What my day looks like today:

7:00am wake up, get kids up, get kids ready with Pam
8:00am Get myself ready
8:30am Take Zachery to school with Mikayla and Jaden
8:50am Pick up Pam, Grab my stuff for my meeting
9:00am Drop Pam and Mikayla off at The Doyles
9:30am Drop Jaden off at preschool
10:00am Appointment with a local Senior Pastor
11:30am Pick up Pam and Mikayla
11:45am - Help Pam get Mikayla down for a nap
11:55am - Mikayals asleep? Go mow my bro's lawn for him.
12:55pm - Shower
1:15pm - Take Mikayla with me to try on a tux for Bro's wedding
2:25pm - Pick up Jaden at School
3:25pm - Pick up Zachery at School
5:15pm - Feed family
5:45pm - Get ready for bro's party
6:50pm - Eating at Logan's with for Bro's bachelor party
8:30pm - To party location - playing poker tonight

Did I mention that I don't feel well today!
Yesterday the doctor told us Pam couldn't pick up Mikayla for 6 more weeks.
Which means my days might look a lot like this for a while.
gotta run.

Kyles Film
From Tony Jones, National Coordinator, Emergent-U.S.
So many of us continue to miss Kyle Lake. All the time people talk about "tragic" deaths, but his death truly was tragic. And Julie and I grieve to think of Jen and the kids. But Kyle also left a beautiful legacy of life, and a film to that end is just wrapping up -- it's a tribute to Kyle's life and his faith, and I strongly recommend it. And, all of the proceeds will help fund his children's college funds. Here is some more information from the people who are putting this together...

There is no doubt that Kyle Lake, former pastor of University Baptist Church in Waco, TX, lived life to the fullest. Both his inner and outer beauty will be remembered by all of us. "Kyle's Film" is a project that we are doing to honor the life and ministry of our friend. Kyle's last sermon was surprisingly very cinematic in its nature. Not only did it detail appreciating beauty in the ordinary things, but engaged a sense of inspiration and an eerie comfort in the wording. With this project, we are not elevating Kyle to a level of worship and admiration, but rather we are celebrating the beauty of God that was seen through Kyle's life.

This spring, we began production on "Kyle's Film", an interpretive, impressionistic, and cinematic short film based on Kyle's last sermon. We filmed everything in 35mm (which is the Hollywood standard for productions and used the same film stock as many recent films- Capote, Crash, etc.) and transferred everything to high definition. Right now we're working on post production and working with some of guys from the David Crowder Band for an original score. For the second half of the film, we are focusing more on Kyle's life through video and pictures of him and his family etc. We should have everything finished up towards May, and the running length should be around 10 minutes for both parts.

We are in the process of also setting up a way for people to pre-order the completed DVD when it is done in May. Congress Clothing will be handling the ordering process through their website, and all the proceeds will be donated to the Kyle Lake Memorial Fund, which will go towards his children's college tuition. You can find all of the information about the film on our website, www.kylesfilm.com, which has a trailer, links to our production blog, and the pre-order page. We hope this film will show Kyle's message of loving God, embracing beauty, and living life to the fullest to as many people as possible.

www.kylesfilm.com

Saw This Job Post Today and It made me Sad:.
We are looking for a fun, energetic person to become our Pastor of Student Ministries in the fastest growing church in the fastest growing community in Oklahoma. The Student Ministry at NBBC is ranked in the Top 5 student ministries in the Tulsa Metro area. Over the last 4 years, we have seen the student ministry grow to over 150 students on a weekly basis. The ideal candidate will have direct leadership and administrative functions of the student ministry department (7th-12th). The ideal candidate will be innovative, creative, fun, organized, provide leadership development, teamwork, and have strong communication skills. The Pastor of Student Ministries will provide a vision and strategy on reaching the youth in our local middle and high school, as well as the surrounding communities. The Pastor of Student Ministries will have direct oversight of the Student Ministries Assistant, Worship Leader and Team, and small group leaders. This vision of NBBC is to see this position grow into an Associate Pastor of Student and Family Ministries over the next several years. If you love working with youth, Apply Now!

A Dream that needs Interpreting:.
Some folks ask you to put a caption on a photo. I want you to interpret my dream. Maybe if this goes well it will become a regular feature.

Last night I had a dream. Tell me what it means...
I remember driving in the car and seeing tornados. Several tornados.
I remember driving by a tornado that was on the right side of the road.
Then one started coming toward us.
We abandon the car and run to what seems to be a basement with nothing but glass doors along one wall. I hold on with the people with me (strangers) to a rail in the basement.

We survive. But somehow I become responsible for letting loose a bag of poisonous snakes. I seem to be very comfortable handling the snakes and trying to put them back in the bag.

Then one bites me on top of my right hand. It has a blue head. I call it a cobra in the dream. But it didn't have a hood. After a struggle I remember grabbing it by the head and holding it closer to the neck to keep it from biting me again. I remember holding it right next to the mouth and the fangs are 3 or 4 inches long and the snake is curling them around like a butterfly tongue to bite me on my fingers. I push straws on the fang to keep them from biting me but they break through the straws. I remember thinking. That was a cobra even though it doesn't have a hood. Then I wonder if I'm right. I'm concerned that they will give me the wrong anti-venom and that I'll die. Then I see the cobra again. it is very distinguishing scales on it's head. (after I wake up I think it's a black mamba... but that's not part of the dream) I ask someone to call 911 and they leave, but it takes several hours for someone to actually get to me. I remember thinking I need to mark every 15 minutes where the pain and swelling are as it moves up my arm. Then I get flown the the hospital. I remember hoping that guy from Venom ER on the Discovery Channel will be at my hospital and being very concern that this particular hospital will not have anti-venom at all.

When I get to the hospital, the doctor (who is bald) tells me with much indignation that the bite on top of my right hand is not swelling at all, and he points to the underside of my left forearm where it's swelling tremendously. I remember thinking, I was only bit on the left arm with one fang!

Then I wake up. My arms are asleep and hands are aching.

Interpret away!

RiddleLog: April 22, 2006 7:39pm MONDAY
24 starts in 21 minutes.
Clouds swirling over Tulsa.
Frustration has filled the Riddle house.
Weather people will not get off TV.
Words can not describe how much these weather people love it when the clouds swirl.

Monday night Haiku
Helicopters. Hail.
Radarviews constantly shift
Warnings on. no 24


or

Tornado Siren
People looking up outside
What would Bauer do?

Lord, please take the wall clouds away so I can enjoy 24.

Some on the Eastcoast please blog minute by minute please.
I don't want to miss it.

Update:
The Thunder Rolled up North near Garth's house (and Kyle's)
But missed us completely.
24 will be on at 11pm CST.
Cancel blogging it minute by minute.. no spoilers!

I've been traveling and booked solid. I'll post more ReImagine ym stuff soon.

Jim Hancock:.
X Things We Should NEVER Say to Kids

I first read X things about a year ago. It's a book that was almost traditionally published, but the publisher didn't care for it's "style."

This is one of the best books I have ever read for parents. That is not hyperbole. You may not agree with all the content, but it is simple, short and direct. And laugh out loud funny. Jim is a true artist and it comes across in his book.

X things is online at Jim's website for FREE.

Jim's site
westofthe101.com is where you can find it.
Once you've read it, come back here and thank me. You will. There is simply nothing like this book.

If you are a parent of a teen, you simply MUST read this book.

ReImagine Youth Ministry:.
Part 3

Excerpts on the unfolding nature of youth ministry within the emerging church, from the ReImagine course with Biblical Seminary and Etrek.

Question: What about all of the hundreds (maybe thousands) of youth "guys and gals" who are heavily entrenched in their current routine and way of thinking and don't desire ("I have no time") to read theology, live within a community, love their neighbors or live out the kingdom in their daily lives?"

"The medium is the message"
- Herbert Marshall McLuhan

Youth Pastors love kids. They get into ministry for a variety of reasons. I love youth pastors because they take what they do so seriously.
It's important to know that it may be the average youth pastor's understanding of their role within the church that is actually hurting kids in the long run. If you are a youth pastor, this should keep you up at night.
Everyday youth pastors are discovering that a life lived focused almost exclusively upon teens is teaching teens something. And they don't like the message.

What is it teaching?
1.) A youth pastor who doesn't have time for theological reflection should beware that they are may not be leading the kids entrusted in their care to God, but to hand-me-down ideas, concepts and understandings of God. There is a reason why many youth pastors do this. Because they have yet to discover the beauty and wonder of God themselves. Often they are regurgitating the theologies given to them when they were youth. A youth pastor who reflects theologically is able to help kids think theologically. A youth pastor who doesn't delivers a diet of cliche's and slogans. Youth don't buy it. The youth pastor might not buy it if they had the time to actually reflect upon it. But busyness is often the rule for youth pastors.

2.) Irony is a youth pastor who rebukes kids for being to busy and not having time for the important things in life, but is too busy for these things themselves. A youth pastor who is not conformed to the busyness of culture can actually lead families to a healthy rhythmn.

3.) What is taught when the youth pastor is too busy for life because of ministry? Often it's the idea that ministry may royally jack up your life, break rhythm with God, hurt those closest to you... and that's a price you pay. The cost so to speak. If you don't have to time live out the kingdom of God within a community of your peers then stop asking kids to come to youth group. They are as busy as you are and it won't take time for them to see through your charade. Even if it's subconsiously. You say, "Get to know kids your age who don't follow Jesus and get to know them." They see a youth pastor who doesn't do this themselves. The medium of your life is communicating loud and clear.

So tell kids about community, loving God and your neighbor, but understand your life is impacting kids as much as your words.

Youth ministry within the emerging church will take the youth pastor's life seriously. For folks who are in more traditional experiences this can be a challenging idea. It may go against the grain of your church. But more likely, it goes against your grain as youth pastor more.

Somethings to think about.

ReImagine Youth Ministry:.
Part 2

Excerpts on the unfolding nature of youth ministry within the emerging church, from the ReImagine course with Biblical Seminary and Etrek.

We need to re-imagine it [youth ministry] as ministry. We're here because we enjoy kids, we can deal with things others can't- so we're good at things that distract us from ministry, and we get affirmed for that."
-Kenda Dean

Youth ministry is ministry. It's somethings so many youth pastors intuitively understand. If they didn't believe it to be so, they would be less likely to pour their lives in to local youth ministry. Youth pastors believe youth ministry makes a difference and church leaders want to believe that youth ministry makes a difference. But the longer a pastor invests in youth the deep the discontent with the actual difference their ministry is making. In other words, youth ministry veterans are finding that, what Jim Hancock refers to as "raising adults" is not happing on the scale we are hoping for.

Here's the catch.

We are not evaluated with the right measures.
If we have 500 kids in a church of 1000 people we consider it a success, but if only 80 of those kids are actually following Jesus when they are 28 are we really being faithful?

I'm not against counting kids. I'd just prefer to count the right kids. In a world that values immediate results we really only value how many kids we had last Sunday morning. Functionally we don't really value the kids who were present 10 years ago Sunday morning. This begs the question. Do we actually value the teens who will be here next Sunday?

The most premier youth ministries in the country retain 25-30% of their kids within the church. Some studies show 50%, but that seems a bit optimistic.

What do we really value in our churches when it comes to youth ministry. Often it is a power issue. Who holds the power? Who is it most important to please? Parents.

The average youth ministry is built upon the expectations of adults rather than the needs of students. If you can get your head around this simple fact you'll go far.

Whether it be the idealistic emerging pastor who say's "we'll never have a youth pastor" (when there are only 5 high school students in their current church) or the parent who demands an active, appropriate, educational program that will be designed so my kids needs are met. Both are missing the point. Their ideals are being pressed upon the teens, and that's not missional, just more of the same.

The youth of today are being colonized into adulthood and they don't like it.

The emerging church leaders and parents in every other church may do well to listen carefully to the teens within their community to discover what ministry might look like. Certainly not every church needs a youth pastor, but ever church does need advocates for those who are often the least of these within their churches. Teens and children.

So youth pastors, tie yourself to the mast as you sail past the siren's songs of praise for your big numbers and active programs. Don't reject numbers, but begin to measure the right things. Then remember that 80% of what really matters can't be measured. Be a pastor who listens to God and listens to kids. Youth Ministry in America is rapidly become a social justice issue and the youth ministries of the local church are the frontlines for the kingdom of God breaking through.

A Jesus Community in Tulsa:.

Pam and I are talking about what it means to be a Jesus community it Tulsa. We have friends here who have started churches and we are prayerfully listening to God about what our part in a Jesus community might look like here. How connected do we need to be to what is already happening here and how much do we need to pioneer somethings new.

Frankly, I can't have this conversation without thinking of my dear friends in West Michigan. I think of Brett, Jamie, John, Tammy, Ben, Laura, Jamie, Valerie, and others who were expressing interest in starting a new community there. I still grieve not being with them, for each of them are irreplacable to me in my life. In our lives. A few of these folks were so significant in my spiritual formation, that it would be impossible to express my gratitude to them and to God for their generosity in sharing their lives with my family. I still feel our move to Tulsa was good and right and honoring to God. But staying would likely have been as well.

Pam and I are not going to try to recreate a past experience within a new community, to do so would to devalue the people present in the new community here in Tulsa. To presuppose what this community would be like, would hinder it from being what God calls it to be. The strength of our community in Michigan was the people. Sounds simple. It's not.

ReImagine Youth Ministry:.
Part 1

Excerpts on the unfolding nature of youth ministry within the emerging church, from the ReImagine course with Biblical Seminary and Etrek.

"The most important thing for a youth worker to do is to nurture their own spiritual life."
- Mike King

In the last few decades we've moved from official vocational staff roles focused upon knowing God and pastoring people, to an emphasis on leadership, directing, and other business verbage.

Our desk within the building the church meets in is now an "office", when it used to be a "study". The pastor needs to be dynamic and extrodinary, rather than ordinary and steady.

What if the role of a pastor, was to spend time with God and spend time with people? How would that impact youth ministry in the emerging church? To personally engage, not only the study of scripture, but to be a person who moves and acts within the way of God outside their job description.

Today's pastor is attempting to move the church with a lever that is not long enough. The lever keeps breaking. Short levers are ecclessiastical crowbars. Ecclessiastical crowbars might be manufactured urgency, big numbers, flashy, shiny programs, worship styles and specialized staff. Ecclessiastical crowbars focus on the short term, quick fixes and they never do the job. The crowbar will either break, or damage it's surroundings.

There are better ways to move people. Ecclesiastical crowbars are for impatient leaders.

"So what does this have to do with youth ministry?" you ask. I'm glad you asked, because I have a few thoughts on this.

The role of youth pastor must first be understood as pastor. A youth pastor is a pastor. Not a big revelation huh? Maybe not a radical IDEA, but functionally, we don't believe it.

So often youth pastor's think of themselves as the "youth guy" or "the youth gal".. this kind of thinking is not helpful in the long term development in shaping of youth into adulthood for sevearl reasons. If as a youth pastor, your primary identity is one who relates well to youth, and secondarily as pastor, then it may be time to reconsider your calling. Frankly, if you "relate better" to kids than adults, you need to understand that it's probably because you have issues, or need to grow up. Conversely if you are an adult and you think you "relate better" to adults, then you are likely buying a lie sold to you by the culture, not the gospel.
Let me be more clear. If you can't relate to adults, how are you helping teens mature toward being the person God calls them to be? Could it be that you are contributing to the problem of a rapidly growing adolescent experience. If you don't like that part of the article I'm guessing you are under 30 years of age.

Not clear enough? If you can't pastor people, adults or otherwise, then you don't belong in youth ministry. I know that can be scary, and humbling, but a bit of fear and humility would be good for the youth ministry profession these days. If you are called to youth ministry, you can minister to adults as well. To quote Rob Snider, "You can do it!"

"Hey Riddle, I agree with you, but I'm in a church that expects me to be the "youth gal" what should I do?"

As my sister says, "I'm picking up what you are putting down."

Though a youth pastor often has very little influence upon the church's behavior patterns and expectations this is actually something you CAN change on some level.

Think of yourself as a pastor first, rather than the "youth guy".

Be the kind of person you want your kids to be.

If you want your kids to be missional, then be missional yourself. I'm not talking about your mission to kids. I'm talking about the mission of your life. A youth pastor who expects themselves to live out the kingdom, not simply with youth, but with people will unearth an influence more powerful than any lever.

So practically, read theology, live within a community that includes your peers, be a faithful spouse and parent, work through loving your neighbor and living out the kingdom. Consider yourself a pastor, because you are one and live humbly and in fear of the Lord.

Demotivator of the day.

Laugh out Loud:.
Who wants to be a millionaire? The worst performance ever!
I saw it coming, but when it happened I laughed out loud.

Link

Please stop what you are doing and go and read this

Toymakers struggle as kids grow up to fast:. (esp. girls)
This is a phenomenon that we are seeing in youth ministry.

"When I tour different company showrooms and look at what they're doing, many times it's a bunch of guys making decisions about what girls would like, and they miss the mark," said Nancy Zwiers, president of industry consulting firm Funosophy and former head of worldwide marketing for the Barbie doll line at Mattel Inc.

But this inherent difficulty has been exacerbated by the "age compression" that has been affecting all kids and putting huge pressure on the toy industry. Children are moving through play stages faster now, always wanting to go quickly to the next level of toys and encouraged by their parents to do so."


Link

Following up my April Fools Day Post:.

Here's a post from Lark News

Youth Pastor Hazing on the Rise

While over the top, this is only funny because parts are soooooo true.

Giving up unBiblical things:.

Today I declare that I am giving up the things I do that are unBiblical. For too long I have ignored critics, shunned their warnings of adopting spiritual practices which are not found in scripture. Ancient Spiritual practices not found in scripture are officially gone from my life. I'm coming back to the Bible in it's literal, infallible, inerrant, absolute rule for my life. If a practice is not found in scripture I'm giving it up.

So Yesterday was my last day to:
Pray the labrynth. - Who knows what kind of evil has entered my mind when I prayed to God in one of these unBiblical things?

Yoga- I'm giving up my yoga practices as I am giving up allowing other non-biblical gods from entering my body while in unbiblical positions.

Meditate (in the bad way)- I pledge to biblically meditate day and night on scripture. Not my Hindu mantras to Vishnu nor my Buddhist chants like my spiritual father, the Dali Lahma.

Contemplative Prayer- I've read the critics and they are right. Prayer where I actually listen to God is not found in the Bible.

I will abandon my gnostic zoronastrian ways - The emerging church is abandoning the bible for gnosticism, and the like. I must give up my incantations and spirit mediations at my local emerging church and obey what the Bible clearly says.

Drive a car - Jesus walked everywhere he went, cars, trucks and SUV's are not Biblical. Bikes are out too.

Blogging: I guess today is the last day for me to blog, or visit the internet, since Al Gore didn't invent this thingy till late in the 20th century. Al Gore needs to be more biblical. If I were to continue blogging I would spend every waking hour consumed by letting the world know about his dangerous invention. But since this is my last blog post. You all are on your own.

Live with electricity - Like my newly adopted father, JC, that is John Calvin, I will disown all things electric, and natural gas. Like my father JC I will find ways to bring the people of the world to a pre-literate society so that today's population will be mostly illiterate, just like the bible days, which leads me to my next biblical issue.

I will forget how to read- scripture was heard in Jesus day, and most people didn't own anything with writing on it, (note to self: give up paper- find some animal skin) I will only listen to God's word, I will never read it. I will unlearn myself everything I will soon forget. (see it's already working) Though forgeting how to read my be difficult, I'm up for the challenge.

I will change my name: You might not think I need to change my name, seeing as it's Mark, and Mark is definitely a Biblical name, it's the Riddle part that needs to change. So now, I will be known as Mark son of Richard. Dang, my dad's name is not biblical at all, it's English. Richard? I need to convince him to change his name so I can be more biblical.

I will start to mistreat my wife: Since women were sorta considered property in the first century, I will suppress my wife, make her cover her head in church, and never speak while there. All of this will being biblical of course.

There I have said it. This is my short list. There is much more to abandon. I will give these things up and more starting today! Good-bye world! Good-bye technology! Good by my former friends (ie. enemies of God)!

Mark son of Richard