Showing posts with label Passion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Passion. Show all posts
Thursday, 17 April 2014
Mark Oestricher Loves Canadians!!
This week I had the chance to interview a good friend of mine, Mark Oestricher, about youth ministry in Canada. Marko shares some great ideas to ponder in youth ministry, hope for the Canadian church and how we can lovingly support the activity of God in the lives of people. Enjoy!
Jason has lived in Calgary, Alberta Canada since 1995, and been a youth pastor since 2001. He is married to the love of his life, Bonny, and together they have three incredible children: Saydie, Cannon and Deklon. Jason possesses a desire to see youth, parents and families become who God created them to be through loving and living like Jesus. He currently serves on staff at Centre Street Church in Calgary. He loves hockey, playing guitar, writing and creating environments and opportunities where others can realize their potential in Jesus while experiencing the full life He promised to those who follow Him!
Sunday, 26 January 2014
What are you MOST passionate about?
Whatever you are most passionate about should be obvious to the people around you. The kids in your ministry and the leaders you work with should quickly be able to respond to this question with confidence: "What is your leader so passionate about that it bleeds through to everything in the ministry?"
Dave Brotherton
Dave Brotherton was a youth pastor from 1984-2006 and now teaches youth ministry at Ambrose University College in Calgary. Dave is also the National Youth Guy for the Alliance churches in Canada, the director of Legacy Youth Conference, and a junior high volunteer in his church. Dave is married to Lisa and they share 2 of the greatest kids in the world. Fishing, camping, and cheering on the Leafs are some of his favorite things.
twitter: @oldbrotherdave
Dave Brotherton
Dave Brotherton was a youth pastor from 1984-2006 and now teaches youth ministry at Ambrose University College in Calgary. Dave is also the National Youth Guy for the Alliance churches in Canada, the director of Legacy Youth Conference, and a junior high volunteer in his church. Dave is married to Lisa and they share 2 of the greatest kids in the world. Fishing, camping, and cheering on the Leafs are some of his favorite things.
twitter: @oldbrotherdave
Sunday, 12 January 2014
Leading from your sweet spot!
God struck me right between the eyes this week.
I just finished LEAD 0510 at Tyndale and I have to be real with you, I'm a little embarrassed. I was called out! I've had a ton of leadership training, even an executive coach, yet I wasn't following what I'd learned, nor God's principles for using my gifts.
Last year I took a significant shift in my career - going from being one of the head cheeses of a massive and cool corporation, to a lower management role at a large charity, while I started my Masters part time. I was convinced, that to get through school, I just needed a job where I could law low and check tasks off a list. Let someone else lead for a change. Tell me what to do. I'll be a hard worker and good follower, honest.
Last year I took a significant shift in my career - going from being one of the head cheeses of a massive and cool corporation, to a lower management role at a large charity, while I started my Masters part time. I was convinced, that to get through school, I just needed a job where I could law low and check tasks off a list. Let someone else lead for a change. Tell me what to do. I'll be a hard worker and good follower, honest.
But I was a bear. I wasn't leading from my sweet spot. My "just hunker down and do it" attitude was really hurting those around me.
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If you're wondering what you're personality type and gifts are, here's a few great assessment tools:
How often do you lead from being authoritative and/or just checking tasks off a list? When you lead collaboratively and from your passions and strengths, everyone around you benefits. Plus, you'll be way less frustrated. God wants you to use your spiritual gifts (1 Peter 4:10-11) and the way he designed you for His kingdom work.
If you're wondering what you're personality type and gifts are, here's a few great assessment tools:
- Identify youth strengths & weaknesses (ignore the cheesy name of the site): http://www.authentichappiness.
sas.upenn.edu/questionnaires. aspx scroll down to the "VIA Signature Strengths Questionnaire" - Myers Briggs personality type (this is great for learning how to interact with co-workers/leaders/volunteers): http://www.humanmetrics.com/
cgi-win/jtypes2.asp - Spiritual Gifts Test: http://www.churchgrowth.org/cgi-cg/gifts.cgi?intro=1
We're all leading, in one way or another, all the time. So do yourself and the others around you a favour, lead from your sweet spot.
Monday, 30 December 2013
Creativity
“So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he
created them.” Genesis 1:27
The Creator and Master of the universe left his finger prints on you, his child. He made you to resemble him, putting qualities of himself - including creativity - in you. You might not be an artist or musician or designer or writer, but you are creative because you were made by a creative God who made you in his image.
Life Coaching
Prayer: God, who created the heaven and the earth and everything in them, thank you for making me in your image. Thank you for the privilege it is to be like you. Thank you for making me creative. Please put in my heart and mind the passion and wisdom and courage to pursue the creative dreams you have given me in life and in youth ministry. In Jesus’ name, amen.
The Creator and Master of the universe left his finger prints on you, his child. He made you to resemble him, putting qualities of himself - including creativity - in you. You might not be an artist or musician or designer or writer, but you are creative because you were made by a creative God who made you in his image.
Life Coaching
- What is a creative dream you have but don’t think is possible?
- Where, in your life and your ministry, does it excite you to be creative?
- Where, in your life and ministry, is it challenging to be creative?
forget all the sentences that begin with “yes, but…” and journal for a few minutes about what that dream would look like if you risked pursuing it.
Prayer: God, who created the heaven and the earth and everything in them, thank you for making me in your image. Thank you for the privilege it is to be like you. Thank you for making me creative. Please put in my heart and mind the passion and wisdom and courage to pursue the creative dreams you have given me in life and in youth ministry. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
When I grow up I want to be...LIKE DAD! .
So I was thrilled, flattered, humbled, and very surprised a few years ago when Sean showed me a piece of school-work where he said that he wanted to be a Youth Worker! His reasoning?
"Because I get to work with grade 7s and I get to set up for Youth Day and I get to play basketball and I get to do lots of fun activities and I get to work past my bedtime."
I was proud that Sean took an active interest in what Daddy did for a living, though I was slightly concerned that he'd noticed my irregular sleep pattern.
It reminds me of a story I tell in speaking on the topic of child-like faith and imitation being the sincerest form of flattery. I am flattered that he knows what I do and what I am passionate about.
We were getting dressed for an outing recently and Sean came running up to me wearing a golf shirt and shorts. Looking handsome, he said to me, "Look Dad...I'm in youth ministry!" So I quickly replied, "Oh...so you don't make any money either???"
Clayton Imoo is husband to Gail and father to sons Sean Isaiah and Jacob Isaac and daughter Kayla Marie. He has served as the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver for the past ten years. Learn more about him at http://www.claytonimoo.com or follow him @claytonimoo
Wednesday, 28 March 2012
Praying Passionately for Daniel Sedin: A First-Hand Account
Much has been made in the last couple of days about the Passion Vancouver event that took place at Rogers Arena last Friday evening and in particular the prayer for concussed-Canuck Daniel Sedin led by the founder of the Passion Movement, Louie Giglio.
And while a couple of blogs have done a decent job of presenting and analyzing what happened, I can offer you a perspective that they can’t: a first-hand account as I was present at the event. Not only was I in attendance at the Passion event, I also attended a pre-event dinner hosted by Louie. But more on that later.
As part of my job as the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver, I sat on the Advisory Team for Passion Vancouver. Per the official website, “Passion exists to glorify God by uniting students in worship, prayer and justice for spiritual awakening in this generation.”
We had been meeting and praying for the success of the event for months prior to last Friday and as a gracious gesture of appreciation I was invited to the pre-event dinner held in the Rogers Arena Captain’s Room. I met a lot of great people including Miss Canada 2011 Tara Teng.
One of us seems a tad happier than the other. But I digress.
During the dinner, Louie Giglio went out of his way to thank all of us for our work and service in helping bring Passion to Vancouver. He mentioned that Vancouver is the only city outside of the United States where Passion has held events three times – largely in part to the willingness of the Aquilini family to host the event in Rogers Arena. Louie thanked Paolo Aquilini (who was in attendance at both the dinner and the concert) and then segued into talking about the Vancouver Canucks and their massive popularity here. He then reflected on how his hometown of Atlanta was particularly good at grooming NHL teams to move to Canada (the Flames and more recently the Jets). I chuckled as Louie said “So once we get another team we’ll get them ready and ship them back up to you.”
As dinner completed we hastily made our way to our seats in the Arena…but not before I snapped my picture with Tara. Okay…I’ll stop mentioning that now.
After worship leader Chris Tomlin opened the event, Louie made his way onto the stage with a couple of items in his hands. One, we quickly learned, was a Canucks jersey signed by the entire team – a gift to Louie from Paolo and the Vancouver Canucks.
The other was the helmet of injured forward Daniel Sedin. Louie didn’t announce how he obtained the helmet; needless to say it was likely with the permission of Paolo Aquilini after the Passion organizers held their pre-event prayer time in the Canucks’ dressing room.
After publicly thanking the Aquilini family in front of the 12,000 people in attendance, Louie shared a few words about the Canucks and Atlanta’s knack for losing their hockey teams to Canada (similar to what he shared with us at dinner). Then, he suggested that we pray for Daniel’s recovery from his concussion.
After allowing for 35 seconds of spontaneous prayer, Louie led the attendees in a prayer of thanksgiving for the Aquilini family and for the arena, the city and team. He ended off by praying for Daniel’s recovery. At the time, I felt that it was a very powerful and genuine gesture. It didn’t feel out of place for the main reason that this was a gathering of Christians praying for a Canuck player AND NOT a gathering of Canucks fans with some Christian prayer in it. There is a HUGE difference. If people were not interested in praying for Daniel’s recovery then it was their prerogative not to join in…much like any other element of the night.
Also, Louie didn’t pray for the Canucks to win their next game, to win a playoff series or two, or to win the Stanley Cup. He didn’t pray for Daniel the hockey player; he prayed for Daniel the human being. For full healing and recovery. For goodness and fullness of life. For his heart, and everything going on his life.
You’ll hear from the video Louie saying “And we pray God that You just let him know…there are people praying for him tonight – not for what he can do, not for how he can score, not for how many assists he has, but we just love him tonight God because he is Yours.”
Immediately after the prayer concluded, I was happily surprised at what had just transpired. It was quite moving to be among 12,000 people praying together. I went to both Twitter and Facebook with a simple post:
Was the prayer genuine? Absolutely. Was it a way to show Vancouver that Passion was in tune with the city and culturally relevant? Without a doubt. Was it a strategic and smart way to engage the crowd? Certainly.
And I loved every minute of it.
Clayton Imoo is husband to Gail and father to sons Sean Isaiah and Jacob Isaac and daughter Kayla Marie. He has served as the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver for the past ten years. Learn more about him at http://www.claytonimoo.com or follow him @claytonimoo
And while a couple of blogs have done a decent job of presenting and analyzing what happened, I can offer you a perspective that they can’t: a first-hand account as I was present at the event. Not only was I in attendance at the Passion event, I also attended a pre-event dinner hosted by Louie. But more on that later.
As part of my job as the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver, I sat on the Advisory Team for Passion Vancouver. Per the official website, “Passion exists to glorify God by uniting students in worship, prayer and justice for spiritual awakening in this generation.”
We had been meeting and praying for the success of the event for months prior to last Friday and as a gracious gesture of appreciation I was invited to the pre-event dinner held in the Rogers Arena Captain’s Room. I met a lot of great people including Miss Canada 2011 Tara Teng.
One of us seems a tad happier than the other. But I digress.
During the dinner, Louie Giglio went out of his way to thank all of us for our work and service in helping bring Passion to Vancouver. He mentioned that Vancouver is the only city outside of the United States where Passion has held events three times – largely in part to the willingness of the Aquilini family to host the event in Rogers Arena. Louie thanked Paolo Aquilini (who was in attendance at both the dinner and the concert) and then segued into talking about the Vancouver Canucks and their massive popularity here. He then reflected on how his hometown of Atlanta was particularly good at grooming NHL teams to move to Canada (the Flames and more recently the Jets). I chuckled as Louie said “So once we get another team we’ll get them ready and ship them back up to you.”
As dinner completed we hastily made our way to our seats in the Arena…but not before I snapped my picture with Tara. Okay…I’ll stop mentioning that now.
After worship leader Chris Tomlin opened the event, Louie made his way onto the stage with a couple of items in his hands. One, we quickly learned, was a Canucks jersey signed by the entire team – a gift to Louie from Paolo and the Vancouver Canucks.
The other was the helmet of injured forward Daniel Sedin. Louie didn’t announce how he obtained the helmet; needless to say it was likely with the permission of Paolo Aquilini after the Passion organizers held their pre-event prayer time in the Canucks’ dressing room.
After publicly thanking the Aquilini family in front of the 12,000 people in attendance, Louie shared a few words about the Canucks and Atlanta’s knack for losing their hockey teams to Canada (similar to what he shared with us at dinner). Then, he suggested that we pray for Daniel’s recovery from his concussion.
After allowing for 35 seconds of spontaneous prayer, Louie led the attendees in a prayer of thanksgiving for the Aquilini family and for the arena, the city and team. He ended off by praying for Daniel’s recovery. At the time, I felt that it was a very powerful and genuine gesture. It didn’t feel out of place for the main reason that this was a gathering of Christians praying for a Canuck player AND NOT a gathering of Canucks fans with some Christian prayer in it. There is a HUGE difference. If people were not interested in praying for Daniel’s recovery then it was their prerogative not to join in…much like any other element of the night.
Also, Louie didn’t pray for the Canucks to win their next game, to win a playoff series or two, or to win the Stanley Cup. He didn’t pray for Daniel the hockey player; he prayed for Daniel the human being. For full healing and recovery. For goodness and fullness of life. For his heart, and everything going on his life.
You’ll hear from the video Louie saying “And we pray God that You just let him know…there are people praying for him tonight – not for what he can do, not for how he can score, not for how many assists he has, but we just love him tonight God because he is Yours.”
Immediately after the prayer concluded, I was happily surprised at what had just transpired. It was quite moving to be among 12,000 people praying together. I went to both Twitter and Facebook with a simple post:
12,000 people at Rogers Arena praying for the health of Daniel Sedin…powerful stuff.Unbeknownst to me, my buddy Joseph posted the video up in the Canucks.com message boards and in 24 hours it had accumulated over 13,000 views and 300 replies. Everyone seemed to have an opinion as to its appropriateness, its effectiveness, or its relevance. It’s come to be expected when talking sports and faith.
Was the prayer genuine? Absolutely. Was it a way to show Vancouver that Passion was in tune with the city and culturally relevant? Without a doubt. Was it a strategic and smart way to engage the crowd? Certainly.
And I loved every minute of it.
Clayton Imoo is husband to Gail and father to sons Sean Isaiah and Jacob Isaac and daughter Kayla Marie. He has served as the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver for the past ten years. Learn more about him at http://www.claytonimoo.com or follow him @claytonimoo
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