Conversations
July 1, 1996
What kids want to talk about
Group magazine asked Christian teenagers, "What do you wish your youth
leaders would ask you?" Their top 5 responses:
- What ideas do you have for youth group activities?
- Why did/do you come to youth group?
- How's your relationship with Christ? How can I help?
- How's your family life?
- How do you feel about more teenagers having sex these days?
Violent schedules
Recently a friend e-mailed this bracing reminder from Thomas Merton:
To allow one's self to be carried away
by a multitude of conflicting concerns,
To surrender to too many demands,
To commit one's self to too many projects,
To want to help everyone in everything,
Is to succumb to violence.
Frenzy destroys our inner
capacity for peace.
It destroys the fruitfulness
of our work
because it kills the root of inner wisdom
which makes work fruitful. Health checkup
How can you tell if your church is healthy?
Stephen Macchia, president of the Evangelistic Association of New England,
worked with colleagues to develop 10 telltale signs.
"A healthy church is prayerful in all of the following aspects of church
life and ministry, is reliant upon God's power and the authority of his Word,
and values . . .
1. God-exalting worship.
2. God's empowering presence.
3. An outward focus.
4. Servant-leadership development.
5. Commitment to loving/caring relationships.
6. Learning and growing in community.
7. Personal disciplines.
8. Stewardship and generosity.
9. Wise administration and accountability.
10. Networking with the regional church. Ministry's double bind
In some church circles, there's an odd logic at work:
If the ministry is going well, we say, "God is blessing." ...
With that system, we can never take credit, only blame.
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