Goin' Mercer…ramblings and rants!

I will pick up with scripture the next time I blog. This past week I heard of the death of one of my high school classmates. It has hit me harder than I thought it would. I liked Derek and knew him well. We went two totally separate paths. However, I will still miss him. Our high school class has a yahoo group and I receive emails from time to time hearing about what is going on. Derek’s murder was announced last week. Since then there have been a few responses and mostly people who can’t remember him. I decided to honor his life with a short eulogy. I posted it on the group today and thought I would share it with you. It helps me grieve.

My Eulogy for Derek Brown
Classmate and Friend

Michael Matthew Mercer

-Michael

I have been reading Leonard Sweet’s book, “Out of the Question…Into the Mystery”. It is an excellent journey into some of the very cores of Christian living. He began with living missionally which is a huge direction for our church. Some think in order to live missionally we must leave behind our old cores of belief and pick up new thoughts, texts, and methodologies. However, what Sweet is doing with this book is taking the things we already hold dear as a Christian community (Truth, Abraham, Relationship, Scripture, and more that I haven’t read yet)and digging deeper with them. Taking them from a mere intellectual experience into an existence within our God-soul. He takes us out of the questions (intellect, academia, rationality, and logical comprehension) and into the mystery (relationship, truth, persona of Jesus, missionality, and faith).

I feel as if I am writing a review for the book and when I am completely done reading it, maybe I will (not that anyone will ever see it). However, these last two days I have been consumed by this book and the ways it is making me think and be uncomfortable with who I am and how I think about the Christian life. My most recent reading was regarding scripture and how it shapes our life. I want to spend a few blogs digesting through these five things he lists to do in order to have a real relationship with scripture.

To choose the right companion story and to be shaped by it for a lifetime, you need to get into real relationship with the Bible. What does this mean? I can think of five things it means:

1. Memorize and live out its stories.
2. Fall in love with a new passage every day.
3. Take it to bed with you.
4. Talk to it and hear it talk to you as you wrestle with the text.
5. Become a fifth gospel, a third statement.
(Out of the Question…Into the Mystery: Getting Lost in The Godlife Relationship, Leonard Sweet. Colorado Springs: WaterBrook Press. 77)

I have read his list of five and yet it will take reading it through several more times and days of digesting to really understand it all. On the next five blogs I want to take this list and unpack some of its meaning and how it works in my world and maybe how it could possibly work in your world. Of course as always it will have a youth ministry bent to it. I found the book at HalfPrice Books for around $5.00. Try and find it online. I bet you can find it cheap. Its worth the read.

-Michael

Well, Leah got home and was completely surprised. It was wonderful. I loved it. It was such a great surprise! We went and ate some dinner. Today, I went and helped in the kinder class. I also helped pack up some things from her classroom. It won’t be long until we are together in Abilene.

This week has been teacher appreciation week at Leah’s school. One of Leah’s co-workers came in with a gift of money that was packaged pretty creatively. The kids were all talking about how rich she was. Leah left the room right after this and the kids continued to talk to me about money. It was a great chance and I was able to have a conversation about things that are better than money. There answers were: Mommies, Daddys, friends, teachers, food, God, and Jesus. Then we talked how money can be good. What we could do with money besides spend it on ourselves. Answers: to the hungry, to those without. Children are unique and gifts from God. When they speak its truthful and heavenly. It was a great moment today! It reminded me of the simplicity of the gospel and how my wife is a powerful minister!

-Michael

My wife has a birthday this weekend, Sunday to be exact. She doesn’t know it yet, but I am sitting in our living room in Houston. I can’t wait for her to get home and open the garage door to see my truck sitting in there. I can’t and therefore don’t surprise my wife! She is way too savvy and observant. So, hopefully this time I have pulled a fast one on her. I think I have because she hasn’t made it home yet and if she knew I were here, I think she would be home by now. No really big plans for the weekend, just some dinner and quality time.

I love surprising people. I also love my wife! This is going to be a great weekend.

-Michael

On Sunday, Sarah and I unveiled the new name and logo for the Highland youth ministry. We have had for a while now three directions to our youth ministry. We reach out to others, reach up to God, and reach in to one another. Our new logo exhibits those ideas with its arrows and name.

I think it is extremely important for a youth ministry to be focused, have an intentional mission, and have a graphic reminder. This logo, created by Andrew Leesman, does just that. We are excited about further developing the ideals of the Highland youth ministry. 3D Ministry has much to offer Highland church, its surrounding community, and around the globe.

Sarah and I are continuing to dream and envision the present and future of this ministry. We have a great volunteer base, a gifted leadership team, a God-send of an administrative assistant, faithfully growing students, and truly supportive parents.

It truly is a partnership here and I am blessed to be a part of the journey. I think I speak for all when I say that God is the one making all this happen and to Him be the glory!

-Michael

I thought I would check in with the blog world. I haven’t posted in about a week. So here are some tidbits of life

Personal
Leah is here in 2 and 1/2 weeks!!!

Our house still hasn’t sold. (Please Pray)

No place for us to live in Abilene yet

Leah hasn’t got a job yet (Please Pray)

Ministry here is going extremely well and smoothly

Ministry
Sarah and I are in the midst of reshaping some things

We had an awesome meeting last night with our leadership team

I am getting to know more and more students

We are heading in a great direction and our patience will pay off

Career
I feel like I have been on staff here for years

I was able to attend an appreciation banquet for Youth Ministers last week

I am already getting involved with the area-wide here in Abilene

I am spending way too much time at the office (that will change when Leah’s here)

Growth
I have finished Blue Like Jazz and am beginning “Out of the Question…Into the Mystery” by Leonard Sweet

I signed up for two new graduate courses that will work towards my MDIV. They are scheduled for the fall

Sarah and I will be signing up for the Austin Youth Specialties Conference this week. It is scheduled for October.

My faith is growing weary with things not going smoothly in the transition (house and stuff), but I am trying to be patient and understanding

Well, that’s probably enough to chew on for now. Hope all is going well in your worlds. I will try and blog more this week.

-Michael