The Wolfpack

"Go and sit with them" one of our students dared me. Why on earth would I want to go and sit beside a small group of Middle School girls, in the middle of the school lunch room, at the risk of being arrested by the Sheriff, to sit with "The Wolfpack"?

Lunch rooms in the American schools that I've visited, are not a far cry from what I've seen in the movies. Cliques. And this was one clique that even if there were not teachers and a Sheriff standing by, that I would still be afraid of.      

                      

But he wouldn't leave me alone. He kept pestering me, as did the friends around him. "Go and make them Christian", to which I cringed, and replied "I'm not going to do that". 'Make them Christian' isn't really a desire of mine. In fact, it makes me want to vomit.     

                      

But what was in my heart was the desire to model to this student and his friends, that living out the love of Jesus means crossing boundaries, not to 'make them Christian', but because we are called to love others, as He first loved us.      

                      

So I plucked up the courage and sat with them for final few minutes of lunch. One literally ran to another table. The others were warm and talkative. I asked them about "the wolfpack". Their response? "Others just started calling us that".     

                      

As I drove away I reflected on how this little group of warm (and apparently terrified girls) sat at a table on their own with this label, not because they chose it, but because they were labelled.      

                      

Sometimes people choose labels, but often they are assigned. It breaks my heart when I think of the people who have been labelled, often by people who claim faith in Jesus, and of course, by myself also.     

                      

Goth. Geek. Gay. Freak. Loner. Skank.     

                      

Even within church and youth ministry, we easily box people up.      

                      

Sitting with "wolfpack" reminded me of how my love and friendship, and that of Jesus, is kept from many people because we put them in a box and built up barriers which stopped us from seeing them as they really are.  

Creating Spaces

My time with God this morning was altogether unremarkable. 

I woke up tired, not really all that excited about the day ahead. I ate my breakfast (Lucky Charms of course) on the sofa, and turned round to look at the prayer corner that my housemate had set up in our living room. I had been away for the weekend and had little space to spend in solitude, and in recent weeks my discipline of praying has been pretty irregular. 

So I dropped myself down at the prayer corner, and sat in silence for a while, read the final part of the book I had been reading, 1 Peter. There was no magic spark that suddenly gave me excitement and fuel for the day ahead. I barely managed to string together a thought or sentence to God. Altogether it was 15 or 20 minutes of very little. Seemingly altogether unremarkable.

Or at least that's how prayer can seem sometimes. You ask yourself the question, "what am I even doing here?", you wonder if God is listening or if you're just talking to yourself. Sometimes my prayer times are passionate, and I'm excited or moved deeply. Others like this morning, they are hard, and seem pointless.

I've been learning from a writer called Henri Nouwen. He talks about the discipline of creating space, solitude and silence in your day. This space is not necessarily about talking, or doing anything, but simply creating space to be before God. Whether or not we feel anything is not the point. Prayer is a discipline to create space where we open ourselves to God. We may not feel anything, or feel changed. Sometimes we will.

But God is not a "feel-good" tap to fill us with happiness. Sometimes, it will feel altogether unremarkable. We're creating spaces.

We Found Love

Rihanna's new single and the accompanying video have caught my attention recently. Not just because Belfast was chosen as the "hopeless place". Thanks for that luv. 

"We found love in a hopeless place". From the first time I heard the song it fascinated me. The video is bizarre, graphic and some have understandably found it a little disturbing, particularly in that it seems to glorify in particular drug use and an altogether pretty reckless lifestyle. Some would argue that the video is promoting and encouraging young people to engage in this lifestyle, others would say that she's simply reflecting the current culture amongst our young people.       

   

We cannot be naive as to place all responsibility on individuals like Rihanna, but it is also obvious that such figures have a huge influence on what young people view as acceptable or even beneficial.    

   

But I've been inspired by a fellow youth minister to look beyond the initial shock and opposition to the values of the video. Instead of choosing to reject the video outright, what is this telling me about our current culture? Is there a way to engage with what it?    

   

The video opens with a female voice, quiet, soft and broken...

"...you almost feel ashamed, that someone could be that important, that without them you feel like nothing.... you feel hopeless like nothing can save you. And when it's over and it's gone, you almost wish that you could have all that bad stuff back, so that you have the good." 

The video shows a messy, volatile relationship based on intense experiences, often involving risky or illegal activity. 2 young adults looking for a good time, and for love. It ends with Rihanna walking out on the relationship with her boyfriend lying on the floor either wasted or stoned. It would seem that eventually she gets fed up and walks out, knowing how unhealthy the relationship is, but the final scene brings us back to the start... is the bad stuff worth it, so that we can experience the good?   

   

What I experience watching this video, is a deep cry to experience real love. A deep desire to be connected to something, to someone. Even if that means taking risks and enduring the bad.   

   

Someone once commented on the AIDS crisis, that even in the glaring possibility of a deadly disease, people were willing to take that risk on to find and experience love.   

   

Our postmodern world emphasises experience, reflected in a rejection of traditional values and life patterns (eg. later marriage and child-birth). Yet this world though very different, still leaves us yearning for the experience of love, of intimacy.    

   

When we think of Jesus, we often think of church - clean, nice buildings full of nice people, in nice clothes. Very different images from what we see in this video. When we see videos like Rihanna's we often conclude that these are "unholy", "ungodly"... Often they make our hearts hard. Yet what challenges me, is that Jesus was found in these hopeless places. That the love and intimacy we yearn for, can be found in hopeless places, because that's often where Jesus was found: eating with tax collectors and sinners, talking to prostitutes.    

   

It's all too easy to comment on the glorification of drug use and sex in Rihanna's video. I could easily point out how she is leading the young people of our world astray. And I wouldn't be wrong. In fact it's important to be engaged in these discussions. But if that's all we do, then we lack the compassion and the courage of Jesus, who wasn't only interested in pointing out sin, but He saw beyond their behaviour and saw their hearts, their brokenness and their longing for love.   

   

When the young people I work with reflect the culture around them, my job is not to point out their sin and tell them to stop. Naming sin is important, but so much more than that, I long to  help them explore and navigate their world, to understand their and identify brokenness in contrast to the life and hope that Jesus brings.    

   

The whore, the tax collector, my friend Melanie, and myself. We found love in a hopeless place. Because Jesus doesn't just hang out in churches. 

Who are you?

What is your identity? What is my identity? Who am I? I'm a son. I'm a brother. I'm Northern Irish. A citizen of the UK. I'm a male. I'm white. I'm a Christian. I'm a member of the Presbyterian Church. I'm a youth minister.  

These are all part of my identity. Yet they don't satisfy me. To me they all seem fragile, and all temporary. I am what they call "a people person". I consider that to be part of my identity. It comes closer to satisfying me, because it speaks of who I really am. It speaks of something more than just labels and categories. Yet even then I ask myself, why am I a people person? How did I get this way? Am I simply a product of my past, of situations and influences?  

In preparing to speak to a group of Christians at Brentwood High School this morning, I realised something that was at the heart of my decision to follow Jesus. In fact that phrase doesn't satisfy what truly happened when I was 12. I wasn't just deciding to follow Jesus, I was giving my life to Jesus. I feel uncomfortable using that phrase because it's seen as religious cliche, but to put it any other way would be to dumb down the significance of that encounter with Jesus. His love displayed in its fullness on the cross, the giving of His life as a display of love, compelled me to do the same in return. I remember praying those words, that I wanted to give my life to Him because He gave His for mine. I can't remember if I knew the verse at the time, but I was praying 1 Corinthians 6:19/20:

"you are not your own... you have been bought at a price"

I believe that this changed my life, because it shifted my identity from flags, characteristics, sports, talents and labels, to something much greater and much more satisfying. My identity is in Jesus.   

Why is that significant? Because my deepest desire is to know who I truly am. And the labels, the categories and even the characteristics, only portray a limited and restricted perspective. They are all bound within the limits of time. But in Jesus, I understand that I have a purpose, and an existence beyond the limits of time. In Jesus I understand that I was created by a God, and that He wants to interact with me. In Jesus I understand my brokenness, and that I live in a broken world. In Jesus I understand that I was meant to experience life in its fullness. In Jesus I understand that I am worth dying for.   

Of all the earthly labels that I have, I think 2 of the most dangerous are probably "Christian" and "youth minister". They are the 2 that most regularly lead me from what my true identity is. Sometimes I deceive myself thinking that these labels mean that I'm sorted. When I'm satisfied by these labels, I'm distracted from my daily need and desire to be satisfied by the living Jesus. Like John 15 describes, life flows from the vine, and if we disconnect ourselves from it, we wither and die.   

You are not your own, you were bought at a price.   

It's an identity that satisfies my deepest longing. It's in Jesus.

Hillsong United: critiquing my cynicism

I'm not the biggest Hillsong fan. Despite not particularly liking some of their music and being skeptical about money-making, I visited Hillsong London a few years back and was pretty disgusted by the production that was worthy of the theatre in which the Church met. So when the Church I'm now serving in decided to take it's ministry team leaders and invited me, I was interested to see what I would think.       
                      
If I was going to a Third Day show, I'd have no problem. They are a Christian band, playing Christian, but not necessarily 'praise' music. There is a worship element to the show, but it's not a 'worship concert'. It's their show, they are a band, lights, noise and typical gig-features are no problem to me. The same would apply to Dave Crowder. Hillsong United are a praise band, playing what they promote as a 'worship concert'. Immediately I am skeptical. Why do they need lights, and all the fancy gig-features?       

                      

So completely aware of my skepticism I decided to keep an open mind. So here's my thoughts...

• Superficial worship: Worship at a Hillsong United show is no more, no less superficial than worship at a traditional church service. In both, you can appear to be a faithful worshipper when in fact you are just going through the motions. In both situations what matters is whether you are truly engaged in genuine worship of Jesus. In both you can 'experience' worship and leave no different. 
• Message: Hillsong United clearly on at least 4 occasions made the above point clear. They very clearly expressed that they 'glitz and glam' was not important, but what was important was that Jesus be made the centre. I can remember the crowd being addressed at length on at least 3 occasions with clear Gospel messages, including an invitation to follow Christ, after which they strongly encouraged new believers to 1) tell someone 2) get a Bible, and actually read it, and 3) to join a church, and BE the Church. 
• False motives: Can the above be showy, saying the right things, reinforcing the Christian culture? Is it possible that is just part of their performance? Absolutely. It is completely possible. Yet it was Gospel truth. There was very little, if any that I disagreed with. From what I can tell, their hearts were very genuine, but who am I to tell the state of their hearts? What I do know is that in Corinthians Paul referred to individuals who were preaching the Gospel out for selfish reasons, but it was still the Gospel. 
• Raising hands: From the first note, dozens of hands were lifted to the air. I raise my hands in the air in an expression of worship, yet as someone who does, I still can't help be skeptical about how much of it is genuine worship. I watched some young teens lifting their hands and looking very obviously like they just wanted to be involved. Yet I concluded 2 things. Firstly, it's still a gig, and at gigs, I lift my hands. I don't know why I do, but I do. It's what you do at gigs. And if at a Hillsong United gig someone lifts their hands, and it's not worship, but an enjoyment of the 'gig-experience', then who cares? Secondly, I think it's great that those young teens I saw were in an environment where they could experiment with expressions of worship, whether they knew why or not. I think it's perfectly healthy for them to be exposed to a new expression. 
• Lyrics: "So take me as you find me, all my fears and failures, fill my life again". There are some truly cracking lyrics within Hillsong United material. 

So my conclusion... Hillsong United is still not completely my cup of tea, particularly their high-tempo songs. I love their slow-tempo songs, and particularly those with the rich lyrics. But I think I am more open to their expression, their lights, and their style. I believe that I diminish the beauty of the diversity of arts, expressions of worship, and personalities when I write off one something like Hillsong United.        

                      

The dangers are clear: worship becomes an emotion; it needs light, cool visuals and a cool band; 'true' passionate worship involves raising your hands. Yet the same dangers apply to a traditional church: worship becomes a ritual; it requires a certain style and approach.        

                      

I left the show last night pleasantly surprised at my openness. Look at me go. What truly matters is that we are engaged in honest worship of Jesus, and that when the last note is played, and we leave the arena or the church, that the worship of Jesus is expressed in our lives, a point that Hillsong United themselves made very clear. 

We R Who We R - Ke$ha wisdom to live by...?

I couldn't stand the song when it came out. How could this talentless girl shoot to fame and the charts when she can't even really sing! There are girls in our Church who are much more talented, why has popular music become so full of rubbish?! And who puts a dollar symbol in their name?! But of course in a show of defiance the girls kept singing and playing it, quoting "We are who we are" in the most peculiar contexts. 

All credit to them - they won me over. The song is now lodged in my head and I quite love it. Though I think I'll put it down to the associations that I make between the song and brilliant times, and brilliant people.

The lyrics did get me thinking though, because at the heart of this song is this lyric "we are who we are". If I take a positive spin on it, it's a great lyric affirming that we are individuals, and that we shouldn't try to become somebody else. I love that idea, it's one of things I'm very passionate about, that we are unique individuals who shouldn't need to subscribe to the pressures of other people. Teaching young people this is such an essential task. 

It's the rest of the lyrics that make me frustrated at what I perceive is the real message. 

"Hot and dangerous, if you're one of us then roll with us, cause we make the hipsters fall in love. And we've got hot-pants on enough, and yes of course because we're running this town just like a club"

I've always thought that Ke$ha's popularity is simply because she is 'party girl'. To me, she epitomises the party scene. It's the scene that says 'we don't care what anyone thinks of us, all we care about is partying". It's a scene that promotes, and promises that all you need to do is to enjoy yourself, and you'll be happy. Drink, dance and pull. It's the norm for so many of our young people. But herein lies my real frustration: "We R Who We R" is not about being individuals, in fact in my view it's the opposite. It's about getting with the crowd, buying into the party, and not caring what anyone else thinks. 'Why should you care what they think of you? - you are who you are'.

But instead of being 'who you are', Ke$ha's lyrics really just encourage people to conform. 

We recently had a discussion with our teen boys about the issue of drinking, and they expressed that they drink because others do it. They are the odd one out if they don't, and they don't want to be left out. So they join the party. They want to be able to join the jokes, and laugh at the guy who threw up or pulled the 'unattractive' girl. So are they really being 'who they are', or are they just selling out to fit in?

God has more for us. He has more for girls than being scantily clad and dolled up to look good. He has more for boys than treating girls like prizes and objects for our pleasure. He has more for us than throwing ourselves at strangers. He has more for us than losing control and making fools of ourselves. He has more for us than feeling ill the morning after. It's not rocket science. 

God wants more for us than just a 'good weekend'. It's just not very popular. It does mean going against the crowd. It does mean feeling foolish sometimes because no-one else understands. But God longs for us to be who we truly are, and as the one who made us, He should know.

Forgive me for slating Ke$ha. I do love her song, and I'm not that serious, I do appreciate it for what it is. But I am passionate about helping young people find their own identity, based on the truth that God has made them each individually and uniquely. The truth that they are who they are, and they don't need to conform. Beneath the surface Ke$ha has a very different, but popular message, and has a much wider audience than I. 

My hope is that through my seemingly small and insignificant part, some young people will be led to the truth that they are created by God, and in Him that they really do find who they are. 

"Thank you Lord for my Slingsby Ladder"

I actually had to ask what a 'Slingsby ladder' even was. I had no idea why she was making such a big deal out of it! An older lady who attends my homegroup was so overjoyed about the fact that she had this ladder recently installed in her house. We were moving round each of the 5 of us who attend, and were sharing our various life challenges or joys. Various things were discussed by the other 4 of us: new jobs; stressful jobs; children living differently from how we would hope they would be living; and this Slinsby ladder!

She worked as a nurse and travelled as a missionary across many countries serving with her skills. Her decisions very much limited her possibilities of marriage and so she is single. She has suffered from great illness in recent years. She is one of the most remarkably wise people I have ever met, and when she speaks and shares her life with us, we sit listening intently, hanging on every word she says. She is dedicated in her reading of the Bible and has an incredible knowledge, and with is an incredible wisdom. Throughout her life and still, she is devoted to God as her sole rock and guide. It's displayed in every ounce of her thought, outlook and attitude. Once one of our homegroup members said to her "you must have given up so much to live the life that you have lived", and she replied "not at all, I have been given so much more in return, and been blessed in so many ways". 

The words of a woman who's hope is truly in the Lord. She had left home, given up the opportunity to marry, spent many a Christmas away from home in a strange culture, lived on her own, struggled through illnesses, and yet her only thought is of how good God has been to her.

I'm a 22 year old blessed in so so many ways with so much of my life ahead of me. I'm often lazy in my prayer and study life. I've been given such an amazing privilege to lead and serve in my Church for the year. I am spoiled. Yet how often I am ungrateful. And this lady is over-the-moon with her Slingsby ladder that allows her into her loft.

With the advances in the modern world, we're used to possessions. God is indeed a useful 'bolt-on' to our lives. He gives us added security. He gives us added confidence. He gives us the comfort that we're not alone, and that He forgives us when we do things 'wrong'. We don't need God, but we'll happily take Him where it makes our lives better. 

But this lady has grasped something that I would do well to grasp. Yes God sent Jesus to bring her new life to one tarred by sin, but God has given her that life in the first place. The breath she breathes. She is, because HE IS. We are stewards of what God has given to us. The job, the money, every waking moment - even the Slingsby ladder!

How I could learn to humble myself in the same way, and increase my joy and love for how generous He has been.