I've stacked a few more bits of hay...

on my paper (Surviving the Messy Middle: Moving From Childhood Faith to Adult Faith). No details yet, but a cool future resource: Faith Factors Project.

Their preliminary research found eight factors (download the papers here).

Faith integrated into family identity and practice
Three or more adult mentors of vital faith
Three or more months service in the name of Jesus Christ
Apprenticed early into leadership in their church
Engaging, meaningful church experience in which youth are valued
Excellent senior high/young adult ministry
Encouraged by strong Christian friend(s)
Support within an engaging Christian community during a personal crisis

The narrative study of my informant is showing these eight to be true--in the informant's life at least. Finished project is due Monday... lots of work this weekend.

[by the way, that would be only THREE days until the Spring 2004 semester is complete and fun reading is upon me...]

Do songwriters know about exegesis?

"You said:
by Reuben Morgan (1998 Hillsong)

1 You said, 'ask and you will receive whatever you need.'
2 You said, 'pray and I'll hear from heaven, and I'll heal your land.'

3 You said Your glory will fill the earth like water the sea.
4 You said, 'lift up your eyes; the harvest is here, the kingdom is near.'

5 You said, 'ask and I'll give the nations to you.'
6 oh Lord, that's the cry of my heart.
7 distant shores and the islands will see"


I don't even have time to point out all the exegetical errors here. This is like the poster child for "ripped from the context".

Here's a few (just off the top of my head, mind you):

line 1: left out that important "in my name" part
line 2: this is to ISRAEL!!! gosh I'm really tired of this one.
line 5: I believe this is about a military victory--not exactly the current evangelism style.

People, at the very least READ THE CONTEXT! And, NO, you cannot make Scripture say whatever you please. It's God's Word, not yours!

Rant over... phew...

STILL IN THE MIDST...

...of school work. Eight more days (less if I can apply myself and do my paper sooner). This project--Surviving the Messy Middle: Moving From Childhood Faith to Adult Faith--is revealing itself as REALLY complex. It's like sorting through a pile of hay and sorting it my size and type. It's also revealing itself as downright exciting and important. One statistic blew my mind: only 10% of those who make childhood professions stay connected to church through adolescence and young adulthood. Somehow, I don't think a really nifty college group is the answer. I think--and the evidence of my project is showing--that the answer is much deeper and further back. A few prelim findings include: intimate connection with a believing community (family, church, etc), content of the faith (stories AND principles), involvement in ministry (even--maybe especially--when life is messy), and seeing the community of faith as a stable, accepting home base.

More later (after I stack a few more bits of hay).