I have been buying a Nativity picture book for my family every Christmas for the past 20 years. Before this, not as frequently, but often enough for us to now have a collection of over 40 picture books. I avoid those with talking mice and cattle, and those by Max Lucado ( blind spot on my part!).
I enjoy learning about and exploring Christmas traditions from around the world, but there's nothing as precious as the family sitting around the Christmas tree after all the gifts have been opened, and reading/looking at the account of Jesus' birth in a picture book. And none of us is younger than 28!
As an Australian I'm particularly pleased that you love the Julie Vivas book. It's one of my favourites, and a great hit with the many children with whom I have shared it.
Hi Rob, your article was about how you perceive the church as it is. That church has female pastors. You never said you were writing about your idea of a church perfectly aligned with your understanding of the Bible.
I have reread this post, and the author’s comments. Am I to surmise that every time the author has written ‘pastors’ as an all-embracing term for pastors in the CRCNA, he is only referring to the male pastors? Are the female pastors invisible to him? Does he not recognise them as pastors?
I would like to address the second point, ‘Boys doing a man’s job’. In particular the description of the pastor’s many tasks and the fact they are “at war with each other”.
Multi tasking is not limited to a pastor’s job. And I would have thought that prayer and contemplation are integral to sermon writing, event planning etc. These tasks are not ‘at war’ nor mutually exclusive. Yes, they require different skills and I would hope a congregation chooses a person who they believe has the ability to carry out the many different components of the job. Again, none of this is unique to pastoring.
A parent of six children aged 3-15yrs may find themselves cleaning gutters and writing a report for a church event planning meeting. On the way home from the meeting they must buy a gift for a child’s birthday and plan dinner. A weepy teenager needs some wise counselling. A toddler’s potty training continues. A Bible reflection for an evening meeting is still to be written. This is my own experience. Although there are times it seems like World War 3 has broken out, none of these tasks are ‘at war’, rather, the quiet reflection and deep communication with God is what allows me to do what needs to be done. And the role God has given me, with all its different expectations, drives me back to my Heavenly Father.
I also believe pastors should outsource more. Some tasks could be done by people with more time on their hands. And by people who are better gifted. The pastor is only one of a team of elders- only one of a churchful of able people. Pastors should recognise the giftings in the congregations, as well as where they themselves lack certain gifts. Admitting you’re hopeless at doing a children’s talk is step one; step two is seeing and encouraging the perfect congregation member to do it. Of course before we can do this there needs to be a radically new mindset in the Church. Pastors are not the only people called to serve. Their calling is no higher, their humility is no lower, their words are no holier, than any other worker in the Kingdom of God.
I’ve just experienced this, having been caught in a thunderstorm with torrential rain yesterday. Stepped into the rush of stormwater and immediately my feet/shoes/socks were soaked. The analogy worked for me. I was drenched to the skin and my shoes are still sopping wet! God’s grace lavished upon me.
Books to read with and to children should not have an agenda that appeals to the adults. We should let the kids choose the book. Sit alongside them and see how they see the world in the book. Talk about it. Or just laugh with them. There are lots of books out there that are simply funny.
Either way, it's an agenda. My favourite childrens books are The Cow that fell in the Canal, The Wolf, the Duck and the Mouse, Dreadful David, and The Tale of Little Black Sambo. I know, I know...
That's a great list. Mo Willems is a gem. I also enjoyed your other article about books and stories. Sometimes the books that initially annoy us, as did The Runaway Bunny, go on to become favourites. Children have a knack for enjoying a story just because it tickles them somehow. No analysis required.
This looks like a lot of fun, and it would stimulate good conversations. How would it work for churches that have few of the traditional practices. Preachers dressed as for a day of gardening, baby dedications without baptismal font or gown, no pulpit, and a rock concert band? And what of the churches that have no children in the service, on purpose?
I love these kinds of stories and I try to write them myself. The theology can be tricky. I believe that linking the story to Acts and the account of what happened to Ananias becomes problematic. And the tone of the story changes to 'preachy'. It's also good to think of who your listeners are. Children? Adults from the same background and church experience as you?
Posted in: A Christmas Collection of Children's Story Books
I have been buying a Nativity picture book for my family every Christmas for the past 20 years. Before this, not as frequently, but often enough for us to now have a collection of over 40 picture books. I avoid those with talking mice and cattle, and those by Max Lucado ( blind spot on my part!).
I enjoy learning about and exploring Christmas traditions from around the world, but there's nothing as precious as the family sitting around the Christmas tree after all the gifts have been opened, and reading/looking at the account of Jesus' birth in a picture book. And none of us is younger than 28!
As an Australian I'm particularly pleased that you love the Julie Vivas book. It's one of my favourites, and a great hit with the many children with whom I have shared it.
Posted in: What's So Hard About Being a Pastor?
Thank you Bonny, I had the same thought.
Posted in: What's So Hard About Being a Pastor?
Hi Rob, your article was about how you perceive the church as it is. That church has female pastors. You never said you were writing about your idea of a church perfectly aligned with your understanding of the Bible.
Posted in: What's So Hard About Being a Pastor?
I have reread this post, and the author’s comments. Am I to surmise that every time the author has written ‘pastors’ as an all-embracing term for pastors in the CRCNA, he is only referring to the male pastors? Are the female pastors invisible to him? Does he not recognise them as pastors?
Posted in: What's So Hard About Being a Pastor?
I would like to address the second point, ‘Boys doing a man’s job’. In particular the description of the pastor’s many tasks and the fact they are “at war with each other”.
Multi tasking is not limited to a pastor’s job. And I would have thought that prayer and contemplation are integral to sermon writing, event planning etc. These tasks are not ‘at war’ nor mutually exclusive. Yes, they require different skills and I would hope a congregation chooses a person who they believe has the ability to carry out the many different components of the job. Again, none of this is unique to pastoring.
A parent of six children aged 3-15yrs may find themselves cleaning gutters and writing a report for a church event planning meeting. On the way home from the meeting they must buy a gift for a child’s birthday and plan dinner. A weepy teenager needs some wise counselling. A toddler’s potty training continues. A Bible reflection for an evening meeting is still to be written. This is my own experience. Although there are times it seems like World War 3 has broken out, none of these tasks are ‘at war’, rather, the quiet reflection and deep communication with God is what allows me to do what needs to be done. And the role God has given me, with all its different expectations, drives me back to my Heavenly Father.
I also believe pastors should outsource more. Some tasks could be done by people with more time on their hands. And by people who are better gifted. The pastor is only one of a team of elders- only one of a churchful of able people. Pastors should recognise the giftings in the congregations, as well as where they themselves lack certain gifts. Admitting you’re hopeless at doing a children’s talk is step one; step two is seeing and encouraging the perfect congregation member to do it. Of course before we can do this there needs to be a radically new mindset in the Church. Pastors are not the only people called to serve. Their calling is no higher, their humility is no lower, their words are no holier, than any other worker in the Kingdom of God.
Posted in: Where Did You Worship This Past Sunday?
I have no church community so it was me at home alone. I do watch a podcast of a service of another church.
Posted in: Living as People With Squishy Shoes
I’ve just experienced this, having been caught in a thunderstorm with torrential rain yesterday. Stepped into the rush of stormwater and immediately my feet/shoes/socks were soaked. The analogy worked for me. I was drenched to the skin and my shoes are still sopping wet! God’s grace lavished upon me.
Posted in: What Faith-Forming Children's Books Do You Love?
Books to read with and to children should not have an agenda that appeals to the adults. We should let the kids choose the book. Sit alongside them and see how they see the world in the book. Talk about it. Or just laugh with them. There are lots of books out there that are simply funny.
Posted in: What Faith-Forming Children's Books Do You Love?
Either way, it's an agenda. My favourite childrens books are The Cow that fell in the Canal, The Wolf, the Duck and the Mouse, Dreadful David, and The Tale of Little Black Sambo.
I know, I know...
Posted in: What Faith-Forming Children's Books Do You Love?
That's a great list. Mo Willems is a gem. I also enjoyed your other article about books and stories. Sometimes the books that initially annoy us, as did The Runaway Bunny, go on to become favourites. Children have a knack for enjoying a story just because it tickles them somehow. No analysis required.
Posted in: How Covenant CRC Created a Play Church to Communicate Belonging to Children
This looks like a lot of fun, and it would stimulate good conversations.
How would it work for churches that have few of the traditional practices. Preachers dressed as for a day of gardening, baby dedications without baptismal font or gown, no pulpit, and a rock concert band?
And what of the churches that have no children in the service, on purpose?
Posted in: Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
I love these kinds of stories and I try to write them myself. The theology can be tricky. I believe that linking the story to Acts and the account of what happened to Ananias becomes problematic.
And the tone of the story changes to 'preachy'. It's also good to think of who your listeners are. Children? Adults from the same background and church experience as you?