Church Leadership

This is My Happiness

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Originally published in August 1996.

I am happy. I am at a point in my life where I can truly say that I am happy.

How often are we able to say that and really mean it? There is almost a fear in saying it. The fear is that somehow because life sucks and I am happy now, I had better brace myself for the next tragedy. This happiness can’t last for long. Life is about to throw me another bad pass.

What a warped view of life that is yet a lot of Christians live with such thinking. Why can’t Christians be happy and feel guilt-free about it? Yes, we’re happy when we are first saved but then we realize there are trials and tribulations in life again. So we decide to hang in there because we are Christians and we will overcome no matter what. Yet joy doesn’t seem to factor in with that thinking.

Winter

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Originally published in January 1996.

If you live anywhere on the eastern seaboard, you have recently experienced the “Blizzard of ‘96” and lots and lots of snow. Lots and lots of snow. And this opinion is from someone who grew up in Minnesota and knows what blizzards are like on a regular basis.

I hate winter. I grew up in Minnesota where winters are legendary but that doesn’t make me like winter any better. This is why I hate winter. Everything is dead. There is no color. Just frozen, dead ground; frozen, dead trees; frozen, dead lakes.

Overwhelmed

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Originally published in December 1995

While at our monthly networking meeting with the youthworkers, I became overwhelmed. Our entire agenda at these monthly meetings is prayer. No planning joint events, no swapping ideas. Just prayer. Not even random prayer. We have targets the schools and one school in particular. Since we’ve done this we have begun to hear reports of good changes at that one school including the principal leaving and the start of a weekly teacher prayer meeting. And the school superintendent has asked us to pray for some racial problems our schools are having. Just this man seeking prayer for help is a shocking thing.

Catch the Little Foxes Because...

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Originally published in July 1995.

How long has it been since I’ve written about integrity? I realize it’s been less than a year but I have to bring it up again. After all as Solomon wrote, and he would know, “Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.” Song of Songs 2:15. Hopefully our youth ministries are in some sort of bloom stage and hopefully our lives are blooming. We’ve got to catch those little things.

Those little things slowly take away our edge in ministry. I know I need to constantly keep a spotlight on my life. It gets tiring and frustrating and it is tedious. It’s not always comfortable and sometimes in my selfishness I become stubborn. But Proverbs 20:7 reminds me, “The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him.” One thing that keeps me on that thin line of integrity is knowing that how I live my life will affect other teens. That is one of the responsibilities we took on when we chose to work with youth.

Life Without Purpose is Just an Experience

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Originally published in March 1995.

Life without purpose is just an experience. Ponder that one for a while.

If there ever was a man’s life that had purpose it was Indiana Jones. His career was a college professor but his purpose was to find the Ark of the Covenant or the Holy Grail. Because of his purpose, his life as a college professor had meaning plus he had all kinds of adventures facing snakes and men with swinging swords that would shape him.

Then there is Batman. By day he was just a wealthy millionaire named Bruce Wayne. But his purpose is to protect Gotham City from crime and that’s when he would become Batman. His purpose gave meaning to his life and he was able to use his millions for good as well using all hose bat-gadgets. Here was a millionaire with integrity because his purpose shaped him.

Obedience and a Missed Field Goal

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Originally published in January 1995

To start off, I know the Minnesota Vikings season is over with. And I know it ended in a bad way for the Vikes—which I am still trying to get over with. In fact, my first comment after that disappointing loss was “I can’t wait for July and for preseason football.” I love football and I love my Vikes—fanatically.

With that in mind, I still have to share this terrific story with you reported in the Viking Update, a weekly newspaper for Vikings fans.

Walking on a Thin Line in a Dark Place

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Originally published in September 1994

Stanley is one of my bestfriends ever. We met back in Bible college many years ago. While I was at this particular college with a purpose, Stanley did not want to be there for any reason whatsoever. Our introduction to each other was a few grunts from him and no impression from me. Yet somehow he chose my apartment to be his place to avoid everything about that college. At first, it had nothing to do with it being my apartment. He would just be there coming and going as he pleased often with very little conversation to anyone. My room mates and I soon learned to ignore the lump on the living room floor in front of the TV.

As time passed Stanley did try to get to know me and he even started to help around the apartment. Now years later and many adventures and memories later, he is one of my best friends I've ever had. I can even take him out in public now because those first introduction grunts have been replaced with pleasant words.

Reputation and Character

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Originally published in July 1994

I don’t know the source for this profound poem but it is something that marks my life.

"Reputation is what you are supposed to be. Character is what you are.

Reputation is a photograph. Character is your face.

Reputation is what you have when you come to a new place. Character is what you have when you go away.

Reputation is learned in an hour. Character does not come to light for years.

Reputation is made from a single newspaper report. Character is built from a life of toil.

Reputation makes you rich or poor. Character makes you happy or miserable.

Reputation is what men say about you on your tombstone. Character is what the angels say about you around the throne of God."

One Day I'm Going to Fly

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Originally published in June 1994

I wait and I wait and I wait. I know the dreams for my life and I have to wait! I want to go! I want to do! I think I'm ready to go and do but I have to wait! Here I am waiting and waiting and waiting. I may be sounding monotonous but I'm waiting--and I'm tired of it!

"But that’s not all! We gladly suffer..." This waiting is suffering for many numerous reasons for which I'm sure you don't need to hear about. I'm trying to be joyous in this waiting but my joy is more like obedience. I know I am to be joyous somehow.

Burnt Stones

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Originally published in July 1993

Nehemiah had returned to Jerusalem with letters from King Artaxerxes. He was going to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. The wall had been broken down and its gates burned when the Babylonians took away Judah into captivity.

To rebuild the wall had been Nehemiah's dream. He had heard about the remnant left in Jerusalem. The reports he heard were of hardships and disgrace for these people of his nation. Nehemiah knew the answer to help restore them would be to rebuild the wall. He desired this dream so much that he wept and fasted before the Lord.

Just Me (And Just You)

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Originally published in March 1993

I read recently a story from James Dobson. It was about his desires to have his name on that tennis trophy from college. I was thinking back to my college dreams. I was to be traveling nationally and writing books and have a name as recognized as Rick Olson. Who is that, you ask? Like Dobson's tennis trophy which ended up in the trash (and lovingly rescued and restored where it sits proudly in his office today), Rick Olson's name is no longer known. He had his moment of fame, his moment in the sun, his moment when he had great influence. And now, he still travels and speaks but it is different.

My dreams of being that great famous youth pastor never happened. The last church I worked at as a youth pastor (where many great and mighty things happened) has pretty much erased my name from their history. This is due to a staff overhaul which led to a church overhaul. I meet youth from that church now when I speak and they say, "You were youth pastor there?"

The church I was on staff with before (another large church for my name to a legacy in) isn't even in existence anymore. A staff overhaul (again), new building, a church name change, and the church leaving the denomination doesn't even give me a building to point at to say I was there.

How Will This Be?

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Originally published December 1992

A young teenager girl was given the surprise of her life one day. Certainly her life would never be the same again. The angel, Gabriel, came to deliver a message. He said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you… Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a sun, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; His kingdom will never end.” Luke 1:28-33. This young girl’s response was, “How will this be? Luke 1:34.

The End of the Superpersonality Youth Minister

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Originally published in September 1992

While I was in Bible college in the mid-Eighties, I was blessed to have a close relationship with the youth ministry professor in his classes as well as the times he spent with my youth ministry. I learned from him timely strategy on how to reach the unchurched youth. It involved much on my part. I was to eat lunch in the school cafeteria with the students, be a guest speaker in classes, and bring in assembly speakers. Through these high exposure situations, I was to meet those unchurched youth. By meeting them and getting to know them , this would encourage my youth to invite them to the youth meeting. The thinking was if they liked me, they would like the youth meeting. If they liked the youth meeting, they would then be exposed to the gospel and make a decision to follow Jesus.

Throwing Out Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, and Luke 9:23

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Originally published April 1992

The Bible. Just the title gives it this grand introduction. The pages have this sacred thinness which gives a mystical sound when they are turned. The smell from the leather cover indicates its grandeur. Then there are the words, those nuggets of truth to live by. A soothing balm to comfort the troubled soul. Light upon the dark path of life. So we approach the Bible (most often in our troubled times) as this mystical book for the help we need.

Fear

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Originally Published November 1991

“Fear not for I am with you” is used over 350 times in the Bible. It is the most often used phrase. Often times the repetition of it serves as a comfort to us as we walk out our walk with Christ. Yet somehow this repetition still does not sink into our whole being. Too many youth ministries are controlled by fear. Walk through this with me as I explain this.

Have your youth ever asked you why there are so many Protestant denominations? If all denominations worship the same God, what makes “them” different?

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