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Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ...38 39 40 NextKids don’t even know they’re doing it anymore.
Check out this NY Times article featuring the common practices of college students who don’t get it when they’re “caught” because of the ways the digital age is redefining authorship and copyright.
This may or may not be surprising news. It’s something along the lines of outrageous for the average college student to even consider not cheating.
But here’s something else interesting. Anthropologist Susan D. Blum from Notre Dame is exploring what she’s calling a shift in the way we view authorship and originality altogether, and even personhood. The Enlightenment-informed hyper-individualism with which we’re all so familiar (and which spurred the development of such Western standards as copyright law) may be losing strength. The Times quotes Blum as saying:
If you are not so worried about presenting yourself as absolutely unique, then it’s O.K. if you say other people’s words, it’s O.K. if you say things you don’t believe, it’s O.K. if you write papers you couldn’t care less about because they accomplish the task, which is turning something in and getting a grade.
What do you think? Is originality in decline, is plain old cheating getting worse, or is a new “mash-up” normal emerging in which borrowing ideas and words from others is more acceptable? Whether all three of those questions are true or false may be less important than how we talk with kids about the issue. Ask a few teenagers what they think this week, and let us know what they say!
This week I’m reading Eric Michael’s Bryant’s book, Not Like Me and thoroughly enjoying how authentic and Kingdom-minded Eric is in his approach to life and ministry. I’ve gotten to know Eric a bit over the last few years and it’s always good when the person I’ve met matches the person portrayed in the book.
Eric’s got lots of great stories and ideas, but I was especially struck by one of his subheadings in a chapter: proximity equals opportunity. Eric’s heart for people to experience the real Jesus shines through in this passage:
With the world moving into our neighborhoods, we cannot assume that inviting people to church will change their lives. Too often our churches remain less than impressive, and those we invite initially need a reason to decide to go. Getting involved in someone’s life allows us to share our lives honestly with them in a way that gives hope when they feel hopeless. When a friend sees us going through trials while relying on God and our friendships, they are more likely to seek us out when they are struggling. Proximity allows us opportunity for significant conversations.
Eric’s right — it’s not about convincing or arguing that Jesus is the way. It’s simply experiencing that for ourselves.
Myself too.
These days I’m reading Eric Michael Bryant’s book, Not Like Me. Eric oversees the leadership team at Mosaic in Los Angeles, a church known for many things, one of which is its senior pastor, Erwin Raphael McManus. I’ve had coffee with Eric a few times and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know him and understanding his heart for ministry.
In Eric’s book, he covers so many important topics related to ministry in today’s culture – ranging from “Much Sex in the City” (great chapter title) to how to Love our Neighbor.
Eric describes himself as a matchmaker. His church is over 80% single and he enjoys the chance to connect people with each other. And then he takes matchmaking to a new level by writing:
“When you have a good marriage, you want everyone to experience that amazing relationship. The same should be true in our relationship with Christ.”
What a great way of looking at a deeper kind of matchmaking. I’ve never thought of it before but I love how Eric’s heart is grounded in the type of real life – both eternal life as well as a much better life in the present – found through getting to know Jesus.
Well done, Eric. Can’t wait to keep reading.
I LOVE this recent blog by the Harvard Business Review about the importance of friends as well as being generous – being a good friend, being generous to your friends, etc.
I thought these paragraphs about recent research were interesting:
“Researchers conducted three studies. First, they surveyed more than 600 Americans and found that spending money on gifts and charities led to greater happiness than spending money on oneself.
Then they looked at workers who had just received bonuses and found that their happiness was not based on the size of their bonus but on the decision they made about what to do with whatever amount of money they received. Those who spent more of their bonus on others were happier than those who spent the money on themselves.
Finally, the researchers simply gave money to a number of people, instructing some to spend the money on themselves and others to spend the money on others. At the end of the day, the ones who spent money on others were happier.”
In a “me first” culture, let’s encourage kids to build quality, sacrificial, and significant friendships.
I’m not finished yet with Billy Graham’s autobiography, Just As I Am
, but my favorite quote thus far relates to who gets the glory for Billy’s ministry. Billy indeed became a celebrity, meeting with kings and queens, playing golf with U.S. Presidents, hob-knobbing with the wealthy and powerful.
After an amazing crusade in Australia, Billy tells the crowd, “For what has happened in Australia, I want to give the glory and praise to God…I hope you will soon forget about us except to pray for us. When you take pictures and applaud, I know it is from your heart, but you’re applauding the wrong person, you’re taking pictures of the wrong person; I’m here to represent Jesus Christ, the King of kings and the Lord of lords: to Him be the glory and the praise and the honor.”
It’s all about Jesus.
In Just As I Am: The Autobiography of Billy Graham, it is so clear how much he misses his family as he’s gone for weeks, and sometimes months, at a time.
One passage in his book haunts me regarding one of his Los Angeles Crusades while his daughter, Anne, was young. “Ruth’s sister and brother-in-law, Rosa and Don Montgomery, came from New Mexico to join us for the closing week, bringing Anne, who had been staying with them. ‘Whose baby is this?’ I asked when I saw the child in Rosa’s arm, not recognizing my own daughter.”
In other passages of the book, Billy is a wonderful and caring dad and husband. When he was home, he was focused. But his ministry involved so much travel.
If you had to make the choice between the impact of Billy Graham and not recognizing your own daughter, what would you choose? Of course, Billy was trying to be obedient to God’s call, and God’s call on some might involve long time away from family.
I’m so glad that’s not a choice I have to make.
This summer I’m enjoying biographies and autobiographies. I love what I learn and the case studies of amazing leaders’ lives are engrossing.
At the encouragement of a friend, I have been reading Just As I Am: The Autobiography of Billy Graham. It’s a long book – over 700 pages – which matches the enormity of the impact of Billy’s life and ministry.
So many great stories. I’ll be sharing a few in my next blogs.
Billy writes that in the midst of the 1949 multi-week Los Angeles Crusade, “In the final weeks…I often felt too weak to stand at the pulpit, and some of my platform-pacing was necessary to keep myself from toppling over when I stood still…Billie Barrows at the piano worked as hard as any of us, and Lorin Whitney tirelessly played the organ. Ruth herself stayed up long hours each night counseling people. None of us would leave the little counseling tent until every person had been personally talked to” (p. 156).
While I’m not advocating pushing yourself until you drop, what I’m struck by is that Billy and his team (including his wife) stayed until every person had been talked to. He was no “big stage” speaker who did his thing and then went to a comfy room to relax.
I remember hearing about a well-known youth speaker (if I said his name, most of you would know it) who would pick up trash after he finished speaking. Even though he had spoken before thousands, no job was too small.
Again, I’m all for rest, and I’m all for empowering others to do their jobs and use their spiritual gifts, but I love the model of servanthood in the little things from the giants of the faith like Billy Graham.
I’m a fan of the Search Institute. Their 40 Developmental Assets have been very important in the way we think about holistic ministry.
I was interested to see that Best Buy and the Search Institute had joined forces to conduct research summarized in this Teen Voice Report. One of the interesting findings is that 80% of 15 year olds don’t feel like they have enough positive & meaningful relationships with adults, and just 22% feel like they can speak their minds about things that matter to them.
Sometimes it seems like kids don’t want adults around. But they really do. We just need to take time, and as my friend and colleague, Chap Clark, says, “Sit on the steps of their world” and show that we really care.
Yesterday I posted a list of The Top 20 Tips for New Freshman that my friend, April Diaz, and her team at New Song Church in Irvine compiled for their graduating seniors. I love this idea as a simple way to let your graduating seniors know you care about them. As your students are getting ready to head for college, why don’t you ask your volunteer leaders or youth group alumni to shoot you a few tips and then compile them into a list you can send your own kids? April’s group also came up with these “Bonus 19″ tips geared more for fun. Maybe they will spark your thinking…
Bonus FUN Tips to make the most out of college:
- Adding some spinach and eggs to instant ramen makes it a little healthier.
- Get a stapler.
- Pasta is your friend.
- Don’t get a fake ID!
- Take a dance class at the gym with a few friends.
- Red Bull and crazy amounts of caffeine really aren’t your friend.
- Become an expert sandwich maker.
- Wear flip flops in the shower, but not running to class in the rain.
- It’s OK to wear sweats to class (just not smelly, sweaty and dirty ones).
- Always keep an extra sweatshirt in your car.
- Freeze leftovers so you have a quick go-to meal in case of emergencies.
- Always carry gum, candy, or mints in your backpack to prevent you from falling asleep during lectures.
- Own a simple tool set.
- Invest in a bathrobe and waterproof toiletry basket (for all your shower needs).
- Know where the closest supermarket, movie theater, mall, and at least 3 different coffee houses around the area (they get crowded during finals).
- Go to sports games.
- A library is good for reading, research AND naps.
- Take pictures.
- Go to the gym (since it’s most likely the only free gym membership you’ll ever have).
April Diaz, the NextGen pastor at New Song Church in Irvine, is a dear friend of mine and a member of our FYI Advisory Council. Her team had the great idea of compiling tips for their graduating female seniors as they head to college. Whether you’re a parent or a youth leader, you could do the same by asking adults to e.mail or Facebook you with their best tips for kids you care about who are getting ready for college. What a great way to show that graduate you care about them.
Here are the tips from April’s church just to get the ball rolling:
Top 20 Tips for College
- Find a church and a college Christian group within the first week on campus, and commit to being a part of it.
- Having a 3 or 4 day school schedule is great.
- If you can, research the professors before you sign up for their classes. Visit www.ratemyprofessors.com before choosing your classes.
- Some people in your classes will just befriend you for that class (study groups) so try to figure out who’s going to stick around and who’s will forget your name once the final of that class is taken.
- Avoid credit cards like the plague (even if they ARE giving away from t-shirts and Frisbees)! If you want to build your credit history, ask your parents to add them to one of their credit cards.
- Know the campus security number.
- Learn how to take public transportation.
- Serve in your church somewhere. It’ll help build relationships and feel like home away from home.
- Don’t date anyone your first semester. Use that time to find girlfriends.
- Don’t be alone with a boy in a room with closed doors…especially at night.
- Conversations past 11:00pm with guys tend to be more detrimental than beneficial.
- Call home, or someone who reminds you of home, at least once a week.
- Hang out 1on1 with women who have experienced life a little longer than you.
- College only happens once. It’s okay to stay up past your bedtime every so often.
- Ask to hear other people’s stories. Colleges have some of the most diversity in the same place.
- It’s okay to change your major or add one.
- Grades matter more in college. Once your GPA gets low, it’s that much harder to raise it.
- Journal or blog your experience.
- If you study outside of your home late at night, make sure you go with a study buddy.
- It is really possible to never pull an all-nighter if you plan your time well.
…and never forget us!
Come back and visit us on your breaks!
We love you and are cheering for you!!
April, Tracy, Mercy, and Adriane
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