Dan's Desk

Satisfy Our Needs

2009-11-05T14:33:00.005-05:00

"O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die. First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, 'Who is the Lord?' And if I am too poor, I may steal and this insult God's holy name." - Proverbs 30:7-9

In this Proverb, there are two things that the author is asking for. First, he asks God to protect him from the temptation of lying. It is so easy to justify what we call "white lies", but the truth is, a lie is a lie. As Christians, we must strive to be truthful and honest with all things. If we prove to be honest with the little things, those we are trying to reach out to will find us honest with the bigger things. Trustworthiness will open doors to sharing the Gospel.

Second, the author asks that God doesn't give him too much wealth nor give him too little so that he is not poor. This is a concept that we as Christians need to consider. Much of the time we spend in prayer is spent asking God for "stuff". Most of which, we do not truly need. Being rich can hinder us from a healthy relationship with Christ because we become comfortable in our wealth and do not feel we need to rely one God. On the other hand, being poor can be a hinderance as well because we are so uncomfortable with our situation that we can make bad decisions in order to find that comfort. We need to be content with what the Lord has given us. I hope that this Proverb becomes your prayer as it has become mine.

Food for Thought:

1.How would your relationship with Christ grow if you were content with the things that He has blessed you with?

2. What is the difference between a "need" and a "want"?

3. Is there anything going on in your life that is a distraction to your walk with Christ? What are they?

4. Read through this Proverb again and offer up to God a similar prayer in your own words. Allow God to bring you contentment.

There's No Such Thing as Dinosaurs

2009-10-03T00:13:00.002-04:00

What do you remember the most about your experience with your church's youth group? For me, what I remember the most was the Wednesday night that our youth leader decided to argue with us about whether or not dinosaurs ever truly existed. Despite all the evidence, the "possible" mention of them in the Bible, and a very believable movie called Jurassic Park, he had the nerve to deny the existence of my favorite childhood creatures. Although I am now 25 years old and far removed from youth group, these are the type of experiences that I remember the most.

This really goes to show that the things that students will remember the most after leaving youth group is the experiences that they will have without a Bible in their hand. I don't remember much about what was taught in youth group, but I can tell you many of the activities, conversations, and fellowship opportunities that I was able to be apart of in my years in youth group. If you work with students at any level, I want to encourage you to take time to create those types of experiences with them and use those experiences to teach them from God's Word. And above all things, set a good godly example because if you don't, they will remember it.

Changes

2009-09-28T09:31:00.002-04:00

Out of all the things that happen to us in life, change always seems to be the hardest to deal with. There's comfort in the status quo and it can be very difficult when that status quo changes. Yesterday I had to break some very difficult news to some people that I really care about. God is leading my wife Tabitha and I to a new ministry in Chesapeake, VA and those who I am serving here in Michigan have found that to be very tough to digest. Change can be difficult especially when there is people involved. Although I am excited to see where the Lord leads us, I am burdened by the many close friends I have made here. I wish I could bring them with us, but that's not the way it can be.

I am constantly reminded through this transition what is says in Proverbs 3:5-6 about trusting God. There are times when we don't fully understand why God is doing something or the reason why things are changing, but we need to trust in God through it all. He has a plan for us that is better then any plan we can make for ourselves. Just because we don't fully understand why something is happening doesn't mean that it is bad for us. Change can be very hard, but I am accepting it with open arms because I know that it is apart of God's perfect plan. I encourage you today to not be afraid to embrace change. God has a plan for you that might not make a lot of sense, but following God is the best thing that you can do. Just trust in Him and He will make your paths straight.

Answers...

2009-08-05T13:22:00.001-04:00

Well, things didn't seem to pan out like I expected them to or like it seemed they would, but that's okay. I am still praying and seeking God's direction. I guess for now, the answer to my prayers is "wait". God is good.

Prayer Fan

2009-07-30T10:11:00.002-04:00

About a week ago I started praying for God's direction in a certain area in my life. I wasn't sure how God was going to respond or in what ways he was going to provide me with an answer. From my limited perspective, I felt that there were three things that needed to happen in order for this to work out for my wife and I. I do not feel it is the time or place to explain what I've been praying about and what those three things are, but I will tell you this: God is awesome! Today God has shown me that he heard my prayer. Through a very timely, unique circumstance , it is very possible that two of those three things might work out within the next month. Whether it works out or not, I am amazed that God is listening. I am looking forward to tracking this prayer request and seeing where God will take it. I'm a fan of prayer...you should be to!

A New Perspective

2009-07-06T11:15:00.003-04:00

There are times in our life when our perspective on certain things change. During these times we find ourselves being challenged by God in many ways. I am currently in one of those times. I feel that God is reshaping my approach to youth ministry. It is a bit scary because I don't know what this will mean for me, the teenagers I am ministering to, or the church I serve in, but I know that God is challenging me to think Biblically about many aspects to my ministry. Please pray that I will be open to God's leading and that God will give me discernment in what He desires to see in the youth ministry here at First Baptist.

Psalm 46:1-2a

2009-05-05T09:47:00.002-04:00

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way."

- Psalm 46:1-2a.

As Christians, there are so many things that we could be afraid off. The morality of this nation seems to be going out the window, the economy is in a recession, and we have a president who could likely pass a law making abortion legal. Despite these things and many others, God is still God. He will be our comfort in hard times, our strength when we can't bear the weight of this world ourselves, and our aid when we can't do it on our own. God will always be there. No matter what happens, we must rest in God as we place our fears in His hands.

Contemplative Youth ministry

2009-05-04T11:13:00.002-04:00

I finished another book this weekend called Contemplative Youth Ministry by Mark Yaconelli. This makes 4 books finished and 46 more to go before the end of March 2010. Contemplative Youth Ministry was a very good read. Although I did not agree with much of his Post-modern approach to ministry, Yaconelli did have a lot of thought provoking topics in his book. The three things that I learned from this book were:

1.) Don't forget about God's presence in my life. It is so easy to go through the motions in life and miss out on opportunities to connect with God on a deeper level. We read the Bible without spending time meditating on it and praying through it. We go to church, sing songs to ourselves and think about the rest of the week during the sermon. We live our lives the way we want and leave God at church. We need to realize that God is real, God is here, and God longs for us to connect with Him everyday.

2.) There is nothing wrong with silence and downtime in ministry. I have been in full-time vocational ministry for two years now and I have noticed that I do try to keep on task during youth group and Sunday school. I move from one thing to the other so that there is no time for silence or for downtime. Providing time for students and myself to be silent in the presence of God is much more important then I ever realized. God is present in our lives, we can't ignore the silence that allows us to recognize that fact.

3.) Ministering to students is more then just teaching them from God's Word. Students need to be loved, heard, responded to, and cared for. Although teaching them form God's Word is extremely important, if we don't take time to get to know our students, how can we truly minister to their specific needs. Don't be afraid to stop teaching and take some time hearing what your students are thinking, feeling, etc. That will give you more opportunities to minister to them than a lecture ever will.

God is Here

2009-04-29T09:24:00.002-04:00

I just want to remind and encourage everyone to take a few moments to reflect, recognize, and remember the presence of God in your life. In a world that teaches us to focus all of our energy on ourselves, it is growing more and more important that believers take time to focus on Christ. Remember that God is here. He's present in your life at this very moment with His arms open. Take a few minutes to rest in Him and be comforted by the peace and joy of your salvation.

Stealing Home

2009-04-27T15:45:00.001-04:00

This was probably the coolest play I have seen in a long time. This took place during yesterday's Red Sox game when they beat the Yankees 4-1.

Ellsbury Steals Home

50 Books

2009-04-27T09:52:00.008-04:00

About a month ago I started getting into reading again. There has been times in my life where I have absolutely loved reading and other times where I've hated it. I am entering a season in my life where I really want to fall in love with reading, education, and learning. I have decided to try to read 50 books this year, which is roughly one book a week. So far I have read four and a half books since March 25. Every time I finish a book I will try to at least share with you a few thoughts I have about it if not provide a full review. I guess it just depends on how much I like the book I'm reading.

Here's what I've read so far: The Twilight Series (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn)

Overall, I thought the books were a very interesting read even for being a guy. I could have done without a lot of the "romance" and the overly emotional teenage reactions by the main character Bella, but the story was written very well and much of it was very creative. For those of you who might feel that the choice I made to read these books as a Christian might be poor, I would like to ask you to reconsider that thought. Although the books were not written by a Christian author and have a bit of questionable material, I do believe that these books were really helpful to me as a Youth Pastor. Here is what I found helpful:

1.) The books is written from a teenage girls prospective. I am not a teenage girl so I don't understand the thoughts, emotions, and desires of the opposite sex. I felt that I have a better understanding of how a teenage girl thinks and the things that they finds most important. If you are having a hard time understanding your teenage daughter or those in your youth ministry, I would suggest picking up the first book. Even though you might have a number of "eye rolling" moments, it's worth it.

2.) There are a number of instances in the book where the main character Bella, her dad Charley, or her "love" Edward do things that could be great conversation starters about some serious topics. If your daughter or the girls in your youth ministry read the books I would suggest picking up a copy. You might find some situations in these books that you could discuss with these girls and find an opportunity to share some Biblical wisdom.

3.) The books are a good representation of teenage culture. If you find teenagers scary, pick up a copy.

Rivarly

2009-04-25T09:27:00.005-04:00

Yesterday was the first game of the season between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. These teams have one of the oldest and most intense rivalries in all of sports so this was a big game. Every time they play, it is a big deal and yesterday was no a disappointment. I am a huge Red Sox fan and have been since I was about 9 years old when I moved to Massachusetts. I wasn't a big fan of televised sports up to that point, but fell in love with the Red Sox immediately. I felt like that 9 year old boy again last night as I watched this game by myself late into the night.

It was a great game. There's is a lot that I could talk about but I'll skip right to the good parts. At the bottom of the ninth the Red Sox were down 4-2 with two outs. There was a man on second base and Jason Bay was up. It wasn't a great offensive night for the Red Sox, so I thought it was going to be over, but then Bay hit a bomb that just made it over the centerfield wall. That tied the game 4-4. I must have looked like the biggest idiot as I was jumping up and down trying not to make too much noise so I didn't wake up my wife who was sleeping in the next room. The game ended up going into extra innings but two innings later Kevin Youkilis walked to the plate and hit a walk off homerun. Lets just say that I was very pleased with the outcome of the game and I slept very well that evening.

Welcome to My Life

2009-04-23T10:14:00.001-04:00

Ever since I was young I have always loved to write down my thoughts, record my daily adventures, and share what God has been doing in my life. Although I hate to admit it, at one point in time I had a diary where I would actually start every entry with the words, "Dear Diary" and end with a variation of the words, "Goodnight, I'll talk to you tomorrow." I know what you're thinking and no my "diary" was not a pink notebook bordered with jewels and pink feathers. I was a kid with limited knowledge who liked to write out my thoughts and didn't know there were such things as gender specific journaling techniques.

Anyway, it is my desire to share my life through this blog for three main reasons:

1.) I want to be an open book so that people can know me on a more personal level. I believe that is the only true way that one can minister to others. To many Christian leaders guard themselves and keep people at arms length because they feel that it is the only way to protect themselves. In my opinion, that can hinder and limit one's ability to minister to others. I understand that it is a risk to show others who you really are, but Christ already knows who I am and what I struggle with, why should I hide it from anyone else?

2.) Putting my thoughts, daily activities, and struggles into writing has always helped me to connect with God. This blog will help me to focus my desires and evaluate my heart on a regular basis. The more I spend in communion with my Savior, the easier I will find it to be salt and light to my generation.

3.) That brings me to my third reason: my generation stinks! More Christians at my age and younger are becoming more and more consumed by worldly desires. Everything in our faith has become "grey areas" that can be debated and given away to personal choice. Like many others at my age I have been programed by this world to pursue success and money, take care of "numero uno" (a.k.a. myself) at all costs, and "live life to the fullest." I don't want to be brainwashed anymore. I want to view sin as sin, love others like Christ, and live the purpose that God has given me. It is my hope that through this blog my generation will see that a very average 24 year old doesn't have to be bound by the burdens this world dumps on him and they themselves can be free to live through Christ each and every day.

DISCLAIMER - I am nothing special and am far from perfect. The last thing that I want to do is pretend that I have it all together and give the impression that I feel I can change anything. God has laid it on my heart to start this blog and it is in his hands to do what He wants with it. Whatever that means, I am on board with His plan.