When I am not working out of my office in Kansas City, I am usually at a coffee shop near my house in Geneva, IL so I can get free WI-FI, take some calls and get some work done. I am sure you do this at times as well — it is very common among the youth worker community. You are probably at a cafe right now!

Lately I have noticed (more than I ever have before) that Christians love to take over the entire coffee shop by gathering all the chairs into a circle (leaving tables naked with no chairs for anyone to sit at), spreading their belongings all over the floor, leaving their kids to run around the coffee shop bothering people who are actually trying to meet or get work done and talking so loudly you can’t even hear yourself think!

Now, I am all for Christians gathering in public spaces for Bible study, prayer, sharing life, whatever… but what message does it send when we (Christians) just take over a place and annoy everyone in sight and within ear shot. Even more annoying is the group that thinks this gathering is effective faith sharing! Somehow they think that if they spread their Bibles about and raise their voices that others in the cafe might somehow listen intently enough to make a decision to surrender their life to following Jesus. That is annoying. The percentages of that happening can’t be very high…

Also, I get that anyone has the right to gather in a coffee shop or cafe or any other restaurant as long as they are following the rules of the owner/franchise. I also get the good old “first come first serve” rule as it relates to seating. Moreover, I completely understand that cafe’s were not created exclusively for people who wish to hold meetings, appointments or take advantage of the free WI-FI. BUT come on! What do people think of us (Christians) when we take over the whole place and annoy the hell out of them!? Do people really think, “Wow, lookey here. These folks sure our committed to their faith!” I highly doubt it. I think people are saying, “Told you so, these people are annoying. I thought this is what Sunday at church was for!?”

Can’t we just be a little more respectful to others who wish to share the same space, breathe the same air and listen to the same folk music quietly playing over the audio system of nearly every cafe’ in the world?

Did you hear Starbucks is testing (in Seattle only) a $1 cup of coffee and free refills? Here is a link to one of many of the articles out on the web: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/
D8UBS3G80.htm

Who knows if this idea will go worldwide but one thing is certain… our youth budgets will be able to handle a lot more cups of coffee with students and leaders!

We have all been in meetings we didn’t like. Some weeks it seems as though that is just what we are supposed to do — sit in meetings. While some meetings can be very helpful and energetic others can be quite the opposite. Over the past two days I have sat in meetings from 8am-6pm with virtually no breaks and very limited discussion or interaction of any kind. These meetings have been the “other” kind of meeting… one of the kind that isn’t all that helpful and doesn’t bring all that much energy.

Henri Nouwen (1932-1996)

As I reflected on the last two days, I was reminded of this wonderful bit of wisdom, inspiration and challenge from Henri Nouwen. A statement that Nouwen made after many years in ministry…

“More and more, the desire grows in me to simply walk around, greet people, enter into homes, sit on their doorsteps, play ball, throw water, and be known as someone who wants to live with them. It is a privilege to have the time to practice the simple ministry of presence. Still, it is not as simple as it seems. My own desire to be useful, to do something significant, or to be a part of some impressive project is so strong that soon my time is taken up by meetings, conferences, study groups and workshops that prevent me from walking the streets.

It is difficult not to have plans, not to organize people around an urgent cause, and not to feel that you are working directly for social progress. But I wonder more and more if the first thing shouldn’t be to know people by name, to eat and drink with them, to listen to their stories and tell your own, and to let them know with words, handshakes, and hugs that you do not simply like them but truly love them.”

My flight to Kansas City was fogged in on Sunday so I had some extra time to finish reading The God-Hungry Imagination: The Art of Storytelling for Postmodern Youth Ministry by Sarah Arthur.

Here is the bottom line with this book… I think it would be super helpful for you to read. Like most books, not every page is going to leave you with something to underline, highlight or immediately implement. However, I think that there is enough good stuff in this book for your thinking to be stretched and enough for you to think and talk about with your peers and volunteers.

I feel like Arthur has hit on a really important and a largely missing element to the spiritual formation of adolescents — the use of the imagination. Not only does Arthur make a proposal for the employment of the imagination she leaves the reader with a solid understanding of what it is, what it isn’t and how to help our students engage it more.

I really like how Arthur ties the imagination and the use of story together. She does a very good job of helping the reader understand what story is and why story works and give some (not enough) examples of how to use it.

Arthur says that clichés are “dead metaphors”. I really like that thought… I also really like this quote:

“If we embrace the classical definition of the imagination as a faculty of the intellect, it would certainly seem plausible to suggest that someone could have imaginative intelligence, here defined as the intuitive ability to discover and express meaningful relationships and patterns between otherwise unconnected ideas, images and experiences — or the ability to put things together.”

To me, this is the central idea of Arthur’s book — to learn to help students connect through the imagination what would otherwise be left unconnected through the typical methods and techniques. In other words, the imagination helps students connect all of life to the story of God therefore helping to shape a new and transforming life.
Here are some things that I didn’t particularly care for or wished for…

• I didn’t care for Arthur’s definition of “missional”. I felt like it was very weak. I also felt like she connected her definition of missional (”the evangelism of the postmodern culture”, page 145) strictly to a very misunderstood concept. That concept being that the church needs to “reinvent itself if it is going to be culturally relevant.” Being “missional” is a whole lot more than being culturally relevant. That might be a by-product of it, but it isn’t solely that.
• I wish that Arthur would have taken more time to dive deeper into the “meta-narrative” allowing readers to get a better and bigger picture of God’s story.
• I wish Arthur would have included the importance of observation (watching peers and adults live out the story) along with the importance of using the imagination.

At the end of the day, The God-Hungry Imagination: The Art of Storytelling for a Postmodern Youth Ministry is a book you should read. I also recommend that you encourage your volunteers to read it and allow the ideas in the book to birth deep, rich and lasting conversations about the importance of the imagination in the formation of adolescents.

This is an interesting article (see below) from The Galveston County Daily News. I know nothing about the church — other than what their website and the article below portray.

I am familiar with the “cell church” and know quite a few people of faith who share the cell church philosophy.

An all volunteer staff? Shared sanctuary space — with two other “unrelated” congregations? Going to get the homeless instead of expecting them to come to you? I like it… I am sure this church isn’t the only one doing such things — but I would think that churches like Galveston Community Church are still far and few between.

Here is the link: http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=82158d1fb9468639

Thoughts?

For a few months now someone has been emailing me a link to this review of my book: http://youthesource.com/Index.asp?PageID=7082&Function=View&ArticleID=1305 — Almost every week I get an email — sometimes a couple of times a week. It is wicked annoying.

I am not sure who is sending it or why they feel like it is important that I be reminded of it. Whoever it is — they are a wuss for not responding to my replies and for not being willing to have a conversation.

I am a bit pizzled (I borrowed that word from Daniel Goleman: Why aren’t we all Good Samaritans? a short lecture at www.ted.com. Pizzled is the feeling you get when someone whips out their Blackberry aka crackberry or cell phone and begins having a conversation with someone. It’s a cross between pissed off and puzzled. Urban Dictionary) about it really. I am not at all pizzled about the review. Some youth workers like my book, some don’t. Some youth workers find it helpful, some don’t. I am okay with that. That is the way that it is for most books people write, movies that are produced, music that is written, building that are designed, etc. Everyone has preferences and whatnot.

If you read the review I linked to above you’ll see the reviewer hated my book — but at least it made her think. In the end, for me, that is what it is about. Who cares where you land. Did it make you think? That is what is important.

Courtesy of Mark Matlocks www.wisdomgarb.com!

So, don’t be a hater. If you have something to say — I am listening. But stop hiding behind your generic @hotmail account.

So… I am a little further along in The God-Hungry Imagination by Sarah Arthur. The book went from being one I was resonating with to one that I think is a must read for any youth worker. Especially youth workers exploring and experimenting with story and the use of it the spiritual formation of adolescents.

Chapter 3, Imagination and Spiritual Formation is worth the price of the book. Arthur does a very good job giving some helpful and creative language that does two things. First, it helps one understand how important of a role imagination has in the spiritual development of people. Secondly, the language Arthur uses is helpful for youth workers to use as we might explain it to others — parents, peers, volunteers, supervisor’s, etc.

Here is a quote that I thought was helpful…

“Remember how I said the imagination is what helps us put things together, which in turn helps us discover meaning? Consequently, a vital role of the imagination in spiritual formation is to help a young person make meaningful connections between the church, the world and her life.” (page 58)

Arthur also does a nice job distinguishing between an actively unhealthy and an actively healthy imagination which I think is important since many of our parents, peers, volunteers, supervisors, etc. are most likely more afraid where an active imagination might lead a teen that they are encouraged by it.

Arthur also provides 5 key areas that are crucial to nurturing a healthy imagination. I’ll hold off on giving them to you since I think you should buy the book and give it a good read anyway…

Although only part-way through the book, (I am maybe a little more than half-way. It is an easy read — I am also writing a book these days so my reading is limited to a few pages per day) I am encouraged how we at YouthFront & Sonlife have and are using story in our ministry initiatives to help aid in the spiritual formation of students and youth workers.

Again, I think you should consider picking up a copy of this book… I will have another post in a day or so. When I am done sharing Arthur’s insight from this book, I will post my own thoughts/questions/concerns/ideas as it relates to the book Maybe by then you’ll have a copy and we can interact around it.