A+ha.

Holy Now.

Everything is holy now.

 

Speaking of "Focus"...

If it is the job of the preacher/teacher to help people focus on living lives that are congruent with what God has intended--lives that are full and rich and rewarding and whole and all of that stuff--then why do so many preachers/teachers use "should" "ought" "you better" and "I want you to" (or worse yet..."God wants you to") language in their sermons and teaching moments?

Seems to me that if we (and yes, I'm including myself in the "language-abuser" category) want people to listen and grow and engage in faith, the use of non-threatening language (see the "focus" blog entry for more information) is the way to go...unless, of course, our objective is to help people rebel against the church.

People need to wrestle with their faith. They need opportunities to question, talk, engage and own their relationships with God and each other. We--as church leaders--should be listening more and talking less, asking questions instead of providing answers (and lectures).

Just another thought.

Focus!

Our five senses are working all the time. Sight, smell, sound, taste and touch--we're constantly pulling information into our brains. Scientists estimate that a human brain is receiving over 10,000 bits of information every second you are awake. So, if all of that information is pouring in at all time, how does your brain know where to put it's focus? Hmmm.

It's a part of the brain called the Reticular Activating System (RAS) that sorts it all out. The RAS takes in all of the stimuli and lets you know which things you need to be consciously aware of and which things can be unconsciously worked on. Cool...but so what?

Here's why it's important to know about the RAS: what you say to others can provoke either a positive or negative reaction based on the language you choose to use. A quick example: "I want you to listen very carefully". If these words are said to a teenager, the phrase "I want you to..." is what the RAS will focus on. Instead of "listen very carefully" the brain has already started to process the fact that you are the one in control (implied by the statement). Teenagers don't like to be controlled, so their brains are telling them to rebel: don't you dare pay attention! If the objective is to have someone pay attention, a more effective phrase might be: "Please pay attention--this is important" or even "Cool! Did you know..."

If getting people to focus on what you are trying to say is important to you, avoid trigger words such as:  "You should..." or "I want you to..." These phrases often make people feel defensive and puts them in a rebellious state. Try using words like "Let's..." and "We can..." instead of "should" and "ought". Inclusive, non-directive statements make people actually want to participate!

Just something to think about.

Presenting and Preaching: 7 Deadly Mistakes

I'm reading "Trainer's Bonanza: Over 1000 Fabulous Tips and Tools" by Eric Jensen. It's another prep piece for my brain training next week ("Presenting with the Brain in Mind"). Pages 4 & 5 caught my eye: "7 Deadly Presenter Mistakes". Seems that they make sense not only for business presentations but for preaching and teaching in the church, too. See what you think about these 7 big mistakes:

1. Too much information. You ought to be able to summarize your whole talk in just a few words.

2. Talking only about content, not people. Even in the most technical presentations, the audience enjoys hearing the human side of the story. Make it a humane presentation about content--not a technical presentation about details.

3. Treating audience members with disinterest. Gain insights about the make up of the audience and then use examples that match their experience.

4. Inadequate preparation. Before your talk, go through all of your materials and ask yourself if they reflect the interests of the audience and if they are first class. If not, it's time for an update.

5. Lack of attention to the opening. Your audience will make up their mind in the first 30 seconds about whether you are worth listening to or not. Make sure you are clear, crisp, enthusiastic and approachable.

6. Too technical or full of jargon. Make sure you use metaphors, analogies and examples that make even the most complex subjects more accessible.

7. Lack of interaction with the audience. Make eye contact. Be enthusiastic. Get out from behind the lectern often. Use gestures. Use humor. Involve the audience by asking for their opinion. Do a survey or ask if a particular event has happened to them. Get them involved and they will remember your presentation better.

Borrowed Information

OK--I out and out stole this stuff from my friend Rich Melheim. But he is a friend and colleague, so I guess that makes it OK...doesn't it? I'll ask him later. In any case, here's what's on my mind today:

Since 3600 BC, the world has known only 292 years of peace.

During this period there have been 14,351 recorded wars large and small, in which 3.64 billion people have been killed. 

The value of the property destroyed is equal to a golden belt around the world 97.2 miles wide and 33 feet thick. 

Since 650 BC, there have also been 1,656 arms races, only 16 of which have not ended in war.  The remainder ended in economic collapse of the countries involved.

"Today in the Word" (June 19, 1992)

Art

A lot of people have been asking about the great artwork that accompanies the confirmaiton and Stepping Stones material. His name is He Qi (hee-chee) and he is from China (he is living in Stillwater, MN for awhile right now, though).

You can check out his artwork for yourself by visiting his website: www.heqiarts.com

Halloween

Halloween. All Hallow's Eve. Used to be, we'd get all dressed up in the latest plastic fire-starter from Woolworth's (I was Cinderella, complete with plastic face mask two years in a row) and hit the neighborhood begging for candy. We usually got great candy, too: Rice Krispie treats, big candy bars, homemade cookies, caramel apples and popcorn balls (my mom would take the popcorn balls from us, though--not because she thought there was hidden danger but because she liked them and said we had enough candy the way it was). We'd have a 'trick-or-treat for UNICEF' party at church, too, and go back out into the neighborhood collecting nickels and dimes to send to kids in Africa. I loved Halloween.

I still love Halloween. Although I don't dress up anymore (bummer), I like to pass out candy (small, fun-sized bars) to the kids in the neighborhood. I like to hear the silly jokes they tell (an odd but fun ritual I had never encountered before moving to Des Moines). I like to see the Plymouth Pre-School kids parade through the church in their costumes. Mostly, though, I like making the connection between Halloween and All Saint's Day and remembering why there is a Halloween in the first place.

Although Halloween has Druidic roots and is considered by many to be a scary time, complete with monsters and haunted houses and all sorts of michief, it is still the eve of All Saint's Day--a day we remember those who have gone before us. "I Sing A Song of the Saints of God" is one of my all-time favorites that we sing every year in celebration of All Saint's Day: "and one was a doctor and one was a queen and one was a shepherdess on the green and they were all of them saints of God and I mean, God helping, to be one too."

Actually, the last verse of that song is my favorite: "They lived not only in ages past, there are hundreds of thousands still; the world is bright with the joyous saints who love to do Jesus' will...the saints of God are just folk like me, and I mean to be one too."

This Halloween--and in the days following--why don't you join me in celebrating the saints in life: those who have gone before us and those who are in our lives today. Say a prayer for them. Let them know they are a saint for you. Thank God for their lives.

Happy Halloween.

Thanks

One of my favorite commercials on TV these days is for a credit card (I think--I'm not really sure who it's for). There are two women standing in the produce section of the grocery store, one of them turns to the other and says "I bet you're going to have a boy!" The other woman says, "I'm not pregnant! What gave you that idea?" The first woman thinks for a moment and then says, "Thank you?" And then the two women hug and are best friends.

I laugh every time I see it because it reminds me of an uncomfortable moment for a friend of mine, who (after giving birth several months earlier) was stopped in the post office by another woman who says, "Haven't you had that baby yet? Goodness, it seems like you've been pregnant for years." Ouch. It was funny, though. Guess you had to be there.

But it (the commercial) reminds me that we don't say "thank you" nearly enough. I, for one, take so much for granted--my family, my ministry, my friends, my home, my life. And how do I show thanks? By asking for (and usually expecting) more. More, more, more. Gimme, gimme, gimme. Mine, mine, mine. The mantra of the day. (think of the gulls in "Finding Nemo")

Thanks. Thanks. Thanks. That's what I'm working on for today.

To all of you reading this blog: thanks. Thank you for being a part of my thoughts and my life. Whoever you are, wherever you are, I thank God for you and your presence here today.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

A Great Day

This morning we all celebrated "A Service of Christian Nurture" at Plymouth. Basically, we walked through the major events of life and how being a part of a church community helps during those moments: birth (baptism), child (first Bibles, Christian education classes), middle school/adolescent (confirmation), graduation from high school (young adult ministries), mid-life (baptism again, small group ministries, adult education), old age (small group ministries, study groups, outreach) and even death (funerals). This service has been a tradition at Plymouth at least since I've been here (5 years) and is very meaningful. It's always good to review what we do and why we do it.

After this service, I was talking with people of all ages about connecting with God and with our families more intentionally--people were in tears about events that have been happening in their lives. They want to feel a part of something bigger than themselves. They desperately want to be a part of a worshiping, caring community.

I couldn't help but think of the Stepping Stones program and how important it is in the life of the church and in the life of our families. This system has the potential to really revolutionize all church ministries--yes, even evangelism (ooh--the "e" word!) and (gasp!) stewardship. What does it mean to be a child of God? Isn't that something we should be talking about in our homes?

It was a great day. This will be a great year!

Angie

Homecomings, Kickoffs, Rally Days and Warm Fuzzies.

Kickoff Weekend (or Rally Sunday as it is known in some churches) is this weekend at Plymouth. Christian education programs and classes begin, choirs start rehearsing again, people tend to come back after a "summer off" (is there really such a thing?). The hallways will be packed and it will be fun to see everyone.

The lectionary reading from the gospel this weekend is from Luke 15:1-10. The two stories here (the lost coin and the lost sheep) talk about the lost being found again. If you haven't seen the movie "Finding Nemo" it might be worth watching as you think about these stories (and the familiar story that follows of the prodigal son). Nemo's dad risks much to find his son--he even goes to the end of the world (or Australia, whichever comes first) to find his lost child.

"Finding Nemo" gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling. I know, I know...being a Christian is about more than warm fuzzies. But here, well, here we're reminded that God loves us no matter how lost we are and will stop at nothing to welcome us home, throw a party and tell us we are loved. And that gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling.

So here's to homecomings, kickoffs, rally days and warm fuzzies.

--Angie