Get A Room!

I don't know about you, but here at my school, Moody Bible Institute, some of the students are seriously ridiculous. You know those dating high school couples that are so high on hormones and physical touch that its ridiculous? Yeah well I thought I was going to leave those people in high school, but when I came to Moody I realized I was wrong.

I just want to tell a quick story, and then conclude my rant.

So I was standing in line in our cafeteria today, waiting patiently to receive my food when I noticed that this couple in front of me are just all over each other. Immediately I'm just annoyed to death. Not that I'm bitter towards dating couples or anything, but its just disgusting sometimes when you see people that are just constantly all over each other.

Back to the story. So I'm just standing in line, waiting to get my food so I can get away from these lovebirds, (what you are about to read is completely true) when I see the guy stick his spoon up the sleeve of his girlfriend's short sleeve shirt and start rubbing her shoulder with it. NO LIE! I about gagged. The girl of course kept saying "Oh stop it" in her little squirrelly voice, and the guy pulled the spoon out of her shirt and then proceeded to use it.

I realize that the people that I saw doing this could be reading this post right now, and actually I'm hoping that you are reading. If you are reading this, take a lesson from the wise, either get your hormones under control or get a freaking room.

Ok, thats my rant for the day.

P.S. I realize this may seem like nothing to some of you. I know some of you go to or have gone to public or state colleges, and you probably see much worse than this everyday, but here at Moody we have strict rules about PDA and physical touch between couples. Because of these rules couples do everything else possible except kiss, therefore it gets pretty disgusting.

Do you feel the same way I do about this?

Have a nice day

Public Transportation vs. Driving

Today I learned the hard way that traveling by car is not always the easiest nor the fastest. I needed to go to a soccer store here in Chicago and I naturally thought that since I had a car on campus that I should drive there. I know how to get there on the "L" train but I figured driving would be easier, but I was drastically wrong. 

What could've taken me 45 minutes by train instead took me 90 minutes by car. Part of that was because I got directions to the wrong store and when I got there it was closed. So I drove to the one I had been to before which took longer than expected because of traffic. 

When I arrived at my destination I looked at 2 different shoes. I wanted to try on both of them but they only had one of them in my size. So I tried those and didn't like them, but I'm almost sure that I would've liked the other type but they aren't getting another shipment in until next week. 

So I returned from my trip to the soccer store somewhat disappointed. Did I mention it probably cost me a couple bucks in gas and a quarter for a parking meter. But I did learn a valuable lesson. 

Sometimes taking public transportation is easier, faster, and cheaper than driving. 

Who is Your Mentor?

This weekend has been a great one for me. It has allowed me to clear my head, forget about school, and just focus on relationships with the guys around me.

I went on a camping trip this weekend with my dorm floor for the first time in my 3 years of living on the floor. I've never really been that interested in going previously, just because I wasn't really close with any guys on the floor, and the guys that I was close with usually didn't go either, so had just decided against it. But this year I did have some close friends going, so I decided to go as well. And I am really glad that I did.

The trip gave me an opportunity to just relax, but to also come closer with some guys that I was already close with, as well as get to know some guys that I didn't know prior to the trip. God has really been showing me how important it is to have strong male relationships in my life. I have realized this through losing some relationships that I've had previously, as well as gaining some new ones.

Without other guys in my life to keep me accountable, and frankly keep my sane, I would be living a life probably far from God.

I look at my current living situation, in a college dorm, surrounded by Godly men, and I am so thankful for the community I live in. Because I think of friends back home that don't live in a community like I do, and I wonder what kind of accountability they have in their life, if any at all. And if they have none at all, do they even realize that, or are they just living life going throughout everyday, making decisions on their own, without help or advice.

I realize that there are daily decisions that should be made independently, but there are also very crucial and important decisions that need to be made. Decisions that should not be taken lightly, and yet I know guys that don't really consult anyone on these decisions. They don't seek wisdom or advice, they just make decisions based on what they know, and alot of times what they are feeling, and I don't think that is the best thing to do.

I remember in high school I would meet with one of my mentors usually once-a-week just to talk about life, and usually if I had a big decision to make then I would seek advice from them, and over my years here at Moody I have found older guys to fulfill that role, but I think there are alot of guys who don't have this mentor role fulfilled in their life, and they don't know what they're missing.

This semester I've actually not had anyone in that mentor position in my life, and I've definitely missed it. My old roommate graduated last year, and I used to meet with him weekly to talk about life. But thankfully I still have my roommate, Nate, to talk to and to help me through life. And I think he will be a lifelong friend that will always be there, and I think every guy needs that.

It is all about relationships. Relationships with each other. But most importantly, a relationship with God.

Our relationships with each other are just ways to help us in our relationship with God.

Do you have a mentor or friend? Someone to go through life with? Someone with whom you seek wisdom and advice?

If not, I think you should find someone who would be willing to. And the cool thing is that it goes both ways. They help you, and you help them. They may have more experience in one area of life, while you may have more experience than them in another area of life.

It is all about helping each other in order to glorify God and grow closer to Him.

Changing of the PCM

So today is the day...Today is the day that I change my PCM.

For the past 2 years here at Moody I have had the same PCM (Practical Christian Ministry). I have been a Jr. High leader at the Refinery youth group at Calvary Community Church in Schaumburg, IL. I got connected with the Youth Pastor through one of my friends who used to be a former student of his.

Ever since I started as a Jr. High leader I have loved it, and have felt useful and like I'm having an influence on these kid's lives, and helping them grow closer to God. It has been great.

BUT if you are regular reader of my blog then you know that recently I have had a burden for media in the local church. I have really been wanting to get involved in my church here, Park Community Church but just have not had the time to make the commitment. But I have been in contact with one of their media director's, @jasonwidney, and I had been considering possibly switching my PCM to working on the media team at Park, but I wasn't completely sure if it was what I should.

Well, tonight I attended the evening service at Park and I talked to Jason for the first time in person, and asked him if they did PCM's for Moody students, and he said absolutely. So we are going to have coffee this week, and talk more about it.

But I am writing all this to say, that today is when the PCM forms are due, and I am turning mine in and officially changing it, which I am really excited about.

I also emailed the youth pastor that I have been working with, just to let him know what I had been thinking, and he said that I am making a good decision. I told him that I'd like to still be able to come to the Refinery if possible, and he said that'd be great. So hopefully I can make it out there as much as possible, and still keep up with those kids, which would be good.

So I'm excited about what next semester holds as far as my PCM goes. I'm not as much excited about what my classes will hold, considering I have a 7:30am class, OUCH :( but at least I'll still be enjoying my PCM.

Here's to new and exciting PCM's
:)

Should I Change My Twitter Name?

I'm debating on whether or not to change my twitter name to my real name, instead of burno159. burno159 has been my screen name for everything pretty much since middle school. It started out as my AIM screen name, and ever since then I've just used it for every online service that I sign up for.

Right now I have 230 followers on twitter, which I am satisfied with, but I'm wondering if it could be more if I changed my screen name to my real name. The reason I started thinking about this is because I read a blog post "10 Reasons To Use Your Real Name As Your Twitter @Name" and it raised some good points. For example, it is alot easier for people search for you or retweet you if you use your real name. This is definitely true. It is hard for me to remember someone's name if there are numbers following the name. And there are some other great reasons.

So I throw these questions out to you...

Should I change my twitter name to my real name?

Do you use your real name, or another screen name?

memories

Do you ever think about 30 years from now when we are floating around in our electric powered cars, and doing whatever futuristic thing you can think of, do you ever think about when we get on facebook how many tangible memories we are going to have. Or maybe they are less tangible than I think, but at least viewable memories.

At least for me, I'll be able to look back on all my pictures, and videos and just laugh and at the things that we are doing now. Specifically I was thinking about me and my roommate's video blog. I just know that I'm going to watch those videos and just laugh hysterically. Not only videos, but also pictures. Just think about the amount of pictures that we are going to as memories compared to our parents. I know for my parents they didn't take a large amount of pictures in their teen and college years. I've seen some, but not near as many as we are going to have at their age.

I mean, just think about the ridiculous amount of pictures that one can take on a single SD card. It is absolutely astounding. And in this post I've been talking about facebook specifically, but who's to say that facebook will still be around in 30 years. In fact I'll almost bet that it won't, at least in the same form that it is today. And who's to say that we will be surfing the net on these "klunky" computers that we have now. I bet in 30 years there will be ways to buy computers that can be implanted into your head, forget the device, just surf the net with your eyes.

Ok, enough futuristic technology talk. But I write all this to say, make memories now, whether it be pictures, videos, journals, and whatever else you can think of. Cause when you're 50 years old you are sure as heck gonna enjoy lookin back on these times.

flip-flop

Why are some people so fickle?
Maybe its just human nature.
Or maybe its just that some people don't completely think through certain decisions that they are going to make, so they commit to a decision, and then a couple months later they actually start thinking through that decision and realize that "Oh, that is probably not the best decision to make."

Don't get me wrong, I think its great that they eventually realized what they did, but it just really gets me how many times they go back and forth on a decision. So much so, that I think eventually the decision is no longer a big deal, when in all reality it is a big deal.

If people actually thought through things before acting on their instincts I think alot of trouble could be avoided.
Then again, in other situations if people acted more on their instincts then trouble could be avoided also.

I think people need to have discernment as to how to react in certain situations and decisions, and that is when you will learn the most.

The Weekend Update

Just a quick update from this past week and weekend.

Moody Bible Institute finally has a new President. His name is Dr. Paul Nyquist. If you were following my facebook statuses, or twitter on Wednesday you already know that. He has 2 kids here at Moody right now, and I know one of them. Everyone keeps asking me what I think about him, and I just keep saying, "I guess we'll see won't we." I mean it is hard to tell much thus far. The only time I heard him talk was when he gave his acceptance speech, in which he did ask the entire Moody student body to become his friend on facebook. LOL. So I did.

Anyways, other than that it was a pretty uneventful week. Actually, I don't even know what I'm saying right now. LOL. It was uneventful as far as school goes, but I was editing video interviews all week for Moody's Jr./Sr. Banquet which took place on Friday night.

I also worked a catering shift last night. It was my first shift in a year. I just think it's an awesome job when you can not work for a year, still be employed and work a shift a year later.

Me and Nate recorded the 12th episode of The Wheel Seat, which you can watch below. And we talk all about this week's happenings. It's a good one. Check it out.

sports ministry emphasis?

I had an interesting conversation with my roommate Kyle Isabelli tonight as we went on an adventure to buy some Chicago Cubs tickets from a guy in a parking lot. Yeah I know sounds kinda sketch, right? But it turned out to be legit and he got the tickets and we both made it out alive, so thats always good.

So back to the interesting conversation. We started talking about our futures after school. Kyle started talking about his home church (Grace Church) and how big of an emphasis they put on sports ministry. They have several sports leagues that they run almost year-round, and one of their biggest ministries is a Jr. High Upwards basketball league which has about 400 kids. Thats awesome!

The interesting thing is that they don't have a full-time Sports Ministry Pastor on staff, instead they just spread out the different sports ministry responsibilities to different pastors in the church. Apparently this has kept things running pretty well for a while, but Kyle said alot of times it takes away from the other ministries that these pastors are leading, which is not good. A full-time Sports Ministry Pastor would definitely fix this problem, and would most likely add even more to the Sports Ministries at the church.

Then I look at my church and see how what seems like little emphasis they put on sports ministry. I'm not sure how much stuff they do for adults in the church, such as basketball leagues, or other things, but I know its not a huge emphasis. I wonder how many more people we could bring into the church through sports who would otherwise never step foot into a church. I believe that it could be quite a few, and they would get a different perception of what the church is, compared to just coming in on a Sunday morning.

There are so many benefits to having sports ministry in your church. I think Calvary Baptist needs to do more of it.

What kind of an emphasis does your church put on sports ministry?

Do they do sports ministry at all?

Let me know, leave a comment.

I'm trying to get a feel for what other churches are doing in sports ministry.

adapting to the audience

It is interesting to visit different churches and to see how they're services are structured, and how much that structure has to do with the target audience. I just watched a bit of video from a friend's church (Harmony Christian Church) in Georgetown, KY, and apparently the church is bigger than I thought, which is awesome.

I've never heard this friend speak publicly, so initially it was interesting to here how he speaks to his church, but there are just alot of things that are done different in a church like that compared to a church like my home church. The Pastor and my friend, Dean, of Harmony Christian Church wears a t-shirt and jeans while speaking, and starts out his message by just talking to the people. He makes it very personal.

There are alot of things that this church does differently from my home church.

They have a table in the back of the auditorium with Bibles for those people who did not bring their Bibles or do not have one. This table does not exist without first encouragement that the people bring their own Bibles, but it is back there as a secondary resource.

Then there are other things. Much of the setting is very different, and more contemporary.

Many of these things are as such to adapt to the audience, and obviously Harmony Christian's audience is young, so the things that they do will draw that audience into the church.
The audience at my home church is for the most part adult and seniors. Over the past 10 years the audience has become somewhat younger, but the older audience still dominates, and therefore the setting and such must be adapted to suit the audience. But many times I fear that we are completely missing the present generation. And not only the present generation but more importantly those who are lost, or those who have never stepped foot into a church.

I fear that many times the suit and tie scare alot of people away. Not only the dress, but sometimes our attitudes toward people who have never stepped foot into a church, if they wreak of urine will an usher treat them like anyone else who comes into the church?

I hope so, but I can only speak for myself

I've learned alot since living in Chicago for the past 3 years, and it is alot that I will continue to build upon in my future experiences with the church, whether it is at home at Calvary, or here in Chicago, or somewhere else.

A Speechless Easter

Well this past weekend was Easter Sunday and I spent it in somewhat of an unusual way, for me at least. Me and about 10 other guys from my floor and from the soccer team spent the weekend at my rommate Nate's house. It was a great weekend overall. It was very relaxing, and great to hang out with a bunch of my friends. We attended Nate's church on Sunday morning where his dad is the pastor.

I returned to school with thankfully absolutely no academic homework. Although I did have about twelve 5 minute interviews to edit and condense into about 16 minutes. So the deadline for those was today, and I started on them at about 11pm last night, and got them done in about 4 hours, and went to bed at 3am. Not too shabby.

To make this week even better, we are going bowling on Thursday for one of my sports ministry classes, and then on Friday night is JSB (Jr./Sr. Banquet). So it is just going to be an all-around fun week.

Check out our latest episode of The Wheel Seat to see just how much fun we had this Easter

class?

Today was one of the most chill days ever, and the above picture represents how chill it was. And yet it seemed like a very stressed day. The following is literally what I did for the entirety of the day:

- slept in till 10:00am
- went to senior aerobics class (yes you read that right, senior aerobics class, ridiculous)
- lunch
- sat in my room for a couple hours catching up on blogs and such
- soccer
- dinner
- amazing shower
- then just hung out in the room with my roommate Nate
- now I'm sitting in the library with no access to the internet cause Moody's wifi is retarded

I don't know why it has seemed like a stressful day. Probably because I still have to teach an hour long session on Thursday, as well as take an exam by Thursday morning. So I still have lots to do, and the anticipation of that is just killing me.

So anyways, today was also one of those days where I felt like I could literally learn more by sitting in my room rather than going to class.

1. Because it was senior aerobics class
2. One of the bloggers I subscribe to was doing a live interview about his redesign of his blog, and some basic blogging strategies that I found really interesting, but I was only able to watch like 10 minutes of it because I had to go to class. I was really considering skipping, but I decided against it.

I find myself feeling like this many times, and for some of the same reasons. Because I know I'm not gonna get much out of the class, and because I know I could learn something by watching or listening to whatever it is. I can usually find some very useful or informational content somewhere somehow online.

So once again I am frustrated because I feel like I can learn more by not going to class than by going to class. Most of the time I don't think this is true, but every once and a while, I know for a fact that it is true.

O well, I guess this isn't helping my motivation to finish school, lol. So I'm gonna end it here.

the future

Thoughts about the future of my life have been looming in my mind over the past couple months, and especially over the past week. I went on this trip with my Camp Administration class, in which we visited 6 camps and conference centers in Michigan and Wisconsin. I was initially dreading this trip, but it turned out to be surprisingly interesting, and somewhat beneficial.

It was interesting to meet with the Directors of these camps to see how they are being run, and especially in this rough economic time. One of my interests of course was what kind of emphasis these places put on media and how they integrated that into their camp experience. There were some that put almost no emphasis on it, and others who had exclusive staff dedicated to it.

This just caused me to think more about my passions and talents and how I am going to use them in the future. I have a passion for sports ministry and reaching others for Christ through sports, and I also have a passion for media and the integration of it into different ministries and settings. So I am torn between the two.

Of course I know that these two things can be used together for some type of ministry, and I will see more specifically how this can be done this summer in my internship when I am leading soccer camps, as well as shooting and editing promotional videos.

There is also this huge burden that I have had for the local church and how it presents the gospel through media, and specifically in my home church in Kentucky. And I have had the privilege of seeing it done correctly in my church here in Chicago, so there are many ideas that I would like to take back to my church and implement.

Then there is also the desire to create my own startup doing podcasting, videoblogging, and live video. But I'm not sure how real that idea could be.

So all of these things are ideas that have been floating around in my head, and I just can't stop thinking about them, so naturally they come out in my writing on this blog. And they are all updates in the life of Josh Burns.