Goin' Mercer…ramblings and rants!

In the spiritual formation calendar that Highland puts out for every member there is a quote in the month of January regarding hope:

“If you want to build a ship, don’t herd people together to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.” -Antoine De Saint-Exupery

I say “Amen” first! This is exactly what I have been talking about with the differences between spoiled and formed people of faith. Today I wanted to speak a little about Highland’s context geographically and how that can bring hope to leading us into formed people.

Many years ago people came together and bought a plot of land at South 5th and Highland Avenue to begin a church. This was in response to ACU moving to the north side and along with it the college church. No one would have ever predicted that, that same building today would be sitting in the midst of a fertile ground of ministry. All around our building live people who suffer physically, emotionally, financially, and spiritually. Evidently there was a decision made some years back not to move where the rest of Abilene was moving (to the south side of town), but to stay put and minister to our own neighborhood. It has been a process (that we are still involved in) and every day we are learning more about how to reach out to our community and make them feel welcome at our church.

This gives me hope. This type of ministry has already infected our seniors as they walk one block in our neighborhood just to seek needs and prayers. As our students involve themselves outside of their own comfortable world and place themselves at the mercy of God with people different than them and in much need they will see the reason to be a Christian. That reason won’t be to sit through a stellar Sunday Class, go on a road trip to be energized for Christ, to hang out with their friends that look just like they do, or to be entrenched with the glitz and glamour of Christianity. None of those things are necessarily bad. However, when they get involved in the messy spirituality of being with people who long for something more, yet may not know that Christ is that more, then they will see hope for their own lives and the life of the church.

Struggles will come as the two different parties integrate into one. However, there is much hope in knowing that, that struggle actually exist. I have great hope (expectation) for our context, our ministry, and our students. My aim and prayer is that when these students graduate that they feel called to ministry in whatever context they live or work and will see the importance of taking care of self, but also will see the value of going beyond themselves.

I have decided that for now this will be my last post about spiritually spoiled. If there is something you wanted to hear about that I didn’t write, just comment or email me. Thanks for sharing your comments and thoughts as we have journeyed through this thought together. May we continue the process together of helping students and families realize the importance of being spiritually formed.

-Michael

I am excited to see changes in ministry and church! One of the most exciting changes for me is this idea of spiritual formation. I guess when not appropriately defined, this could be just another church buzz word or taken whatever direction those using it want to take it. However, I will use our church’s definition. “Spiritual formation is the intentional life-long process of being conformed to the image of Christ for the sake of others.”

If we take this definition and apply it to youth ministry we have a starting point for changing the lives of students into a better likeness of Christ. Instead of throwing intentional programs at students to help them see Jesus and their place in Christianity and church (although that’s not a bad thing) we need to be walking with students through the process and helping them see the need for the process to be life-long, not just while they are in school. Also, in this is the fact that being conformed into the image of Christ. I believe as youth ministers we do this one pretty well. We focus most of our messages and our time confronting students with the image of Christ and persuading them towards the need of being conformed to Him rather than the world.

The defining moment, however, that will transform students from spoiled to formed is the idea of “…for the sake of others.” When students are put into situations that will make the emphasis others, they will see beyond themselves.

None of this comes right away. Instead it lasts our whole life as we find out more about ourselves, the world we live in, and the man Jesus. May God bless this journey we have with our students and their development and forming.

-Michael

Thank you so much for your prayers and concerns. Leah is on her third day back at work. Fluids were replaced and by Saturday morning she was looking and feeling much better. She rested all day on Sunday and on Monday went back to work for the first time in a week. She is at work and gaining strength. Things are good for her now.

Sorry that I haven’t commented sooner on her recovery. I got back on Saturday evening and lectureship is upon us so busyness has consumed me. I have been blessed by the week. The speakers have been good. The worship has been healing! Also we have been interviewing potential interns for this summer. It is so awesome to see the potential for ministry as these students currently minister and for the future when they will minister full-time.

I want to continue my conversation about the spiritually spoiled. There are some things that I want to probe at still with that thought.

Thanks again for your prayers and concerns! God is healer and redeemer!

-Michael

We went to the doctor this morning. That was after a long night of a very sick woman. The doctor was somewhat concerned because of her level of dehydration. She was given a shot for nausea and we have been trying to get liquids in her all afternoon. So far things are going well. If she continues doing well things will really look up. However, if not we will be going to the hospital. The doctor said that if she didn’t get fluids in her the only step left is admittance to the hospital where they can put an iv in her. Not our idea of fun. I am a little worried, but encouraged with this afternoon and how things are going better. Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray for her and me as I try to give her compassionate care.

-Michael

This is what my wife has been since Saturday. That was until 11pm last night. Over the phone I didn’t think she was that sick. She tried to be so strong and not pull me away from my work by acting as if she was just a little sick. Finally when she was so weak she couldn’t get out of bed and after two days of little to nothing to eat or drink she asked me to come to Houston to take care of her. When I got here last night I realized how bad she really was. She was holding a fever, intensely nauseated, and no color in her face.

For the first time I have realized the big problem with being in two different places. Things are tolerable until something like sickness takes place. I am so thankful that I can be here to take care of her. Tomorrow we go to the doctor again. Whatever she has, its not getting any better. Hopefully, she can get some sleep tonight and the doctor can help us tomorrow. I think we will both be glad when life gets back to normal. Of course the normal we will take for now is being healthy but in two different places.

Pray for leah!

-Michael

It is going on seven years since Leah and I have been together as a couple. This year will mark our 3rd wedding anniversary. All I can say about this is that GOD IS AMAZING!!! I deserve so little in life and yet He is always lavishing love upon me. That love is mostly in the form of Leah. Leah and I made a commitment to be married, to love and cherish, one another for the rest of our lives. Our relationship hasn’t always been the easy way.

We began dating in November of 1999. Two months later I began working in Houston doing youth ministry at Clear Lake Church of Christ and Leah continued her freshman year of college. We dated long distance for 3 years. I would go there once a month, sometimes twice, and she would come home once a month, sometimes twice. I had an excellent phone plan and we talked around 3-5 hours each night. I knew more about her in one month than I did of any other girl I had dated before. The more we talked, the more we both knew that marriage was in our future. On October 25, 2001 I asked her to marry me. It was a fantastic night that I could never forget. We ate great Italian, went to a really awful Shakespeare play (we left during intermission) and then went to one of her favorite parks. She was on the pitchers mound (baseball is the sport we have in common, and had played one time on a date on that field) and I dropped to one knee, and asked her to marry me. If I remember correctly she jumped up and down for about 5 minutes, then said yes! 1 year and six months later we were married. We waited for her to finish school and then for the spring.

Today we are doing the long distance thing again. It is a little bit different and somewhat more difficult. We miss each other a lot! I love my wife and my forever valentine! And although I don’t get to see her today I honor her with a poem I wrote for her while we were dating.

A unique drop of love sent down from heaven.
She reflects the light of Christ to everyone she meets.
The most marvelous of sunsets envy her beauty; Inside and Out.
This drop so delicately placed has graced my life…
…And so I reach for words to say,
But I stand speechless; wondering how I became so lucky.

Happy Valentine’s Day Sweetheart!
I Love You!

-Michael

Readers’ Note: This post is by a good friend of mine and fellow laborer in Youth Ministry Chad Nall. Chad is a loving husband and father of two.Chad is the youth and family minister at the Missouri St. Church of Christ in Baytown, TX. He also spends some of his time teaching school. His insights are wonderfully seen through the eyes of God! I hope you will enjoy his post below.

The Problem with Spoon Fed Spirituality
By: Chad Nall

The other day I as I was attempting to teach my chemistry students I noticed that look in their eyes telling me they just didn’t get it. The blank stares, the heads on their tables, the whispering, and text messaging going on suggested they weren’t quite understanding the concepts. When they understand things, they are alert and engaged. When it gets difficult and requires much work a few will hang in there, ask questions, get help and try to understand; most don’t. They shut down because they have become so accustomed to having things just given them.

Have people become accustomed to being spoon fed too much information, too many things? Are there so many conveniences in our everyday living that when something becomes challenging we begin to wonder if something is wrong? Has this carried over into our spiritual lives?

Michael has raised a good question in my opinion — one I haven’t seriously considered until recently. Have we become spiritually spoiled? Have we become too accustomed to things being easy? I would argue that the spiritual life is anything but easy. The process of being transformed into the likeness of Christ for the sake of others is not the smoothest of journeys. It requires much work, courage and desire. It requires that we spend time in Scripture mulling over its meanings and implications for our lives. It requires immersing ourselves in our community of faith, worshiping, reflecting with others, ministering, being missional. We must train our minds to think like Christ and our bodies to act like Christ. It requires discipline. Such a view of our faith and Christian life isn’t for the Sunday church-goer. It requires a daily choice to orient our lives around those habits that shape us into the image of Christ. This is a completely different mindset than many are used to. Maybe this is what Paul had in mind when he made statements like “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind” and “work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” Maybe he had in mind the lifelong commitment required.

Such an approach to our faith is the exact opposite of simply being spoon fed what to believe and why to believe it. Such an approach goes beyond programming in youth ministry to simply connect with kids or make sure they have a good time. It requires intentionality on our part to recognize the diverse ways people learn in a manner that brings transformation. It requires that we, as ministers, carefully consider every aspect of our ministry in light of God’s transformation in people’s lives. What if we began to see each student in this way? What if we began to recognize that each one of our students encountered Christ differently and we developed a personalized strategy for maximizing opportunities for that student? Given our current constructs within church life this may not even be possible right now. It seems to me it would require thinking outside the box for many of us.

I want to thank Chad for his thoughts and wisdom. I think highly of my friend and after reading this post you know why. After reading his post I realized that he said what I have been trying to say much better than I could have. Thank you Chad!

-Michael

February 8, 2005 my grandmother, “granny” took her last earthly breath and breathed in the fullness of the Spirit in the Heavenlies. She was a fantastic granny to me, my brother, my step-siblings, my cousins, and any children that were around whether they belonged to her or not. I have thought about her often this past year. I miss her often, especially when I go to visit my other family in Ganado. At our lament service this past month, I was able to light a candle in her memory. It was a touching moment for me. I want to leave a portion of the blog I wrote the day before her funeral last year.

A Legacy of Faith

Preceded in death by: husband, Norman Mercer; sister, Flora Bell Siecko; and brother, Henry Mercer.

This year has been full of changes for this side of my family. We have cried, grieved, and strengthened. May God continue to bless the legacy of Bertie Lee Mercer!

-Michael

“If the Devil can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy!”

A quote one of my professors used at ACU in a youth ministry class. Boy is it true. We can easily take pride in the fact that we are not being bad people. We may be at a place in life where sin is at an all-time low. However, look around at our society. We may not be murderers, thieves, gossips, or liars but we may be really busy. Too busy for God? Too busy for ministry? Too busy for people? Too busy for family? Too busy for self reflection? The answer is: yes! We are too busy and Satan is loving his lie. This is a common trap in human nature and especially within our society.

What does this have to do with being Spiritually Spoiled?

“I think “spoiled” pertains more to not having to put any effort into what you are receiving and then in turn criticizing, taking advantage of, and taking for granted its fruit in your life.” -Michael Mercer (from a comment on my previous post)

In the past youth ministry has been purposed to create exciting opportunities that are “spiritual” in order to keep students from the dangers of drinking, drugs, bad company, etc. This is mostly how the youth ministry movement was created in reaction to these struggles. Times have changed and in good healthy ministries the goal is not activity or to provide some sort of alternative to sinful life, but to spiritually form students into the likeness of Christ through mediums that engage their culture and their stage of life.

However, activity is still the basis for many programs, even healthy ones (healthy as defined above). The problem is that being busy in your adolescent years makes sense because of the lesser responsibilities in your life. So I am not opposed to activity, I am simply challenging the message we send through activity. We all know of our students in our ministries who graduate from the youth ministry and cannot find their place in our churches. As I have observed for the past 10 years, and in my own life, students are leaving our churches because youth group was way cooler and better than this church thing. Some stay plugged in through college ministries and then leave. Some stay regardless of their stage of life. Many that I have talked to that have left, speak of not being taken care of, not any attention paid to them, not finding their place, not meeting their needs, its boring, or they don’t care about me. After fleshing out these messages it seems that many of those former students of mine and others who came from other youth ministries are really saying that they had one expectation of church when in youth group and the reality of church outside of youth group is not meeting their expectations. Also a common denominator is that the church, God, Christians, should focus on them instead of the other way round.

Summarize:
Students who have been active in their youth ministries that focused their programming on them have become spoiled. They believe, though not said in word, that the church should serve them. So as they leave or graduate their expectations are not met and they don’t come back or its takes a lot of time for their return. What we do in youth ministry to keep them from being “bad”, keeps them busy and then when things slow down or the programming of a church focuses equally on all adult ages, they feel left out or cheated. I don’t believe that any church of youth ministry does this intentionally. I believe it is done all in the name of Christ and with the best intentions. However, can we think more critically about what our youth ministry programming will do for our students over the course of one’s life, rather than their seven years with us or our ministry?

Let me hear your thoughts!

-Michael