Hit the Back Button to Move Fwd by Gavin Richardson

evening of oovoo

it took forever, those on my twitter might have seen my frustration. but i finally got logged in and joined a little chat time with joseph jaffe, new media marketing guru. i didn't contribute too much to the conversation, other than my drinking a beer, in part because i got in late on the conversation, but i was also feeling sick.

as for the oovoo software, well, it was frustrating to not be able to get online. the software froze on me twice when i did get on and then when i finally got connected my screen froze at some point, but the audio was good and the idea of chatting like this was pretty darn cool. the mac software just got released a few days ago, so maybe it was partly software issues. though it could have just been our high speed internet. due to the location we live cable signals get bogged down rather regularly every few days.

as for the conversation. the one thing interesting that deals with much of the content of this blog. when i introduced that i am a youth pastor who lingers around these conversations to glean info. joseph mentioned that the 'passion of the Christ' was one of the biggest community effort promos to date. which was something i had never thought about. probably easy as your have an 1600 year old community to help spur that on, but it cannot be denied the phenomenon of the buzz that movie generated out of normal means.

the pacman conspiracy

in playing around on the net tonight. i found this facebook group rather comical. apparently the pacman's whoas are due in part to the conniving peyton manning.

loss of a national treasure

i am bummed out to read about this loss of one of south korea's national treasures. adam & jessica are over there teaching and brought it to my attention. it is always sad to see landmarks, especially of the sort that have been around before even the finding of the america's. 

mccain : like hope, but different

for those that liked the obama 'yes we can' video we have the mccain mashup equivalent. tip bob

day off links

taking the day off.. if you call getting the car fixed a day off. some links i'm pondering

• that phelps clan is back at it, now their implement is our recent tornados
• Saint Benedict thoughts on Lent
• time has an interview with nt wright... many suggest it
• size does matter.. to sam.. and probably should to us as well
• i missed podcamp nashville, so i will be checking out all the write ups and pics
• oh man.. another book that peaks my interests.. damn you sam!

one crazy beautiful weekend!

i am back from one of our most crazy & fun weekends. today we ended our largest retreat event as a united methodist conference "warmth in winter." it is held at the convention center in nashville and i help out by training up teens to do the videos that are shown throughout the weekend. johnathan did a really good job for the weekend in leading our group of youthfuls.

it's a busy time for me & most of my friends involved. we all work hard to make the retreat happen and this one was a pretty darn good time for all the efforts put in. our speaker, bob stromberg (who did a great job btw), framed the retreat it in a fashion that i really liked. i was told he said something like, that many events are very impersonable, but this one has a real closeness vibe, like camp. which, i really like. for a 2,500 person event, that's cool to me. but i have been know to do anti-events in the past anyways.

anyway, the picture is maggie. it's her foot. she was my photographer for the weekend, and take photos she did. though not to many of her. so look for new pictures uploaded to the youth flickr and probably the youth facebook. i noticed too that i am an admin for the warmth in winter facebook group.. fancy that.

till then check out emily's chronicle of the adventures of "mini-gavin"

faith filled pick up lines

who says you cannot be a Christian and pick up chicks. we even have our own pick up lines to sort out who is in our tribe and who is not.

hardcore baptist pick up lines

• Everything you say is moving my heart and I don’t think it’s just because you’re speaking in tongues. Is there an ancient language called Babe?
• I used to believe only faith could make a sick person well until I saw you, because, baby, you just healed something deep inside me that I'd never let Benny Hinn touch.
• Baby, the rapture's coming soon-let’s hold each other tight before the non-Christians wage war and kill us all.
• I’m sure glad your mama was pro-life.

not to leave out us methodists

• Baby, you make me feel strangely warmed.
• I second and refer your motion to the subcommittee of my heart.
• You send a charge through my conference.
• And Can It Be that you're single?
• That Book of Resolutions looks heavy. May I carry it for you?
• Is it just me, or have you attained perfection?
• That dress really shows off your apportionments.

patty griffin : rain

i'm up late working on the proverbial stuff. took a break with this.

desert fathers : parenting and youth ministry

this post is stemmed off of tim's recent post on parents and youth ministry. i don't know if will go the same direction, but i want to uplift that sharing as critical to this one.

a few weeks ago had one of those big parents meeting for our youth ministry. running through the programming and events of the next eight months. it was a good meeting. i lead off with a devotional, and i was kinda struggling to come up with something. so this is what i shared as our devotional time.

in thinking about what to share as a devotional erin asked me, what is the goal of the youth ministry? to that i shoved it off saying, "well isn't that a loaded question." knowing i needed to answer the question i came back to it. the foundation of the youth ministry of the church, should reflect that the church is a place that is safe. so that when youth and young adults begin to question their faith, wish to dive further in theological understandings, take on new spiritual practices. they know that the church has people that are there to welcome them, listen to them, usher them to places to find what it is they seek, mentor them, teach, worship, prayer with them. for at those moments in the education world we call 'a teachable moment.' that is the goal. i we can do just that, then we will be a successful youth ministry. erin responded "that is a good goal." (i love my wife, so affirming when she needs to me)

so i read this story from the desert fathers & mothers

Another brother asked the elder Abbot Theodore, and began to question him and to inquire about things which he had never yet put into practice himself. The elder said to him: As yet you have not found a ship, and you have not put your baggage aboard, and you have not started to cross the sea: can you talk as if you had already arrived in that city to which you planned to go? When you have put into practice the thing you are talking about, then speak from knowledge of the thing itself!

so i unpacked this with our parents. too often parents, adults, young adults do not want to get involved in leadership/teaching/sharing/reflection of their faith because they do not feel worthy of talking about what they do not know. apparently Abbot Theodore agrees with you. however, this is when it is critical of sharing what you do know. you come to church why? because in some way you were instilled in the foundation that the church is a safe place to come to help live out your faith. you crossed the sea of bringing your presence to the church. share why that is important to you so that your youth will can understand what it is that you speak of. this experience you know.

the doctrine, theology, bible races, etc are all seas you can cross in time. but for the sake of your youth. it is not important the 'what' things you want them (and yourself) to know but that you chose to become part of a community of faith in Jesus and your presence here says more than anything else about who you are and what you wish to be.

the youth want to know there is a safe place for them out there. come and help us share our journey's across the sea and why we are present in this place we call church. this we know, we can share it.

we closed with this prayer for young people from the BCP.

God our Father, you see our children growing up in an unsteady and confusing world: Show them that your ways give more life than the ways of the world, and that following you is better than chasing after selfish goals. Help them to take failure, not as a measure of their worth, but as a chance for a new start. Give them strength to hold their faith in you and to keep alive their joy in your creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

the declaration of independence reframed

i can't help but share this. it hit me like a ton of bricks. the follow is an encounter brian mclaren had at davos a few weeks ago.

Another moment – when a Muslim conversation partner introduced me to a group of Muslims I hadn't met: "This is my friend, Brian." When people stop being "that Jew" or "that Christian" or "that Muslim," and instead become "my friend," followed by a real name … the state of the world improves a little bit.

And another – sitting with a Muslim scholar who explained to me, "If you want to understand our struggle, think of your own Declaration of Independence." She rehearsed the lines, known by heart: "… we hold these truths to be self-evident … created equal … endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights." She asked me what these lines were intended to do, to accomplish. I replied, "To counter the pre-modern notion of the divine right of kings with a new notion – of the God-given rights of individuals." Why, she asked, was it important to bring God in? "Because God represents an authority higher than a king's authority. If God gives individuals rights, a king loses his right to abrogate them."

Then she said, "This is a primary reason why there is such a religious revival in Islam. Millions of Muslims live under dictatorships. They need to have their human rights validated theologically so they can gain freedom from dictators, just as American colonists wanted to gain freedom from the king in 1776." Sadly, she added, many of these dictators have remained in power with U.S. support, which helps explain much of the antipathy toward U.S. foreign policy. A simple thought, perhaps obvious to many, but it clicked for me as never before.

1. i like how brian explains the declaration of independence, that God is above kings. so it is no surprise that in that it hit like a ton of bricks... why do we enable other countries to live in a framework that we would not allow ourselves to be in. i am not advocating nation building, like we are experiencing in Afghanistan or Iraq, certainly we did much to help them to where they were. but what if there were other creative means to enable all people to live where God is ultimate authority? even over that of a king or president? hmm..

 

hardcore sitting

check out this kid in a wheelchair & his hardcore sitting. especially the backflip around 2min

go to the bathroom to clean your mac

i am heading out right now to get some arm & hammer toothpaste to clean up my macbook.

to catch a predator is harder on im

it seems that the preferred method for being an online sexual predator is through instant messenger, not a social networking site like myspace or facebook... article via ypulse

The good news, at least for social networking sites, is that only less than a third of these solicitations came through social networking sites. IM and chat rooms were much more likely to deliver unsolicited sex chat.

The results led the study's authors to conclude that "broad claims of victimization risk, at least defined as unwanted sexual solicitation or harassment, associated with social networking sites do not seem justified."

this research obviously never saw this video.

tornado pictures

  Union UNiversity Tornado Wreckage 
  Originally uploaded by novice724.

pictures are starting to show up on flickr of last nights tornado storms. this one i liked the best, reflecting the chaos. this might be a good look at one of the storm clouds. this might be the best look at a tornado in memphis.

fading emergent church

interesting post on observations that the emerging church is starting to fade away. although i won't pick apart the case made, i will say, it isn't so much fading away but morphing and being brought into the main life of the church. our cohort has only grown in interest and attendance. publishing deals are being struck, with books being written that might not be by the main guys, but influenced by the conversation. mainline/emergent conferences are popping up everywhere & all year long because people want to share & hear what emerging is all about. it might not be a fancy buzz at the moment, but i don't see it waining at any point soon.

thoughts?

day with a new media expert

dave tipped me off to this, as he is one of the featured 'days with' people. it looks like a cool little experiment of giving people an opportunity to chat with their favorite blogger or expert in new media & marketing. i have signed up for one on social relationships in new media. who knows how this will turn out, but i am willing to give it a go.

down goes the giant starbucks

1. i thought this news was pretty interesting as a person who care very little for starbucks (though i do order a caramel machiatto every now and then) & is generally put off by general publics blind loyalty to the chain.
2. since i am constantly thinking of church stuff. it had me wondering, what meaning might this be for the church, will a shift happen or is it happening when the consumer/program/entertainment driven mega churches forget their main things. or will it be like the shop owner shared, the small church will know the people who come through the doors.
3. i am going to continue to drink my fair brew at home & church.

hmmm...

tip to mike

tennessee storms

if you are twitter friend you might have noticed my updates of the tornado storm going through west & middle tennessee (and surrounding states). life in the household are calming down, but round two is somewhere out to the west. i tried to take some pictures within the calm spots of the storm. but nothing compares to the pics that chris has taken. chris's blog, my quiet life

anti-social behavior jesus : super tuesday take

gotta love an anti-social behavior jesus

from star wars to middle school

there seems to be some interesting things going on out there.

• barna says born again voters not going to vote republican.. really, how did that happen? (forget who to tip for that)
• yahoo is reaching out to the force to fend off microsoft.. you're our only hope!
• a late night west side story..
• tony jones has brought emergent into the methodist bbq debate.. this will make general conference very political, so much for holy conferencing
• dixon is taken back, and hilarious, by our latest McChurch plant, in nashville..
• so you're saying my creativity warrants unorganization?... awesome!!
• no need to pick on me & my personal issues!

leave flickr alone!!!!

  leave flickr alone!!!! 
  Originally uploaded by jcrr

hahaha! i am laughing hysterically as i check out this flickr group of people that are not happy with the idea of microsoft buying yahoo and thus getting their grubby hands on flickr. i must say, i am not too pleased with the idea. though i wasn't please with yahoo purchasing flickr either, but they atleast kept out of making drastic changes, only a yahoo log-in over the flickr log-in. highlighted is, so far, my favorite or biggest chuckle of the creative anti-microsoft image uploads.

tip techcrunch

don't count me bro!

this reminded me of our recent conversation on devices of the church.

via asbo jesus

in further thought from marva dawn.

"Attracting our neighbors is not loving them."

greetings from our bunch!

  project365:34 - the nutty bunch 
  Originally uploaded by gavoweb.

i am felling all normal after spending the night at the church with the fellas of room in the inn & our youth super bowl party. it is a sacrifice to each year say yes to our group hosting the room in the inn guests and not just doing some larger group party at someones home or even leaving the day open as a personal day, but when everyone shows up i am thankful to be the innkeeper for the night. i decided to plug one of the pics of the night into my project 365, the rest i have put on the youth ministries flickr pages.

i am not used to getting up at 4am, especially after only getting to bed at 1am, but it all works out after a nice afternoon nap.

obama mashup

this is just a super cool mash up. too many friends have linked to it today to remember who i saw it first with. though if i am super honest, i get kinda annoyed at the whiny melody stuff at the end. if you want more obama check out youbama.

espn needs to dance with who they took to the prom

i generally like most of everything espn does, but the way they turn on their darling teams is just ridiculous. they constantly anoint teams and then back-peddle when their teams loose. this is the latest date they have ditched on the new england patriots.

The Patriots' season is history, but not historic. They didn't choke, but they definitely suffered from a lack of oxygen. Pinching the air tube shut was a New York Giants team with just enough nerve, just enough composure to leave this Jiffy Pop-looking stadium with a 17-14 win and the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Anybody who tells you this was the greatest Super Bowl upset of all time has it wrong. But it was the greatest missed opportunity in NFL history.

"We conquered the regular season," said Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel. "We conquered the playoffs. What does it mean if you don't win the Super Bowl? It doesn't mean anything."

last year it was ohio state, before that it was (and kinda still is) usc. this year their girlfriend was the patriots and in typical jock form they couldn't stand by their girl when they had a bad hair day. we all know that is just bad form jocks.

tip: bigorangemichael for cited article

super bowl thought

we all saw it. so what more can i say. however, i do like art's summary best.

update: due to the nature of how i watch the super bowl i am not that good a critic of the commercials, if you need a recap, check out barbara's quick one-line thoughts. if you forget them find them here.

devices of the entertaining church

Many of the mutations of, and manacles on, churches discussed below arise because pastors, congregational leaders, and denominations worry about declining membership numbers. The loss of members causes a panic, which tempts us to react with strategies conceived according to the device paradigm: What device should we institute in order to produce the commodity of higher numbers? We try various devices, including extreme changes in styles of worship, the initiation of multiple programs to attract the neighbors, marketing strategies, firing the present staff and hiring a more charismatic one, and so forth. Lametably, these devices mimc our culture's behavior and thereby change the identity of the congregation so that it becomes merely a mirror of the society instead of an icon of God.

What is especially tragic about these panicked moves is that leaders don't realize that churches' declining numbers are part of a larger societal pattern manifested by almost every major social group.

Unfettered Hope, by Marva Dawn

i got to thinking of this when reading into john's highlight of 'the entertainment driven church' which pulls from a post by michael patton & michael spencer. to speak to my quoted writing, michael patton speaks about one of his visits to another church.

I went to a church that was just the opposite. It was a popular non-denominational Evangelical associated church. It was much more alluring in its style, having a much more amplified voice with regards to recognizing newcomers. From the moment we got in the parking lot, there were signs welcoming us along with parking lot attendants waving. These guys were so enthusiastic you would think that they had been trained at Disney World. The signs pointed to valet parking for first time guests. I would have taken them up on the offer, but pride always rules (oh . . . and then there is that awkward feeling that you are supposed to give them some money even when they say they don’t take it).

which reminds me of this gem 'king of the hill' episode where the hills go church shopping.

note: is it odd that the only site i could find this video on, due to the removal from copyright infringement at most sites, is a claimed Christian site?

dismantle the mission trip

a few weeks ago i mentioned a change in language about our not taking missions trips, but going on missions experiences. since that time, but not spurred by my posting ariah has gotten into some great discussion over short term missions. it reminds me of dixon's deconstructing of the short-term mission trip which was and is an excellent read. he destructed them & then restructured them, so it is fairly balanced. of ariah's most recent, a letter to returning members of short term missions, post this sticks with me.

What was never said to me, and what I want to say to you now is that that tugging at your heart, that current impassioned disgust with our consumeristic culture, that feeling that you should drastically change the way that you have been living, all of that is the Holy Spirit instilling truth in you. They are truth’s that you won’t hear preached from a pulpit, it won’t be the topic of a Youth Group Bible Study, and you will find very few leaders, mentors, or peers in your life that will encourage you in your new found convictions and passion, but don’t give them up. The Holy Spirit has placed a great stirring on your heart through the unique trip that you have gone on and it would be a shame to let others snuff that out.

i would like to think of myself as one of those people that does not put out those fires. they are too important. i would hope that i am a person who helps to stoke those embers into fires. maybe though, what i do not do is seek out more firewood....

update: seems more folks are talking about short term missions trips. matt has two postings here on how they suck & more on how they suck, via rethinkingyouthministry folks.

christianity today totally ripped off my blog

notice something eerily familiar about this cover in relation to this blog?

i got an anonymous tip from guy that christianity today totally ripped off my blog title because it is oh so creative. actually, i think my title is more creative & relational to the medium of this blog.

what got me going was an email from guy, who shall remain nameless, and sent me on a non-adventure for a few days.

I just got my new Christianity Today and they've totally ripped off your blog name/concept (which I was peaved I hadn't thought of first when I first stumbled across you). I don't know if it's on their website yet, but thought you'd enjoy knowing if you didn't.

indeed they had not updated their website. i let the idea pass. then i was downtown on wednesday, stopped into a favorite bookstore looking for the magazine, no dice, they don't carry magazines. this sorta peeved me and only heightened my anticipation to find out if it were true.

next day i went into a large bookstore with lots of magazines, no dice & their service kinda stunk, though i did find some decent magazines to pick up. grocery shopping with wife later in the day, surely somebody has to have the current issue of ct? no dice on the grocery store.. (note: now expecting a grocery store to have ct might seem like a stretch, but i am in the bible belt, they were playing christian music over the music system)

so we come to today. head to another mega bookstore and low & behold, tucked away with the health & home section, between the diet and log home magazines i find the ct hiding out. obviously shameful of the blatant plagiarism of my blog title.

i would consider lawsuit, but i think they would get away with a loop hole that they direct it towards evangelicals, which, i am not..

so what do you think? at least a letter to the editor? &:~D