eZine 11.25.2008

Title: The Celebration of American STUFF

Text: II Chronicles 31

Big Idea: Thanksgiving is an American tradition that is especially meaningful for the Christian because it gives us an opportunity to change our focus from our prosperity to God.

Sound Byte: Thanksgiving is a time to switch the focus from OUR STUFF to THE GOD WHO GAVE US THAT STUFF

Outline:

Introduction: How do we handle our American success & prosperity?

Introduction:
I love the story of the farmer who worked hard and had a beautiful farm. A friend said to him, “Wow, God has really blessed you.” The farmer responded, “You should have seen this field when God was doing it by himself?it was a mess.”

What was this farmer saying? I draw several conclusions from this story. Before I share them, consider?what do you think the farmer was saying? (Feel free to turn this intro into a small or large group discussion)

He might be saying:

• God needs me, for without me this land would be weeds and rocks
• God and I are a team?we work together and He does His part (the rain and great soil) and I do my part (work the land)
• Between me and God, I am the hardest worker?I sweat
• Cursed be Adam who, because of his sin, I have to work so hard
• I am thankful to God for the opportunity to do my creative part in this section of land that God has seen fit to give to me

Perhaps at times this farmer felt all of the above. We don’t know for sure. The real question is how do we feel about what we’ve achieved? How do we feel about the blessings of our hard work, especially when it comes to Thanksgiving season.

As I was thinking about the farmer, I thought about the first American Thanksgiving and how the people had this big pot-luck thanksgiving meal and praised God for a great year. They praised God for a new land, they praised God for new neighbors, and they praised God that He had blessed the crops of their field. Bottom line?they were thanking God for all their STUFF! They were thanking God for their prosperity. They felt rich and blessed. That is the beginning of what we Americans now call Thanksgiving.

A little girl was praying the other night and she said, “God, thank you for my family, thank you for my house, thank you for my dog, my room, my toys and my new jacket. Amen.”

That about covers it, right? Thanks for all my STUFF!

A high school kid just got a new IPOD for his birthday. That night he said a quick bed time prayer. “God, thanks for the IPOD. Wow. You really came through. Amen.”

Is that what prayer is all about?

Is that what Thanksgiving is all about?

After all… it’s not bad to stop and thank God… is it?

If you think about these kids and if you think about the first American Thanksgiving… you notice the same thing. As I thought about this, I was reminded of this type of celebration in the Scriptures going all the way back to II Chronicles 31. Ezra is writing this account for a very specific reason. People in Ezra’s time were struggling, like many of us, with their prosperity and blessings; they were so blessed by God they did not know how to thank God for such blessings. They realized that they sounded like that little girl and that high school kid praying, “Thanks for all my STUFF!”

They didn’t know how to thank God for their prosperity without focusing on the prosperity and not on God. Too often we focus on the blessing and forget the actual source of our prosperity.

Ever feel that way? Ever feel that you don’t know how to really thank God?

Well, in this passage, EZRA writes a success story. And the success story he writes is in the book of II Chronicles, chapter 31. He tells them, “Hey, we had a king by the name of Hezekiah who was concerned about the lack of meaningful worship and the lack of knowing how to thank God for the many blessings they were all experiencing. So this King Hezekiah sets out a way to thank God and outlines a profile of what that worship should focus on.”

Hezekiah helped them (SOUND BYTE) switch the focus from OUR STUFF to THE GOD WHO GAVE US THAT STUFF.

Thanksgiving is a time to switch the focus from OUR STUFF to THE GOD WHO GAVE US THAT STUFF.

Hezekiah has a little thanksgiving service. And the profile of Hezekiah’s thanksgiving service is…

Jonathan McKee, president of The Source for Youth Ministry, is the author of numerous youth ministry books including the brand new 10-Minute Talks, and the award winning books Do They Run When They See You Coming? and Getting Students to Show Up. He speaks and trains at camps, conferences, and events across North America, and provides free resources for youth workers internationally on his website, TheSource4YM.com.

Why We Need Change in Youth Ministry
Posted on Monday, November 24, 2008 9:41 AM
A couple weeks ago we launched a new podcast– one where my buddy Brandon and I interviewed Mark Oestreicher (CEO of Youth Specialties) about his new book, Youth Ministry 3.0

The discussion was fascinating, a much needed conversation about “why we need change in youth ministry.” Marko blogged about it yesterday, plugging the podcast and outlining the “7 Sins” he shared with us. He has started a Facebook group about the book, and several people on that page are plugging our podcast and talking about it (for those that like to listen to a recording, rather than read a book).

I haven’t really gone on record about the book yet, so I figured I’d share my 2 cents.

My two cents on Youth Ministry 3.0

First, I think the book is a must read for youth workers. It is one of those books that will stretch you- a needed stretch for most. It forces us to think out of the box when it comes to why we do what we do.

It’s a fact that many of us in youth ministry tend to gravitate toward a expected list of “do’s” in our youth ministry. In other words- when it comes to our specific ministry, most of us tend to think about “Wednesday night youth group, Sunday morning, our small groups, etc.” We’re very “program” focused. Marko’s book questions that kind of thinking, explaining why it might have worked decades ago, but doesn’t work now.

Even if you don’t agree with all of his conjecture (i know I didn’t), his history of youth ministry is fascinating, his insight into the needs of today’s teenager was perceptive, and the questions he raises are not only relevant, but necessary. It’s a must read for any youth leader, and a great conversation starter in youth ministry leadership circles.

How far do we take this?

I think the over-reactions to this book could be scary. I hope that people won’t abandon their “programs” all together. One of the biggest thrusts of Marko’s book is that today’s teenagers are looking for belonging. Many of our small groups and youth groups provide that for some of our kids. It would be a shame to throw out the baby with the bathwater.

“Programming” has become a bad word in the last two years in youth ministry circles…

$1.99
Posted on Thursday, November 20, 2008 3:58 PM
A decade ago I wouldn’t understand this at all… but I almost did a backflip yesterday when I went to the gas station and saw only $1.99 per gallon…

Do Parents Really Know About Twilight?
Posted on Monday, November 10, 2008 8:26 AM
I was talking with a friend on Friday, a very conservative woman who homeschools her children. I asked her if her junior high daughter had expressed any interest in the Twilight books or upcoming movie.

She said, “What’s Twilight?”

Trojan vs. Candies Foundation
Posted on Thursday, November 06, 2008 10:34 AM
Last week, a new Candies Foundation PSA was released during Gossip Girl (I guess the Candies Foundation thought they might as well hit the audience most likely to be “hooking up“)…

Sexy TV Linked to Teen Pregnancy
Posted on Tuesday, November 04, 2008 9:07 AM
Last week I was watching a fairly clean prime time show with my entire family (not a lot of prime time that my 11, 13 and 15 year old can all watch anymore). The star of the show made a quick comment to his nerd friend that was spending time on the web on comic book sites. He said, “Why can’t you just watch porn like everyone else.” A subtle comment, but packed with meaning. Anyone normal looks at porn. It’s no big deal…

Get the book that Fuller Seminary’s Chap Clark calls “The best single volume on pragmatic programming I have ever seen. This is a must on every youthworker’s shelf!”

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