People are googleized, branded and experiential. If those of us who recruit and manage volunteers are going to be successful, we’ve got to account for these changes. Here are some initial thoughts that might encourage the necessary adjustments:
Create regular and easy opportunities to volunteer. And I mean really easy. No police checks. No lengthy registration forms. No liability forms. No prior-to event sign up. Instead, find an event that can be held once a month, if not weekly. Make it easy for groups, families as well as individuals to attend. Most organizations I’ve worked with cannot even imagine how this is possible. It is. It just takes a little work, and some imagination. Mostly, it takes a willingness to admit that the thing not working now, aren’t going to start working anytime soon. Like it or not, change is required.
Instead of using volunteers as a means to an end, use the tasks volunteers perform as the means to an end. It is the experience volunteers have and not the tasks they perform that is the point. Focus on the experience, and you’ll discover the commitment and productivity of your volunteers grow.
Ensure that the experience involves close proximity between your community or cause and your volunteers. This is an essential part of volunteers internalizing the experience and discovering very personal and compelling reasons to invest in your organization.
Only spend time on people who are worth spending time with. (Trust me. Sometimes the seemingly selfish moves are the best for everyone in the long run.) If people come back, and they demonstrate a keen interest in what you’re doing as an organization, then they are the prime candidates for your efforts.
Q: You and Chuck Swindoll, another well-known pastor and author, are very different in style, but you both base your ministries on grace. Why is grace so important to you, personally?
A: It’s the big surprise of the Bible. It’s the unique aspect of Christianity that we’re not saved by what we do, but by what Christ has done for us. It’s the command of Scripture over and over to be strong in the grace, let your roots grow down deep in the grace of God, and it’s the only reason we have for joy.
It’s the only story worth telling. Even victory over death is second to grace. I think victory over death is awesome, but who wants to live for eternity if they have to save themselves? So the Easter promise is subservient to the promise of Good Friday.
Emerging adults (those between 18 and 30) form a generation that is largely insensitive to the potency of God’s holiness, and are therefore insensitive to the magnificence of his grace, the shocking nature of his love, and that gratitude forms the core of the Christian life.
Who exactly are the Nones? “None” is not a movement, but a label for a diverse group of people who do not identify with any of the myriad of religious options in the American religious marketplace – the irreligious, the unreligious, the anti-religious, and the anti-clerical. Some believe in God; some do not. Some may participate occasionally in religious rituals; others never will.
How many Nones are there?
The Nones increased from 8.1% of the U.S. adult population in 1990 to 15% in 2008 and from 14 to 34 million adults
Whereas Nones are presently 15% of the total adult U.S. population, 22% of Americans aged 18-29 years self-identify as Nones
Nones are significantly younger than the general population: 30% are under age 30 and only 5% are 70 years or older (see Figure 1.2). The median age of adult Nones is 41 years, compared to 46 years in the
general U.S. population
Whereas 19% of American men are Nones only 12% of American women are Nones
More than 1 in 5 people in certain regions (the West, New England) are Nones. Vermont is #1 with 34% of the population declaring themselves to be Nones, New Hampshire at 29%, California at 18%. 12% of Texans are Nones and only 5% of those from Mississippi admit they are nones.
A few points from the Conclusion
There is a variety of belief in God among the Nones, ranging from theism to atheism, though the largest proportion (59%) is agnostic or deist. Nones are not particularly superstitious or partial to New Age beliefs.
Nones are more accepting of human evolution than the general U.S. population.
Nones do not seeminterested in religious rites of passage, like baptisms, religious marriage, or religious funerals.
American Nones embrace philosophical and theological beliefs that reflect skepticism rather than overt antagonism toward religion.
If current trends continue and cohorts of non-religious young people replace older religious people, the likely outcome is that in two decades the Nones could account for around one-quarter of the American population.
Watching helpless hungry eyes on your screen
Feeling so far away what does it mean
Can you walk away and forget it
Blame it on some false god
Can you look at it and let it
Pass right through your heart
You can’t bring a cup of cold water to someone
If you’ve never thirsted
You can’t heal a heart if your heart’s never been broken
You can’t forgive a sin that you’ve never done
Or you never thought you could do
Put that bandage away
It’s too small to cover the wound
You can’t really love the truth till you’ve been trapped by the lie
You can’t wipe a tear away till there’s one in your eye
And while the face behind the mirror
May not be streaked with pain
Any face outside your window
Is still a mirror just the same
Everyone has their own wounds
Everyone’s qualified
The heart that knows it’s breaking
Is the one that was crucified
You can bring a cup of cold water to someone
If you know you’re thirsty
You can heal a heart if your heart’s ever been broken
You can forgive a sin that you’ve never done
‘Cause you know you’re guilty too
Put that bandage away
There’s no need to cover the wound
–words and music by John Fischer
Instead of WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) it should have been BWGI (Be Where God Is).
We will see injustice and go and interrupt it by making what is wrong, right, because that is where God is.
We understand deeply the pain of the hungry and empower them with more than just food, because that is where God is.
We will clearly see sex trade and put a halt to the practice by rescuing women and girls because that is where God is.
We will identify with sinners, because that is where God is.
“Evil exists primarily in the eyes of the beholder, especially in the eye of the victim,” says Roy F. Baumeister in his book, Evil: Inside Human Violence and Cruelty. He goes on to say that we must have victims if we are to have evil and that victims are the first ones to spot evil. However, in this book he suggests that if we are to truly understand evil, the perception of the perpetrators should be considered. Thus, he tries to dispassionately look at evil largely from the perspective of the perpetrators of evil in order to understand it. Although there are a few individuals who enjoy evil, Baumeister says the “myth of pure evil,” is largely borne on the wings of movies and tv and has skewed our understanding of evil.
I have had this book on my bookshelf to read a few years but picked it up after trying unsuccessfully to understand the recent rescue of Jaycee Dugard who had been held captive for 18 years by Philip Garrido and his wife.
Baumeister does not deny evil at all. But, he says there are four major causes of evil. First–greed, lust, ambition: evil as a means to an end; second–evil coming out of etotism and revenge; third–evil arising out of idealism; fourth is the pursuit of sadistic pleasure.
Some interesting points
“Villains, bullies, criminals, killers and other evildoers have high self-esteem. . . Violence results when a person’s favorable image of self is questioned or impugned by someone else.” 376
“Noble ends are often seen as justifying violent means. . . When the perpetrators are driven by idealism, the victims do not get much mercy.” 377
“Most observations of killers, torturers, rapists, and similar evildoers indicate that only about 5 or 6 percent of perpetrators actually get enjoyment out of inflicting harm. 377
“Evil or violent tendencies are met with strong restraining forces, most of which can be conveniently categorized as self-control. . . The immediate, proximal cause of violence is the collapse of these inner restraining forces.” 263
“Severe violence is typically the product of a process of escalation. . . Once evil gains a foothold, it seems very capable of growing and flourishing.” 283
Baumeister has a very interesting discussion on the controversial topic of “desensitization”, which he says may lead to the escalation of aggression.” 285 ff
Evil is the inflicting of harm or suffering on other human beings. Guilt is the distress that comes from hurting other human beings. Guild is thus an inherent, perennial problem for evildoers. . . must find some way to free themselves from of guilt, lest they end up feeling bad. Most people are not immune to guilt. 305ff
Perpetrators of evil rely upon the inaction of the innocent by-standers. 342-370
In his conclusion, Baumeister offers the following compelling words.
Understanding how people commit evil acts is one important key to appreciating the human condition, and it may even hold some helpful clues on how to control human violence. 386
He says understanding is not enough–action must also be taken.
I also hope that the reader will make the effort to resume a moral condemnation of these terrible acts. To do so requires returning to consider the victim’s perspective. The victim’s perspective had to be surpressed for the sake of this book because it hampers understanding of the perpetrator. But the victim’s pespective is essential for making a moral judgment on the perpetrator. It is a mistake to let moral condemnation interfer with trying to understand–but it would be a bigger mistake to let that understanding, once it has been attained, interfere with moral condemnation. 387
Why are we kind to one another? Well, according to evolutionary sociobiologists, our morality developed out of a need for survival–certain postive actions (love, mercy, gentleness etc.)enabled the species to survive and the rest, the bad or evil parts of behavior…well they seem to still be around don’t they? In a post on the evolution of morality, Eric Johnson says that our morality developed as a collective response to behavior that benefits the group, not just the individual. I suppose this is a little less selfish.
Of course, as a Christian, I would say that as humans we do reflect the moral beauty and character of our Creator and the dark sides of our behavior is a reflection of our choice to go our own way and a refusal to walk in the light to use one of John’s figures. I just finished Evil: Inside Human Violence and Cruelty by Roy F. Baumeister and it is quite an enlightening, if not disturbing read. I suppose if our positive moral behaviors evolved, then the negative evil behaviors that Baumeister writes should be anomalies. But, that is anything but the case as is illustrated by this post about the tragic murder death of a fellow scientest.
Here is a nice article on the Probe website on Sociobiology by Ray Bohlin. The Probe site has been a great resource for Christians for a number of years although I have not been there in some time. Glad to see that they are still around.
In looking for a picture for this post, I discovered a website for The Evolution of Morality, a book by Richard Joyce. He has a couple of articles that he has linked to this site which are free downloads if you want to read more on this. And then there is Dawkins, The Selfish Gene.
Since we are returning to the U.S. in mid-December for a few months, I am making a list of a few things that I would like to bring back. Comments appreciated if you have used these or something similar.
First: A digital luggage scale. I like the following from Balanzza
Second: A flex bar–kind of weird but it looks like it might be helpful for tennis elbow. I am using some stretchy thing right now that I got from a friend to see if there is merit in the concept.
Third: A pair of vibram five finger running shoes. Saw these on Michael Hyatts blog
Just found this via James Fallows from Felix Salmon, who is also a new discovery. I must admit that like Fallows, I get tired of hearing the over-used expression, “God bless America.” He dates it to the time of Reagen but I remember after 9-11 how it began to proliferate. At the end of following video, at least there is a little passion when they sing it! Don’t quite get all the jabs in the video about the current health care debate since I have purposely ignored what is going on out there about this topic. But, about time to catch up. Welcome ideas on where I could read about the current flow.
I have no idea where I picked this up but it is good for any of us in ministry that get our priorities mixed up. I am grateful for all the forgiveness my children have extended to me as it has been needed. Formatting is not quite right. Too bad.
Father forgive us.
For in the name of service to you
We have built warm relationships with those we minister to, with our supporters.
But have allowed distance, coldness…
to seep into our relationships with our children;
We have believed in the myth of “quality time” and sometimes forgottenthat our children, especially our teenagers, need us-need quantity time.
In the name of Christian excellence-for we are leaders, are we not;
we have placed intolerable burdens on our children,
forgetting you said, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
We have allowed music…earrings…clothes…grades…
to blind us to their hearts
Yet we are deeply grateful you do not judge us by externals,
nor deal with us as our sins deserve;
We have treated our children with distrust because they have failed once?…twice?…many times?
wounding their spirits
maybe quenching the spark of desire to change.
Yet you continue to trust us and use us
after a myriad of failures…and broken promises.
We have basked in your grace freely poured out to us, Yet have sometimes doled it out to our children
in drops…in spoonfuls…maybe cupfuls.
We have sometimes seen rebellion in our children’s faces,
heard it…we thought…in their voices,
when in fact it was pain…confusion…maybe anger.
We have not looked long enough into their eyes to see the tears waiting to spill over nor listened carefully enough to hear the longing
sometimes barely a whisper
to be all God wants them to be.
Yet, Father, we know we are weak and we run to you,
knowing you love us just as we are.
Maybe we are afraid to see what lies in our children’s hearts
for it may give us a glimpse
of pain…confusion…weakness…that lies in our own.
O Father, we need you.
Forgive us…heal our brokenness.
Give us your eyes…your ears…your heart.
Help us to tread gently, lovingly, graciously, on the soil of our children’s lives
knowing that you are already there,
and always will be.
If you are experiencing fear, self-doubts, feel insecure or a lack of appreciation from others or worse yet humiliation, spend an hour meditating on Psalm 3:3
You are a shield around me: PROTECTION
You bestow glory on me: HONOR
You lift up my head: ENCOURAGEMENT
Of course, the Psalm goes on to tell us that we can call on God and he will answer
To You we can cry out loud and You answer from your holy hill
I lie down and sleep, I awake because YHWH sustains me.
To understand this post, you need to know that I am currently making my second attempt towards completing a Doctor of Ministry degree. I am now almost at the point where I was about 10 years ago–with all coursework completed and working on my dissertation proposal. About ten years ago, my study flooded (another story since we lived on a hill!) and all my dissertation documents were soaked. I am not saying that led to me not completing my dissertation but it accelerated the decline in effort so that a few years later I was removed from the program. And now for my post for today.
When I saw the water
Flowing over the edge of the desk
Onto the floor
And being absorbed by the pages of my notes
A feeling of dread came upon me
And I remembered another flood
One that erased the lines typed on the pages
Along with the last glimmers of hope
Has this project become too important to me?
As I saw the water, my anger poured out
And it seems that I am
Wanting to blame someone
For the frustration of this project
For my lack of self-discipline
Anything to avoid the hidden fears
That maybe I cannot do this again
That I don’t want to fail again
Confronted with the possibility of failure
I grow afraid
And want to withdraw, hide deep inside
Or escape to places and times where there is no fear
Where I can relax and just be
The child of God You created me to be
Why not now?
Here?
In this place?
I don’t want to admit that the fingers of my heart
I’ve always been fascinated by studies on the concept of motivation Take “home field advantage” or “HFA” for instance. A 2006 study by The Times, a daily national newspaper in the UK, found that in the highest league of soccer teams in England (the English Premier league), a home team can expect to score 37.29% additional goals than an away team. In another study (reported in the Journal of Sports Sciences) of teams in the same league, a researcher looked at over 5000 games between the years 1992-2006. He found a statistical correlation between the size of the home crowd and its corresponding impact on HFA. In other words, for every additional 10,000 people attending, home field advantage increased by 0.1 goals. Bottom line: According to these and other studies, there’s an advantage to playing at home.
Which is one thing missionaries rarely get to do.
Think about it: They have to travel far away. They leave their own farms, beds, pets, vehicles, and their favorite home-cooking. They say goodbye to friends, extended family, and favorite hobbies & recreation. In place of all these and other items, they have to pick up a foreign language, drive a foreign car, eat foreign food, and find foreign addresses to meet with foreign people who dress in foreign clothing and view life through a foreign worldview.
Where’s the home field advantage in all that?
If missionary life is similar to soccer, there’s a strong chance they’ll score fewer goals. No wonder we have unreached people groups.
Does that mean we should fold up shop and quit doing missions? No way.
Instead of competing for goals in the back of a net, we’re wrestling with Satan for the souls of people we’ve come to love and respect. Missions is certainly worth the investment — and as every “visiting” soccer team knows, it’s still possible to win those “away games,” if we prepare thoroughly, follow our game plan closely, and never, never quit.
So how ’bout you? Have you ever felt like you were playing an “away game” on the mission field? If so, please share your testimony, insight, or suggestion.
Feel free to make comments here but as I said, this was from Brigada and they might like to hear from you as well.
If we are going to have any solitude, even when alone, it has to be a conscious choice.
2. Silence: When am I quiet, but not restless?
“What the soul must do during these seasons of quietness amounts to no more than proceeding gently and noiselessly in prayer” Teresa of Avila
3. Scripture: Am I feeding my soul on the word of God? “I found your words and ate them and your words became to me the joy and the delight of my heart. . .” (Jeremiah 15:16)
4. Surrender: What am I trying to manage that is too big for me?
This is where we take His yoke and find that it is easy. “Walk with me and work with me–watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.” (Matthew 11:29, Message Bible)
“Father, show me how to get some solitude in my busy, noisy world. Help me learn to quiet my soul and listen for your soft voice. Feed me from the Bread of Life that I will be strong. I surrender my burdens and ask you to teach me to wear your yoke. For Your glory.”
It topples governments, wrecks marriages, ruins careers, busts reputations, causes heartaches, nightmares, indigestion, spawns suspicion, generates grief, dispatches innocent people to cry in their pillows.
Watching helpless hungry eyes on your screen
