Sometimes it's just that way..

Simplicity.

Simple.

Lack of complexity.

A higher awareness of things that complicate.

I just finished reading the book "Simple Student Ministry", a book that I would recommend to anyone involved or interested in student ministry. The whole concept is based off of the principles and research of "Simple Church". That concept being that we should simplify our ministry to a discipleship process that is simple enough to articulate in one sentence; explains the "what" of your discipleship process; and explains the how of your process. In the book the thought of having a vision statement, and a purpose statement; and a mission statement is seen as unnecessary because all of those statements should be part of our discipleship process explanation. I found this book to be a breath of fresh air, because so often ministry is bombarded with programs, and events that make no sense in the grand scheme of discipleship.

But as I look introspectively I think about how the ideal of minimalism and simplicity has almost become the "en vogue" thing to do. If you want to be green or politically correct, you have to be a minimalist or a man/woman of simplistic virtue and character. So is being simple a way of life or a trend that will pass? Is it necessary for ministries to streamline for the sake of adhering to the current culture or is it a core biblical foundation that all followers of Christ should build their life upon? I tend to think both. I think it's necessary for us to reach a culture that is moving toward "the simple life" to also be making a conscious effort to doing things in a more simple fashion, so that we are able to offer our culture what they need. I also believe that simplicity is something that Christ lived and taught, when he teaches us not to store up treasures on earth but to store them in heaven. I think Christ's life showed that worldly assessments and ascriptions of status were of no concern for him because he knew his ultimate reward was in heaven and he didn't need for his possessions and statuses to define Him and give Him worth, his relationship with the father gave me worth and identity.

So where does that put us in a culture that is making a paradigm shift to simplicity; a part of a church culture that still large and part defines its success by the size of its budget, building, and the number of people inside the building? It leaves us with a huge opportunity and obligation to be the change in our churches that our cultures needs to see.

Not that I'm there or even close, but I'm straining to what is ahead in Christ Jesus.
Drew

Things that make me laugh (a series to be continued)

So this will be a series that will continue as there will always be things in life that will make me laugh.

This afternoon I went to the Golden Triangle Mall, and no, the fact of that building being called a mall is what makes me laugh. I had to return a book to Barnes & Noble, one of my favorite stores in the world; and to my credit I went in and left without purchasing anything. As I was leaving the store I noticed two young guys that looked to be about 18 or 19 getting in their car. The car was what looked to be a late 90's model Toyota Corolla, not what you'd exactly call a great car for impressing the ladies even in show room condition, and this car was far from show room condition. As the guys tried to leave their car was having some trouble starting, we've all been there so I'm not saying anything about that, I just add that to give you a picture of the car. My car was parked near them so as I was walking to my car I noticed them peeling out of the spot and as they drove past the front of the mall they laid on the horn and the passenger hung out of the window and yelled "hola chicas" at a few girls standing outside the mall. Some really should teach these two young men that if you're going to try to pick up girls outside the mall, which I wouldn't recommend in the first place, do it with a little class instead of making a fool out of yourself.

That made me laugh!!