Mid-Week Memo

Hi Five Oaks Church, 

As guest blogger, I am happy to give some updates about our ministry.  I've included comments from our 1st Impressions cards and the communication cards from the weekend service.  And, I've added some highlights to the amazing Vacation Bible School week.  

Blessings,  Jeni Carlson, Children's Ministry Director

#1- Here are some 1st Impression Cards we've received in the last week.

from 5/21: I enjoyed my visit to your church.  However, I live with my husband in Somerset, WI so it's a bit too far to drive.  [It's great to have folks visiting us!]

from 5/27:  We moved from CA a month ago and visited Five Oaks just a couple of days after arriving. There were many people who stopped to talk to us for great lengths of time when they learned we were visiting.  The Discovery Seminar was extremely helpful with giving us an understanding of the church and it's beliefs.  [Thank you!  (If you haven't attended the Seminar, please contact the church office.  It's a session that unpacks our mission and ministry at Five Oaks.  Plus, lunch is included!  We love to have you. The next seminar is scheduled for July 15, 2012 @ 11:00 a.m.]

#2 - Here are your comments and mine from last weeks communication cards:

• Very nice worship set! Really set the stage for worship – thank you! Alex, you are a great drummer. I love seeing Phil up there – a blast from my past! Tim you do such a great job up there in every capacity. I’ve always loved John Ortberg – a great message – shadow missions. Great, great, great closing song.
• Beautiful worship this morning. Really like the drum tracks in the background. Great message of calling out shadow missions. We all need to keep this in mind. Female BGV’s were right on. 
• Tim, thank you for reminding everyone that they can worship in their own way. I understand churches need to try to reach out to a “target audience”, but I appreciate the chance to worship in a way that’s meaningful to me… whether that means sitting quietly and thinking/praying/meditating or singing loudly and clapping or doing an action-based form of worship such as lighting a candle or writing on a +/- board. 
• Great piano on “Your Name”! “Your Name” – wonderful arrangement! 
• Tim, can you send me that prayer of confession? Thanks.  
• What about mentioning “10 Minute Connect” in the early messages so visitors know about it before the cards are collected, might cut down on the comments about not feeling welcomed. Could put the ice breaker question at the end so conversation can start and flow out into the entry way.

[Great comments this week!  I'm encouraged that Five Oakers are sharing their insight, giving their perspective, and showing how God's love impacts them.  It makes me so blessed to be a part of this community.  It's also a privilege to serve with a team of leaders who truly care about meeting mission each week.  From the Worship Arts team to the teaching team, we have servant hearted leaders. Thanks to everyone who serves to help our weekend services go.]

#3 - We are just over half way through our 2012 VBS. Here are some highlights and a few pictures!

• Sky VBS 2012-the place where we learn that with God everything is possible.  Each day this week, over 250 kids are coming to catch glimpses of where God is at work; in our hearts, our lives, our community, and our world.  Kids learn a bible story, memorize a bible verse, and learn again and again that they can trust God. Throughout a typical day, kids will shout out  "trust God" countless times.
• As the kids travel through each station, starting with worship and learning, they see how God can impact their lives.  As preschool station leader, Melissa Borner shared, "the kids are captivated by the story, I don't need to remind them to listen, they hang on every word."  As a 1st time VBS volunteer, she is amazed at how quickly the kids are soaking up the words of the songs and are memorizing the verses.  "They are truly hiding God's word in their heart."
• Sky VBS is partnering with Jerry Meras, Outreach Director, for the Miles for Meals Global Impact project. Kids are challenged to bring in their money to help get "biker Jerry" and his team across the USA, from CA to MN. (This trip is happening August 2012).   Many of the kids have participated in Feed My Starving Children so this project is especially meaningful.  Our goal is to raise over $700 to provide over 3,000 meals.
• Another unique partnership with SKY VBS is inviting our special needs Retreat children to join in the fun and learning at VBS.  7 Retreat kids are being integrated into the program and the joy is evident.  "My 8 year-old son Alex, is loving VBS!  He is all smiles and rests well each afternoon, having been exhausted by the morning.  Alex doesn't usually get these kinds of opportunities and it means so much to us,"  Jennifer Fair shared with me.
• With over 125 volunteers making SKY so amazing, we rely on many gifts and abilities.  From artists to craftsman, decorators to administrators, from technical savvy to cutting craft supplies, from games leaders to bible teachers, from drama actors to kitchen team members,  we draw on adults and teens to make a difference in kids' lives.
• I stopped in the craft room to chat with one student leader, a 3rd year veteran to VBS.  I wondered what keeps bringing him back.  Alex Hovda, a recent High school graduate, explained, "VBS is unique because you get to work with a bunch of rambunctious kids for a week in a God-centered, controlled circus."  The energy is palpable!  Where else can you see cool 4th graders and 4 year olds raising their hands, shouting, "Trust God!" and loving it?  
• Alex also shared the impact that VBS has as a whole.  Alex traveled with the student mission team last summer to New Jersey and explained that the change to kids' lives is noticeable.  The Jersey kids started their week hostile to the leaders and the program.  By the end of the week, kids were sharing details of their lives, connecting with God's message and experiencing heart change.
• Thursday, we'll share the gospel message so pray with us that kid's will choose to cross the line of faith and make the best decision of their lives!
• The SKY VBS  adventure continues for the rest of the week, and then we tuck in all the decorations and quiet the building down until the next VBS begins.

Have a great and blessed week, Jeni Carlson - Children's Ministry Director

Your Questions from the Weekend Message

I conducted an experiment this weekend that I'll resume in four weeks. I asked folks to send any questions that arise from the weekend message to questions@fiveoakschurch.org. I'm especially interested in what I'm calling "Yeah, but..." questions. It's impossible to deal any given week in a balanced and comprehensive way on many of the topics I address. And that often leaves objections and questions on people's minds that can be barriers to communication. If we had time, a Q&A time could address those questions, but we don't have the time.

Here are the two questions I received.

Question: You mentioned in the sermon how Jesus talked about exaggerations. I've heard people use the "if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out" as a reason to not be Christian or why Christians are unreasonable. How do you counter that in a loving manner?

First of all, I love that you want to counter that in "in a loving manner." That's the only way to do it if the goal is to help people move closer to God and find him.

In situations like this it's always helpful to commiserate first. "Yeah, that kind of statement does sound unreasonable, and I had a hard time understanding it until I realized that it's just a way of making a point. Everyone does this kind of thing in everyday language, and Jesus used everyday ways of saying things to make his point. It's one of things I love about the Bible..."

Another approach that's helpful is to use questions after you commiserate. "Do you think he was being literal? What do you think he meant?" I can't tell you how many times I've jumped to an answer and regretted it. Sounds defensive. And if the issue is a personal one, it comes across as cold and impersonal. So much better to agree with their feelings, if you genuinely have had the same questions or feelings. And so much better to follow it up by asking questions.

Question: Within the last week or so, you affirmed Christians to engage in the political process.

I observe that christian's manner of engaging the politic has increased the perception by the politic as defining our faith by what we are opposed to vs what we are for.

How do you reconcile this position with Jesus' example in actively staying out of politics (give unto caesar, interview with Pilate,....)?

I have a vision of a modern day Jesus, entering into relationship with single moms, pregnant teens, with women elected to abort their unborn, people who are gay. I don't see him leading a rally on the capitol steps against gay marriage and abortion.

How many Christians marching, signing petitions, and voting, have adopted a child, built relationships with a Muslim, homosexual couple, single mom, or almost mom who aborted her unborn?

Sorry, I guess I'm venting more than asking a question. Is engaging in politics evil? No, but it's tempting to sign a petition, attend a rally, and complete a ballot (even one of those complicating ones hanging chad ballots). Perhaps a description of how to engage in politics in manner consistent with Jesus' example would be instructive. Please excuse typos or auto-incorrections as this message is being sent from my mobile.

This question is a great example of a "Yeah but..." question. So thank you for sending this.

I agree it's not a good thing Christians are too often known primarily for what they are against in the political arena. Part of the problem is that we can't control how we are portrayed. And when we take a biblical, counter-cultural position on an issue, those who disagree often choose to portray us in a negative light. But I don't think that's the primary culprit. I believe we have contributed by our own behavior that often doesn't display (a) the fruit of the Spirit and (b) a missional mindset in society.

Regarding Jesus staying out of politics: I think we need to ask, "What would Jesus and the biblical writers say to people living in a participatory democracy/republic like ours? What in the Bible addresses our particular circumstances? And what were Jesus' options in his circumstances?" I think pursuing those kinds of questions yields great results for how we should get involved in our political process.

I've written quite a bit on this in this blog. You can see everything I've written by linking to "Politics" under Categories (right column of the blog). In those posts I provide some constructive ideas for getting involved politically and I discuss the kinds of issues we should be concerned about from a biblical perspective. If you want to take a much deeper dive, also take a look at the "Compassion" and "Impact" categories.

My favorite treatment of this subject is in a book by John Richard Neuhaus called The Naked Public Square: Religion and Democracy in America. I can't recommend this book enough. I've also greatly appreciated the writing and ministry of Chuck Colson with regard to this subject.

Where I think I may disagree with your perspective is regarding what Christians are or are not doing. Based on my personal experience and research, I've concluded that (a) far more Christians are carrying out ministries of compassion and outreach than they are picketing and rallying on the capital steps and (b) Christians far outnumber non-Christians in concrete acts of compassion toward people who are hurting (also in giving generously to these kinds of efforts). (I am speaking in terms of volunteer help and ministry, not government funded help.) If you've been at Five Oaks for very long you know this is a huge issue for us, and we are very much involved in ministries of compassion. So not only do I like your question; I like your attitude! I trust it's leading you personally to "adopt a child, build relationships with Muslims, homosexual couples, single moms, or almost-moms who aborted their unborn" or to other acts of compassion along those lines.