Miracles

Here's this week's Bible study blog entry for i.ucc:

This week I’ve been reading the book: Signs and Wonders: Why Pentecostalism is the World’s Fastest Growing Faith. It wasn’t the first book on my “I really have to read this” list. But how does one not notice 1) The UCC’s Greg Brekke just reviewed the book. 2) The link to the review has prominent placement on the UCC website and 3) Much loved theologian Martin Marty wrote the introduction and 4) This Sunday is Pentecost and I’m wondering how this week’s sermon will take shape.

Some would say, “All this happening at the same time is evidence of one of God’s miracles.” Others would say “The marketing people have done their job well. You bought the book right?”
Yes. I bought the book. But I haven’t yet finished it.

So far I see an author, from the inside of Pentecostalism – and who is both a believer and a skeptic, exploring the appeal of this Christian movement. It’s a movement that has it’s roots right in this week’s Pentecost Bible reading from Acts 2:1-21.

Miracles, and the telling the story of miracles that have happened, are important in Pentecostalism. They are part of, it not the main source of, the attraction of the movement. (I can’t speak with certainty about what the author, Paul Alexander, will say, since I haven’t finished the book.)

But I would like to pose a couple of questions as they relate to the book and to this week’s reading.

• What stories do you share about miracles?
• What emotions does the term, “Pentecostal” bring up in you?
• What’s your experience of Pentecost?

Soul School Review

Here's a book review I wrote for Soul School by Jeanne Stevens. Ymexchange.com published it today.

Review: Soul School by Jeanne Stevens
By Kirk Moore

Youthworkers often have a reputation of being tireless, resilient and somewhat headstrong. I think it can also be said that youthworkers spend so much time and energy helping others grow in their faith that they neglect caring for their own souls. Veteran youthworker Jeanne Stevens feels the same way. In her book, Soul School: Enrolling in a Soulful Lifestyle for Youth Ministry, she writes from her perspective as a youth leader who has experienced the ups and downs of ministry and who has also had her share of successes and failures.
Soul School is an invitation for youthworkers to step away from outward comparisons and unrealistic expectations and instead live life authentically seeking and experiencing God’s presence. Each chapter focuses on a different area of soul enrichment. Additionally, each chapter finishes with a ‘workbook’ area for contemplating and to writing reactions to the chapter as well as setting goals for soul enrichment.
Chapter highlights:

• The Unforced Rhythms of Grace – "Too many youthworkers are afraid to admit they’re tired" (p.39) "God is the one who fills our tanks." (p. 41)
• Hello, My Real Name Is . . . – "We are God’s children, we always have been his children, and we always will be his children." (p. 84)
• The Miraculous Middle – "I am still amazed that in Jesus we can be both broken and whole." (p. 99) If there’s a quote that sums up this book – this is it.
• The Freedom of Forgiveness – "I was surprised by what happened to me when I began to embrace my capacity for being wrong." (p. 110)
  

I think the best students for Soul School are Youth leaders who are open to an ongoing soul-renovating experience. Some chapters will be much more engaging than others for different youth workers, but the same book read at different life seasons will likely challenge the reader in very different ways. I found myself deeply engaged by about 4 of the book’s 10+ chapters. I think all of the chapters would have engaged me had there been more first-person experiences in addition to Jeanne’s personal and third-person experiences. Soul School is a helpful, if not necessary, resource for youthworkers on a continuing journey of faith.


And wouldn't you know it . . . Soul School is on sale this week at youthspecialties.com!

God is not great

I just finished listening to Christopher Hitchens' book, God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. (I spend about an hour a day in the car -- so why not listen?) Hitchens' book is a brilliant and scathing indictment of the behaviour and background of religious bodies all over the world. And in this recruiting tool for those who are considering atheism, I believe he has a point. People have behaved horrendously in the name of religion.

I found the book fascinating and engaging. However, Mr. Hitchens has not convinced me to abandon my faith in God. I don't expect that I'd convince him to give up his atheism, either. While I was listening to the book, nevertheless, I found something we agree on. Mr. Hitchens quoted Philippians 4:8 (He recited it at a funeral)

Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

I'd love to have a conversation with Mr. Hitchens -- not for either of us to convince one another in any way about faith or atheism, but instead to look for whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, pleasing and commendable. I think we have and would continue to find common ground with which to be friends.

Bridge to Terabithia

Yesterday I took my youngest (9) to see this movie. I had no idea about any background for it or even what it was about. The previews looked fascinating, it had the Yahoo Movie Mom "Family movie" recommendation and my son wanted to see it. On top of that, Cassie was having a bead party at our house and the older children were on a ski trip. It was good for us to get together and to go out.

I wouldn't call "Bridge to Terabithia" a great film. The story seemed to lose it's flow too often.(I'm guessing the adaptation from a book to a film and the necessary edits to make it into something that will keep the audience's interest had much to do with that) However, it is a movie I really felt. I felt happy when it was happy, upset when it was upsetting and I cried (real tears -- not just a lump in my throat) when it was sad. (And the sadness was excruciating!)

I did a little checking into the background after seeing this film. Suffice it to say that I'm going to read the book to find out the rest of the story.
So, even though it isn't wonderful in terms of filmmaking, the story is compelling and really worth seeing. I do highly recommend this film. I think after I finish reading it, I'll recommend the book even more.

Imaginative Prayer for Youth Ministry

I finished another book while on the plane home from vacation. (I didn't get to fully experience it, as I need more time to do that, but I did get to read it all) Jeannie Oestreicher and Larry Warner's new book, Imaginative Prayer for Youth Ministry, is refreshing, spirit-filling, and soul-grabbing. It's a perfect next book to read after experiencing Mark Yaconelli's Contemplative Youth Ministry. (Which is the perfect book to read after Christian Smith's Soul Searching.)
Imaginative Prayer lead me on a journey into a greater appreciation of silence and relaxation. It invited me to continue to put down pre-conceived notions of how God's presence can be experienced and it made me want to tell you to get it and read it!
The "book" part of Imaginative Prayer is pretty short -- less than 80 pages, and then the book rolls into several (more than 50) imaginative prayer exercises. It is full of explanations about what imaginative prayer is -- and isn't.
If you've experienced Lectio Divina, a prayer labyrinth or any kind of contemplative prayer before, I think you'll love this one. If, however, contemplative prayer scares you or weirds you out, walk slowly through this one. There are plenty of chances to put the book down or away if you get uncomfortable. (Or maybe even put it in the freezer.) At any rate, I recommend this book.
I wonder what the next "companion book" to this series will be.

(This is the book I selected when I won the "Caption the Photo" contest last month)

Buddy Dive – 4

Matthew, Cassie and I took a dive this morning. (with JP—a dive instructor. Matthew isn’t certified but can dive with an instructor) We saw a small boat wreck, (it’s been there for a long time) eels, a French angelfish, a queen angelfish, a huge tarpon (5-6 feet long -- we call it “Charlie”) and a very well concealed octopus. (It pretty much looked like a ripple in a piece of hard coral.
I finished reading Doug Pagitt’s book, Preaching Reimagined, today. I like the approach this book takes. I read lots of little pieces of Doug’s opinions on ways to make preaching more “progressional” and also many descriptions of experiences he’s had. I felt free to agree or disagree with any part of the book. I think books like this one afford the reader great opportunity to engage what’s going on without feeling like they are reading a “Do this and you’ll be successful” book. This one is a great read.

And now . . . at last . . . an afternoon simply resting.
Squrrelfish are my favorites


"Charlie" the 5-6 food Tarpon

Blood Flow

Yesterday I finally finished the blood chapter in Gross Theology. And then I started with the blister chapter. At first I was going with the "Play with fire -- get burned" direction, but then I changed my mind and am now working on a "blisters are the result of hard work" or "walk a mile in someone else's shoes and you'll probably get blisters" direction. I'll work on that one more today.

I had a short interview for another newspaper -- this one should be in on Saturday -- the other one runs tomorrow, I think.


And I'm also dangerously close to being finished reading Soul Searching.

3 days left . . .