Scott's Thoughts - Sun, Jul 16, 2023
As I mentioned in last week’s intro, even though I am not getting to the 17 other important things worthy of note, I’m doing my best to do life and ministry in ways some others apparently consider healthy, in small bites instead of my normal paralysis. So, I offer ”only” 2 items today. (“Praise the Lord.” < My interpretation of everyone’s response, in contrast to my personal disappointment.)
Click “Table of Contents” links below to advance to an individual section. To return here, click section heading. (Apologies ahead of time for occasional links that make getting back to this ST post frustrating because they may involve a couple/few extra clicks. We try to avoid that, but it’s beyond our control.)
Total Reading Time: ~6-7 mins
Upcoming Sermon Series Plans: “New City Catechism,” Including a Brief Defense of the Word “Catechism,” and No, We’re Not Abandoning (but Actually Expanding on) “Exodus”
Michael Schubert Becomes Full-Time Kids Min Staff!
Click “Table of Contents” links below to advance to an individual section. To return here, click section heading. (Apologies ahead of time for occasional links that make getting back to this ST post frustrating because they may involve a couple/few extra clicks. We try to avoid that, but it’s beyond our control.)
Total Reading Time: ~6-7 mins
Upcoming Sermon Series Plans: “New City Catechism,” Including a Brief Defense of the Word “Catechism,” and No, We’re Not Abandoning (but Actually Expanding on) “Exodus”
Michael Schubert Becomes Full-Time Kids Min Staff!
Starting late August, we're taking a break from our Exodus series to start a brand new sermon series based on the New City Catechism (NCC) by the late Tim Keller.
Now, believe me, I’ve taken enough church history and theology courses, read enough books, watched and listened to enough apologetics and theology debates, and am pretty freakishly committed to traditional Protestant Reformation doctrine to know that we aren’t Roman Catholics. For many the word “catechism” likely sounds like an outdated or ritualistic word, especially for those in our congregation who grew up Catholic.
So if you’re worried we’re somehow going theologically rogue, no worries y’all, this is actually the opposite as the NCC is Keller’s attempt to reformulate and simplify traditional Protestant Reformation doctrines by recapturing an old way of learning and teaching them—“catechesis” (pronounced cat-uh-KEY-sis). The word “catechism,” taken from the Greek katechein, (pronounced cat-uh-CANE), simply means “to teach by word of mouth,” in this case, to teach and learn the Christian doctrines and beliefs in a Q&A format.
The NCC is in 3 parts, comes with a phone and web app (with Q&A, key verse(s), and a brief devotional commentary), and perhaps the coolest part, will be integrated into our kids and students ministries! This is an intentional step we’re taking that is part of what has been a big picture vision prayer and goal for me for a long time—full(er) curricular integration across all ages. What this does is huge, I think. It means that, given that you are an adult with children, grandchildren, etc., you can—just by showing up on Sunday—be well prepared not just for Life Group (hint, hint, for those not in one) but for teaching the content with your children! We’ve long bought into the silly idea that we are to leave the teaching of our children to the “professionals” at church and that has allowed parents to not take discipling their own children seriously. That’s a problem I want us to continue to fix… and NCC is part of us taking a step toward that.
For everything you need to know about the practicalities of how NCC works, as well as all the aforementioned “parts” and “app” (that has a “children’s setting” that simplifies each week’s content and includes a song!), go to fccgreene.org/ncc. Also, please note that we will be coming back to Exodus in the Spring. (More on why we’re doing NCC and why it is expanding on—and not an abandonment—of Exodus in the next ST.)
Now, believe me, I’ve taken enough church history and theology courses, read enough books, watched and listened to enough apologetics and theology debates, and am pretty freakishly committed to traditional Protestant Reformation doctrine to know that we aren’t Roman Catholics. For many the word “catechism” likely sounds like an outdated or ritualistic word, especially for those in our congregation who grew up Catholic.
So if you’re worried we’re somehow going theologically rogue, no worries y’all, this is actually the opposite as the NCC is Keller’s attempt to reformulate and simplify traditional Protestant Reformation doctrines by recapturing an old way of learning and teaching them—“catechesis” (pronounced cat-uh-KEY-sis). The word “catechism,” taken from the Greek katechein, (pronounced cat-uh-CANE), simply means “to teach by word of mouth,” in this case, to teach and learn the Christian doctrines and beliefs in a Q&A format.
The NCC is in 3 parts, comes with a phone and web app (with Q&A, key verse(s), and a brief devotional commentary), and perhaps the coolest part, will be integrated into our kids and students ministries! This is an intentional step we’re taking that is part of what has been a big picture vision prayer and goal for me for a long time—full(er) curricular integration across all ages. What this does is huge, I think. It means that, given that you are an adult with children, grandchildren, etc., you can—just by showing up on Sunday—be well prepared not just for Life Group (hint, hint, for those not in one) but for teaching the content with your children! We’ve long bought into the silly idea that we are to leave the teaching of our children to the “professionals” at church and that has allowed parents to not take discipling their own children seriously. That’s a problem I want us to continue to fix… and NCC is part of us taking a step toward that.
For everything you need to know about the practicalities of how NCC works, as well as all the aforementioned “parts” and “app” (that has a “children’s setting” that simplifies each week’s content and includes a song!), go to fccgreene.org/ncc. Also, please note that we will be coming back to Exodus in the Spring. (More on why we’re doing NCC and why it is expanding on—and not an abandonment—of Exodus in the next ST.)
We are excited to announce that Michael Schubert starts as full-time Kids Min staff on Mon, Jul 17! (“Hey, that’s tomorrow!”) Yep! We wanted to get Michael started ASAP so he can begin learning the ropes from Samantha, other Staff, and our Kids Vols and help us continue to build amazing Kids Min environments that are all about Helping Kids Find and Follow Jesus!
What’s so cool about this is that God has been preparing Michael for many more years than most are aware! Not only has he largely grown up at FCC, but he has intuited—and naturally communicates and embodies—our vision and DNA. He is or has been a Pillar Breakouts Coach (“Breakouts” are their small group discussion times), Re:gen participant and co-leader, Merge and Foundations participant in our Marriage Ministry, Life Group member, Catalyst Coffee employee, Catalyst Roasting Team Lead, an FCC Resident, Kids Min Afton Coach for the last 6 months, and, oh yeah, btw, he has volunteered in Kid Min since Middle School. Just this week I was there when someone asked him, “What sort of qualifications did you have to display during the interview?” My immediate thought was, “He’s been interviewing for years!”
Also worth mention here, to remind us of some important FCC vision: (1) He ticks the boxes according to our “Leadership Pipeline.” It’s only natural that someone who has been an effective Coach in a certain area, who has done every job within that area, and who expresses a desire to continue serving in that area becomes a “Director“ level staff person. (2) Michael is another example—along with Nathan, David, and Samantha—in what we hope continues to be a long line of young ministry leaders we raise up for Kingdom work. As we‘ve said ever since we began developing our multisite vision, our entire church structure is much more about developing and deploying people for God’s Kingdom work in whatever sphere—church, home, work, on Sundays, throughout the week, at our existing campuses and for future campuses. It’s cool to see it work in young people, like Michael, who are equipped to lead the local church into greater faithfulness to God’s mission to make disciples… even young ones!
While these are some of the tangible and external reasons why we believe God has raised up Michael for ministry, his heart and calling to serve are evident in being celebrated with a Team Ball at our Spring 2023 Team Bash and in our recent Coffee Convo. To hear more about that and from Michael himself, especially for how it is a good look into his heart to serve the local church, you should definitely watch this Coffee Convo!
Please be praying with us that Michael’s leadership will be an important part of FCC continuing to teach children the love of Christ that overcomes their sin and empowers them for a life of service!
What’s so cool about this is that God has been preparing Michael for many more years than most are aware! Not only has he largely grown up at FCC, but he has intuited—and naturally communicates and embodies—our vision and DNA. He is or has been a Pillar Breakouts Coach (“Breakouts” are their small group discussion times), Re:gen participant and co-leader, Merge and Foundations participant in our Marriage Ministry, Life Group member, Catalyst Coffee employee, Catalyst Roasting Team Lead, an FCC Resident, Kids Min Afton Coach for the last 6 months, and, oh yeah, btw, he has volunteered in Kid Min since Middle School. Just this week I was there when someone asked him, “What sort of qualifications did you have to display during the interview?” My immediate thought was, “He’s been interviewing for years!”
Also worth mention here, to remind us of some important FCC vision: (1) He ticks the boxes according to our “Leadership Pipeline.” It’s only natural that someone who has been an effective Coach in a certain area, who has done every job within that area, and who expresses a desire to continue serving in that area becomes a “Director“ level staff person. (2) Michael is another example—along with Nathan, David, and Samantha—in what we hope continues to be a long line of young ministry leaders we raise up for Kingdom work. As we‘ve said ever since we began developing our multisite vision, our entire church structure is much more about developing and deploying people for God’s Kingdom work in whatever sphere—church, home, work, on Sundays, throughout the week, at our existing campuses and for future campuses. It’s cool to see it work in young people, like Michael, who are equipped to lead the local church into greater faithfulness to God’s mission to make disciples… even young ones!
While these are some of the tangible and external reasons why we believe God has raised up Michael for ministry, his heart and calling to serve are evident in being celebrated with a Team Ball at our Spring 2023 Team Bash and in our recent Coffee Convo. To hear more about that and from Michael himself, especially for how it is a good look into his heart to serve the local church, you should definitely watch this Coffee Convo!
Please be praying with us that Michael’s leadership will be an important part of FCC continuing to teach children the love of Christ that overcomes their sin and empowers them for a life of service!
Posted in Scotts Thoughts