So far….

Well it has been over two months since starting at Starbucks. It is a fun job in the long run because I get to meet people, which was part of the plan. But, it is hard mental work to remember drinks, and people’s names and their drinks. I have done a pretty good job so far. The job is physically demanding because of being on my feet for 8 hours at time, so I have started losing weight.

Back in 1999 I did my Clinical Pastoral Education at a hospital in Lexington KY. It was 400 hours of hell as I ministered to the sick, the dying and their families. I remember every Friday we would have this Inter-Personal Relations time, where we would psychoanalyze our emotions and our motivations for what happened in our daily interactions.

All that is to say that Inter-Personal Relations (IPR) was the worse time for everyone but also the best time. I would come home crying as I had to really listen to my motivations for doing ministry. Did I have a Messiah Complex, where I thought I could do a better job than Jesus or I at least was Jesus in the situation. There are many books on that topic! Or, did I project my personal experiences onto the situation at hand. E.g. when ministering to a family whose 10-month old son was having seizures from almost drowning in a tub–was I helping them or was I feeling the pain from losing a child when we had a miscarriage (I say “we” because it was my child as well, it doesn’t mean I wasn’t spiritually or emotionally connected to my lost child or to my hurting wife). It was tough.

Now I find that I give myself IPR time once in awhile. As I turn 43 this Sunday, I have to admit my career choice to do this missionary approach to ministry doesn’t make sense to most. I have an M Div. from a pretty good Seminary, I have 17 years experience in youth ministry, I even have had success as a teacher to students. I created a successful ministry in Durham UK that is still going to this day. Why walk away from all that? That is in my face as I tell people I work at Starbucks.

I have not been successful when I have done the popular thing. I have been more successful doing the RIGHT thing. I feel in my bones that this approach is going to pay out in the lives of Canton.

I have already made connections with staff people as well as the customers. I have had youth pastors in the area see me working here and they come here to ask my questions about how to approach a certain Bible study or how to approach a way of doing ministry or how to handle a conflict.

I am personally excited to see what happens between Starbucks and LoveCanton (more on that later).

I will say that I am going to ask you to pray for me as I continue down this path. I am not totally at my goal financially for the year. I still need to raise additional salary and funds for expenses for the ministry; in total, I am hoping to raise another $17,000. I greatly appreciate all the support so many of you have already offered, both financially and through your prayers and other encouragement.

God bless you all as you read my rants on this missional highway.

Transition into the working world

This past summer was very crazy.  For some reason God told me I would have a job by end of August. Poof! It happen.  I have been working at Starbucks on Washington Square in Canton since the end of August.  It has been my goal to work here for about 2 years now.  I have had this vision of working at a Starbucks as part of my missional approach.  That is, I wanted to meet people in their comfortable environments instead of trying to attract them first to the church building, then have discussions about God.

Observations:

• This job is hard!  There are over 8,000 drink combinations and that doesn’t include the crazy drinks the regulars want like a “yada yada” or a “nano nano.”
• I meet a lot of different people here. This store is the crossroads for 2 universities, 2 high schools, the parents of those high school kids, judges and lawyers, business owners, and various grumpy unhappy people.
• I made three women cry in the drive through becauase I asked if they were okay.  One just started to work at a inner city school as a counselor and found it rough.  The next she was losing her house and her boyfriend dumped her.  The last was a person who is very grumpy but cried because her father died.  I listened to them all.
• Did i say this is hard work?  My body is getting used to constantly being on the go.

Spiritual Technology Disciplines

Don’t tell my doctor but I stole his copy of Newsweek from February 16th, 2009 (the link is in this sentence).  I have come to terms that I am having information overload/ anxiety.  I am a total addict to post its, pads of paper, My Palm Centro, Gmail, Blogging, RSS Reader, Facebook…the list is endless.  So much that I think I have forgotten how to breath.  I mean literally and figuratively.  I catch myself  saying “doh, I need to write that down!” or “I need to do  that.”  I actually catch myself sucking in air like I am about to get punched.  Figuratively, I forget to be in constant prayer, connecting with God, in everything I do.  I forget!!!! I hate that!!!!

So, I am going to tune out sometimes from cell phone, twitter and facebook during the day, and only connect once in a while.  Y’all might not even miss me during that time.  So consider it twitter time with God, or Facebooking with Jesus, or blogging with the Holy Spirit.

I would love to hear what all y’all have to say about this after reading the article.

Lee

Please

I switched to WordPress

I finally did it. I switched to WordPress. Its within my goals to expand my web development skills and reacquaint myself with my old skills of computer geekness.

Why should you twitter

I keep on getting asked why one should do TWITTER. First I usually show them a video of what twitter is…. well go to this link and find out what it is.

Then review this article on 12 reasons why one should do twitter.

Why Can’t Church do commercials like this?

My mini lee

After I gave Connor a haircut I thot why not see what he looks like

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It is said that a disciple looks like their menter after a while…well I gave haircuts to joey and cory so they look like me now

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My Fund Raising Letter

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20

Dear friends,

I have recently made the exciting decision to become a Post-Christian Missionary to Canton, Ohio. I will become a consultant to Church of the Savior UMC (www.mysaviorrocks.com). I will engage the church members and the nonchurched people in the Canton area in discussion about Jesus, what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, and how to serve in the name of Jesus.

In the sixteen years that I have done ministry in Minnesota, Kentucky, England and Ohio, I have come to realize that we live in a post-Christian world, i.e., Christianity is no longer the dominant religion of our society, nor is any religion. In this postmodern world it is being taught that there is no ultimate truth. But I truly believe that God pursues us to have a relationship with each of us, despite what is being taught in media, school, etc. What we need is to learn how to help others recognize God in their midst. I believe what Dan Kimball says in his book, They Love Jesus But Not the Church, that most non-church attenders really do like the concept of Jesus Christ, but they do not understand or appreciate what goes on in Church. In addition, I believe that many church members do not know how to explain why they love Jesus or why they do what they do at church.

So here is what I feel what God has called me to do: my goal will be to work outside of the building of Church of the Savior, by going to environments that people consider comfortable, e.g., coffee shops, college organizations, etc. The age group I will be focusing on meeting is 18- to 35-year-olds. I hope to create and develop deep relationships that will lead to a stronger relationship with Jesus, then to connect them with the church at large. In addition, I will take with me people from the church to teach them how to connect with people and share their faith through genuine listening and love.

In order to do this I need to raise my salary and upfront costs, such as computer and mobile phone use. I cannot accomplish this task alone, so please join me with your prayers. I am praying specifically that I will have boldness in sharing my testimony, that I will raise all funds needed, that I will meet people prepared to hear the Gospel, and for safety for me and the people with whom I minister.

I am asking you to be a part of this mission by investing in my life and in the lives of the people I reach in Canton, Ohio. During the next several months, I will be working very hard to raise the finances to accomplish this mission. Any amount you give will be greatly appreciated. If you would like to pay with a credit or debit card, please go to this link, Donation Page, and towards the bottom there is a spot entitled Post Christian Missions with my name below it.

If you would like to pay with a check, please make all checks payable to Church of the Savior. All donations to Church of the Savior are tax-deductible. In order for you to receive a tax deduction for your donation, please do not write my name on the check. Instead, include a note with my name or Post Christian Missions. You can send all donations to Church of the Savior, 120 Cleveland Ave SW, Canton, OH, 44702. Donations are non-refundable and non-transferable regardless of any cancellation circumstances.

If you have any questions or comments, you can get a hold of me at 330-705-2119 or kick4jc@gmail.com You can also call Rev. Ed Fashbaugh at Church of the Savior at 330-455-0153 or rev_ed_fashbaugh@sbcglobal.net

Thank you so much for your consideration. Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated!

God Bless You,

Lee J. Nicholson

Why

Why do we have meetings about evangelism?