ken castor

Warm-hearted Warriors: Raising Boys to Know God

 

 My sons run. They jump too. And wrestle. They play super-hero games, fighting injustice with mighty powers. They laugh with their bellies, cry with their lungs, and smile with their entire soul. They swoon for girls and stand-up for their Mom. Something as simple as a marker can create artful hunter-styled masterpieces on their faces. Something as valuable as time from their Dad can create heart-full adoration in their souls.

Boys love life with innate zeal. They long for maximum joy. Throwing a rock in the river can be the epitome of adventure. Even reading a book can be a fraternal celebration of happiness and companionship.

But all across North America the delight of boyhood is discouraged in our churches. Countless young men have given up on God at a young age. They have found in our modern religion the killer of their appetite. Emotionless fellowships have frustrated many of our starving warriors. By repelling their hearts, we have lost thousands, if not millions of men. We have isolated their minds from their souls. We have taught them church data but failed to teach them passionate biblical faith. A warrior will not serve someone who does not inspire him. And, unless dramatic action is taken, the transference of faith to successive generations will be halted in defeat.

Our boys need a warrior environment. Our warm-hearted soldiers will grow to serve God if we enable them to continue craving life. One day, armed with authentic love, these warm-hearted warriors could engage this entire world with transformational power. Imagine an army raised up around this planet passionately and unswervingly committed to the cause of peace and life, relief and restoration, joy and confidence.

Here's how it could happen:

• PLAY HARD WITH YOUR SONS: It is vital that we make our families and churches houses of fun. When a boy thinks of their home or their church, let them be excited! Nothing pushes away our youth more than to suck the life out of the adventure of knowing God.

• PRAY STRONG WITH YOUR SONS: Essential to the commitment of every warrior is the inspiration of their commander. A warrior will follow the leader who connects with them in the deepest place of their soul. We must teach our boys a life of action-talk with God. A warrior who knows and trusts God as their leader will follow him to the ends of the earth.

• STAY LONG WITH YOUR SONS: When a parent or mentor abandons a boy, the warrior's heart turns cold. Too many boys are being taught to plunder and pillage because too many of us are injuring their hearts. If we truly want to grow warm-hearted warriors we need more people in our families and churches to give long-term commitment to our sons.  

Let's do this together. Let's raise our boys to actively know a God who cares for them, who leads them with faithfulness and inspiration, who gives them courage and strength to face any foe. Let's raise warm-hearted and warrior-spirited boys by raising them with a playful, prayerful, faithful life.

Generational Transference: It's a Two Way Street

The following article on Generational Transference was written by Jason Ostrander for Envision Culture. Good words!!

Go to article: http://www.alliancelife.org/article.php?id=674

GENERATIONAL TRANSFERENCE

It’s a two-way street

By Jason Ostrander

The role of Envision Culture in the C&MA is to mobilize the next generation for Kingdom change. Members of the Millennial Generation—those who are 18–30 years old (or who just think they are!)—desire very much to see change. Whereas Baby Boomers are motivated under the mantra of “serve the world,” the Millennials’ mantra is “change the world.”

This presents the Church with an opportunity that is dangerous, not only if we ignore the mindset, vision and dreams of the next generation but also if we focus too much on these aspirations. Ultimately, what needs to happen is transference—our denomination being handed from one generation to the next in a biblical manner.

We want this to happen in the way that Moses transferred leadership to Joshua. In that process, the younger man understood that for any generation’s vision to be fulfilled, its mem... {Go to article: http://www.alliancelife.org/article.php?id=674}

 

Books for Ministry in a Pluralistic Society course

You might be interested in the text books for our Ministry in a Pluralistic Society course at Crown.  The course will run as an 8 day intensive "block" for students who are preparing for their 5.5 month internship experiences.  The intensive nature of the course means that we can dig hard into a couple of textbooks, and then make reference of others in seminars and discussions.  (*The course also has built-in substantial field-observation and other active-learning assignments.  This course was a gem last year... hoping it will be that way this coming January once again.)

PRIMARY RESOURCES:

The Gospel in a Pluralist Society ~ by Leslie Newbigin.  This book is a vocabularists dream... and it serves as the bulk of journal reflections for our block environment.  Each day the students will wrestle with the issues of integrity, truth, culture, pluralism, relativism and motivation that are presented so eloquently in this book.

Cultural Intelligence: Improving Your CQ to Engage Our Multicultural World (Youth, Family, and Culture) ~ by David Livermore.  I'd be remiss if I didn't stress the importance of Cultural Intelligence to the future of missions, evangelism and discipleship work.  No longer can Christians be (and we never should have been in the first place) ignorant or arrogant concerning people in this world.  A true love for this cosmos would neither take for granted nor discredit the experiences and characteristics that make-up a person's identity.  Instead, in our desire to love others we should work tirelessly on our ability to actually love them.

 

SECONDARY RESOURCES: None of the following texts are required for the course, but they either provide some direct material for course content, or they serve as direct influences on the course outcomes.

Christ and Culture (Torchbooks) ~ by Richard Niebuhr.  The argument structure of this book is often used as the framework for discussions concerning Christian interaction with culture.

Transforming Worldviews: An Anthropological Understanding of How People Change ~ by Paul Hiebert.  Hiebert offers fantastic study and theory about how appropriately added data can change perceptions and constructs of reality.

Coaching 101: Discover the Power of Coaching ~ by Robert E. Logan and Sherilyn Carlton.  I was personally impacted by this book while going through CoachNet training with the North American Baptist Conference of Churches in Canada.  I wish someone in my early days of ministry had exposed me to these concepts of "Active Listening"... I wouldn't have flung myself so arrogantly and regretfully into many conversations. 

The Human Experience ~ DVD documentary by Grassroots Films.  This beautiful and moving documentary (not "Christian") serves as an introduction to differing experiences and paradigms that exist in our world today.  We can't assume that just because we view life/faith/world through our __(fill in the blank)__ lens that others from completely different backgrounds/languages/cultures/experiences will see things the same way we do.

Christianity Rediscovered ~ by Vincent Donovan.  This book tells the dramatic story of a Catholic missionary to the Masai... It wasn't until Donovan discovered humility, community and a deeply rooted appreciation for the people and culture of the Masai that he felt he discovered Jesus personally.  And until that moment, he realized he didn't have much to share.

Missionary Methods: St. Paul's or Ours, A Study of the Church in the Four Provinces ~ by Roland Allen.  This book examines our patterns of ministry against the approaches of the earliest church movements.  This is a powerful reminder, again, to not grow arrogant in our methodologies, as if we have evolved to be the fittest missionaries in history.  Perhaps we can learn something by remembering what made mission in the 1st century so effective?

The Forgotten Ways: Reactivating the Missional Church ~ Alan Hirsch.  I would like to humbly state that we drew up the model for Hub in Calgary as this book was being printed... so I realize that once again someone else came up with my brilliant ideas.  :)  I especially love the hub and nodes network discussions (the diagram on p.204 looks remarkably similar to the Romans 16 network I've been drawing for the last 7 years or so)... and I have to admire that Hirsch does a much more thorough job at explaining networked/partnered ministry.

The Celtic Way of Evangelism, Tenth Anniversary Edition: How Christianity Can Reach the West . . .Again ~ by George Hunter III.  Only a few books outside the Bible have impacted me as profoundly as this one has.  My developing approaches toward partnership and creative initiatives in mission were both affirmed and enhanced through this introspection of St. Patrick's way of ministry.  Rarely a week goes by that this book doesn't pop up my conversations about the activity of the Church.

networked ministry

The latest whiteboard scribbling... another rendition of the Romans 16 network... done in Youth & Family ministry class at Crown today.  Paul never considered ministry the job of a loner.  He considered others to be in partnership with himself... and he depended on others and was thankful for others who practiced ministry.  Paul understood that without him ministry would still be accomplished.  In the writing, sending and hearing of the letter-book of Romans... there was partnership between people of varying ethnicity, gender, experience, age, nationality, economic status, and social position.

 

mobilizing others in ministry

This is the graphic from the first slide for my session at the Minnesota Church Expo tomorrow.  The workshop will focus on "how to mobilze your church for personal outreach".  Should be an encouraging, and hopefully radical (in the real sense of the word), look at "outreach" and our tendency to do it alone... or not do it at all.  Some of my favorite topics such as Cultural Intelligence, Romans 16, St. Patrick, Generational Transference and Active Listening will be explored... maybe... if time allows.  Can't wait!  Come on by!

What causes you to leave church?

I'd like your thoughts about this: 

• What reasons would cause you to consider leaving your church?
• What reasons would cause you to stay?

Look at this sobering statement:

"According to Rainer Research 70 percent of youth leave church by the time they are twenty-two years old.  Barna Group estimates that 80 percent of those reared in the church will be 'disengaged' by the time they are twenty-nine years old.  Unlike older church dropouts, these young 'leavers' are unlikely to seek out alternative forms of Christian community, such as home churches and small groups.  When they leave church, many leave the faith as well."

- Drew Dyck in Generation EX-Christian: Why Young Adults are Leaving the Faith... and How to Bring Them Back (Moody, 2010), p17.

 

Joy despite Cancer ~ Carolyn's Story

*This is a message given by two long term friends of our family (especially very dear to my wife). David and Carolyn Kranz, along with my wife's family, were part of the early days of Hosanna!, a small church plant in Lakeville/Burnsville, MN right across from the Buck Hill Ski slopes.  Along with Pastor Bill Bohline, who married Kathy and I (with Carolyn's help!), the Kranz's continued to serve and make a difference in the church and in the lives of many people.  Today, Hosanna! is a multi-thousand person congregation with a great track record, doing some tremendous things in the Twin Cities.  For Kathy and I, one of the joys of returning to Minnesota was the privilege of reconnecting with the Kranz's 6 months ago at a morning service at Hosanna!.  That morning, David and Carolyn share this message --- (Carolyn starts speaking about 11 minutes in... after her husband shares thoughts on the journey they've had)---- This is a story of joy and heartache and praise.

It is a very moving story.

After a very long bout with cancer, Carolyn has joyously gone to be with the Lord.  To me, hers is a powerful reminder of how real a life of faith can be.    Please take the time to see and hear this tremendous, all-too-real story.

Project 32 + God is Good

I'm taking a wee pause in the Romans study (although, this could be a bit of a precursor for chapter 16) in order to participate in a meaningful project with Youth for Christ in Ireland and Northern Ireland (YFC-NI).  One of the most treasured aspects of this trip for me will be the convergence of several groups of people with whom we've shared geographies (and life!) over the last decade.  (Wow, tough sentence, sorry!) 

The first geography (and life!) sharing with YFC-NI occured several years ago while I was serving as a youth pastor at Parksville Fellowhip on Vancouver Island.  Chris Miller, one of the most gifted youth workers I have ever known, asked to lead a team of our youth to Ireland.  Sounded great to me!  So I called through some of my old Youth for Christ circles (I had served with YFC in NE Indiana way back in the early 90s)... and connected with some guy named Steve McCready in Dromore, NI.  Our connection with Steve and the Dromore folks was magic.  So encouraging was that first trip to both of our growing groups, that the "Dromorians" brought a large team to Vancouver Island for a project the following summer.  Since then, the networks have blossomed beyond our expectations, as we've shared mutliple trips, retreats, ministries, interns, volunteers, visits, holidays, etc.  

When Steve became the National Director of YFC-NI and I took on a couple new roles (at Brentview Hub in Calgary, and now Crown College in MN), and as Chris moved to a youth pastor role in Kelowna and Petey Mo toured the world with famous bands, and as _________ (e.g. Kathy, SMoore, Anne, Rachel, Wally, Billy, Dinger, Stu&Janine, Mandy, Connie, Jer-uh-mey, Jenn, Dan&Laura, Emily, Alicia, Jonny&Rebecca, Amanda, Tony, Adam, etc etc etc) increasingly shared life across the pond, and as youth became adults who became sold-out ministry-minded-catalysts, and as Steve transitions now to work at Brentview in Calgary, and as God stirred our hearts for one another over-and-over-and-over again, our have networks continued to become ever-increasingly entwined.   So this year, friends from all over Canada and the U.S. are converging on Ireland and N.Ireland with friends from the UK and other places in the world. 

I think this may be what heaven will be like... when heart-friends from all over time and space (not outer... well maybe... that's another post) join together.  I'm am so amazed at how God's church truly becomes a body... it's like there were all these limbs and organs and sinews dismembered all over the world... and God is sewing us all together... not as frankenstien, but as his body... full of joy and encouragment and a deep sense of awe.

Please pray for us as we share with YFC-NI in their efforts to love the emerald land with Jesus' light and passion.  We'll be serving youth and families and communities all over the little island... an island that fits into God's plan, an island that once saved the world, and an island that perhaps once knew Jesus better than anywhere else on the planet.  I'll be teaching quite a bit, but it's our students and volunteers who will be doing so much of the relationship building and dynamic serving opportunities.  Please pray for us all.  Thanks for doing that!  Here's the Project 32 link.

And here are some photos from years gone by:

Devotional about St. Patrick in Downpatrick, one of the possible sites of Patrick's burial.

With some of my all-time favorite people (Steve, Pete and Alan) at the Rooted Leadership Conference at Belfast Bible College:

In Calgary (Castors, McKnight's, McCready's, Leffelaar's, Monkman's) watching someting stupid:

The early days... at Cathedral Grove on Vancouver Island ~ these youth and youth workers have gone on to live all over the world serving God:

And this early one, when Steve and I had a Gandalf moment:

 

Romans 1:9-12 ~ witness

Friends scattered around the globe, I miss you!  To my partners in faith and sources of encouragement in Canada, the US, Northern Ireland, England, South Africa, Argentina, New Zealand, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, SE Asia, India, Mexico, Iraq, Afganistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Scotland, Brazil, Kenya, and elsewhere... this morning I echo these words, Paul's prayer, through the heavens:

God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.  I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. (NIV)

Paul wants his friends in Rome to know that he mentions them constantly in his prayers— unceasingly even.  And in case they don’t believe it, Paul suggests that God will back him up.  God sees Paul doing this all the time.  So, in other words, if you need proof that Paul is actually committing actual time in actual prayer for them, check with God.  God, on the witness stand, says, “Yes, I can testify that Paul prays for his friends in Rome all the time.”

God is Paul’s “witness”.  In other words, God is willing and able to testify about Paul’s actions because God has seen Paul do it.  It’s become a bit cliché in our societies today, but I must ask: How often do we say we’ll pray for people and then forget, or usually neglect, to actually pray for them?  If God were to testify about our altruistic prayer life, what would he say?

Interesting side note: The word for “witness” in Greek is μάρτυς, or martyr.  To say that God is your “martyr” is just very intriguing to me… and I can’t help to ponder the implications.  Paul is not making this point, he’s simply using the common vernacular of his day to describe that God is willing and able to stand up and tell the truth about Paul’s prayer habits.  But we understand, also, that standing up and telling the truth to an unbelieving world has consequences… which is how the word “martyr” developed it’s meaning of  “a person who voluntarily suffers death as a penalty for witnessing.”

 God is a willing witness for Paul because Paul has been serving God with his “spirit” (whole self) “in the gospel of his Son”--- a loaded phrase so full of Paul’s passion and identity that it just streams from his thought process.  The impact of Jesus is always there, always flowing, always watering his every action… and his every prayer. 

And when prayer is saturated by Jesus, pray becomes about communion of relationship.  As Paul prays, Paul’s spirit begins to long more and more to be present with his friends.  So Paul’s prayer for his friends morphs into an deeply intimate request--- that he would be allowed to be with his friends in Rome.  Paul deeply wants to visit them.  Out of love for them he longs to strengthen them spiritually and he longs to be equally, mutually encouraged by them.

Paul doesn’t see himself as a lone ranger.  He views himself as part of a team.  There is no isolationism within Paul.  He genuinely longs to be with others, sharing not only ministry responsibility, but also the everyday life of faith.  He wants to be an encouragement to others, and have others be an encouragement to him.  Paul’s prayer is not arrogant; nor is it devoid of his self.  Paul’s own being is encompassed in his unceasing prayer.  Paul’s prayer for his friends, is integrated with his own self, his own walk, his own passion, and his own sense of calling:

Please God, allow me to be present with my friends that I may give them a gift that will spiritually strengthen them and that their faith may mutually encourage me.  Please God, let me visit them.  Amen.

*Note: The photo is one of my all time favorites... Steve McCready encouraging our Brentview team in Belfast back in 2008.

Romans 1:8 - First of all

“Let me say first of all that your faith in God is becoming known throughout the world.  How I thank God through Jesus Christ for each one of you.” (NLT) 

Before kicking into the flow of his letter, Paul wants to linger a bit longer on his personal relationship with the recipients of this letter --- Christians in Rome with whom he has experienced life and faith throughout the eastern Mediterranean world.

We have, over the years, built-up the apostle Paul into a superman of faith... I have heard people credit him with the spread of Christianity… as if he did it alone.  But the truth is that Paul was just one of an increasing many who were captured by the love of Jesus and then set loose on the world.  Paul did have tremendous impact, of course.  But his impact was enhanced by the growing network of his partners in faith who found their hub in Rome... a place that Paul had not yet ever visited.

Paul knew this.  And rather than being jealous about being left out of the limelight of the spread of Christianity, he was deeply strengthened by it.  He understood that there were many, many others… and an increasing many of others, who were champions of the Gospel (1:1-7).  And he was so thankful.

Paul, like each of us, doesn’t really want to be alone in faith.  While he was willing to go it alone, he honestly wanted to endure for Jesus knowing that others were also living for Jesus.  Paul is deeply encouraged that these friends continue to pursue a life of faith.

In fact, their life of faith is so impressive that it is becoming known.  “More than famous,” as Ned Nederlander might say (Sorry-- Three Amigos reference!).  Paul says that their faith is being reported “all over the world”.  While those in China in 55AD might not have heard of Epenetus or Apelles or Tryphena and Tryphosa (etc), people all over the Roman Empire certainly were beginning to hear about this band of “Christians” who were creating a stir in Rome.  A city of 1 million people, the center of the “world” in many respects, was being transformed in just a few short years by the Way… by a group of people who claimed to worship the true living King, Jesus Christ. 

So significant was their faith, in fact, that within the next 10 years, Christians would be pursued and executed regularly in Rome (including Peter and Paul himself).  Within 15 years, Christians would be blamed by Nero and for a fire he set (which burned a significant portion of the capital).  So numerous and passionate and dedicated were these Christians, that others around the Roman world were being inspired to give their lives over to Jesus Christ.  Their testimony, perhaps more than any, catalyzed the growth of relationship with Jesus in the 1^st century.  And Paul hadn’t even been there yet.  A truth that encouraged him greatly!

I love this verse!  And I respond to it in three ways:

1. I am so thankful for those of you who live your faith whether I’m there or not.  Because of your example to me, I am affirmed to keep going and keep living more deeply for Christ.  Thank you!!
2. Your faith is being reported all over the world!  I reflected recently that I must have passionate-Jesus-following friends right now in almost every country of the world… or with direct ministry relationships in every country of the world (not sure about North Korea or Iran actually- but I am certain Jesus knows some solid people there!).  Christian faith is flourishing so much in some places that societies are being turned over, systems are being recreated, and powers are being overwhelmed.  The networks and partnerships I’ve had over the years are being increasingly intertwined and knit together… and all of it without me needing to be spearheading any of it.  The presence of the Holy Spirit in the way things work out in this world is remarkable to me!
3. I am encouraged to pray for you!  Even selfishly, I pray for you to “keep ‘er lit” (Sorry- Northern Ireland reference!)  so that I’ll be continually encouraged to keep ‘er lit too. 

So, dear friends around the world,

first of all,

I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you,

because your faith is being reported all over the world.