Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Some favorite talks
Talks from Tim and Greg Porter On love as the greatest commandment and not the great comission. And on pathways to God. http://www.valleyviewseek.org/messages/audio/20040111.mp3 http://www.valleyviewseek.org/messages/audio/20040829.mp3
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Environment - Easy ways to make a difference
So the first thing to know about the basics is that the whole environmental movement revolves around the 3Rs, reduce, reuse, and recycle, in that order.
The first and most important thing (by far) that we want to do is to reduce. That means in energy, in waste, in water, in whatever. Reducing is the easiest way to make a positive environmental impact. This is because no resources ever went into making the thing you never used in the first place. In other words, if you don't use something, you prevent it from being made.
The second most important thing to do is to reuse the things you produced. This includes using a refillable water bottle, using glass cups and ceramic plates rather than disposable ones, reusing plastic or paper bags at the grocery store, and well, you get the idea.
Finally, once you can't reduce or reuse something, you resort to recycling as a last ditch effort. Recycling is good, but not nearly as good as the other two R's because there is a certain amount of energy and environmental degradation associated with the object before it got to the point of being recycled. I'll send you some recycling facts later so you can see how much recycling helps save energy and resources (but remember, the most effective way of saving energy and resources is to reduce!). Instead of throwing out your newspaper, recycle it. Instead of throwing out your yard waste and table scraps, compost it. (Composting is a lesson I'll save for another day).
So here's a list of things that you can do to reduce your environmental impact:
Reduce - Turn off the lights when you're not in the room.
Take shorter showers
Carpool, or bike to work.
Use energy efficient appliances like compact fluorescent bulbs
Insulate your house
Eat less meat - its the number one energy consumer in the US. I'll explain in full later if you want me to.
Lower your thermostat in the winter, and raise it in the summer.
Use a fuel efficient car.
Plant trees - make a positive impact rather than a smaller one.
Reuse - Get a refillable water bottle rather than drinking bottled water.
Use a reusable bag when you go to the grocery store, or reuse your plastic bags that you have.
Use reusable dishware, or rewash the disposable ones. There's no reason you can't use them multiple times.
Recycle - Well, recycle all the trash you can rather than throwing it out.
Compost
Its important to focus on the things that have the largest impact. If you're trying to save water, limit your shower time, not your drinking water. So in this list, I've given you some of the larger ways to make a difference.
Here's a great 20 minute movie that you should watch about where we get all of our "stuff" from and the impact it has on us and the world: storyofstuff.com
I hope this helps!
A Few Things You Can Do To Easily Effect The Environment
· Use compact fluorescent light bulbs - they only take a fraction of the energy to use (and also can save you hundreds of dollars a year in electric costs).
· Use low-flow showerheads (another great way to save money).
· Wash clothes in cold water – 90% of the energy used to wash clothes is spent heating the water.
· Don’t overdry your laundry.
· Use ceiling fans – They operate for a fraction of the cost of an air conditioner.
· Replace AC filters – Your air conditioner will run much more efficiently if you clean or replace its filter every other week during heaviest use.
· Purchase Energy Star products – These appliances are approved for meeting energy efficiency standards.
· Seal the air leaks in your home – This can save you 5-30% on your heating and cooling bills.
· Use proper insulation and ventilation.
· Use set-back thermostats to automatically turn off the heat or AC while you are out of the house, and automatically turn it back on just before you get home.
· Replace your old refrigerator – Current Energy Star models are about 40% more efficient than conventional models built before 2001 and 50% more efficient than those made before 1993.
· Turn off the lights when you leave the room.
· Take shorter showers.
· Recycle
· Compost.
· Vote responsibly.
· Reuse Paper.
· Put your computer in Power Save Mode instead of using a screen saver.
· Reuse.
· Print double-sided paper (duplex).
· Carpool.
· Walk or bike instead of driving.
· Buy green energy credits.
· Reduce .
· Join grassroots environmental societies that promote sustainability support.
· Read The Lorax (Dr. Suess).
· Regular car maintenance (tire pressure, emissions…).
· Write songs about the environment.
· Spread the word about the importance.
· Conserve Water.
· Don’t flush when you can get away with it.
· Plant trees.
The first and most important thing (by far) that we want to do is to reduce. That means in energy, in waste, in water, in whatever. Reducing is the easiest way to make a positive environmental impact. This is because no resources ever went into making the thing you never used in the first place. In other words, if you don't use something, you prevent it from being made.
The second most important thing to do is to reuse the things you produced. This includes using a refillable water bottle, using glass cups and ceramic plates rather than disposable ones, reusing plastic or paper bags at the grocery store, and well, you get the idea.
Finally, once you can't reduce or reuse something, you resort to recycling as a last ditch effort. Recycling is good, but not nearly as good as the other two R's because there is a certain amount of energy and environmental degradation associated with the object before it got to the point of being recycled. I'll send you some recycling facts later so you can see how much recycling helps save energy and resources (but remember, the most effective way of saving energy and resources is to reduce!). Instead of throwing out your newspaper, recycle it. Instead of throwing out your yard waste and table scraps, compost it. (Composting is a lesson I'll save for another day).
So here's a list of things that you can do to reduce your environmental impact:
Reduce - Turn off the lights when you're not in the room.
Take shorter showers
Carpool, or bike to work.
Use energy efficient appliances like compact fluorescent bulbs
Insulate your house
Eat less meat - its the number one energy consumer in the US. I'll explain in full later if you want me to.
Lower your thermostat in the winter, and raise it in the summer.
Use a fuel efficient car.
Plant trees - make a positive impact rather than a smaller one.
Reuse - Get a refillable water bottle rather than drinking bottled water.
Use a reusable bag when you go to the grocery store, or reuse your plastic bags that you have.
Use reusable dishware, or rewash the disposable ones. There's no reason you can't use them multiple times.
Recycle - Well, recycle all the trash you can rather than throwing it out.
Compost
Its important to focus on the things that have the largest impact. If you're trying to save water, limit your shower time, not your drinking water. So in this list, I've given you some of the larger ways to make a difference.
Here's a great 20 minute movie that you should watch about where we get all of our "stuff" from and the impact it has on us and the world: storyofstuff.com
I hope this helps!
A Few Things You Can Do To Easily Effect The Environment
· Use compact fluorescent light bulbs - they only take a fraction of the energy to use (and also can save you hundreds of dollars a year in electric costs).
· Use low-flow showerheads (another great way to save money).
· Wash clothes in cold water – 90% of the energy used to wash clothes is spent heating the water.
· Don’t overdry your laundry.
· Use ceiling fans – They operate for a fraction of the cost of an air conditioner.
· Replace AC filters – Your air conditioner will run much more efficiently if you clean or replace its filter every other week during heaviest use.
· Purchase Energy Star products – These appliances are approved for meeting energy efficiency standards.
· Seal the air leaks in your home – This can save you 5-30% on your heating and cooling bills.
· Use proper insulation and ventilation.
· Use set-back thermostats to automatically turn off the heat or AC while you are out of the house, and automatically turn it back on just before you get home.
· Replace your old refrigerator – Current Energy Star models are about 40% more efficient than conventional models built before 2001 and 50% more efficient than those made before 1993.
· Turn off the lights when you leave the room.
· Take shorter showers.
· Recycle
· Compost.
· Vote responsibly.
· Reuse Paper.
· Put your computer in Power Save Mode instead of using a screen saver.
· Reuse.
· Print double-sided paper (duplex).
· Carpool.
· Walk or bike instead of driving.
· Buy green energy credits.
· Reduce .
· Join grassroots environmental societies that promote sustainability support.
· Read The Lorax (Dr. Suess).
· Regular car maintenance (tire pressure, emissions…).
· Write songs about the environment.
· Spread the word about the importance.
· Conserve Water.
· Don’t flush when you can get away with it.
· Plant trees.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
What I hear, I forget. What I see, I remember. What I do, I understand
"What I hear, I forget. What I see, I remember. What I do, I understand."
-Chinese proverb
How can we help to facilitate opportunities for people to do? How can we lead past the fear and inexperience? Is it passion and prayer. Is it a change of perspective that is needed? What is needed besides the willingness to try? What kind of equipping?
-Chinese proverb
How can we help to facilitate opportunities for people to do? How can we lead past the fear and inexperience? Is it passion and prayer. Is it a change of perspective that is needed? What is needed besides the willingness to try? What kind of equipping?
Friday, May 8, 2009
discovering divine design, not just self
Two people.. end result
one thinks that he is his own and when he finds out all the good things in him and gets more in touch with himself it makes him more proud and less willing to serve out of his comfort zone or strengths.
Person two knows that all are gifts from God, either natural from is image on us at birth or spiritual gifting later in life. Two is humble because they know that it is all from God. None from ourselves and that it all could be taken away in an instant. And that it is all there for serving others. Not for our own glory and status and pride.
Exercise.. draw the person and list the attributes of the end results of what a person who thinks that goodness is from self compared with goodness from God and why would they end up that way.
one thinks that he is his own and when he finds out all the good things in him and gets more in touch with himself it makes him more proud and less willing to serve out of his comfort zone or strengths.
Person two knows that all are gifts from God, either natural from is image on us at birth or spiritual gifting later in life. Two is humble because they know that it is all from God. None from ourselves and that it all could be taken away in an instant. And that it is all there for serving others. Not for our own glory and status and pride.
Exercise.. draw the person and list the attributes of the end results of what a person who thinks that goodness is from self compared with goodness from God and why would they end up that way.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
life track
YOUR LIFE TRACK
Our life experience is made up of (i) the events that happened and (ii) how we processed them. The goal of this exercise is not to reminisce nor to gather facts and figures, but rather to gain a clearer picture of the main events that have marked your life and have made you the person you are today.
Place the main events or « landmarks » on this graph
What are your best memories?
What made them so good?
What do they tell you about yourself?
Look at the challenges you have had to overcome; what internal resource enabled you to overcome them? What do they tell you about yourself?
If you could « rewrite » your own story, what, if anything, would you do differently?
What “roles” have you played in your life? Which ones do/did you particularly enjoy? Which ones were less comfortable? How come you got to play them?
Using this graph as a starting point, write a short résumé of how life has made you the person you are, from childhood, through to adolescence, your professional roles, right up to today.
How do you imagine other people saw you at each point in your life, how do you imagine they see you today and … if you’re up to it … how do you imagine they will see you in 10 yrs from now?
Our life experience is made up of (i) the events that happened and (ii) how we processed them. The goal of this exercise is not to reminisce nor to gather facts and figures, but rather to gain a clearer picture of the main events that have marked your life and have made you the person you are today.
Place the main events or « landmarks » on this graph
What are your best memories?
What made them so good?
What do they tell you about yourself?
Look at the challenges you have had to overcome; what internal resource enabled you to overcome them? What do they tell you about yourself?
If you could « rewrite » your own story, what, if anything, would you do differently?
What “roles” have you played in your life? Which ones do/did you particularly enjoy? Which ones were less comfortable? How come you got to play them?
Using this graph as a starting point, write a short résumé of how life has made you the person you are, from childhood, through to adolescence, your professional roles, right up to today.
How do you imagine other people saw you at each point in your life, how do you imagine they see you today and … if you’re up to it … how do you imagine they will see you in 10 yrs from now?
grow model
THE G.R.O.W. MODEL
COACHING PRACTICE : EFFECTIVE QUESTIONS
GOAL 1. What do you want to achieve long term?
2. What does success look like?
3. What would be a milestone on the way?
4. When do you want to achieve it by?
5. How will you measure it?
6. When you reach this goal, what will be the benefit to you?
REALITY 7. What is happening now?
8. Who is involved (directly & indirectly)?
9. When things are going badly on this issue, what happens to you?
10. What is the effect on others?
11. What have you done about this so far?
12. What has stopped it from being effective?
13. What do you have that you’re not using?
14. What’s holding you back?
15. What is really going on? (Intuition)
OPTIONS 16. What options do you have?
17. What else could you do?
18. If someone came to you for advice, what would you tell them?
19. Think of a person you respect & regard. What would he/she do in your situation?
20. What are the benefits and costs of each option you now have?
WILL 21. Which option or options do you choose?
22. Set out an action plan.
23. When precisely are you going to start and finish each action step?
24. What could arise to hinder you in taking these steps?
25. What personal resistance do you have, if any, to taking these steps?
26. What will you do to eliminate these external and internal factors?
27. Who needs to know what your plans are?
28. What support do you need and from whom?
29. What will you do to obtain that support and when?
30. What could I do to support you?
31. What commitment on a 1-10 scale do you have to taking these agreed actions?
32. What prevents this from being a 10?
33. Is there anything else you want to talk about now or are we finished?
What would you like to have by the end of this series of questions?
What’s your long term goal?
What do you really want in this situation?
Would would be a realistic objective?
What’s happening right now in this situation?
What actions have you taken so far?
What do you control? What don’t you control?
What’s really going on in this situation?
If you looked through the eyes of someone else, how would they see the issue? How would they see you?
If you imagined this situation were here just for you to learn something, what would the learning be?
What options do you have in this situation?
What advice would you give a friend in the same situation?
Have you been in a similar situation before? If so, what did you learn? How did you resolve it?
What would be the easiest thing to do in this situation? The hardest?
What does the wisest part of you say you should do?
What would be a creative way of dealing with this situation?
If you look at all the options above, which is the one you’d most like to do?
Which of these options are you going to choose to do?
How committed are you 1 – 10?
If the answer isn’t 9 or 10, what would make it 9 or 10?
When are going to do it, be precise?
COACHING PRACTICE : EFFECTIVE QUESTIONS
GOAL 1. What do you want to achieve long term?
2. What does success look like?
3. What would be a milestone on the way?
4. When do you want to achieve it by?
5. How will you measure it?
6. When you reach this goal, what will be the benefit to you?
REALITY 7. What is happening now?
8. Who is involved (directly & indirectly)?
9. When things are going badly on this issue, what happens to you?
10. What is the effect on others?
11. What have you done about this so far?
12. What has stopped it from being effective?
13. What do you have that you’re not using?
14. What’s holding you back?
15. What is really going on? (Intuition)
OPTIONS 16. What options do you have?
17. What else could you do?
18. If someone came to you for advice, what would you tell them?
19. Think of a person you respect & regard. What would he/she do in your situation?
20. What are the benefits and costs of each option you now have?
WILL 21. Which option or options do you choose?
22. Set out an action plan.
23. When precisely are you going to start and finish each action step?
24. What could arise to hinder you in taking these steps?
25. What personal resistance do you have, if any, to taking these steps?
26. What will you do to eliminate these external and internal factors?
27. Who needs to know what your plans are?
28. What support do you need and from whom?
29. What will you do to obtain that support and when?
30. What could I do to support you?
31. What commitment on a 1-10 scale do you have to taking these agreed actions?
32. What prevents this from being a 10?
33. Is there anything else you want to talk about now or are we finished?
What would you like to have by the end of this series of questions?
What’s your long term goal?
What do you really want in this situation?
Would would be a realistic objective?
What’s happening right now in this situation?
What actions have you taken so far?
What do you control? What don’t you control?
What’s really going on in this situation?
If you looked through the eyes of someone else, how would they see the issue? How would they see you?
If you imagined this situation were here just for you to learn something, what would the learning be?
What options do you have in this situation?
What advice would you give a friend in the same situation?
Have you been in a similar situation before? If so, what did you learn? How did you resolve it?
What would be the easiest thing to do in this situation? The hardest?
What does the wisest part of you say you should do?
What would be a creative way of dealing with this situation?
If you look at all the options above, which is the one you’d most like to do?
Which of these options are you going to choose to do?
How committed are you 1 – 10?
If the answer isn’t 9 or 10, what would make it 9 or 10?
When are going to do it, be precise?
Monday, May 4, 2009
ICC retreat presentation on international youth ministry
International Youth Ministry
I am glad that I get the opportunity to talk with you today about youth ministry because I believe it is a door that God has opened for us here in France and Europe. If we are to look for the places that God is moving I believe this is one of the major ways specifically with the internationals.
The factors making this an open door:
1. Open to the gospel at a younger age. Once they become adults they’ve already formed their world view and if no one was there to tell them about Jesus than how can we expect them to have Christ as the center of their lives. In adults we are battling against preconceived notions, things that are already learned like skepticism and to not trust anything. Kids are more willing to trust and look for the unseen and mysteries in life.
2. TCK’s. They get that name because they are not fully from their parents culture nor fully from the culture in which they were raised so TCKs develop their own life patterns different from those who were basically raised in one culture. It is a culture between cultures and they tend to have more in common with each other than with the first two cultures.
Two key components of TCKs are
a. Belonging. That they don’t fit in- have a need to belong. They can belong in the youth group and more importantly in God’s family. “They admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them” Hebrews 11: 13b-16
b. Identity. Cultures change as well as the way they relate to each culture. Each culture brings its own behaviors, words, customs, traditions, beliefs, values, assumptions, and though process. As these change so does the child’s sense of identity. (ex someone who saw themselves as quick and funny in one language questions if he/she still is funny while they struggle with a new language.) They will find their identity in Christ and not in a place or a culture. See in Christ I am…
These two factors change the way I do Youth group. Every kid needs to belong, but in few places is a youth group the only place they really belong. There are other kids like them. They are normal.
This thought will get us started in the key ingredients in cross cultural youth ministry.
1. Creating an environment where they can belong. We can’t make it happen but we can set up the conditions. We can’t make a seed grow into a plant but we can water it and turn the soil and create the environment for it to do well. We can focus on community and including each other, love, embracing new friends, togetherness, and creating an environment of grace. We can give them un-programmed time where they can just hang out with each other and talk and play games. We can create places where they can be accepted and not excepted. This is meeting a felt need. One man hungers for food so we serve him in a soup kitchen and another hungers for acceptance so we create a place for them to belong.
2. One quality of TCKs is they can seem more mature from a younger age and in some ways they are, but in other ways they are still just kids which means they
a. Love/ need to have fun
b. Love to be goofy and silly
3. It is different from other youth ministry in the states because you can’t rely on the parents to bring the kids. Only a small % of parents will send their kids from small international church plants typically. The kids need to want to command to invite their friends. It needs to be attractional to them. It needs to be an environment they are drawn to.
4. Get as many good leaders as you can to love the kids, spend time with them and to be another voice speaking the truth to them. It is easier to trust many voices and not just one or two. Each kid will connect differently with different leaders. No matter what their personalities each leader will connect best with certain kids. More leaders means more types of kids and closer connections.
5. Camps are huge for connecting with local kids, keeping up with kids that have moved and going deeper.
6. Know that many international parents who want little to do with the church will encourage their children to explore their own faith and beliefs. They want to be tolerant and not imposing and this creates a place where Christ can enter into their worlds. This is an opening with agnostic families. This dynamic makes it especially important to have a relationships first approach where the kids are presented with Christianity but don’t feel pressured into it. This is the key to many parent’s trust.
7. If you do nothing else; love, love love em. That is still 90% of it.
See also
I am glad that I get the opportunity to talk with you today about youth ministry because I believe it is a door that God has opened for us here in France and Europe. If we are to look for the places that God is moving I believe this is one of the major ways specifically with the internationals.
The factors making this an open door:
1. Open to the gospel at a younger age. Once they become adults they’ve already formed their world view and if no one was there to tell them about Jesus than how can we expect them to have Christ as the center of their lives. In adults we are battling against preconceived notions, things that are already learned like skepticism and to not trust anything. Kids are more willing to trust and look for the unseen and mysteries in life.
2. TCK’s. They get that name because they are not fully from their parents culture nor fully from the culture in which they were raised so TCKs develop their own life patterns different from those who were basically raised in one culture. It is a culture between cultures and they tend to have more in common with each other than with the first two cultures.
Two key components of TCKs are
a. Belonging. That they don’t fit in- have a need to belong. They can belong in the youth group and more importantly in God’s family. “They admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them” Hebrews 11: 13b-16
b. Identity. Cultures change as well as the way they relate to each culture. Each culture brings its own behaviors, words, customs, traditions, beliefs, values, assumptions, and though process. As these change so does the child’s sense of identity. (ex someone who saw themselves as quick and funny in one language questions if he/she still is funny while they struggle with a new language.) They will find their identity in Christ and not in a place or a culture. See in Christ I am…
These two factors change the way I do Youth group. Every kid needs to belong, but in few places is a youth group the only place they really belong. There are other kids like them. They are normal.
This thought will get us started in the key ingredients in cross cultural youth ministry.
1. Creating an environment where they can belong. We can’t make it happen but we can set up the conditions. We can’t make a seed grow into a plant but we can water it and turn the soil and create the environment for it to do well. We can focus on community and including each other, love, embracing new friends, togetherness, and creating an environment of grace. We can give them un-programmed time where they can just hang out with each other and talk and play games. We can create places where they can be accepted and not excepted. This is meeting a felt need. One man hungers for food so we serve him in a soup kitchen and another hungers for acceptance so we create a place for them to belong.
2. One quality of TCKs is they can seem more mature from a younger age and in some ways they are, but in other ways they are still just kids which means they
a. Love/ need to have fun
b. Love to be goofy and silly
3. It is different from other youth ministry in the states because you can’t rely on the parents to bring the kids. Only a small % of parents will send their kids from small international church plants typically. The kids need to want to command to invite their friends. It needs to be attractional to them. It needs to be an environment they are drawn to.
4. Get as many good leaders as you can to love the kids, spend time with them and to be another voice speaking the truth to them. It is easier to trust many voices and not just one or two. Each kid will connect differently with different leaders. No matter what their personalities each leader will connect best with certain kids. More leaders means more types of kids and closer connections.
5. Camps are huge for connecting with local kids, keeping up with kids that have moved and going deeper.
6. Know that many international parents who want little to do with the church will encourage their children to explore their own faith and beliefs. They want to be tolerant and not imposing and this creates a place where Christ can enter into their worlds. This is an opening with agnostic families. This dynamic makes it especially important to have a relationships first approach where the kids are presented with Christianity but don’t feel pressured into it. This is the key to many parent’s trust.
7. If you do nothing else; love, love love em. That is still 90% of it.
See also
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