mike goldsworthy

The guys in my cabin helped me put this together and picked out the music.

Wednesday at Junior High Camp from Mike Goldsworthy on Vimeo.

“I wonder if for many of us, the only thing stopping us from living the life God created for us to live - the life of our dreams - is to let go of a life so good that it betrays the great.”

~ Erwin McManus, Wide Awake

Junior High Camp from Mike Goldsworthy on Vimeo.

Tomorrow I’m heading up to UCYC to spend a few days with our Junior Highers at camp.  I’m excited to spend a few days just hanging out with the students and leaders.  Unfortunately, the weather isn’t looking too exciting…

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As our staff processes Mike and Jud’s book, we talked yesterday about creating a feedback culture. Where we’re constantly looking to better ourselves and are open to others expressing truth to us that is both encouraging and constructive.

But, in order to create a feedback culture, we have to be asking for feedback, not constantly looking to give it. If we are constantly looking to be people who give feedback, we will easily become self-righteous Pharisees. If we’re constantly looking for it, it forces us to move towards humility and to listen to other’s voices.

It’s easy to try and force yourselves to become a feedback culture by always trying to offer criticism. But, if you try and force a feedback culture by always looking to give feedback you’re creating a cynical culture with a critical spirit.

Look to receive feedback rather than always giving it.

That will help others to do the same.

I never thought that a creed that I first learned in school would find so much use. But in the last few weeks, I’ve found myself several times in conversations using this creed that’s a part of the heritage of Parkcrest:

In essentials, unity
In non-essentials, liberty
In all things, charity

We get too caught up on non-essentials too often, and try to make too many things essential. I think the Scriptures actually make very few essential statements.

I was with someone today who said something like this, “when we try to make too many things essential, we’re operating out of fear and creating a fortress mentality”

When I was an undergrad, we had to do an exercise where we came up with everything that we believed the Scriptures made essential. My list was just a few things that are significant things.

If you made a list of essentials, what would be on it?

As a follow up to Saturday’s post, here’s another picture I can’t get out of my head.  It’s a bit more complex than the last picture, but is helpful.

 I first found this diagram after reading this article in Christianity Today. 

I used to loathe simple diagrams to explain the message and purpose of Jesus, but I’m appreciating them more and more as a way to explain something significant and complex.  In fact, we remember images and pictures much more than we remember facts or theology on their own…so these pictures become a significant way to pass on an understanding of why God is important and why we need Jesus.  

With these pictures, I’m glad to see more people wrestling with the bigger story of God, rather than just the piece of the Gospel that’s been presented for the last 50 years as the entirety of the Gospel.  God has been writing a story since the beginning of time, and we can be a part of it.  It’s important to know the entire story and where we’re headed, and that Jesus is more than just a get into heaven when I die card. 

Parkcrest, you’ll be seeing this picture in a message in a few weeks…so, I let the cat out of the bag early, but it’s worth seeing again and again.  

(by the way, if you want to see the full explanation of this picture, you can go here)