In anyones first call as a pastor or in the life of a seasoned pastor I can’t help but wonder if there are those in pastoral leadership who don’t practice the ministry of surrender. I don’t recall ever hearing in seminary that as pastors, teachers, and leaders within the church that we as the people of God need to humbly learn how to submit and surrender to the grace and mercy of God. How does one in pastoral leadership in the church surrender to the Lord? How does a person truly model true submission in the deepest sense of the word? How do I become a theologian of the cross who models what it means to surrender to the work of the cross and not a theologian of glory as Luther describes in his Disputation of 1518? How do I become a pastor who truly surrenders my life to God? Just some ramblings for the day. Back to work.

A couple of bloggers Steve Norris and Tim Thomspon have mentioned Sara Groves and her CD titled “All right here.” The song Remember Surrender is what I needed to hear after a long week of ministry and mission in Tijuana, Mexico. Here are the lyrics…check out her web site at saragroves.com

Remember surrender • Remember the rest • Remember that weight lifting off of your chest • And realizing that it’s not up to you and it never was • • Remember surrender • Remember relief • Remember how tears rolled down both of your cheeks • As the warmth of a heavenly father came closing in • • I want to do that again • Why can’t I live there • And make my home • In sweet surrender • I want to do so much more than remember • • Remember surrender • Remember peace • Remember how soundly you fell fast asleep • In the face of your troubles your future still shone like the morning sun • • Remember surrender • Remember that sound • Of all of those voices dying down • But one who speaks clearly of helping and healing you deep within • • I want to do that again • Why can’t I live there • And make my home • In sweet surrender • I want to do so much more than remember • • Remember • Oh surrender • • I want to do that again • Oh why can’t I live there and make my home • In sweet surrender • I want to do so much more than remember • • Remember • • Remember surrender • Remember the rest • Remember that weight lifting off of your chest • And realizing that it’s not up to you and it never was

Amen, amen, and amen!

(The Sanctuary at CPC)
This past Sunday morning I got the short straw and was responsible for preaching at our Easter sunrise service. Now I’m not complaining. I know Associate Pastors who rarely get to preach. I’ll take any opportunity even if it’s at 5:45am at a sunrise service. Mind you the previous day we just got back from our annual Mexico mission trip with our church’s youth. After being up at 4:30am to lead the 5:45am service I rushed over to the church for the three remaining services to assist in worship leadership. Some how I managed to fall alseep on the chancel of our church’s sanctuary sitting with the other pastors and then hearing our “HOS” preach. After our 9:30am service one of our church’s members approached me and said, “It’s our job to fall a sleep, not the pastors job.” In my sleepy state I laughed as hard as I could then rushed back to the sanctuary for my final of three naps. Thank God for people who recognize that those in pastoral leadership are just as human as those who sit in the pews.

Three houses, some mud, and a bunch of tired youth and adults we made it back. What made this trip different from the others? For the first time ever in my ministry I got to have my family along for the ride. Our kiddoes got to work side by side with our youth and were able to experience another culture without electricity, running water, and a game cube system. My wife got to hang out with us and helped cook for 62 people and I got to kiss my wife and kids good night at the end of each day after our youth groups camp fire. When I asked my 8 year old what he learned his reply was, “dad, the kids down there don’t get mad about the things I get mad about not having.” That alone was worth it to me in having them along for the ride and for the Lord to work on my kids hearts when it comes to their attitudes about how they look at life.

Off to Mexico. A seven day trip of banos, lots of water, and most of all God doing the work of changing the hearts and minds of his kids. Our youth again are jazzed, I only pray that God will jazz them up to come back and serve the Lord. Check out the Amor web site for more information.

My youngest boy talks a mile a minute. In his effort as a toddler he has the ability to talk our ears off. Every second he’s in need of something. Moving around and around like a little record player that keeps on spinning. What would the church look like if we modeled child like excitement for life? The church would look and sound a whole lot different. People wouldn’t be afraid to let their hearts and voices burst with joy that Jesus reigns and lives! No one would be ashamed of their love for God! 11 You did it: you changed wild lament into whirling dance; You ripped off my black mourning band and decked me with wildflowers. 12 I’m about to burst with song; I can’t keep quiet about you. God, my God, I can’t thank you enough. The Message

I was again struck by the blessings of parents and involvement of parents in our ministries to youth. Our mission trip next week come to think is run by a majority of parents. Here’s an old post I wrote back in November…My children attend a wonderful school close to the church I serve as a pastor. One of the things I’m most impressed with the school is that when I go on a field trip with one of my kid’s classes, the teacher is usually the one not in charge of the trip. Its the room mom or parent. The room parent is in charge and you don’t mess with the room parent. They know whats happening, when, where, and how. They know who is going and who is not and they know who owes and who has paid for the trips. It hit me that I kill myself with the details of running an event or trip for our youth groups. Why not ask a parent to be a room parent for the youth groups? A parent just about two weeks ago came to me and asked me, “K.C., what do you need help with?” I have resigned from my job and I’m an at home mom now. I almost fell out of my chair and I said, “funny you should ask. I need a room mom for the youth groups, someone to coordinate special events and trips that we almost annunally offer to the students.” She agreed to the job and just this past week coordinated a Thanksgiving Progressive dinner for our middle school students and then one for our high school students. She planned, called, recruited, made a schedule, and put a flower arrangement together from the youth groups for each of the dinner hosts. Its only been two weeks since she has taken this on and I only pray God will use her to allow the youth workers and myself to be in the trenches with our kids. If anything it was sure nice to be with kids and to know that things were all in order for a brief moment in time so that I could actually do what I feel called by God to do and what the church has called me to do as a pastor to students and their families. I have to tell you that with about a dozen plus years of youth ministry experience its been a while since I have experienced the blessing of a parent who wants me and my staff of youth workers to succeed. What even really felt nice for a change was to think that we as youth workers also bless our parents when we let them know that they are needed. The real fruit of this “room parent” concept is what will the ministry will look like when God calls my family and I on to serve in another church? Hopefully it will look like a place where parents will begin to trust and want their youth to benefit the blessings of a youth worker who is not burned out or ready to quit because they are weekly feeling burdened and exhausted with the administrative tasks that come with the call to be a fulltime youth worker.

For close to 20 years now our church has coordinated youth mission trips to Mexico. Everything from the typical Vacation Bible School to the house building project. Next weekend I again get to participate with our church and students from three different youth groups in our annual mission trip. I am excited and at the same time I’m hoping and praying that the Lord will remind those who go on these trips of the importance of not only being aware of mission around the world (In our case 8 hours south) but mission next door. How do we equip and send our students out into the world next door? How about to their high schools? How about making them aware of those who go hungry daily in our own neighborhoods? I have no doubt the annual youth group mission trips work and that the Holy Spirit moves our youth to service. At the same time I hope and pray God will use the “traditional” youth mission trip in educating our students about being sent out not only down south, but down the street. How do I teach our youth about how to see the needs of our own community?

(A cool little store somewhere in Sacto)
I Just took a trip to Starbucks to pick up an “iced” favorite drink of mine. As I was waiting for my drink a woman just as frazzled as I was feeling entered the store, walked to the counter, and said, “do you sell real coffee here?”

One of the many struggles I’ve seen over the years within the life of our churches is how do we welcome kids into church? Where do they sit? In the front? In the balcony? In the back? Do we only let them help in leading the service of worship on the “traditional youth Sunday” or do we let them help on a regular basis with all of the components of a worship service? One discussion I heard recently is you rotate kids by grade level. 1st grade on the first Sunday of the month, 2nd grade on the second Sunday and so on and so forth. How does the church model for kids on what true biblical life changing worship is without causing so many of our kids to become afraid to even step into our sanctuaries? How do we imitate this kind of worship where the Lord can change the lives of our kids? Something the students at our church do on a regular basis is sit up front during our services. The majority of youth though attend our second service which has all of the bells and whistles of a “contemporary” service with the band, powerpoint, pastors wear no robes, and none of the liturgy that you would find in our first service except for a prayer of confession and an assurance of pardon. Of course we have the “traditional youth Sunday,” where not only the youth help lead, we also have the children take an active part in the ushering and scripture readings. Then several of our youth prepare more of a sermonette with highlights of their Mexico mission trip the previous month. Is it perfect? By all means no. Students will talk up a storm during the service and even the sermon, but there’s an obvious sign that kids exist and I certianly praise God for their presence.