Indictment

I am a nobody.

I have a healthy sense of self-worth, but in the big picture, I am tiny. What it comes to heavy hitters in the church, I might crack the top 20 Million List. Maybe. Locally. Nah... I don't have a Wiki entry, and my Twitter followers list is pretty small. On Facebook, I'd have even fewer but for the long list of former players and youth I have mentored over the years.

My rants don't go viral at all; when reporters are looking for soundbites from prominent ministers, I don't get calls, and no president has requested my presence at the Inauguration. Now that I think about it, not even local councilperson has asked my thoughts on any particular topic.

My youth group is relatively small. The church where I serve at has a smaller congregation than the number of people who work the parking lots at some churches in the same city. In our part of town, you might not hear about churches making responsible pushes for renewable energy, but you might hear of (or actually physically hear) a shooting.

Nah, we are not rolling in the dough right now. Charlotte was hit hard by the mortgage fiasco, and the effects trickled down. In the past year or two, my church has even come to understand the word "under-employed" with regards to having a job... sort of. A lot of people can relate to that. I mean, to make it to camp last year, my youth group depended on the goodness of a former player's parent who donated a huge sum to our group.

Charlotte is a city of dichotomy. There is so much, and so little. Frankly, there is only so much that people like me can do in my insulated bubbles, because we don't have a lot to give. There will be homeless, hungry, hurting people because there just ain't enough love to go around.

And I have been BRILLIANT at lying to myself. Tough talk, but truth hurts.

It occurred to me, fairly (and shamefully) recently, that if I am called to make a difference, I need to allow myself to be called. All the way, no excuses. It just occurred to me that being a resource means literally being a device that reflects God's love to everyone, all the time, through my social networks, through whatever gifts I have been blessed with, and definitely in person. I have had to remind myself that every time I make an excuse to not reach out, I am eclipsing the very grace I have so cheerfully accepted for myself.

In my little nook, I am big stuff. I do make a difference. It is humbling and uplifting at the same time. When Ms Jackie gives me a kiss on the cheek and blesses me for my work, or a parent thanks me for taking time, or a youth tells me he thinks he may be called to minister... I remember that God has a plan, and I need to work harder to listen, and to follow. Now, I need to make a bigger difference, because I can. I can be a better follower, husband, dad, son, brother, uncle, nephew, pastor, trainer. And even more.

There is a lot of work to be done, and I refuse to trick myself into believing He is calling someone else to do it. And as I call myself out, I pray God gives me the strength to be who He needs me to be.

Let's go get 'em!

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SOPA killed this blog.

CENSORED...

Find out about SOPA.

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You can't sue, Pastor...

There was an interesting ruling yesterday from the US Supreme Court.

In a unanimous decision, the court upheld that churches have the right to fire "religious" employees without having to deal with federal discrimination regulations. In doing this, the court tacitly acknowledged "ministerial exception" to employment laws. Thus, religious institutions can choose to sack religious workers at will.

In other words, to paraphrase the majority opinion, religious organizations can pick (and unpick) who they want, and really do not have to encumber themselves with the same things secular organizations have to when dealing with letting people go.

The court stated that ruling otherwise would amount to the state interfering with how religious bodies are run, and would run afoul of the Free Exercise Clause.


The case was made its way to the Supreme Court by way of an EEOC case filed on behalf of Cheryl Perich, a teacher at a Lutheran church. Ms. Perich had tried to return from illness to her job, but claimed she wasn't fairly treated by the church when they would not re-hire her (the church had granted her leave, but then hired a substitute to finish out the year). The EEOC found that she had merit, and the case was on.


Of course, it gets murkier. Apparently, this applies to "religious" workers only. People doing secular work are not exempt. So...what is the definition of a religious worker? The Justices refused to go that far. In this specific case, there were plenty of disagreements in the lower courts as to whether Ms. Perich was a religious worker; the high court determined that she was since she was ordained.


The separation of church and state is a sword that cuts both ways, but this case is one that church workers need to be aware of, and will probably want to proactively discuss this with their church's decision-makers. Also, it may not be smart to sass Ms Molly if she is on the Personnel Committee.


What are your thoughts? Does this give churches carte blanche to do what they want?

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Probably won't make the front page.

I challenge you to read this through.

Towards the end of last year (December 22nd to be precise) there was a pretty monumental occurrence in Charlotte -- but you probably did not hear about it.

Out on the West-side, at the Arbon Glen Outreach Facility, two organizations were having a Christmas party for potentially at-risk students. The kids came from local YMCAs, but the buses were relatively quiet, so you probably didn't hear them either. City Dive (a ministry endeavor of NewBirth Charlotte) and 2xSALT  made it happen. They gave those kids food, presents, music, basketball and biblical principles

You probably didn't know that the founder of 2xSALT played ball professionally with the likes of John Stockton and Karl Malone. I didn't.

The kids got to sing along to Christmas tunes with a true recording artist, Gabe Bello, who bleeds true humility. I am fairly sure they didn't know that... but neither did I. This cat plays the sax as well as anyone. Yes, I am jealous. If I had a fraction of that talent, I'd have a sax tattooed to my forehead.

But amidst all the fun, about two dozen kids -- and even a YMCA staffer or two -- walked down and made public professions for Christ. But that probably won't make the news... not even the Christian radio shows. It should, but I am a tad biased.

There is a lot of positive stuff going on behind the scenes. Literally. These are the groups going in and making a difference, and they are doing it quietly, right here in Charlotte, to little fanfare, one disadvantaged kid at a time. And while they were doing it on that overcast Thursday, they inspired the heck out of me.

It was a privilege meeting and hanging with Reggie, Ria, Gabe, Daryle and Bart. Thanks for all the stuff you guys are doing. Big shout-out to the team at CityDive. Thanks for not confining yourselves to Huntersville. Big thanks to Alan, who thought me worthy enough to attend that activity.

If you want a few ministries to pray for and support, I got your quota here.

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Where is your teen? (Straight talk epilogue)

Being proactively realistic is the key.

Your teen is growing up in the 21st century. He/she is likely more computer savvy than most adults. He or she probably carries a power packed phone and/or iPod touch.

Your teen is probably a good teen. Your teen probably has a good heart, and mostly stays out of trouble. 

Your teen also needs to be aware of how crazy of a world it is out there, and if they cannot or will not understand that, you -- the parent -- needs to fill the gap.

The first key is understanding. You need to understand the combo minefield/resource concept known as social networking. You need to understand the different variants, the areas of potential exposure, the current trends, and how they affect you and yours.

You need to understand that the internet does the same things for teens that it does for adults: otherwise sane people do insane things on the World Wide Web. There is a world of temptation, shadowy characters and unsavory ideas that can be propagated. Just like in real life.

Be aware of your child's online identities. I believe in encouraging expression, but ensure that your kid's online creativity matches your expectations at all times. When they don't, you might want to correct unsuitable behavior with a defined repercussion.

Twitter, Facebook, Myspace and such are great tools when controlled. Your job is to control them.

Glance at your teen's FB friends. Have a look at the tweets of their followers. Check out what videos they are "liking" on YouTube. Do they have their entire profile, including your home address and phone number on Google+? You should know the answer. I hate to sound ominous, but someone will.

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Where is your teen? (Pt 2)

Before we pick on Twitter, let's take a frank look and see why social networking is such a huge area of opportunity to parents and guardians.

Pornography is a huge issue for people of all ages and sexes. Two decades ago, when your stereotypical boy wanted to view nude images, he had to be fortunate enough o have a friend who had a brother who knew a friend that hung out with a dude whose father had a stash of nudie mags. To actually find a "blue movie" you needed an even greater provision of provenance.

In other words, you had to work HARD for smut.

Today? All it takes is a relatively innocent search on Google Images to bring up material of a questionable nature.

Sexting, as a concept, confuses me. I used to think that it must be because I grew up in tamer times, but that is nonsense. To do the equivalent of sending naked photographs back then, one would have had to lug around a Polaroid and a fax machine. It was just easier to keep ones clothes on and take them off in person. Transmitting photographs was just not worth the ROI.

My point is that now, the material is out there, and disseminating it is almost too easy. Kids carry more computing power in their pockets than we had collectively in my neighborhood growing up.

FACT: there are psychos out there. They are not sitting at home bemoaning how technology and awareness have made it harder to do the snatch and grabs they cut their teeth with. They are adjusting too. Facebook does not background users, so, you might assess those 900 friends your son or daughter has -- more than you have met in your lifetime -- a bit more carefully.

What are the true dangers? I dislike fear mongers, so I am truly not being sensational. Still, when you consider that the average teen can give his/her current state of mind, home location, phone number and current location, parents should be plugged in.

This is part 2 of 3 of a mini-ebook. Come back for Part 3.

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Where is your teen?

Your teen can be anywhere right now. Yep, right in front of you.

First let me go ahead and say some opinionated things that may get me stoned. I tend to believe that any device your teen uses is yours. I don't care if they pay for that cell phone with their babysitting allowance. I believe in transference of roof. It's a nifty term I just made up to say that if they live under your roof, they submit to your rules.

I also believe in raising good kids. Trust and verify, baby.

Okay. So back to the original. Where is your teen? What is he or she doing online?

The most depressing aspect of the Chris Hansen show To Catch a Predator isn't how excruciatingly stupid some child predators are. It's how excruciatingly stupid they can be so many times. The recidivism is painfully appalling.

Charitably, I think most parents know to check Facebook. Many parents I know (smartly, IMHO) insist that formal Friendship with themselves is a requirement for their kids to use Facebook. But, do you know your kids friends? Have you met, or even glanced at the profile of any of the 900?

Of even more concern is Twitter.

A few years back, youth workers and pundits alike wondered as to why teens just were not adopting Twitter in large numbers. It seemed like the perfect outlet. It could be managed via text, so you didn't necessarily need a smartphone. It allowed for private conversations and crude broadcast messaging. It was free.

Still, most data showed teens just didn't cotton to it. That was then, though. Things seem to be have changing. With Facebook being ever more clogged, and with the realization that parents have "ruined" it (and hey, my mom is on FB. Weird), teens seem to be giving Twitter a try. More teens have cheap cell phones, and they are inviting their friends to join them across the networking pond.

The problem is that the conversation is much more hidden.

Twitter is a micro-blogging service that provides much of the same stuff Facebook provides to the content-hungry teen, including even greater anonymity. No "real" names are required, and the privacy options are tougher to fool than Facebook.

In other words, Twitter is a teen haven.

So back to the initial question. Does your teen tweet? If they do, are they willing to show you their timeline?

This is part 1 of a 3-part mini-ebook. Come back for part 2


Photo courtesy of eldh via Flickr Creative Commons.

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Dropbox

I love Dropbox. So much so that had someone not been unreasonable, one of my children would be named Boxia.

I use it for a number of purposes: cloud storage, virtual jump drive, host linked files and more. It is a great ministry tool, which is why I plug it incessantly. Having access to files is such a blessing. I can even stream music on my Android device directly from the Dropbox app.

Because I am an awesome guy, I want you to share this. And not just because I get more free storage as well. I really want you to drink from the well of happiness that Dropbox is.

Oh... whatever. Here's the link: http://db.tt/9CtRtDy.

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The DIYer within

I am fairly confident guy. I feel that if I put my mind to something, I can do it, and do it pretty well. I think that given the right information, I can beat anyone in a fair game -- and can make a dent in an unfair one.

I don't think I am overly cocky. I am just... well... confident.

You need that growing up with male siblings, or to man the pipes in a football game, or to deal with coaching teenage ladies. Heck, being a married father. Confidence is the key. There are things that I am pretty awesome at (like making fun of people or making a mean, mean pot of boxed Jambalaya), but I don't want to brag. I like being confident.

To be honest, sometimes it's more about projecting confidence. It's about making people believe that even though you don't know what to do, you have the presence to figure out how to get it done in the long run. It's not about giving an answer, regardless of accuracy; it's about making sure everyone understands that when you do answer, you are giving the right one.

My bubbling projections generally squawk out the door in one area. It isn't just any area either; it calls into question whether or not Clint was right to revoke my Man Card for admitting that I like The Sound of Music.

I am not particularly handy. Home improvement is my personal Kilimanjaro.

I mean, I can do most simple things with the right tools and the right instructions. I still don't mean to brag, but I am a fantastic Googler, too. I know how to plunge a toilet, use drain cleaner and I am especially proficient at switching light bulbs. It's the other stuff that gets me. If it is electrical or mechanical in nature, competence is out the door, and I am reduced to an inconsolable puddle of tears. Manly tears.

My son is no help. While watching me re-arrange the pristine tools in my tool box, he innocently (yeah, okay) asked if my tools were so new. Yeah. Well, he's banned from playing Wii for the foreseeable future. Such cheekiness is not allowed here. Who's new now?

Anyhoo, the saga that was created by the fluorescent bulbs in he kitchen is an excellent illustration of my home improvement frailties. Both lights went out. Easy. I pulled the bulbs out, and went and got the exact replacement.

They didn't work. It ridiculous what these jokers will sell nowadays. They had CLEARLY sold me non-functioning equipment. I went back and got another 2-pack. And another.

Same issue. Uh oh. We were approaching crying territory. I consulted Google, and took the fixture apart. With the use of Google Search and Google Goggles, I guessed that it was some mysterious, alien object called a ballast. I promptly ordered one.

I asked around. It seemed the majority of people I talked to (well, one of seven) knew someone who had been maimed changing a ballast. Considering the fact that I already had a healthy, uh, fear of electricity, the odds looked horrible to me. I decided to cut power to the house.

Try to keep up with me here. The circuit box was outside. The key to the lock was missing. I had to go buy bolt cutters. A giant spider was guarding the box. I did not want to become Spider man or a spider meal, so I went to buy Spider killer. Then it rained. Then I lost my altimeter. In all, it was about nine months, give or take an hour, since the bulbs went out.

And I was still scared of electricity.

I know what you are thinking: Angel Gabriel had visited Mary, and the barn animals had observed the Holy Birth in the time this joker was taking to switch a light bulb. Wow. To my wife's credit, she had become used to cooking in semi-darkness. I adore that lady, sturdy eyes and all. But wait... there's more.

My journey of shame ended (or re-started, depending on your perspective) last week, when my father-in-law and brother-in-law switched out the ballast within five minutes. To make myself feel better, I pointed out to the kids that Uncle Ty did have a degree in Electrical Engineering, so the cheering was a bit overdone.

I did learn a few things. First, electric companies need better customer service. It is NOT unreasonable for me to have wanted them to cut off power to our entire subdivision. Also, children like light. It's sad that they considered a light as an early Christmas present.

But most importantly, unreasonable fear is mostly borne out of a lack of knowledge. And Google does not always trump real-world experience.

As for us, we are enjoying our light bulbs. Directly too, as I broke the cover doing re-installation. I have a year to get those fixed, so mind your business. Ha.

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2012.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Praying for blessings on all of you and yours in 2012. May God touch you this year.

Hey... smile. We made it through 2011. Forget the Mayans... this is our year!

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