crowds followed him…and he ended up having to feed them all.
3. He sent his disciples away so that he could have some private devotion time, only to end up being group lifeguard.
4. And when he finally did get away, there was no food service for 40 days, and he was taunted by evil.

Successful or not, the principle still stands: Jesus saw great value in retreating, in getting out into nature, in stepping away.

Recently, I visited a mega-congregation and talked to the leaders. They reinforced the point. This 13,000 member congregation attests their success and growth to their annual summer camp season. In other words they take their members and neighborhood on retreat.

I’m just back from attending the national Lutheran Outdoor Ministry conference. (There are other similar conferences for Presbyterians, Methodists etc.). What a great group of church leaders…and generally undervalued.

Yet consider:

1. Outdoor ministries do an excellent job of developing young adult leaders,
2. Families learn family faith activities at our camps,
3. Children, youth and families grow in faith and service while at camp,
4. Our camps are incubators for participants to learn to live in Christian community,
5. Participants grow in “awe” as they experience God’s creation…and so much more.

Perhaps most significantly, every church camp I’ve ever attended or experienced does the Four Key Faith Practices we teach at VFM. They may not always call them that, but they do them.

Jesus may not have gotten the retreat he wanted, but he certainly never quit trying.

Tell me about your personal plans to include retreating into your life? And tell me how you plan on using a church camp this winter or coming summer to support your ministry?

 

Human See-Human Do

What does it mean to be human? That's what I asked two weeks ago and suggested that the two extremes of the answer pole are "materialism" (we are the sum of our biological operations) to "ghost in the machine" (our biological unit houses a soul-and the soul is what makes us human).

This debate isn’t going away anytime soon. And depending upon your Scripture selection you can find all kinds of supports for what you think. Genesis 2 (the second creation story) says that God made humans from the “dust of the ground” (very materialistic) and breathed into his nostrils the breathe of life, or ruah (not exactly a “ghost in the machine” but certainly more than just the “material”).

I’m going way out on a limb here and want to suggest that in that dust/breath concoction God gave humans a bounty of mirror neurons. These amazing neurons (discovered in 1994 at the University of Parma) mimic and imitate…everything. (I’m hoping my grandson-shown here-learns to mimic fishing with grandpa.) They reside throughout our brains, but specifically in two areas on the left side of the inferior parietal lobe (left-top-back part of your head) that have no antecedent primate structures. Other mammals have mirror neurons, but not nearly in the same quantity as humans.

With mirror neurons we copy everything we see. A baby sticks out its tongue because Mom sticks out her tongue. A boy watches and often does what his father does. A disciple follows the teachings and practices of the teacher. “Human see-human do.” What’s really amazing is that they fire in our heads even if we don’t actually mimic the behavior. That is to say, our brains are doing a lot of behavioral imitation even if we are unaware of it. (My grandson Is fishing, he just didn’t bring his pole. :) )

Mirror neurons copy everything. Ceaselessly, endlessly, repeatedly. Without some sense of inhibition, we would act out everything we see and/or think. Maybe it’s not so ironic that this Genesis account ends with THE FALL. The humans take it too far and want to imitate (mirror neurons) God. CRASH!!

These are the outlining shadows of being human…a God-given dust/breath concoction leads to incredible possibilities and potential, social engagement and mimicking, taking it too far, and then falling. Mirror neurons are part of the mechanics of what God is up to in us.

When have you copied some behavior you thought was good and/or bad?

 

A Good Day

I had a really good day yesterday, maybe the best one in many years. First of all, Vibrant Faith Ministries received a $53,000 grant from the Siebert Lutheran Foundation. These funds will be used to support our new website "Vibrant Faith @ Home" due to launch March 1. This grant gives powerful affirmation to our work and I am humbled by the blessing.

The second incredible blessing of the day was sitting with four students from Luther Seminary who have a powerful passion for outdoor ministries. They are passionate, young, energetic, and smart. Now they are imagining how they might become scholar-leaders in support of one of the most powerful transformational tools we have in the church, our camps and retreat centers.

As I finished my day I thought, “the money is a blessing to be spent soon, and twenty years from now these four leaders could be providing insightful leadership in a discipline only now being imagined.”

A good day is when we are given a glimpse of the kingdom breaking into our consciousness. God is always at work, the blessing is when we get to see it.

So, tell me about one of your good days.

 

What is a Human?

Is a human being just the sum of all the neuro-synaptic activity happening in our brain? Or is there something beyond the physical called the soul?

If you think humans are no more than the right interplay of chemistry, genes, and physiology you would be taking the “materialist” position.

If you think the soul exists beyond the physical you would be taking the “ghost in the machine” position. Christians tend to opt for the latter (although variations of this have been a gnostic heresy for nearly 2,000 years).

Or is there a third way-as this author does-of thinking about what it means to be human? (Stay tuned for next week’s blog.)

And why does it matter? A new book coming out of Barna Research demonstrates why it matters. Titled “You Lost Me” the book identifies six reasons why youth and young adults have left the church or show no interest. One of the six reasons is “churches come across as antagonistic to science.”

Young people know that we are in a remarkable age of scientific discovery, especially in neuroscience. Neuro-scientific discovery is where chemistry was in the 18th century, or physics in the early 20th century. IT’S BIG!!! HAPPENING FAST!!! and IT ALL RELATES TO DEFINING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN.

Christians really need to engage these conversations, although the usual resistance is out there. When we do, we get the opportunity to ride a very exciting wave that focuses on our core concern, “What does it mean to be human?” If we don’t then we will ultimately seem reactionary, uninformed, AND the young will discount us.

So, tell me, what is your understanding of being human? What is a human?

Blog your thoughts about this commentary.

 

Love and the Voles

Why do adolescents sometimes seem brainless (dare I say drugged) when they fall in love? And why is “breaking up” such a terrible experience for them (and all of us)?

Well, it seems that prairie voles provide some answers (stay with me on this).

This past week I attended the Gustavus Adolphus Nobel Conference built on the theme “The Brain and Being Human”. The scholarship and expertise of the speakers went beyond world class.

Dr. Larry Young, Emory University, does research on prairie voles as compared to meadow voles. It seems that prairie voles bond for life. Although they have sex with lots of voles, at the end of the day they come home to one another. Meadow voles, like 98% of all mammals, do the vole equivalent of one-night-stands and do not bond. (I suppose that’s one way to tell them apart…see who they sleep with.) Why the difference?

Well, two neuro-hormones, coupled with the right genetic code, make all the difference. Oxytocin (females) and Vasopressin (males) create a sense of bonding between prairie voles when the genetic code calls for it. Meadow voles lack the correct genetic code even though they have the hormones-thus the inability to commit. (This may begin to sound like someone you know.:) When prairie voles bond the neuro-hormone dopamine (sense of pleasure) reinforces the bonding in the nucleus accumbens part of their brains. Drug addiction works in a similar way.

Back to our love-sick teenagers. Like voles, most humans (sociopaths are one exception) have the genetic code that allows oxytocin, vasopressin and dopamine to do the same thing in our brains. The phenomenon is well documented in the Song of Solomon:

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine…draw me after you, let us make haste. (No wonder S of S was the number one book of the Bible read during the Middle Ages.)

God created love and bonding through a powerful cocktail of hormones and genes that make much of life worthwhile, intense, precious and unpredictable. And breaking-up is like going “cold turkey” off drugs…it hurts in a very real, and neuro-hormonal way.

This certainly helps us understand the “puppy love” of adolescence (even though love to a puppy is still love) and some of the crazy behavior we see as a result (i.e Romeo and Juliet). It certainly can help us be more understanding when they act crazy, and sympathetic when their nucleus accumbens (heart) gets broken.

And from the perspective of healthy human community, we need more prairie vole behavior and less meadow vole activity. Now that I’ve taken all the magic out of romance tell me what you think.

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The Veneer of Self-Awareness

A friend of mine was embarrassed to tell me that he recently reacted quite negatively towards a person of another race solely based upon their appearance. “Where did that come from?” he asked. Considering himself an open-minded person, he was disappointed by his visceral, racist reaction.

This is a classic example of what the Apostle Paul talks about in Romans 7:15ff:

I do not understand my own actions, for I do not do what I want to do, but I do the very thing I hate… So I find it to be a law that when I want to do good, evil lies close at hand…but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind.

Recent insights in brain studies explain the wisdom of Paul’s writings and the reaction of my friend. Consider:

• The unconscious mind has a processing capacity 200,000 times stronger than the conscious mind.
• The human brain can take in 11 million bits of information at any given moment, of which we are conscious of 40.

Actually, what’s surprising to me is that he was surprised. His illusion was that his veneer of self-awareness was actually an accurate reflection of who he is.

Most of us think that what we think is what we think. (I’ll let you pause to reread that last sentence :) . We consider ourselves logical, rational, and in control. In part, it’s an illusion. Most of the things we think we think were considered and decided at a non-cognitive, emotional, level of our brain.

In other words, we emotionally decide things and then only later develop a cognitive rationale for our decision. (A lot of us have bought cars/houses/boats/etc. this way, ignoring the objective consumer report because we liked the color, features, deck etc.) And much of the emotional material that makes these determinations we learned by the age of four. Kegan and Lahey call this “not the assumptions we hold, but the assumptions that hold us.”

Rarely can we change our minds or the minds of others simply by logically explaining “what makes sense”. Rather, we have to be touched or engaged on an emotional level, not just a rational level.

Our sense of self-understanding and awareness is a thin veneer under which lies emotional, non-rational feelings, hunches, biases and opinions embedded deep within us.

Thus, the importance of Christian confession. In most worship settings it is either dispensed with altogether, or said early and quickly. Yet, as I get older, I find this to be one of the most important parts of worship and of my daily life. I confess that much of my leadership, reactions, views and things I say are tainted (for good and bad) with non-cognitive, emotional biases (assumptions that hold me).

My Christian confession is also a devotional prayer to Jesus to help me not be enslaved by this, but to give me new life through accurate self-awareness and appropriate adjustments suitable to build up the Kingdom.

So, am I just whacked? Probably. How about you? Tell me what you think you think.

Blog your thoughts about this commentary.

 

The Amazing Psalmists

Psalm 139 states:

“For it was you who formed my inward parts;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

I never truly understood the wisdom and insight behind these words until I started studying the brain. The more I learn about how how we are made and function the more stunning are the words, “for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

Consider:

• At four weeks old the infant brain is creating 500,000 neuron cells every minute.
• By 24 weeks old an infant is growing a staggering two million neuron connections every second. (You’d cry too if you were getting that much input all at one time.)
• Mathematically speaking, there are more possible ways for neurons to connect with one another in one human brain than there are atoms in the universe…by a factor of 10! (We are all truly unique.)
• In early adolescence the human brain is growing much like that of a 0-4 year old. (That explains a lot doesn’t it?)
• Our little 3.5 pound brain uses up 20% of all our energy intake.

The insight of the inspired words of the Psalmists blows my mind. The writers of that time did not have access to the science we have now…but they knew! They knew that the real miracle was not the stars in the sky so much as the person standing next to you watching those stars.

Psalm 8 says it well:

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established,
what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
mortals that you care for them?
Yet you have made them a little lower than God,
and crowned them with glory and honor.

I sometimes forget how special, precious, and complex human life really is. The Psalmists never did. They knew God really did an amazing work in making us

Let’s behave as if we are worthy of this honor.

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A Question Raised by Brain Studies

This question will be coming to you soon: “When a brain surgeon sticks an electric probe in your angular gyrus (within the inferior parietal lobe) you will have an out-of-body experience…soooo…is that God?, or just a probe in your head?” Put another way, “if ‘God experiences’ can be duplicated neurologically, where does that leave God?” Smart kids are already asking something like this (probably in the form of “How do you know God isn’t just something we invented in our heads?”) All kids will eventually get around to it. So what are you going to say youth worker, parent, pastor, mentor, teacher?

This is one simple example of why Christians need to be learning about what is coming out of the brain sciences these days.

Brain researchers are defining what it means to be human in magnificent and insightful ways. Christians run the risk of appearing to be pre-Copernican Neanderthals (Copernicus was the monk who said the earth revolves around the sun-not the other way around…it didn’t go well for him with the religious leaders of the day…even if he was right.) living in ignorance of how the sciences are changing our perceptions of ourselves and everything around us. Unless we engage brain science discoveries we’ll either end up appearing foolish, or the inevitable backlash against these new insights will make Christians look ignorant…as well as foolish.

If Christians found Copernicus or Darwin (many Christians still live in denial of his work) hard to fathom, swallow, or engage; brain studies bring it to a whole new level. For whereas Copernicus changed our understanding of our place in the solar system, and Darwin changed our understanding of how (not why) we came to be, brain studies could change our very definition of ourselves. In the past this has been the realm of philosophers, theologians, and religious doctrine. It could be superseded by researchers and the machines that are looking into our brains while they are working.

I’ve outlined the danger of not engaging these insights, but the upside of engaging them represents a truly incredible opportunity. In this blog I’ll be writing weekly about the upside. Christians can learn at the molecular level how God makes and sustains us, AND we can enter a conversation that often reaffirms the wisdom of Christian Scripture, tradition and practices.

What will not go away is the ongoing research and the implications of the research for human growth, development, learning, spiritual formation and community. Stay tuned!

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Go With the Flow

All brain processing, thinking, learning, and human interaction goes through the same sequenced system every time. Call it the "arousal/alert system" (or the Four F's and Four A's system). Early humans who didn't have this system just didn't make it.

Significantly, a small part of the mid-brain called the amygdala plays a huge role. The amygdala can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Here's how it all works.

When activated the amygdala will perform one of four functions: fight, flight, flow, or fornicate (The Four F’s…and don’t go there :) ). Three of the four are self-explanatory, but flow has to do with staying calm and being receptive. All Christians want to strive for “flow”, at least in public settings.

Working primarily (but not exclusively) through our vision the “arousal/alert system” follows this sequence:

1) Upon seeing something the image stimulates “awareness” and the brain asks, “Wassup?” 2) Now “alert” the brain then asks “”Should I care wassup?” 3) In order to answer that question it pulls from memory, feelings, experiences and “assesses” what to do. It asks, “What do I know about “wassup?” 4) Finally it creates an “action” by concluding, “Based upon ‘wassup’ this is what I am going to do.” You may then laugh, cry, run, hit something, duck, or-shall I say-get imaginative. In junior highers this “Four A’s” process seems accelerated. Rarely do you see flow.

So think about it. If human brains do this all the time, then Christian communities should be places of enormous hospitality and caring conversation. They create “flow” and people are receptive, relaxed, non-defensive and open. Flow is the prelude to belonging, and belonging is the prelude to faith formation and faith practices.

The early Christians were known for their hospitality in a brutal and unforgiving world. It made a difference. They knew intuitively what brain science can now document: “Go with the Flow!”

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Letter from Prison

At Vibrant Faith Ministries we sell a simple product called TAKING FAITH HOME. (Please read on this is not a commercial). It’s a bulletin insert that follows the church lectionary and provides suggestions for doing the Four Key faith practices throughout the week. I recently received the following letter regarding this resource, it’s pretty amazing.

“My name is….a lifelong Christian and an inmate at the…jail. I’m currently awaiting the outcome of my case (which involves addictions, felonies and prison time). My church provides me with your weekly series TAKING FAITH HOME. Being perfectly honest, I hadn’t paid much attention to it. However, now my church chaplain visits me and brings the current issue. I study both sides of it and read every Scripture mentioned. In short…it is helping me re-ignite my relationship with the Risen Christ. I do not know how long I will be incarcerated (maximum is 57 months) but it is my hope and prayer that God allow you to continue with this important ministry so God can touch hearts the way He has touched mine.”

This letter reminds of me of the power of Jesus on the cross, who forgave another being crucified with him and welcomed him into the kingdom.

I don’t get letters like this very often. But we never know where God is active do we?

And although we generally don’t end up in jail, who doesn’t have their demons with which they struggle. Come Lord Jesus, heal our broken spirits.

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Connecting You to a More Vibrant Faith

As a congregational leader or member, wouldn't it be great to know EXACTLY where to find the most current research on effective faith practices as well as the resources to help you implement those practices?

Look no further... Vibrant Faith Ministries (VFM) is inviting you to share our faith formation resources with your congregation.

It's easy to get started. Just place our "faith formation button" on your website and your congregation will be instantly linked to the latest research in faith formation and the best resources for nurturing faith, including:

• Our new Faith Formation Learning Exchange - an online resource that provides your congregation members with access to the most current information, research and resources in faith formation for all ages and generations
• VFM's online store - where your congregation can find whatever they need to meet their spiritual needs, practice their faith and/or gain insight and clarity as they navigate life's "faith forming" moments.

Access to these amazing resources is free and just one click away!

Visit our Congregational Links Page at to select a button that coordinates with your website colors and design. Once you've decided, click "Download Instructions" to begin activating the link.

After you post the link, please e-mail us at pmatthews@vibrantfaith.org to let us know so we can recognize your congregation's commitment to faith formation. We look forward to sharing our faith formation resources with your congregation!

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COG…Child of God

I entered the world of Twitter late in the game. (Our social network guru, Anna Rendell would say I’m still not in it.) I’m not a technophobe, in fact I’m an early adopter on most things technological. But Twitter just doesn’t push my excitement button. It probably has something to do with being an introvert and I’m pretty busy already.

But OMG! Then I discovered these little Twitter shortcuts (I call it “tweetspeak”) for conversation. I actually only know three of them (OMG, LOL, and the third is profane), but they are really cool.

• OMG (Oh My gosh/God) is used as a shortcut to express surprise, excitement, astonishment. I’ve never seen it used as a statement of reverence, but it could be used that way too (see below).
• LOL means either “Laughed out Loud” or “Lots of Love”. I prefer the latter definition.

This got me to thinking. People of Christian faith need to come up with their own “tweetspeak” for Twitter. (It may already exist, but remember I’m late to this game.) We could share our faith through “tweetspeak”. We could preach the Gospel through “tweetspeak”.

With that thought in mind I came up with my first Christian faith “tweetspeak”: COG…Child of God

I’m actually borrowing a blessing I do with my family. You see, whenever I greet family members I say their name and COG them. For example, I greet my wife in the morning, “Elaine Hill, child of God, I am so grateful to see you.” I greet my grandson, “James Malcolm Hill, child of God, I am so grateful to see you.

So COG is my gift to the world of “tweetspeak”. Use it freely and with abandon. And send me your Christian “tweetspeak” ideas at @drpaulghill. We’ll share LOL.

Until then remember: “u r COG! LOL! OMG!”

Blog your thoughts about this commentary.

Dr. Phyllis Tickle joins Vibrant Faith Ministries Board of Directors!

Dr. Phyllis Tickle, renowned scholar, author, and international speaker joined the Vibrant Faith Ministries board of directors enthusiastically affirming the approach and work of VFM! Dr. Tickle's recent blockbuster book The Great Emergence has reframed how congregations and denominations think about doing ministry in America today. And her YouTube presentation "The New Rose" is a must viewing for all church leaders.

Our board chair (Dr. Nancy Going) and I are pretty giddy about this. Dr. Tickle's breadth and depth of knowledge, plus her many connections to all expressions of the church are a great resource to VFM.

Dr. Tickle's endorsement of David Anderson's new book Vibrant Faith in the Congregation was significant in leading up to her decision. Talking of the book she said, "I have not seen a better or more useful presentation...in a very long time, if ever at all."

Dr. Tickle is founding editor of the Religion Department of PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, the international journal of the book industry, and is frequently quoted in print sources like USA TODAY, CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, NY TIMES, as well as in electronic media like PBS, NPR, THE HALLMARK CHANNEL, and innumerable blogs and web sites.

In 1996 she received the Mays Award, one of the book industry's most prestigious awards for lifetime achievement in writing and publishing, and specifically in recognition of her work in gaining mainstream media coverage in publishing. In 2007 she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Christy Awards "In gratitude for a lifetime as an advocate for fiction written to the glory of God." She has honorary doctoral degrees from Yale University and North Park University.

A lay eucharistic minister and lector in the Episcopal Church, she is the mother of seven children and, with her physician-husband, makes her home on a small farm in Lucy, Tennessee.

Welcome Phyllis to Vibrant Faith Ministries!

The Power of Forgiveness

In an earlier post I introduced my friend Maria. She suffers from post traumatic stress brought on by a very difficult childhood. Through poetry Maria expresses her laments as well as her struggle for a sustaining faith. Maria is one of my hero’s.

During Easter Maria experienced a miracle. Listening to the words of Jesus on the cross, “Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing,” she reported to me she had an overwhelming sense of these words being meant for her and for her tormentors. She identified so closely with Jesus suffering AND with Jesus willingness to forgive. In that moment she said she felt a new freedom for herself through forgiveness.

Her most recent poem says so much about the power of this moment:

I want to make a difference in this world.
I want to touch one soul
before I’m to old,
and leave my imprint on their life.

In this world, I want to leave my mark.
I want to throw a white veil over my past,
express my feelings through my art
leaving no room for anyone to ask.

In someone’s journey I want to make an impression.
I want to be remembered in God’s light,
as a strong woman with deep depression
that never gave up in the fight.

I want to make a positive impact on somebody.
Make a difference in their walk,
be a positive source for them to talk,
and relate in Christ to anybody.

I want to positively influence another soul.
I want to be a reflection of God
even though my life has been odd
and maybe I’ll never become whole.

I want to make a difference in this world.
Someone’s passage I want to inspire.
Positive feelings I want to aspire,
and see the world through the eyes of a SAFE little girl.

By: Maria (Lulu) Negron

Maria’s faith is complicated, full of yearning, pain, trust and hope. She gave me permission to post part of her story in hopes that others may also discover the power of forgiveness.

Blog your thoughts about this commentary.

Biology and the Reformation

According to neuroscientist Antonio Damasio, the fundamental value or principle behind all of biology is to manage and keep life safe. Whether an amoeba or a human the intention of creation is to live and be safe. Damasio calls this "striving for homeostasis" or balance. There are huge theological implications here. Any Christian theologies that squelch how God made us as biological creatures striving to fully live as God intended should be suspect.

Yet these Christian theologies abound in harsh judgments made in an increasing algae plum of self-righteousness spewed on the right and left. Putnam and Campbell report in their book AMERICAN GRACE that about 10% of the American religious landscape is made up of these hyper-critical and condemning groups, a small percentage but they get a lot of attention and press.

Blog your thoughts about this commentary.

Nature Doesn't Care, but Jesus Does

For the second time in less than two years I've been reminded of the beauty and indifference of nature. A year ago January the earthquake in Haiti killed thousands, including the son of good friends. And this past week I was enjoying the incredible beauty of Maui when a monstrous earthquake hit Japan. Within seconds the ecstatic joy of snorkeling and surfing the waters of one of the most beautiful places on earth was transformed to deep concerns of an impending tsunami. The tsunami was a non-event where I was located, but the horror of what is happening in Japan continues.

Many (including me) find great spiritual renewal by immersions in nature. However, I don't live in the illusion that my love for nature will be reciprocated by nature. It is the handiwork of God, but it functions without a heart for us. I may be devoted to nature, but nature is not devoted to me.

Christian faith acknowledges and celebrates nature. But nature doesn't really care whether we live or die, while God in Jesus Christ does. While Lord of nature (John 1), Christ's human presence with us makes God up close and personal. I'll continue to immerse myself in nature, as I have my whole life, and I'll look to Christ to know the heart of God for all of us.

Blog your thoughts about this commentary.

Welcome to the 1st Century … Again

Being a Christian in North America early in the 21st century is probably more like being a 1st century Christian than being a Christian in the 1950's. Granted, American Christians are not being fed to lions, or used as tiki torches (yes, Nero did that!) to light the royal courtyard in Rome. And while persecution of Christians does happen on a global scale, if not in the American landscape, nevertheless the times have changed and American Christianity is declining.

Robert Putnam and David Campbell's excellent book, American Grace, clearly documents a huge shift in American Christian religiosity. The 1950's were, to a great extent, the Golden Era of American religious involvement. However, having gone through the secularism of what they call "the long 60's" and the reaction to that era with the rise of Christian evangelicalism in the 80's, Americans (especially the young) are now basically saying, "I'll have none of it!"

In short, Christianity does not play the dominant role in shaping the American religious and cultural landscape as it did in the 1950's. Rather, Christianity is one voice among many vying for the hearts, minds and values of the American populace.The Apostle Paul, in the 1st Century, faced a similar context. Acts 17:16 and following tells of Paul entering into the Areopagus in Athens. This was a place of debate and discussion where a wide spectrum of religious and philosophical perspectives were tossed around. Paul spoke there saying, "Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, 'To an unknown god'. What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you." (vs. 22-23, NRSV). Paul then goes on to speak of God's revelation through Jesus Christ and in him "we live and have our being". (vs. 28). Christianity in Paul's time was, to use today's market language, a "start-up" in a very competitive religious marketplace. For those early Christians it wasn't easy because Christianity was not the "big dog" religion.

If, in some respects, Christianity in America in the 1950's was the "big dog", by the 1990's and to the present, other "start ups" and older, competing religious and philosophical voices have displaced what use to be. For all practical purposes, like Paul, Christians are back in the Areopagus debating the merits of the Christian faith with many competing voices.

It was hard for 1st century Christian leaders and it is getting harder for 21st century Christian leaders. Low morale often permeates the ranks of pastors, Christian educators, musicians, youth workers, and judicatory leaders. Attendance is down, budgets are down, and congregational members are getting older with few young people involved.

In other words, it's a perfect time to be a Christian leader in America! Christianity has always been most effective when not tethered to the cultural trappings of the larger society. As a lay movement committed to transforming lives through faith in Jesus Christ, Christianity has, historically, been able to thrive and make a difference. Not being tethered to the culture or the recent past, Christian leaders can innovate, adapt, reclaim and reframe the best of our faith and it's traditions.

At Vibrant Faith Ministries, we embrace these times and work to be nimble, adaptive and creative, while grounded in the enduring love of God through Jesus Christ. To us, this is what the times call for and what vibrant faith enables us to do. My suggestions to American Christians are:

1. Get over it, the 1950's are gone. We are living in the era of the Areopagus.
2. It's going to be difficult to do ministry during these times. (When hasn't it?)
3. It is the perfect time for Christians to innovate, adapt and experiment in ministry.
4. All innovation will take place through the power of the Holy Spirit through personal, trusted relationships.
5. Daily faith practices will be the methodology for Christian spiritual renewal.
6. Most significantly, Jesus is Lord in all centuries and in all places. So let us take heart that God goes with us providing courage and energy for each new day.

Blog your thoughts about this commentary.

Announcing the Faith Formation Learning Exchange

At Vibrant Faith Ministries we continually hear leaders asking for the most relevant and valuable research, practices, models, and resources to assist them in developing effective, responsive faith formation. Most people just don't have enough time to search for the information they need. And until now it was hard to find the best knowledge.

No longer! I am very happy to announce the launch of the Faith Formation Learning Exchange (FFLE), a one-stop website where you can find the most current information, research, practices, and resources in faith formation for all ages and generations. And best of all its FREE! The website will be updated monthly, so you'll always have access to the most current information.

I asked John Roberto of Lifelong Faith Associates to serve as the FFLE Project Coordinator for Vibrant Faith Ministries. John is a well-known author (Faith Formation 20/20), speaker and scholar, and he has brought his whole "game" to this project.

I know that congregational leaders, professors and ministry educators, ministry students, authors, publishers, and program developers will find the Learning Exchange valuable for both work and personal enrichment.

The Learning Exchange is organized around nine Faith Formation Centers: children, adolescents, young adults, adults, families & parents, lifelong & multigenerational, ethnicity & culture, online & digital media, and leadership.

Check out all of the features and resources on the Faith Formation Learning Exchange now. Go to: www.faithformationlearningexchange.net. When you're online, be sure to sign-up for our monthly e-newsletter. And please let me know what you think on my blog.

Download a Faith Formation Learning Exchange PDF

Faith Formation 20/20  by John Roberto

Dear Friends,

Earlier this year, I introduced John Roberto as the new developer and project manager of our new Faith Formation Learning Exchange website.  He is a gifted author as well.  I've asked him to introduce his new book FAITH FORMATION 20/20 to you in this e-news.

Envisioning the Future of Faith Formation

• How can faith formation flourish in Christian churches over the next ten years?
• How can congregations address the increasingly diverse spiritual and religious needs of people today?
• What are the promising innovations that can guide faith formation for all ages and generations in this decade?

These are the essential questions explored in the new book Faith Formation 2020: Designing the Future of Faith Formation. The book presents four scenarios for the future of faith formation by identifying four profiles of the spiritual-religious life and experiences of people today:

Vibrant faith and active engagement: These are people of all ages and generations who are actively engaged in a Christian church, are spiritually committed, and growing in their faith. People have found their spiritual home within an established Christian tradition and a local faith community that provides ways for all ages and generations to grow in faith, worship God, and live their faith in the world. 

Occasional participation, but not actively engaged or spiritually committed: These are people who attend church activities, but are not actively engaged in their congregation or spiritually committed. They may participate in significant seasonal celebrations, such as Christmas and Easter, and celebrate sacraments and milestone events, such as marriage and baptism. Some may even attend worship regularly, and send their children to religious education classes. Their spiritual commitment is low and their connection to the church is more social and utilitarian than spiritual.

Spiritual, but not religious: These are people who are spiritually hungry and searching for God and the spiritual life, but most likely not affiliated with organized religion and an established Christian tradition. Some may join a nondenominational Christian church focused on their spiritual needs, while others may find an outlet for their spiritual hunger in small communities of like-minded spiritual seekers, in acts of service-locally or globally, or in online spiritual resources and communities. The Spiritual, but Not Religious reflect a growing minority of the American population, especially among the 18-39 year olds.

Unaffiliated and uninterested: These are people who experience little need for God and the spiritual life and are not affiliated with organized religion and established Christian churches. The Unaffiliated and Uninterested reject all forms of organized religion and reflect a steadily increasing percentage of the American population, especially among the 18-29 year-olds.

Each scenario story explains why the "main story" of faith formation in this decade will be framed by the response of Christian churches to the diverse spiritual and religious needs of people in these four scenarios. Imagine what faith formation could look like if your church is responding to the challenges and opportunities of all four scenarios. Imagine the impact on the life of your congregation if faith formation addresses the spiritual and religious needs of all ages and generations in each scenario. The future of faith formation is ready to be shaped and formed. How will you and your church respond?

Learn more about Faith Formation 2020 by downloading a copy of the first chapter of the book at www.LifelongFaith.com.

What's your Elevator Speech on Jesus?

At VFM, one way we test whether we are communicating clearly is to do the "elevator speech" test. We imagine we are going to get on an elevator with a complete stranger. The doors close and they look at you and say, "What company are you with?" We only have the time on the elevator to summarize our work.

I think Christians would do well to develop an "elevator speech" for Jesus. Why? Well, for some years I've been interviewing younger Christian men about their faith and spirituality. When I get to the question, "Who is Jesus and what does he do?" I get a lot of blank stares, or I hear things such as:

"He was really a tough guy" (true-but so is a Navy SEAL)

"He lived a moral life" (true-but so did Gandhi)

"He was a great teacher" (true-but so was Ms. McConnell, my 1st grade teacher)

"He challenged the religious leaders" (true-but so did Amos, Luther and Galileo)

In other words, when it comes to describing the life and work of Jesus they really do not know. They get the generic and all purpose "God". They do not do well when it comes to the person, the power, and the purpose of Jesus. Granted, "Jesus" is a big topic and capturing the work of Jesus in a sound bite could even be considered offensive.

With that said, here is how my elevator speech on Jesus might go. (Imagine a stranger walks in the elevator and the doors close. Ding.)

Stranger: Hi!
Paul: Hi!
Stranger: So what brings you to town?
Paul: Well, I work for a global network with high expectations, but assumes I'm going to fail.
Stranger:  (chuckles) What kind of network is that?
Paul:  I work in the church.
Stranger: (dead silence and then...) My company just expects a lot and will fire me if I fail.
Paul: Yeah, that's generally how it works.  (pause) Ya know what happens when I fail?
Stranger: Let me guess...you get a bonus.
Paul: Well, yeah, in a way I get a bonus.
Stranger: No wonder the church is so screwed up.
Paul: You'll get no argument from me there.
Stranger:  So why do you do it?
Paul: Every day I get another chance.
Stranger:  Don't people abuse the system?  You know, slackers can coast.
Paul: It happens. Not my problem.  All I know is that Jesus forgives me and I get to work to make the world better.
Stranger:  (cynical smile) I don't get that forgiveness thing.
Paul:  Apparently a lot of people don't.  But they could.
Stranger: Well, this is my floor.  Happy Holidays.
Paul: And Merry Christmas to you!  Here's my card.

You may or may not appreciate my effort, but this is actually a very serious and difficult exercise. In fact, at VFM we had a very robust discussion amongst the team regarding this ENews. Now it's your turn. How would you proclaim the Gospel if you only have a short period of time? What's your "elevator speech" for Jesus? Blog me!

Vibrant Faith Ministries' Grants —Making Transformation Possible!

Jesus transforms us everyday. And, our mission at Vibrant Faith Ministries (VFM) is grounded in what Jesus does!

We equip congregations, households and individuals to live a vibrant faith in Jesus Christ and share the Christian faith among all generations.

VFM offers VIBRANT FAITH GRANTS for congregations and ministries committed to transforming their ministries and nurturing a culture founded on vibrant faith principles. Thanks to a very generous donor, we have grant funds available for congregations and ministries where the potential for transformation exists.

The benefits of a Vibrant Faith Ministries' grant include:

• Complete access to the resources, experience and wisdom of Vibrant Faith Ministries' leaders.
• Help your staff and congregation learn and engage in new faith practices
• Infuse your congregation with a vibrant faith that is authentic, available and affirming.
• Share your knowledge and receive the opportunity to "pay it forward" to other potentially transformational ministry settings.

Possible ways Vibrant Faith Grants may be used:

• To send people to VFM's youth ministry certification school - Eight Days and a Computer.
• To support cluster training and coaching in districts and synods.
• To host a Vibrant Faith Event.
• To launch an innovative new ministry.
• To support one year VFM Congregational Coaching.
• To assemble key leaders to launch a new vision for ministry.

For more information on the Vibrant Faith grants, go to Vibrant Faith Grants on our website or contact me at phill@vibrantfaith.org.

Vibrant Faith Ministries announces the FAITH FORMATION LEARNING EXCHANGE

We do ministry in the world of Kindle, Nook, twitter parties, APPS, declining denominationalism, house churches, flipboards, emergent churches, wiki's, the Long Tail, micro-chunking, Facebook, Veetle, Hulu, Stumble, Ning, Amazon, Web 2.0, iPhones, iPads, and you can get viral without catching a cold.

Two things can be said regarding all of this. 1) God is loose in this world working through, touching, changing, and shaping these dynamic times. 2) People of faith, and Vibrant Faith Ministries in particular, must engage the challenges and opportunities such dynamism presents.

To this end, Vibrant Faith Ministries will be rolling out a lot of new services, products, and books over the coming months, and we are excited about it.

The first is the establishment of the FAITH FORMATION LEARNING EXCHANGE, to be led by Mr. John Roberto. It will be a "one stop" place to engage the most recent research, insights, commentary, and social networking relating to effective faith practices for the entire life cycle.

What does this mean for you? With one click you can access the most current research and commentary on faith practices across all denominations. The academic world and the world of the practitioner will meet on this site. Such a website does not exist at this time.

VFM and John, of Lifelong Faith Associates, [Edit Image] will launch the FAITH FORMATION LEARNING EXCHANGE in December. John is an internationally recognized scholar, speaker and leader in lifelong faith practices. John was a leader in the Exemplary Youth Ministry Study, co-author of The Spirit and Culture of Youth Ministry, editor of the upcoming book Faith Formation 2020, and is a national trainer within the Roman Catholic Church. John has deep connections with the academic world as well as with practitioners. He is also the editor of the Lifelong Faith Journal.

As we develop the FAITH FORMATION LEARNING EXCHANGE, we want to hear from you! "What kind of research or information would you seek to find on such a site?" Blog Me!

Download "An Overview of the Faith Formation Learning Exchange"

Milestones Ministry as Outreach into the Community  by David W. Anderson

Milestones Ministry is about recognizing meaningful, memorable moments that are marked with the cross of Christ. When congregations perform a baptism, wedding or funeral, they are engaging in Milestones Ministry. When congregations offer confirmation classes, first communion or simply communion instruction, they are providing meaningful, memorable moments designed to edify people's lives in Christ.

The church exists, not just for its members but for all who hunger and thirst for a gracious word and a gracious God revealed through Jesus Christ. Milestones such as weddings, baptisms, and funerals provide rich opportunities to reach out to non-members and introduce them to resources and practices that nurture vibrant faith.

Consider using milestones celebrations to introduce people to the Four Key faith practices, providing:

• A caring conversation resource on how one raises a child in faith;
• A devotional piece that offers Scripture and prayer to reflect upon Christian love and support marital vows;
• A service idea or two that reflects the deceased's commitments to the Christian faith, care of one's neighbor, and the preservation of creation;
• A ritual and tradition for the home to recall with Christian conviction the life of faith for a baptismal family, a newly married couple, or grieving friends and family.

Resources like these remind people that the congregation is there to serve them in their journey of faith. The same is true of many other milestones in the life of a congregation such as the blessing of backpacks, the blessing of animals, and the giving of Bibles to children. When a Milestones Ministry event is being planned, make sure children, youth, and adults know how important and easy it is to invite a friend or neighbor. Milestones ministry is usually one of the best things happening in congregations. Why put it under a bushel?

To support congregations in using milestones ministry as a form of outreach, Vibrant Faith Ministries offers individual Milestones Ministry modules. These modules contain all the necessary ingredients to plan a meaningful, memorable experience that reaches members and neighbors alike with the Word of Life.

Begin planning your next milestones ministry event now through the lens of outreach. Make it a transforming experience for your entire community

Rev. Dr. David W. Anderson
Presenter, Coach and Author
Vibrant Faith Ministries

What fun and unique ways have you reached out to your community with Milestones Ministry? Blog Paul

God is A.A.A.

In this month's ENews I'm featuring an excellent reflection that came to me from Pastor John Matthews, of Grace Lutheran Church in Apple Valley, MN. Pastor Matthews makes a powerful connection between our understanding of the marks of discipleship (authenticity, availability, affirmation) and the nature and work of God. Thanks John for connecting these dots for all of us.

Vibrant Faith Ministry is committed to providing tools for congregations, individuals, and families to live out and pass on the Christian faith to the next generations. VFM describes those who do this work as "Triple A" Christians. They believe that individuals who best communicate their Christian faith to the next generations are those who embody and express the qualities or characteristics of being "authentic, available and affirming."

While such descriptions can seem rather obvious and surely fit the spirit of our times, some have asked if these words conform to a historic understanding of Christian discipleship. In the brief epistle, I John, we read, "Because God has so loved us, we are to love one another." One can read from this that all human action and interaction is really motivated - has its origin - in God. Because God has first loved, we human beings can love; because God has first created, we human beings can create; because God has first been present with us, we can be present for others. It is in this spirit, as God's children, to live our lives in response to what God has first done, that all discipleship takes form.

So let us turn to the "Triple A" characteristics of Christian disciples, observing how these characteristics parallel the three articles of the Apostles' Creed: creator, redeemer, presence.

"Authentic" is a word that is highly valued in our day. To be authentic is to be trustworthy and transparent, to be real and reliable. Authenticity is when a person's outward actions conform to their inward disposition. Authenticity for humans is grounded in God's first being authentic with us. The creation that is our home does not play games with us; nature is reliable (and sometimes very dangerous), notice the rising of the sun and laws of gravity. God's faithfulness shines through every nook and cranny of creation. Authentic means that God is not duplicitous or two-faced. God's inner being, God's will is authentically expressed in God's creation.

"Available" is an attribute of persons that is often in short supply in a world that is so busy and so preoccupied with things. To be available is to value others enough to make space and time for relationships. Schedules, commitments, responsibilities all fill our days and consume our energy. Once again, all human availability is finally grounded in God's first being available for us. In Jesus Christ God says God is always and ever available to us. God is not too busy to become incarnate and to get as close to us as possible. God knows our passions and our pains because God lived those passions and pains. And God continues to be available through the eternal presence of God the Holy Spirit, the One who is always with us and never forsakes us. God is closer to us than we are to any others, and God gives us permission and challenges us to be available for others. If God is not too busy, how dare we be preoccupied?

"Affirming" is another word that is highly valued, but often missing in our day. To be affirming is to approach life with a basic 'yes,' to live positively and supportively. Even correction and punishment - as needed - are to be seen as ultimately affirming life and goodness. And again, all human 'affirming' is grounded in God's first affirming us. The call of Jesus' to each of us is ultimately an eternal affirmation. While human beings are often more at home with rewards and punishments, judgments and even condemnation, God's will is salvation and affirmation. And through the Holy Spirit God affirms all of life by giving each of us gifts, abilities and a vocation to serve God by serving others. It is because God has - and always is - affirming us, that we see Christian discipleship as living-out that same affirmation in our families and communities.

Because God has first been "authentic, available and affirming" for us, we are called to be those same things for others.

Blog me your thoughts on Pastor Matthews reflections.

The Four Questions Youth Ask of Themselves

Spurred by rapid brain growth and bathed in hormones, young adolescents have no choice but to explore, bump through, and navigate a unique part of the human journey. It can be an awkward time. I recall meeting a thirteen year old boy in Illinois who stood 5'2" and had size 18 feet!! It can be a time when adults are amazed by the rapid growth of these teens (many of my confirmation students are taller than me), and stunned by their decision making (You thought skate boarding down the stair rail was a good idea?!)

Researcher Peter Scales says that the adolescent journey is shaped by four questions:

1. Am I loved?
2. Can I love others?
3. Am I normal?
4. Am I competent?

They may not use this language, but much of adolescent life circles around these issues. They are important questions and how a youth answers them can shape their life for years into the future.

PEER MINISTRY LEADERSHIP, led by Lyle Griner, with the organization EveryDay, is designed to help youth explore these questions through a Christian lens. PML helps youth explore their relationships with themselves, others, adults and God. And through this exploration they learn how to minister to one another. PML moves away from the old paradigm of doing youth ministry FOR kids, and toward the Biblical paradigm of youth ministry BY kids. It is no longer about youth group, but about youth ministry. It emphasizes purposeful, outward-focused ministry, rather than self-serving, inward-focused clubs. PML helps people learn ministry skills and educate the heart to serve others! Most importantly PML provides a healthy and Christ-centered way of navigating the adolescent journey.

This summer many congregations will take mission trips, adventure trips, host day camps and VBS, and neighborhood outreach programs. Incorporating Peer Ministry Leadership training into these activities develops emergent, and compassionate young people who know who and whose they are. Check out the training offerings of PML at www.peerministry.org. Call Lyle at 612-418-5572.

Blog me how you think these four questions shaped your adolescence!

Coonskin Caps and Faith Resources!

Did you know that if you do a web search for coonskin caps you get 198,000 results? You get 619,000 results for "bobble head dolls", and you get a staggering 4,650,000 results for chain saws. Now maybe there are a wide variety of chain saws and dealers (and God knows we are cutting down a lot of trees), and I suppose you can put a bobble head on just about any figure (my favorite being my Martin Luther bobble head doll), but a coonskin cap is made of only one thing...a raccoon. You won't find coonskin caps with sequins fringes or mud flaps (but then I haven't checked all 198,000 results); you'll just get a cap that, in an earlier iteration, probably spent its life mugging and bullying those lower on the food chain, or tipping over trashcans.

Such is the nature of the information age we live in today. We have easy access to lots of information, knowledge and resources. It's flat-out overwhelming, even if all you want is one, medium size, coonskin cap. The question becomes, "How do we sort through all this digital stuff and find what we need?" To quote Proverbs, "this requires wisdom". Wisdom serves as a lens, or filter, to sort through and evaluate what is helpful and what is not.

At VFM we think we can provide wisdom when it comes to sorting through resources that are used in effective faith formation practices. And we think this wisdom is helpful. For example, a web search of "Christian Resources" generates 44,200,000 results! I doubt whether anyone has time to evaluate all this information.

To help you in your search, our new catalog has just been sent out featuring 100 key products we have evaluated and are confident in.

Plus, we've put together a core "tool box" of resources designed to help you with effective faith formation practices. We call it our Signature Resources. The Signature Resources provide the "wisdom" you need to pick products that help make a difference.

These twelve resources make up an essential set of Signature kititems to be used across generations, in the home, or in the congregation. The Signature Resources include items for doing milestones, 160 suggestions for prayer, and conversational starters from our FaithTalk® series. All these resources fit our model for effective faith formation practices.

It's hard to go out and get a coonskin cap these days, but it's easy to get a core set of resources that are proven effective and easy to use. Check out our Signature Resources on our website and grab a big discount in the process.

Blog me and tell me what you think.

We are Celebrating!

The incredible and spiritually moving, singer and songwriter, Ken Medema is coming to Vibrant Faith Ministries to help us celebrate our new name and our heritage. On March 21st Ken will perform at St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, Mahtomedi, MN at 7:00 p.m. All are welcome and reservations are not required. It is a benefit concert for VFM and world hunger.

Ken's concert serves as a milestone event acknowledging the many efforts of our board, team, and leaders who are passionate about our work, who helped us refocus and rename our organization. Our celebration serves as thanks to God for an exciting future we want to let others know about.

And we are celebrating our heritage. For example, Dr. Dick Hardel, senior fellow and former director, recently received a great honor from the Evangelical Lutheran Church Youth Ministry Network. At the most recent gathering of this group, Dr. Hardel was given the Tom Hunstad Award, or "The Tommy", for his many contributions to the field of youth and family ministry.

Dr. Hardel is the author and co-author of more than a dozen books including the groundbreaking text, PASSING ON THE FAITH. This book has served as a fundamental text for those committed to effective practices in faith formation, especially as it relates to youth and families. In addition, Dr. Hardel was a part of the team that developed the "Child in Our Hands" conferences in the early 1990's. These conferences, and the intellectual insights they conveyed, became the foundation for youth and family ministry practices used today. They reshaped the way in which we currently understand and do congregational ministry.

"It's not about me, it's about Jesus," Dick said in receiving the award. This has been a consistent message of his that he continues to convey through his dynamic speaking, teaching, coaching and writing. All of us give thanks for his many contributions and those of his wife, Carolyn.

Come join us on March 21st and help us celebrate!

Blog me and tell me what you think.

Restructuring For The Future!

I like to snorkel and scuba dive. It's an incredible sport with minimal risk as long as you follow the diver's maxim, "plan your dive and dive your plan." Divers usually get into trouble only when they deviate from their plan when in the water.

At Vibrant Faith Ministries we just completed planning our dive and now we are diving our plan. The planning began in earnest in the fall of 2007 when we initiated an extensive and thorough review and evaluation of our mission, our operations, our intellectual property and approach to ministry, our marketing practices, and our business model. Most importantly, we asked, "what is God calling us to do and be at this particular time in the life of the church?" We were deliberative and the process took a long time.

"The restructuring we have done was for the purpose of moving boldly and effectively into the preferred future we have chosen. It is not a sign of our demise, but a sign of our health."

We are really pleased with the results that have come out of the process. The announcement of our name change in November of 2009 marked our dive into the waters of our preferred future. Our restructuring as Vibrant Faith Ministries will allow us to be a vital and relevant organization to the church at this unique time.

As a part of the process, we needed to reconfigure and reduce our staffing structure. These moves should not be construed that we are in trouble as an organization. Just the opposite is true! The restructuring we have done was for the purpose of moving boldly and effectively into the preferred future we have chosen. It is not a sign of our demise, but a sign of our health.

• There are now five expressions of Vibrant Faith Ministries. These expressions are designed to help us fulfill our mission.
• Vibrant Faith Services: coaching, conferences and educational programs that transform ministries
• Vibrant Faith Online: new ways of delivering our educational programs, especially for the Youth and Family Ministry Certification Schools
• Vibrant Faith Publishing: resources that support and deepen our work
• Vibrant Faith Grants: funding for emergent leaders and/or potentially transformational ministries
• Vibrant Faith Associates: connecting with partners who expand our mission

Vibrant Faith Ministries represents our commitment to continue to equip individuals, homes, and congregations with effective practices in faith formation. And we'll do this work in new, refreshing and innovative ways. We have the talent, the intellectual property, a reputation for quality and competency, and a business model that bodes well for a vibrant future in service to the church in its many expressions.

Blog me and tell me what you think.

Affirmation Gives Testimony to Those Running Before Us!

We all stand on the shoulders of someone. Who we are and the things we accomplish are shaped, influenced and inspired by those who have come before us. Hebrews 12: 1 makes the same point:

"We are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses...let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us."

With this thought in mind, VFM is celebrating a recent affirmation we received. For the past six years the Vibrant Faith Frame of faith formation has been worked deeply into the six synods of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. Through youth leader certification schools, pastor's theological conferences, camp immersions, youth gatherings, coaching, and more, our work has been applied and embedded. The goal was to lift up the next generation of Christian leaders. Generous funding came from the Siebert Foundation.

Dr. Ken Inskeep, director of research and analysis of the ELCA, did an independent evaluation of what has taken place in Wisconsin. Listen to what he said regarding one phase of our efforts, certification schools in youth and family ministry:

The certification school positively affects the lives of young people:

"Respondents agreed that young people in their congregation have visibly grown in their faith."

The instruction is of the highest quality:

"The respondents were very positive about the overall quality of teaching at the certification schools and they were positive about the usefulness of the ideas and concepts. They...rated the certification school as "excellent" (5) on a 5 point scale."

Certification Schools help congregations leaders:

"The pastor of their congregation has adopted the perspective learned in the certification school on what it means to do youth ministry."

Students received support after their training:

" They were also very likely to agree that they have become part of an on-going network that serves to provide them with further learning and support."

These results did not come about by accident. The work done in Wisconsin is based upon the efforts of many:

• Researchers and teachers: Dr.'s Mert Strommen, David Anderson, Dick Hardel
• Local leaders: former bishop's Bob Berg, April Larson, Rev. Greg Kaufman and a team of highly skilled synod coordinators
• Funders: Mr. Ron Jones of the Siebert Foundation
• Organizations: Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa

That's a lot of shoulders! It is a huge cloud of witnesses!

As this New Year begins I say thanks to all of these folks and many more unnamed. Their legacy is the wisdom we have in effective practices in faith formation. It's a proven template, let's run the race with it! Who's shoulders are you standing on?

Blog me and tell me what you think.

 

NEW BOOK

Dear Friends,

Marilyn Sharpe is unique. Her effusive way of expressing herself flows like a warm balm over the listener's ears. Her faith permeates all the way into her DNA and touches those around her. Her love of children comes from years as a compassionate mom and grandma, whether in her own family, her congregation or community. And her ability to equip parents gives confidence to insecure and worried mothers and fathers.

Marilyn brings all of this to her new book FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE! Parenting Preschoolers Faithfully. She builds a case that preschoolers are spiritual beings seeking connectedness to others and exploring their world with awe and wonder. Parents play a huge role in nurturing this spark of faith. Grounded in the Vibrant Faith Ministries model of effective faith formation practices, Marilyn's book provides practical, field-tested methods for equipping parents to be godbearers for their children. Parents who read this book will not only know why it's important to speak the language of faith to their children, but they'll know how to do it.

While her book equips parents and adults for faithful parenting, her methods help parents go deeper in their own faith journey. Based upon the premise that "faith is caught more than taught", the reader will discover they are entering into a deeper life of faith. Lots of parenting books teach us how to raise children. This one facilitates the work of the Spirit within the reader as well. Be prepared to grow personally even as you watch your child develop.

For more than 25 years Marilyn has met with parents on a weekly basis listening to their concerns and traveling with them on the parenting journey. I've interviewed some of these parents and they tell me they find spiritual comfort, energy, wisdom and guidance in their classes with Marilyn. You'll want this experience!

Vibrant Faith Ministries proudly endorses For Heaven's Sake! and is delighted to offer it through our bookstore. This book will help parents enrich their own faith and that of their children!

Order Marilyn's book and blog me your thoughts!

 

ADAPTING TO FULFILL OUR MISSION

The world is changing and it is changing quickly. Followers of Jesus need to continually adapt so that the Good News of Jesus Christ takes root in faith, and disciples are made who serve God by loving their neighbor.

At VIBRANT FAITH MINISTRIES (formerly known as The Youth & Family Institute) we are adapting to our changing world so that we better fulfill our mission:

"We equip households, individuals and congregations
to live a vibrant faith in Jesus Christ that is
authentic, available, and affirming."

Our new name does four important things:

1. The name better reflects our mission. We are passionate about the faith development of young people. But, as Jesus said, "no one puts new wine into old wineskins." We now work to strengthen entire church systems (create new wineskins) including lay and pastoral leadership development, congregational and household faith practices, camping ministries, judicatories and more.
2. The name speaks directly to the current needs of churches, camping ministries and people who are seeking a Christian spiritual life. We are providing tools and resources to kindle the flames of faith across many generations. And we are exploring ministry options with the "spiritual but not religious" crowd.
3. It reflects our renewed energy to work ecumenically.
4. Vibrant Faith Ministries more fully describes who we are and what we do. There are four expressions of Vibrant Faith Ministries:

a. Vibrant Faith Services-events, conferences, coaching, resources
b. Vibrant Faith Online-check out our newly re-designed Youth Ministry Certification School
c. Vibrant Faith Publishing-David Anderson's new book launched this expression
d. Vibrant Faith Grants-funding for those who want to make a difference

This is who we are and where we are going. Blog me and tell me what you think!

BELONGING, BEHAVING, BELIEVING

Dear Friends,

There is no single, or even simple, way that the Holy Spirit forms faith. Consider:

• A burning bush spoke to Moses
• Peter received a personal invitation while working on the docks
• The Apostle Paul was literally blinded by the light
• And on the road to Emmaus two of Jesus followers did a Bible study and shared a meal.
• You have to give the Spirit credit for creativity!

At Vibrant Faith Ministries (formerly known as The Youth & Family Institute-more on that next month) we teach effective practices for faith formation that are present in Scripture, Christian tradition and modern research, but yet it's always the work of the Spirit. With this thought in mind (to keep us humble and to avoid simple formula's), one way to summarize a common process is "belonging, behaving, believing". Often, vibrant faith begins to form when people gain a sense of community or belonging with other Christians. Faith can't happen in a closet, it happens amongst God's people. It is shared, passed on, communicated, and rubbed off.

Through the experience of belonging new believers learn the practices of faith or behaving. They learn the FOUR KEY faith behaviors of caring conversation, devotions, service, and rituals/traditions. For example (and it may be unusual but it is quite popular!) check out the new Lord's Prayer Karate Kata on our website to see how the practice of devotion can be incorporated into a physical discipline.

Finally, the articulation of the faith comes to consciousness, or believing. This is the process often described as "faith seeking understanding". It is the rich world of theological reflection, Bible study, immersion in the confessions and teachings of the church, and the application of faith to our daily lives.

A holistic way for this process to happen is through the use of the Milestones Blessing Bowls. Through the practice of using the bowls (available in our bookstore) they bring people together (belonging), unite them in conversation and prayer (behaving), and give expression to God's activity in our daily lives (believing).

Blog me and tell me what you think.

TYFI Announces the Release of a New Book!

The Youth and Family Institute is happy to announce launch of The Vibrant Faith Series and the release of the first volume,

From the Great Omission to Vibrant Faith
The Role of the Home in Renewing the Church
by David W. Anderson

In this new resource, Anderson identifies a repeated mistake happening in church practices all across North America. The mistake is not inviting, equipping, and expecting parents and other adults to play a vital role in the faith formation of their children and the young people in their congregation.

Anderson calls this error The Great Omission. The result of repeatedly making this mistake has had a negative impact. Young people have left congregational life in droves. Ironically, research shows they have not left their spirituality behind, they simply have not found communities of faith that embrace them and challenge them to live lives of faith and service.

In From The Great Omission to Vibrant Faith, Anderson traces how this has happened and what to do about it. He writes to congregational leaders, parents, grandparents, and adults who seek a vibrant faith in Jesus Christ for themselves and their children.

David Anderson is writing a three-volume series on effective practices in vibrant faith formation. This first book is written for congregational leaders. It offers new ways to think about congregational leadership with vibrant faith formation being the thrust of that effort. Volume two will address congregational practices such as worship and Christian education. Volume three will speak directly to parents and other adults regarding vibrant faith practices in their own lives and that of their children.

"David W. Anderson has written a beautiful and important book about the lush graceful life of the household and the way the faith travels as a gift across the generations. This book has a generous and inclusive view of families and homes and posits "valuing families" of whatever composition. I believe the renewal in mission comes with a renewal of the primal relationships that undergird the church in mission. At the center of this web of relationships are the home and the family relationships."
Stephen Paul Bouman, Executive Director of Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission, ELCA

To order David's book or to learn more, go to www.thegreatomission.org

I look forward to hear from you after you have read the book! My Blog

Warning: Marketing Aimed at You and Your Kids

Much of the media and the American marketing machine have you and your kids in their sights. They want to shape and define your values so that they can get your money. This is not a new or original insight.

However, a brochure I recently received added a double exclamation point!! The title read:
“The Youth Marketing Mega Event 09: The Original and
Only Truly All Encompassing Event Covering Kids, Tweens,
Teens, Young Adults and Families In One Shot.” (Underlining added)

Now, that is a mouthful of a title to be sure, or more like a shark mouthful, ready to ingest and devour the entire demographic of those ages 0-35.

The workshop titles clearly were designed to captivate and capture our kids’ values and allowances:

• Unlocking Cool: Reaching Teens with Integrated Marketing
• Get Creative: Rebranding to a Tween/Teen Consumer
• The Top 50 Kid Brands: Finally! A Model for Measuring Kid Affinity

And other workshops aimed directly at you and your household:

• What Really Happens in the Family Living Room?
• The Untapped Role of Dad!
• Marketing to the Youth Soccer Masses.

I found the brochure stunning, crass, unapologetic and dangerous. Billions of dollars and many human resources are being poured into capturing the hearts, minds and pocketbooks of you and your kids. The results are destructive. For example, in a recent book, Losers, Loners and Rebels: The Spiritual Struggles of Boys, one of the authors, Dr. Bob Dykstra, comments that the deluge of media messages makes it incredibly difficult for boys to grow up with a healthy sense of value and values. Their spiritual spark is snuffed out by the narcissistic messages of consumer capitalism.

There is a lot of handwringing going on regarding the boorish behavior of our adolescent boys. While not the only cause, media messages generally encourage self-fulfillment and a sense of entitlement. Without the counterweight of older males, grounded in deeper, more altruistic values, our young boys and men go willingly down the media stream of self-centeredness. The same could be said for our girls, who rather than becoming boorish, more often turn the media images regarding women into harsh self-criticism and personal despair.

The power, volume and quantity of media messages our kids receive seem overwhelming. Dr. David Walsh, director of the National Institute on Media and the Family, notes that the average teenager spends 44 hours per week in front of a screen. This viewing is often not monitored by grounded parents or adults.

At The Youth & Family Institute, we teach that our homes are an expression of church, too. They are a place to practice the Four Keys - caring conversations, devotions, service, and rituals and traditions – that nurture and anchor our lives in Christian spiritual practices. And they serve as an alternative choice, dare I say antibodies, to the media/consumer marketing virus.

This summer, as you go to Bible camp, serve on a mission trip, take vacations, or sit in your back yard, I encourage you to turn off the screens and the “it’s-all-about-me-pods” for a while. You would not allow the marketers into your congregation. Why would you allow them into your home, since home is church, too? In their stead, try practicing the Four Keys. And when the electronics are turned back on ask these two questions:

• “What values are being taught here?”
• “What do I think of them, in light of my vibrant faith?”

Blog me, and let me know what you think.

MINISTRY DURING TOUGH TIMES

These are tough times. People are losing their jobs, or are worried they will. I recently worked in one congregation where the unemployment rate in the county had jumped from 1.9% to 11%...IN 10 MONTHS!!!

It is for times such as these that God made the church. This is why we exist, to bring the hope of the Gospel to hurting, hopeless people. And the church can help meet the physical needs of the hungry, the homeless, the unemployed and the anxious.

Not surprisingly, congregations are struggling to meet their budgets, or are cutting back in staffing. What churches have discovered is that The Youth & Family Institute can help serve as the staff they can no longer afford. Churches are looking to and contacting us to help them with faith formative training experiences and resources that lay volunteer leaders can then utilize and implement. In tough times such as these we are grateful and eager to fulfill this role.

Tough times call for a resilient faith. This faith does not promise easy deliverance from struggles and suffering. This faith recognizes that God became human as Jesus Christ to enter into our struggles and challenges. God doesn’t always promise success or deliverance as we would expect, but God does always promise the presence of Jesus in our midst. This awareness is the vibrant faith needed for tough times. May God’s Spirit blow in your midst with the gift of vibrant faith for tough times.

A Wide View of Vibrant Faith

In early December I wrote a financial appeal letter to our TYFI constituency. It was a fundraising letter telling stories of effective ministry taking place through The Institute. It had great merit, but my parochial appeal to "support us" seemed to miss the bigger perspective of Vibrant Faith in troubled times. So I tore it up.

Our times call for a wide view, or a bigger frame to understand our world and the role Vibrant Faith plays in it. The appeal letter I did send (in italics below) represents my attempt to understand what is happening through the eyes of faith. How do you think about it? How does faith help you interpret these tough times? I would like to hear from you.

Email me with your thoughts at phill@vibrantfaith.org

Dear friends, Christmas, 2008

During these troublesome and uncertain economic times, it is natural to be anxious. With two wars raging and senseless violence erupting, it is natural to be afraid. With national leadership in transition, it is natural to be wary. And with major business, church and educational institutions crumbling, it is natural to feel depressed.

As people blessed with vibrant faith in Jesus Christ, how are we to respond? In times like these I'd like to suggest a simple ritual and acts of generosity. First, the ritual It is common practice in our culture to greet one another with, "How ya doing?", and we respond, "Fine." Years ago I learned a different response. When asked, "How ya doing?", I learned to say, "I'm grateful." The reactions are fascinating. "That's great!" (spoken with an ironic chuckle), or "Isn't that the truth!" (spoken with a wise nod).

This ritual serves both as a reminder and a sermon. When I say it, I remind myself of what incredible blessings I enjoy, including:

• 33 years of a loving marriage,
• Generous and well adjusted adult children,
• Colleagues and friends who tolerate me,
• A sore back and achy joints that remind me of the active life I lead,
• The wisdom and perspective that comes from being hammered on the anvil of struggle,
• The pride of living in a country where passionate debate leads to an election, not a war,
• And that grandson!

And this ritual response provides a mini-sermon to those who hear. It says, "In order to be grateful, there is One who receives my gratitude - thanks be to God".

As people blessed with vibrant faith, and out of gratitude to God, I am asking you to be particularly generous this Advent and Christmas. Be generous with your time and wealth in as many ways as possible:

• Give to your local food pantry,
• Mentor a young person,
• Support your local and global social service organizations and congregation,
• Welcome the new people moving into your neighborhood or apartment,
• And should the Spirit move you, we welcome your gift to The Youth & Family Institute.

And should the Spirit move you, we welcome your gift to The Youth & Family Institute.

VIBRANT FAITH = DR. RALPH QUERE

One of my mentors is Dr. Ralph Quere, emeritus professor of Church History at Wartburg Seminary. I first met Ralph in the fall of 1973, while changing oil on my car in the parking lot of the seminary. He saw me working and said, “Hi, I’m Ralph”. I greeted him with an oily handshake and asked him if he was a student as well. “Ah no,” he said, “I teach here.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I had rarely met a professor who didn’t expect to be called by “Dr. Knows Everything” or “Dr. Smart and Aloof.” I certainly had never called a professor by his first name, and it had been rare to experience such hospitality.

This was the beginning of a long, life-shaping friendship. Ralph has taught me more about Lutheran theology than anyone. I still go to him with my questions. In addition, for years Ralph and I shared a common passion for handball and racquetball, and we played every week.

Ralph is more than a professor; he is a pastor. While at seminary he counseled me through the break up with my college girlfriend, and he confronted me regarding my excessive alcohol usage. He invited me to his home for Sunday lunch nearly every week. I became his oldest son’s guitar teacher. And for 15 years we were prayer partners, meeting weekly at Wartburg Seminary.

Ralph’s life has not been easy. He and his wife, Jan, a prominent high school teacher for many years, lost two children in their infancy. They went on to adopt four wonderful children and have a pile of grandchildren. Yet, tragedy struck them again when their oldest daughter, Cindy, died of cancer in her early 30’s, leaving two young children and a husband behind.

In addition, Ralph’s wife, Jan, has had innumerable medical problems over the years, including two hip replacements, a head injury from a bike accident, and bouts with cancer. Ralph has had bypass surgery. These days, Ralph sits at home at the bedside of his beloved Jan, who is lost in the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease. Ralph is a modern day Job. If anyone has a right to scream at God, or write God off completely, it would be Ralph.

Thanks be to God, Ralph has been blessed with a vibrant faith. He is still teaching (and I continue to be his student in so many ways), and he has a great passion for evangelism and youth ministry. (The reader must understand, church historians are not necessarily known for these two interests.)

A number of years ago, soon after Cindy died, I asked him if he would be willing to speak to our Wartburg Seminary senior high leadership school. I thought that his testimony would significantly impact the kids. Generally speaking, I would not choose a balding, somewhat elderly, Luther scholar to speak to a group of senior high youth. However, I knew Ralph’s authenticity would connect, and it did. You could have heard a pin drop in the Wartburg chapel when Ralph recounted the pain and losses in his life. And when he spoke of Christ who meets us in our suffering, it was incredible how the kids related to him and his message. I’ve never witnessed a more sincere incarnation of the theology of the cross, and I’ve never heard the Gospel proclaimed in a more relevant way to a group of young people.

Ralph would be embarrassed to hear me speak of his vibrant faith. He certainly would not want the attention, because he knows it is not about him. Yet, his is a story that must be told. It is a story as old as Joseph, who was thrown away by his brothers; Job left abandoned and tormented; and Jesus crying on the cross “Why have you forsaken me?” It is the story of being honest about what hurts, yet sustained in the pain. Ralph Quere is a man of vibrant faith, and a witness to Jesus Christ who meets us in our suffering and gives us hope of a new life.

Addendum: Two days after I wrote this article in honor of my mentor, Dr. Ralph Quere’s beloved wife, Jan, died. The funeral was held in Dubuque, Iowa on Oct. 27.

NEW RESEARCH SUPPORTS THE TYFI APPROACH!

A cornerstone of The Youth & Family Institute’s model for passing on vibrant faith is our understanding that living the Four Keys (caring conversation, devotions, service, rituals and traditions) is the way God often transforms us into A.A.A. Christians (authentic, available and affirming).

Recent research reinforces the appropriateness of this approach to passing on vibrant faith. In their new book, From Nomads to Pilgrims (Alban Books), Diana Butler Bass and Joseph Steward-Sicking of the Project on Congregations of Intentional Practice, identify critical factors and practices of vitalized congregations and individuals. They conclude that the process of doing Christian practices, not a program, is transformative for congregational life.

Specifically, the practices they identify include:

1. Listening and discerning for God: (The Key of devotions)
2. Hospitality: (The Key of caring conversation)
3. Tradition, keeping Christian wisdom alive: (The Key of rituals and traditions)
4. Narrative, stories of God who acts and sends people out: (The Keys of caring conversation, rituals and service)

The authors conclude, “practicing congregations are a compelling witness to God’s grace and transformative power to build both communities and individuals in virtue (pg.5). What they call virtue we at TYFI call authentic, available and affirming Christians, or simply disciples.

Significantly, the authors neglect to mention the important role of the home when doing these practices. Their examples are primarily congregationally based. Nevertheless, this research affirms the TYFI approach. Our Vibrant Faith Ministry offerings are well grounded.

VIBRANT FAITH CONNECTS THE DOTS

Our mission statement at The Youth & Family Institute says, “We equip congregations, families and individuals to pass on a vibrant faith in Jesus Christ”. So what does that mean? Allow for an illustration.

In many congregations a children’s bulletin is offered with word games and activities. Even as an adult, my favorite part of these bulletins is the “connect the dot” exercise. The page is covered with dots, and by connecting them a picture emerges, usually related to the Bible readings for the day. I probably need practice doing this activity because a lot of my pictures end up looking like bananas. Thank goodness there are children around to show me how to do it right. (Quick tip: playing dumb is a great way to engage children.)

It strikes me that to be a Christian in our culture today, it’s important to get really good at connecting the dots. We need to connect our work world, lifestyles, family life, personal space, and social engagements with a vibrant faith in Jesus Christ. If we don’t, we end up segmenting our lives or putting parts of our lives in separate silos. We think and act differently based upon which dot we have landed on, but we are not connected to what God is up to in our world.

For example, this is true when we Christians don’t connect our lifestyles with the terrible environmental degradation we are causing, including global warming. We justify our behavior as, “God gave us this place to have dominion (read-exploit)”, or “it’s about salvation, not the here and now.” A true aberration of this second way of thinking is found in the misguided theologies regarding an alleged “rapture”. This strange but popular theology says; “God saves the believers, the world and the rest are “left behind” to live in the mess they’ve made”. What a distortion of the Gospel.

“God so loved the WORLD, that He gave His only Son.” Jesus Christ came to save the WORLD, not just the pious, self-righteous, or culturally superior. And from Jesus’ life we observe that the WORLD includes the poor, the outcasts, the lost, the broken, the socially unacceptable, the misguided, the young, and the creation!

So now let’s connect the dots. In connecting the dots the image of a vibrant faith for the dawn of the 21st century comes into view.

• God in Christ created us, and this planet, out of love…
• Seeing the mess we made of things, God in Christ has come to restore all things out of love…
• Out of love, God’s Spirit blows over the whole planet kindling vibrant faith that brings joy and meaning to believers…
• The fruit of vibrant faith is to care for God’s whole WORLD, especially the poor…
• Most of the poor are young…
• And since environmental degradation hurts the poor the most, then Christians can lead in preserving the planet.

In connecting all these dots we see that the work we do at The Youth & Family Institute is indeed global in scope. “Passing on a vibrant faith” is not a slogan, it’s a world changing movement.

On Paul's Belay . . .

For many years I’ve been signing off on my letters with the word’s “On God’s Belay”. At a recent retreat one man misread it and asked me, “What’s ‘On God’s Belly’ mean? We both had a great laugh.

“Belay” is a climbing term that means safety and describes a safety system made up of rope, a solid anchor point and a skilled person who keeps a climber from falling. When I sign my letters with “On God’s Belay” it is a form of blessing. It reminds the reader that God has them on God’s rope and holds them tightly and safely.

The word “goodbye” comes from “God be with ye”. “On God’s Belay” is my way of saying “God be with ye”. Sometime in the future maybe we’ll all be saying “Ogbe” to one another when we mean “On God’s Belay.” You heard it here first!

Speaking of climbing, I’m delighted to announce a new program offering of TYFI in adventure education. Check out our website for the full details. Adventure education is an excellent way to do Christian community building, cross-generational ministry, team building and mutual discovery. Most importantly, it is a holistic, body & soul way of being church together in nature and through group activity.

You are all on God’s Belay,
Paul

Don was a AAA Adult

Every time Don slugged me in the arm I knew I belonged. When I was 16, I went to church under duress, except for choir practice. I went to choir because Don would slug me in the arm and say, “Hey Paul, how you doing?” We would then hang out together and sing in the bass section. Don was an adult member who also worked in the open pit mines of northern Minnesota. A slug in the arm was his expression of Christian love, miner style.

Don was a AAA adult. He was AUTHENTIC, AVAILABLE AND AFFIRMING. He was the real deal. He walked the talk. His lips and his hips went in the same direction. Don wasn’t perfect (that would be inauthentic) but his life flowed out of Christ’s forgiveness of his flaws. He spent time with me and he affirmed me for things I could never see in myself.

TYFI celebrates people like Don through our motto; Helping people live a vibrant faith that is…authentic, available and affirming.” Through the power of the Holy Spirit we try and help create AAA ADULTS; that is, they are authentic in the faith, available to the young, and affirming of the gifts of others. From the transformed character of AAA adults arises church revitalization. “Adult renewal” is a synonym for church revitalization. And AAA adults are the key to effective children, youth and family ministry. As we do daily devotions, study Scripture, live in Christian community, and serve our neighbor the Holy Spirit transforms us, and those around us.

Who have been the AAA adults in your life? To whom are you a AAA adult?