Friday, March 23, 2007
Schooled by "American Idol"
This article in last weeks' Chronicle of Higher Education is most interesting. As someone who loves to show how TV culture connects to life and leadership, I appreciate what Christopher Ames connects in this article. Have a good read and a good weekend!
Monday, March 19, 2007
Reflections on the Weekend
Just a few miscellaneous events to blog about after a nice weekend...
1) Prairie Bible College Junior/Senior Banquet was exceptional!!! It reminds me why I love working with college age students. They had a lot of fun with the theme of "Neverland" - yes I was prepared for many lame jokes about "not wanting to grow up" - but alas, the junior class outdid themselves in presenting a good and deep biblical message on childlike faith amidst academic learning. Mr Douglas Lewis did an outstanding job (as usual) with his closing remarks tying it all together.
One last comment re: leadership. Some AWESOME female leaders in both the Junior & Senior class and both Valerie and Beth gave superb speeches (no surprise!!!) and will be great preachers, should any wise church not mute them just because they are women!
2) Prairie Christian Academy Sabres win Provincials - congrats to coach Bob Murray and the PCA Sabres Men's basketball team for capturing the 2A Boys Provincial Title this weekend up in Edmonton. They went all season as the #1-ranked team in the province and won the championship!!! That's so awesome!!! Their banner will now join the 1999 Provincial Title banners - another great basketball team (and volleyball provincials that year too!).
One comment on this event: You know you are marrying into an awesome family when dad (Marlowe) goes up to watch the quarter-final and semi-final games on Friday, and then goes up with mom to the championship game Sat night (and they had stuff to do on Sunday at church!). And they say *I* am a crazy sports fan!
3) The Ambassador Choir & Jubilation ensemble presented their program at the Prairie Tabernacle yesterday morning and proved the truth of "teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, & spiritual songs" (Col 3:16). You don't always need a "sermon" of preaching to hear the message of Scripture clearly - even the pastor told me that after the Ambassador's presentation. Then in our small group last night, where we normally discuss the message/sermon, we discussed the "message" of Bandeti - A Place of Refuge. And then we prayed for the many people and situations we knew of that needed God's refuge.
So, as you can see, a weekend with much to be grateful to God for!
1) Prairie Bible College Junior/Senior Banquet was exceptional!!! It reminds me why I love working with college age students. They had a lot of fun with the theme of "Neverland" - yes I was prepared for many lame jokes about "not wanting to grow up" - but alas, the junior class outdid themselves in presenting a good and deep biblical message on childlike faith amidst academic learning. Mr Douglas Lewis did an outstanding job (as usual) with his closing remarks tying it all together.
One last comment re: leadership. Some AWESOME female leaders in both the Junior & Senior class and both Valerie and Beth gave superb speeches (no surprise!!!) and will be great preachers, should any wise church not mute them just because they are women!
2) Prairie Christian Academy Sabres win Provincials - congrats to coach Bob Murray and the PCA Sabres Men's basketball team for capturing the 2A Boys Provincial Title this weekend up in Edmonton. They went all season as the #1-ranked team in the province and won the championship!!! That's so awesome!!! Their banner will now join the 1999 Provincial Title banners - another great basketball team (and volleyball provincials that year too!).
One comment on this event: You know you are marrying into an awesome family when dad (Marlowe) goes up to watch the quarter-final and semi-final games on Friday, and then goes up with mom to the championship game Sat night (and they had stuff to do on Sunday at church!). And they say *I* am a crazy sports fan!
3) The Ambassador Choir & Jubilation ensemble presented their program at the Prairie Tabernacle yesterday morning and proved the truth of "teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, & spiritual songs" (Col 3:16). You don't always need a "sermon" of preaching to hear the message of Scripture clearly - even the pastor told me that after the Ambassador's presentation. Then in our small group last night, where we normally discuss the message/sermon, we discussed the "message" of Bandeti - A Place of Refuge. And then we prayed for the many people and situations we knew of that needed God's refuge.
So, as you can see, a weekend with much to be grateful to God for!
Monday, March 12, 2007
NCAA March Madness and a few related trails
Unfortunately I do have classes to teach this coming Thursday afternoon (okay, I'm actually blessed to have the privilege of teaching these classes, its not really unfortunate but...) so I will miss a little bit of the beginning of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament aka "March Madness."
I have two standard favorites - the Duke Blue Devils because I've always just liked them and Coach K, as well as the Gonzaga Bulldogs, because they are one of my alma mater's. However, while I hope that they both do well, I think it will be tough for either of them to win more than one game in the tournament and I doubt if either of them will make it to the Sweet 16. The Zags will face a very stiff challenge from Indiana, though that should be a great contest. Duke should be okay to take out VCU in the opening round, but I don't like their chances against Pittsburgh. If Gonzaga does manage to beat Indiana, it would be awesome for them to get "revenge" against UCLA in the second round. And if all went really well for both teams, they would actually play each other in the Sweet 16. Now that would be great!!!
Speaking of playoff basketball, it would be great to see the Prairie Christian Academy Sabres men's basketball team win provincials this coming weekend in Edmonton. They have been the top-ranked team the whole season (now that's pressure!) and so hopefully they will win at all for PCA for the second time in school history. The first time was in 1999 when my great friend, Stan Parker, was the PCA Sabres coach and my soon-to-be-brother-in-law, Jon Hunt, was one of many fine players on that team, including Ryan Reed, Nico Jol, Andrew Peters, etc, etc.
Which leads to another related trail... The zone championship game in 1999 was the BEST event ever in the Rick Down Athletic Centre (previously known as the Sportsplex). The Sabres defeated Siksika 108-100 in an incredible championship game and yours truly was running the clock and the scoresheet for that fantastic match!!! However, in just less than 8 weeks, that will become the SECOND BEST event in the RDAC... :-)
And one last related trail... speaking of the Rick Down Athletic Centre, check out my colleague Michael Pahl's recent blog on "being a grandpa." It is very touching... and shows a side of Professor Pahl that students probably don't often see/hear but is indeed his true heart and character.
I have two standard favorites - the Duke Blue Devils because I've always just liked them and Coach K, as well as the Gonzaga Bulldogs, because they are one of my alma mater's. However, while I hope that they both do well, I think it will be tough for either of them to win more than one game in the tournament and I doubt if either of them will make it to the Sweet 16. The Zags will face a very stiff challenge from Indiana, though that should be a great contest. Duke should be okay to take out VCU in the opening round, but I don't like their chances against Pittsburgh. If Gonzaga does manage to beat Indiana, it would be awesome for them to get "revenge" against UCLA in the second round. And if all went really well for both teams, they would actually play each other in the Sweet 16. Now that would be great!!!
Speaking of playoff basketball, it would be great to see the Prairie Christian Academy Sabres men's basketball team win provincials this coming weekend in Edmonton. They have been the top-ranked team the whole season (now that's pressure!) and so hopefully they will win at all for PCA for the second time in school history. The first time was in 1999 when my great friend, Stan Parker, was the PCA Sabres coach and my soon-to-be-brother-in-law, Jon Hunt, was one of many fine players on that team, including Ryan Reed, Nico Jol, Andrew Peters, etc, etc.
Which leads to another related trail... The zone championship game in 1999 was the BEST event ever in the Rick Down Athletic Centre (previously known as the Sportsplex). The Sabres defeated Siksika 108-100 in an incredible championship game and yours truly was running the clock and the scoresheet for that fantastic match!!! However, in just less than 8 weeks, that will become the SECOND BEST event in the RDAC... :-)
And one last related trail... speaking of the Rick Down Athletic Centre, check out my colleague Michael Pahl's recent blog on "being a grandpa." It is very touching... and shows a side of Professor Pahl that students probably don't often see/hear but is indeed his true heart and character.
Friday, March 09, 2007
Just say "NO"
Those of you who know me will understand that I am NOT particularly good at saying "NO" to various opportunities to be involved in many sorts of activities. And I'm usually quite glad - and even proud - to be involved in lots of activities, whether those relate to Prairie Bible College life, Prairie Tabernacle ministries, sports, etc.
So I just wanted to blog today and let you know that I said "NO" the other night at the first meeting of our new elders board at Prairie Tabernacle. I believe (with evidence) there were some who wanted me to continue serving as the chair of the board of elders. Various ones have been very kind and affirming of my abilities and talents in this area of leadership and I do enjoy this type of ministry. Of course, glory to God for providing the abilities, talents and working through me!
Nonetheless, I believed very strongly that for at least the next year, I needed to not serve in any "executive" position on the elders board - and so I said "NO"! (Really, I did... and I'm so proud!!!)
The first reason I said "no" is because of a leadership philosophy that believes leadership needs to be broad, not just held in the hands of one (or a few) person(s). I think right now most people in the Prairie Tabernacle would be comfortable as I stayed as chair. But this is not good for the congregation to have one person always in the lead. There are other elders capable of leading and just because people like Steve, and feel comfortable with Steve leading a meeting (and Steve enjoys it too!!!), does not mean it is in the long-term good of the congregation. We have all seen leaders who refuse to let go of a position and thus leave a dearth of other leaders in five, ten, or 20 years when they finally die, retire or get pushed out. Just cuz I'm not "old" (compared to a senior citizen) doesn't mean I am immune to the same temptation. So the first and primary reason I said "no" was because Leadership needs to be shared.
Secondly, I am not sure that I will be living in Three Hills for a long time. No, I don't have specific plans to move in the next months - okay, I will move into my fiance's home after our wedding on May 5th - but I don't want to commit to leading the elders board when I may not be here for the whole time. And with various things happening in the next few months, my schedule will not allow me to really function as the chair should.
Thirdly, I have new responsibilities as a husband that will begin soon and so I want to be faithful to that call from God. Now I do NOT agree that I should be "exempt" from all ministry responsibilities because I am getting married. There are those who probably think I should "take a year off from the elders board when I get married." After all, in the OT didn't a soldier get a year off from war when he was newly married? Yes... - and I don't think that serving as an elder at a church should be viewed as WAR!!! If it is, you probably don't want to serve on that elders board at any time, not just when you are newly married.
So, I said NO because I believe God has called me to say "no." And I actually listened, despite urgings - from others and even selfish ambition - to say otherwise.
So I just wanted to blog today and let you know that I said "NO" the other night at the first meeting of our new elders board at Prairie Tabernacle. I believe (with evidence) there were some who wanted me to continue serving as the chair of the board of elders. Various ones have been very kind and affirming of my abilities and talents in this area of leadership and I do enjoy this type of ministry. Of course, glory to God for providing the abilities, talents and working through me!
Nonetheless, I believed very strongly that for at least the next year, I needed to not serve in any "executive" position on the elders board - and so I said "NO"! (Really, I did... and I'm so proud!!!)
The first reason I said "no" is because of a leadership philosophy that believes leadership needs to be broad, not just held in the hands of one (or a few) person(s). I think right now most people in the Prairie Tabernacle would be comfortable as I stayed as chair. But this is not good for the congregation to have one person always in the lead. There are other elders capable of leading and just because people like Steve, and feel comfortable with Steve leading a meeting (and Steve enjoys it too!!!), does not mean it is in the long-term good of the congregation. We have all seen leaders who refuse to let go of a position and thus leave a dearth of other leaders in five, ten, or 20 years when they finally die, retire or get pushed out. Just cuz I'm not "old" (compared to a senior citizen) doesn't mean I am immune to the same temptation. So the first and primary reason I said "no" was because Leadership needs to be shared.
Secondly, I am not sure that I will be living in Three Hills for a long time. No, I don't have specific plans to move in the next months - okay, I will move into my fiance's home after our wedding on May 5th - but I don't want to commit to leading the elders board when I may not be here for the whole time. And with various things happening in the next few months, my schedule will not allow me to really function as the chair should.
Thirdly, I have new responsibilities as a husband that will begin soon and so I want to be faithful to that call from God. Now I do NOT agree that I should be "exempt" from all ministry responsibilities because I am getting married. There are those who probably think I should "take a year off from the elders board when I get married." After all, in the OT didn't a soldier get a year off from war when he was newly married? Yes... - and I don't think that serving as an elder at a church should be viewed as WAR!!! If it is, you probably don't want to serve on that elders board at any time, not just when you are newly married.
So, I said NO because I believe God has called me to say "no." And I actually listened, despite urgings - from others and even selfish ambition - to say otherwise.
Reading Day Break
Its that time in the semester where students at Prairie Bible College enjoy Reading Days - though as they are quick to point out, this year it is only a reading day (singular!). We do not have daytime classes regularly scheduled on Mondays and so the fact that we do not have classes on Tues March 13 means that we really only have one "Reading day" break. Of course, being shrewd students, a few of them left campus Thursday, before or after their respective classes. That doesn't bother me... we all make choices and each student made one for which they will live with the consequences, positive and negative.
Meanwhile, I need to make sure that I have both a restful and productive Reading Break - like I encourage the students. After my Friday morning class and chapel, I do NOT feel like grading the computer assignments that are being emailed to me. I could leave them til Monday... but they will still need to be graded. So I can do them today and have a slower pace to Monday or do them Monday and enjoy the start of the weekend earlier. But either way, each of us, students and profs make choices and have to life with the consequences.
And that's leadership too... making choices and taking responsibility for the consequences.
Meanwhile, I need to make sure that I have both a restful and productive Reading Break - like I encourage the students. After my Friday morning class and chapel, I do NOT feel like grading the computer assignments that are being emailed to me. I could leave them til Monday... but they will still need to be graded. So I can do them today and have a slower pace to Monday or do them Monday and enjoy the start of the weekend earlier. But either way, each of us, students and profs make choices and have to life with the consequences.
And that's leadership too... making choices and taking responsibility for the consequences.
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