you search for love notes in the corners of my room hidden in boxes and for rainy days but i tell you honestly, you will not find them there i’ve written them under your skin
I’m Not There This fantastical journey through the biography and biology of Dylan’s soul is like a visual symphony, a poem of ideas, colours and landscapes. The moods are swerving, at times colliding with each other but the music consistently pulls together the threads of a tapestry full of life like no other. Such a feast. Mark said he felt that he needed more Dylan to contextualise it, but I as a Dylan fan, still had to process and reference to see only some of the nuance. Screenings 2 & 3 will be worth it, as well as a revival of some of Dylan’s earlier works, although Time Out Of Mind remains a favourite, if later and less protest-y album.
Rain, Wind, Fire The long night time conversation in front of the fire with deep eyes and heartfelt real life on the table is holding me steady under the wind.
Saying Goodbye To Theology? Interesting anonymous comment on the last post in regards to abandoning theology here. Of course not = and yes, my interpretation is possibly a little incendiary. But so it suits me to illustrate the point. Theology is ever-present, inescapable. If I think, if I write, if I consider God in any way – then theology is present.
But there is a breed of theologian that I consider to be dangerous to my generation and the future of youth ministry, not to mention the future of the church. Hierarchal theologians who categorize wisdom, knowledge and qualification in such a manner that the honest conversation of the follower is swayed from left to right by man’s words and not by a truthful measure of the Gospel. Theologians who separate the understanding of truth from the common people are dangerous folk.
Example: confusing the context of language and culture for theologial statements. For your average 18 year old, the manner of clothing they wear and the media they consume on a daily basis is not a concise or well-concluded theological statement. Trying to ascertain it as such and then provoke a changed response as a result.
Example: the derivation of preferred behaviour as contextualised biblical imperative. Whilst unity is spoken about in Scripture, I have not perceived it in my time to be a foundational issue in regards to understanding or applying the Grace of Christ to an everyday life. Especially when we teach unity as a behaviour in regards to church – a unified church that looks like full participation, never missing worship, never questioning leadership or authority and being governed in a bi-partisan manner. This is sociological instruction or at worst, experimentation when it pervades the priorities of our Christian communities.
Example: constructing societal norms within a cultural subset according to unique rules. The rules of living explicit in Scripture, and are broadbrush stroke for a reason I believe, which is that the principles of this life are the key and most important aspect of our behavioural adaption. We do this adaption in relationship with other followers and with Christ as center. This fluidity demands wrestle, which expands relevance and accessibility but hinges everything on relationship not rulebooks. An idealistic approach yes, but one that encourages everyday young people to interact with a living God within the pages of Scripture and the Spirit living within individuals and communities. Too often and too easily, we study scriptures and then apply them with our own social constructs. They are of course, designed to make it easier for people to apply them in their own lives but truthfully – can lead to behaviour modification based on pre-constructed societal norms (drinking, alcohol, clothing, music style etc etc ).
Goodbye to theology? Not at all. If anything, a deeper embrace of everyday theology with everyone involved. I continually try to encourage those around me to be engaging in this practice for themselves.
love is more thicker than forget more thinner than recall more seldom than a wave is wet more frequent than to fail it is most mad and moonly and less it shall unbe than all the sea which only is deeper than the sea love is less always than to win less never than alive less bigger than the least begin less littler than forgive it is most sane and sunly and more it cannot die than all the sky which only is higher than the sky
It Has Been Too Long Since We Were Together This has been a week of long nights, early mornings, rushed words, hasty dreams, dark clouds, pinot noir, the absence of cigar smoke, longing for some things, craving others, wallowing in sensory pleasure and the grasping pain of it. It’s not even been a week, after all, today is Wednesday and things only started on Sunday.
But it’s too long since we’ve been together, my heart and I.. so we have snatched tender moments in the days and nights.. 1. Sunset on Monday in golden light, breaking bread and drinking wine for the sake of art, film, magic, storytelling and Hope. 2. An friend of many days and a corner store wine bar, laughing and telling stories of surprising mirth, sorrow and Hope. 3. A long day of fine-tuning, waiting, talking, discussing, listening, praying and Hoping.
Tonight the love affair with my soul continues.
It’s wednesday night and usually that would mean that I’m at youth group. At least it used to, in this community that I live in. Nowadays it means I usually work late, looking for something that will occupy the space and give it meaning. Some of my best work comes from Wednesday Weight Of The Absence.
So – I’m writing for the kids – my kids. Cos without being too petty.. even tho I don’t got kids of my own anymore, in eight days time, I’ll have 3500 of them at least. And for four days, I do youth ministry. Only four days to change the world. Anyone want to come with me?
Oh, For The Hell Of It Earlier I posted here about our mainstream show at eastercamp this year. Sure enough, we’ve booked Elemenop, Streetwise Scarlet, Midnight Youth, Arms Reach and crowd favourites Mumsdollar to play this year.
The feedback has been heavy, expected and equally disappointing.
…Only what is Righteous and Holy should be presented before God. If you were standing before God would you have a clear conscience that the bands chosen glorify him on the weekend that he was crucified?
… we gather together to Glorify Christ for what he has done for us, not listen to a bunch of non Christian bands, we gather together to encourage each other and worship Christ. This is where we feel we cannot affirm the current decisions made here for Easter camp as a church family.
.. I really wanted to get clarification where you guys were headed as I am extremely uncomfortable where the camp is heading spiritually and we are starting to take steps to protect our teens in our youth groups.
.. As a pastor you can understand where I’m coming from I hope, we only want the best we can for our church family. And ultimately we are responsible for the teens we send there as leadership in our church, and before God.
.. I will not apologize for the Gospel, and if it is not going to be preached, I will pull you up on it. This is my duty as a fellow Christian. Iron sharpens iron, You need to know, we’re not into social justice, were into the Word of God and Christ Crucified. That’s the real gospel, teens need to hear that message.
This is exactly the kind of feedback that we expected from some groups, but it gives me great delight to hold on fast once again to the values that we do hold precisely so dear. When we gather together each Easter, we absolutely preach the Gospel, steady and true. We use scripture, story, image, you name it. More than that even, we present a Gospel that is very living, very real and very much in the trenches, exactly where Christ ground it out.
I love the story of the Wesley brothers, who vowed at one time to only ever use the basest, most vile and common language that was to be understood by the people, so that there would be no hindrance to their hearing of the Gospel of Grace and Truth. It’s in our ministry, care and concern for the last, the least and the lost that we find ourselves on the precipice of dangerously vile ground.
I like living here. This is a space that will change the face of the church in NZ in fifteen years, because as I’m sure so many will agree, a Gospel without true justice isn’t any Gospel at all. Grace and Justice and inexplicably connected in this faith. I’m even prepared for camp to get smaller, so that the Truth can get bigger. As if everything single thing we do at camp isn’t buried at the foot of Christ first.
Imagine.. a Gospel without a love for the lost. That’s exactly what I hear in these words. John Macarthur would be loving this guy, but I end up feeling just sad at the misled unfortunate shadow that’s being cast here. If you’re so concerned with the preciseness of truth, how does one account for half, if not all the apostles of the first church? Bring it on, I say.
As if our God is scared for one second of a cutesy pop lyric that doesn’t use the word Hallelujah. As my friend Rob Harley is quick to point out on the phone the other night… Simon and Garfunkel hit the nail on the head when in the 60’s they said “the words of a prophets are written on the subway walls” when the church was still busy blessing the Lamb and singing Glory.
See, the world is calling out for Truth, crying out over injustice, burdened with sorrows. And her modern day prophets sing the songs that make the earth groan… who couldn’t hear that and respond.
I had the opportunity in the weekend just been to escape from preparations and speak to a group of young people at their annual church camp.
I had a group of 20 high schoolers, ranging from 13 – 17, mostly female to entertain for approx 4.5 hours over the weekend. I didn’t really know much about the group, just their ages really. Most were Christian of a sort, with a few from non-Christian homes. It was a weekend to get to know a group.
UNIQUELY YOU – The first session. I gave each person two pieces of card and a coloured marker while we were sitting in a circle. I asked them to partner with the person next to them and trace one another’s hands onto the card, one for the left and one for the right. We reflected on what the hands looked like.
Then I asked them to take whichever hand was their “doing” hand, and on the hand write or draw words and symbols for all the things that they are uniquely good at, passionate about, like doing. Natural talents and hobbies.. everything that they can do.
Onto the other hand (usually left), I asked them to put all the things in life that they value – the Values they live by and for. Many drew rings to symbolise marriage and family on a ring finger. Talked about family, friends, hope.
Then in the group, we went around the circle and gave a few moments to each person, for the group to say positive things that they thought, felt or knew. The person had to write down what the group said about them on their “values” hand.
We then talked about Psalm 139, and being utterly unique in our DNA for skills and passions. We placed all the hands in a circle and could see plainly, how different each person was. Those that had similar skills had vastly different passions and values. Each person was unique.
I spoke about how serving God and loving God is also about coming to know yourself how God has made you to be. Talked about common sense, and living by your true self, living in the creation that God made you to be, rather than in other people’s expectations. We talked about how we could be those people, live those radically well-chosen lives, pointing out that the end decisions might be the same but the process and purpose is different.
Talked about living in such a way that maximises that talents we have been given, in line with our values – or choosing the also-valid, middle ground.
UNIQUELY US – The second session. We returned the next day and began with another piece of card. Briefly reviewing the last session, we started by asking each student to write down one positive characteristic of the youth group in the centre of the card, largely. Then we went around the circle again, and each person shared the word that they chose and why. Each person wrote these words around their centre word until the whole card was filled.
I then read from 1 Corinthians 12, about the body. How the uniqueness of our individual hands, also makes up a unique blueprint for our community, but that we can exercise choice. We can choice how to interact and serve one another as community. Talked specifically about how saying that you’re not part of the body, actually doesn’t make you any less an ear or an eye.
We then talked about the important of needing Grace and to hear Forgiveness in order to be all you are, to be fully accepted as yourself (session #1). I read James 5:13-17. Talked about the power of forgiving one another all the time, practising Grace constantly, and creating safe places to share the fullness of life with each other (joy, sorrow, sickness, sin).
I then asked the group to close their eyes, and put their hand up if they would feel safe sharing their deepest, darkest stuff in this group. I reminded them of all the positive and wonderful things they had said, but gave them the opportunity to be honest in their response. 3 out of 20 responded affirmatively. One of those was the youth pastor.
So, in revealing that to the group, the atmosphere changed. We talked about the difference between wanting to be a community like that, and actually being one. I then split the group into pairs again, but this time they had to work with someone they didn’t know. They had to answer two questions..
1. what would our group look like and be like if we were a safe place to share and practicing grace and forgiveness? 2. what are some of the ways that we can go about practising grace in our community?
The discussion went on and on, until I asked the pairs to return to the circle and report back. Here’s what they came up with..
– nearly every pair reported that the group would be less cliche-y and more welcoming – a number said that the group would be friendlier – one pair said, “I think that we’d get bigger, we’d be a bigger group” – they reported they would feel safer with each other, more secure, more belonging – they thought they would have more compassion for others, would do more service – they thought they would be able to genuinely help each other more
And how – spend more time talking to each other – tell each other what’s good about each other more often – intentionally try to talk to everyone not just our friends in youth group, try and make sure everyone is included in the friendships – spend more time together hanging out and just listening.
Closing: We went back to the individual hands, and went back around the circle, this time asking the students to look at one another again, and see the unique and individual role that they had in helping to make that sort of change in the group. This is where I had to work hardest – to bring my observations of individual students as well as the peer responses together to make a constructive word for each.
However, it was amazing how the group responded. Comments about particular students being funny or always making others laugh, became recognised as encouragement gifts that are needed. We identified thermometers in the group, the kids who can always tell the atmosphere when it needs a shot in the arm. We recognised problemsolvers, and the observant ones that notice the kids left out and figure out how to connect to them. The students themselves picked out the leaders amongst them, and the impact it could have on their schools. The closer we got to the end of the circle, the more the students could identify and think about how each person’s unique DNA could really impact the journey of the group.
Lunch: We finished and I prayed, then the group travelled to lunch. It was good good times to see, instead of 4 tables of young people sitting all over the dining hall, ONE group of twenty students from 13 – 17, pulling tables together and making a point of sitting with someone new next to them… without any prompting other than laying out the ideas and opening windows to see the world differently. It was a good day.
Around the world we cluster ourselves into various operating strata of community – small, medium and large. It’s one of the guiding principles of what makes Eastercamp work so well for youth communities of any size.
It’s a principle called Family : Village : Tribe based on the premise that civilisation (or insert suitable adjective) naturally organised itself into groups of 5-6 units, that are part of a slightly larger group of 20 – 25 units, which is part of a much larger collective of 150 units.
Example : Many cultures around the world organise their armies in formations as so.
Squad : 5 – 6 troops : Family : Small group or homegroup : Band Platoon : 20 – 25 troops is the ultimate : Village : Youth group : Labelmates Company : 150 troops : Tribe : Youth Community : Genre
Interesting reflections for business models, in regards to how we connect with other compatible businesses within the creative industry (film companies, printers, wed designers, artists, copywriters), and then within the broader context of our specialised sector.
Interesting reflections for youthworkers.
Who’s your family? The 5 – 6 youth leaders on your team. You work together, you rely on each other. You connect relationally, emotionally, spiritually to the same centre hearth, the same values and beliefs. You’re regularly together through stronger bonds than friendship. There’s trust, security, accountability, support, respect and reliance with one another. or The 5 – 6 local youth workers that you connect with on a regular basis, supporting one another and working together. There’s a sense of trust, security, accountability, support, respect and reliance with one another. You’re connecting with the same kids, the same places on a regular basis. You rely on one another. You bicker and squabble but always make up.
Do you regularly sit around the dining table with your family? This is a great practice to get into. How do you welcome new members of the family? Are there family rituals that you initiate? Family culture of how it is in your neighbourhood?
Who’s your village? The 20 – 25 youth workers in your town, the school counsellors, teachers and support staff. A range of denominations and values, different priorities and skills. Still, there’s a dependance on each other for connection and awareness. Things that are difficult with 5 – 6 are much more achievable with 20 – 25.
Do you recognise your village as a co-operative that must work together in order to survive? What do you have to offer your village, what does it have to offer you? Are there compatible and contrasting ministries that require ‘trade’ and communal benefit? Do you know what to do when someone new moves into the neighbourhood?
Who’s your tribe? The 150 or so youth workers that make up your regional or national “team”. The collective that is shaping the future leadership and direction of your denomination. The big picture thinkers that are devising strategy for the overall movement/goals. What does it mean to you to be part of your tribe? What are your defining characteristics?
Bigger Questions What role do you and/or your ministry play in your family, your village and your tribe?
What is your unique contribution in each of those places? Are you connected strongly in each of those areas? Which area needs work? What aspect of your full community life is functioning best – big picture or up close? Does up close need to change in order to reflect the dream of big picture or vice versa?
Tash McGill is a broadcaster, writer and strategist who works with people and organisations to solve problems and create transformation. She believes people are the most important thing and that stories are powerful ways of changing the world. You can find out more at tashmcgill.com or by visiting her LinkedIn profile.
