What's Orange and Tastes Like an Orange?

An Orange. And the church, of course. Well, perhaps the church doesn't taste like an orange unless you choose fruit over doughnuts in the coffee break or it's a Christingle service. But one thing is for sure: The church should look orange. I'm not talking about a congregation of Oompa Loopmas...

Image Source: Google

I'm talking about a balance of love and light. Y e l l o w represents the light from the church and r e d represents the love from the church. Orange is a mixture of these two colours. The church should look orange. "Two combined influences make a greater impact than just one influence. Church and family on the same page." In the same way that light and love combined makes a greater influence, so does the combination of church and family. Where the church helps to influence whilst the family can influence even more during everyday life. Here are some claims: 1. "Nothing is more important than a person's relationship with God" 2. "No one has more potential to influence a child's relationship with God than the parent" - This is about an "every day faith kind of concept" not just "a Christian on a Sunday morning" 3. "No one has more potential to influence the parent than the church"
Here are some figures: 86% of parents believe they are responsible for their spiritual development of their child. This figure included secular parents. Over 90% of all parents believe that they have responsibility for their child's moral beliefs. 1 of 5 parents said the church did anything to help them be parents. Wow. Take a moment to begin to process the potential you can unlock by investing some time into the parents too. Willy Wonka Condescending memes are known for being really condescending...

Image Source: Google

There's an element of truth in the thought that what parents teach children about their spirituality and their relationship with Jesus will stick with them for a life time. I don't like the term 'religion' but I can appreciate the value that time investment from parents can really shape a child's spiritual development. So, as a church, how are we helping parents? How are we helping them to be more involved and engaged in the child's spiritual relationship? When we engage with a child on a Sunday morning and send them home with a craft that the parent/guardian can talk about with them, we are helping God-centred conversations to go on at home. When we pray with the children on a Sunday morning, and ask them if they need prayer for anything, we are encouraging them to ask for help from a leader, or a parent/guardian, in the form of prayer. These examples are just small ripples in comparison to the big waves of impact that we could make if we invested some of our time into the parents, who in turn have 3000 hours a year to invest into their own children. IMPACT

How To Cover Your Child in Prayer

"If you determine to circle your children in prayer, you will shape their destinies... your prayers will live on in their lives long after you die" - Matt Batterson. Read the full article here. So prayer is one weapon that we can encourage parents to use to shape the spiritual lives of their child. Prayer with the child is important too. It sends a reminder to the children to do this with their children as they get older. "The churches potential to help the child dramatically increases when you help the parent" The majority of parents do not spend any time during the week teaching spiritually. God gave this responsibility to parents as something for them to do. They have the skills. "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it" - Proverbs 22:6 "Make the things I'm commanding you today part of who you are. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you're sitting together at home and when you're walking together down the road. Make them the last thing you talk about before you go to bed and the first thing you talk about the next morning."  - Deuteronomy 6:6-7 "... so that God's people may be up to the task ahead and have all they need to accomplish every good work." - 2 Timothy 3:17 Get every parent to do something more than what they're already doing. Look at parents through a different filter: 1) They want a plan/system that will help them know how to pass on the information to their children 2) Give them models for these plans 3) They want to know what they can do right now, today, tomorrow. What's next? So, we need to, as church leaders: Help parents to know that they are qualified.  Parents wouldn't disregard their child's need for help on homework because they've not got a teaching qualification. They wouldn't stop helping the children take their medication because they're not a doctor. Church can help them to feel qualified.  Believe that they are spiritual leaders to their children. If the church believes that they can be spiritual leaders to their kids then they will start to believe it too. Invest time into helping parents with plans and ideas. The more suggestions we give, and help we provide the parents with, the more equipped they will feel to be a spiritual leader to their child. This has thrown a few ideas into the mix for me which I'm still processing. Ideas about a parent-child Sunday where each child group meets in a different room but with their parents present so that we can learn together about being spiritual at home. It's important for parents to see their child on a Sunday morning and vice-versa. So that both the parent and the child can be open about their own spirituality and, therefore, begin to support each other at home. It's not until I was much older that my mum and I began having conversations about spiritual things that I remembered because I came home and asked big questions. Perhaps if my mum had been encouraged more when I was younger we would have drawn alongside each other spiritually at an earlier time.  One way that this 'drawing closer spiritually' could be done is a simple addition to a normal routine. When a child creates something, such as a painting or sculpture, to ask the child what they think God is saying to them through that picture. To explore together what message of encouragement it holds.

Image Source: Google

Podcast Information: OrangeBlogs - Orange Leaders 40.3000 Amy xo

We're All Just Rainbow-Puking Unicorns?

Is the millennial generation a group of r a i n b o w - p u k i n g - u n i c o r n s or are they just mis-guided optimists? (Click to be taken to the full article)
You don't have to look far in the music industry to see that the millennial generation think that they can change the world, shine bright, and make a difference. 

Rihanna - Diamonds
This is a positive thing, though. We were all created to be creators that would dream up the impossible and make it happen though God's awesome power. I take the observation in this article, that the millennial generation are hugely optimistic and look for value in a job in different areas to money, as a great encouragement. They're one step closer to their Creator.
We are a generation that gets everything immediately: instant messaging, online shopping, 'likes' as instant feedback on photographs and videos that we share. This means we know how to 'dream something up' and see it happen straight away. I went to a talk recently with Roy Crowne as the main speaker. He said that when we get dreams and visions from God we need to putting footing on them. In my experience, the longer you leave something without footing, the quicker it rolls away. So, a generation that has grown up with no bounds to the instant success that they can grasp has attempted their 'impossible' dreams and, in cases where God steps in, they have been realised. Another positive to the mindset of the millennial generation is that failure isn't final. On social media failure lasts all of 3 days before it's been forgotten. This opens up the playing field for another try from another angle. Something that could have been lost in the millennial generation upbringing is a strong sense of community. We're all the more cautious of people we see on the street. Are they to be trusted? But we've kept relationships going on social media that otherwise would have been lost. Just last week I met up with a group of friends, one of which I hadn't seen since the summer, to get a drink at the pub. We spoke about life and started straight where we left off from. These opportunities can play a key part in building that community element back up again.
We are not a lost generation; we're closer to finding our identities in God.
How can the millennial generation lead from a position of not being in charge?
"...in order to make anything better you have to think critically..."
Note the phrasing of this quote. The term 'think critically' is very different to the phrase 'being critical'. The latter brings a host of negative connotations.
Leaders within an organisation looking at how things can get better, and speaking about those, help the organisation to move forward. Those that keep it to themselves can fall into the trap of secretly wanting the organisation to fail: 'Well I knew it was bad from the start but they didn't do anything about it...'. This mentality is not ideal, or even helpful, for furthering any success. Think like you're in charge, as if you're the owner.  When an owner sees rubbish on the floor, they pick it up. When an employee sees rubbish on the floor, they walk past and wait for someone else to do it. When you start making the steps to change what is wrong you project your feeling of: "This bothers me, I want this to bother everybody."
In summary to 'thinking critically' as an answer to the question,
Thinking critically = positive. Being critical = negative.
Danger = becoming cynical.

Image Source: Google

Jesus walked around with a towel not a clipboard.  Thinking critically is about finding out where you can help, not giving a score.
"Reject passivity... go make it better"
Passivity is allowing others to do things to you without complaining or pushing back (Google definition). When we're not in charge we can begin to follow this trail of thought: 'When they get their stuff together, then I can get on with what I want to do, until then I'm going to have to wait.' There has to be an organic origin to the way we make things better for furthering the success of the organisation. If we act out of spite and become negative about the things we are changing then we are being less helpful than if we were to stay passive. Spitefulness could lead to tension and stressful work relationships. LIE: "When I'm in the leader's seat, then I'll have influence" TRUTH: "Everyone has influence" Passivity is not a good leadership strategy. If a babysitter was passive, the children would never go to bed, tie her to a chair and all she/he would respond with is 'please stop mis-behaving'. "When there's something to blame, there's nothing to work on." The minute we shift the blame to someone or something else the problem is no longer our own. Just like with thinking critically we need to take ownership and not pass the baton. "When I'm only waiting for someone to hand me something, I have the potential to become someone who won't be handed anything" In other words, if we take ownership and start to show what we can do with what we've got then we will be handed more. But, the more that is on your plate, the less you will need to be handed because you've taken ownership and started making changes by working on the things in front of you.

Image Source: Google

^Parable of the Talents^
Focus on making what you have better, not making the boss happy.
'Give your best people the best opportunities, and your best people are those who make the best out of the opportunities they've been given." (para-phrased Jim Collins).

Full podcast information:
"How to Lead When You're Not In Charge" > Lead yourself > Choose positivity > Think critically > Reject passivity

WiFi vs. God

I feel this type of title needs some explaining, stick with this post and you'll grasp it all I'm sure! Okay so who here is an Apple user - iPhone? And who here is an Android or other user? I'm a Samsung girl. Recently, during a break from my two-day a level art exam, I switched on the school Wifi to Google something on my phone. Much to my surprise the phone switched off and decided to update without my permission. I was mortified. I never, ever update my phone or computer operating systems, for fear that I won’t like the change. I'm sure if it came down to it though and the device wouldn't work anymore without it then I'd use it as a final resort. Since the unexpected system update on my phone I've noticed a few things that are slower, and not nearly as great. There are some plus sides but anyone with this update will tell you that the new layout was a bit of a shock to Android users. After putting up with these issues for a week or two I looked into updating some of the individual apps on my phone. I figured with the operating system update the old apps might not be able to cope. It turns out that 46 of my apps needed updating whilst 22 were up-to-date. I selected the few apps that I use frequently to see if any change took place post-update.    For these updates I used WiFi, a lot cheaper than 3G for me, but involves being at home or in a WiFi zone. Updates like this can be unwelcome, something that is different and new, something that is unknown but the makers know what they're doing. I don't know about you but with this story God seems to slot right into the role of WiFi. He's the source of all knowledge, has the power to upload, download, delete, and refresh all operating systems, also known as mobile phones. That's us. I'm not saying we're each a tiny little screen with a couple of buttons, you're a powerful computer, you have the potential to go far and change the world. But where would a mobile phone be without WiFi? Sure, it could do the essentials and call for help in an emergency or send a text asking your mum for a lift but it has the potential to do so much more. A potential that can only be unlocked by the use of WiFi. Our human bodies can do the unimaginable through Christ. As soon as we tap into His Spirit we are able to do so much more. But what exactly does a mobile phone need WiFi for? In addition to the previously mentioned system updates a mobile phone can need WiFi for a large number of things. Updating individual apps, browsing the internet, making connections via social media. As Christians we've received our system update from God. One that has been given to us by the death of Christ and one that we know is so so so so much better than an awful phone update. I promise you that. Jesus came to die for all of our sins, all of your sins, so that you could have a new life in Him. That's an amazing human system update, we've been reborn. Once this happens we can find ourselves feeling run down along the way. That's where the app updates come into play. When you pray and ask God for guidance He highlights to you various parts of your life that need an update over WiFi. Parts of your life that have been drained and need a new wave of the Holy Spirit upon them. Perhaps in your updates list are things such as relationships, school work, stress, loneliness, friends, uncertainty. God wants to update these areas of your life, first you need to ask Him to. The second thing that I mentioned that we can use WiFi for is browsing the internet. When I am making a big decision on a new purchase or the next stage in my life I turn to "trusty, old" Google as well as God. Time after time I find myself turning to Google for the answers. This feature is only enabled over WiFi. In our lives we often find ourselves searching for answers. We have access to a big God, brace yourself for the three quite-big-words coming up, who is not only benevolent but also omnipotent and omniscient. These mean that He is not only all loving but He is all powerful and ALL KNOWING. Just ask and you shall find. Sometimes we must accept that the answer is no and trust God because, unlike Google, He KNOWS what will happen tomorrow and the day after and the years after. He has a plan so suited to you that it's impossible to fathom. We can access this when we search. The last thing that I mentioned we need WiFi for is for social media connections. Facebook and messenger actually crashed on my phone moments before I got this analogy from God, leading me to start writing this. For this I have two real-life relations. The first is Christian friendship. Through God, aka WiFi for the time being, we can make connections with Christians near and far, building supportive relationships, which are essential for a happy life with a sense of security. The second is spreading God's love through whichever talent He has blessed you with. Perhaps you have a Twitter gift, that you're able to perfectly sum up God's love and tweet it out to many of your friends. Perhaps you have an Instagram gift, you use your skills in art and photography/film to reach out and make connections with people. Perhaps you have a Pinterest gift, you're great at solving problems and giving creative solutions. Perhaps you're a reverse Timehop type of guy; you're able to connect with God and receive prophetic messages, encouraging messages from God about a person or situation, often links with the future. Or even a Snapchat gift; you have the ability to radiate God's love to others by the smile on your face. You get the idea. Overall, what I'm really trying to stress is that WE NEED GOD. None of the things listed above can be done effectively without first checking that your signal strength from God is strong and that your connection isn't interrupted. There are different ways to get to this stage which you can explore: worship and prayer and the two most common ways of reaching out to God. You might have picked up on the idea that we can also use 3G for many of these updates. For me, this is the most expensive and quite often the most time consuming route. Using 3G is like taking the right route without a full connection to God – you still still end up where God planned for you to be but it took all the more effort to get there. With God, He will do all the work for you. Enough analogies for one Sunday evening, I will leave you with these words from the Bible...