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October 31, 2004
Teenagers, the trouble with!
I've been asked several times to speak on "The trouble with teenagers!" and although I resent the title I welcome the opportunity to speak on the general subject. I have consistently argued that although adolescence will be stormy (you can't change from being a child to an adult without it being messy) the trouble stems more, in fact, from societal issues and not teenage ones.
A few years back I remember Hilary Clinton saying,
"Our lives are in a crisis of meaning, we don't know what they mean!"
That does not bode well for the next generation I think, struggling to find out who they are and where they fit. I therefore commend this quote to the blog-house:
"Like its politicians and its war, society has the teenagers it deserves"
Posted by ian at 12:34 AM | Comments (0)
October 30, 2004
Informal education
Like quite a few youth workers I didn't do that well in education, in fact I did quite badly. I have to take some of the responsibility for that, however experiences like your teacher calling you "McDafty" were not what you'd call Pupil focused, at least not in a positive sense.
I guess my own experiences of school are a huge motivator for me as an informal-educator, I love an approach that starts where young people are. One that doesn't rubbish them because they're not where tables and targets says they should be starting!
I love the fact that we get to recognise achievment based on knowing the young person, recognising individual achievment which may or may not be straight "A's" in exams. I love the fact that everyone is of unique value to God, that ministry starts from this premise. I love the fact that a lived out faith enables a person to grow and develop as a human person!
I was reflecting on all this as a result of some study time this week. As I'm studying at Ruskin College, I get a Readers card for the Bodleian Library, which is so unbelievably cool! (you'd have to see it to believe it).
So, there's me, the Pupil who was told, "you haven't got a snowballs chance in hell of passing Physics" (I concede, Dr Rowe, that you were in fact right) sitting at a desk in a worldwide epi-centre of learning, reading a book on Developmental Psychology ....... and even understanding it (mostly).
When I get my degree, I will be able to say a huge thank you to the youth leaders who started from where I was. I would also love to show my teachers and say, "You see, you never know!"
Posted by ian at 12:18 AM | Comments (0)
October 29, 2004
TGI Friday
Here's something that you can maybe use, it's a good intro into looking at how the Bible is made up of loads of books and authors. I warn you, it's quite annoying ..... there are 16 Bible books hidden in the text, some easy, some not. Have fun!
Came across this remarkable Bible book quiz while on holiday in Honalulu. Kept me looking so hard. The facts were that some answers were easy, others required some revelation. It causes quite a jam especially since the names of the books were not capitalized. But the truth will become apparent and the numbers add up. It's a real job and a most fascinating quiz.
Yes there will be some that are really easy to spot. Others may require judges to help them. I will quickly admit it usually takes a vicar to find one of them and will lead to loud lamentations when it is found. A little lady says she brews a cup of tea so she can concentrate better. See how well you can compete. Relax now, for there really are sixteen names of books of the Bible in this paragraph.
I've lost track of who the original author was and I've modified it some. If you know the source, let me know so I can credit it.
Posted by ian at 09:15 AM | Comments (0)
October 28, 2004
Synchronisity & the Lego gospel
How's this for a moment of Synchronisity, I open my e-mail and find Adventure Plus have asked me to do a morning on " An overview of the Bible" for their gap year squad. Whilst idly musing over how I could do this in an interesting and different way, I have a wonder around in Blogdom and find Sarah has put up a link to "The Brick Testament!"
Sorted ..... An overview of the Bible with Lego tableaus! Cool
You can check out Eutychus's reaction to Pauls preaching by clicking here!
You have to use this with a youth group!
Posted by ian at 05:05 PM | Comments (1)
Britney Spears
Sometimes some information arrives that I don't know what do with, in this case, I've decided to fling it into the Blogosphere. One of my Agents in Canada has
e-mailed me to let me know that a factoid in the Toronto Sun reveals that:
Presbyterians is an anagram of Britney Spears
Thought you should know Blog Buddies!
Posted by ian at 08:32 AM | Comments (1)
October 27, 2004
Fairly Cool
At the weekend I was briefly introduced to some young people with this line,
"Oh this is Ian from the Diocese, he's fairly cool!"
This left me wondering how I was to understand, "fairly cool?" Where on the subjective continuum from "tragically un-hip" to "Cooool" does it sit? Should I be pleased? Should I be discouraged? I have no pretensions about actually being Cool but maybe something along the lines of,
"hey this is Ian, he's not uncool!" (I like double negatives) may have been better!
I need some definitions here!
As ever I'm left with lots of questions:
What is the unit of coolness?
What is the universal standard of cool that is kept in Paris from which subsequent measurements are taken?
Is Coolness something which is important for a youthworker aged 37?
What is the entry level of coolness acceptable to a youthwork employer?
If being un-cool became the new cool, how cool would that be?
Yours fairly coolly
Youthblog
Posted by ian at 12:49 PM | Comments (2)
What age-group do you work with?
How old, if you see what I mean, are young-people? To whom (I hate using "whom" but, Sarah & Tessa, the grammar police will be on to me otherwise) is youth work aimed?
The Government currently think that they are 13-19 years old, however they also think that youth work is about working with young people in their "transition from dependence to independence." Does this mean that the government think that all 19 year olds are independent? Does it mean we should stop working with them at 19 because they ought to be? (perhaps I'm being a bit harsh because there is provision above 19 but the majority of funding is certainly 13-19). I've come across definitions of young people that go up to 21 and to 25, while in speaking to young people (always more pragmatic) they've said that it should be about need not age and recognise that not all young people are at the same stage at the same time! Seems sensible. Some of the most successful Faith based work I've seen has been about stage not age in terms of joining.
The lower age bracket becomes even more complicated. Churches that talk about "youth groups" are often referring to work with 11 plusses? Not to say that's not youth work and it does present interesting challenges, 12 year olds for example: The Girls look about 17 and the boys are often, very much still, boys. However I guess the Government class these as Children?
Now there's also the interesting sub-phenomena of "Tweenagers," this according to the Marketing people is the "stage between the childhood
and teenage years" (Mindbrand Market research). Talking to practitioners I reckon it's a combination of children's work and youth work skills that are needed with this age range. However what age range is that? Peter Brierley reckons 10-14, Martin Lindstrom reckons 8 -14's and Sutherland and Thompson concentrate on 9-11's! My own conclusion is that we are talking, mainly, about 9's -12's!
In many respects all of the above is just academic (although I find it interesting). Our youth work/ministry is about accompanying young people on the journey to adulthood in a way that is age appropriate and stage appropriate, chronology and maturation.
That doesn't really answer the question though, when people ask,
"What age-group do you work with?"
Posted by ian at 08:13 AM | Comments (3)
Adolescence today
Adolescents are not monsters. They are just people trying to learn how to make it among the adults in the world, who are probably not so sure themselves.
Virginia Satir
Posted by ian at 12:04 AM | Comments (0)
October 26, 2004
Sorry but can we talk about Christmas
Normally I wouldn't mention Christmas this early especially as I get REALLY WOUND up by all the Christmas stuff in the shops (it's been in since September this year, aaarrrggghhh) but this post from Ben is so exciting. Here's a Church stopping to ask the big questions, wrestle with them and try something new as a result. I love what they've come up with!
Posted by ian at 05:04 PM | Comments (0)
Youth Work Self Assesment
I didn't even know this resource was in the offing so I'm grateful to Lev for letting me know it was around. Elavu8 is a self assement tool for Christian Youth Work in a church or agency situation. The list of people who've put it together is impressive and I'll be ordering a copy to have a look! Watch this space.
Posted by ian at 02:14 PM | Comments (0)
October 25, 2004
Zoiks
The cinema is awash with adverts for Alien vs Predator but today's press is dealing with an even hotter battle, Scooby vs Bart. It's good to see that Scooby (for the moment) has won, having officially the most episodes of any cartoon! Not sure how much this is youth culture but I know that Scooby Doo matters deeply to Youth workers!
Posted by ian at 01:25 PM | Comments (0)
Youthblog .... the T shirt
As threatened, I invested some of the weekend in making youthblog the T shirt, modelled here by my daughter!
As is typical of me, I don't know when to stop, I was having such fun making the T shirts that I decided, Youthblog ... the boxer shorts would be a good idea!
Can't for the life of me work out why though?
Posted by ian at 08:39 AM | Comments (1)
October 24, 2004
Recipriversexclusions and the Preach
If you've read the Hitchikers Galaxy by Douglas Adams you'll be familiar with Bistromathics (you'll have to read it). Importantly within this field is the brilliant concept of the recipriversexclusion, this is "a number whose existence can only be defined as being anything other than itself"
There exists a similar but broader concept within Ministry too, whatever the details you have been told about the Speaking gig, it will ALWAYS differ in one important (but variable) area. The defining and detailing of the gig will automatically negate one section of the brief you have been given.
For example, from my own experience:
The last minute (forgot to inform you) venue change
The Youth Service with an average age of sixty plus
The wrong date
The "just say a few words" which turns out to mean they are expecting a twenty minute full-on sermon
The Massively prepared Sermon which was actually, we just want you to introduce yourself.
The, ooops run out of time, we'll need to to come back on another occasion.
A talk to our youth group ..... in fact the Sunday School and Toddlers
Now, I'm not moaning, it's all part of the fun once you know the unexpected will happen, It's good for both my prayer life and my humility.
Thought you'd enjoy this example of the phenomena from this morning though:
I glanced over my notes just before the readings, yep All prepared to speak on the topic I've been given from the readings I was e-mailed. Slightly nervous, but then I always am just before preaching. I listen to the readings to hear them one more time and earth them in my mind BUT it's not the readings I was told!!!!!! Quicly flick to the e-mail that's still on my PDA confirming that I have prepared on the passages that I was sent AND that the ones being read are not, in fact, them! I have less than a minute to pray, panic, think (not neccesarily in that order) before I have to speak.
First sermon I've started with the words, "Do you like surprises?"
I think I managed to pull a thread together from the new readings but it was a tough call.
Really great Church to be at though and my son didn't disrupt the sermon (maybe that would have been a good thing to buy me some thinking time). He did however get very excited about seeing the bell ringers who were ringing before the service and managed to trip into them! If you were wandering through Great Missenden this morning and wondered why the bells came to a discordant halt at 9:16 .... that's why, Sorry!
Posted by ian at 08:11 PM | Comments (1)
Ministry Risks
Off to Great Missenden to Preach! They've given me this as a title,
"Reading the Culture, Christianity for real teenagers" Should be fun (bizzarely however, I was told on Friday that, none of the teenagers will be in Church during the talk!)
What's the risk? Well, I'm taking my 9 year old son with me, he has an unusual but distinctive AND loud voice (he has Cerebral palsy). The last time I took him to a preaching gig he managed to reduce the whole Church to laughter by heckling from his wheel chair in the aisle with an immaculately timed, exasperated, "HURRY UP!" half way through the sermon!
I'm hoping that I've convinced him not to heckle, throw things or wheel himself out during this one! I'll let you know.
Posted by ian at 12:46 AM | Comments (1)
October 23, 2004
Youth work memories
Don't worry I'm not going off-on-one about eighteen years of working with young people ..... this is about memory in general and its relationship to Youth work.
I watched "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" this week. The film is a masterpiece, it's also disturbing, sad, funny and profound. I don't want to spoil it for you (stop reading here if you haven't seen it) but the idea of being able to erase something/someone from our memories is a fascinating one I think ..... and what that would then mean if we could. This led me to quite a bit of reflection about memory, both postive and negative.
I think Memory plays an important part in Youth work!
One of my philosophies when we're doing youth stuff is "memory making" the act of creating wonderful memories for the future, anything along the lines of "I can't believe we did that!" or "Hey, do you remember ..." I love that stuff, creating memories that are a fusion of fun, people, faith and life (one of the reasons I am such a fan of residentials).
But the flip side is working with young people to "own" stuff that has happened or mistakes they've made without these negative memories then restrictively shaping who they are and become. I find it incredible humbling when I'm listening to what some young people have been through and experienced, then even more so by their resilience.
"When your heart's beset by memories
You wish you'd never made"
Bruce Cockburn
I guess youth work is about helping young people to work through these things and move on, to recognise they still have choices. Youth ministry moves things up a gear, helping young people to experience/practice forgiveness and to discover that God can weave great stuff out of "memories we wish we'd never made (or had)". Exciting, though often painful stuff.
Creating and redeeming memories!
Worth remembering what a great ministry we're involved in eh?
Posted by ian at 07:39 AM | Comments (1)
A chilling thought
I remember hearing Elaine Storkey summarising a modern household as,
"a series of rooms leading off from the fridge"
Discuss ................
Posted by ian at 12:22 AM | Comments (1)
October 22, 2004
Fun Friday again
Ok here's a great game for youth groups and come to think of it, youth leaders. It's called Guggenheim and is a little bit similar to Scattergories but cheaper and more fun.
Everyone gets a grid as in the picture (click to enlarge). As a group you then decide what catergories are to go down the left hand side. Five letters are then given out for the top five boxes and you then have THREE minutes to come up with a category beginning with each of the letters, thus you try and fill each square with ONE appropriate answer. This may sound a bit lame at first but stick with me on this one. The THREE minute deadline is crucial as it adds a great dynamic and really hinders the thought process. The spice that then goes into the mix is the scoring system:
You get 1 point for an agreed correct answer
You get 1 bonus point if you get an answer no-one else has got
You get 1 bonus point per word for illiteration.
(For example: If the catergory was electrical items and the letter was "S:" ... If you wrote "Stereo" and someone else also had this you would score 1 point. If however no-one else had this it would then become 2 points. If however you had "Sony Surround Sound Stereo System" you'd still get the 2 points for a unique answer PLUS an extra 4 points for the additional aliteration .... making 6 points)
Trying to come up with high scoring words while under time presure is frustratingly difficult. From a youth work point of view this is a great game because of the discussion that ensues on what is, and isn't allowed! It gives the leader chance to affirm some really creative/unusual answers .... it also creates quite a lot of humour. The way that you lead will maximise the fun! We often pick a random page from a book and the first five letter word forms the letters for the top and that signals the start of the game!
So this is the offering for today AND if you have a spare 3 minutes, print off this example and have a go, BUT no cheating! (If you really get into it, e-mail me your answer sheet and I'll announce a winner on Monday) Download file
Posted by ian at 09:51 AM | Comments (0)
October 21, 2004
The Youth Manifesto
This document from the NYA is subtitled "A pocket guide for local and national politicians" but it's well worth a read for all youth workers as a synopsis of issues and responses. You can get one from here!
Posted by ian at 12:59 PM | Comments (0)
I couldn't possibly comment
Thanks to everyone who comments on Youthblog, I've loved the debate it has sparked and the way it has stretched/challenged my thinking. It's also fascinating to see that more people are coming across Youthblog, Hi to Dave Swain, todays addition. Only problem is that if people are on BLOGGER, I can't post unless they allow anonymous comment, I have to have a Blogger account to be able to do so. Arrrggghhhhh I'm gagged.
So, always happy to get comment but if you don't allow anonymous comment on your blog you can also e-mail so we can continue a discussion.
Posted by ian at 12:29 PM | Comments (0)
It's the wrong Shark!
I was out with one of the Lads I mentor last night and he really wanted to go to the cinema to see "Open Water!" I however, really didn't (not into frightening movies, especially for some reason, if they involve Sharks). There's quite a bit of stuff that I am challenging with him at the moment so decided that I'd leave the film debate for another time and we'd go anyway.
Great news though (well for me) "Open Water" has now finished and he elcted, to my surprise, to see "Sharks Tale!" (It was quite funny that I was going to be watching a film about Sharks anyway .... but one that I'd enjoy)
I'd write a description of the film but came across this one that I just can't better:
"The Sopranos meet Nemo in this underwater mafia tale in which a small bottom feeder fish poses as a shark slayer to gain sea cred."
I really liked the film. It wasn't groundbreaking in the way that Nemo or Shrek was, but good fun. It was maybe written a bit too much around the star voice-over cast, especially Will Smith, at the expense of story but the piscine interpretation of the stars was one of the things that was delightful. The Sharks as an Italian mob family worked really well and the exploration (at a very low-level) of coming to terms with one of the sons (or whatever the Shark equivalent is) being a Vegetarian could make for an interesting discussion.
Overall I reckon, highly enjoyable, well made with some superb animation, but not a Classic! You should see if though!
Posted by ian at 09:28 AM | Comments (0)
October 20, 2004
The Windsor Report
Have been wading through some analysis of the Windsor Report on the worldwide Anglican Communion, HEAVY going! Was therefore very glad to stumble across the Wibsites irreverantly brilliant summary of the report. Have a look!
Posted by ian at 10:10 AM | Comments (1)
October 19, 2004
The Heretical nature of Baseball Caps
Here's an interesting one! If you are a Church-based youth worker then the chances are that one of the youth group has been told off for wearing a baseball cap in Church, yes? If you are a male youth worker, the chances are you've been admonished too for this shocking act! (I have to confess my own guilt and subsequent chastisement!)
Now this is tricky stuff, trying not to get too wound up about it but still being able to say, "Woooa can we just unpack that a little please?"
I figure God doesn't need to see my hair, Mat 10:30 "Even the hairs on your head are counted" (forgive the anthropomorphising here)
We could argue a little bit about Pauls writing: 1Co 11:7a Men were created to be like God and to bring honour to God. This means that a man should not wear anything on his head" Is this to be taken as culture-specific or as non-time-bound? However, using this basis for rejecting cap wearing is negated by the fact that I've never had a female member of the youth group told off for not wearing a hat: 1Co 11:6 A woman should wear something on her head. It is a disgrace for a woman to shave her head or cut her hair. But if she refuses to wear something on her head, let her cut off her hair" So we'd have to argue for consistant exegesis here!
I know that some people would go down the Romans 10 route of not leading a weaker person astray but I can't see how this applies, even if the Church warden started wearing a baseball cap it would damage only their credibility, not their faith, surely?
I'd want to be pointing out to the self appointed cap police, what about:
1Sa 16:7b "because I [God] do not judge as people judge. They look at the outward appearance, but I look at the heart." and
"Do not judge others, and God will not judge you; do not condemn others, and God will not condemn you; forgive others, and God will forgive" Luke 6:37
But what do you think? I know Grace is the important principle and having respect for the established Church community, but where do we draw a line in the sand? How much of Churchianity that alienates young people and gives a pretty strange image of God, i.e a Diety who can't cope with Baseball caps, do we let go by?
If you've got this sussed, well ....... I take my hat off to you!
Comments welcomed.
Posted by ian at 03:40 PM | Comments (5)
Youthwork the Conference
Talking of training, see previous post, I thought I'd mention Youthwork the conference which is happening in November (12th - 14th) in Southport. I'll be going for the Friday and the Saturday and am looking forward to catching up with fellow youth-leaders, youth-workers & youth-ministers. It'll also be great to hook up with some people I only know through the blogosphere, either as bloggers or people who leave comments on the blog. Only problem is trying to work out how to recognise people? I really wanted to chat to Lev at the Blah day but never managed to work out who he was!
So .................. I've decided to make (drum roll please!)
YOUTHBLOG: the T Shirt
Hopefully this blattantly obvious piece of self-publicity will help me to be found by folk whom I've only virtually met so far!
If you're going to be there, let me know!
Posted by ian at 07:30 AM | Comments (3)
October 18, 2004
I didn't know that
"as we know there are known knowns, things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say there are somethings we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns-the ones we don't know we don't know"
Great Quote from Donald Rumsfelt even if it was a slightly evasive answer to the WMD question. I love the idea of stuff that we not only don't know but may not know that we don't.
I'm passionate about training 'cos I love finding out/experiencing stuff and then seeing the difference it makes to my youth work/ministry. Training also has the enormous benefit of getting us talking and listening to other leaders. It's tough getting to training though, especially if you're a volunteer but the results are dynamite!
Bloggable bit is this though: In the U.K training is becoming so much more accesible and there's some really good stuff happening. Check out Engage, Energize and Spectrum which are all excellent. On a more local level, if you happen to be in Oxfordshire, Bucks or Berks check out the Diocesan Youth Pages!
There's a lot going on eh? (I didn't know that!)
Posted by ian at 11:50 AM | Comments (0)
October 17, 2004
Food for thought
"The young, with their strong loathing for the unauthentic, quickly
detect any dichotomy between the church and its founder!"
John Stott
Posted by ian at 11:03 PM | Comments (0)
October 16, 2004
Insecurity and the hit counter
You may have noticed that there is now a hit-counter on the site recording the number of unique hits that I get. I feel like an author waiting to see if their book is a best-seller or whether it'll be in the reduced price basket of naff books at the front of the bookshop with other discarded titles like "The Life of Warts," "Yoga for goldfish" and "Canal adventures in Shropshire!"
My lofty aims are for Youthblog to promote debate about youth ministry, to encourage people involved in volunteer leadership, to meet other practicioners, to be a bridge between youth ministry and emerging Church, and to celebrate the humour of Life, youthwork and faith.
My insecurity says I'm babbling into the Ether.
And my hit-counter says ....... well we'll see won't we!
Posted by ian at 09:25 PM | Comments (0)
Some Stats for you!
Hey do I know how to enjoy weekends or what? I've just been reading "Young People in Britian: The Attitude and Experiences of 12-19 year olds" Report from the National Centre for Social Research. Well, having incurred the collective wrath of my communal office colleagues by printing off all 129 pages of it, I thought I'd better read it!
There's a load of stuff I could bore you with but this are the Stats that I thought were bloggable: In 1994 55% of 12-19's said they had no religious allegence while these 2004 figures are now showing 65%. In 1994, 36% described themselves, however loosely, as Christian, that figure is now 27%.
Higher than I would have expected but not encouraging eh ... particularly that drop in 10 years.
Thankfully I come across Churches a lot more rarely now that believe that people will wander back to Church eventually. In that context the iGeneration survey from the Times of 18-30 year olds is interesting. It found that well over 50% of this group had not been to a religious Service, outside of Hatch, Match and Dispatch, since Childhood.
Now there's a mission imperative!
Posted by ian at 06:19 PM | Comments (1)
October 15, 2004
A bit of Friday Fun
Anyone who has ever been on a minibus journey with a youth group knows that there's some stuff that is inevitable, for example, the coke bottle that gets opened and the froth goes everywhere, the blokes and the lasses arguing over what type of music should be on the stereo, the one window that won't open/close properly (depending on the Season) and then there's the games that get invented....
One of the one's that's good for a few miles (and I throw it open to you my blogging Bretherin and Sisterin) is Song titles where the word "Love" can meaningfully be replaced by the word "Lunch"
My offerings
You Can't Hurry Lunch by Dianna Ross
I want your lunch by Transvision Vamp
Lunch will tear us apart by Joy Division
Lunch Divine, All Lunch excelling by Charles Wesley
Your turn:
Posted by ian at 08:10 AM | Comments (7)
October 14, 2004
So why should Churches engage with young people?
Having done some thinking and reading these are the reasons I shall be proclaiming from my Soap Box:- It's Fun
- It's Biblical (e.g Psalm 78)
- There a lot we can learn from young people
- Youth Ministry shapes next generation of leaders/ministers
- Working with young people gives us warning of changes that will impact the whole culture
- There's a huge need
- Churches that have services that are genuinely led/planned by young people are having some success with Gen Xers.
Posted by ian at 04:34 PM | Comments (2)
October 13, 2004
Sk8r Boi wears " L " PL8s
The Youth group bought me a Skateboard for my 34th Birthday and although I'm perhaps a bit of a late starter, it's great fun. (The group allowed me to use my board but firmly drew the line at me wearing a Bandana!)
Three years on, I've got the hang of it as a means of transport and have been known to use it to truck into Oxford (from the office). However the whole tricks thing evades me completely and I remain unable to pull off even an Ollie.
Bloggable bit is this though: Was at the skateboard ramps at the weekend and getting an impromptu masterclass from some of the local teens. If you've not tried the ramps you're going to have to take my word for the fact it is REALLY difficult. As you travel up the ramp your weight is kicked backwards and unless you are progressively and dramatically moving your weight forward you and the board part company and it hurts A LOT! Awesome to watch the guys doing some high level practical physics to stay in control of the board. I now know what not to do but am incapable of doing what I need to do (I have the bruises to prove it). As for then going back down the ramp the other way round, unbelievable! Skaters may get a bad press but boy do they do some amazing stuff.
I love working in the sphere of youth work and the practice of informal education. Using what you don't know as a starting point is enormously liberating, great fun and an eye opener, if a little bruising in this instance.
Posted by ian at 11:19 AM | Comments (2)
October 12, 2004
In an ideal world!
So far I've resisted writing about my family (1 wife and 3 children) and have confined posts largely to ministry, faith, young people and youth work. Blogs, however, do reveal quite a lot about the writer and I reckon occasional glimpses into the bloghouse are permissable!
So let me tell you a story from this evening:
I went upstairs to say Goodnight to my seven year old daughter and couldn't help noticing that her room was as badly untidy as mine used to be when I was a kid! Being a responsible parent I decided that I needed to explore (constructively) with her, the need to tidy up. I chose as my focus the dirty wellington boots visible in the general chaos.
"in an ideal world," I said, "would Wellies be in the bedroom?"
to which the retort immediately came,
"in an ideal world, Daddy, there would be no wellies!"
No answer to that really and I was left to walk back down the stairs laughing heartily and knowing that the room tidying conversation had been deftly postponed.
Posted by ian at 08:24 PM | Comments (0)
But I regress!
My ticket to Blogsville is no longer First Class! Gio internet have been so poor as an ISP that I've dropped them and am now have to wait seven days before I can broadband (can this be a verb?) once more. So in the meantime I am back on modem dial-up ........... please bear with me as
things
may
be ... just
a ... little ... bit ... slower!
Posted by ian at 12:57 PM | Comments (0)
October 11, 2004
Truman Burbank
Just seen the "Truman show" on DVD having somehow missed it back in the 90's! I thought it was great and I loved the plot, Truman Burbank growing up in "Seahaven" and being unaware that it is, in fact, a gigantic purpose built set, filmed by 5000 cameras, where only he is himself in this "reality" TV soap of epic proportions!
It's a fascinating piece of satire asking, how far will TV go? Not this far yet? thankfully!
(Interestingly though, another piece of satire of TV, Ben Elton's brilliant book, "Dead Famous" exploring reality TV in a Big-brotheresque set-up, satirised and pushed the levels of media manipulation, only for the next series to live down, in many respects, to Elton's satirisation.)
Youthbloggable bit: Early on there's a clip where a spotlight falls out of the perfect blue sky starting Truman on a journey of discovery about the unreality of his environment. Will definitely be using this clip in discussions about recognising that there's more to the world than what we see!
Posted by ian at 07:49 PM | Comments (2)
October 09, 2004
Mainstream Denominations
Mainstream Denominations begin talks with Missional/Emerging Church!
Posted by ian at 02:29 PM | Comments (0)
October 08, 2004
I have a Cunning Plan
"so cunning you'd could sharpen it and call it a pencil!"
One of my regular ministry tub-thumping pontifications is how we need to get Church more involved in young people and young people more involved in Church! The cunning plan involves the latter and it's an idea I've nicked from the Conservative party conference (can this get any more bizzare?)
I was encouraged and surprised to read this week that a 17 year old, Jessica Lever, would be addressing the Conservative Party Conference! ("encouraged" not because I believe in Conservatives, but because I believe in young people!). Anyhow, it wasn't just me that was surprised, so were the conference organisers who knew nothing about it apparently. But there's nothing like press-coverage to make something happen! So, speak she did!
It looks like her publicist, Jonathan Shalit, may (can I still be sued if I use the word "may?") have informed the press that she was going to be speaking, when she, in fact, wasn't. The press interest then meant that a slot was found and the wasn't became a was!
Anyway ... here's the plan. As a nation we seem to have lots of special interest groups declaring, "Gall Bladder week" and "Talk like a Pirate Day," (I kid you not) and so there would be nothing to stop me arranging for a Sunday in March to be "Young People talk Church day" Then the icing on the cake would be to inform the press that in every Anglican Church a young person would be preaching! Genius eh? Suddenly Churches would be looking for teenagers to deliver on the inevitable press interest. (And before you say, but that's lying .... it's more of a terminological inexactitude that would, actually, become true!)
So votes please for Young People talk Church day!
Posted by ian at 06:41 PM | Comments (5)
October 07, 2004
Amen to that!
Just reading "Youthful Spirit" (Ward and Urwin) and it contains this quote from the Anglican Church in part of a resolution at the Lambeth conference 1998.
The Lambeth conference: "recognises and celebrates the dynamic work of God among young people, and their infinite value in the human family. They are for us in the Church, as they were for Jesus, signs of the Kingdom of God among us. Their presence and ministry in the church is essential for the whole family to be complete."
If something is essential, that's quite a mandate for action! isn't it!?
Posted by ian at 04:38 PM | Comments (1)
October 06, 2004
The Persecuted Church
One of the coolest sessions we had with our youth group was "The Secret Meeting!" Looking at what it's like to be in a country where you are persecuted for your faith.
We created a scenario for the youth group where the U.K was now a police state and Christianity outlawed with severe reprisals and punishments for people who still practiced their faith! The challenge that was then given them was that in two weeks time they had to meet secretly, travelling there independently, as the persecuted Church. There was a geographical boundary agreed (and other Health and Safety stuff) but essentially it was down to them to put together a meeting that would have Prayer, worship, Bible study and notices (obviously!).
As soon as the briefing finished, the group was told: The scenario starts now, "TRUST NO-ONE"
The leaders and I had rather a fun two weeks electronically bugging their discussions, recruiting parents as informers building the secret police and even sending e-mails (with virtually cloned addresses) to illicit information.
By the day of the "game" there was a good level of paranoia! We only managed to arrest one member on the way to the meeting but managed to find the venue once the meeting had started. (I love the initiative and energy of teenagers, they'd managed to blag a conference room at the local hospital). After some lengthy discussions I think we agreed it was a draw!
Really good session afterwards on the Persecuted Church, even experiencing a pseudo-glimpse of the reality brought the subject home. It was also incredibly humbling to consider what some people endure for their faith and astounding to think that the Chinese Church not only survived but grew enormously under severe persecution.
Posted by ian at 03:49 PM | Comments (2)
October 05, 2004
You don't need to know anything!
A few years ago I was away with the Youth group at Soul Survivor and there were a bunch of us chilling and chatting at the tents. Someone had picked up a magazine aimed at youthworkers and was asking me about the various training courses that were being advertised.
One of the teenagers, Mark, suddenly caught the drift of the conversation and with absolute incredulity said,
"You don't have to KNOW ANYTHING to be a youth worker!"This made me laugh, I wonder how many other people believe that?
Anyway, I'm back to college today for the second year of my JNC, learning loads of Youthwork stuff! It's fun to be studying again. I've done lots of training over the years and learnt wherever opportunity was available, however I'd never had chance to do the formal JNC qualification. The National Youth Agency does not recognise any prior learning so it's a case of starting from scratch, mostly fun but frustrating at times. I'm studying with a fantastic bunch of youth workers at Ruskin college in Oxford and the cartoon below (thanks Dave ) is very pertinent to me sitting through a three hour class!
Posted by ian at 07:33 AM | Comments (0)
October 04, 2004
Mondays and Mission Mindsets
Well it's been a great Monday. Jumped on a train up to London (actually geographically it was sideways (east) but for some reason "up" is the usual prepositon for London, why is that?) then had a great cycle to the "Shaping of things to come" training day! (Cycling across London was, as ever, kind of exhilarating and scary but ultimately fun!)
Anyway, this blah day on Innovation and Mission for the 21st Century Church was great. The theological and strategic input from Alan Hirsch and Michael Frost was brilliant and I've come away challenged but more encouraged than I've been about Church for a while.
The outline of the problems of Christen-dom era Church thinking was fair and accurate I thought.
The strategic and theological look at the how and why of missional church was the truly great bit, as was seeing that is really making an impact. Si manged to find Wi-fi from somewhere and post notes during the day, he'll give you the framework of Michaels talk (Presence by the way was the practicing the presence of Christ). Alan's talk was more complicated but the thing that really struck me was the call for Christology to impact and shape our missiology which then impacts and shapes out ecclesiology. (Our understanding of Jesus shapes our mission and that shapes our understanding and practice of Church), rather than our ecclesiology being the thing that shapes everything.
The Times asked the question, "Is the Church of England boring?" How can Church connected to Jesus and with a mission imperative be boring? If it is ....... there's some BIG questions to be asked!
Posted by ian at 09:17 PM | Comments (1)
October 03, 2004
The Blog Roll
Made it into my third month of Youthblog and am loving it, I've had chats with some really awesome people through the site and learnt a whole bunch of stuff. I was gobsmacked when someone showed me my blog on google. Great to be coming across other people who are passionate about Life and faith. Moveable Type 3.1 is proving very complicated is some areas and despite the help of the very cool, Phil the Web-master, I can't get a left hand column for links, blogs etc and am having to work on a link page instead.
In the meantime, here's a bit of a blog-roll
Obviously I read Jonny Baker (the spiritual father of the christian blogosphere) and he gave me some useful tips (thanks). My small boat is an awesome daily quote/poem, Cris unearths some great stuff. Deep Thought from Dr S is youthwork and life viewed through the eyes of a PhD Latin professor and coffee junkie. They will know us by our T shirts is posted by a guy who works in a christian book shop and vents his despair & frustration at the "Jesus-Junk" he has to sell. On a missional and emerging church theme then Tall Skinny Kiwi is great, as is Mission Think! And as ever the wibsite where the profound meets the absurd is a must and their (award winning!) Dullest Blog in the World is ....... well you'll have to read it!
Posted by ian at 07:54 AM | Comments (2)
October 02, 2004
Atkins Diet gone mad
Someone very kindly bought me a present today (thanks Anne) of the 
"Summon's Christian Miscellany!" Blatantly a rip of of Schott's Miscellany but nevertheless quite good fun. However on page 67 it has the list of the
"I am" sayings of Jesus from John's gospel but it misses out "I am the bread of life"
Is this a low-carb approach to Christianity, is this a spiritual Atkins? No idea but I think John 6:35 & :48 should be allowed back in.
Posted by ian at 01:59 AM | Comments (0)
October 01, 2004
Disability Discrimination: Has nothing happened?
Today is a hugely important day but you wouldn't know it from the National Press. The first of October sees the final part of the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act come into force and The Times doesn't even mention it! The legal side is that Businesses, shops, churches and youth groups need to be accesible and "reasonable adjustment" needs to be made in order to make your "service" available to people with a disability.
But what it really means is an improved quality of life and access for a huge sector of society .... including thousands of young people.
I was expecting some celebration, some stories of us becoming a more inclusive and welcoming society, a bit of a party! So, as a Christian and as me, I want to say Hooray for today and recognise the equal value of all human beings!
So it's over to you my youth ministry comrades, listen to some stories, tell some stories, enable some voices to be heard.
Posted by ian at 10:07 AM | Comments (0)