Frosty Shall Not Be Knocked Down

The 3Rock crowd were up in Belfast a couple of weeks ago doing a tour of school with American speaker, Reggie Dabbs ... and it snowed!

Stevey B and myself, along with the Authentic Youth group worked together (as Authentic Rock) to create something of beauty and stature.

Meet our Frosty...

We gave him life...

and love.

Later, that evening, some dastardly foe decided it would be a lark to prematurely end our snow man and tried to knock him down.

Fortunately, due to his sheer awesomeness, the snow man remained standing, while the car was stuck forevermore...

until the snow melted.

"All the single Christians.."

Happy Valentines Day, all you singles.
Yes, I am only wishing a happy valentines to the singles because I have good reason to believe that the couples will take care of themselves. We, singles gotta look out for each other on this, the cuddliest of all days,

This Valentines Day, as I attended a speed dating night, I considered the topic for me, that of Christian dating. Or the lack thereof.

I throw myself under the bus as the worst example of what I think is a common conundrum for Christians everywhere. I'm single, reasonably mature at twenty-three, yet haven't had a date or girl friend. I think most people in position have, so everything I write here pretty much describes me, but I'm confident that it rings true with a large portion of the Christian community. It's my own thoughts and nothing authoriative. (That's the disclaimer out of the way.)


Us, single Christian are a peculiar bunch. Most of us want to date, want to search for the right girl/guy through trial and error but it just seems so much more complicated in Christian circles. We feel like we have to jump through certain hoops to be eligible and unsinful in dating.  However,  we don't really know what these hoops are or how we'd even begin to jump through them.

Luckily, I think I've managed to identify a few of these hoops - the beliefs we have about what a good Christian should do in courtship. (Courtship is much holier then dating, apparently.)

1. We should only date when it leads to marriage.
    Yes, I believe that if a relationship clearly isn't going to ever lead to a healthy marriage then its it not a healthy relationship but how many married couple who've dated since their school days started dating with marriage in mind.
2. I need to be ready spiritually for a relationship
    This is the belief that only perfect people are ready to date. If you have any major problems in your life, that between you and Jesus. Its not baggage that you should be bringing into a relationship. The problem here, is that we're always going to have baggage, always going to have faults. If we ever get to the stage of thinking we don't thats when we're in trouble. A good friend said to me, that it when we're aware of our own issues that we're most ready for a relationship.
3. God will bring me a woman (or man)
     This belief continues on as "so looking for one myself is acting out of faith". Although the phrase "God helps those who help themselves" isn't in the Bible, I believe the flipside is true: God doesn't help those who neglect themselves. If it was money you lack which of these is the better thing to do: to get a job and work or to pray that God will supply money but never seek to earn it. Our desires for love, intimacy and romance are given by God. Why is it quasi-spiritual to ignore them?

When it comes down to it, I think we're scared. We scared of the pain that dating can bring with it. We scared of stepping out into the unknown? I scared of the sear of rejection?

So, I along with my fellow single Christians simply sit and wait until.....


Lets change that.

Employment.... or the lack of it

I'd love to write a thoughtful and thought-provoking post right, but think it might be better just to give a quick update on how I'm doing and what I'm up to.

The big news is that I'm not unemployed. The smoothie bar, I was doing a few shifts in every week, has gone the way of far too many small shops and become a victim of the recession. So, I've been made redundant... not fired, mind you, but equally jobless.

I was already working on applications for youth work jobs, so now I'm on double CV duty. One for the long term career and vocation and one for the job that going to pay the bills until then. Ah, such is life.

I'm kinda excited to finish the job. The world feels a bit more open and full of possibility. Guess that shows how I felt about the job.

I've got faith that God has his hands on the goings on of my life, so I'm feeling good.

23 Embarrassing Facts About Me

Good day to you.

As I write this on January 22, 2009, I've just turned 23. (YEAH, Halfway to 46!) So, my gift to all you perusers of my blog is  the following, 23 random embarassing facts about yours truly.

1. As I type this, I have a teddy bear in my room that's bigger then me. 
2. I check X-men fan sites almost every day.
3. In my school production of Grease, I sang Beauty School Dropout with my own troupe of dancers.
4. I joined a Christian dance group when I was younger, but was never good enough to go on stage.
5. One of my favourite movies is A Walk to Remember and I did cry during it.
6. I got one of my leaders at youth camp (Teenstreet) in trouble a few years ago, by making a balloon model of a sensitive piece of the male anatomy and leaving it on his bed.
7. I like X-Factor.
8. I've never had an "official" date.
9. I probably am addicted to coffee, never mind what I say.
10. I snore.
11. In a friend's film project, I play a insane stalker who murders my friend,  George, because he calls me a little boy. ( I play a good psycho.)
12. In my first year of bible college, I didn't finish any of my text books (except one).
13. I chickened out a public speaking contest and instantly regretted it once it started (but it was too late).
14. I have 5 binders of Star Wars trivia and a few of Star Trek trivia in my room.
15. I once got lost in the estate next to mine while chasing a ice cream van. ( I got two cones, one for my brother, but I had to eat it before it melted.)
16. I once accidentally snapped a gerbils neck.
17. I may have accidentally killed my family's favourite cat on Christmas day by feeding it leftover crab.
18. I always find it awkward to introduce myself  because I'm trying to decide whether to use Stan or Stephen ( I now introduce myself as Stephen and mention the nickname sometime later.)
19. I once accidentally wore a t-shirt about Jesus' death to Jewish/Christian reconcilliation meeting.
20. I can't cycle a bike.
21. I can't whistle.
22. I only learned to click my fingers in 4th year when I had to for the school musical.
23. I'm vain enough to have a blog.

There you have. You could use information in blackmail but I beat you to it and it's the web for all to see.

If you've got any other embarrassing moments you remember of me, any of your own, or just want to comment on one of mine, you know what to do.

New Year, Now What?

A belated Happy New Year to all who stop by.
Thanks for taking the time to read the insane rambling of a fool. I appreciate it.

Question: do you do make New Year's resolutions?

I don't really get why the beginning of the year is such a great time to start new habits. Perhaps, it's the appeal of having a clean slate: if it's a new year, then maybe we can forget about our failings of last year. For example, if I'm feeling like I should give up coffee [I'm not, just an example] because I feel guilty of its ill-effects on my health, then when 09 starts, I can take solace in the fact that I haven't had coffee this year... until I do.

The problem I think with New Year resolutions is that, we set ourselves up for a fall, simply because of the fact that we do usually fall. It's in our nature.

 If the New Year is our fresh beginning and we fail a few days or weeks in, then what? It seems that the clean slate is dirty and I guess we have to wait a year to get it again.
Cancel the gym membership, bring the ashtrays back out, get the triple expresso. Reinvention aborted.

What, however, if our clean slate isn't fixed on the calendar?
What if the clean slate isn't based on how we feel and our level of euthusiasm?
What if it's based on something beyond ourselves?

Let me tell you a story:

Like most guys (if not all), I struggle with a certain sin [scroll down to the bottom of the page to have spelled out for you]. A few years ago, my clean slate was a youth camp, Teenstreet. My thinking was that after the camp, everything would be different. Temptation would disappear and if not, I'd just hug Jesus, pull out a metaphorical sword and slay that demon in a glorious moment of triumph and fanfare [think the music from Chariots of Fire].

Well, it didn't go like that: I was weak and got my butt handed to me. I remember getting on my knees in anguish. Why, oh God, didn't I stand in the battle? Was I lying to myself about wanting to change? I begged God for answers for these questions and I begged for forgiveness.

He responded.

In that moment, I was given a epiphany. The clean slate that we pretend to have at the beginning of the New Year does actually exist but not in that way. It exists in a person of Jesus and in the event of the cross.

When Jesus died on the cross, he became the sinner that I am, he took on the sins that I commit and they died with him. The punishment and justice that I deserve was taken on him.

I'd always known these facts but usually, it made me sad and even more depressed. [ah, not only am I a screw-up but because of me, Jesus had to die] However, on this occasion, I realised that this sacrifice of Jesus was a act of love and just as He died, He rose again.

My failure in trying to change the way I live, helped me realise to a fuller degree the love of God and the hope he gives me.

The apostle Paul clearly understands what I'm talking about:

But he said to me,  "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2 Corinthians 12:9

So, when I fail, I know that I can rise again and do better. As long as I'm on this planet in my sinful state, I'm going to mess up, but God knows that. He doesn't see a failure, though. He sees his son.

It's not the New Year that should give me the desire to live better and grow, it's the hope that I have in Christ that God is using even my failures to make me into the man He wants me to be.

Thank you, Papa, for your grace and patience with your child.

Information Overload

I've been thinking a bit lately about how information I've been ingesting. On Google Reader, between around 20 subscribed blogs, I currently have over 200 unread posts. On Itunes, I have 300 new podcast episodes waiting for me. On Sunday mornings, I listen to a sermon on my Ipod before I arrive to church. I buy books far faster then read them. Is it any wonder that I find it harder and harder to take quiet time with God.

My friend Shane  just posted this video earlier today. It astonishes me to see how fast we're moving and it's exponential. We're moving far faster then we can possibly learn to catch up to. Give it a watch and let  me know what you think.



Lord, free me from the addiction to information and cure of my quest for control,
Stan

Alexandra Burke

I'm not ashamed to say that I've enjoyed watching the X-Factor over the last few months. It's beens an interesting contest with the winner emerging fairly late in the game, compared to the ones who's been getting all the press attention. Well you know what they say about cream: it rises to the top.


These two video are ones that I've found myself watching several time over the last couple of evening.

In the first, the eventual winner, 20 year old, Alexandra, performs a duet with her musical hereo, Beyoncé.
Look at the joy on her face. Look how happy her friend and mentor, Cheryl Cole, is. This video just makes me feel good.



Her second is her performance of the winners' single, Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah. This is a classic song and one of my favourites. It conveys the story of David and Bathsheba and how through his adultery and subsequent murder of Bathsheba's husband, he lost his relation to God. It's a song about emotion and despair. I was sceptical that the X-Factor could ever do this song justice but I'm astounded.

Got my first real 6-String...

Using an Argos voucher I won last month (entertainment.ie), I treated myself to  a Yamaha F310 acoustic guitar. I should be clear that I cannot yet play it. I haven't played music since I did keyboard in school and that was shambolic to say the least. But now, I've decided that I'm going to master or at least get my musical ability to an adequate level.
So far, I've got the "G" and "D" down but "C" is proving a bit more difficult.

Found a great series on online beginner guitar lessons. I'm confident I'll be confident in no time.

Porn Again Christian

I'm in Galway tonight. I'm down for a leadership training day with Andrew Jones (aka blogger, Tall Skinny Kiwi). I'm in amazing hotel called the Clayton and taking full advantage of the lan in the room.

I'm reading through a book that I'd like to share with you. It's a e-book by Mark Driscoll and released by Re-lit on their website for free . At the moment, it's just available to read on the web but it's going to released in pdf format for distribution in the next few days.

Considering the topic, they recommend that not everyone read it. It is specifically for Christian men and they don't recommend that women read it. IT IS EXPLICIT. Don't read if you're worried about offense.

If however, like myself, you're a Christian male who lives with the reality of life in world and media that's saturated in cheapened sex, if you're some strength and kindness in resisted temptation, if you are finding yourself becoming insensitived to lust and porn, READ IT.

Later edit: just noticed on my tracker, that two people came to my site after googling porn. If you come from such a query, I suspect you probably won't stay long but if you do. I hope maybe, you give this book a chance and may experience some freedom from the vice of porn addiction.

Sexy God - Zooma

Funny.

What do you think?

What If Starbucks Used Church Marketing?

What If Starbucks Used Church Marketing?

The blog ThinkChristian  clued me into this great video from Beyond Relevance. It answers one of the great questions: what would it be like if Starbucks based its customer experience on churches?

How do you find it when you visit a new church? Perhaps, it doesn't alway go that comfortably. This video definitely brings back some memories for me. I'll have a new appreciation for the simple joy of buying a coffee (which I already quite enjoy).

Elected Saviour

So America has a new president elect. I have to admit I'm a little bit excited at the prospect of what can happen but also cautious and more then a little sceptical of Obama's presidency. I've yet to seen anything that convinces me he has the ability for positive and long-lasting change.

Change itself is inevitable. It's going to happen no matter what. The recession is change. The war was change. 9/11 was change. Change is positive or negative. We can accept changes, try and stir in the right the direction or outright urge them on.

As an informed outsider, it looks to me that the US is going in a constant cycle from one extreme to the other. Just as America was fed up with the Republican regime, I'm sure that it will be with the Democrats. It's just another of history's cycles.

 "History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new. We don’t remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now."

Ecclesiastes 1:9-11

The main reason I'm skeptical of Obama is this - that he's poised as a saviour who is going to rescue America from its woes. He has been seen as the realisation of Martin Luther King's dream, the guide in times of economic woe and an end to the jaded politics of yesterday.

But he fail. He won't live up to the hype. 

I'm not trying to discredit him or convince people. I've accepted that he is now America's new president but I just believe that when expectations are stacked so high, there's going to be a fall. Everyone feels the need for some kind of saviour; we all know the world is in a mess. No human can be that saviour.

I read Psalm 2 last week and I think its apt for the times:

1 Why are the nations so angry?

      Why do they waste their time with futile plans?

 2 The kings of the earth prepare for battle;

      the rulers plot together

   against the Lord

      and against his anointed one.

 3 “Let us break their chains,” they cry,

      “and free ourselves from slavery to God.”

 4 But the one who rules in heaven laughs.

      The Lord scoffs at them.

 5 Then in anger he rebukes them,

      terrifying them with his fierce fury.

 6 For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne

      in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain.”

 7 The king proclaims the Lord’s decree:

   “The Lord said to me, ‘You are my son.

      Today I have become your Father.

8 Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance,

      the whole earth as your possession.

 9 You will break them with an iron rod

      and smash them like clay pots.’”

 10 Now then, you kings, act wisely!

      Be warned, you rulers of the earth!

 11 Serve the Lord with reverent fear,

      and rejoice with trembling.

 12 Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry,

      and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities—

   for his anger flares up in an instant.

      But what joy for all who take refuge in him!

Man, this was written long before Jesus even came to earth, but it describes his eventual rule and simply reminds me that when I place my trust in any politician or ruler to makes things right, God probably laughs.

With that in mind, I still believe we need to pray for our leaders, that they have wisdom and guidance from God and that they may place their trust in Jesus. So, Barack, Biffo, I'll be praying for ya.

Shocking Arguing

I was listening earlier to an interview (click for link) with Doug Pagitt on the Way of the Master radio show. To set the scene, let me tell you a bit about the players: Way of the Master has a reputation of being unashamedly fundamental.  Pagitt on  the other hand, is one of the leading voices in the Emerging movement, which I think I've written enough about for you to get the picture that he's not fundamental.

This is obviously a volatile mix , but nothing could prepare me for the train-wreck of  a conversation that follows. The interviewer, Todd Friel, pulled no punches in addressing the controversial elements of the emerging movement. I thought, maybe that Pagitt would tactfully dodge the questions, hopefully engage them and maybe show himself to be closer to orthodox Christianity.(i.e. the truth of Christianity as seen by the historical consensus), but no...

Instead he pretty much acted like a jerk. He disingenuously feigned ignorance of commonly held Christian beliefs and laughed out loud at the fairly reasonable questions of Todd Friel. He did nothing to defend his own view that everyone is saved regardless of faith in Christ. He instead acted like someone would be stupid for ever thinking that Heaven or Hell are physical places. Beyond patronising.

Now, I've often seen arrogance in discussions like this, I've never seen anything like this.

Doug Pagitt in my eyes, has wrecked his witness and let pride get in the way of any chance of engaging seriously in matter of faith.

If you know me or have read this blog at all, then you know that I'm an idea guy. I love looking at different ways of thinking with pragmatism and logic. I like to see why people believe what they do and if I see faulty logic or bad thinking, it bothers me.

I can be arrogant. I can get overexcited. I can let my judgement of the other side get in the way of communicating my own views. (Please don't mention Barack Obama to me; you won't like what you see.)

But I don't want to be that guy.
I want to embrace clarity in beliefs.

 I want my strengths and interest in it to be a part of my ministry. I think its important especially in youth work and sharing faith with young adults.

But please, God, give me the love and self-control to stay level-headed and always to talk out of love and never for my own pride.

Relevant Truth (or something like that)

I reading a lot of blogs lately but haven't done much posting myself.

Yep, I'm yet again using the "having blogged in a while" clíche opening.

Anyway, reading a great post earlier by Philip on Nexus4Change (check my reading list) based off his reading of Don Miller's Blue Like Jazz, a book that I reccomend. He raised a concern that I have feeling myself, not so much with Miller's writing specifically but with a lot of modern Christian books.

Before I talk about the concern, let me share what I like about the recent works of Don Miller, Rob Bell and a load of other authors I've yet to read: Christian faith is being shared in a manner that is relevant, honest (in terms of the human condition), attractive and intelligent. These men have moved with the times and acknowledge that times have changed and text book theology isn't going to go down with the Web 2.0 generation.

But my concern is this: that as postmodernism, relationalism (if that's a word), and the centrality of the human condition have been embraced, that their grasp of truth has been lost. It's is not culturally sensitive to call people sinful or declare that a large group of people will suffer for eternity because they don't believe the right thing. So, its not said.  Scripture is re-examined or deconstructed in light of our modern context. As Brian McLaren's book states: Everything Must Change.

I'm not going to outright reject the thinking of leaders like that and I'm trying to broaden by own understanding but let me offer my own belief as far as sharing the Gospel in our current culture.

In one hand, we hold our methodology, our ways of communicating, our structures of meetings, etc. This hand is open. This things can change. In fact, they should. We have to engage people where they actually are, not expect them to fit into a cookie cutter before we give the hope that exists in Christ.

In the other hand, we hold the Gospel, the Words of God, the centrality of God's truth and the challenge to understand what we believe without unnesscarily reinventing the wheel. We take the truths and ideas of the Bible in the context of when they were written with the understanding that it's not relative and that there is intention behind the writing. This hand is closed. By that, I don't mean that we arrogantly shout off what we believe but we avoid the blind leading the blind. There is actual truth that we are moving closer to.

I think that maybe the length of this post will make up for the post drought. If you made it through, well done.

Reflection on Time

I was just thinking about my schedule for tomorrow.
Let me give you the background.

I was originally scheduled to work in my job (in Zumo) tomorrow from 2.30pm to 7.30pm tomorrow. That's five hours.
Earlier today, I got a phone call from my manager asking me to work instead from 8.30am to 2.30pm instead.
Six hours.

The strange thing was that despite the longer work hours, I got excited about the opportunity to have a productive afternoon after work.

Now, my manager has switched me back to the afternoon shift, I'm kinda disappointed.
The prospect of having a productive day (aside from my job) seems gone.
It's strange that although I'm working less hours, I feel like I have less free time.
Why is that?

Probably, it's that I find it easier to get stuff done in the afternoon or evening then the morning.
Maybe, it's that it hard to focus in the morning also know that I'll soon have to get ready for work.
On some level, I wonder if its because by forced to get up early in the morning, I feel less lazy then I would sleeping in a bit. (I should mention here that I slept in very late and frequently over Summer.)
Also, it disjoints my day by having to be somewhere in the middle of it.

My challenge tomorrow is whether I can overcome a schedule that defies my personal body clock and make use of the time I do have. I feel like through a combination of appreciating the time I do have and taking time to reflect and worship (God, Jesus specifically) that the time will be well used.

I travelled to Dundalk this weekend with 3Rock for a leadership training day with Rev. Tom Wilson during he reflected on solitude. Think I need to practice some of that. More of my thoughts on it tomorrow.

Au revoir.
(I like foreign versions of "you see later")

Au Revoir, Irish Bible Institute

I'm slap down in the middle now of a what I'm sure could be considered a big week.

Last Sunday, I officially graduated the Certificate of Applied Theology from IBI.  Here's a picture of me and my new certificate in what appears to be a Hogwarts dress uniform.

While I'm not a big fan of formal occasions (particularly when it's my formal occasions) and due to bad planning came particularly underdressed for this particular occasion, and had a cold, I really enjoyed the afternoon. It was a great opportunity to catch up with my friends from the college and let my parents and friends get a glimpse of the IBI world.

I'm going to miss college life this year but have found the odd random excuse to give it a visit. With my certificate, I got membership to the alumni society, Cairde (apparently, friends in Irish) and with that, conintued membership of the library which should prove useful. Two of my friends, Paul and Paddy have started in the college recently and I couldn't be more excited for them. They stand to gain a lot including an increased understanding and appreciation of their faith, a great opportunity to develop in their own walk with Jesus and an invitation to a great community of  believers.

Goodbye for now, IBI. See you when I continue on to the diploma.

I was going to write something else in this post, but since this is getting long, that can get its own post.

Most Famous Stan McConnell

If you're anything like me, when you get bored you look up random things on Google. In the course of doing this, I discovered that this site is THE no.1 result for "stan mcconnell" (with my Bebo page in third place). Ok, I don't know if Google results are the ultimate measure of fame, but I reckon its the closest thing we have.  So, with that in mind, I hereby declare myself the most famous Stan McConnell in the world. Unfortunately, I do less well in the results for "stephen mcconnell", my real (official,non-nickname) name. but I'm ok with that since there are significantly less results.

I am shocked, unhumbled and in awe at this random achievement and welcome any challenges on my claim.

If you're another Stan McConnell, who like me, is vain enough to google your name and you stumble across my site, drop me a line. If I find you to be more famous then me, you can win the above plaquetificate.

My plans

HI guys,

I was holding off writing about my plans for this year until I was more certain of them. I've finally gotten to the stage where I'm sure, so I'll blab.

I'm not returning to IBI this year. So, for the first time in 18 years, I'm not a student. I've finished my certificate in May and plan on finishing the diploma in the next couple of years. In the meantime, I want to get more hands-on learning and experience in youthwork.

What I'm doing instead of Bible college is working with 3Rock Youth in a leadership training program. I'm ecstatic about the year ahead. The more I hear about 3Rock and what I'll be doing the more excited I get. In the program, I'll be helping create resource for youth and leaders, working in school and more in the broad Dublin area. The role seems like the perfect fit for what I'm seeking to do. I'll be continuing to work with Gap alongside this.

I'm also considering a change in my part-time job. I've got one in mind which lets me pick my own hours and gets good money but may prove unpopular - door to door market research. What do you think?

Hymn in Internet Cafe

Yo, I'm in town right now in a internet cafe and the music being played by the staff here is the worship song, Days of Elijah, I think in Spanish.
I'm enjoying it.

Blue Like Jazz

Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality by Donald Miller

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Debated between giving this the three stars or four stars. I sided with the higher rating because it definitely has a few very poignant moments which makes the rest worthwhile.



The book is enjoyable but the wavey, stream of thought style can make it hard to coherently follow and remember. That said, I think Don walks very well the tightrope between relevance and error that can be found in a lot of Christian books lately. He manages to convey a faith thats honest, emotional and rooted in daily reality but also grounded and bordered by what we know to be true.



Recommended.


View all my reviews.