Author: Wick

So it’s been an intense summer and pre-season. We’ve said goodbye to several big names. We’ve welcomed back a couple old friends. We’ve installed some future big names.

Did we win every pre-season game? Nope. Although we did win some good match-ups.

But pre-season fluff is over. Now we find out what we’re made of.

Here’s the starting line-up as we head to Sweden for the first 2 season opening games against Saint Louis:

The Detroit Red Wings’ season-opening roster (by projected forward lines and defense pairings):

Forwards (13)
Johan Franzen-Pavel Datsyuk-Tomas Holmstrom
Todd Bertuzzi-Henrik Zetterberg-Dan Cleary
Ville Leino-Valtteri Filppula-Jason Williams
Kris Draper-Justin Abdelkader-Patrick Eaves-Kirk Maltby

Goalies (2)
Chris Osgood
Jimmy Howard

My blog isn’t that popular. My mom reads it. Some of my family read it. A few from my church read it. I’m one of the few listed on the Friendly Atheist’s “Religious” blogroll. But for some reason, it’s popularity doesn’t go beyond about 20-40 views a day. My guess is because I often blog about personal, family, or hockey related stuff….enough that the strict theology-and-spirituality-only blog readers thumb their noses up at my lack of consistency.

In this case, it allows me to know my audience. You are those who “know” what’s going on in church. The “insiders”. The disturbing thing to realize then, is that myself and most of you reading this….according to most of the parables told by Jesus Christ….would be the outsiders.

Who are the insiders, in the parables of Jesus? The prostitutes. The thieves. The tax collectors. The poor. The crippled. The prisoner. The addicts. Those with little or nothing to offer a community of people, and quite possibly might pose a risk for a community to welcome. These are the ones Jesus speaks of inviting to the parties. These are the ones it seems, like a Junior higher who wants to associate himself with the right crowd (only so much more than that), Jesus leans towards. These are those Jesus seeks to spend time with. These are the folks the healing power of Jesus Christ goes out to.

But on the same token, we know that if our church’s are to see a renewal of life, and be guided in the direction of Jesus Christ, we need to have people at the “helm” who have a heart very close to God’s heart, right? Like Bishop Kendall posted on his blog recently, we desire to find and develop those who are seeking hard after Christ…and develop/disciple them into leadership.

So how do we balance that out with the knowledge of who Christ newly labels as the “insiders”? Beyond just recognizing we’re called to love them, but we’re called to give them a place of prominence within our “parties”. Surely Jesus wouldn’t want us to let a thief come in and run some sort of ministry among people who assume our goal is to keep them safe from hell and anyone who might be “heading there”?

I suppose an easy answer might be that Jesus never calls this crowd any sort of leadership, or “host of the party type” name. They’re often called “Guests”. Which might be hard enough for many of us to relate to them as. Whether the pot heads in youth ministry, or the various groups that translates into as adults, etc. – we often naturally lean away from, sit away from, and altogether hope someone else pours love into them.

But if there’s one thing I’ve learned about being a host from my wife (the natural host), guests are taken care of. Welcomed, and made to feel welcome. A host goes out of their comfort zone, and overextends themselves, making sacrifices to welcome a guest. May we be welcoming/inviting hosts to this party of the Kingdom of God…and may we realize who the “guests of honor” truly are. (not us)

About a year or so ago, our church seemed to desire a re-emphasis on prayer. We watched some dvd’s from Brooklyn Tabernacle. We were encouraged to read books on prayer. Times of prayer were scheduled, etc. It was talked about that we needed to be a “praying church”, and that quite possibly through that path – something similar to what broke out at Brooklyn Tab could happen in our neck of the woods.

Over time, the excitement and zeal over this thing called “prayer” died down a bit. Sure, we’re still people who believe in prayer. Sure, we still pray. The expectation is that everyone is praying, and may even be praying more than before the re-emphasis. But we don’t do a whole lot of it together.

Why is that?

I can’t speak to the church as a whole. But I do know in youth ministry, the temptation is simple. I get paid to do ministry. I get paid to lead and talk and “minister”. When I come to a Sunday or Wednesday, the temptation is to “prove” somehow that I’m worth what I’m being paid. To show off what I’ve studied. To establish myself as someone who has book learnin’. To poke my head into the world of church elders and assert that I am so much more than a pizza party and flip flops.

I also approach prayer as routine. Why? Because it’s been a routine. Maybe I do it quietly in a closet where no one is near. Maybe I do it in a group, reciting familiar words and phrases. I do believe in prayer. I don’t understand it completely, but I believe God is up to something in and through and from it.

Earlier this year, my wife and I experienced something that I think renewed the desire to pray in both of us. We were led through several guided prayer exercises (experiments). The Free Methodist Church paid a lot of money for an incredible speaker to come and give us guided times of silence. He was well worth the money.

Ever since, I’ve begun experimenting in the realm of youth ministry. I think it has been working well. I believe whatever may be lacking between the praying church we are, and the praying church we could be….involves guided prayer experiences that remind us that prayer can be MORE than routine…can be EXPERIENCES once again. Containing life and transformation and hope and renewal and….God. 🙂

My advice? Even if you’re not in “youth ministry”. If you want to know more about experiments in experiencing guided prayer….check out “Downtime” and go where that points you. 🙂 Family devotions….Sunday School….personal time……etc. So many great opportunities for renewal….