Over the last thirty years I have watched as the church has emphasized and re-emphasized leadership. I think that we may have followed the lead that corporate America has set, as books, tapes, seminars and material have proliferated on this subject. I personally have been called to serve leaders, and I still travel the country training and ministering to leaders. Sometimes I wonder if I am contributing more to a problem, rather than bringing a solution. Let me explain…

Much has been said about the failures of the church being as a result of failure of leadership. I wonder if the failure in the church might be a result of over emphasizing the importance of leadership. I think we have come to the point that we are worshipping leaders and leadership in general. This would be akin to idolatry and God does not tolerate idolatry well at all.

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Its been a few days since I have posted… so here’s an update. 

 I have spent a couple of days with a group of guys in Quincy. These men are  followers of Jesus who are eager to grow. It is so refreshing to talk with guys who are sincere and hungry. Several of them have backgrounds that are not so pretty, and they don’t fit into typical church settings at this time. That makes me wonder about the "Typical Church" in America… I love teaching them the bible… and watching them as they discover and experience Jesus in there lives.

 It was also a joy to spend several hours with a woman who grew up in the Kirksville church. I remember her as a little girl, and watched her grow up through our High School and then the Bible College. She enlightened me about her life, and the changes she has experienced in the past five years. 

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Grandma Bonnie: I miss you…

It was so comforting to know that you were there. Some people may think that time passed you by a long while ago… but I think you had a hold on something beyond time. The truths that you passed on to us were eternal.

How many times did I sit down in your front room after throwing a couple logs in your wood burning stove, only to listen to you talk about your latest musings? It was uncanny how right on your words were. It seemed like you were a prophetess or something. No matter what troubles I had on my mind, you always seemed to know right were I was. Your stories from the past, or the special Ozark retellings of familier bible themes, or words of advice, were always right on the money.

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Each fall the daunting task of educating a generation of children stands before today’s teachers. Each new generation demands that teachers give their highest creativity, utmost talent, extensive time, and individualized attention. Every year’s students are marked with a fresh mixture of cultural experiences, learning styles, and educational strengths. They embark upon our classrooms screaming with expectations that we, the teachers, equip them with the tools that will enable them to reach their hopes and dreams. Basic educational principles and curriculum have been developed and prove reliable tools that meet the needs of most. It is a daunting task that lies before teachers and yet within each year’s mix of children lay another group whose demands may be less noticeable. They are the students who stand just beyond the reach of “normal education”. They are individuals who do not learn in a conventional way and are often unintentionally slighted because of their differing educational needs. Although smaller in number than the average learners per classroom, their demands are just as worthy and require our immediate, active attention. So it is with a student named, Rita.

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And day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. Acts 2:46-47

Fellowship goes far beyond casual conversation at the back of the church on Sunday, and it is much more than lazy afternoon chats over tea. Fellowship penetrates to the depths of the soul, causing us to belong to those we are in fellowship with. The light of this kind of fellowship then shines into the community. They can see that we are for real And they were continually devoting themselves to Fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer, Acts 2:4

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This is a rather simple question, but it merits some thought. The men who originally followed Jesus, did not do so because it was culturally acceptable. Nor did they follow Him because He was a well accepted religious alternative. They did not worship together because going to a ‘Christian’ church service was the normal activity of their society.

They followed Jesus for one simple reason…They believed He was who He said He was. These men were personal friends with Jesus, and they watched Him on a day in and day out basis. Many of them had known Him since he was a small child. They knew of the story of His birth and they grew up around him as young men.

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Foundations are conclusions that guide our decisions and determine our destiny’s! The Bible is the clear record of God’s own conclusions. In this, ‘one of a kind book,’ we learn how the world was made, and why we were created. The Bible reveals, who God is, what God’s will is, and how to have a relationship with Him. Life can often be confusing and shaky, some times it feels like we are walking through an earthquake in the dark. However it may feel, we can be assured that if we have built our lives upon His truth, we will never be left in the dark, and we will never be shaken.

No Double Talk with Jesus

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In some ways the book  of Acts is simply an extension of the gospels. In other words, Acts is a living picture of  the disciples applying the teachings of  Jesus in every day life . When we examine Luke’s writings in both the gospel of Luke and the book of Acts, we see he carefully records the life of Jesus and the Apostles. This is penned by a man committed to accuracy and detail.

Notice his description of the ingathering in Acts 2 :41,42  …“So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles” teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”…  What can we learn from this description from Luke’s pen?

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            August 27, 2006

     I remember standing alone looking down a long, foreboding hallway. The scuffling of my shoes echoed so loudly that it seemed as if firecrackers were exploding with each step. At the end of the hallway I could see just a sliver of light shooting out from under a classroom door. There was my destination. I knew that if I could make it to that door everything would be fine. I had no other option so I set my fears behind me and made a mad dash for the light. The door opened gently just as I reached for the knob. Every apprehension, every fear, and every uncertainty vanished as I found myself scooped up and cradled in the safety of my father’s arms. I had made it.
     At five years old, walking that deserted junior high hallway seemed a daunting task. It wasn’t until I reached the safety of my father’s arms that I looked around and realized there was nothing to fear. Many years have passed and now I find myself teaching a generation that is much like that little girl. Fear, confusion, and aloneness are their constant companions. The process of growing up and making it through school is a daunting task that haunts them each day.  It often seems that there is no one to help. There is no one to provide a light at the end of his or her hallway.
     Today I find myself on the other side of that door at the end of what appears to be a foreboding hallway to many students. I am challenged to reveal the light that will meet their educational needs. The tools I currently have in my possession often fall short of the mark for which I am aiming. I am applying for your master’s program in an effort to sharpened my skills and become more equipped for the task that lies ahead of me.
     Four years of college, teaching experience in seven different classroom settings both public and private, and administrative positions of leadership have brought me to this day, and still I do not find myself adequately equipped to serve the students I see coming. Having worked in alternative education and with special education for the past few years I have witnessed an ever-growing need for expertise in these programs. Many children that find themselves caught in the net of these programs have trouble believing there is a way called of light called success. By completing my master’s degree I hope to be able to serve this generation in such a way as to be a light at the end of their hallway. 

Thank you for considering my application.

Sheryl Youngblood
715 E. Line Street
Kirksville, Missouri   63501

To my great grandma

I can remember the days sitting in your house listening to you talk. You were always telling storys about Jesus and how he loves us. Every time I saw you , you always gave me hope. Even if I didnt get to know you the best, you were still my grandma. You would always be excited every time you saw us, and always made us feel at home.

I came home from a trip to find out the news, and grandma, know I always loved you. I know that your in heaven , and I will see you again some day. You showed me how to follow Jesus, and do whats right through how you lived your life. Even though sometimes i might fall short I know about the mercy seat because of you. Grandma I love you and, I cant wait till I see you again.

miss you tons

Steven  younglood