I’m at this odd juncture in my life.
In the past everything was so cut and dry. You were a youth minister and therefore had teenagers looking up to you. You had to act a certain way in order to fit the mold and also to fit the roll of a roll model. If you weren’t a youth minister you were a preacher. As a preacher you must fit into many molds, mainly you have to be an official adult. You can’t be quite as jokey (at least not in a way that all will see) you’ve got to carry yourself with some respect (unlike the youth minister), and all that jazz.
Me, I’m just a minister. Connections minister is what I might call myself, but who knows. Jess prefers Ass Pastor (a poor abbreviation of associate pastor). I’ve got no unspoken (or spoken) boundaries that our Christian culture has developed over time. Instead I’m issued the charge of living recklessly for Jesus, being myself, and loving people. Not so black and white really.
Don’t get me wrong, I love it. It’s liberating. It’s dangerous.
Point A.) Two blogs ago I wrote a post jokingly about sex and different pre-sexual acts. It was a funny blog and actually turned into a fairly valuable conversation about sex before marriage and all the artificial lines we draw connected to it. It was a funny blog, but it was a dangerous blog. If you don’t know me, or if you don’t have the same sense of humor as me, or if you don’t have the same world view as me, or if you don’t have the same theology as me, or if you have a different personality than me, or if or if or if. There are so many variables! The potential is there for severe offense to be made at my doing.
Point B.) I don’t generally care what people think too much. I mean that in a nice and positive way, not in a negative, I only think of myself, kind of way. I care about those I’m in contact with. I try to love thoroughly. But I always try to just be myself in as many areas as possible. I understand systems psychology. I understand that we act different in each and every different system because we play a different rolls in those systems. I understand that stuff enough to know it’s true. But I do pride myself on being a genuine person who is fairly consistent in nearly every situation. Concerning blogging, I like that my blog is a fairly healthy representation of what I am like if you hang out with me. I’m a bit random, a bit crass, a flawed follower of Christ, a church planter, a dad, husband, etc.
Point C.) I want people to read my blog. It’s on my business card. It’s on our website. I tell people about it. I’m proud of it (not of it’s quality, but of it’s minimal entertainment value). With all that said, does my roll as a minister preclude me from writing anything and everything on my blog? Thats what I’ve always done. I just write. Often, after finishing a blog, I find that I wish I had thought more before I made it public. But thats just me I guess…it’s me, but should it be? Do I need to start censuring myself for the sake of JC? It’s not that I say horribly crass things all the time, but if I’m planting a church and people look to me as their spiritual leader and they see that I’m writing about Southpark or dry humping will that cause more problems than it solves (and trust me, those two things do solve some problems in life)? Can I no longer have a blog that is straight up me? Do I need to change me?
I’m not looking for answers from you dearest blogmunity. I’m just doing what I always do: thinking out loud without too much forethought on the open and public World Wide Web.
Responding out loud without too much forethought on the open and public world wide web… and ryans blog.I see a few thoughts here that look familiar…To change your thoughts or censor the things you think? Not sure about that.All I know it that both you and I serve the same King… Christ! That's on veriable I know. Flawed Christian? Is there such a thing?"because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy."I know Paul said,"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."Flawed human yes! and by that Christ, who died and was raised, takes my weakness and makes perfect ME throught grace. How then can I be flawed if I am made perfect in Christ?I guess I feel your unrest with a "church" system that has done little for the kingdom in the past. Labels, systems, rules and a bunch of other junk items that left many just as empty as the lost.But not in every case.Much of what you state about youth pastors and pastors or ministers "mold" has not been my experience.I'm sorry if you have had bad situations with "church" in the past. I'm glad that you are shaping the things to come in a new innovating way to show Christ as lord.I guess that is why I responded.As a minister, youth rabbi, whatever, I talk to lots of people who are so saturated with worldly views much of what I say is hard for them to understand… because a girl who is sexually active has a really hard time understanding the word purity when the message she receives from the world says opposite. it has and always will be opposite.And as a minister, youth dude, pizza deliverer, I read the post, "running the bases" and I hit a wall.This is really hard for me to understand. Please, explain it to me. But, I missed the point on how this projects the message of the grace of Jesus Christ.My friend told me this is a personal blog… but it's on the church website, a business card…and I AM glad my daughter was grounded from computer activity…Remeber Hannah? You were one of the first to comment on her blog. She's eleven and today was the last day of being grounded from the computer.RSS feeds may not be a good thing now.I just saw more of the world in this post and not Christ.I know, i know… variables. I don't get it. But is this what shares Christ and his grace to the next generation? Is this renovating the cross?I"M SO CONFUSEDI guess, I too, am guilty of typing before I think. This is why I don't comment often.I may have just black listed myself… I hope I'm ok with it. Last time I did something like this my link was removed from the authors page.please know I love you or I wouldn't post my thoughts.peace.johno~
warning: this blog comment contains questionable languageplease don't start censoring yourself. i find your blog very refreshing. in my humble opinion… you've made yourself more credible as a minister, ass pastor, whatever the title, with your "running the bases" post. wanna know where i learned the songs, "tom dick and harry… who shall i marry… i think i'll marry tom cause tom's dick is hairy." and "la la la boom-dee-ay… i met a boy today…. he paid me fifty cents, to go behind the fence… my father was surprised, to see my belly rise… we named that baby rick… because he had a dick…" ?at camp yamhill, in the fourth grade. well, technically, the summer between third and fourth. i sure wish i'd had a christian example at that point to explain to me a few things. 1) those songs are very funny to a nine year old. 2) those songs are highly innapropriate, as children should not be singing about sex. 3) those songs would stay with me for the rest of my life, and would jesus want me singing that or would he want me singing "jesus loves me this i know…"i didn't have that. if i were a nine year old at renovatus, i would. i would have that in ryan and jess. i suppose my only suggestion would be to but a disclaimer on your blog… up at the very top. specifically for those of us with children… like hannah, and my nine year old son. they are clicking around the innerwebs. of course, they are not going to close a website with an 18+ warning, but at least we as parents will know that you are planning to be your naked self, and we can block it, or share it supervised, or whatever we decide. as a parent, i'm sure you will get us when we say we are only trying to protect our innocent children.
I'm not going to respond to everything said so far, just some of it. I've got a crying son right now and I've got to finish preparing a lesson for Sunday.Concerning the "flawed Christian" idea. John you're totally right. We are completely flawed beings who through Jesus become new and perfect creations. I totally agree with you. Thanks for the clarification.So concerning whether or not that blog projects the message of the grace of Jesus Christ. I'm not really sure what to say and I look forward to others input. I've got many thoughts but no conclusion. Is joking about presexual acts unchristlike? I'm not really sure. That's a pretty slippery slope I guess. Jess tells a hilarious story about pooping her pants after she had Jones. It's really really funny when she tells it. Does that story project the message of the grace of Jesus Christ? Probably not. Is it in opposition to the cause of CHrist? Probably not. I know people who believe that any potty humor is unchristlike. I'm not sure I agree with that. But can I say that "potty humor" projects the message of the grace of Jesus Christ? Only if you try really hard to connect the dots. It just seems to me that it would be a lot easier to draw lines of what honors God and what doesn't based more on what he has said rather than we we've said.I'm really sorry if any of your children have read something on my blog that is offensive. I've never had kids in mind while writing my posts. In my opinion the issue is more centered around appropriateness rather than sinfulness or christlikeness. If my blog is a public blog, if it is on renovatus.com, if it is on my business card then does that require me to only post certain things. Does that assume that kids will be reading?I've got so much more I could say, but I've already written enough randomness. So I'll leave it at that.Oh, and one last thing. I would like to ask you all to please try as hard as you can to not put words in my mouth. I've had problems in the past because of my poor writing style with people arguing against things that i haven't even said. They just asumed that I would say that based on what I've written. Please try as hard as you can to ask more questions and assume less things about what I think or believe. Thank you and goodnight.
Ryan, I really will try to ask more questions rather than put words in you mouth.I understand that some of what I wrote may have done that… I'm sorry. Please forgive my missing the point.As far as poop stories go vs. sexual discussions and how that all fits into this… I guess I'm lost when it comes to, "what" potty humor is.I can't even say poop at faith quest. I can't even talk about toilets and farts. Are those things funny? Sure they are… easy laugh.I wonder what message I would be bringing by asking teens, "what are the bases again?"Sure a few would want to answer… (would they?) and I know it would be the last time I would be able to serve in that position at faith quest… Is that a mold? is it a bad mold? I remember Jason and I getting out ends chewed on by the directors (at faith quest) for playing a Christian song with inturmental music. (That same song was used in the final media show) I know I have moldy limits. I dare say, the first 30 thoughts that come to mind when talking to people and or commenting. Why? I think, for me, many of the first thoughts are not the best fruit I could bring forth… Do I care? My first thought is, "NO" just do it. but, is that the right thought.I am also curious on where this discussion will lead. In the end, it's all about Grace.It in this I'm hit by all those Bible words…shall we keep on sinning so that grace may increase?the things I want to do I don't do… the things I don't want to do, I do.Why Paul? thanks a lot.Perhaps I am taking all of this out of context. I can see that. It's just… I don't ever want to be the person I was yesterday.Can I talk about sex… Sure. God made it and intended it for pleasure between a man and a woman. and the two shall become one flesh. AMEN!I think christians to talk healthy about Godly sexuality.This is where I got lost. Missed the context. Didn't know the inside…and for that, I am sorry for comments that did not apply.peace.johno~
i like Jess' story. it makes me laugh every time.
If it wasn't for one of those last two solutions, the ones that do solve a lot of problems, I wouldn't even be a technical virgin. Yeah for Southpark!
I'm glad someone finally posted. Johno I thought that we scared people away.Come my friends. Comment. Speak. Let your voice be heard!
Ryan, I, too, am glad to see others posting…. So that others know, Ryan and I have communicated via email… We love each other.We are co-ministers working in different parts of the world in different communities.We are both button pushers… we have membership cards to the same club… ABLU American Button Liberty Union. ;-)Non-the-less. It may be time to move on so this blog can overflow with great debate and discussion.peace.johno~
Oh… I forgot.Great laughs too.peace.johno~
i'm glad you kids patched things up… I thought there you guys were going to throw down in fisticuffs. If you still want to, I've got Jack Johnson and Tom O'Leary waiting here for you. I can be in Vancouver in…a little under 16 hours….
here is my simple thought on the matter and then i will be done with it. (we wouldnt want to over-do-it)it is wonderful that you are who you are…that you can be the same person (and be real), no matter who youre with. and that is a very true statement of you. buuut, i think that there are things to be sensored. and that does not mean that your holding back a part of yourself. if we all said all the things that came into our heads, without sensor..we would be rude, ugly people who have no friends and there would be alot of wounded people. you say things to jess, that you would never say to jonsey. its all about a healthy balance.
Here are my thoughts. Random. With no clear direction. I had a really good thought process going when I was coming home from Applebee's but it is no longer with me…I like what Tara said. I do think you act the same way around everyone. You are genuine and real. Growing up I often heard the phrase " Sunday-only" christian. Where people would act one way at church and then be different Monday-Saturday. I don't see this applying to you. I would like to see this stay in your blog as well.Like Tara, I think there does have to be a balance of what is posted vs what you want to post on your blog. Meaning, not everything needs or should be said. Let's pretend that you asked one of your tables at work the same question about "the bases". You probably wouldn't get a tip, if they stayed at all. It would be probably be best to keep that to yourself. If you asked me the same question I would laugh, think back to 7th grade sex-ed and try to come up with an answer. I'm not sure why I just gave that little story, I guess to say that you can still be Ryan "Rizzle" Woods in both situations and we wouldn't think any higher or lower of you..well I might, but just for a few mintues. Think of the WWW as customer's at your table…I'm not sure if any of this is making sense, if it is cool, if not…oh well.
"Think of the WWW as customer's at your table…"nice one B. That's why we're friends outside of MySpace/ iPod help.
Arwen, are we friends? Outside anywhere? Oh, okay.
I agree with Tara. But I have to admit that I WAS affended by your sex blog. To me, it was crass. And I don't understand the point were it is okay to be crass, just so that the non-christian will hear what you have to say & take it to heart. ???
do i even know you hubka? i don't think i do? i like questions? what am i doing here? i think i met you once? or twice maybe?
Does anybody want one more comment to read? I like what Tara said. Ditto. I also think there is a difference between asking what the bases are verses a more detailed description and elaboration on a topic best left to a living room discussion with folks on the same page as you.Be you. You're cool.
Thanks everybody for your input. I wish that I had some good FullHouse music that I could play right here. You know, at the end of the show when Danny sits down with DJ and lets her know that he loves her no matter what and that he was just so worried about her and he's glad that she made the right decision in the end. Thats the music that I would love to play right now.But since I don't have it…I'm just going to say thanks to everybody for your comments. I loved the honesty and the openess. I also loved that a few new people chimmed in!I'm not going to spend time replying to the different comments, just know that I valued them all and will take them all to heart.