the myth of the present day “mission” trip

As many of you know, I was on yet another short term mission trip with my youth group in early July.  I have already shared my thoughts and feelings about the need to shift from mission trips to being missionalFrom Missions to Missional

 In many real and tangible ways our group has been able to do that throughout the year, for which I am very proud and content.  Yet, there I was again partnering with a renowned short term mission trip organization.  I will start off by saying that God always shows up and works in wonderful ways on these trips.  My students had a great time, served others with abandon and joy, and truly connected on deeper levels with God and with each other.  In many ways the trip was a huge success and exceeded my expectations.  I just don’t think it was because of the “expert” organization in charge.  I also don’t think we were doing a great job of “mission” work if the truth be told.

First of all, these trips are getting more and more expensive (even if you don’t have to fly somewhere).  However, I am still unsure as to where all of the money goes. Between the 3 youth groups in our area, we brought down just about 50 individuals at $395 per person (and that was the lowest end of a trip with this organization).  So, roughly $20,000 of our hard earned money to to this “mission trip”.  Factoring food costs, housing expenses, and construction materials, I believe the actual cost per person is much closer to $250 max.  And we are not staying in a luxury hotel or eating zaggat rated food by any stretch of the imagination.  That leaves around $8,000 going somewhere, and I don’t think it went back to the community we were serving.  My guess is that all the extra money goes back to the mother ship to help pay for their costs.  Understandable? Yes.

 A great use of our money?  Not sure.  

Helping the community we went to serve?  Nope.

I know that large organizations have large overhead costs (just like churches). I am sure people don’t really want their tithe money going towards the gas bill or to fix the broken AC unit.  But those people need to trust in the leadership and integrity of the church or they can simply give their money somewhere else.  As youth leaders, we have that same choice.  I suppose if I would rather see the extra $8,000 going into an actual city or work project, I could always plan my own trip.

 Here is an option:  In this tough economy, work with some churches or community centers in a particular area to put together your own mission trip.  Plan it the way you want.  Save money where you can.  You could either do a week-long trip for under $300 or less, or still charge the same, but make sure that the extra thousands of dollars goes directly to the church, organization, project, or families you are serving.  Now, there’s an idea for you!

Just a few more thoughts and reflections.

A good amount of our trip was spent doing some mundane work projects. We painted stairwells, cleaned and repainted an old garage, and stripped and repainted a fence. Now I have no problem with work projects. In fact, in many ways they visibly demonstrate the selflessness of the message of Jesus and allow all types of students to participate.

 One night during our group reflection time, one particular student questioned why we were doing a particular work project.  A local denomination had their headquarters in the same facility that we were staying and they wanted us to clean and repaint their fence that was probably under ten years old.  This was a massive project that took the entire week and ate up many hours of labor.    

This one student made a few keen observations:

1) the denomination probably had the money to hire people to do that job

2) did a newly painted fence really contribute to their ministry?  (basically asking if their ministry would still operated without it)

3) What about all of the poverty we see around the city and down the roads.  Couldn’t we do something to help some families in need?

He brought up some great questions to which the other students promptly responded with something along these lines… “We are to be faithful in the small things and work as unto the Lord.  Picture yourself painting the fence for Jesus and that will help change your perspective.”

They meant really well and were correct in their Biblical and theological interpretation.  I get it.

But I also understood his questions and frustrations.

What exactly were we doing there in Newark, NJ?  

What lasting impact would we have on the poor and lonely; the forgotten?

Was our time, effort, and money being well spent for the blessing of that community?

Were we truly operating out of a “mission” mindset?

One more impression.  

As typical with this particular organization, “evangelism” plays a key role.  Now, don’t get me wrong; I truly believe people need Jesus and we are to play a role in that.  I am just not sure about the approach.  Usually we have gone around door to door like Jehovah’s Witnesses, but this week we did “gospel magic”.  I am not kidding, that was actually the name of it.  Our students would roam the park looking for kids and asking if they liked magic.  Sounds a bit creepy to me.  One guy actually texted me “Dude, I totally feel like a child stalker right now!”

The point was to gather children around to perform a magic show, all of the tricks illustrating a truth about the gospel.  Now, i do not question people motives or intentions so I believe it was done for the right reasons and with sincerity and passion.  But talk about a “rope them in and trick them with preaching” tactic of evangelism.  These kids had no idea what they were sitting down for.  But besides that, the children really did seem to enjoy the show and many of them understood the message, but I was still left wondering about the follow up that would occur. Kids were encouraged to raise their hands to accept Jesus and naturally once one kid raising their hand they all do.  So they say a prayer and then we all go home thoroughly convinced of their eternal salvation.  What happens next?  Is there any discipleship, support, church, fellowship, etc…?

At one meeting it was proudly announced that 8 kids “trusted in Christ today”.  How do you know that?  Because they raised their hands?  Isn’t trusting someone a big and lengthier process?  Doesn’t it implicate and involve the deepening and maturing of the relationship?

I also wondered what we were teaching our students about evangelism?  Perhaps in certain cultural contexts it may “work” to go to a park and perform. And by “work”, the assumed goal is to get a high number of hand raisers.  But how will my students related that approach and method to back home.  I don’t want them doing that in our local parks.  I would rather teach them a lifestyle approach to sharing their faith and the importance of developing meaningful friendships.  Sometimes these mission trips reinforce just the opposite. 

Ok, perhaps I am sounding cynical and I don’t mean to, it’s just that I have seen this all before.  It seems to me that many “mission trips” are more about us feeling good about ourselves than about actually helping others long term.   These trips more resemble discipleship trips than missions trips.  More often that not, we are blessed probably more than we were a blessing.  Now, that is not a bad thing, but let’s call a spade and spade and call these trips what they really are.

My students learned valuable lessons; they grew closer to God; they connected deeper with one another; they experienced service at a high level even with little recognition.  I saw my students at their very best during the week and for that I am truly thankful.

But i will continue to flash back to that question: “What exactly are we doing here for these people in the city”.  “Where is our money actually going?”

I wonder if a new kind of youth mission may involve skipping the middle man (organization) and working directly with churches or other organizations embedded in a particular community; using that connection to build and develop relationships with individuals and families in need.  That way, true authentic relationships could be built and the love of Christ demonstrated in more ways than a magic show.  And wouldn’t it be great to know that every dollar raised was well spent to allow us to make a difference and invest in a community!   I think that if you spend $2,000 to fly to some distant land and visit orphanages and churches, I would only hope that you leave those places far better off financially then before you arrived.   If we have the money to spend on ourselves traveling around the world to see new sites, we certainly can and should use at least a portion of it to bless those in need and not just ourselves.  Let’s not build up our travel resumes at the expense of building up a community in need. 

But I also realize that once you are on a train (especially if its powerful and fast) it is hard to get off.  Jumping off the mission organization train may be difficult, but it may also be the most exciting and rewarding jump of your life.

Granted, there are some mission organization that specialize in certain aspects (such as medial, construction, home repair, teaching) but many attempt to offer students a wide variety of “mission” activities in order to broaden their perspective and perhaps see if some are called or equipped to those various aspects. These may include construction, children’s  ministry, teaching, evangelism, prayer, etc..

But perhaps by trying to offer to many views or pieces of missions, the whole pie is tainted.  think about a car company that specializes in sports car. they do it well but feel that other people may want an SUV or minivan. so the company expands their operations and then starts making all sorts of cars.  after a while, they have lost their primary identity, and quite possibly none of their cars are as good as they could or should be

if you can’t do everything well, should you still try?

Let me end by saying this.  

If your program is young or you are inexperienced in “missions”, these organizations can be a great starting place to get your feet wet.  They offer an easy way to bring a group of students and experience the whole gamut of “missions”.  However, if you have prior experiences, you may already have  3 important things (confidence, competence, and connections) that may open the door for you to branch out and do your own thing.  These mission trips groups have their place, don’t get me wrong and are valuable and necessary, but I also think they may not be for everyone. I believe that these kind of mission trips should not be the end goal we have in mind.

Like the parable of the talents  Matthew 25:14-30

At the end of the day, we want to be able to say that we used what God gave us in the best possible way to bless all the nations and increase his kingdom here on earth; to bring healing, renewal, restoration, and salvation, and hope to those in need.

At least do me a favor.

Think critically before, during, and after your next “mission” trip and take the time to evaluate.  God may be leading you to bring change and transformation.   I am still learning, reflecting, thinking, and changing. It has taken me over 7 years and 15 “mission” trips to reach many of these conclusions, and I am still unsure as to the end result.

But I sincerely hope that whatever we decide and wherever we choose to go, we will do our best to fulfill God’s mission to the world and be a blessing to those we are sent and not only to ourselves.

My Hero

I am in debt.

No, my credit card bills are not piling up (hopefully) but I owe a huge debt of gratitude towards my father.

I would not be the person and pastor I am today were it not for him.

They say we are all products of our own choices and decisions.  

While this is true, the way our parents raise us often determines how we make those life changing choices.

I would like to share a bit of my life with you today, especially as it relates to my father.

In some ways, this entry serves as an on-line journey (guys don’t call them dairies, but its basically the same thing!)

As I reflect back and process my upbringing and the impact my dad had on me, perhaps you will be encouraged to do the same. 

Perhaps your father has passed away, but you can take some time to remember back.  Perhaps he is still with you and this Father’s Day might be a bit different having taken some time to look back with a new and fresh perspective.  Perhaps you never knew your father, but have come to a loving understanding and relationship with your heavenly father.  I don’t know your story, but I hope that mine can speak to all sons (and daughters) out there.

It is not an extraordinary story.  It is not an uncommon story.  but that’s the point.  It is a very common story, perhaps much like yours, but it is my story, which I embrace and now share.

My father, Gary Haugh, was raised in Lexington, MA (birth place of the American Revolution).  His ancestry and parents were Norwegian..making him of course Norwegian.  Besides skiing, Norwegians are known for a bit of stoicism, hard work, conservative lifestyle and beliefs, and a love for boats (and i guess violent conquering if you factor the Vikings into the equation!)

Gifted with a brilliant mind, he enveloped himself into philosophy from the ancients to the contemporaries of his time who turned out to be the founders of postmodern thought).   I am sure like most of us, during his early high school years his curiosity got the best of him at times and he wandered from the faith tradition he was raised in. But Jesus had a plan and my father followed it by his late teens and early twenties.   He went to the University of Maine for undergrad and then attended Trinity Evangelical Divinity Seminary for his masters.  Called toward a deeper pursuit of truth and knowledge and with a desire to serve students, he volunteered as a youth leader at Grace Chapel in Lexington MA where he met and fell in love with my mom.  They got married and moved out to Indiana where he attended the University of Notre Dame (Go Irish!) and was working towards his PHD in Philosophy and Christian thought.

Now here is where the story turns.

Guess who suddenly came on the scene?  Yours truly. 

The first big decision my father had to make, and for which I will always be grateful and inspired by, was a choice between his personal and professional future or his young family and new son.

He choose the later.  He choose our future and not his own.

 Forgoing to finish his studies, my dad and mom moved back home to MA to have me.  After moving back from Indiana, my dad took a job with Analog Devices for about a year.  He worked the late shift and during that year I was born.

My mom recalls that when she had me, my dad would work his shift, go to my Nana’s house and rest for a bit, (the job was closer to my grandparents house than where we lived at the time) then come to the hospital (Winchester) to visit us. As she put it, “He was tired, but so proud of his little boy.”

 My dad took a job working at my uncle’s fish store in Arlington and my parents eventually moved into the second story apartment of my other  grandparents house in Arlington to save money and be close to family.  While still living in Arlington, my father started working UPS while still with Adams Seafood.  They needed the insurance and the extra pay helped make ends meet.

My entire family, including cousins all lived within a 15 minute drive and every holiday and birthday was celebrated together.  I went to the same school as my cousins and my family was everything to me.  That was my life and it was a great life.

I never realized what sacrifices both of my parents made until I got much older.  

I also never realized what I did not have.  It never once crossed my mind to compare what we had (and did not have) with my other friends.

My younger sister Lauren came along a few years later and by the time I was 12 my parents were able to purchase their first home and so we moved to NH.   My dad had to continue to work two jobs to provide for our family. 

He managed a Friendly’s restaurant by day and then worked the night shift at a UPS warehouse. I never thanked him for that back then because I was young and selfish and never understood the tremendous sacrifice he made for his family.

And yet despite putting in all those hours (and I am sure stressing over finances), my sister and I never once had a need.  

Church and ministry was always a priority and so was spending time with his two children. 

My dad never missed one baseball game and we made sure to take family vacations. Apparently when I was younger my dad and I were talking and he mentioned something about working long hours – wishing he had had more time with me, and I said ” Dad, even though you were busy – you always made the time to be there”…… and he did.

Every January we were go to Cape Cod.  January?  Yes, January. 

Back then, I just thought it was a great time to get away since we had an extra few days off, but I am sure that the prices were much cheaper then and we probably could not afford to visit Cape Cod during the summer.  But it didn’t matter.  I looked forward to going every year and staying at the Gull Wing hotel and going to my favorite Hearth and Kettle restaurant where we would sit by the window overlooking the pond and watch the geese swim. 

We would also vacation every summer at Lake Winnapasaukee in NH.  My father grew up going there in the summers as well, and it was there that I learned to swim, fish, hit a whiffle ball, drive a boat, and learned about the beauty and majesty of God’s creation.  I still take 1-2 weeks every August and return for vacation.

Every other vacation we would drive to visit family or see historic sites from America’s past.  I never flew on a plane or visited Disney World, but I never cared.  Looking back, I wonder if my dad felt bad about those vacations and about what we were not able to do, but perhaps he saw the joy that it brought his children and thanked God for those moments.

I have learned that is not about  what you do or where you go, but about how you make the the most of every opportunity. 

I have students in my youth group now who travel the world with their families (Africa, Europe, hosting private Disney parties) but have virtually no relationship with their father. Money cannot buy happiness anymore than it can buy a relationship with your dad.

Also looking back I was never ashamed or embarrassed about what my father did.  Where I live now, what your father does becomes a symbol and source of identity and a mark of either pride or ridicule.  The students whose fathers are CEO’s in NYC or celebrities are thought more highly of than those whose father’s just work for “the man”.

But growing up, I loved what my dad did. When he managed the fish store, every Saturday he would pick me up in the “Big Truck” (which turns out was never that big!),  and we would drive into Boston to pick up fresh fish from the markets.  I would eagerly wait with excitement gazing out my frond window at home until I saw my dad pull up in the truck. I loved Saturdays and still the smell of ocean and fish brings back amazing childhood memories.  My dad would sign hymns and other Christian songs like “As the Deer” to me on those drives.  He probably didn’t have the greatest voice in the world, but to me it was angelic and when I hear those same songs today, it brings tears to my eyes.

When he worked at Friendly’s I would go in and get fries and a coke and want to help cook or clean or whatever I could do.  Through his example, my dad taught me the value of hard work and there is no shame in providing for your family. In fact, it is a great honor and responsibility that he took seriously.

One more note to share.    While we were still in MA, we switched churches.  I cannot remember why, but it may have had to do with the enormous size our church was getting and my parents wanting to be a be part of a more intimate community. (hmm sound like much of my writing and views?)

But at this new church, there was no youth group.  They could not afford a youth pastor and so my dad volunteered to lead the youth group.  There were probably 3-4 guys in total, but my dad gave up one evening a week to come to the church.  There was no budget I am sure, but on the way to church we would stop by the grocery store to pick up some chips and soda out of his own pocket.

 I remember playing kickball and other fun games both indoors and outdoors and I remember my dad being there.  I really don’t remember any particular lesson, but I do remember that I made friends there and learned about God’s love and plan for my life.  

I had a good time and looked forward to youth group.  That stuck with me over the years and though I strayed from the faith for some time, I was well rooted and established and eventually came back to youth group and to Jesus.

My dad was no youth ministry expert and I am sure it was a challenge to take his higher level advanced thinking about the faith and bring it down to a level where 8-14 year old boys could grasp it.  But my dad was present to us and he was always present to me.  His presence made God’s presence seem real and tangible.  God used my father in bigger ways than even he could have imagined.  Twenty years later his son (me) is a youth pastor and speaking and writing to encourage those just like my father.

I am also blessed because my father is still with me and hopefully will be for years. Our relationship has grown and developed into a true friendship.  He was my best man in my wedding two years go. 

When I went through a very difficult personal and spiritual time a number of years back, my dad was there for me.  He was there to listen, to cry, and and prayer. 

When I was ordained as a pastor, my father was there to support and celebrate.

And when the Red Sox finally won the World Series, my father was the first person I called.

Often on Father’s Day, we get or receive tools.  Most guys like tools (regardless if they even know how to use them!)

A few years back my dad gave me a great little book called “10 Things I Want My Son to Know: Getting him ready for Life” by Steve Chapman.

There is a great poem inside that I wanted to share as it relates to the “tools” of fatherhood.

“Tools for the Trade”

If you are a father, you are a builder

And your children will become what you’ve made

Please do your best, and please don’t forget

God gave you the tools for the trade

He gave you eyes to see where your child might go wrong

And feet to lead them safely through

Hands to hold their hands

And lips to say, “I love you”

He gave you arms to hold them when they are afraid

Time to wait until they’re calm

Ears to hear between their lines

Tears to cry when they’re gone

And your knees are for playing

And they’re also for praying

That God will watch over the child

And in those times you can’t say it

But they still need to hear it

You can say, “I love you” with your smile

If you are a father, you are a builder

And your children will become what you’ve made

Please don’t forget that you can do your best

God gave you the tools for the trade 

______________________________________________________________________________________________

They say that when a person passes, what is left is our memories and his or her legacy.  I will always have great memories of my dad and hope to build on them in the years to come.  We have pilgrimages each summer traveling across the  country watching our beloved Red Sox play in different stadiums and experience the local cuisines and pubs.

But I know that one day those moments will cease and so I desire to make the most of every single opportunity I can, and I encourage you to do to the same.

I know that one day my father will enter the presence of Jesus.  He will be known then through his son, me.  I hope to make him proud and build on his legacy.  I hope the name Haugh is known far and wide and that my dad’s story is told.  I hope we are remembered for our grace filled love, pursuit  of knowledge and truth, and relationship with Jesus that impacted people and changed lives.

We share great moments now talking theology, faith, philosophy, sports, and enjoying much different vacations than when I was a child, but the spirit has always remained the same.  I am one of the fortunate ones.  Through my earthly father, I have experienced the love of my heavenly father in ways unimaginable.  I have witnessed first hand loving discipline, grace, forgiveness, and hope that only a father can provide.  Through my dad I have received a glimpse of what God is like and my deepest prayer is that if God blesses me with a son or daughter some day, I can follow in the footsteps of my dad. 

Through my father’s sacrifice and selflessness, I have learned the value of family, hard work, faith in Christ, commitment, being content in all situations, and enjoying all that life has to offer. 

In youth ministry, my greatest heroes are the volunteers, men and women, moms and dads untrained, but with a love of God and a desire to see students come to know him. 

In life my hero is my father, Gary Haugh. 

Thank you Dad and I will always cherish our memories

with much love, affection, and deep appreciation

Happy Father’s Day to all.

Daniel Gary Haugh-     Father’s Day, 2009

(dad with his new son)

(the young Haugh family in Lexington, MA)

(Dad and son while in Haiti)

(dad as best man on August, 11, 2007)

How to connect with me

One of the great aspects of blogging for me has been the conversations and relationships built over these past few months. I really enjoy reading and responding to your comments and learning from each of you.  I love social connectivity, especially when it relates to ministry.  

Having said that, I would love to connect further with you.  You should be able to subscribe to this blog and get updated emails by clicking on the RSS button on the right end of the webs browser.        

It may just look like an orange arrow.

Also, you to follow me on Twitter by clicking down below on the right column on the home page

and you can find my on facebook by clicking on the my facebook profile picture.

If you are ever in the Northeast, shoot me an email and let’s get together.  

I will also be  doing some regional training for Enroute and possibly some writing for Barefoot Publishing this summer/fall. If you are anywhere near the metro NYC area, look for a one-day training event this fall and we would love to have you attend. 

                                                            

I hope to stay connected with you all and wanted to thank you again for your support, friendship, encouragement, and inspiration as we journey together down this road called youth ministry.

6 word essay

(I will return to the Shift series next week, but wanted to take a quick break to throw this topic/question out there to readers)

I was watching Mike and Mike in the morning on ESPN and they were reading entries for some contest.  The objective was to describe your health/public safety occupation in 6 words on less

It was called the 6 word essay.

I heard some professionals brilliantly and briefly define what they did or their role in six concise words

(you think you know where this is heading?)

I was wondering about youth ministry. So often we are asked, “What do you do?”

You and I know just how long and complicated our actual job description is.  It seems impossible to describe in 1,000 words or less what we do day in and day out.

But I also think there is both beauty and power in being able to succinctly define our role, calling, and passion.

When we are clearly focused on the basics of what we do and why we do it, it may just enable us to do it better.

We may be less inclined to do other things that detract and distract us from those 6 words

I honestly haven’t given this much thought, since i just watched the show this morning.

But here goes:

Youth Ministry: Love God. Love Students.

It would be fun to get your take.

I will post all comments

What is your 6 word essay: 

answer one of two questions (or both):

1) What is youth ministry?

2) What do you do?

Let the contest begin 

*disclaimer, no real prizes, accolades, or egos will be served as the result of this contest!

Shift #1: Shifting from missions to missional approach in youth ministry

A few years ago, I brought my students on an international mission trip with a very well known mission organization.  The idea was to show the students all facets of missionary life and to allow God to use us in ways to reach people for Christ.  There was a heavy emphasis on prayer and evangelism for the week, as they were two pillars of these particular organization.

I will never forget one specific afternoon.  We were doing a “prayer walk” past abandoned buildings that needed fixing up (ironically praying that God would bring help and send others to fix them up!). Then “as the Spirit lead”, we would walk to certain homes and start conversations. Some houses we would walk past, while others we would stop at.  The objective was to somehow work Jesus and the gospel presentation into the conversation, and ideally the goal of each encounter would be that the individual make a personal profession of faith in Jesus.  We even had cards to record such occurrences.

So, there we were in a very poor country walking down dirt roads and talking with people who had no access to running water, little food, and shanty-type houses (if you could call them that).

We approached one lady whose roof was falling apart, clearly needed food and water, and I am sure that some money would have helped greatly (we were told not to give money though).

She shared with us her problems (a long and depressing story that I will spare you) and how she had no one to help.

Some students interrupted and talked about Jesus and that he could and would help her if she only accept him into her heart as Lord and Savior. They proceeded to talk about a heavenly mansion that would welcome her when she left earth and all her pain and suffering would be no more.  They did a good job doing what we were told to do.

The woman politely nodded her head at every question we asked about faith and salvation.  We prayed for her and wrote down her information.  Then we left.

One of my senior guys was trailing in the distance on our walk back.

I asked him what was wrong, believing he was overcome with emotions of joy.

He said this.

What did we actually do for that lady?   I feel like we took the cheap way out of getting our hands dirty.

I responded by saying something along the lines that we offered her hope and salvation, which ultimately is more important than her current physical needs.

He then said, “And you really believe that?”

I froze. Speechless as I was, it occurred to me that I deep inside, I felt that there was something wrong.

Here we had a great opportunity to do something to bless this lady, make a difference here and now, and to show her God’s love, compassion, care, and provision.   I am just not that convinced that our ministry and message must be so focused on the afterlife and making sure people are prepared for when they die.  Quite honestly though, I am torn because I also believe that merely addressing physical needs while ignoring spiritual realities is just as harmful in the end.  And besides those theological issues, what kind of relationship were we building with that lady?  It seemed to my student at the time, that missions needed and could be so much more!

I have  been challenged and convicted in how we as youth pastors define  and do “missions”.  For years it has been a 1-2 week trip to some different context and culture (usually poor) where we go, feel really bad for the people, try to make some sort of difference, come back and be moved into action for about one week. Shortly after our return we inevitably forget the names and faces of those people and within a few months, realizing we will never return, the memories fade and our focus begins to shift towards the next mission trip  (because we need to further stretch and expand our students horizons)

Listen, I have been to 3 cities in Mexico, Haiti, Honduras, Peru, Dominican Republic, Detroit, Philadelphia, Appalachia, Cincinnati, and a few others places, never to return to a second time with the same students. 

It seems to me that what we have traditionally called short-term mission trips are, in actuality, more realistically short-term discipleship trips.  We always end up saying the same things:

 ”The people there touched me so much.”

 ”This trip changed my life.”"

“My perspective on faith and life is different because of my experience.”      

“My love for God and others has grown.”

“I grow so much closer with the other students in my youth group.”

“My worldview is much broader now.”

etc.. etc….etc….

Notice the emphasis on the word “my”!

Now this is not a bad thing. In fact, it is a great thing. I have seen the faith of my students grow more in one week on these types of trips than any retreat or conference.

But in the end, these trips usually impact us more than the people we are attempting to serve.

Who are missions trips supposed to be serving?

It is hard to develop meaningful relationships in a span of a week.  It is hard to meet needs when you bounce back and forth from activity to activity, spending no more than 1 day on one particular need.

It is a very hard to have a real passion for an area, people group, or culture when within one year you are preparing for some different place.

A good friend of mine is a missionary in Haiti.  He gave up a great career as a youth pastor for Youth for Christ to serve orphans in Haiti over ten years ago. He is deeply invested in this country. His entire life is in Haiti now.  It has become a part of his being.

Because he is there long term, he has long-term plans to bring healing, restoration, hope, and salvation to the people.

His ministry consists literally of feeding the hungry, finding homes for the orphans, building schools and educating the children, taking take of the widows, training young disciples, and teaching and preaching the word of God.

I will try to simplify what he does as a missionary:

Lives somewhere (Haiti). Feels called to stay and has a vision for that area. Loves God and serves the people in that community.  Is dedicated to staying there long enough to make a real difference and impact. 

Isn’t that what we are supposed to be doing as Christians?

Now for Tom, his mission field is Haiti.  And some of our students may in fact be lead to another place or country to serve.

 I honestly hope more and more students go out into the world as both as traditional missionaries and tent makers and bring the radical love of Jesus to places in need of hope. 

But for the majority of us, God is calling us exactly where we are to be missionaries ( I know it may sound cheesy, but think about it.)

What if we shifted our focus away from doing mission trips to being missionaries right where we?

I realize we have each preached lessons on that probably coming back from summer trips, but what if that idea and philosophy changed the structure of our youth ministry?

What about instead of going on your annual youth conference, you did a local service project were you lived?

Last year we spent the week on the Ohio/Kentucky border doing all sorts of hands on service projects.  Pretty cool stuff actually. But I doubt we will ever go back nor have a relationship with those organizations and individuals that we served that one week.

It got me thinking, why can’t we do the same thing right here in Westchester County, NY?

We returned from that summer trip and my students started looking for ways to serve and get involved in our community (being missional)

We began volunteering at 2 local food pantries, the Boys and Girls Club, a special needs Children’s hospital, and serving our own church more.

Just this past weekend, our entire church closed down for what we called C.S.I weekend (Consider Serving Instead).  No Saturday or Sunday services.  We all went out into our community to serve in anyway possible.

(I will post the link to the video slide show for it)

Food pantries, blood drives, parking meter watch, park clean ups, home repairs, giving lunch to immigrant workers, meals for home bound senior citizens, prison visitations, helping with a walk-a-thon for our local SPCA, free community car wash, etc..

You should have seen the response of our people and especially the community!    Organizations and individuals were astonished and overwhelmed that we would close our doors on a weekend and desire to help them out without asking for anything in return.

Now I know this is not a new idea.  In some ways, our church has been well behind in this  and possibly your church has been doing something similar for years. 

But my point is that this shift in approach is much needed and I think aligns to the ways of Jesus wonderfully. 

We hope to continue to partner with these organizations for months and years and over time develop real genuine relationships within our community.

In order to shift from missions to a more missional approach in youth ministry, I think the following are needed:

1) A more holistic approach.  We need to understand that meeting needs includes both the physical and spiritual.  Remember that Jesus healed people and feed the masses often before he preached to them and offered them the other good news.  Yes, we need to be the voices of God, but we equally need to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and serve those around us in practical and tangible ways.  You may be God’s answers to their prayers.

2)  Localized impact-  find ways to bless and serve your own community.  We live in a very affluent area, yet there are plenty of needs surrounding us, besides the fact that we are only 30 miles away from NYC.  Love and serve where God as already placed you and your youth group. We must remember that missions is not something we do somewhere else once a year…it is a way of life. 

3) Committed partnerships-  instead of going to 5 different places in 5 years, find one area or mission and invest in it. Many churches are doing this very well and working to build orphanages, schools, wells, churches, etc.. while building life-long relationships and partnerships with the people there.  We have great resources and should use them to heal the world (especially the parts of it that are desperate).  Find ways to really invest and give of yourselves for the benefit and blessing of others.  You will still be touched and though you may not get to experience multiple cultures, you heart will grow and expand for one and you will begin to see it and its people through the eyes of Jesus more and more.

“I was hungry and you gave me food,

I was thirsty and you gave me drink,

I was a stranger and you welcomed me.

I was naked and you clothed me.

I was sick and you visited me,

I was in prison and you came to me.” 
Matthew 25: 35-36

From my personal (and limited) experiences, I will end with a few ministries and organizations that I believe are doing a great job impacting their communities.  They are embodying this missional approach to service and ministry and I would recommend partnering with them (especially if you live in the area).  

Besides these particular ones, most communities have organizations with goals to benefit the community and make a long-term impact.  These include your neighborhood soup kitchens, food pantries, after school programs, recovery centers, Boys and Girls Club, among others.  Locate these in your communities and get involved.  I am sure that each one would appreciate the help and support. And if your particular area does not have organizations like this, start one up!  I am sure that within a short drive, you can find needs in your community. Perhaps God wants to use your church and/or youth ministry to reach beyond the four walls of your building and bring blessing outward.  Watch and see what God will do both in and through your group when you start to shift from missions to a missional approach. 

  Below are some organizations you can visit and work with.  Others such as Compassion International, World Vision, World Relief, Love 146, and International Justice Mission are also good for sponsorships, but the ones I listed below are good for youth trips.  Please comment and add some organizations that you have worked with and recommend.

I will post all comments.  Let’s build a list together and learn from the examples of others in order to do the same right where we live and minister.  Tell us about how your group or church partners with missionaries or organizations around the world or in your local community. 

*Disclaimer:  Clearly there is a Northeast focus (as there should be) because of where I live. But I encourage you to briefly look at each site and read the mission or purpose statement if they have one.  ____________________________________________________________________________________________

Group Work Camps                               www.groupworkcamps.com

The Pittsburgh Project                         www.pittsburghproject.org

Jesus in Haiti Ministries                    www.jesusinhaiti.org

The Boston Project Ministries           www.tbpm.org

The Bowery Mission (NYC)               www.bowery.org

The Boys and Girls Club                     www.bgca.org/

Adventures in Missions                     www.adventures.org/a/centers/philly/

Cast your Cares (Philly)                     http://castyourcares.org/

*CAMA services/relief projects         www.camaservices.org/

*C&MA Partnerships                            www.cmalliance.org/im/omm/partnerships/projects.jsp

 

*CAMA stands for Compassion and Mercy Associates

*C&MA is the Christian and Missionary Alliance denomination

Spring Series…Shifting approaches in Youth Ministry

Over the next few months, I am attempting to offer some “shifts” in the way youth ministry can be done. Some will be practical approaches and tangible changes, while others border the philosophical and theological realm of student ministry.

The main idea is that we need to shift away from certain modes of thought and operation (such as being program driven, attraction oriented, exclusive, isolated, big, hierarchical, etc…) and move towards new ways. Read A New Kind of Youth Ministry by Chris Folsmbee for a good philosophical transitionally approach.

I will try to discuss practical applications and implications of such transitions in an actual youth ministry setting.

Many of these appear to be in direct contrast to former ideas, and some are clearly and intentionally just that. I believe there to be potential danger in living fully on one side or the other. Therefore, what I propose is a shift away from one and towards the other, hopefully arriving at a middle ground that leaves the doors of communication open on both ends.

Some of the “shifts” I will be proposing will be:

From Missions to Missional

From Narrow to Generous theology

From Big to Small

From Sacred to Secular

From Centralized to De-Centralized

From Separatists to Collaborators/Partners

From Exclusive to Inclusive

From Big to Small

From Agenda-Driven to Presence Focused

From Conversions to Conversations

From Spiritual Knowledge to Spiritual Formation

From Church to Neutral “Third” Places

From Facts to Experience/Encounter

From Apologetics to Storytelling

From Witnessing to Loving

From Orthodoxy to Orthopraxy

From Evangelical to Emergent

I am going to number these shifts, but there is no particular order. I am not saying that Shift #1 is more or less important than Shift #10.  

Also, I am hoping for comments and ideas on how you have worked out some of these shifts in your own ministry. I have some examples but would prefer to post your thoughts on the practical application and implication of these shifts. 

 

The Seven BIGGEST (and yet smallest) words in the Bible

This past Easter, as I was reading the Gospels again and pouring over the Passion narratives, I happened to notice a few words that struck me as simple, yet mysterious and profound.  I have heard sermons on the last words of Christ, but this is not that.  

What I have in mind is a very brief look at some of the shortest sayings about and from Jesus that we have on record that I think are foundational to our faith.  

The seven most profound words in the Bible, according to Dan!

“Jesus wept” (2)    John 11:35

Thanks to John, growing up I could always get at least one sticker in Sunday school for Bible memorizing. Of course John had nothing to do with the sentence structure, but I still give him credit!

But those 2 words (Jesus wept) reveals his humanity.  We have a Savior who has fully entered into our humanity and can understand and emphasize with our emotions and the pain of this world. His heart ached, and even though he already knew the outcome of his friend Lazarus, he still grieved.

 Not only can we find great comfort and hope in knowing that Jesus can, and still does,relate to us, but it also reveals his identity as the Son of Man. He was born like us, lived like us, got hungry and tired like us, cried like us, and died like us…he was one of us.  And we needed one of our own to take our punishment for us and stand in the gap.  

As a man, Jesus shows us what real humanity looks like.  Authentic, sincere, and intimate relationship with God. Out of his humanity, Jesus performed miracles and taught with power and authority, and so can we. As a human, Jesus humbled himself before God and allowed the very presence of His heavenly father to dwell in him and flow out of him, and so should we.  Because Jesus wept, we have an example of the kind of life God has created us for for here or earth, humanity at its best, as it was intended to be. 

But we needed Jesus to be more than just a good moral teacher and example.

“I AM” (2)    *John 8:58; John 9:5; 10:7-36

While there are many “I am” sayings of Jesus, the John 8:58 reference indicts the central meaning. At these words of Jesus, the Pharisees tore their clothes in anger and protest. Why?  Because clearly Jesus was affirming his divinity.  The very words of identity spoken by God to Abraham, Moses, and Jacob are the very words Jesus uses to describe and define himself. Jesus and God are one.

 Christ’s divinity is what makes him Lord and Savior over all creation.  We can and should worship Jesus the Messiah, because he is not just God’s servant, he was and is God himself.  Truly a mystery we cannot fully grasp, but true nonetheless.

Because Jesus is the great “I am”, we have power, authority, victory, freedom, forgiveness, and salvation in his name.

Two very powerful words.

“He has risen” (3)    Matthew 28:6; Luke 26:6

The words first spoken by the angels that Easter dawn changed history.  Those 3 words proved Jesus to be who he said he was and brought God’s ultimate plan into fulfillment.  Those 3 words defeated evil and conquered death.  Those 3 words give us hope for our eternal security and future life with God.  Taking words from that familiar hymn by the Gaithers’:

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,

Because He lives, all fear is gone;

Because I know He holds the future, 

And life is worth the living,

Just because He lives.

So there you have it…

In my opinion, seven of the shortest and yet most powerful words in the Bible.

Happy Easter everyone!

A Tribute to Brian Crockett…a message about life and our passing from it

The following was written in preparation of the funeral for Brian Crockett.  For those of you reading this who knew him, you will be able to relate and enter in to this story and message. For readers who did not know Brian, I hope you can find hope and inspiration in these words.  This is a message about untimely death and the questions that come with it.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Early Friday morning, March 27 2009, Brian Crockett was tragically killed in an automobile accident. He was only 26 years old. 

I mourn the loss of a student, friend, and brother in Christ.  For many of you reading this, you mourn the loss of a dear friend, family member, teammate, roomate, classmate, or childhood friend.  Regardless of how long we knew Brian or in what capacity, together we deeply mourn his passing from us.  There are no easy answers and this has been and will continue to be a difficult time for us all. 

I had the privilege of meeting Brian back in 2001 as he entered his first semester at Gordon College.  I remember reading about him and hearing the stories of his past and recent change and transformation. Little did I know that our paths would cross again later that same year as I moved out to New York and took my job at Bedford Community Church. It was during that time that Brian transferred to Syracuse University to play lacrosse. I was able to witness first hand over the next few years his continued change and how his renewed faith sparked a remarkable turn around in his life.  To know Brian was to admire, respect, and love him.  He was always kind, gracious, funny, and thoughtful. He probably even felt bad every time he laid out an opponent on the field!  I think part of the reason I mourn so deeply is that Brian was a great, great guy.  He always brought a smile to my face and brought energy and joy wherever he went. 

He was a fierce competitor, yet did so with great humility and gentleness. I have never seen such balance before in my life.  If you did not know him or his story, you would never know what an outstanding lacrosse player he was. That was just Brian.  He never boasted or bragged about himself but always wanted to put others and his teammates first. 

Seven years later, I am preparing for his funeral and to watch my friend be buried in a box beneath the ground. This should not be be happening.  This is not right.

Over the past few days I have wondered questions such as “Why did God allow this to happen?”  and “Where was God on Interstate 95 at 12:42 AM that Friday morning?” and

“Of all people, why Brian Crockett?”

Friends, there are no easy answers to these questions.  The more I ask, the more questions I still have. 

While I simply do not have any “absolute” answers to these questions, I continue to wrestle with them openly and honestly.  I have also confronted some pat answers that I do not believe to be true.

I have heard it said “Well, God just needed Brian in heaven more than us”.

As my pastor Dwight Ford says, that is B.S.  (Biblical stupidity…to be nice about it)

I don’t believe for one second that God needed or wanted Brian in heaven more than down here with us.

What does God need Brian there for?  

What God does need and want are for his children to follow and serve him here on earth. 

God desires for his people to be agents of restoration and reconciliation and to be ambassadors of joy, peace, love, grace, kindness, and self-sacrifice for the blessing of others.

If you knew Brian, then you knew he did an excellent job at that and was passionate about doing so.

So no ,I don’t believe that his “time was up” or something along those lines.  This was a terrible accident and it was not the right time for Brian to go.

Nor do I believe what some religious people offer (supposedly so we can find comfort), that God is sovereignty in control of everything and nothing happens apart from His will and decision.

That would mean that God actually planned for the accident or somehow decided that Brian’s time was up.

Also, B.S.

It’s as if God controls every single aspect of human existence and we are basically robots.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t find much comfort in that view.  Fortuntely, the Bible paints a very different picture of God.

Besides, if that argument was true, than a God who would willfully plan a plan to crash or a young child to be raped and killed is not a god that I want to follow or serve.

But again, that is not the God we read about in the Bible.

The God of the Bible is a loving, caring, compassionate God who is pained and hurt to see human suffering just as much as we are.

God mourns with us today.   We read in the New Testament in the gospel of John chapter 11, that  when Jesus’ good friend Lazarus died, Jesus went to his grave and wept.  The actual verse in the Bible is this “Jesus wept.”  It is the shortest and yet one of the most profound verses in all of the Bible because it clearly demonstrates that God can and does sympathazie with us and knows the anguish we feel is losing someone we love.  Yes, we also read in that story that Jesus knew his mission was to destroy death and gives us life that could never be snatched away.  He said, “I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me will live, even though he dies and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.  Do you believe this?” (John 11: 25-26)

God  loved humans enough to allow them freedom of choice and will (so that hopefully we would willingly choose to love him and not out of force).  Yet with his freedom, comes a huge risk that humans will mess up, make bad decisions, and that God’s original plans and purposes will somehow be distorted.

Just read the newspapers or watch TV, and you will see the affects of sin and evil all around us.   Things have definitely gone wrong. But it was not this way in the beginning. God’s dream for humanity was to enjoy the peace and pleasure of an intimate relationship with him and others in the context of health and wholeness.  

Anytime we see sickness, illness, hatred, injustice, oppression, and death  it is not a part of God’s plans. 

Have you ever realized that the majority of Jesus’ mission and ministry was to put and end to those things?  He spent his time healing the sick, lame, and crippled. He restored sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and speech to the mute.  He destroyed the evil and violent presence of demons and restored the outcasts of that culture such as lepers and prostitutes back into society. 

As Pastor Dwight Ford reminded us about, Jesus interrupted every funeral he ever attended…including his own!

You see, those things are not (and never were) a part of God’s redemptive plan.  That is why Jesus came.

And each one of us knows that to be true deep within our hearts because when we hear of people getting cancer, getting kidnapping, or dying in wars or car accidents, something inside us screams,” This is not right! This is not how it is supposed to be!”

The philosophical writer of a book called Ecclesiastes writes, “He (God) has also set eternity in the hearts of men”.

We long for a time and place were those evils will be defeated and destroyed forever. 

Where the words of old echoed by the apostle Paul will ring true:

“Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

“Where, O death, is your victory? 

      Where, O death, is your sting?”

You see, each one of us longs for that time and place…we long for heaven. 

Jesus prayed that God’s will would be done “on earth as it is in heaven”.

He came to show us the way; to bring health, wholeness, restoration, deliverance, and salvation to humanity.

We continue on his mission today while waiting with great anticipation for all things to be made new and restored back to God’s original intent and dream.

But the question still remains to why God allows these things to happen?  If God did not plan for this accident, couldn’t he have stopped it?

The simple (and yet not so simple ) answer is Yes.  God could have, I suppose. He certainly has the power and ability to do so.

But can, or should God go about preventing every single bad thing from happening throughout the history of humanity?

And where does one draw the line?  Should God step in every time someone makes a bad decision that will bring harm?

Should God have prevented me from breaking my wrist or hitting my thumb with a hammer?

While I must confess that I don’t know these answers, I do know that God deeply cares about what is happening and realizes that we live in a broken and flawed existence where accidents happen and are just that…accidents.

We don’t know why they happen, but they do, and it once again proves that we long for something better…someplace better.  

Now if you knew Brian over the past few years, you were well aware of his transformation.  He had a sincere and strong faith in Christ that did not just give him hope for after he died (like some sort of fire insurance), but it actually changed his life.  What we so loved and admired about him; his joy, gentleness, care, kindness, selflessness, and humility were characteristics of Christ living in and through him.  Brian would tell you the same.  In fact, let me share with you from his own words from an interview with him after his Senior year at Yorktown High school. 

“I made some stupid decisions last year and didn’t fully understand the consequences until I was in the stands watching,’’ Crockett said. “It hurt watching my best friends out there and not being part of it.

“That’s when I realized I needed help to stop what I was doing and to refocus what was important in my life. I sought help and it absolutely benefited me – in every part of my life. In school, in lacrosse and in restored relationships with people.’’

“My advice to others is to keep your focus, and if you’re having a problem do something about it. If you need help, seek it.’’

Well said Brian and thank you.  Thank you for your advise to us and thank you for leading by example. 

The great thing about Brian was that he was real.  Yes, he had his struggles as we all do. But he was willing and wanting to share about them and work through them.  As his mother Karen said, “Brian had a way of sharing his soul with those he loved and trusted.”  As he did,  he discovered grace, forgiveness, and freedom unimaginable.  Brian was the type of Christian that made you want to become one.  He was not some self righteous, unapproachable, holier than thou type of guy.  That was never Brian!  He was someone who had a deep love and respect for God and others and sought Christ during times of difficulty. He found his strength and hope not in programs or religion, but in his relationship with Jesus.  

Now I am not trying to convince you of anything. I am simply sharing what I know Brian would want me to share.  That Christ changed his life and clearly for the better.  So in the midst of this awful tragedy, we are able to find comfort knowing that he is in good hands now. 

Even so, we continue to mourn his loss. 

Yet, as the Apostle Paul writes in his letter to the church in Thessalonica, “You must not carry on like people who have nothing to look forward to, as if the grave were the last word. Since Jesus died and broke loose from the grave, God will most certainly bring back to life those who died in Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 4: 13-14, MSG)

We mourn Brian’s loss from us, but we have faith and hope based on the promises in the Bible that we will be reunited with him someday and sometime in the place we long for…heaven

We can and should also celebrate the life of those who pass from us.

It is easy to celebrate Brian’s life. It was so full, rich, and dynamic. Brian lived for adventure and excitement.  He was an avid world traveller (Europe, Central and South America, Israel, Africa), spoke Spanish fluently, spent significant time in Spain and Argentina, loved golf and scuba diving, was a brown belt in martial arts, and was one amazing lacrosse player.  

Ok, so I will take a moment to brag about him. He was the player of the year in 2001 in our region during his senior year at Yorktown High school and I think is still the #2 scorer all time for that dominant school.  He was an All American standout at Syracuse and helped lead them to the National Championship in 2005.  He finished his career with 113 goals and 44 assists for a total of 157 points. He played on many national lacrosse teams as well, but his favorite was the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (which again goes to show you where his heart and priorities were at). For information on making donations to FCA in memory of Brian, you can visit the Facebook group “A Tribute to Brian Crockett”

“He’s a Yorktown legend,” former teammate Mike McCall said. “On and off the field, for many, many good things. We’re really going to miss him.”

“He lived life to the absolute fullest with no regrets,” McCall said. “It’s something that we all admired about him, he never took one day for granted. He’s a worldly traveler, moved on his feet, and just a fun-loving guy.”

We should learn from the life of Brian Crockett to make every day count, live with no fear and no regrets, and make the most of every opportunity. I know that may sound cliche, but Brian honestly embodied that so well. He lived and experienced more in his 26 years than most people do in their lifetime.

We love and miss you Brian. You will be forever a champion in our hearts and we hope to make you proud as we carry on your legacy in our lives

 

Here’s the story that ran after his final season at Yorktown:

What a difference a year makes for Yorktown senior

Mark Alan Teirstein
The Journal News

Yorktown’s Brian Crockett, who capitalized on scoring opportunities and, more importantly, a second chance in life, is The Journal News boys lacrosse player of the year.

“Brian Crockett absolutely deserves to be the player of the year, for what he has done both on and off the field,’’ Yorktown coach John Nicol said, expressing an opinion that was repeated over and over by lacrosse coaches and players throughout the area.

“Crockett is my pick for player of the year, hands down,’’ Fox Lane coach Paul Carcaterra said.

It’s a sentiment felt strongly by Crockett’s own coaches and teammates, those who were affected most by Crockett’s season-long suspension from the team last year because of personal issues.

“There was no bigger bridge burned than there was last year with Brian, but his transformation from last year to this was incredible,’’ Nicol said. “He earned everyone’s respect by the way he dealt with his situation and how he played on the field. He became a real leader on this team, an unofficial captain. His whole demeanor changed.’’

The senior attackman was the Cornhuskers’ go-to player on offense, with 59 goals and 38 assists for 97 points this year. With 138 goals and 76 assists for 214 points in his career, Crockett is tied with Tom Nelson for seventh in Yorktown history in goals scored and ranks ninth, behind Roy Colsey (221), in total points.

“Brian is one of the best all-around players to come through our program,’’ Nicol said. “He’s a huge big-game player. Whenever we needed a big play, whether it be a goal, assist, ground ball or turnover off a ride, Brian came through for us.’’

In the Section 1 championship game, a 12-4 win over John Jay, Crockett had a hand in nine of his team’s goals – four goals and five assists.

The Cornhuskers’ 19-2 season ended with a 7-6 state semifinal loss to Wantagh – after Crockett had tied it with 34 seconds left with his third goal of the game.

But the highlight-reel game for Crockett and his teammates was a regular-season meeting with mighty Ward Melville in which Yorktown came back from a 5-1 deficit to win at Ward Melville for the first time ever. An amazing goal by Crockett tied it at 5-5 with 49 seconds left in regulation before he set up Ryan Culligan for the winner in overtime.

“Ward Melville coach Joe Cuozzo told me he thought Brian was the best player in the state – and that was before the game,’’ Nicol said.

Teammate Chris Watson takes it even further.

“Brian might be the best player in the country,’’ said Watson, a three-time All-American. “There is no question he is the player of the year.’’

What a difference from last year.

“I made some stupid decisions last year and didn’t fully understand the consequences until I was in the stands watching,’’ Crockett said. “It hurt watching my best friends out there and not being part of it.

“That’s when I realized I needed help to stop what I was doing and to refocus what was important in my life. I sought help and it absolutely benefited me – in every part of my life. In school, in lacrosse and in restored relationships with people.’’

When practice started this year, he wondered how he’d be perceived.

“I had been selfish and let the team down last year, and I felt ashamed the first week this year,’’ he said. “But everyone welcomed me back and made it as easy for me as possible.’’

He went on to earn All-America accolades and the interest of top Division I programs. But he chose Division III Gordon College, a Christian liberal arts college in Massachusetts.

“It’s the next step for me,’’ Crockett said. “I want a year there to continue to mature as a person, focusing on school and the right priorities. Then, if I want, I can transfer to a different school.’’

The main thing is he’s on the right track.

“I got sidetracked by things that came close to destroying me,’’ he said. “I was fortunate to get a second chance to play lacrosse and to play lacrosse in college.

Updates

Friends,

I have added a page entitled “What I am Reading”. I hope to continue to update my monthly reading list for those who are interested.

I also added new recommended  books under the Postmodernism category.  I have found these books to be most insightful.