Rick Nier...Woo!

Quiet. It's been so quiet. For someone who has been in youth ministry for almost 20 years, quiet is not something I am accustomed to. Not at work and not even at home. Because, oh yeah, my own children are exceptional at being loud. Even when I am alone with just one of them, I sometimes have to remind them that I'm not deaf yet....despite growing up on 80's rock. Low-talkers my family is not. So you'll forgive me if I tell you that peace and quiet is not something I have experienced a lot of. And now that it has been exceptionally quiet, I'll admit I'm not sure it's always peaceful. See, I ask a lot of questions in conversations. This is a habit people down't always admire in me. Just ask my teenage daughter, who is simply trying to tell me a little story. But I want the details! Which friend made the comment? What did their face look like when they said that? Where were you standing? It's also how I read the Bible. I read these stories ...

Trust Me. That was the message God gave us. Trust Me. Anything else, God?  *Crickets I mean, God I am trusting you. I took this first step in faith. It wasn't easy. Perhaps you would like to expound further upon what you want me to do, to learn, to experience? Nope. Just. Trust. Me. I'm learning that asking to have more faith or trust in God is akin to asking for more patience. There's only one way to get it, and it's going to take time. So while I am waiting, I have been reading about Moses and the Israelites in the book of Exodus. I knew this would give me both good and bad examples of how to learn to trust in God. The Bad Example: The Israelites In Exodus 19, we learn that their trek from Egypt to Mount Sinai had taken ' exactly two months .' Have you ever considered some of the timeline of the Israelites and their transition from Egypt to the Promised Land? Yeah, we're familiar with the fact that it ended up taking 40 years, due to thei...

Dear Indiana,  I know I've lived here for most of my adult life, so this may seem a bit late in coming. I understand that living in Indiana means loving, or at least tolerating, basketball. Don't get me wrong. I've watched Hoosiers. It's good.  I do love basketball. I enjoy playing it, watching it and even talking about it. I don't root for your teams, but I get the love for this sport.  But there's a few things we need to clear up. You see, my middle school son started playing for one of your teams this year. Needless to say, the experience has only confirmed what I already suspected.  The place in your heart that this sport holds, at least borders on idolatry. I should also mention that I am a youth pastor. So I have watched time and time again as basketball crowds out the space for anything else. I know what lessons can be learned when our sons and our daughters learn to sacrifice and work as part of a team. But I also know the lessons that a...

Hey Rick, remember when you used to post more than just book reviews to your blog? Ummm....yeah? So, what about that? Are you ever going to do that again? What? Are you ever going to blog an original thought again, or are you simply going to review other people's thoughts for us? When you put it like that, it sounds kind of harsh. It's the voices in your head, so you should be used to that by now. Good point. So, stop avoiding the question. Are we ever going to see you blog regularly again? This question leaves so much room for disappointment. In my head, there are 3 groups out there. Those who fear I'll say no and be faced with a blogosphere without my drivel. Those who are scared I'll say yes and be faced with reading more of my drivel.  Those who wonder if a 'yes' from me is only temporary. So I am going to answer with a maybe. I intend to. I have some more thoughts to inflict on share with the world. But if you're looking for a...

“It was a big responsibility,” the 30-year-old admits. “It was very important to represent the character’s physicality in the right way. I was living and breathing ___________. I just wanted to do this right.” I'm leaving the name blank on purpose for a moment. I would like you to consider, just for a second or two, who should be saying this. You may realize the quote is from an actor, but disregard that. I think this should be a quote similar to what Christians say about representing Jesus every single day. I'm not one to keep you waiting. The quote is from Henry Cavill and the blank should read Superman. It was from an article where Henry talked about physically getting ready for the role. Since Superman has often been a Christ-figure in the world of comics, I instantly saw the comparisons. Cavill immediately began work with 300 trainer Mark Twight. He recalls the first meeting, when Twight peppered him with workout questions. “Then he asked, ‘Would you like to u...

Consumerism is our rear view mirror and God is in the blind spot. Confused? So am I because when my dad was teaching me to drive he told me the driver's blind spot was a myth. 'Maniacs on the road just need to learn how to adjust their mirrors.' Regardless of the veracity on that little piece of parental advice, I do believe that our consumer mentality is causing us problems. I listen to sports talk radio and I heard two similar stories this morning that make me wonder if I should have practiced my batting swing more as a kid. A pitcher for the Yankees is talking about opting out of his 90-million dollar contract so he can sign a bigger contract. Another player is asking his team to sign him for a 10-year, $300-million contract. (Excuse me for a moment while I ponder in which pocket to place the dime I just found.) How much do you want? It's not just athletes who crave more. I watch families, including my own, as we take a look at our busy schedules and figure out how w...

Is anyone else out there tired of hearing about resolutions yet? I've already discussed my feeling on resolutions here , here and on New Year's here . Oh my, perhaps I should be tired of writing about this stuff. Nevertheless, with the start of a new year comes the starting over of everything else as well. One of the things I've started over is the Bible. And I'm just Type-A enough to always start at the beginning. So there I was reading the Table of Nations in Genesis 5. This is where we read about guys living into their 900's. (If you thought your grandparents were old at 80, imagine being a teenager and having to travel to see your 700 year old ancestors.) Maybe it's because I just got done listening to teens tell me how bored they were over a 2-week Christmas break, but I started wondering how you spend 900 years on Earth. At first it sounds like a fun idea. After all, you'd be able to finish things like a game of Risk or finish reading War & Peace...

Mondays are notorious for being bad days. Not for me, mind you. Having a flexible schedule, I take Mondays off. Mondays are in my top 10 for favorite days of the week. I sit at home and catch up on ignored tasks from the previous 6 days. Sometimes I scroll through Facebook and laugh at everyone who is dealing with Monday head on. I think people who talk about a 3-day weekend have it wrong. They always argue that we should work Monday through Thursday and then take Friday through Sunday off. That doesn't make any sense. People don't complain about Fridays. Let the world take Mondays off and watch as the world crisis just handle themselves. Yesterday I was at home (because it was Monday) and my 4-year old suddenly asked (around 10:30) if she was going anywhere. When I told her no, she asked if she was sick. Apparently she's already learned that we have to have a reason to get a day off from the normal crazy schedule. And how is it that crazy schedules have become normal? It s...

Busy, busy, busy. Everyone is busy. Always busy. Do you remember when there was a time when it seemed like you had busy seasons but you also had slower seasons? I’m sure I did, but I haven’t had time to go back and see when that was. Now it seems as though busy seasons only lead into other busy seasons. And to trump them all is the SUPER-busy season of fall. I’m wondering if someone looked at the church calendar and had the following conversation. Someone: I have a great idea. Unsuspecting Volunteer: What’s that? Someone: Do you know how school is about to start and days are getting shorter? Unsuspecting Volunteer: Ummm….yeah. Someone: I think we should kick off all of our ministries at once during that same month. And I’m so grateful that you love God and children enough to help me. There’s no out for the unsuspecting volunteer who just had the Love God & Children card played on them. So, with summertime waving goodbye, I give you my top 4 ways not to view this Fall’s ministry sch...