The Hurrier I Go...

Friends have asked for photos and stories from my wonderful Spring Break trip to the Amalfi Coast. Trust me, I will be GLAD to share about this adventure, and still plan on it... but I have really been scrambling ever since I returned. All of it has been really fun stuff that has kept me busy, but PHEW, I need to catch my breath.

Because I'm excited about all of them, here they are:

• Last Tuesday (April 5) I started a month-long series on historic worldviews at Providence Hall: Yes, that is as nerdy as it sounds, and YES, I am excited about it! I teach a class twice a week to the entire student body called Foundations of the Faith, and we cover church history, doctrine, bible study, theology, practical application, ethics... more than ever, this year with high school students at Providence convinces me that we as a culture (and in the church) consistently underestimate the incredible potential of teenagers.
  
  Last year I taught a series on Mere Christianity and then we talked about each student being able to “give an answer for the hope you have,” (1 Peter 3:15) and explain why they follow Jesus Christ. This month, I want us to take a step back from that ~ before we can give our answer, I think we need to really understand what the question is! Based on perhaps the most fundamental human question of all ~ What is the meaning of life? ~ we are examining how ancient civilizations have come up with their own answers to this question. I am calling this study of various worldviews the "Ism's" ~ polytheism, pantheism, monotheism, dualism, atheism, deism. (Though there are more, we're focusing on the main ones up till the Enlightenment.) You'd have to see it to believe it, but our discussions as a school have been animated and engaging. These students get it.
• Challenge Ball, April 8, for Providence Hall: for the 2nd year in a row, our athletic department put on a really great fundraiser. I'd guess that at least 300 people came. It was a great turnout, and I was grateful to friends like Rob Crawford, Jeff Mumm and James Kinzler for playing on the "Past Prime-Time" squad. I was blowing my horn and ringing my cowbells gleefully.
• Ministry Leaders' Conference, April 9, Pasadena, CA: As of January I have been working with the Free Methodist Conference of Southern California as the Director of Recruiting and Training. One of the projects I proposed to our superintendents was a conference dedicated to the unique dynamics of working and leading in ministry as a single adult. They had already provided a conference for married pastors earlier this year. The superintendents were very receptive to the idea and I got to direct the conference this past Saturday at our Free Methodist church in Pasadena. Rather than be a singles conferences, this was a ministry conference for single adults. We had worship, speakers, seminars, and great food (including our own barista!). It was a gift to be able to be so creative. All those who came were a blast to be with ~ they traveled from all points around So Cal, ranging from Escondido to Santa Barbara to Barstow! I look forward to debriefing it all and figuring out next steps.
• Youth Ministry Consulting Project, April 13-16, Seattle with Youth Ministry Architects: My schedule has not allowed me to go on one of these projects since last fall. On this one I will be working with a young and gifted female youth pastor I've come to really enjoy and respect, and my YMA partner is my old and dear friend Doug Ranck. PLUS I get to see several old SB friends who have migrated up to the Big Wet North, so that's an added plus.

I must admit that I will be ready to stay home for awhile after I return from Seattle. After that, I hope to share the afterglow of Amalfi... Ciao for now.