Man of the Cloth Pastor Rev Minister Brother Lyle??!
From MVA’s monthly newsletter:
Pastor Lyle. Reverend. Minister Lyle Baker. Even “Man of the Cloth.”
It’s odd; I’ve been called all of these and more in the past week. And before I go on; just know that if it was you calling me this it’s OK! It’s awkward to know what the proper, formal, polite thing to call a minister when he is uh… ministering. For the record, I would definitely like to just be known as Lyle. Hi I’m Lyle, and I’m a follower of Christ; I work at his church!
It has probably happened a lot lately because I’ve been doing a lot of Senior Minister things that I’m not usually doing in Youth Ministry. I’ve been stretched and challenged in the past months, and have relied heavily on what I learned watching Phil Williams do his thing; growing up watching my dad throughout his ministry; and reading and studying more than usual. Thank God for my awesome youth ministry team (couldn’t do it without you guys)! Truth: I’ve enjoyed the challenges of most of this work and it’s given me a different perspective on life in the ministry. Thanks for allowing the youth guy to reach out in different ways, and for being so supportive of it!
Back to the name thing… So when I was called a “man of the cloth” last week it almost made me laugh out loud (actually I think I at least chuckled a little). I know it’s a moniker of respect but it’s just not something I’m comfortable with. I think ministers should indeed be respected, listened to, and invited to speak into a person’s life on spiritual matters; that’s our job. However when we’re given weird titles it sets us up on pedestals that I’m afraid can tip over easily. We’re all just humans.
In fact; when it all comes down to it – I’m just a disciple of Christ; doing my best to follow his teachings and lead others to him. Which is exactly what all believers should be doing. The only thing that separates the “laity” from the “clergy” in my opinion is that we get paid so that we can do it full-time. We go to Bible College so we can be better equipped to not mess up the Scriptures when we teach them. It’s a lot like your profession that you went to school to do. I don’t know a thing about engineering or medical work; I have a different set of gifts and am another part of the body of Christ. I’ve trained in ministry and I LOVE what I get to do for a living. But I’m just uncomfortable with the formalities and titles.
What I usually do is model discipleship among students and teach them to trust in, study and discern their Bibles for life. I try and make them see that faith is more about who they are than what they do or don’t do. I try to teach them that following Christ is a decision that THEY make – your faith is not your parent’s faith – it really is “your” faith. I try to get them to own that (us adults need to remember this too). I only officially have their school years to do it, and it’s very hard sometimes, but it’s also incredibly rewarding when a student “gets it” and really begins to pursue Jesus. We do fun stuff like video games, basketball, hanging out, etc to be a place where kids can come and unwind; but then we invite them to go deeper in small groups and Bible studies and discipleship. And when we see discipleship we get ridiculously excited about that. There is no greater feeling than to bring people closer to Jesus Christ.
So what’s in a name? You can call me whatever you’d like; but I’d prefer just plain old Lyle. And I’d also like to see you decide what label or title you’d like to be known as. These ideas will go right along with my two sermons in May; Just hoping to get you thinking about it beforehand!
Discussion thoughts (feel free to talk to yourself haha):
The word Christian unfortunately can mean so many things these days. What about the word disciple? Follower? Are you labeling yourself as something? Are you really actually living up to the label? What do the words pastor, minister, clergy, man of-the-cloth, mean to you? Will you be at church May 6th and 13th to listen to Brother Lyle? 
House of Heroes’ “Cold Hard Want” July 10th
My favorite rock n rollers are bringing out something new on July 10th. The video is loading slowly for me; odds are it’s getting hammered pretty hard. If you like this you can follow @coldhardwant on twitter 
Like this:
Just Paying Attention
on the way home
Big Weekend. Ohio Teens For Christ was on my mind and was the mountain-top experience that it normally is. Our students showed up and growed up (bad grammar, lame joke, don’t care)! I got to see/catch up with a good old friend and watch him do ministry in a way he is extremely gifted for (name-dropping Mr. KJ-52). I helped emcee the convention a little bit and that’s exciting to do. I got to see some of the world’s greatest youth sponsors minister to our students in ways that only youth sponsors can (better than youth ministers many times). I saw students get challenged and get excited about doing ministry.
All the while I was remembering a few things from ‘back home’ that were going on. I was preparing to lead worship and a devotion at the Sonrise service and preach the Word at the 10 AM Easter service at the church (I knew I was preaching the resurrection; and that’s about all I knew). I had just visited a couple of families that had folks in critical condition at some hospitals. There are quite a few families that I know are suffering the wrath of the world’s influence in no small way…
I was a bit uneasy about Sunday morning on the way home from Ohio Teens on Saturday; knowing I had that night to practice and polish up the message (I had about 15 of my usual 35 minutes written) and worship. Then I got a phone call that one of the ladies I’d seen at the hospital on Wednesday was getting worse. My youth sponsors helped me out in a huge way by squeezing the students in my car into the other vehicles and took them back home to Marion and I took off for the hospital. About 5 minutes before I got there, as I was praying for God to give me the strength to keep moving I got another call that she had passed away.
When I got there I did what I could to comfort and reassure. The family was still in shock I think because she was expected to get better. On the way home I stopped at another hospital where a family was waiting for their loved one to pass away after taking her off of life support. It made me remember my own mom and our family being in a similar situation 4 years ago. This is the sort of thing that makes me never want to complain about trivial aspects of life ever again (I still do).
It is pretty surreal how death affects you. Death in entertainment (hmmm) keeps this vast separation between you and the victim and any real involvement. In real life when you hear about death on the news or hear about an acquaintance’s family member it creeps a little closer to home. When you personally talk to a friend on Wednesday and see their body on Saturday it really throws you for a loop. At least it does me.
Especially within the context of Easter weekend.
On this side of Heaven; death seems vicious, cold, uncaring, and so very permanent. I know my congregation will tell you I was an emotions-full-on preacher on Sunday morning. It’s because my entire sermon revolved around this one weekend in history in which Jesus died to set us free and rose from the grave to show us how to go home… and in the scope of such a mountain-top-valley-low weekend it just couldn’t have hit me harder. I thought I was going to lose it when I talked about Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22 (You have not withheld your son from me). When I held up the invisible knife to illustrate and was thinking about Abraham’s facial expression when he heard the angels call his name; I felt like I was watching it happen… And also I was exhausted and people just get soppy on too little sleep! In many ways it may have been the worst sermon I ever gave; in some ways I bet it was the best. I prayed that He’d just take point and I believe He did.
I had someone tell me that they think I’m a wise person. I said thanks for the encouragement but in my heart I brushed the compliment aside. I don’t really feel very wise. Probably at best I’m just trying to pay attention. God is always moving and speaking and sometimes He’s really clear and precise; sometimes He just sits there with you as you look up at the sky.
I snapped that picture on the way home from paying a speeding ticket this morning… It really seemed like a perfect sky to go with the current hi-lo vibe I’m still rolling with today
Notes and Scripts
At church camp, at youth services, in places where I’ve always felt comfy; I usually preach/teach from outlines and notes as opposed to manuscripts. At Sunday morning worship times I have always written out just about everything. I’m more comfortable in that scenario and enjoy writing/crafting concise thoughts. Last week I think God was messing with me and trying to stretch me a bit and this was what came out. My experiences with Him at the Simply Youth Ministry Conference in Louisville a week earlier definitely had me changing my original plans and thoughts. It was exciting to “Let Go…” and speak on Sunday Morning a little more closely to what I would do on Sunday nights. There is some pretty cool stuff going on in the life of our church. God’s always up to something; sometimes He lets us in on it!
This is what it looked liked (I was also using my iPad for scriptures). Slightly more terrifying with 170 people looking at me; but I loved it! 
- Sketchy 35 minutes…
Will I ever preach from just notes again? I’ll leave that up to Somebody Else…
Back to the Basics in 2012
Here is my article for our monthly church newsletter. I’m working on part two of my Back to the Basics series of sermons to kick off 2012; this article was meant to be a take-home reminder of the message of part one.
……
Back to the Basics: one thing that the new year always brings with it is a great chance to start over; a new calendar with blank days, new options, and exciting opportunities. So take some! You can make a resolutions if you’d like, but I’m thinking something pretty practical is in order.
In my messages this month I want to touch on the idea of getting “back to the basics”. Great things can happen when you tackle deep subjects of the faith and do some honest struggling with the harder facets of our faith; but if we want to really face those moments well; having the basics down is very important (Like reading and knowing our Bibles)! Here are some follow ups to what I mentioned in that first message:
Bible study basics: getting on that reading plan. Here is a list of online resources that I use everyday.
This is one of the best sources out there. If you only check out one of these suggestions try this one! Its all about reading your Bible! And it makes it very easy to keep on track with easy to set up and automated reading plans. Another huge benefit is that you can take it with you.m have a smartphone? Then you can get or you may already have the app simply called “Bible” that is part of YouVersion. Sign up for an account and you can take your reading plans anywhere you go!
This is another great online Bible. It has a great keyword search function that I use all the time.
If you want some college-level study helps and some in-depth articles about the Bible and our faith; check out studylight.org. This is what I would have used to get through Bible College instead of buying 100′s of dollars in software like the professors wanted me to. Which brings me to a great point about all three of these resources;
They are available for the low, low price of absolutely free! If I sound like I’m trying to sell you on something it’s because I am! It’s so important for us to really dig deep together in the scriptures and have a strong foundation as we navigate life together. I think you manage life a lot easier when you are passionate about being a student of the scriptures everyday! Whether you prefer your leather-bound, scribbled-in, printed Bible or your iPhone app doesn’t much matter; but we all need God’s Word in our lives everyday!!!
-Lyle
Yeah I Preached Today…
On doubt. and I thought it went pretty well; if not a little uh… extended. Hope you guys at church liked it and continue to think about how we deal with doubt this week. Honesty with God is so important! Next week I think He wants me to follow up doubt with fear… We’ll see
But what I’m REALLY excited about is Caleb’s promo video for the Chili Supper next week. Check it out; it’s lots of funny!
Mountain Biking
Spent part of my day off yesterday at Alum Creek State Park with some really good friends. I’ve been mountain biking six times now, and I’m starting to learn a few things.
1. PERSPECTIVE. The week’s stress goes away when you’re barreling down a rooty path, dodging trees, crossing skinny bridges, and generally performing a little better than you did last time. Life is messy, busy, and work can get stressful. I’ve been trying a two-fold approach; giving it to God and sweating it out.
2. OUTSIDE. God’s creativity is found all over, but often it takes me getting into the woods to remember it. It could be less being in the woods and more being out-of-town though. I’m not sure, but I love being out there.
3. COMPETITION. I’ve been competitive before; but it’s not really a driving thing for me. But when I’m competing against myself, my fears, and my general clumsiness, I get a lot more satisfaction. Mtn Biking is like that (also, snowboarding). I get to face some fear, some difficult fitness, and some lack of technique, and I feel a little better at it each time I go.
Just a few thoughts. We had an awesome time. Jonathan took a pretty big spill off of a little launch and into a tree, but he’s OK. Chris’ bike was giving him some trouble though – the front wheel was coming off (no big deal right?). The skewer on his front wheel was stripping out somehow. Luckily Tony and Cole were there and they Macgyver’d the wheel back on with some cord. Chris had to ride slowly the rest of the way but it was better than walking all of it. We stopped at Hoggy’s for some wings and a foot-tall burger for Tony.
Good times with good friends.
Ten Tips for Surviving Wilderness Camp
Older teaching area
So I just got back from wilderness camp and I have some things to share with you; some pointers, if you will, on surviving the wilderness. I’ve learned these over the last four years and I’m sure the list will keep on growing.
#10 (I’m starting backwards) – THE RUBBERMAID TUB. It doesn’t matter what the weather is like; everything you take with you will get wet somehow. The only protection from this is to keep your stuff in something that’s moisture-resistant. Rubbermaid tubs do this nicely and hold a lot.
#9 – PACK MORE T-SHIRTS. When you think you’ve packed enough t-shirts for the week, go ahead and put five or six more into the tub. You can recycle shorts easily enough; and if they smell funny, well, they aren’t anywhere near your nose so it’s not a problem.
#8 – DON’T TAKE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO KEEP. It may get muddy, rained on, stepped on, thrown into a campfire, dropped off of a cliff, dropped into a creek full of man-eating crayfish, or carried off by an anything-eating raccoon. It may very well survive the week; but the odds are that at least one of your belongings will go bye-bye for good in the woods. (like my hair, for instance)
#7 – This one goes way back; DON’T THROW YOUR WATCH INTO A CAMPFIRE. Batteries explode, and watch shrapnel can be quite painful. Thank you Jeff Bush.
#6 – CARRY A BIG STICK. Useful for so many things; a big ol’ stick will help you hike longer, help you stay balanced on creek-crossings, and help you at least ‘feel’ a sense of security in light of various woodland creatures that want in your tent.
#5 – AIR MATTRESS. When I was younger; sleeping on the ground was no big deal. Don’t be afraid of the ridicule you may (will) receive by lugging around an air mattress – your back is more important than your pride. As a matter of fact; air pumps may be useful for scaring/annoying students who are sleeping on the ground throughout the week.
#4 – NO FOOD IN TENTS. Raccoons WILL EAT YOUR TENT so they can get to your food. You have been warned.
#3 – A HIGH-QUALITY WATER SHOE. I purchased 10 dollar water shoes at a local shop this year. Never do this. Walking into your bathing area (a rocky creek) in low-quality shoes will hurt your feet; and may land you on your bottom very rapidly; which hurts. If necessary; sacrifice your old Nikes – It’s worth it.
#2 – LOOK DOWN. It’s more fun when you’re a little scared. At Wilderness camp you will be encouraged to all of the things that your mom and dad would never let you do at home. Like jump off of a cliff, climb up and down said cliff, and run and jump off of a platform in a tree above a cliff. Of course; you are strapped into some very expensive equipment and guided by professional stuntmen like Tim Fisher and Caleb White the whole time; so you’re completely safe!
#1 – IF YOU DON’T BATHE IN THE CREEK, EVERYONE WILL KNOW. EVERYONE WILL SMELL YOU. I know that the creek is cold, rocky, and crayfish-ridden. But for the sake of those around you; it’s totally worth the risk.
This list is not exhaustive, nor does it carry with it any guarantees of any kind; but it does relay years of experience in wilderness camping and may prove helpful. What’s really great is that these last two weeks of camp have been awesome! The campers were great; the faculty was great; awesome fun was had, and lives were changed for God. I love camp!
Wheels Night
We tried something new last Sunday night for youth group. The weather was nice and my wife had this great idea; so I totally stole it and invited our students and their families to bring their bikes, skateboards, and any other wheeled contraptions (along with helmets) to church and ride around. It was a lot of fun! Next time I’m going to have the older students take a ride around town so the younger kids can have free reign of the parking lot.
Great night!
Love Wins and Not a Fan
/disclaimer on: This isn’t a stone-throwing or a book review. /disclaimer off
Something occurred to me while I’ve been reading through Kyle Idleman’s Not a Fan. These two books have very little to do with each other on a topical level. On a meta-level, however, they contrast in a very interesting way.
Love Wins, by Rob Bell, I’m sure you’ve heard of. It’s stirred up a hornet’s nest in the Christian community by challenging the church’s understanding of Hell. While reading the book I got the sense that it might be, at it’s core, an open-hearted struggle with difficult Biblical doctrine (i.e; How can a loving God send anyone to Hell?) in order to win more people to Jesus. It seemed, in a way, to be apologizing to the world for the theology of Hell, in an attempt to make Jesus more attractive. Now, that is a nutshell explanation of the general direction of the book, and it doesn’t fully disclose my view of Love Wins because that’s not the purpose of this blurb.
My purpose is to write about how Idleman’s book goes in the exact opposite direction in it’s meta-scope (is that a word?). I’m only on the 6th chapter but I can already see that one overall theme is this: Jesus never watered down Jesus. He didn’t apologize for difficulties; he didn’t pull punches; he didn’t shrink back; he wasn’t seeker-friendly – Jesus spoke truth even when truth might hurt and lose him an audience. Christianity is often “sold” to people on the basis of health, wealth, and easier-living. While it’s true having Jesus will get you through many hard times; it is not true that hard times won’t come. In many ways living a Christian life is HARDER than just living.
It’s interesting to me how these unrelated books go in perfectly opposite directions.
