D.R. Chili Dinner results!!!

We had a great D.R. Chili Dinner/Fundraiser.

If you missed it, not only did you miss the chance to enjoy some incredible chili. You also missed the chance to support our high school students and their upcoming D.R. trip over spring break.

We had a great turnout Friday night. We had over 200 folks show up and over $2,500 was raised for the trip!!!

That's great!!! Thanks to everyone who came!!!

Jim

Daily Read February 2, 2010

Exodus 4:10-12 (New International Version)

¹⁰ Moses said to the LORD, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue."

¹¹ The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD ? ¹² Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say."

About Groundhog's Day... as it relates to youth ministry

I'll come right out and say it...

I hate "Groundhog's Day."

Actually the only thing that I like about Groundhog's Day is the movie pictured here (called Groundhog's Day) with Bill Murray. The movie itself is pretty good. Actually downright hilarious in places. But I digress...

I hate the Groundhog holiday. Not just dislike it... but actually hate it.

Here's why:

• It's silly.
• It's pointless.
• It's dumb.
• It makes us all look dumb because it's silly, pointless and dumb.
• It means nothing and has no practical function.
• It's based completely on tradition that has no basis in fact and is in fact counter-intuitive in nature in that sunshine should mean the end of winter but in fact this sunshine produces a shadow that drives the little varmit (supposedly... even though they drag him out of a fake hole in a fake stump in front of 40,000 people and 100 cameras... who in the world could see a shadow in the midst of that mayhem anyway... and which shadow of the 99 did he see from all the cameras flashes anyway... before he supposedly whispers in the ear of the dopey-looking guy in a top-hat (if I were Phil, I'd bite him in the ear... seriously!!???) back into his hole for 6 more weeks of winter!!!!
• There is little to no benefit in it.
  

But I digress again... I told you... I hate this holiday... (which shouldn't be a holiday, mind you... if I could find the idiot who made this a holiday I'd smack him... and now the stupidity seems to be spreading... we have Phil, Dave, Chuck, Sam, Willie (2 of them), Mel, Jimmy, Spanish Joe (Spanish Joe?) and General Beauregard Lee giving different predictions... ugh! Don't we have Weather Channel and can figure out the weather from someone better than a rodent?) But I digress again and again...

But I promise this rant does have a youth ministry and leadership point. It's just that every time I start typing, I'm reminded of how stupid this whole thing is and my fingers just take off.

I guess here's the point:
What in our ministries are we doing that doesn't have a point, help our ministries and only drains resources?

I look at Groundhog Day and I think "really?" Are there things in our ministries that we should look at and say "really? we're still doing that? why? what's the benefit?"

• Shouldn't we have some regular time of reflection on our ministries?
• Shouldn't we step back every once in a while and say, "Do we really need to do that anymore?"

Obviously I think we should. (I think we should collectively rise up and say to those who make calendars... stop putting Groundhog's Day on the calendar because it's not a real holiday.) I think we should look at our youth ministries and say, "We don't need that anymore," "That isn't helpful," "That needs to be changed to be more productive," "That doesn't serve a purpose."

But I know that there are some Groundhog Day lovers out there. (And feel free to skip commenting on this blog because you won't convince me of its importance... and don't misunderstand my rant to be a PETA-save-the-animals thing... it's not.) I'm for evaluation. I'm for taking a look out what we're doing, why we're doing it and deciding if its still worth the time and energy that we put into doing it.

Most of us don't want to do that kind of heavy lifting. It's much easier to do what we've always done. It's much easier to let something happen than fight to eliminate it or change it. Why? Because somehow that "something" got on the calendar because someone thought it was important. And in order to change it, you might have to have a hard conversation with someone about why it should be eliminated or changed. Which will lead to conflict. So we avoid it. Because that's easier.

That's no good.

And it makes us look silly, pointless and dumb (although... maybe those are harsh words). Rather, it makes us look irrelevant, wasteful and out of touch.

And many times, that's how the world sees the church. In part, because some of our ministries (and I'm not saying all... and I'm certainly not immune...) are doing ministry like they did 15-30 years ago. We're not evaluating, questioning, taking a look at what we're doing. We're often not asking the hard questions. We've often not having the hard conversations. We're often not employing the creativity in our minds to come up with new solutions to old or new problems.

So... just like Groundhog's Day... we continue to do the same things over and over again.

So... what?

1. We need to evaluate what we're doing.
   
2. Compare it with what was important to Jesus and His vision for His church.
   
3. We need to ask the hard questions.
   
4. We need to have the hard conversations.
   
5. We need to eliminate or change those things that don't fit the vision for Christ's Church. (Matthew 22:37-40, Matthew 28:18-20, Matthew 9:35-38)

So we can grow.

(And hopefully get rid of dumb holidays... like Groundhog's Day...)

Jim

Feel free to jump in and comment (unless you're just trying to convince me of the importance of this supposed holiday... in which case... save the keystrokes...).

Idol Worship - Skit Guys

An incredibly powerful video about idol worship. Awesome. Especially in light of the Super Bowl coming up this weekend.

Jim

Check it HERE

Daily Read February 1, 2010

Exodus 3:14-15 (New International Version)

¹⁴ God said to Moses, "I am who I am . This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' "

¹⁵ God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.

Daily Read January 31, 2010

Exodus 3:1-5 (New International Version)

¹ Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. ² There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. ³ So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up."

⁴ When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!"
And Moses said, "Here I am."

⁵ "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground."

Daily Read January 30, 2010

Exodus 2:23-25 (New International Version)

²³ During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. ²⁴ God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. ²⁵ So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.

The Quest for the Missing Passport

Here is the featured video from Friday night's Chili Dinner. It's a fun little video that we shot for the trip.

Enjoy

Jim

Check it out HERE

Great Chili Dinner last night

Wow!!!

What a great Chili Dinner Fundraiser we had last night. About 200 folks made it out for some great chili and to support the 13 high school students going to the Dominican Republic March 26-April 2.

And the chili was awesome too!!! (I ought to know... I had two bowls!!!!)

Thanks to those who made it happen... Billie, Ann, Cheryl and Dorraine. And thanks to all the FVCC folks who came out and supported our students. Your support means the world to us!

Thanks!!!

Jim

Daily Read January 29, 2010

Exodus 2:10 (New International Version)

¹⁰ When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh's daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, "I drew him out of the water."

Chili Dinner tonight!!!

Tonight's the big D.R. Chili Dinner and Student Service Auction!!!!

If you are looking for some hearty chili... and who wouldn't when the projected high temperature for the day is 15!!!!... then we've got just your ticket tonight at Fox Valley Christian Church.

Starting at 6 pm, we'll serve up a steaming bowl of chili. And all of the proceeds from tonight's fundraiser go to help the 13 students and 4 adults who are heading to the Dominican Republic over spring break.

We'll also have a silent "Student Service Auction" where you can bid on a Saturday of service from one of the students who is going... clean out the garage... clean out the basement... wash windows... babysit... make you dinner...

If you signed up, plan to be there. If you didn't sign up, come out any way!!! We'd love to have you. The chili will be hot and ready at 6 pm and we'll wrap up around 8:30 pm with the auction results and "The Quest for the Missing Passport" video (a short film written and starring the students going to the D.R.).

You don't want to miss it! Hope to see you!

Jim

Daily Read January 28, 2010

Exodus 1:15-21 (New International Version)

¹⁵ The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, ¹⁶ "When you help the Hebrew women in childbirth and observe them on the delivery stool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live." ¹⁷ The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live. ¹⁸ Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, "Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?"

¹⁹ The midwives answered Pharaoh, "Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive."

²⁰ So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. ²¹ And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.

Poll: What do you think about the iPad?

With Apple's release of their new iPad today, what are you thinking?

Create interactive meetings at Poll Everywhere

Apple iPad video!!!

Wow!!! I watched much of the Apple event today with live updates through Engadget. It looked amazing then... Then I watched this video... Holy Smokes!!! Check out what this thing can do:

Daily Read January 27, 2010

Today I leave Genesis in my reading... and head into Exodus. But one last thought from Genesis...

Genesis 50:19-21 (New International Version)

¹⁹ But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? ²⁰ You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. ²¹ So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children." And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

32 Hours: The Church In Haiti - Mark Driscoll

Powerful images and words from a powerful pastor. Mark Driscoll shares some of the images and stories from 32 hours in Haiti after the earthquake. This sermon is worth watching.

Jim

Watch it HERE.

Daily Read January 26, 2010

Genesis 49:22-26 (New International Version)

²² "Joseph is a fruitful vine,
a fruitful vine near a spring,
whose branches climb over a wall.

²³ With bitterness archers attacked him;
they shot at him with hostility.

²⁴ But his bow remained steady,
his strong arms stayed limber,
because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,
because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,

²⁵ because of your father's God, who helps you,
because of the Almighty, who blesses you
with blessings of the heavens above,
blessings of the deep that lies below,
blessings of the breast and womb.

²⁶ Your father's blessings are greater
than the blessings of the ancient mountains,
than the bounty of the age-old hills.
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,
on the brow of the prince among his brothers.

Tim Tebow Super Bowl ad

I'm not a huge Florida Gaters fan... but any stretch of the imagination (especially since they pounded my beloved Buckeyes a couple of years ago in the National Championship game).

I have been impressed, however, with the faith and witness of Tim Tebow, Univ of Florida's quarterback and Heisman trophy winner (2007).

So I was pleased to catch the rumor that Tim Tebow and his mom Pam are going to be featured in a Super Bowl ad on Feb 7 for pro-life. Pam was encouraged to abort Tim during pregnancy fearing that he would be born with defects. Pam and her husband were missionaries in the Philippines and instead chose to keep Tim and had a healthy baby.

This morning I caught the full story (HERE) about the upcoming ad. It's great that it won't just be a special little thing hidden somewhere among the Super Bowl hype but will instead be a full commercial running during the Super Bowl.

Here's a small snippet: "Tim and Pam share our (Focus on the Family) respect for life and our passion for helping families thrive," Jim Daly, president and CEO of Focus on the Family, based in Colorado Springs, Colo., said in a statement. "They live what we see every day - that the desire for family closeness is written on the hearts of every generation."

(Read the rest HERE.)

It will be great that, when in the midst of a country tainted by Roe v. Wade and on demand baby killing, an estimated 90-100 million viewers will see a pro-life message. Hopefully it won't get lost and will become a topic for watercooler conversation on Monday morning.

Jim

FVCC helps Haiti!!

Praise God!!!

Fox Valley Christian Church has given a total of $9,942 to help relief efforts in Haiti through G.O. Ministries.


If you missed it, I posted a video of what G.O. Ministries is doing to help out with the relief efforts in Haiti. (It's HERE!)

Way to go Fox Valley in stepping up to help out those in need!

If you are a Twitterer, G.O. Ministries has begun to post twitter updates HERE. Feel free to follow them for the latest updates.

Jim

Daily Read January 25, 2010

Genesis 45:4-7 (New International Version)

⁴ Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! ⁵ And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. ⁶ For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. ⁷ But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.