Waiting to get LOST

The trailer for the next season of Lost came out this week. It's shaping up to be a good season (maybe half-season if writer's strike continues). Am I the only one though is less excited about LOST since getting into HEROES?

8 Things I Learned from the Global Leadership Summit

For the last two day, I attended the Willow Creek Global Leadership summit. I was brought by my church, City Gates along will Paul K, my fellow MTSer and youth worker, and Paul D, my pastor. It was a series of video casts taken at the main summit which took place in Willow Creek, Chicago.
Here are some of the things I learned:

1. Visions is better accomplished when developed and and deeply owned by the whole group.
2. Lap dancers won't perform when there is a lady present (one who isn't a a lap dancer)
3. Only 12% of people play to their strengths most of the time.
4. It took a film maker (who's not even sure of his faith) to make me see how we could defeat poverty.
5. There may be one overarching dark mission emcompassing all my struggles.
6. The best strategy for a church's community outreach may be getting the professionals to do it.
7. Colin Powell likes to listen to everyone's view and works in a youth group.
8. The best way I can inspire others is by living an inspired life,

There was alot in these sessions and its gonna take time to process and reread over my notes before I really respond to what I've been faced with. Yikes, my head is still spinning.

ministry

Ok, it's 03:28am. You should know that I'm a night owl. My creative juices are on full blast once it's been dark a couple of hours. It's not healthy and I probably don't have the best sleep pattern, but that just the way it is and why I'm updating my blog in the middle of the night.

I've got big stuff happening at the moment. My dream since the beginning of sixth year (when my Christian walk really got going) has been to work full-time in Christian ministry and I think now I'm starting to realise how focused my life is in that direction.
As many of you guys will have heard by now, I'm doing an apprenticeship in City Gates for this year. What this means is this: I'll be continuing my work in Gap while also increasing it and developing it further; I'll be working under my pastor, Paul Dempsey and regularly meeting him to review, study, etc and also I'm for the first-time being paid for my ministry.

This doesn't mean I can quit my part-time job (not being paid that much) but it does mean that I work only one day a week in Zumo and dedicate the rest of my time to college and ministry,

Also, I'm back at college this week. I'm still studying for my Applied Theology Certificate part-time in IBI, so I'm in there every Wednesday. Really looking forward to going back. For the next few months, I'm studying Bible Theology and Bible Interpretation which are both foundational for my study, my ministry and my personal understanding.

I'm got some ideas for how I'd like to develop the ministry I'm working with, but I'll reserve posting about them until they're a bit better thought out.

Trials

OK, I'm officially exhausted. In my job, I usually work 12 hours (20 max) but due to unseen circumstances I'm working 40 hours this week. I feel like I'm going drop off even as I typing this.
The Gap Leaders met last night and planned our first month. We going to taking it easy in September and mainly doing fun activities. There are more plans afoot but they a little further down the road and much less clear. Hopefully, I should have some exciting news to report in the couple of weeks.

For the time being, I'm spending a lot of time reading and thinking about what it means to be a leader. The simplest way to define a leader is someone who influences, but that influence can take any number of forms and can be used well or wasted. I've been reading Courageous Leadership by Bill Hybels. Each chapter of that could be a book in its own right.
There's a chapter discussing different types of leaders and one type mentioned has helped me understand myself a lot better but also challenged me about where I'm should be focusing my work.

I'm meditating and studying the book of James at the moment and the first chapter is amazing to me. It talks about how trials and challenges build up endurance or steadfastness (great word - look in up). It's really encouraging me to use opportunity of challenges and uncertainty in grow in character and be unwavering.

There's funny left in there

I've seen The Simpsons Movie twice so far and both times came out feeling completely differently about it. I loved it the first time, but after watching it the second time, I saw how deeply disappointing it is. It had interesting plotline which either went silly or nothing came of them and the only Simpson to be explored well (emotionally and all that) was Marge.

However, my love for the Simpsons was reignited by watching a couple of recent episodes that are funny.

Here, I present for your viewing pleasure evidence that the Simpsons can still be funny.

Challenges

Got back from Teenstreet last Saturday. This year, more then most, it exceeded my expectation. This was the first one that the college-age leaders were the main leaders there. It was scary and I definietly missed the Gasons but it went smoothly and it was good to be challenged that way.The next big challenge is starting up another year of Gap. I've been thinking alot of about how this could go. We have so much potential for what we do and are doing but there's also alot of dangers and problems to work through. I'm optimistic though. If we forced to depend on God, that's only a good thing

Avalanches and Americans

Last week, we had a group of Americans from North Carolina over on a missionary trip working with us in the City Gates Summer Camp, Avalanche Ranch. Gotta say thanks to them for being so outgoing and fun. It was a blast.

Here's a selection of photos from the week.

I'll try to post some more in the next few days.

Powerbook Bought

Hey all, I got my new Powerbook yesterday and I gotta say I love it. It makes my old laptop looks like a heap of junk (well, close).

I got a really good deal. €500 for 1.25 GB ram, 60 GB memory (Both 5 times more then my old Dell) 15.2" screen and did I mention it looks stunning. I'm a happy buyer.

I've been converted....

I'm shocked at myself. Six months ago, I derided and slagged Mac fans for their universal loyalty to the Apple brand. Now, I'm planning on getting one. On Wednesday (all going to plan), I'm going to buy a second hand Powerbook G4 with Mac OS X (10.4). I've spending the day salivating over tutorials of the Mac OS. It's just so beutiful. I'll let you know how the sale goes.

Video of the Last Gap

This is the video that George put together of the last Gap with the Gasons.

Good times... Good times...

Alex and Linda Sunday

We had the last Sunday service with Alex and Linda Gason in City Gates last Sunday. For the last three years, these guys have been my mentors, leaders and friends. It was an pretty emotional morning.

At at least two points, the speaker spoke into tears and was unable to continue speaking. Honestly, the tears probably communicate more then words could. How do you communicate the effect that someone has you in three minutes or less?

Check out their blog. They're travelling around the world for the next three months and they'll be updating the blog as they go.

Long Due Update

Ok, so after my blog enthusiasm in April, I've been kinda lacking in the post front. I flakingly promise to post more, but for now here's a quick update on myself.

As many of you know, I've been applying for an aprenticeship in Grosvenor Baptist Chruch. The last month I've been engulfed in a tension between whether I'd be staying on in City Gates or starting something new in Grosvenor. I got the answer yesterday morning. I'm going to continuing in City Gates. Honestly, I feel great about this result. Doing an apprenticeship would have been great but my work in City Gates has really been building up to now.

In the last week, the Gap leadership team have realised much more what we're facing in the future when the Gasons leave their position. We're going to have to depend on and trust each other more then we ever have. I've always felt like in some ways an outsider and I've kinda embraced that identity in most areas of my life. Maybe now is the time that that has to end.

We're facing a time when none of what we do, we can do on our strength. We have to follow God very, very closely. If you're reading this, please pray for myself and the rest of the leadership in both Gap and City Gates generally. We need wisdom, peace and guidance. I am however very, very hopeful. This is going to be a good stage for me personally and for Gap. I don't know what qualifies me to say that but I believe it.

I'm finished my first year in IBI (so I'm halfway through the certificate) and happy with my results. (A in New Testament - Boo yeah!!!) I've been surounded by a great group of people in both my class and faculty. I've never looked forward to Tuesdays so much.

Tomorrow morning is Alex and Linda Sunday in City Gates where we'll get an opportunity to share our gratitude with the Gasons for the last three years. I'll post a but more about that in the next few days.

April Fools

Well, yesterday was officially an event day. It may not be as celebrated as next Sunday (Easter) will be or is be as significant in any way, but it's still there.

I was quite surprised at how few people seemed to use the opportunity to mess around with no guilt. I taught a class of pre-teens completely oblivious to the power of this day. What? No pranks? For this one day, you could tell anyone anything, however inappropiate a joke it may be, and then get off completely scott-free simply by uttering the immortal words, "April's Fool". Just sit and let that soak in. No guilt.

Even if we, mere mortals, waste this opportunity, it's good to see that the internet giants fully embrace it. Google for instance, have chosen today to announce their new wireless internet service, which operates through any regular household toilet.

Even Gmail got in on the act: Gmail Paper promises to deliver any e-mail messages direct to your door free of charge - putting the mail back in Gmail.

Google have a long and fascinating history with April Fools Day. They used to launch such fake services as Google Gulp, a soft drink and Google Romance, a search engine for those who want results in more then just infomation.

Bizarrely, they've also used the day to launch real services including Gmail inself and the increasing size of Gmail's inbox. The idea was that the joke got people talking about it then everonewho was pleasantly surprised to discover that the service is infact real. Here's hoping that Gmail Paper actually happens. How cool would that be!

Here's Bebo contribution to this most foolish of days:

Yes, the Bebo logo is missing its trademark ears. Ok, not that funny.

Possibly, my favourite story comes from digitalspy.co.uk, is that Gromit (of Wallace and Gromit) is replace the dog in the HMV logo.

Strangely this turned out to be true.

Up to Date

I let my blogging grow stagnant.
So, quick update time:

- I'm now in my second semester of IBI (which has a brand spanking new site)
- I'm still working at Zumo (which has a brand spanking new site)
- I'm planning on applying for a ministry internship or MTS in Grovsnor Baptist Church this autumn (not branding spanking new sites, but I hear they may soon be)

Well, that's really the update. I know not that interesting or
infomative but I'll try harder next time.

Now's the interesting part:

This Sunday night , there will be an alternative communion service presented by 3Rock. The alternative element is that is comprised of U2 songs. (If you want to see how I feel about U2 songs see my post on Elevation. Here's the poster and link.

I will most certainly be there.