I spent the weekend speaking at a retreat for University Park United Methodist Church at an amazing camp about 2 hours east of Dallas called Sky Ranch. If I have ever been at a nicer camp, I don’t remember it.

My friend Garth invited me to speak. Garth and I met about 10 years or so ago. I reconnected with Garth last year in Austin at the NYWC after not seeing him for a few years. Garth was a volunteer at Loudonville Community Church near Albany, NY where I was the youth minister for a couple of years. Now Garth is serving at University Park UMC as an assistant youth minister as he finishes up his PhD work at Southern Methodist University.

The teens of UPUMC were incredible. I had some really deep conversations with a few of them. I was surprised to learn how many of them were considering becoming a youth minister. I was even more surprised at how they acted as one community. Being at Sky Ranch with them was a huge blessing for me as I continue to pray for a generation of students that seek the face of God.

Above is a picture of me and a soon-to-be college freshman named Conrad. Conrad is on his way to St. Olaf in Minnesota to study music and religion. What a great kid. I was impressed with his leadership, compassion for others and his constant encouragement of others.

Conrad was the starting defensive end for his high school football team, a state championship team (which in TX is a bigger deal than most states as football is king — ever seen Friday Night Lights?). When I asked him if he was going to play football in college he said, “They have recruited me to play at St. Olaf. The coach wouldn’t stop calling me until I told him I wasn’t that interested in his team because I was more interested in studying about God and learning to help teens.” Very cool… I look forward to seeing and hearing how God uses Conrad (and the many others of UPUMC) to change the world.

I had the privilege to participate with the NNYM in a round-table discussion with Keith Anderson, Bo Boshers, Chris Brooks, Kenda Creasy Dean, Kara Powell and Dave Rahn on transformational youth ministry.

You can download the article here: http://www.nnym.org/pdf/NetMag-Fall2007-3.pdf

I continue to be encouraged with the conversations, strategic thinking and prayerful pursuit of youth ministry becoming more and more transformational.

I was tagged by my good friend Doug Jones nearly a week ago. Sorry I am just now getting to it…

As with most tags, here are the rules:

1. Apologize for three things that Christians have often got wrong. Your apologies should be directed towards those who don’t view themselves as part of the Christian community. Alternatively, apologize for things you personally have done wrong towards those outside of the church.
2. Post a comment at the originating post so others can keep track of the apologies.
3. Tag five people to participate in the meme.
4. If desired, send an email with the link to your blog post at the Christians Confess site, giving permission for your apologies to be added to the website.

Confessions:

First, I confess that I have not revealed through my own actions, words and deeds the accessible life and message of Jesus as well as I could have and should have. I have not always been the image of God nor have I always attentively joined in his kingdom activity where I could have and should have. For the many omissions, I am sorry.

Second, I confess that I have far too often let the frown on my face override the smile. I have let negativity, skepticism and cynicism guide my behavior and reactions rather than the hope, trust and faith that comes with being a believer in Jesus. I sincerely apologize for this disgruntlement. How would anyone be able to see Jesus in me if I am only displaying the me in me?

Finally, I confess that my prayers to God have been more about me and my needs and selfish desires than for the injustice, poverty, genocide, corruption, racism, war, etc. that besiege many everyday. I am sorry that I have not been more aware, concerned and benevolent.

“We are never satisfied with the present. We are always anticipating the future as if it were coming too slowly, wanting to speed up its pace. Or we remember the past, devising ways to preserve it, since it vanishes too quickly. It is folly to be wandering about, trying to find our way in times that don’t belong to us. We have forgotten about the present time that we have. So, never living, we are always hoping to live. We are always prepared to be happy, but never are.”

– Blaise Pascal, 1658

Not surprisingly, I am stoked about another season of Youth Specialites’ Conventions — San Diego, St. Louis and Atlanta. I am also hoping to attend the Canadian YWC in Vancouver, BC co-led by Youth Specialties and Canada Fire. I am not planning on presenting anything in Vancouver but my colleague, Matt Wilks who lives in Calgary, AB and works with me at Sonlife, will be presenting there.

In each of the US cities I will be presenting a seminar called, Living, Loving and Leading in the Way of Jesus and a super seminar largely based from a book that I am writing called, Story, Signs and Sacred Rhythms: A Narrative Approach to Youth Ministry. I will also be available for consultations, facilitated by the folks at YS, and will be leading a conversation in a book club format around A New Kind of Youth Ministry.

Even if I didn’t have the opportunity to present content, I would most definitely attend the conventions. I don’t go solely because I am one of YS’ authors. I attend the conventions to learn, grow, meet new people, see old friends, get new ideas, enjoy a different city other than Chicago, etc. In fact, I am looking forward to attending the Vancouver Convention to do all of the above, and of course to heckle Matt Wilks from the back of his meeting room.

I hope you are planning to attend. It is true that some conventions are better than others but I can honestly say that I have never been disappointed with any of them — as a presenter or attender.

Last week my MacBook Pro hard drive crapped out — it totally sucked. I lost everything that I had put on the hard drive for about the last 4 weeks. I usually am disciplined about backing up my files but I had been traveling a bit, attending our Merge events and working away from my office writing so I hadn’t sat at my desk (where my external hard drive is sitting collecting dust) in days.

It’s really not all that bad. I’ll manage. There are a lot worse things that could happen, right? I love Apple computers — love them. Even though I was ticked for a couple of days, my frustration was offset by a wicked cool genius from the Apple store in Shaumburg, IL named Ben. He was amazingly helpful and because Apple offers such great warranty, I have sitting on my lap my old computer with a brand new hard drive. Speedy quick turnaround and virtually a brand new machine for no extra costs. You gotta love a company that stands behind their products.

The biggest losses are my iCal entries and some email conversations pertaining to some speaking engagements. I have put a load of fall 2007 speaking opportunities on my calender in the last couple of weeks. So, after commiserating with my wife, and upon her brilliant suggestion I have decided to send out a plea via my blog hoping that those of you who have asked me to speak at your event, retreat, whatever might see this post and remind me of my commitment to you!

So, if I have committed to speak, teach, train, consult, whatever at your church or event can you please email me @ chrisfol@mac.com. Thanks and sorry for the inconvenience…

I am privileged to have had the opportunity to share a day in ministry with my friends from Cultivation Ministries and The National Association of Catholic Youth Ministry Leaders this past week. Frank Mercadante, Director of Cultivation Ministries, led the Institute for New Youth Ministry Leaders here in greater Chicago.

Frank and I have been freinds for a couple of years now. I can’t tell you how much I have learned from Frank about youth ministry, spiritual formation, Catholicism, etc. When he invited me to speak to the group, I just couldn’t say no for a couple of reasons. First, Frank has been such a good friend and mentor. Any additional opportunities to be around him is a bonus. Second, being the only presenter from the evangelical tradition I was anxious to discover more deeply the differences and similarities between protestant and catholic youth ministry philosophy and practice. Finally, any time I get to hang with a group of emerging youth workers, I feel compelled to do so.

Bob McCarty, the Executive Director of the National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministry presented a fantastic and very helpful couple of hours on “Thriving in Youth Ministry.” Bob is a guy with a ton of youth ministry experience, a great mind and a very compassionate heart. Here is the book he has developed his presentation from: Thriving in Youth Ministry. I strongly recommend that if you have a chance to speak to young, emerging leaders, have interns to shepherd or you yourself are in your first couple of years of youth ministry that you pick up a copy.