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Archive for January, 2007

youtube and the world of “me”

January 30, 2007 Jason Retherford Leave a comment

I maybe one of the last bloggers on the planet to post a link to the article about the youtube and myspace video of three teen girls attacking another teen girl. I either don’t read the news headlines enough, or watch enough television news, but I was appalled by the video footage of the teen brawl. I am not against youtube, or myspace altogether. I use both, and think they can be good resources and tools for ministry, but like anything else that can be used for good, it can also be used for bad. But, is the youtube craze or the myspace craze epidemic of our American culture? I am going to go out on a limb here and say that our American way of life is excessively self-centered. I am just as guilty of being self-absorbed. Daily, I battle with whose kingdom will rule; the kingdom of God or the kingdom of Jason (the kingdom of self). But, in our excessively violent, self-centered culture, where are the adults responsible for these young people? What circumstances lead to this incident in the first place. When will we say enough is enough to this sort of thing in our culture?

I like what I heard Rob Bell in a sermon series titled, “Jesus wants to save Christians.” He uses the story of the Good Samaritan to remind us that Jesus wants to save Christians from hate, prejudices and racism. In the introduction to his sermon, he welcomes the people to his congregation and warns them that this community was subversive group hell-bent on changing the world and being kingdom of God people (my paraphrase). Church, we need to be involved in the world partnering with what God is already doing. We must realize that we are a part of this subervisve kingdom of Christ and the He calls us to radical service and unyeilding committment to him. We will heed his invitation?

Categories: Helpful Places

debunking the 4% myth

January 30, 2007 Jason Retherford Leave a comment

Marko from YS, had a post about Christian Smith’s article. Here is the link for the Smith article.  Come on people. really. There is such a thing as an alaramist Christian, those who paint in black and white and think those that don’t are part of the problem in the world today. One of the premises of the 4% myth is that the church in the US is ten years from disappearing. And that in this generation only 4% of adolescents are making a faith committment before their adults years, compared to 34% of adults who are reported to be committed to Christ. But, in the article, Smith shows where the 4% myth originates from and why it is a myth. There is such a thing as bad statistics, and Christian people of all people should given to truth-telling. Or so, I thought! 

Categories: Helpful Places

There’s a stirring…(I hope)

January 30, 2007 Jason Retherford Leave a comment

The real struggle in the church, as I see it is a generational one. We have a four groups really whether knowingly or not, vying for power. The WWII generation, Boomers, Xer’s and Gen Y. The one’s in power could learn from the one’s without, and vice versa. I am however, encouraged by the freshness and seeking hearts of those in the younger generations too. The worry I have is that the model of church that the kids in our youth groups see, will become the model they inherit and stick too when they get to ripe years of their lives. By model, I am referring to the church is a building, disconnected from the community we live in model. And, that is just it. The church was never just to be a building unengaged from its community at large. I believe the question in all neigborhoods in our world today, is what kind of neighbor will the church be? This question is worth a look across the generational landscape. This question, I believe is the question of our time. We will choose to sit and hide or we will take the message of the Christ to the streets? I pray that all the generational differences can become learning opportunities, that we can dialogue and learn from the life experiences of all sides. Maybe, instead of generational struggle what we should call it is maintenance vs. missional mindsets.

Categories: Helpful Places

Parent-Teen relationships

January 30, 2007 Jason Retherford 1 comment

Here is the article I wrote for our youth group’s/church’s monthly newsletter:

Article for Bulletin: February

This year our theme is “relationships.” Bob Bryant always says, “Life is relationships.” How true. Relationships are multi-dimensional, for instance God-man, man-God,man-man. In addition to the multi-dimensionality of relationships, relationships can be messy. We all know people who have experienced fractured relationships with a spouse, a friend, a peer and even God. Relationships are also a blessing. We’ve all experienced the positives of good relationships. I want to zero in here for the time we have left on parent-teen relationships. Parents have a huge responsibility to raise and mentor their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Parents of teens are in a different stage of parenting then say, parents of toddlers. While there are some similarities, for instance, children of all ages, need their basic needs met, Teen parents are in a special class. Parents of teenagers deserve applause for dealing with the sometime volatile, always hungry, sometimes distant adolescents that once were the cute and cuddly toddlers that wanted to be with you everywhere you went.

Adjusting to the turmoil of the adolescent years can be difficult, confusing and rewarding. That’s right, rewarding. Some of the current research out there in the realm of adolescent sociology suggests that the most significant relationships in the lives of teenagers is their relationship with their parents. Parents, I know sometimes you feel under appreciated, but stick in there. Look for ways to connect with your teens. Spend time talking to them. Find out who their friends are, listen to their music, read their myspace, their xanga, become a student yourself of teen culture. The adolescent years are a time of transition, and one of the things teens need is the chance to have more and more responsibility, leading to more and more independence. Letting your kids grow up is no easy endeavor, but God created us to grow, to change and become adults ourselves. So, parents hang in there and above all, your biggest ministry impact you will have will be on your family. The ministry of presence is one of the most important. I will be praying for your family and in the mean time, keep praying and keep reading!

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