If you fall asleep in Africa...

...a cheetah will eat you.

I would just like to take this oportunity to draw a line in the sand and say, "hey, I'm probably not going to join facebook."

There. I said it.

If you want to spy on me and think to yourself "I would never actually write, email, call, or even talk to Jon, but we shared some kind of local proximity once so I should totally add him on facebook," it's probably not going to happen.

You see, I've got this disorder called don't-like-to-conform-to-whatever-is-currently-popular-ittis. I am now 70% sure that Stafford G will comment in some effect to my condition.

Anyway, I just wanted to throw that out there... not that any of you facebookers will ever read this. Your just going to have to come find me at www.jonloch.com. Like I said, I'm probably not going to join facebook. Just like I didn't join Friendster or MySpace or SixDegrees.

Race you over to Orkut!

"Disingenuous mountebanks and their subliminal chicanery! "

A POX ON THEM!!!

So, out of the weird links section of the Internet this week, be sure to check out www.whatwouldjesusdownload.com and it's subsidiary GodTube. Yeesh! With a "Christian Internet" up and running soon there will be radio, TV, bookstores, dating services, who knows what else!

Dodge Dynasty
A good example of autocratic leadership with no future perspective leaving nothing but power vacuums and yes-men... And it's a car!

May I just say a word or two about dynastic leadership? Thank you. Don't worry, I'm not talking about politics... at least not in a governmental context. I'm going to talk about my context: youth ministry.

You see, as my friend the 'K-car' so eloquently demonstrates, dynastic leadership is not effective over the long term. In fact, it's quite damaging.

Let me explain: Dynasty style leadership is the natural result of perfectionism, selfishness, inability to delegate, lack of mentoring, lack of vision, or any combination of the above subtly motivating a leader. Now, even though the elements that get us there are bad, the intentions or motives are usually very good.

For example, Leader A wants to run a tight ship and keep everything organized. Freudian psycho-sexual stages aside, Leader A is pursuing a good quality in administration. However, to reach this end (especially in the volunteer/not-for-profit sector), Leader A will likely burn herself out as she takes on every little task to see it done right. As time passes, Leader A also gets a subconscious self-esteem boost as she is needed to do the job properly.

But what happens when Leader A is to be replaced? Burnout, term limits, or lifespan will get her eventually. Well, enter stage right Leader B.
Problem: A ≠ B
So, what's the scenario? The volunteers perhaps cannot function autonomously and, at first, require micromanaging. Maybe Leader B will notice a vying for control among those who would have made good delegates. Whatever the case, Leader B may as well start at ground zero and cast a new vision or else clone the preceding leadership.

All that hypothetical A/B stuff aside, this can be a real problem. I guess it comes down to human nature and the automatic desire to preserve one's own interests. And that's not all bad. In fact, it seems to me, most problems (especially ministry related) seem to be ok at their core and only become problems in excess. Anyway, every leader is going to have a dynastic leadership to some extent. If you didn't have a dynasty, you probably had absolutely no impact too. It can't be helped on every level. It seems the only 'remedy' is discipleship.

Problem with discipleship is that You know, somewhere down the line, someone is going to forget that it was a movement of love You started and form an institution in your honour.

Happy Mother's Day!

My gift to you: 13 minutes worth of Rube Goldberg machines complete with catchy Japanese jingle and folk-pop song. Enjoy!

Cry Havoc! And let slip the dogs of war!

First off, you all need to read Watership Down by Richard Adams. I just finished it and it now has a permanent place in my best-books list.

So here's the thing about youth rallies: I can stay awake longer than the kids; I enjoy the speaker, band, events, etc; and it takes me about a week to get anything done after they're done. Why is inspiration so draining? On that note, checkout Michael Frost's lectures at Resonate.ca. I highly recommend them.

I'm busy as all get out. I'm also sick (though almost through with that). And last night, while emcee-ing (as pastor) a southern gospel quartet concert at the church, the format, direction, and message of next Sunday's service/sermon came together in my mind. For those of you who know my penchant for getting things done early, this will come as no surprise. It's all about the concept of Missio Dei - The "Mission of God" or "God's Mission" or "God as Mission" and, thereby, "Mission as Love". Basically the idea is that mission is not an office or activity or program or focus of the church... it is its source, purpose, existence, definition. But here's the catch, I'm not sure how to tie it all into Mother's day. On the other hand, this is the last Sunday I preach before Bob gets back from vacation and the last Sunday before Annual Meeting. Don't think for a second that this means I want to play it safe... frankly, though my job is mostly certain for at least another year, I'd kind of like to twang the threads of fate a little and tick some folks off their pews and into living Christ. I'd like to risk my livelihood and stir things up a little, if just to kick our Constantinian religion in the teeth and spread some love. Maybe I need to stop listening to Michael Frost for a little bit here... or maybe I'll just take up his challenge for pastors to work themselves out of a job.

I'm pushing my limits these days... whether the day be dark or light. I'm either going to collapse or march through. I think, perhaps, that I will buy a guitar.

Remember Sammy Jankis...

For your enjoyment:

I know this has been out for awhile but I've been busy relaunching the youth group website (which you can check out at www.oxfordyouth.org) among the various other things I've had to get done. Really, the fact that I'm blogging simply represents the eye of the storm--the calm between chaos. At least I'm drifting in the waters of useful busyness lately.

I'm afraid we're at an impasse. You see, our bible study buddies seem to be convinced (or at least hopeful) that we will abandon our calling, turn our backs on the church local and at large, give in to "plain reasoning" and tear down the "tyranny" of systematic theology and experiential faith*.

Frankly, I have similar hopes for them, but I don't follow them through town to that end. I mean, we sit there and listen to their little handbook, play a little "repeat after me" in answer to the question "what did that paragraph just say?", and really ponder hard if we can afford ten easy payments... I mean, yeah.

Then, as gently as I can, I pull the discussion into textual criticism and theological bias in translation and they either try to answer, hand me some material that offers a decent 'pat' answer, or write it down to get back to me. But, you know what, their super-slick sales spiel isn't accomplishing anything, and neither is my Koine-laden academic bludgeoning. We are simply at an impasse.

But, you know what, when we collectively decide that all that is done for the day, we have a good time talking about normal stuff. Stupid "cloister" mentality! Hmm... I wonder what they'll say when we tell them about Finn's dedication.

~If you have no idea what I'm talking about, read Fran's blog.

If you've got time, check this out.