a mentoring letter to myself:

I was at this conference earlier this week, and they were talking about mentoring, and someone said something that led me on to a little time of day-dreaming, and I thought to myself, “what if I could somehow, send a letter back in time to myself from now? what kind of mentoring would I have given a young youth pastor named Rob, who was fresh out of seminary, staring out in a new town and a new church?” first of all, if I COULD send myself a letter, I probably wouldn’t talk a whole lot about work; I’d probably tell myself a lot more about family, real estate, stocks, and stuff like that; but for the fun of it, I gave it some thought::

“Dear Rob-

this is a letter from you, from the year 2012. I don’t want to give away too much about your future, but I’d like to give you a few words of advice that should help you navigate the next 11 years:

:: find some friends- I know that you’re kind of a loner, but there are some wonderful people in this town that will be a huge help and support to you. when you find them, invest in them, trust them, encourage them, listen to them and cherish them. lean on them in hard times, share with them and let them pray for you. have some fun with them.

:: take care of yourself- you’re going to be tempted to work quite a bit, and that’s ok for short seasons, but look after your soul. take time for the bible and prayer, and solitude- lots of time. go on lots of walks and hikes, this place is great for that. do the things that encourage you and replenish your soul. take care of your body- I know that the Malibu grill is just down the street, but take it easy on the calories. take time with deanna, lots and lots of time with deanna! she is way more important than work and ministry!

:: invest in people- God is going to surround you with some of the most amazing people- invest in them. invest in your volunteers. get to know them and become friends with them, they will become some of your dearest friends here. invest in your bosses (you’ll have a few!) be a refreshing person for them. be easy to lead. invest in your students- the middle school ones and the college aged ones; if you stick around for awhile, you will have the chance to have enduring friendships with them with the opportunity for a lasting impact.  

:: deal with problems quickly- its been said that there are tensions that need to be managed, and problems that need to be fixed. if you discover a problem (and you will!) fix it soon before it becomes a mess.

:: get over yourself- I know you, and I know that you have the tendency to think that you’re pretty cool; and I encourage you to lower yourself and be humble. people like to be with humble people. treat everyone with kindness, respect, and dignity; everyone! seek out advice from mentors, volunteers, parents, books and friends. learn from everyone, because you don’t know it all. you don’t need to be the center of attention, and your opinion is great to you, but you don’t always have to share it. you'll see some successes, and make sure that you share them with God and your team- its not all about you! being right isn't as important as you think it is.

:: don’t worry so much- you worry a lot; and in some ways that’s ok. its ok to worry about safety, security and correct teaching. but don’t worry so much about what people think about you. don’t worry so much about the numbers or appearing smart. here is a good verse from proverbs 29: "Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe." don’t worry too much about the church budget or facility- it will never be enough. don’t worry about the people who don’t like you (sorry- you’ll meet some of those). if you’re going to worry, worry about kids, and families; about integrity, health and your community.

:: have a little fun- you're too serious! laugh often. go for walks and day trips. take someone out to lunch or coffee often. be interested, no, fascinated in others. give it your very best.

Rob, I’ll be honest with you- there are some tough days ahead, but stay close to Jesus- follow Him and He will lead you into some big moments; moments so big that you’ll wonder how you got there, and if it gets any better than this. no matter what comes your way, don’t give up. don’t let anyone make you lose your cool. the joys will far outweigh the tough spots. you’re going to make it.

-rob”

P.S. if you should ever get the idea of renting a woodchipper to use at a youth event…

never mind…go for it! it will be a good story someday!”

God is love.

-rev-rob

campus life story, feb. 2012

I think the weather had me a little down today- this morning I prayed for encouragement- and God came through big time. I also prayed that He's use me to speak at campus life at castillero middle school- I think He blessed me with that too. castillero has got to be the most intimidating environment I have, or maybe ever will speak in. its a public school- with public school kids- not a church with church kids. I'm a nobody there. these kids don't know the bible, or church, or traditions, and there is no powerpoint, or microphones; and everything is super-distracting all the time. there are always loud speakers going off, kids moving in and out, its wild. and you can tell right away how you're doing as a speaker. and I have bombed before. I always try to bring my very best ideas and creativity to these situations.

today I was speaking on the story of Lazarus. I had the book "a series of unfortunate events" with me. we started talking about reading, then the book series, and then I switched gears and said, "sometimes life feeels like one long series of unfortunate events- especially when you're in middle school." one boy chimed in and said, "wow. good illustration. I like that..." II was surprised and caught off guard. I stopped and said a heart-felt, "wow. thank you! what a kind thing to say..." and then kept on going.

I RARELY get feedback from a middle schooler, let alone positive feedback- and this from a public school kid. that encouraged the socks off of me- and the rest of the message seemed to go over too-

thanks God.

God is love.
-rev-rob

youth sponsors

if you work in a youth ministry, or have worked in a youth ministry, or have been in a youth ministry, what do you call the volunteers? I think about this stuff. there are lots of titles to give them, and all create a word picture of what their role is. here are some examples-

:: volunteer- this word has some pros and cons. the pros are that everyone knows WHO you’re talking about when you’re talking about “the volunteers.” I don’t like this title because it can be used negatively. for example, one time I asked one of my volunteers for a more regular attendance and commitment and they replied, “what do you expect? I’m just a volunteer.” (our relationship didn’t last long). I don’t like this title because the people who serve in ministries are way more that JUST volunteers.

:: staff- this is my go-to title for volunteers. I often refer to my team and the middle school staff. this creates an idea that these people have a position of authority- but it can be confusing, because some people from an older generation think of the “church staff” as the PAID staff. this got me in trouble recently when I said in a meeting, “the middle school ministry has the best staff in the world!” it made it sound like I was calling MYSELF the best middle school staff pastor in the world, which I wasn’t trying to say…well, not really…

:: leaders- I have heard this used quite a bit. I like this title because it communicates who the people are and what they do. I think it creates confusion about WHAT they lead. small groups? the ministry? who is the leader? are we all the leader? I may be over thinking it, but its still a good title that I should probably use more.

:: counselors- in ministries that are really into camp, they usually use this. camp almost always refers to volunteers as counselors. I like this because it creates a sense that this group of people are there for individual relationships and counseling. whenever I hear ministries use this title, it always sounds a little outdated, but it’s a good word to describe what the people are there to do.

I’ve heard a few other names that are a little wonky to me- facilitators, shepherds, servants, mentors and others. the other night I was talking to this middle school dad who grew up in the early days of youth ministry. he was telling me about one of our mutual friends who was his leader when he was in middle school and he said, “yeah that guy was my sponsor all the way through high school.” I have heard that title used a lot by an older generation. I have always felt like it sounds off, but in that conversation, it sounded so comforting-

:: sponsor- it sounds like a person who is dedicated to another person- who is there to see you through a tough time, an advocate, a cheerleader, a supporter. when my friend said that, I couldn’t help but think to myself, “what a cool title for a staff person!”

whether you are a staffer, or a volunteer, or a counselor, or a leader, or a youth sponsor, give it your best today. whatever your title is, make sure you know what your role is- to shepherd kids toward jesus. I like how paul puts it in 1 thessalonians 2:8:

“We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.”

here is a picture of me and a couple of guys who invested me:

did you have a sponsor when you were a kid? take some time today to pray for that person, and send them a thank you for investing in you in a time when you needed it the most.

God is love.
-rev-rob

my take on rick warren-

I’ve been thinking a lot about Rick Warren lately. One of my friends used to work closely with Rick Warren, and he tells me stories about amazing this guy and his church is. He also gave me this book about his life. I’ve read Rick Warren’s books, and have heard him speak a few times. I have visited his church and even got to meet him once. I have always had a big respect for him, but after reading this biography about him and hearing stories about him, I come away with a whole new admiration of him. here are a few of the things I respect the most:

:: his capacity- rick warren runs a huge church, plus a network of pastors, plus several charities, and still seems to have room to tweet, and interact with people as though he were not hurried at all-

:: his friendliness- I have heard it said that rick warren can meet with the president of a country, and then a busboy at a restaurant and treat them both with the same level of kindness, interest, and respect. he has friends on the left and on the right and from all walks of life-

:: his message- a lot of people want to be famous or influential, but few have a message that is as concise and as accessible to as many people as Rick Warren.

:: his intellect- rick warren is a genius. he goes through at least a book a day and can converse with anybody about anything and at a high level. he is extremely curious and loves learning.

:: his faith- if you ever read through the story of how he planted his church and how he acquired the property, you’ll discover that he is a man who believes that God can do anything.

:: his humility- I have heard Rick Warren often speak of how he was given a simple honor by a fellow pastor, and that honor brought him to tears. when you’re that successful and that humble, it’s a rare combination.

:: his generosity- Rick Warren seems to have coined the phrase “reverse-tither” where he lives off of 10% and gives away 90%. most of that goes to AIDS victims in africa.

:: his contentedness- his book the purpose driven life is possibly the best selling book of all time- and yet he did not buy a new house or even a new car after its release.

:: his character- it takes a special man to point attention away from himself and onto Christ and onto the people who are hurting in the world. it takes a special person to say no to riches and fame for the sake of others. it also takes a special character to be put in the spotlight and to be found with integrity.

I used to think it would be cool to have a church like Rick Warren, or a book, or notoriety like him, but I don’t really want any of that. what I would like is the qualities I’ve listed above. I’m not asking God to make me a super-star pastor or author, but if He wanted to make me into something like that, I would want to have the character that could survive that kind of attention and money.

and that’s what I’m after these days.

God is love.

-rev-rob

photobooth pics of dad and jane:

jane's geek out's of 2012:

Yesterday I wrote about the things that I geek out on, today I'd like to share some of the fun things that my 7-year-old Jane particularly loves:

:: hello kitty
We have hello kitty everything- especially tiny little figures and the houses that they live in. Sometimes all of the houses and kitties get together in the living room to form a kitty-city.

:: the color pink
Everything is pink in Jane's world.

:: cherry lollipops
Her candy of choice.

:: Calico Critters
These little figures used to only be sold in local toy stores like wooden horse- now you can find them in Toys r Us and Barnes and Noble. She loves them.

:: roller-coasters
She's a ride-warrior. She'll ride those all day long at Great America, the boardwalk, Happy Hollow and sometimes Disneyland.

:: Nintendo DS
She plays little kid games on this for long stretches at a time. Gamer.

:: Santa Cruz KOA
My kid likes coasters and camping. Did she get any of my genes?! She would rather go here than Disneyland!

:: Toy Story
We've seen these movies a trillion times. They have influenced an upcoming series for 678 called 'I am His.' She could quote those movies from start to finish-

:: bookstore cats
Most used bookstores have a very lazy and friendly cat that lives in them. While dad is browsing the local history section, Jane is usually charming the bookstore cat with conversation and head-scratches. She makes an effort to ask each bookstore owner if they have a cat, what the cat's name is and where the cat can be found. The cat on the right is Bob who lives a Recycle Books in Campbell.

:: TV-
Jane loves the strangest shows: Wipeout, Wheel of Fortune and America's Funniest Home Videos. She watches a bunch of kid-shows too.

:: books!
She likes quite a few books about pigs: the Elephant and Piggie books by Mo Willems, Mercy Watson books by Kate DiCamillio, and of course, Amanda Pig books by Jean Van Leeuwen!

:: a few others include:
french fries, dairy queen and her name in print- all of these things are super-cool according to my kid.


Being a dad is fun.
-rob

homemade toys:: amanda pig and lollipop figures

rob's geek-outs of 2012:

I'm always looking for a good ice-breaker question. My latest go-to is "what do you geek-out on?" Or in other words, "what is that subject that you are fascinated with; that once you start talking about, you can't stop?" I find that this is a great way to learn about someone.
Here are about 10 things that I currently geek out on in no particular order. If you know me well or read this blog these won't be a big surprise to you.

:: U2
I love these guys. I have all of their albums. I have every book ever written about them. I've lost count how many times I've seen them live. I love going to U2 shows because its an arena full of people just like me- geeking out on the best band ever. Its like coming home to my home town. We all seem to understand each other and speak the same language. We have shared history.

:: local history
I love to know the stories of how streets got their names and who were the first people in town and what brought them here. I love hearing about where they shopped and worshipped and lived. I have been fascinated with the histories of Modesto, San Jose, New Almaden, Los Gatos, San Francisco, the gold country and the beautiful golden state of California. I spend much time and effort collecting and reading local history books, and visiting their sites and museums. Used book stores always have the best local history books. One of my favorite shows about California history is California's Gold with Huell Howser.

:: kindles
I'm a kindle-evangelist. I have an original kindle, the kindle fire, and kindle for blackberry. Its a very enjoyable way to read a book. I recommend them often and often find myself talking about them a little too much.

:: 1st century biblical history
I love the story of the apostles, the early church and the land and culture that the church was born into. I also love the story of the Maccabees and the time in between the old and new testaments of the bible. If there is a book, documentary or podcast that focuses on these times, cultures and characters, I either have it, seen it or heard it. One of my favorite shows about biblical archaeology and the 1st century is the N*ked Archaeologist on the History Channel. I'm a geek for this stuff.

:: hardware and fixing stuff
I enjoy hardware stores, and I enjoy using tools to fix or upgrade something. I find myself just wandering in hardware store and checking out all of the cool things and options that they have. I love watching shows about fixing and building things, especially New Yankee Workshop with Norm Abram.

:: Local options for kids
When I meet a dad who is new to San Jose I usually start telling them about all of the great options for kids in the South Bay- and I can tell that my enthusiasm is a little overwhelming. I geek out on cool spots like Children's Discovery Museum, Bay Area Discovery Museum, Happy Hollow, Gilroy Gardens, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Oak Meadow Park and the Jungle. All of these sites are a delight to families and have their own rich histories.

:: Disneyland
Disneyland is fascinating. Its history is fascinating. I love to go there with my family, and I love learning the secrets and stories behind every detail.

:: TV-
I've mentioned a few shows already- but 2 show that I seriously geek out on (and are unfortunately no longer on the air) are Heroes and Alias. I've seen every episode of those shows; and when I saw them live, they always left me breathless.

:: Movies-
I barely see any movies. I'm not opposed to them, I just rarely make time for them. There are a few movies that particularly interest me, and I enjoy learning about them: Raiders of the Lost Ark, Mary Poppins, any of the Star Wars movies, and Goonies.

:: Dr. Seuss
This guy is so talented and profound, it makes me both awestruck and jealous. I use his material often in my teaching to the students.

:: the book of romans
there is a quote out there from Martin Luther that every Christian should memorize the book of romans and quote it every day. I'm with Martin on that one (we agree on some other things too).

:: a couple of cool guys-
Elvis Presley-
and
Fred Rogers
I love these guys. Once I start talking or reading about either of them, its hard to stop.

I've geeked out on a bunch of stuff over the years, but this is my list right now. I love discovering something new to geek out on. I guess that makes me a little geeky. What about you? Do you have a blog? How about you make your list of geek-outs and share them with me? Send me a link to your list in the comments section below. (Sorry if its a pain to leave a comment- I was getting a bunch of dirty-ads in the comments!)
Geeks are cool!

God is love.
-rev-rob

more photos from quicksilver park-

there is a map at the entrance of each gate of the almaden quicksilver park-

it has several historical sites listed on it. I made it a goal earlier this month to see all of them. today I accomplished that goal! these hikes have been a great way to exercise, pray, review my memory verses and get quiet and be refreshed. here are some photos that I took with my phone along the way-

my favorite books of 2011-

Last blog of 2011-
according to amazon, I purchased a bunch of books this year, and by my calculation, I finished about 20 or so of them. Some were ok, but some were incredible- here are my 10 favorite books of 2011:

The Pastor by Eugene Peterson

I got to hear Eugene Peterson talk about this book live at a conference- and the book was so much better. This book is Eugene's story of working at a church. It is incredibly honest, insightful, and delightful. His love for the Bible, the ministey, and the people he served comes through in every page; and his take on ministry is so refreshing.

Replenish by Lance Witt

Lance speaks at my church every now and then. I always enjoy his messages and I have met him a few times. This book is for pastors and is about the tending of a pastor's soul. I have read a few books on this topic and this one is the best by far. It has short readable chapters and is full of practical insight. I read this book slowly and savored every page. I didn''t want it to end!

Scouting the Divine by Margaret Feinberg

I got to hear Margaret speak about this book at a conference and was so blown away by the idea of this book. it's an idea that I wish I came up with myself: she went and spent time with a real shepherd, a farmer, bee-keeper, and a vintner (wine-maker) and asked them to give insight on what the bible says about sheep, farming, wine, honey, etc. and the things that she discovered are fascinating. she is a wonderful writer- this is another book that I was delighted to read.

Enchantment by Guy Kawasaki

This is basically the "How to Win Friends and Influence People" of today- but for the Silicon Valley. This book gives practical advice to leaders and businesses on how to enchant their customers. Its almost too much wisdom for just one book. I also heard and met Guy Kawasaki at a conference a few years ago- he is wonderful to listen to and his other books are great too.

Great by Choice by Jim Collins

I have been waiting for this book to come out for years. Jim Collins is one of my favorite writers and writes the best books for businesses and leaders. All of his books are pivotal, and this one is just as good as his previous ones. This book gave language to some of the frustrations and wins that I have seen as a leader in recent years. I hope that its not his last book.

Sticky Faith by Kara Powell

I heard Kara Powell speak on this book at a conference in town, and my mind was blown. She uses the latest research to explain whay students are leaving the church as they enter college. so many leaders have had ideas on why this has happened, but Kara Powell gives research to back up her ideas as well as strategies to turn this tide back. This book has completely changed the way I speak and lead as a youth pastor. This may be the single most important youth ministry book ever written.

The Genius of Generosity by Chip Ingram

again, I heard this author speak on this topic. I was so delighted by his story that I texted him (totally name-dropping here) and told him that this story would make an excellent book. He texted me back and said that it already was a book and sent me a copy. This story that he shares here is such a clear picture of what generosity looks like and how wonderful and fulfilling that it can be. Chip is so credible. When he makes points from the bible or makes a list of things the bible says about a topic- you know that this has come from years of study, not just copied and pasted from someone else's material. I loved the book and the messages that went with it. I've got a lot of love and respect for the author too-

Cinnabar Hills; the Quicksilver Days of New Almaden by Milton Lanyon and Laurence Bulmore

I'm actually reading this book right now. in the last few weeks I have become very interested in the New Almaden Mine near my house. This book is out of print, and is written by some men who were children in New Almaden in its heyday and were first hand witnesses to the colorful history of that community. It is full of very old pictures that were taken on site 150 years ago. I am absolutely loving this book. If you're interested you can get a copy of this and other books on the subjest at the Quicksilver museum in New Almaden.

Jesus Manifesto by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola

I also got to hear Len Sweet at a conference this year, although he didn't speak on this topic (I went to some good conferences in 2011!) This is my favorite book of the year, and maybe one of my favorite books of all time. I have proably given away 10 copies of this book to my friends and co-workers.This book brings everything back to Jesus. He is the beginning and the End- He is our past, present and future. He is our message, He hold it all together, it all comes through him and to Him and is for Him. its all Him. this book was so encouraging, I can't even put it into words. get this book. I have purchased and read several other Len Sweet books this year after reading this one. they are all wonderful, but this one is the best.

last but not least-

Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss

(I wish I could say that I heard Dr. Seuss at a conference this year!) I have been a long time fan of Dr. Seuss but have never read this book. I saw it once in the bookstore and decided that if it is as good as his others, it will be worth the while. This book is so profound on so many levels. this book has many insightful thoughts on faith in the unseen and the value of a life. this book inspired a sermon-series that I developed on faith and on serving that I will deliver at our ministry's spring break missions trip this year.

I also read all of the books on hell that came out this year- lots of controversy and talk about those, for the sake of avoiding all of it, I'll just say that each of us should know what we believe on THAT topic with the SCRIPTURE (not tradition or good thoughts) to back it up. I also read some great books by Craig Groeschel.

leaders are readers-

God is love.

-rev-rob