Dog Days - A, "Seinfeld" Post
I'm just taking a break, switching over from working on the training presentation I'm giving to an Edmonton Chinese congregation later this month, to make this post.
And I suppose, in a way, it is a kind of, "Seinfeld post." A post about nothing. I finished completing my expense report for July and noticed how little travelling I actually did. A lot of my time was spent on the phone last month, and on e-mails, hearing from one Pastor, Alpha coordinator or another how summer was not a good time to get together. The reply I heard constantly was, "Let's touch base again in the fall."
Speaking of the phone, how fortunate I am to have a plan that gives me free long-distance calling. Each month my cell phone statement includes hundreds of what would have been long-distance calls, all marked, $0.00.
And speaking of September, I am looking forward to seeing the Alpha stats for that month. I have spoken to a lot of churches who plan to run Alpha in the fall. The Youth Film Series (YFS) has really caught fire, and is, in effect, what Alpha is supposed to be about - invitation. The young people for whom it is designed (Jr. High and High-School) are way more invitational than we adults tend to be, and up to half or more guests in a Youth Alpha (I still like to call it that) are from outside the church presenting it. And... many of them are staying with the group.
Having said that, we can't afford to sit back and rejoice at the wonderful success of YFS, ignoring the rest of what Alpha has to offer. Alpha is as important and as effective as it ever was, when run properly, at reaching our communities and friends for Christ. In fact, perhaps the success of YFS will lead to an interest on the part of its graduates in checking out Alpha, classic or 7-week, as a next step.
There is a new paradigm forming here. As one youth pastor told me, these new kids would consider such a church to be, "my church," even if they never attended a Sunday service. We, "ancients" might not see it the same way. To us, "my church" is where we go on Sunday morning, but to these previously, "unchurched" young people (if I can put it that way without offence) "their church" is where they go Wednesday nights for Alpha. They might never darken the door on Sunday morning, but it is still, "their church." But here is the important thing, if I may quote the Apostle Paul, slightly edited, and slightly out of context,
Thanks for reading.
Blessings,
John
And I suppose, in a way, it is a kind of, "Seinfeld post." A post about nothing. I finished completing my expense report for July and noticed how little travelling I actually did. A lot of my time was spent on the phone last month, and on e-mails, hearing from one Pastor, Alpha coordinator or another how summer was not a good time to get together. The reply I heard constantly was, "Let's touch base again in the fall."
Speaking of the phone, how fortunate I am to have a plan that gives me free long-distance calling. Each month my cell phone statement includes hundreds of what would have been long-distance calls, all marked, $0.00.
And speaking of September, I am looking forward to seeing the Alpha stats for that month. I have spoken to a lot of churches who plan to run Alpha in the fall. The Youth Film Series (YFS) has really caught fire, and is, in effect, what Alpha is supposed to be about - invitation. The young people for whom it is designed (Jr. High and High-School) are way more invitational than we adults tend to be, and up to half or more guests in a Youth Alpha (I still like to call it that) are from outside the church presenting it. And... many of them are staying with the group.
Having said that, we can't afford to sit back and rejoice at the wonderful success of YFS, ignoring the rest of what Alpha has to offer. Alpha is as important and as effective as it ever was, when run properly, at reaching our communities and friends for Christ. In fact, perhaps the success of YFS will lead to an interest on the part of its graduates in checking out Alpha, classic or 7-week, as a next step.
There is a new paradigm forming here. As one youth pastor told me, these new kids would consider such a church to be, "my church," even if they never attended a Sunday service. We, "ancients" might not see it the same way. To us, "my church" is where we go on Sunday morning, but to these previously, "unchurched" young people (if I can put it that way without offence) "their church" is where they go Wednesday nights for Alpha. They might never darken the door on Sunday morning, but it is still, "their church." But here is the important thing, if I may quote the Apostle Paul, slightly edited, and slightly out of context,
But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way... Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. (Plilippians 1:18, edited)Well, I did it again, and once again I am reminded, and remind my readers, that this is just a diary, where I sit down at the keyboard and just start typing, sometimes not knowing where I will end up. So what started as a post about nothing somehow became a post about something.
Thanks for reading.
Blessings,
John
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