This spring I attended a youth event in upstate New York called 4-Word. This event is a large gathering of youth from the four former New York Conferences of the United Methodist Church (Western New York, Central New York, Wyoming, and Troy). The featured musician was the Wayne Kerr Band. This band was currently working on a project called "One Voice," a new live worship album they were recording the audience singing various worship songs.
They recently completed the album and I got a copy to listen to.What was amazing was how the band had blended all of the concerts together into "one voice." This project got me thinking.
Christianity is a world religion. What I mean by that is, it is not just found in one particular part of the world. There are Christians everywhere. Whether it is in Africa, Asia, Europe, or America, Christians are all united by the belief that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. What was fascinating about this album was that I was listening to Christians in 18 cities, eight states, two countries, but we were all singing as "one voice."
In America it is easy to lose sight of the fact that Christianity is a world religion. We get so focused on the things happening in our own neighborhood, city, or state that we forget that there are millions, if not billions of Christians all around the world. And while we might dress differently, or talk differently, we all hold the same basic belief in Jesus Christ. What might happen if we united our voices together to take a stand for justice or worked at ending world poverty or did something else to change the world? Think of the possibilities!
It was an honor to be a part of this project. I would highly recommend this album and other music by the Wayne Kerr Band. Thanks, Wayne, for an amazing experience!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
All in a Moment
This week I came to work on Monday thinking that it would be a typical Monday, but there was nothing typical about it. Our staff meets every day to have devotions and prayer before we start the workday. It was my day to lead them, and when we got to the part where we lift up prayer joys and concerns that's when I heard the news.
There was a terrorist attack in Uganda, the day before. The mission team from a church in our conference was in Uganda and happened to be at the restaurant that was bombed. The entire team sustained major injuries, and our local guides were killed.the part that really shook me up was that I personally knew one of the team members. He was working with me on the ministry project for the conference. And there in that moment, my world stopped spinning.
I watched on television about these terrorist attacks happening all over the world. Each and every one of them is horrific and scary. But for the first time I knew the victims. That whole morning I was in a state of shock. Would my friend live or die? When would he be home safe? How bad were his injuries? As I learned more and more of the details, I couldn't believe that this was happening. I feared for my friend's safety and I had this overwhelming desire to get on a plane to go and be by his side. I wanted him to know that there were many who were praying in caring for him. But all I could do is sit here and watch news updates.
This summer, thousands upon thousands of young people will travel overseas to participate in various mission trips. Most of the trips will occur in countries that are completely safe to travel to. However, that safety is never guaranteed. We forget that traveling can be very dangerous, especially when we are traveling to a foreign country. I know firsthand what it is to travel abroad. It is very exciting and can be ultimately life-changing.
My prayer today is for these six individuals who were serving out God's mission to the world by bringing the light of Christ to a corner of the world that so desperately needs it. I pray for the family and the friends of all six of these individuals, that they may find peace as they wait for their friend or loved one to come home. I also pray for all of those young people and leaders who will travel abroad this summer on mission trips. May God watch over them and care for them while they are away.
Kris, know that I'm praying for you. I look forward to a time we can sit down and have coffee soon.
There was a terrorist attack in Uganda, the day before. The mission team from a church in our conference was in Uganda and happened to be at the restaurant that was bombed. The entire team sustained major injuries, and our local guides were killed.the part that really shook me up was that I personally knew one of the team members. He was working with me on the ministry project for the conference. And there in that moment, my world stopped spinning.
I watched on television about these terrorist attacks happening all over the world. Each and every one of them is horrific and scary. But for the first time I knew the victims. That whole morning I was in a state of shock. Would my friend live or die? When would he be home safe? How bad were his injuries? As I learned more and more of the details, I couldn't believe that this was happening. I feared for my friend's safety and I had this overwhelming desire to get on a plane to go and be by his side. I wanted him to know that there were many who were praying in caring for him. But all I could do is sit here and watch news updates.
This summer, thousands upon thousands of young people will travel overseas to participate in various mission trips. Most of the trips will occur in countries that are completely safe to travel to. However, that safety is never guaranteed. We forget that traveling can be very dangerous, especially when we are traveling to a foreign country. I know firsthand what it is to travel abroad. It is very exciting and can be ultimately life-changing.
My prayer today is for these six individuals who were serving out God's mission to the world by bringing the light of Christ to a corner of the world that so desperately needs it. I pray for the family and the friends of all six of these individuals, that they may find peace as they wait for their friend or loved one to come home. I also pray for all of those young people and leaders who will travel abroad this summer on mission trips. May God watch over them and care for them while they are away.
Kris, know that I'm praying for you. I look forward to a time we can sit down and have coffee soon.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Summer Worship Festivals
Summer is one of the busiest times for youth ministry. Between summer mission trips, summer camps and regular weekly activities, there a lot of opportunities for youth to be in mission and ministry during summer.
A popular youth activity in the summer in my area of the country isSummer Worship Festivals. These are three or four-day events that happen out in a large open space where various Christian music artists and well known national Christian speakers come and hold a revival of sorts. One of the largest of these festivals, Creation, happens very close to me in Central Pennsylvania. While I have never attended that particular festival, I have attended a similar type festival produced by Salt and Light Youth Ministry, an affiliate of youth ministry within the Susquehanna Conference.
What's great about these festivals is they are usually huge spectacles that get a large number of Christian young people together to worship and learn about living life as a Christian Coming back from these experiences can be very difficult for young people. For many this is a mountaintop experience that they can not have anywhere else but in a huge event like these festivals. They come and hear phenomenal speakers that challenge their way of looking at their Christian life and encourage them to make a re-dedication to that life.
However, like most mountaintop experiences when these young people go home and get back into the regular routines of life, they forget about that experience over time. As youth leaders, is very important that we do follow up with young people who have significant experiences at these festivals. To let these life-changing experience pass them by, is not fair to them.
If you recently attended Creation or will be attending a similar type festival later this summer, do some one-on-one follow-up with the young people that went. Let their local church pastor know of the experience that they had as well with a phone call or letter, so that the they can do their own follow up. It's vitally important that when kids have a mountaintop experience, that they get some time to reflect on that experience.
A popular youth activity in the summer in my area of the country isSummer Worship Festivals. These are three or four-day events that happen out in a large open space where various Christian music artists and well known national Christian speakers come and hold a revival of sorts. One of the largest of these festivals, Creation, happens very close to me in Central Pennsylvania. While I have never attended that particular festival, I have attended a similar type festival produced by Salt and Light Youth Ministry, an affiliate of youth ministry within the Susquehanna Conference.
What's great about these festivals is they are usually huge spectacles that get a large number of Christian young people together to worship and learn about living life as a Christian Coming back from these experiences can be very difficult for young people. For many this is a mountaintop experience that they can not have anywhere else but in a huge event like these festivals. They come and hear phenomenal speakers that challenge their way of looking at their Christian life and encourage them to make a re-dedication to that life.
However, like most mountaintop experiences when these young people go home and get back into the regular routines of life, they forget about that experience over time. As youth leaders, is very important that we do follow up with young people who have significant experiences at these festivals. To let these life-changing experience pass them by, is not fair to them.
If you recently attended Creation or will be attending a similar type festival later this summer, do some one-on-one follow-up with the young people that went. Let their local church pastor know of the experience that they had as well with a phone call or letter, so that the they can do their own follow up. It's vitally important that when kids have a mountaintop experience, that they get some time to reflect on that experience.
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