Tag: ban

  • Fact: Brian Berry Hates Boobies

    It is true. Journey Community Church senior high pastor and NYWC presenter, Brian Berry, hates boobies.

    At least, I know for a fact he hates the “I love boobies” bracelets which are all the rage these days with high school students. I’ve heard his rant about them a few times in person, so I was glad he finally blogged about it so I could use this sensationalistic blog title– I’ve been dying to use it:

    I HATE THE “I LOVE BOOBIES” BRACELETS!!!

    I hate them.

    I’ve pulled them off 10 year-old boys on my soccer teams, called out guys in our high school program for wearing them, and questioned girls who walk proudly with them on- the latest of which was earlier today.

    —

    NO, IT’S NOT ABOUT BREAST CANCER.

    Wake up!

    No 16 year-old dude is wearing a bracelet that says, “I love boobies” because his mom has breast cancer. That guy didn’t do the breast cancer walk or raise money for breast cancer awareness and if you ask him to give you $10 to fight cancer and skip the bracelet, you’d raise no money.  He will happily check your breasts for suspicious lumps however.

    My grandma lost one of her breasts to cancer.  She was a breast cancer survivor.  We constantly teased her for leaving her foam “replacement” boob everywhere. “Grandma you left your boob in the kitchen again”.  I can’t imagine in a million years wearing a bracelet that says, “I love boobies” around my grandma who only had one.  Maybe I should have bought her one that says, “I love boob”.

    I was in vegas this summer for 5 hours on our way to Idaho and asked this teen guy if I could take his pic in circus circus.  Read the location as an intentional pun on this stupid pic.

    Photo courtesy of Brian Berry

    Look… at least he has one that really says it… “I love your boobies”

    Read the rest of his blog post here.

    He has a point. Certainly, they are all over the place and the people raising money are clearly using the word boobies to get boys to buy bracelets which allegedly help raise money for breast cancer research.

    I think this is worth talking about with our students.

    I’m pretty sure that young men and boys just love boobies and enjoy the opportunity to have a reason to declare it publicly.

    Plus, the word “boobies” is fun to say. Just ask my 7 year old.

    My only real thought

    I’m glad Lance Armstrong’s bracelets didn’t say, “I love testes.”

    Now that would be awkward.

  • Why Do Church Leaders Count?

    counting-sheep

    If ministry is about people and not numbers, why do we count people?

    I’ve been going to church a long time. I’ve visited and been a part of probably a dozen churches. Typically, churches count heads either during the offering time or during the sermon of the Sunday morning services. And counting is a big part of everything else that goes on in a church as well. How many in Sunday school, how many at youth group, how many in the choir, how many pastors, how many chairs are unused, how many people cars in the parking lot, how many donuts, how many old ladies, how many envelopes were in the offering… the counting never stops.

    People in churches: I find it devaluing to be counted. If that’s you… communicate to your leaders to stop counting you. When people have to sit on the floors because the preaching or program is so good, we’ll know to give to a building campaign. Until then numbers mean squat. Tell your staff to focus on who does come to church and not how many more they need to reach a goal or propose their next fund raising campaign.

    People on church staffs: Stop counting stuff. Find something better to talk about in your team meetings. If you’re judging everything by a number then you’re judging things by the wrong denominator. I’m all for measuring success and failure. But find a measurement device that isn’t butts in seats or dollars in the plate. Don’t give me that crap about the parable of the 99 sheep. That’s not why you’re counting! Counting heads, cars, envelopes isn’t about finding lost sheep... it’s about ego.

    Admitting that is the first step towards recovery.

    You can have a church that doesn’t count. It’ll work. Trust me. Next time someone asks you how many ____ come to ____, tell them you don’t know.