cup a joe

Well, it's been a long time since I blogged.....and I've decided to do this more often then in the past (believe it or not.)

I figured out the best way to start this off for the year was with an interview....so today's guest is Jeff Carl....Notable professor of art and top ten drummer (according to Drummer World Magazine - Genoa/Kingston edition)....

Joe: So Jeff, what is it like trying to balance the life of being a notable professor of art, world-wide famous drummer, and semi-brilliant theologian?

Jeff: I know a lot about semi's, but what's a theologian? (laughing)

Joe: So I understand you've been spending some time working with our youth. What have the challenges been in your tenure working with the youth?

Jeff: Getting kids to show up. Getting them to understand vision, purpose, getting them to think outside the boxes of their worlds, coming up with games. It seems like each kid has his own set view of things - what their life is gonna be like at a young age, and they don't realize how many options are really open to them.

Joe: So what are some of your goals? I know that we've talked about doing youth differently, so what do you think it should look like?

Jeff: What I'd like to see is a community that functions out of the church but doesn't stay within the church boundaries. One where the walls of the church are permeable - people float in and float out freely. Within the church I'd like to see the youth gather on any given night for worship, watching movies, all night raves, poetry, drama, dance, art, whatever. Also within they would form clusters (small groups) where relationships would be built, intimate ministry would occur, and disciples would be trained. Outside the church these small groups (clusters) would function as bands of gorilla warriors that wherever they go - their schools, Wal-Mart, movies, whatever - they would watch and pray and wait for opportunities to be involved in advancing the work of God's Kingdom.

Joe: That seems like it's gonna be an awful lot of work for you to lead. How do you see the infastructure of that vision coming to pass? What does leadership look like in that vision?

Jeff: Basically, a core group of kids and adult leaders needs to be formed. Each leader, whether an adult or high school kid, would be in charge of recruiting and leading their own clusters. These groups could function for specific purposes, such as a drama or worship team, or they could be more general for anyone. So what I need to do is locate key kids and recruit adults to help disciple them. If each kid is discipled and learns - or catches a vision - for reproducing the life that God has put in him/her into somebody else then the work will advance exponentially. So the role of the youth pastor is simply to train a small group to do what the pastor is doing and release them to do it. Give them opportunities and encouragement and allow them to run.

Joe: So what you're trying to do is take the "missional community theory" that the emerging churches are attempting to do and put it in a youth context.

Jeff: Essentially.

Joe: This is somewhat of a contrast to the direction that most youth groups are going in this country.

Jeff: Most youth groups are programmatic, event oriented, they're trying to compete with our entertainment culture. But entertainment really doesn't enable the kids how to live - it only distracts them. And if our goal is only to distract the kids better than TV or movies, we're going to lose, and in the attempt we already lose our purpose. Jesus never tried to entertain anybody, he just tried to tell the truth and demonstrate it's power.

Joe: So why do you think the kids want to come?

Jeff: Because the kids are hungry and the truth is a very attractive thing. I think kids are looking for something that's honest and genuine, they're looking for a place where they can be taken seriously, and express themselves. A quote from one of my favorite movies, "Almost Famous", is "the only real currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with somebody when you're uncool." There is nothing more difficult than trying to be cooler than contemporary culture. Kids need to know it's ok to be themselves.

Joe: So have you run into any resistance in attempting to implement this vision?

Jeff: A lot. (chuckles) A vision is something that can't be taught, but needs to be caught. Ultimately it comes from God. It means I need to spend time with kids and hopefully, through me, and through the church, God will model a lifestyle to them. A lifestyle is built around every day habits and those things aren't easily seen and difficult to build in people's lives. So it takes time for kids to catch on to what we're doing and even more time for parents to get it.

Joe: So who/what has influenced you in coming up with this vision?

Jeff: It was the confluence of several things. My early Christian experience with small groups within the youth group I attended in high school, my discipleship in a Navigators-based college ministry that focused entirely on one-on-one and small group discipleship, writings of authors like C.S. Lewis and Deitrich Bonnhoffer, and my own aversion to crowds.

Joe: So what do you think some of the biggest challenges facing the youth are today?

Jeff: They're facing a fast-paced culture that is over the top in style and very shallow in substance. Their job prospects are minimal, their opportunities to make an impact on the world are limited, at best, and the most many of them hope for is to have a somewhat interesting, or at least not boring, job and maybe to be entertained along the way. When the greatest hope our culture presents them is the chance to be embarrassed on "American Idol" I think they're facing a tough future.

Joe: Now the fun stuff....... What are you reading these days?

Jeff: "A Horse and His Boy" by C.S. Lewis

Joe: What's playing in your car stereo?

Jeff: Lately it's been Pearl Jam, John Mayer, Chris Tomlin, and Smokey Robinson.

Joe: Favorite TV show?

Jeff: Law and Order

Joe: Favorite Movie?

Jeff: Tough one....there are so many. Schindler's List, Third Man, Empire Strikes Back, and Ghostbusters.

Joe: Seahawks or Steelers?

Jeff: Seahawks all the way, man!

Joe: Well, thank you Jeff or sitting through this. The good news is that you're the first and no one will probably read this, but I think I'll pick on somebody else next.

Jeff: Thanks

Ok...he's done (this is Cindy the Secretary signing off.....)