Chris Bishop

So I have begun to read a book called “it–how churches and leaders can get it and keep it.”  The author is the founder of lifechurch.tv which has some really awesome resources.  I was interested in this text because this guy was a United Methodist pastor with Methodist roots.

I really resonate with a ton of what he has said in the frost 40 pages or so.  I think that there is something “it” that some churches have and others don’t.  I would be quick to say that a couple of the ingredients that go into “it” are authenticity, passion and an overwhelming love for Christ.

I have been wondering if my church has it or not and the thing that I keep coming to is that we have people that come to our ministries and it is in some ways infectious.  I don’t know what we do but there is something that draws people to MUMC.  I think that we can do a ton better but I do think that we do have something special.  I am interested in seeing where he goes with the book.  Check it out with the link from my side bar.

Shovels, bulldozers and oil drilling
When you study scripture how do you go about it?
Shovel Slinger: Fling open your Bible, put a finger on a verse (get a scoop of dirt), read it, pray a bit done. You might wonder why God wasn’t very visible in the story that you read about the suffering of Job and his friends. Over time you have a pile of random scoops.
The Oil driller: Find a story in mind, read it, read the study notes about the story, read and research more about it. Drill down to the deep theological meaning. Dredge up the goodness form that story. Then move on to the next thing that you have. (This is what pastors do for Sermons)
The Bulldozer: This is a larger approach to studying the scriptures. This is where you will slowly read, interoperate, digest the scripture layer by layer. Like a bulldozer takes out layer by layer, we read and understand the larger picture and gradually move deeper and deeper.
*Sorry for the not so eco-friendly visuals, but I think that they work on a purely visual level. Rest assured I would have something else to say if we were talking stewardship*

I have a huge stack of reading right now on my desk. I am reading one right now called “Unlearning Church”. I the first chapter Michael Slaughter is talking about what thing the church has as a “radical product”. He says that

revolutionary people are this product of the church.

Now this sounds great!! Especially as today is election day…woot. We are going to flex our voting muscles and have a voice. We are going to vote in a way that we think would be best for our faith, the country, the world and all of creation.

However, what happens when people don’t show up to the voting booth? Your views aren’t counted, or worse nothing happens. Even worse is that you can’t complain when things go your way because you didn’t vote.

Now turning back to Slaughter’s comment. What if the church just sits in the chairs, but doesn’t act upon the message. The church needs to be in the streets voicing, revitalizing and causing a revolution.

What are we doing to live our faith rather than just being culturally Christian?

So Katie and I were invited to go to a church plant workshop this week.  There are a number of people from all around the east coast UMC.  We are of about 8 or so from our conference.  We had no idea about what to expect during our time at Richmond.  In fact that was one of the things that I have been looking forward to.

So, we begin the seminar and the presenter begins talking about church planting and all of the wonderful things that happens when church plants happen.

AND THEN SOMETHING HAPPEND…

This guy began to make since.  Oh, no this could be the worst thing that could happen.  I am actually buying in, foreseeing a possibility, and even getting excited about the possibility that I could plant a church.

Not only that, but he said that the best way to start a church was with HIGH SCOOL YOUTH!?!?!?!? WHAT (I am in ministry with high school youth).

So we end the day and my head is spinning because I am feeling like this might just be in the cards…YIKES! Hopefully today will stink and it will calm me down a little bit j/k we will see.

Fun times in VA and some great learning too.

What is Prayer?

Seems an easy enough question, but when we get down to it, “IT” becomes something that is harder to define than we would think.

On all saint’s weekend this is what our later looked like at church.  We lit candles as an act of living prayer for those we have lost in the past year.     We pray aloud for those who gave their lives in the military, and for leaders of the church.  We named aloud the names of saints in our lives.  We even have a pumpkin on the alter with the names of every family in our congregation as an act of prayer for the saints in our church family that are still here with us.

I have heard prayer referred to as “Holy Leisure”.  I have practiced silence, drawing, walking and even napping (it’s not as hard as you would think) as forms of prayer.

But I want to know how and what prayer is to you.

But is this this thing that we call prayer?  Why pray?  What does this mean?  How Do you pray?  What do you pray?  When do you pray?  How do you feel after you pray?

*Please note that when you post I have to approve first timers (and people who use different e-mail addresses each time ) before the comment shows up.  This eliminates spam–thanks*

On Sunday I met Katie and Eden for lunch at McDonald’s for a very fancy meal (oh yeah big spenders). We sat down, ate and watched people play with the giant slide puzzle (you can see a guy with camo on playing with it in the pic).

We had a delightful meal and then Katie went to a meeting and Eden and I finished our food, but not before something struck me.  Eden was eating only her bun with Ketchup on it. This is
not something that is very strange I guess but it got me thinking. Katie loves Ketchup sandwiches. I was mesmerized but the fact that Eden was chomping down on a Ketchup soaked piece of bread.

I had just read a passage from Deutoeronmy 6 the day before where the people of Israel are being told how to pass on their faith to the next generation. Here is what it says:

Read the rest of this entry »

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Originally uploaded by pastorchrisbishop

last friday katie and I allong with a bunch of other young adult clergy went to manadokin for a day to talk about…being young clergy SHOCKER. but the best part was bering able to go on the zip line and having fun exploring the camp. this was something that i always wanted to do when i was in camp but never got to. it was a fun time, and i even snaped a picture of katie as she crossed over to the zip.

Today, I am at Wesley for a workshop to talk about Paul and plan for Advent worship.

I just finished with some time with Craig Hill talking about Paul.  It was so fun to have some time with Craig who talked to us about Paul.  It is so great to see someone who is so learned and so passionate about teaching that it makes me want to break out my old seminary books from my New Testament class.

It is a refreshing thing slide back into the academic mind for a little while (not that being a pastor is not academic, but there is a changing of gears that happened to some extent). The downside to this is that we did take a trip (or two) to cokesbury and purchase a number of books to fuel our academic fires.

Now I am realizing that clapping to songs is about at the breaking point of my musical gifts. But I am getting better about planning the music and arts of services. And when I plan music I am able to respect and have a heart to the other song clappers (like me) in the church.

This is a fun day to just get away…and it’s educational

I think that this is one of the best articles that i have read in a long time.  It is just a reminder of the importance of reading.  I think that i feel most in the groove and pleased with the ministry that i am doing when I am really attacking a couple of books when i am at home. 

When work seems to overwhelm me and my books take a back seat i feel less productive.  So I encourage you to pick up a book

Training in the Art of Reading | YouthMinistry.com

Most youth directors I have met are frustrated…

…frustrated that their churches seem stuck in “the way it’s always been done,”
…frustrated that the wheels of the church grind so slowly forward,
…frustrated about feeling stuck, powerless to bring about any real change.

But the few youth leaders I’ve met who know how to catalyze and navigate strategic change tend to have one odd quality in common: They are readers.

Today as i went out to the car and began getting things ready for the day I caught wind of a fire heating a near by home.  Fireplaces are one of the tell tail signs for me that winter is on the way and fall is here.  I can’t wait for the leaves to change and the valley to be filled with wonderful color. 
I hope to get out and take some pictures of the sun set one evening soon. 
Tomorrow I am going to be Scrubbing Up with Katie and other pastors to visit the OR at the Hagerstown Hospital.  Woot should have a pic or two from that