March 30, 2011
Nick Sholars, Senior Pastor
Don Muhlbach, Chair, Staff Parrish Relations Committee

Nick and Don:

It is with great regret that I write this letter to inform you of my resignation as Director of Student Ministries at First United Methodist Church, Lufkin, effective May 22, 2011. This role has changed my life over the past four years. My work with our young people could hardly be called work at all-they have gifted my life with purpose, challenge, humor, and feelings that no words can capture. We are fortunate to have such a terrific group of young people. The future of FUMC is assured-it will rest in capable hands.

I have prayed about this decision, and I truly believe it is the right thing to do. I will be assuming the role of Student Director at Northern Hills UMC in San Antonio.

I want to thank you for this opportunity to work with the young people at FUMC. They are our greatest assets, and I encourage everyone to continue to listen to them, talk to them, work with them, cheer for them, and-most of all-pray for them.

If I can be of assistance in hiring a replacement, please don't hesitate to ask. I am extremely interested in seeing that my successor is nothing short of magnificent. Our kids deserve nothing less. Thank you for your understanding and for the privilege of serving the young people of FUMC.

Sincerely,
David Runnels

In Radical, David Platt looks at how Christianity in America has become far too comfortable. He suggests that Americans have become more interested in pursuing the "American dream" than in fulfilling their obligations to Christ. Platt mentions that many Christians will go so far as to twist the Word of God to mean what they desire it to mean. With this in mind, Platt challenges the reader to a year-long journey to make radical changes for the cause of Christ.

Radical is the no-excuse, no-holds-barred work of a pastor who is fed up with what Christianity has become in America. In his passionate way, David Platt shares his burden about a Christian religion that has strayed far from what it is supposed to be. His book teaches and convicts readers. His goal is to help Christians see what they're missing out on by holding back in their faith.

The book contains stories that will make you weep, as well as those that will shock you. It gives the readers a bold look at where Christians are failing in today's society and how to bring about a positive change. Platt speaks with no apologies, and his message will undoubtedly raise some eyebrows, especially among the "religious" crowd. However, I found his radical statements to be true and straight down the line of what the Bible teaches.

Say "goodbye" to watered-down theology and "feel good" messages. While Platt's message may not be popular, I believe it is God-sent.

"When David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep." (Acts 13:36 NIV) Being David's namesake, I pay attention to scripture with double attention when It could literally be about me. Mark writes, "You possess a uniqueness that is soul deep. I call it your soulprint. It's not just who you are, present tense. It's who you are destined to become, future tense. It's not just who others see when they look at you from the outside in. It's who God has destined you to become from the inside out." And in the life of King David, despite his weaknesses and mistakes, he was able to embrace God's unique destiny for his life, and he died having fulfilled that purpose.
If you are striving step into what God is doing, let go of your agenda and work on God's agenda, I recommend this book.
In Batterson's usual, easy-to-read and comprehend style, he walks the reader through each step of this exciting journey of discovery, utilizing King David's life as the backdrop. We learn the importance of walking in holy confidence of God's ability to move mightily through us, and the importance of remembering the life symbols that mark each turn in the journey. Batterson also reminds us that David's experiences and memories weren't all that carried him through to fulfill his purpose - his character played an important role as well. Mark writes that "the goal is not accomplishing the dream God has given to you. The dream is secondary. The primary issue is who you become in the process." David's humility and his uninhibited love for God, formed a character in him that each of us should long to emulate. Even as Saul pursued him vigorously, David recognized that compromising his integrity was not an option - even if he was "justified" in the eyes of his men. And when God finally elevated David to his position as King, David was not afraid to worship him without abandon, even if it meant looking like of fool in the eyes of family and friends. Part of what holds us back from discovering and embracing God's destiny for our lives is NOT that we have forgotten how God has moved in our lives, but that we have allowed ourselves to cut corners in our character development, or we've allowed our fear of "what people will think" to impact our public (and even our private) worship of the God who is guiding and directing our every step. Are we satisfied living a mediocre life that is headed toward a mediocre finish, or is it time to finally, once-and-for-all, discover and embrace our God-ordained destiny. I choose the latter. I recieved this book as part of the publisher's "Blogging for Books" program.

He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” --Luke 10:2 (NIV)

The understanding that we are called and that we are sent is at the foundation of our faith. The scriptures are full of stories of persons who responded to a call and were sent on mission for God. Jesus spent his ministry calling persons and sending them on God's mission. Putting our faith into action is at the very heart of our Christian calling. The New Testament instructs those who would be followers of Jesus to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give shelter to the homeless, heal the sick, care for the widows, and nurture the children.

I can’t tell you how excited I am about what God is doing right now in my life. There’s too much to put into a letter, so I’ll just highlight one of the more significant opportunities I’ve been given recently.

I have the privilege to take a mission trip to Liberia, Africa this December. And I’d like to ask you to prayerfully consider supporting me as I venture out to share God’s Word on this trip with the people in Liberia. I know it will be life-changing for me.

I will be busy! We’ll be training adults and direct the first church camp ever held in the Gompa District of the United Methodist Church. This will include ministering to orphans, discipling and encouraging the pastors who are a part of our United Methodist family. Along with the District Superintendant of the Gompa District, Rev. James Labala and his wife, Anna plans have been made for one hundred, twelve through eighteen year olds to attend church camp in Ganta, Liberia.

Less than a decade ago this age group would have been carrying machetes in skirmishes and a “church camp” was a refugee camp where they may have been fortunate to find safety. The children coming to camp grew up in the savagery of civil war that tore apart the county.

Ganta is Liberia's second most-populated town and is located in the far north, near the border of Guinea in Nimba County. Ganta suffered heavy blows during both civil wars and much of Ganta United Methodist School was destroyed in 2003.

Here’s where YOU come in. I need to raise $4,200 for this Mission Trip. This will cover the expenses of ALL of the youth that attend camp and the cost of transportation 36 hour journey from Houston to Ganta.

I’m also in desperate need of a group of people who will pray for me…even now! Asking God to prepare me and equip me for this time overseas. I’m trusting God to do far more than I could ask for or imagine. Please join me in praying for the same thing.

Thanks again in advance for partnering with me. I simply cannot do this without your support!

If you have any questions about my trip you can either contact me directly (936-288-1698) or by e-mail drunnels@lufkinfirst.com.

What was I listening to 10, 20, 30 years ago this month? Here's a look at what i was really listening to and a bonus "what I wish I was cool enough to be listeing to."

October 2000

Listening to:

Stankonia- OutKast
America III: Solitary Man- Johnny Cash
All that You Can't Leave Behind- U2

Wish I would have already discovered:

PJ Harvey- Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea

October 1990

Listening to:

Paul Simon- The Rhythm of the Saints
Traveling Wilburys- Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3
Skinny Puppy- Too Dark Park

Wish I would have already discovered:

Hindu Love Gods- Hindu Love Gods

October 1980

Listening to:

Xanadu Soundtrack
Urban Cowboy Soundtrack

Wish I had already discovered:

U2- Boy
The Police- Zenyatta Mondatta

Hipsterdom is a significant cultural phenomenon with implications for all sorts of things. “Hipster” is just the latest, most consolidated iteration of the notion of being cool/elite/fashionable. As such, it serves as a convenient entry point for a crucial discussion of what all of this means for Christianity, which to outside observers probably seems about as far from “cool/hipster” as possible.

What does it mean that “hipster Christianity” exists? Should we be alarmed and unnerved by the marriage of seemingly competing aims: following Christ and being cool? Or are there good things “hipster” has done for Christianity?

Well, yes. [Editor’s note: Brett has much more to say about the good things hipster Christianity has brought to the Church. Check out the full article in the Sept/Oct issue of RELEVANT for the whole list.]

It makes the problem of individualism worse
At its core, hip is an individual pursuit. It’s about how I can set myself apart, how I can advance my standing in the world, turn heads toward me, be noticed, be envied, etc. It’s a way to announce oneself to the world, to assert one’s agency against the behemoth of abstracted culture. It’s a way to advertise one’s privileged knowledge about how to look and act in a fashionable way. And all of this is a thoroughly individualistic affair—meant to distance oneself (or at least distinguish oneself) from the pack.

In terms of Christianity, this is a problem. Contemporary evangelicalism has drifted away from the corporate tradition of Christianity and adopted a more malleable “spirituality” that traffics in phrases like “do-it-yourself,” “self-help” and “your best life now!” That is, we’ve moved from a Christianity that was primarily about living out the Gospel collectively to one that is now almost entirely about “that’s how I like it,” ice cream parlor personal preference. As a result, something so wholeheartedly individualistic and self-serving as “hip” has become commonplace and even virtuous. But I’m convinced it is actually a hindrance.

“Hip” says we can and should rely on our own devices in terms of how we define ourselves. It calls us to be different and unique and not bound by the norms and standardizations of group culture.

It alienates people
Being fashionable is alienating. Some will argue it is attractive, to which I say yes, but it’s attractive mostly in an invidious way. Being fashionable might gain you friends, but more often than not these “friends” are attracted to the image of fashionable association with you more than they are attracted to your personhood or spirit. Chances are they actually can’t stand you.

This is cynical, yes, but unfortunately true. “Cool” is ultimately a lonely world because it makes people fear you. It signifies elitism. It makes uncool people really uncomfortable. It makes it hard for cool people and not-so-cool people to mix and enjoy each other’s company.

This bodes ill for our churches, which are supposed to be welcoming for all people—both cool and uncool.

It fosters pride and vanity
Being a hipster does not help one’s ego. Quite the opposite. The whole notion of “cool” is that we are better than the majority—that we are a minority with privileged knowledge and narrow access to whatever is “in” at the moment. Cool advertises the notion that we have everything together and can execute a style or fashion better than just about anyone. It’s an expression of self-aggrandizement and provides coals for the fires of our pride and arrogance. To be hip is to be haughty and elitist, scorning those “less-thans” and “have-nots” who can’t compete with our fashionable aesthetic—in movies, in clothes, in books, in music ... even in food.

It’s too much about rebellion
The central logic of hip is rebellion. It’s about asserting one’s own personal agency against the forces that be. Every incarnation of hip is a rebellion against something. Trendy fashion is a rebellion against convention. Jazz is a rebellion against strict meter. Riding a fixed-gear bike is a rebellion against gasoline, etc. ... The point is: to be a hipster is to be a rebel. If you want to keep the rules and abide by established conventions, you can only be so cool.

Rebellion itself is not a bad thing, of course. It’s sometimes called for and frequently productive. Jesus was a rebel. He was God incarnate; how could He not be? But His purpose was higher than just subverting the norms and standards for rebellion’s sake. Hipster culture today elevates rebellion as an end unto itself, and this is problematic. Being “cool” requires we bend the rules or break them, because rules are oppressive and systems of control are highly dubious.

As a result, the hipster existence is frequently rife with vices. If hipsters can’t completely overthrow the structures that bind them, they can at least destabilize and unnerve those structures by engaging in hedonistic, naughty behavior. It’s about freedom, partying and transgression. If you aren’t willing to engage in at least some vices, it will be hard for you to maintain any sort of hipster credibility.

This is one of the most important and common sources of tension for the Christian hipster. This is where the inherent dissonance in cool Christianity creates the most ruptures. I’ve known many young Christians (myself included) who have engaged in these “vices” to an unhealthy extent—in the name of “fun” and “cool,” but chiefly “rebellion.” All these things were forbidden and unfairly demonized in evangelicalism for so long, and now the pendulum is swinging. Christian hipsters are rebelling against that old legalism and proclaiming their “freedom in Christ.”

But the life of a Christian is about putting to death our earthly desires, right? (Colossians 3:5) It’s about meditating on things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely and commendable (Philippians 4:8), not flirting with darkness and the corrupt, right? If so, how can we justify living into the patterns of hipster hedonism and rebellion, which esteems vice and shuns the alternative as prudish legalism?

At the end of the day, the moral of this story is that appearances do matter. Many young, fashionable Christians would like to think that looking and being “cool” should not affect or be affected by being a Christian. Why should being Christian spoil all the fun of being a hipster? “Can’t I continue to smoke cloves, dress like a thrift store bohemian, look down on people for liking Daughtry and also be a Christian?”

Christian hipsters tend to find refuge in this sort of dualism, refusing to believe there might be anything implicitly unChristian in the hipster way of life. But lurking beneath this belief is a sort of gnostic assumption that “being a Christian” is mostly a spiritual thing rather than a physical, embodied thing. Christianity, they might think, mostly has to do with believing things and loving people, and has little if anything to do with the clothes we wear, or whether we smoke or get tattoos. But it seems much more likely that these things do matter, at least somewhat.

There are good things that hipsterdom has done for Christianity. Hipsters have helped the Church become more aware of the need for social justice, more attuned to the appreciation of creation and created goods, and hipsterdom has certainly made the Church more culturally engaged. But Christianity is always an embodied thing, and plays out in the material, cultural, socioeconomic world. And this means we have to think about how Christ is seen through our lives in a holistic way.

This article is adapted from a longer piece that appears in the Sept/Oct issue of RELEVANT. Brett McCracken is the author of Hipster Christianity (Baker, 2010), out now. Check out his website to see more about the book and to see if you're a Christian hipster yourself.

This arrived in my e-mail a few minutes ago. It was a good reminder:

soulCARE: reconnect your relationships


Doug Fields & Matt McGill


Ministry is tough work, as time wears on, it takes a toll. Each of us desperately needs a safe place to share personal successes, doubts, and failures. We need cheerleaders, counselors and coaches for encouragement, support, and correction.
God created us for community and we are better when we’re together with refreshing people. As youth workers, we know this, we work hard to help our students experience community, but sometimes we can forget the importance of community for ourselves. Here are a few ideas for connecting with the important people in your life when you need to care for your soul.

WATCH YOUR WARNING LIGHTS
Both of us are mechanical idiots, but even we know the importance of paying attention to our car’s “check engine light”. A decayed spiritual life doesn’t just appear... it decays slowly. The changes are subtle, but they’re not too difficult to detect when we are aware of the warning lights. Soul decay looks a little different for everyone, but here are a few signs that it’s time to get back on track:


Maybe it’s time to take your focus off of teenagers.


..| We spend less time alone with God. We do this guided by the faulty logic: we can get more ministry done if we spend more time doing ministry.
..| We grow short on patience with problems. We become a little more critical and less forgiving of the mistakes of others.
..| We have shallow conversations with others. The busyness of life, and a weaker connection with God, keeps us from engaging with others.

MAKE THE TIME
Reconnecting with a friend won’t get a “to do” item checked off of your project list. However, if you don’t do it soon, you’ll have something much worse to handle than a bloated project list. Stop making excuses and set aside some relational time to reconnect with those who refresh you.
TALK TO THE RIGHT FRIEND
Revitalizing your soul takes conversations with the right friend. Here are some qualities of that friend that we think are important:


Maybe it’s time to take your focus off of teenagers.


..| safe: someone you can trust to respond in love and confidence.
..| admirable: someone you respect as a mature believer to offer solid perspective.
..| positive: someone you know to be encouraging and uplifting (a negative friend is draining and not what you need to be refreshed).

GET REAL
When you connect, talk about stuff that matters. Accountability is only as good as your honesty. Without integrity, accountability is powerless. Be open. Share like a child who has no concern for the consequence of what he just said. Fear of consequence is a killer of meaningful conversations.


What are some of your warning lights that let you know you need to reconnect with the important people in your life?