Author: Wick

I recently heard George Barna speak on the impact of the Church, and the state of many of us as the “Body of Christ” in the US. He has interviewed over 15,000 people in regards to their faith, and has come up with some interesting results. This will be the first of a few posts, about his content and how it must impact our families.

It’s obvious that “core values” are changing. We don’t need the results of Barna’s extensive studies to show us that. But the numbers definitely reinforce the “feeling” we get by looking around at our world today. Things that used to matter, and could be assumed to be a “high priority”, are sliding down on the scale.

One of the ways this is seen, is in how we spend our time. The average adult spends about 11.7 hours a day consuming some sort of media. Our children are following close behind, at 10.8 hours a day. That speaks volumes already. Considering 24 hours in a day, and around 10 of those hours being used for sleep (for kids at least). That leaves 14 hours of awake. Take away the 10.8 hours an average child spends consuming media, and that leaves about 3 hours. 3 HOURS EACH DAY is all the average child spends not connected to some sort of media.

Sure, some of it’s great. It’s educational and devlopmental. I’m one of the first ones to recommend shows like Super Why, Sid the Science Kid, and imaginative greats like Yo Gabba Gabba. But it’s a bit like saying “Well shucks, Corn Syrup is just like sugar. It’s just as healthy.” True statement (I’m not a health expert, or wanting to debate that here.). But the problem lies in how often it occurs throughout our daily habits. Media is EVERYWHERE. Toddlers can operate iPads better than their grandparents, 8 year olds have cell phones, and the television…..does it have an off switch? That doesn’t even begin to address the internet or video games.

It’s easy to go from constructive commentary to venting on this one.

It’s a reminder that as a Christian, we and our families been transformed by God to exist in this world differently than those to travel through the wide gate. We are the voice that calls others to face to face conversation. We are the ones who value the discipline of silence. We are those with daily planners that contain “family-time” written IN INK, that doesn’t look like another movie night. (confession: we’ve done a lot of movie nights here.)

Indeed, “media” isn’t an evil itself.  Quite a bit of good can be accomplished both in the experiences they offer, and discussion of them.  But especially for those of us with younger children, we are setting patterns this week for the self-discipline our children will someday have.  To help them in setting boundaries, in a world where it’s becoming exceedingly rare to do so….can be a great way to set our children up with space for God and others in their lives…

So turn the _____ off at some point when you otherwise wouldn’t today.  Take a deep breath, and enjoy a new activity or conversation that almost never happened.  It’s a rich experience, for sure…

It was one of the highlights of my teenage Christian-rock-music loving years. My favorite band was coming to perform in a city only an hour and a half away, and a friend of mine and I were going to go. They would be performing twice, Friday night and Saturday afternoon, and we had tickets to attend both concerts! I remember Friday morning, arriving around 10am for the 6pm concert. We were almost first in line, and surrounded by lots of other fans.

The concert was everything we’d hoped for. Our seats were okay, and the music was awesome. This was a show they did before starting their tour, so they were trying out all sorts of new things, and asking the crowd for feedback.

We had made arrangements to stay (for free) at a pastors house nearby, because we’re cheap. But with blizzard conditions outside, we were taking our time. It was getting late, and we’d been told the band had already left, so we were just killing time on couches in the public lobby. We’d just about fallen asleep when the band came out from their devotional time.

They asked us what our plans were for that night, and in our stunned stupor, we told them we were just about to fall asleep there. They invited us to come back and have spaghetti with them, and so there we were, two high school guys eating pasta with a band we were probably a bit too excited about. But the awesomeness did not end there. When they found out we were coming to the show the next day, they asked if we’d help them out. They had family nearby, and some young relatives who’d never gotten to be in the front row, because it’s usually too crowded. They asked if we’d come in with them in the morning, and protect their family members so they could be down front….of course we quickly agreed!!

Sure enough, the next day we met up with them outside. As we got to the entrance where dozens of fans were already waiting anxiously, they told us to follow them. We were able to go where no one was allowed, backstage, and entering early into the place everything was going to happen in just a few hours. We heard the soundcheck, and experienced a bit of backstage life, simply because they provided us with the opportunity. It’s something I’ll never forget.

Now imagine someone opening the door to something a thousand times more incredible. Something so incredibly out of this world, that we have a hard time explaining it. A window shade was drawn back. A curtain was torn. A door was opened. A path was pioneered. A veil was lifted. Jesus has given us a connection to be sourced in the life of the Age to Come even today!

Hebrews 2:10 says, “It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”

It definitely didn’t come the way the disciples were planning.  Still today, there are times when we wish God could reveal Himself as Lord more as a “Superman” type, and less of a “loving servant” type.  Nevertheless, we read in Hebrews that in Jesus Christ, we now have access to God, and His Life, as never before.

Do we live in response to that knowledge?  Will we follow the trail that has been blazed on our behalf?

Here we go again with another “Five Minute Friday” post!  I had a great time trying it out last week, discovered some new writers, and I think a few new people even read my words!  What a great way to share this journey of writing and sharing life.  To learn more about “Five Minute Friday” (FMF), check out the linked image here.
This week’s theme is, “Roots”, so without further adieu…5 minutes of uninterrupted, and unedited writing:

“Roots are your home.   Don’t Deny.  New ideas, are worth a try.  In regards, what’s wrong or right?  We can do this.  Flee or fight.  Prides okay, but understand – no true person, is Superman.  Your domain – called future tense, your environment – your residence.”

It’s a quote from a song called “Residence” from a band called “Everyday Life” back in the 90’s.  A generally grunge-rap-core type band that I listened to when I was upset with the bad stuff in the world.  But it planted seeds for paying attention to the location roots were being put down.   Attention to the role of a parent to know the environment of their family, and change it if necessary.

So it’s with a bit of pride and thankfulness that I look back on the move we made back in 2005.  Far from any family, but wanting to begin having children of our own, we felt like God was calling us to move closer to family.  We moved to where my wife is from, and where much of her extended family still lives.  We also ended up centrally located to where many of my siblings moved to live as well.

But that’s not all.

I’m a youth pastor, and the trend is toward “short-term” living situations for most of us.  We’ve been here almost 7 years, and I still feel like we are only beginning what God has for us here.
_________
Grr….5 minutes is up.   So that’s what I wrote.  But it’s very true – I feel grateful for all the elements God connected to allow us to put down “roots” that our children can connect to.  Not simply “where we live”, either.  But the identity of our family in Christ, following His call, especially at these early years.

Fun. 🙂