What's Playing...

Here are a few tunes that I've been enjoying lately.

What are you listening to these days?

Questions About Resignation...

Here are a few of the FAQ's that have been asked since my resignation was made public:

How long have you known?

This is not a decision made overnight and it's been in the works for some time.  But I can say that we committed to it on October 29th. My lead and exec pastors were informed after a staff meeting on November 1st. The rest of the pastoral team found out 2 days later. And then it was all a matter of timing about when the news went public on a bigger scale.

Why February 15th?
There's a few reasons for this. First, it will mark 6 years for me here at Sevenoaks.Second, who wants to be saying a bunch of goodbyes during the Christmas season? Nobody. It will give us lots of time once the Christmas season is over to say goodbye and to make sure we have everything in place for our students & leaders before we leave.

Will you reconsider or change your mind?

I'm amazed how many people wonder if we will change our mind. I'll take it as a compliment. But no, we're not looking at changing our mind on this one. Six figures might get us to consider it though. Just kidding! (Or am I?)

(I hope it's not too soon to joke a little about this...)

What will you do next?

I'm not 100% sure, which is a little frightening. I have a packet full of MDiv details to wade through this week.  Maybe that. Or maybe start looking for a new ministry position. I did hear of an opening in Hawaii...

Will you still be a youth pastor?

I don't know. This is one of the questions I have about my own ministry fit.  I've been working full time with students for almost 11 years. I have not just enjoyed it, I have loved it. I could probably do it again. But I'm not convinced that God isn't going to lead me to do something else. Why?  Youth ministry is safe for me. I know how to "do the job" and I have been led to believe that I can do a good job at it. But I also feel God may want me to take on something else so that He can continue to shape me and so that I can increase my ability to trust Him and rely on Him. This is something where I feel I need to at least ask some of the big questions before I jump straight into a new youth ministry position. That said, if God says to keep working with students, I will.

Are you moving?

Most likely.  We're just not sure when. Our house is up for sale, but believe it or not that is currently unrelated to our resignation. For now, even if the house sells, our plan is to remain in Abbotsford for the remainder of the school year as Erin and the kids need to finish out the school year. Where we end up after that is a complete unknown.

Will you still attend church here?

As of Feb 15 we will be taking some time off. I feel it is important, as much for me as for everyone else, to create some space. We don't expect to be strangers though. Our hope is to be able to visit in the future!  And the loving and affirming responses we are receiving from everyone lead us to believe this won't e a problem.


Will the church hire a replacement?
That will be a decision that is up to the board of elders. I would guess that they would probably try to hire someone at some point. But your guess is as good as mine as to when or how that will happen. 




If you have another question, fire away and I will try to answer it if I can.

Tune-age Tuesday...

What are you listening to these days?

Dating Advice...

We're in a month long teaching series called "Flirt" (totally stole the title from Brian Berry, so props to him & his crew!) for our students about sex, sexuality, dating & relationships. I had some fun with our high schoolers last night as we talked about dating.

I came up with a fun (yet practical) list of 10 Rules For Saving Your Dating Life that set the stage for our actual healthy dating advice.

I did not expect the major push back on the McDonald's and rollerskating date. I added it because I once had a date at McD's who refused to eat. And then on another night I went rollerskating with our youth group and she wouldn't skate with me during couples skate. I figured it was a bad date idea. Maybe it was just me?

What we actually settled down on for healthy dating advice was this:

• Be INTENTIONAL instead of RECREATIONAL - Who am I dating? What are they about? What do they believe? Why are we dating? What are we doing on the date?
  
• Be RELATIONAL instead of PHYSICAL - Recognizing that it's easier to be physical than relational, what boundaries do I have? Where will I be tempted?
  
• Be CHRIST focused instead of SELF focused - What if I was willing to pray about my date and for my date?
  

I'll admit that this series is pushing my creativity. The easy thing is to just tell them what not to do. But they've mostly heard it all before and I don't think that really helps them. I'm trying to encourage them to use their brains and think about what they are doing. I'm trying to get them to ask themselves lots of questions.

If you had some advice about dating for high schoolers, what would it be?

I beg your pardon...

When did playing soccer become so ruddy expensive?!?!

Aidan officially enters the U11 program next year which takes youth soccer to another level. Today was his first "try out" where they get the boys together and see where there skill level is at. Ultimately the idea is that they pick 24-36 boys to form the Select teams. The remaining players, or the players that don't choose Select got into house league, which is basically just "rec" soccer.

Aidan's already signed up for fall, which means he'll at least play rec, so this is just to determine whether he wants to, or has the skills, to play Select level. (I may be biased, but I have no doubt that he has the skills. He's got a knack for putting the ball in the net and he's got a great set of wheels on him. He doesn't have the load of tricks in his pocket that some of the hardcore kids seem to have, but he doesn't seem to need them.)

Today we show up in the pouring rain to the first of three tryouts and discover that should he make the team it's going to cost an extra $400 for the program! $400? Yes, that's on top of what we already dished out to register him!

Uh...what the what?!?! We're talking youth soccer right?

On the plus side, after the tryout today they told all the kids that they had "made the team" (it was a small group, so I'm not entirely surprised). I'm proud of him, but I just joked that he might need to start working part time to pay for it!

Apparently if he gets selected by the Whitecaps residency program in the next few years they will start covering those costs.

The things we'll do...or pay...for something we love.

In our house it's soccer. What's it in your house?

What I do all day (part 3)...

I get a chuckle out of my students when it finally registers that I work at the church and that I'm here more than just the two nights a week that they might see me. And it's almost always followed by, "What do you do all day?"

Well, in the midst of emails, teaching prep, organizing events, Facebook (yes, it's a ministry tool!), filling out references, studying, meeting with students & leaders, picking out music for worship, cleaning up pens taped to my floor, and anything else I missed, I have few meetings that I need to be at each week.

Weekly Meetings:

• Monday Leadership - I meet with a few other pastors each Monday to watch a leadership related video or listen to a podcast. That's followed by some healthy discussion on what we're learning, how we need to improve, and how any of what we heard fits with our current ministries.
• Monday Youth Leadership - This is the newest addition, but I get together with 2 of my youth leaders who help with the teaching and we go over our upcoming teaching series, discuss the calendar and basically talk youth stuff.
• Tuesday Staff Coffee - The entire church staff hangs out and eats snacks. We all take a turn bringing something in (usually cinnamon buns from me). And every other week we end the time praying together.
• Tuesday Pastoral Staff Meeting - This is the big one. 2.5 hours of discussion about everything church related. We evaluate the past services, we look ahead to the next ones, we plan preaching schedules, we talk about door stops, we have animated conversations, we joke, we dream, we pray. We cover a lot of ground. And we're changing the loaction starting this week and I'm looking forward to that!
  
• Wednesday Youth Worship Practice - A weekly opportunity to work with the students on music as we try to prepare them to lead in upcoming Sunday services as well as just give them a place to grow in their musical abilities. Autotune made an appearance at the last one which was good for some laughs.
  
• Thursday Stand Up - We used to actually stand up at this meeting so we could keep it short. But then we added a few more elements to it, started sitting down and never changed the name. This is basically a last chance for us to go over things for the upcoming Sunday and make sure everything is in place. Songs, timing, lighting, people, announcements. We end it with some prayer time for each other and the church.

Occasional Meetings

• Board Meeting - Once a month the pastoral staff is invited to join the Board of Elders at their monthly meeting. I don't go often, but it's nice to know I have the option.
  
• Worship Practice - If I lead worship on a Sunday morning I need to be at a 3 hour rehearsal/practice on Thursday evening and then a 45 minute run through early Sunday morning.
• Youth Leaders - I hesitate to call these "meetings". We usually talk a little shop but mostly we just like to get together and have a lot of fun.

What I do all day (part 2)...

I have arrived twice in the last few weeks to find pens everywhere in my office. The latest one found them taped to the floor, under chairs and behind doors.

Am I bothered? Only in as much that I don't know who keeps letting them in.

If there's one place that I live up to some of the Youth Pastor stereotypes, it's my office. But here's a few things you need to know:

Office Hours
I'm in the office by 9:05 each morning after I drop my kids off at school. You'll find me here Monday through Thursday, as I get Friday's off. What time I leave depends on the day. I occasionally pick up my kids so I get to actually see them on Mondays & Wednesdays. Otherwise I usually try to get home for around 5:00pm.

Office Attire
I have a long, protracted argument for what I wear...and what I do not wear. But the basic idea is that I wear what I'm comfortable wearing, and I'm grateful that I have this privilege. (And no, I'm not comfortable wearing sweat pants.) Same thing goes for Sunday mornings. I remember a long time ago being told I should never wear sandals in the office because I might need to go on an emergency hospital visit. (That one still confuses me. Maybe hospitals have more visitation rules than I thought?) Anyway, that was the past and now I regularly wear flip flops when the weather allows.

My desk
I have a tendency to make piles. I also have an inability to understand how a filing cabinet works. This leads to semi-organized chaos. I consider it a miracle if there is one pile on my desk. As I type this there are more than 3. That is a sign that life has been crazy and I need to clean the office.


Next up: What would YOU like to know?

Dwindling Creative...

Are you less creative now than when you were younger? I know I am.



I've played guitar for 16 years. I used to keep a binder of songs was writing. Now I don't write. I think I have only ever finished 3 songs. And only 1 song in the last 5 or 6 years alone. And it was about our intern, Swarley.

I'm scared of not being as good as someone else.

I'm scared of what others will think of my music.

I'm scared of failing at it.

iPhone...

Got one of those fancy little machines that all the kids are talking about these days. You know, the iPhone. In what can only be described as one of the greatest Christmas conspiracies ever, I unwrapped a box filled with old boxers to find the familiar looking box buried within. (So that's where all my old boxers go?!?!)

I've been tooling around lately and trying to figure the machine out. It appears to have no end to useless, trivial and even mind numbing possibilities. And I must admit that it's been a pile of fun.

Most interesting discoveries so far:

1. FaceTime chats, whether within the office with Jamie (who is two doors away) or with Brad (who has now had a first-class FaceTime tour of the castle that is my office), is completely impractical but joy giving.
2. Angry Birds. I must fight Erin and the kids to keep them away from my phone, lest they complete levels that I have not yet completed.
3. Movie/TV trivia is important in our house, kind of like food is important in other houses. I can't tell you how often we've had to start up the computer to find out what other movie "that" person was in, so that one of us could be declared trivia champion yet again. Now I grab the phone and hit up IMDb. I still lose the game, I just lose faster now.

As for practicality...I installed a calendar which is so far keeping me organized. I was able to opt out of purchasing a new Moleskine Weekly Notebook for the year as I attempt to go without a paper trail. So far, so good.

Anyway...all this was a lead up to ask what apps I should be installing. If you've got some recommendations please let me know as I also received a few iTunes gift cards that I should spend before my wife does.

You aren't in the iPhone loop? No worries! I'll still accept you. And I won't even judge you. But maybe you can make a music/album suggestion?

Guess that...

Point tally. Cheryl: 45,000. Logan: 20,000

This week it's time for guess that...year!

What year was this picture taken? 30,000 points for grabs.

Guess that...

Cheryl's in the lead with 45,000 points.

I'll try to make this one a little tougher.

Guess that mess. What is this? Be specific.

20,000 points for this one.

Guess that...

As far as I recall, Cheryl has been cleaning up at this game. In fact, she may be the only one playing. But I think Jarno is giving her the answers!

Would there be more interest if I was giving less exciting prizes than points? (Why anyone wouldn't want 15,000 extra points is leaving me dumbfounded.)

Round three of "Guess that..." (15,000 points up for grabs until I figure something else out.)

Today there's 2 parts.

Guess that...celebrity duo.

Guess that...

After the amazing time we had last weekend with the first ever "Guess that...", I think we're on to something.

Round two. 15,000 points for the first correct guess.

Guess that...TV show reference.

Memory makers...

This past weekend I was in Calgary for a youth conference. We bought an ice cream cake and celebrated Dinosaur Day.

My kids came home today from a friend's house with temporary tattoos. I grabbed the washable markers and added to their sleeves. Hearts, stars, crosses, and fire-breathing dragons.

When was the last time you made a memory?

Stuck...

I was reading The Organic God by Margaret Feinberg these last few weeks and this quote has been stuck in my brain:

Anyone with a pulse can point out the ragamuffin qualities of a local assembly, but if you spend too much time focused on the stains, then you'll soon lose focus on our wildly infallible God. He is far more concerned with His church than you or I or a hundred pastors put together will ever be. He has a plan. He makes no mistakes. He will not fail.

I know that I can often lose focus by seeing all the stains. How about you?

What's something good that you're seeing happen in the church these days?

meTunes,,,

After watching the Grammy's the other night I realized that I haven't introduced any new music into my playlist lately, aside from one song that I found out about after watching a recent episode of Chuck.

Can you make a recommendation or two? I'm looking for something new. (And sorry Jon, but Joel Plaskett just doesn't do it for me.)

One message...

I know I've got a few preacher/teacher types around here.

I'm wondering if you had one talk, one shot, one chance (cue Eminem music), what would you say?

You pick the setting and the audience.

When the good stuff sucks...

Did you ever have one of those moments where you remember something being much better than it actually is later on in life?

You know, those times where you remember a TV show or movie being funny, only to find out later in life upon watching it again that it wasn't. Or that restaurant you once loved has become a complete and utter disappointment. Or that relative you thought was funny turns out not to be funny at all.

I experienced one of those moments last night. After spending the day at the Seattle zoo and attending a service at Mars Hill we headed for home. There's a new Carl's Jr so I was able to convince Erin (she hates the place) that we should stop (I think she loves me too much sometimes, because she lets me do things like this).

I ordered my jalapeño burger and my chili cheese fries and then settled in for what I was thinking would be a great meal.

Not so fast. In fact, I'd easily rank it as one of the worst meals I have ever eaten.

Soggy buns, bland chicken, terrible service, tasteless fries...shall I continue.

It was the first time in a long time that I actually didn't even finish my meal.

So, when was the last time you were disappointed by something you thought was going to be good?

Bring on July...

I'm looking forward to tomorrow. It feels a little strange having a day off in the middle of the week, but I'm not going to complain too much.

We're heading out to watch the parade and I'll also be keeping an eye on the NHL free agent signings, hoping that Bob Gainey can put together a stellar team for the fall.

Today he ditched Higgins for Gomez. Decent start.

So, what are you planning for Canada Day?

What...

1. ...are you listening to lately?

2. ...are you in the midst of reading?

3. ...are you looking forward to?