A UMNS Commentary by Joe Kim*: Help young adults bring passion
NOTE: This address was delivered in June to the East Ohio Annual Conference.
The pastor of a church was standing at the entrance after Sunday worship to shake the hands of his congregation. Pulling aside one young man, the pastor said, "Son, you need to join the army of the Lord!"
The young man replied, "Pastor, I'm already in the army of the Lord!"
"Then how come I don't see you except at Christmas and Easter?" the pastor questioned. The young man leaned in real close and whispered: "I'm in the Secret Service."
When Mrs. Ray contacted me about speaking to annual conference from the young adult's viewpoint, this story came to my mind first. While it is a cute and funny story, I wonder if it actually holds some serious implications. Really, why are there so few young adults filling our pews?
Two years ago, I traveled to Washington D.C., to participate in the United Methodist Board of Church and Society's Ethnic Young Adult Internship Program. I remember feeling a sense of awe as I stepped off the Metro into the humid D.C. morning. On my right, I passed the Library of Congress and then the Supreme Court while the sun reflected off of the magnificent dome of the U.S. Capitol to my left. And then there it was in front of me: the United Methodist Building.
Walking into the air-conditioned rotunda, I literally gasped at the sight: beautiful marble floors and walls, pictures of current projects, a plaque of the Social Creed. And then I looked up and saw the words of Micah 6:8 circling the rotunda: "And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."
On that first day, I was a little scared. The heat and humidity didn't help calm my nerves as I was introduced to Jim Winkler, the board's chief executive.
It was all very intimidating. Prior to that summer, I had no experience with the concepts of social justice or giving voice to the unheard, and I wasn't sure how it all worked. I think Jim and the others sensed that hesitancy and I will never forget what they said to me: "Joe, we need someone with passion. We can teach you the knowledge and the skills; all we ask is for you to work with passion."
Living out our faith
Today, I stand before you with some of the same sentiments as I did two summers ago. Like then, it is hot, sticky, and I am sweating nervously. Like then, I am honored to be in the presence of people who are impacting others and applying their faith to their daily lives. And I thank you for this opportunity.
So this is my story! Luckily for me, my parents instilled in me a strong foundation of faith since I was young. I have carried that with me, even as I am now studying at the University of Michigan. (Go Blue!)
Being taught to serve rather than being served, to remember that love is an action verb, and to keep those words from Micah 6:8 close to my heart, I was able to lead praise and teach Sunday school for the youth group at the Korean United Methodist Church in Ann Arbor. Luckily for me, I was surrounded by mentors who put their faith in me and allowed me to participate in church, not simply be an observant. Luckily for me, someone said to bring the passion.
But this is only my story. Our theme for this year's conference is "This is Our Story." I emphasize our story. What about the other stories that collectively make up our story? Many young adults fill our pews as youth and leave upon entering college. They feel like I did at the Board of Church and Society, asking, "Now what?"
Many in our congregations are waiting for someone to say, "Don't worry about the knowledge but bring the passion. We can and will teach you." I know that these people exist because I've met them and I know you've met them. They are my colleagues who have sat in the same classrooms; they are the people behind the registers working their part-time jobs; they are my friends, my brothers and my sisters; they are your sons and your daughters and their stories become our story.
Trusting us enough to share
Allow me to close by telling you of a tightrope walker named Victor, the most famous tightrope walker to ever live. He traveled far and wide to face any challenge thrown at him and he never, ever fell. Ever. What made Victor unique was that instead of using a long pole for balance, he filled a wheelbarrow with bricks and used that to guide his steps.
One day, he decided that he was going to retire and, to mark this milestone, he planned one last tightrope walk - across Niagara Falls. Well, the day of the walk came and reporters from all over the world gathered to document Victor's last walk. The crowd watched as Victor walked from one side of the Falls to the other, and the applause was enormous! One reporter rushed up to Victor and asked, "Mr. Victor! Mr. Victor! Did you think you could do it? Did you know that you could do it?"
Victor thought about it for a while and said, "Mr. Reporter, let me ask you a question. Did you think that I could do it? Did you know that I could do it?" The reporter was flustered and muttered a quiet yes. Then with more confidence, "Yes, definitely, Mr. Victor. I was sure you could do it."
Victor slowly bent down to his wheelbarrow and removed his bricks one by one. Then he turned to the reporter and said to him, "Mr. Reporter, YOU get in the wheel-barrow. We're going back to the other side."
Friends, mentors, teachers, leaders, laity and clergy: Will you get into the wheelbarrow of your young adults? Will you empower us and guide us? Will you teach us and put your trust in us so that we may share in your ministry?
More simply, will you allow us to participate in worship? Will you teach us the knowledge as long as we bring the passion? We are ready and we are waiting. I hope and I pray that we will continue to write our story together and continue to work for the glory of His Kingdom together!
*Kim is a former ethnic young adult summer intern for the United Methodist Board of Church and Society.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Monday, July 16, 2007
Disciples Training to be Held in Memphis, August 2-3, 2007
Cokesbury and Disciple Seminars are pleased to announce Disciple training to be held August 2-3, 2007 at Bartlett United Methodist Church located at 5676 Stage Road, Memphis, TN 38134. This training event will be comprised of 4 offerings. The training for Christian Believer and Disciple: Becoming Disciples Through Bible Study will be held on August 2nd followed by training for Jesus in the Gospels and Beyond Disciple I on August 3rd.
Disciple is a program of disciplined Bible study aimed at developing strong Christian leaders. It focuses on the disciple as learner, believer, follower, proclaimer, and servant while providing the fellowship of a small group for study, prayer, preparation, support, and servanthood.
Disciple: Becoming Disciples Through Bible Study gives equal time to the Old and New Testaments, emphasizing the wholeness of the Bible as the revelation of God. Disciple aims at transformation, not just information, and calls on persons to submit themselves to examination by Scripture, to put themselves under the power of God's Word, and to be changed by God's Word. Disciple invites persons to bring their experiences and struggles to the Scripture over this 34- week study period together.
Beyond Disciple I, is a one-day offering that will allow participants to become confident leaders in all three of the subsequent studies. Disciple: Into The Word Into The World concentrates on Genesis, Exodus, Luke, and Acts. Disciple: Remember Who You Are focuses on the Prophets and the letters of Paul, and Disciple: Under The Tree Of Life covers the Writings, John, and Revelation.
Jesus In The Gospels invites believers to look at Jesus in each of the four Gospels and ask the question "who is the Jesus that you see?" This study will deepen discipleship through better understanding of the biblical texts and their message during this 30-week study.
The goal of Christian Believer is to make available to people the substance of the Christian faith that the church has confessed as a way of connecting to God and living faithfully. This thirty-week study of the classical doctrines of the Christian faith aims at presenting, explaining, and interpreting Christian doctrine as the basic teaching of the church - to the end that informed believing leads to committed discipleship.
Carla Beach, of Nashville, TN has this to share:
“ I completed that first year feeling like a child who had just gotten off the best ride at the fair; I couldn’t wait to do it all over again! I took another Disciple class and then became a leader- not because I am such a great disciple –but because I cannot bear not to be there.”
For more information or to register visit www.Disciple.Cokesbury.com/training or call 1-800-251-8591.
All Disciple, Jesus In The Gospels and Christian Believer resources purchased at the training events will receive a 10% discount.
Cokesbury and Disciple Seminars are pleased to announce Disciple training to be held August 2-3, 2007 at Bartlett United Methodist Church located at 5676 Stage Road, Memphis, TN 38134. This training event will be comprised of 4 offerings. The training for Christian Believer and Disciple: Becoming Disciples Through Bible Study will be held on August 2nd followed by training for Jesus in the Gospels and Beyond Disciple I on August 3rd.
Disciple is a program of disciplined Bible study aimed at developing strong Christian leaders. It focuses on the disciple as learner, believer, follower, proclaimer, and servant while providing the fellowship of a small group for study, prayer, preparation, support, and servanthood.
Disciple: Becoming Disciples Through Bible Study gives equal time to the Old and New Testaments, emphasizing the wholeness of the Bible as the revelation of God. Disciple aims at transformation, not just information, and calls on persons to submit themselves to examination by Scripture, to put themselves under the power of God's Word, and to be changed by God's Word. Disciple invites persons to bring their experiences and struggles to the Scripture over this 34- week study period together.
Beyond Disciple I, is a one-day offering that will allow participants to become confident leaders in all three of the subsequent studies. Disciple: Into The Word Into The World concentrates on Genesis, Exodus, Luke, and Acts. Disciple: Remember Who You Are focuses on the Prophets and the letters of Paul, and Disciple: Under The Tree Of Life covers the Writings, John, and Revelation.
Jesus In The Gospels invites believers to look at Jesus in each of the four Gospels and ask the question "who is the Jesus that you see?" This study will deepen discipleship through better understanding of the biblical texts and their message during this 30-week study.
The goal of Christian Believer is to make available to people the substance of the Christian faith that the church has confessed as a way of connecting to God and living faithfully. This thirty-week study of the classical doctrines of the Christian faith aims at presenting, explaining, and interpreting Christian doctrine as the basic teaching of the church - to the end that informed believing leads to committed discipleship.
Carla Beach, of Nashville, TN has this to share:
“ I completed that first year feeling like a child who had just gotten off the best ride at the fair; I couldn’t wait to do it all over again! I took another Disciple class and then became a leader- not because I am such a great disciple –but because I cannot bear not to be there.”
For more information or to register visit www.Disciple.Cokesbury.com/training or call 1-800-251-8591.
All Disciple, Jesus In The Gospels and Christian Believer resources purchased at the training events will receive a 10% discount.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Video series teaches ‘God is a great big God’
By Kathy L. Gilbert*
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS)-Children all across the United States are leaving church on Sunday mornings with these words ringing in their ears:
"God is a great big God. God loves us with a great big love. We are part of God's great big world, God is a great big God."
They are also talking about Bongo, Mr. Z and Ms. Lucy, "The Station" and "Common Ground Café." Along the way, they are developing lifelong faith and a love for Sunday school.
That was the dream behind "Live B.I.G." when the United Methodist Publishing House produced the first year's Sunday school curriculum in 2006 for children ages 3-13. One year later, there is lots of evidence that the dream is coming true.
In the first seven months of production, sales were up to $2.4 million and 4,575 churches had bought the new curriculum. In a survey to first-time users, respondents said the DVD was helpful and that more children were attending Sunday school.
"We have achieved many of the things we hoped for and we have taken some big risks," said Marj Pon, director of children's resources at the Publishing House.
"A couple of weeks ago, I heard about a small church that started using Live B.I.G. in January for their Wednesday night program. They began with six children and have now grown to 19 children, adding a child per week. Their goal is to help more and more children come to know about God's love for them-and with the help of Live B.I.G, they are succeeding!" Pon said.
High-tech world
In 2004, the Publishing House started planning for ways to capture children's attention in a multimedia world.
The average U.S. family watches eight hours and 11 minutes of television a day, according to a report from Nielsen Media Research. Children are growing up in homes equipped with multiple televisions, computers, video games, iPods, CD and DVD players-many in their own bedrooms.
"Live B.I.G." is an annual resource with 12 DVDs, a teacher's book and student books. The interactive video study is designed to cover the Bible in two years.
Bongo the Bible bird, Mr. Z and Ms. Lucy help preschool children (ages 3-4 and 5-6) through age-appropriate activities including puzzles, crafts and booklets to take home and share with parents.
Elementary-age children (7-8 and 9-10) are led by young teens and Ana in "The Station 2." Kids ages 11-13 participate in "Common Ground," a coffeehouse with host Will and teenagers Kayla, Becca, Ty and Clay. There is also an option for small churches that may only have one Sunday school class for children of different ages. The one-room option uses segments from the elementary age group.
Each month features a "Big Idea," and each Sunday includes "The Big Picture," "On the Road" and the "Big Sound."
"The Big Picture" shares pictures of children in different settings living out the week's Bible scripture. "On the Road" is a video segment shot in different locations showing children and churches in mission, and the "Big Sound" is music. Original songs were created for the preschool and elementary age groups, and contemporary Christian songs are used for preteens.
Risks and successes
One of the major risks of launching "Live B.I.G." was the high cost of production for the fast-paced, interactive video curriculum, according to Pon. The alternatives were doing nothing or continuing smaller offerings, and the Publishing House decided the risks were worth it.
So far, sales are covering production costs but are not generating enough to cover related operating costs, Pon told the last board of directors meeting of the Publishing House.
But Pon also reported positive feedback from across the church.
"I wish you could know just how deeply Live B.I.G. is touching the lives of our children and teachers alike," said Pam Cotton, children's director at Elmwood West United Methodist Church, Abilene, Texas. "It would take a book to tell you the stories, but this is the best thing to happen to our church in many, many years.
"When I see a teacher crying because they are so touched by the Big Picture and the Big Sound, it warms my heart, and that leads the teacher to interact with the children in a way that is real and the love of Jesus just flows," she said. "It is so exciting and THIS IS COMING FROM THE METHODISTS!"
When "Live B.I.G." was created, the hope was that the new curriculum would:
.Develop lifelong faith;
.Prompt children to ask to come to Sunday school;
.Make it easier for teachers and aid in teacher recruitment;
.Offer built-in help and experts each week;
.Provide faith-filled teen role models; and
.Keep children, parents and church leaders involved through the week at iLiveBIG.com.
"This is more than curriculum," said Neil Alexander, publisher and CEO. "This is an evangelism tool that is increasing children's church attendance and making disciples for Jesus Christ."
"We are thrilled with the overwhelming response to Live B.I.G. in its first year," said Pon. "It has far exceeded our wildest expectations. Sunday schools for children in all 50 states are being transformed. Live B.I.G. is achieving the goal we set of assisting churches as they help their children come to know and love God through Jesus Christ."
*Gilbert is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in Nashville, Tenn.
By Kathy L. Gilbert*
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS)-Children all across the United States are leaving church on Sunday mornings with these words ringing in their ears:"God is a great big God. God loves us with a great big love. We are part of God's great big world, God is a great big God."
They are also talking about Bongo, Mr. Z and Ms. Lucy, "The Station" and "Common Ground Café." Along the way, they are developing lifelong faith and a love for Sunday school.
That was the dream behind "Live B.I.G." when the United Methodist Publishing House produced the first year's Sunday school curriculum in 2006 for children ages 3-13. One year later, there is lots of evidence that the dream is coming true.
In the first seven months of production, sales were up to $2.4 million and 4,575 churches had bought the new curriculum. In a survey to first-time users, respondents said the DVD was helpful and that more children were attending Sunday school.
"We have achieved many of the things we hoped for and we have taken some big risks," said Marj Pon, director of children's resources at the Publishing House.
"A couple of weeks ago, I heard about a small church that started using Live B.I.G. in January for their Wednesday night program. They began with six children and have now grown to 19 children, adding a child per week. Their goal is to help more and more children come to know about God's love for them-and with the help of Live B.I.G, they are succeeding!" Pon said.
High-tech world
In 2004, the Publishing House started planning for ways to capture children's attention in a multimedia world.
The average U.S. family watches eight hours and 11 minutes of television a day, according to a report from Nielsen Media Research. Children are growing up in homes equipped with multiple televisions, computers, video games, iPods, CD and DVD players-many in their own bedrooms.
"Live B.I.G." is an annual resource with 12 DVDs, a teacher's book and student books. The interactive video study is designed to cover the Bible in two years.
Bongo the Bible bird, Mr. Z and Ms. Lucy help preschool children (ages 3-4 and 5-6) through age-appropriate activities including puzzles, crafts and booklets to take home and share with parents.
Elementary-age children (7-8 and 9-10) are led by young teens and Ana in "The Station 2." Kids ages 11-13 participate in "Common Ground," a coffeehouse with host Will and teenagers Kayla, Becca, Ty and Clay. There is also an option for small churches that may only have one Sunday school class for children of different ages. The one-room option uses segments from the elementary age group.
Each month features a "Big Idea," and each Sunday includes "The Big Picture," "On the Road" and the "Big Sound."
"The Big Picture" shares pictures of children in different settings living out the week's Bible scripture. "On the Road" is a video segment shot in different locations showing children and churches in mission, and the "Big Sound" is music. Original songs were created for the preschool and elementary age groups, and contemporary Christian songs are used for preteens.
Risks and successes
One of the major risks of launching "Live B.I.G." was the high cost of production for the fast-paced, interactive video curriculum, according to Pon. The alternatives were doing nothing or continuing smaller offerings, and the Publishing House decided the risks were worth it.
So far, sales are covering production costs but are not generating enough to cover related operating costs, Pon told the last board of directors meeting of the Publishing House.
But Pon also reported positive feedback from across the church.
"I wish you could know just how deeply Live B.I.G. is touching the lives of our children and teachers alike," said Pam Cotton, children's director at Elmwood West United Methodist Church, Abilene, Texas. "It would take a book to tell you the stories, but this is the best thing to happen to our church in many, many years.
"When I see a teacher crying because they are so touched by the Big Picture and the Big Sound, it warms my heart, and that leads the teacher to interact with the children in a way that is real and the love of Jesus just flows," she said. "It is so exciting and THIS IS COMING FROM THE METHODISTS!"
When "Live B.I.G." was created, the hope was that the new curriculum would:
.Develop lifelong faith;
.Prompt children to ask to come to Sunday school;
.Make it easier for teachers and aid in teacher recruitment;
.Offer built-in help and experts each week;
.Provide faith-filled teen role models; and
.Keep children, parents and church leaders involved through the week at iLiveBIG.com.
"This is more than curriculum," said Neil Alexander, publisher and CEO. "This is an evangelism tool that is increasing children's church attendance and making disciples for Jesus Christ."
"We are thrilled with the overwhelming response to Live B.I.G. in its first year," said Pon. "It has far exceeded our wildest expectations. Sunday schools for children in all 50 states are being transformed. Live B.I.G. is achieving the goal we set of assisting churches as they help their children come to know and love God through Jesus Christ."
*Gilbert is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in Nashville, Tenn.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)