Learning Lab Video Post #1

for those who are hoping lead in churches moving to Church B.

New Interview with Tim Schmoyer

Blog Tour - Tash McGill (My 1st Kiwi interview!)

Tash McGill from New Zealand interviewed me recently. I love her questions because I was learning from my responses. I felt like there were some really great gems in there. She is super sharp and a great leader for youth ministry in the land of kiwis.

Go here for her interview.

Lewis Black on Earth Day

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
Back in Black - Kids' Earth Day
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis Political Humor

Just read this

I just read this job description for a sr. pastor and it made me laugh (and sad) at the same time.

1. Preach with Passion 2. Administration Gifts 3. Audio Visual Experience 4. MIcrosoft/quickbooks Experience 5. Community Involvement 6. Pastoral Compassionate 7. Musical giftings Preferred

U2 -

I saw this show in KC way back.
Now I will see them in October in Norman, OK.

giddy up.

soccer mom flop

where soccer players learn to flop.

Church in a Brothel

Craig Gross on Ministry in Sin City from Url Scaramanga on Vimeo.

what do you think?

When (no)one is looking

There's the old adage "Our character is what we do when we think no one is looking."

You've heard it right? The idea suggests that it's easy to be a person of character in front of others. Or at least pretend to be I suppose. We all have parts of us we hide, the irresponsible, rough edges, crude, profane parts of our lives. the adage isn't transformative, but more guilt oriented it seems. Some way of controlling those out of our control. A way of saying, behave, do good, even when i'm not around.

That living in a culture of good people, character is somehow a peer pressure thing. I suppose that's right to an extent. I suppose the opposite can be true as well.

What if real character is being fully ourselves when others are looking. What if real character is letting the rough edges come to the surface? Instead of posturing some sort of togetherness, what if we simply let the real us come through?

Maybe character isn't simply what we do when no one is looking, but when others are. It seems that community is where transformation happens and where we must be most ourselves, not by ourselves. Alone change becomes some kind of self improvement. Alone our behaviour may need to instruct us on how to be with others.

I'm not suggesting confess your ever sin to the woman at the grocery, but I'm suggesting that being yourself with others is neccesary for transformation.

this isn't a solo venture. so I say, be yourself when others are looking. stop pretending. continue to seek good and right things, but do it as yourself with others.

2 Blog Tour Stops today!

Patti Gibbons from the YMX (Youth Ministry Exchange) asks some great questions and has been the first to ask about the age issue in youth ministry.

You touched on the concept of the elongation of adolescence and how that might impact establishing a healthy youth ministry by encouraging hiring “older” (25+) youth pastors. I could hear screams from Bible college and Christian college youth ministry departments from coast to coast as I read that. How do you think that 2-3 years between graduation at age 22-23 could constructively be spent by those who sense a vocational calling to ministry with students and families?

I’m not going to write a prescription for late adolescent involvement, but I’ll say that putting a 20-25 year old person in charge, especially in what I call a Church A model is often destructive for the church they lead in AND maybe more often in the lives of the person in leadership. There are always exceptions. A 20-25 year old person has a lot to offer the church and a lot to learn. Leadership depends often on wisdom and wisdom comes from experience. So late adolescents should be involved in youth ministry, in every way shape and form. They should have incite into the politics of the church and the tough decisions leaders make. But in my opinion they don’t need to be in charge of the spiritual formation of a communities teenagers and their parents. I’ve yet to find anyone over 30 who disagrees with me on this issue.

Here's Patti's entire interview with me.


MarkO - from Youth Specialties interviewed me as well.

marko: and where did you come up with the name for ‘the riddle group’? i don’t understand it. is it, like, “riddle me this?” like, a batman reference?

riddle: (more silence)

marko: (sigh) ok, what does leadership in church b look like?

riddle: Leadership is Church B is very different than in Church A. In Church A command and control is pretty common. The leader (read: modern title for pastor) names the hill the ministry and volunteers will take. This could be a new program, new service, new priority etc. Then the leader spends time getting buy-in, in attempts to align the people of the church with their vision. This is what we call “vision-casting” and is a persuasive technique that focuses on involvement in our ideas. The problem with this kind of leadership is legion. It’s the main way in which we think of leadership in the church these days at big conferences and it’s they way most of the published pastors try to lead their churches. I recently heard a story of one of these published pastors in an interview describe his understanding of leadership. He said something like, “We’re at a banquet and everyone is at the table waiting to eat. The pastor is the dude with the food.” That pretty much sums up Church A mentality. The pastor is God’s chosen vehicle to give the people what they need. While this is the dominant model presented to us at catalytic kinds of conferences, I don’t think it really produces disciples like we’re called to and I think it robs the church of the joy of being the church.

Church B leaders don’t start with their ideas, or the gaps in the ministry they see need improvement. They convene a conversation and see who shows up. Then as a community they look around the room and see who loves youth, what they’re passionate about and finds ways to set them free. Church B leaders refuse to take on responsibility when people try to give it to them when it isn’t theirs. They redirect it. They aren’t the dude (and dudettes) with the food. They are recognize that everyone in the church has wonderful dreams and gifts to give to youth. Which have often been driven from them through our constant drumming or our vision and style of leadership into them. I love this subject and it’s the focus of a Learning Lab I’m leading in Tulsa in late April.

The link for Marko's interview is here.

Visit both sites for some very different kinds of questions!
Other blog tour stops so far have been:
Folks who will be participating in the Blog Tour are:
Adam McLane
Tim Schmoyer
Dan Mayes
more to come.

Tash McGill reviews Inside the Mind of Youth Pastors

Tash McGill my friend from New Zealand has written a very generous review of "Inside the Mind of Youth Pastors".

Link

Here are a few bits.

Chapters, Highlights, Sidenotes...You'll Notice..

Endorsements.. There are a pile of them. And from good quality people, who come from a wide range of places and perspectives. Most praise both Mark the person and the work. Which is always a good sign. There are so many endorsements that actually - you ought to read them for their own sake.

Short Chapters.. Busy people will be reading this book, but while these short chapters are easy to read - they require thoughtful response and ask brilliant questions. My overall sense was that there are no words wasted. Stories are well placed but not overdone.

He Gets It.. Mark legitimately does get inside the mind of youthworkers from all walks and variance of experience, in addition to really understanding the driving motivations behind a lot of church youth ministry stories. He does a good job of identifying not just the wrestles of youthworkers and youth ministry, but the ongoing demands placed on senior leadership in the broader scope of church to deliver on certain expectations. And he unpacks the internal motivations of us all as leaders. *Reading this book in fact, was a little bit of a personal healthcheck.

Great Centerfold Diagrams.. This book isn't just about seeking the Spirit and relying on discernment, feelygood feelings. No, there's actual HR theory, relational theory and communication theory woven right through the core. Reading this book, even just the centerfold, will make you a better parent, friend, boss, employee and romantic love interest.

Discussion Questions.. From the outset, Mark addresses that you may be reading this book in order to put something in place, to instigate change, or healthy process, to invigorate and build trust with your staff team. So he gives you great, cut to core discussion questions to use, and guides you through the process of implementation and building relationship. This is like a pastoral book that wants to give you really helpful tools.

Process, Practicalities and Positioning Statements.. Mark really clearly addresses the process of deciding why, how, who, what and when that a church goes through in appointing staff, no holds barred, healthy and unhealthy, from every angle. Gives you a look to think about to fit your own circumstances into the spectrum. You'll feel good and bad. That's ok. He then speaks practically about basic things to get right and to avoid in the interview and employment process for both sides!! Yes, two ticks. Then he also makes some brave and brief positioning statements about practical choices.. especially in regards to ..

Catalytic Leadership (pg.78) - Most churches want the fruit of catalytic leadership, that looks to them like engaged and passionate young people ought to look, but rarely are they prepared or wanting the chaos and turmoil that a Catalytic Leader brings.

Ideal Youth Pastor Age (pg.81) - Mark puts forward a brief but well constructed, legitimate argument for maturity in youth pastors.

Healthy Churches .. - There is a clear picture of what a healthy church is/isn't, does/doesn't. Including the approach of self-revelation it takes in the interview and employment process.

Tomorrow the Blog Tour Continues with Marko interviewing me!

The Blog Tour

Folks who will be participating in the Blog Tour are:
Adam McLane
Tim Schmoyer
Dan Mayes
Marko
more to come.

Blog Tour Day 2 - Tim Schmoyer

Dan Mayes represents the the Senior Pastors today. Tim Schmoyer is asking questions from the youth pastors perspective.

Here's the Link to the video interview I did with Tim.

Blog Tour Day 2 - Dan Mayes

Dan Mayes, Pastor of First Christian Church Spencer, Iowa interviewed me recently about "Inside the Mind of Youth Pastors" Dan asked some great questions. Yesterday you heard questions from Adam from the youth ministry perspective. Today Dan is coming from a Senior Pastor's perspective. Let me know what you think!

Here's the Link

Blog Tour Begins today

Today I'm on the YS BLOG with Adam McLane

Go here for the video interview.

My second Book

So Amazon has my second book on their site.

This is a very different kind of book. It will be interesting to see how it will be received.

Auto Tune

I would so use this just for fun.


Auto Tuning from Casey Donahue on Vimeo.