Developing Adult Volunteers for Youth Ministry

I wrote my senior paper on it. It was alot of work. I haven't read it since, and neither has anyone else, so I published it:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dgrh9s8b_47cv2gvphf

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Kum Bay Ya

Everything they said about us came true. At Taylor we Christian Educational Ministry majors caught a fair amount of friendly joking about our lives being all about asking people how they feel, the appropriate answer to 60% of questions being "Jesus", and the like. We took it in stride and returning the favor and calling business majors "the man" or thinking that they just loved money.

As I said, everything they said came true. During our time in Jamaica we worked for and with New Hope Moravian Church in Montego Bay. At the end of the week the youth from the church had us come over for some games, singing, dancing, and time together. At the end of the night we all held hands and prayed. As were praying we sang "Kum Bay Ya", which is a normal thing for the Jamaicans. It was for real, and great.

Yesterday I was teaching Sunday School and for the first time asked a question that's appropriate answer was "Jesus". It's happening.

Graduation Playlist- Beta 1

I made a fun playlist in light of graduation. Rules: had to be my music, no repeated artists.

1) "My Chains are Gone" by Chris Tomlin. I wouldn't resist the opportunity to laugh on the way home.

2) "Don't Come Around Here No More" by Tom Petty & the HBs. This is Taylor's song to me.

3) "Exodus" by Bob M and the Ws. Love me some Reggae. This was my nap CD freshman year, and the I am looking forward to the movement of Jah people.

4) "Fortunate Son" by CCR. Unlike The Dude, I still have my Creedence Tapes. Oh the Red Wide and Blue-- I ain't no senator's sawzall.

5) "Gone" by Montgomery Gentry. Whats in a name?

6) "Graduate" by Third Eye Blind. Because 6th grade wanted its song back.

7) "If You're Going Through Hell" By Rodney Atkins. This is for all those worn out juniors who will walk this lonesome valley next year.

8) "Into the Dark" by the Juliana Theory. For all of us who are unsure of the next steps.

9)"Me and Paul"by Willie Nelson. Its a song about learning from life, friends, and the cities of the nation.

10) "Run Like Hell" por Pink Floyd. 2 reasons: 1) the anti-school/social control theme of The Wall and 2) I left the first disc of the album in a middle-school classroom. Mrs. Boone if you read this, please send it to me.

11) "School's Out" by Alice Cooper. Any man named Alice who can make it in the rock world deserves some respect. Also, this list would be 67.923% incomplete without it.

12) "Self Americans" by Dogwood. Lots of talent going unheard from this band. See previous post for rationale.

Confession

I feel ripped off. By this Saturday at noon I will be a college graduate. It has taken four years for me to realize what that means. It means that I am more educated than 98% of the world. It means that I have enough debt to keep me and my future family in the the same system. It means that I am bound by privilege.

Here at Taylor I have been given a very good, Christ-centered education. My practicum for a degree in Christian Educational Ministries took me to Juarez, Mexico where I facilitated high school mission trips in basically a squatter colony. There I learned what it looked like to not have enough resources to feed your baby properly, and to watch across a fence as another bank building goes up, waving Old Glory. As those people shared Christ and many gifts with me, I felt like I learned much more about the reality of God during my first few weeks there then I did as I was writing research papers at length for my Bible or Christian Ed classes.

My frustration is not against Taylor, but that I feel trapped. It takes a lot of effort to break myself of consuming, wasting, entitlement, and just plain ignorance. Oversimplified but not nearly as expressive as it is within me it is this that I am frustrated at: It cost me over $100,000 to realize that I don't want this kind of life-- and I have to retain my privileged place in society just to pay (a good portion) of it back.

I hope that I can find someone who can show me what it truly means to become like Christ.

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What Do Meat and Sweatpants Have in Common?

Recently I have been experiencing a good amount of ennui (French for blaaaahhhh).  The winter has stretched on longer than it should, and with Carol away I have felt it colder than normal.

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The Lent season came, and passed.  I participated willingly, subscribing to a traditional discipline of no meat.  It helped me reflect on the life and passion of Christ, so it was worth it.

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However, my college years are within a few weeks of escaping me.  Its been a good ride here, but I am a little frustrated with it right now.  I am leaving with more questions than answers, and many more frustrations with myself and evangelical Christianity (one is always harsher with those things with which he/she identifies closely).   I have little left to give to my studies-- as I told Dauthan , my volition is wearing sweatpants. 

Last night my coPAs (RA) and I got together to discusses the game plan and pray about the rest of the semester.  As we prayed, there was a real moment of grace for all three of us.  

For me, I realized that I had sat through Easter service and had a big family dinner without realizing that the TOMB IS EMPTY.   Lent is over, yes, but the TOMB IS EMPTY.

The power that has risen Christ from the dead is at work within us!!!!