Becoming a Pirate?
I am digressing from my usual philosophical and theological discussion this week; sort of. Many of my blog friends know that Janet and I have just received word that we will be taking up a new appointment in The Salvation Army. We will be at the divisional headquarters in Cleveland, OH. It is more administrative in nature than our current appointment. We are excited and go in the confidence that this is God's will for us. We do admit to some trepidation.
It is not the nature of the work that frightens us necessarily, although we have a pretty big learning curve ahead of us. For me it is a departure from a world in which I am very comfortable. For half of my officership I have been a youth guy. In fact, Janet and I train youth guys now. Our ministry has been to younger adults and kids.
Many of my contemporaries have remarked over the years that I have never really grown up. In fact, I have been called everything from "the world's second oldest teenager" (behind Dick Clark) to a "lost boy," an obvious reference to Peter Pan.
I think the reason for this is that I really enjoy living in youth culture and feeling young about myself and have always wondered why at a certain age people decide you need to grow up. It is not that I am irresponsible and can't be serious. I just love to be, shall we say, young in my thinking. I definitely don't dress like my contemporaries, unless I am in my uniform. In fact, I like many of the bands that my kids like. My oldest son would not let me go with him to a Limp Bizkit concert a few years back. I just wanted to see what the big deal was with this band. Who cares if they did it all for the ........
I have not seen this streak in me as being rebellious. I just want to be a normal guy. I had a kid at youth councils this weekend walk up to me and say, "Thanks for being one of us this weekend." What the heck, I'm 47. He's 17.
One of my proteges (Yes, I did call you that Everett) walked up to me and said, "Don't become a pirate." Huh? He was making a reference to the movie Hook, where Peter Pan (played by Robin Williams) has actually grown up and one of the lost boys looks at him and says, "Peter, you are not a lost boy anymore." The opposite of a lost boy is a pirate.
I see pirates as losing their youthful attitudes and progressive thinking. I see pirates as functionaries who have lost the fun and spontaneity of life. I see pirates as people who take themselves and their positions too seriously. While I know ministry is serious, I often wonder why many leaders (please understand I am not aiming this at anyone in particular and may be making a sweeping generalization)become so set in their ways, conservative in nature and old in their thinking. Some may think it is a maturation process. I think that Satan wants us to be pirates.
Pirates refuse to take risks. Pirates are cautious to protect "their territory." Pirates are often recalcitrant in their attitudes. I am not sure that the Kingdom needs pirates.
I think the Kingdom needs lost boys. I think we need joyous, fun-loving, focused, risk-taking, incredibly energetic leaders for the Kingdom. The Kingdom does need maturity, but it doesn't need to be BORING! I don't want to be a pirate!
I am not saying that all leaders are pirates. I have seen a pirate attitude occasionally in leaders. I am not sure that helps the Kingdom.
So the questions for the day are: How does one not become a pirate? Should we keep a lost boy attitude? Do we take ourselves too seriously?
What do you think?
It is not the nature of the work that frightens us necessarily, although we have a pretty big learning curve ahead of us. For me it is a departure from a world in which I am very comfortable. For half of my officership I have been a youth guy. In fact, Janet and I train youth guys now. Our ministry has been to younger adults and kids.
Many of my contemporaries have remarked over the years that I have never really grown up. In fact, I have been called everything from "the world's second oldest teenager" (behind Dick Clark) to a "lost boy," an obvious reference to Peter Pan.
I think the reason for this is that I really enjoy living in youth culture and feeling young about myself and have always wondered why at a certain age people decide you need to grow up. It is not that I am irresponsible and can't be serious. I just love to be, shall we say, young in my thinking. I definitely don't dress like my contemporaries, unless I am in my uniform. In fact, I like many of the bands that my kids like. My oldest son would not let me go with him to a Limp Bizkit concert a few years back. I just wanted to see what the big deal was with this band. Who cares if they did it all for the ........
I have not seen this streak in me as being rebellious. I just want to be a normal guy. I had a kid at youth councils this weekend walk up to me and say, "Thanks for being one of us this weekend." What the heck, I'm 47. He's 17.
One of my proteges (Yes, I did call you that Everett) walked up to me and said, "Don't become a pirate." Huh? He was making a reference to the movie Hook, where Peter Pan (played by Robin Williams) has actually grown up and one of the lost boys looks at him and says, "Peter, you are not a lost boy anymore." The opposite of a lost boy is a pirate.
I see pirates as losing their youthful attitudes and progressive thinking. I see pirates as functionaries who have lost the fun and spontaneity of life. I see pirates as people who take themselves and their positions too seriously. While I know ministry is serious, I often wonder why many leaders (please understand I am not aiming this at anyone in particular and may be making a sweeping generalization)become so set in their ways, conservative in nature and old in their thinking. Some may think it is a maturation process. I think that Satan wants us to be pirates.
Pirates refuse to take risks. Pirates are cautious to protect "their territory." Pirates are often recalcitrant in their attitudes. I am not sure that the Kingdom needs pirates.
I think the Kingdom needs lost boys. I think we need joyous, fun-loving, focused, risk-taking, incredibly energetic leaders for the Kingdom. The Kingdom does need maturity, but it doesn't need to be BORING! I don't want to be a pirate!
I am not saying that all leaders are pirates. I have seen a pirate attitude occasionally in leaders. I am not sure that helps the Kingdom.
So the questions for the day are: How does one not become a pirate? Should we keep a lost boy attitude? Do we take ourselves too seriously?
What do you think?
posted by Larry at 7:43 AM
20 Comments:
I have to think on this...
But for now all I have to say is...
ARRRGHHHHH! Sorry, couldn't resist. Later, old man! (Couldn't resist that either.)
Larry,
Thanks for a great weekend of ministry with your crew.
I don't see how this relates. I understand that your new position with probably be placing you in a different role, but I don't think that as a lost boy you ever really lose that. If you did, maybe you weren't a lost boy to begin with.
I see it different. Thank God you will be taking on this new position. You will now be a position to influence policy(in a way) from your new office. And that could translate into others benefiting from your lost boy approach.
I know for me as a Corps Officer, I would appreciate being under your leadership because you carry on such a burden for today's generation. Eventhough you may have a different title, it won't change who you really are.
Hi Larry,
I think this is a really important point for anyone in leadership - it's the danger of forgetting to have the 'faith of a child.'
This is remarkably different from simple immaturity. It has to do with what I like to call "PLAYFUL (or LUDIC) THEOLOGY" or "PLAYFUL SPIRITUALITY."
I think that the Pirate mentality comes with the temptation to cease being playful - i.e. ceasing to be negotiative, experimental, risk-taking etc. The early Salvation Army recognized the importance of embracing a LUDIC salvationism. They had a willingness to embrace their missional identity with a spirit of wonder, imagination and flexibility.
In today's world, we need people in leadership who have this mindset - and you're going to be a wonderful advocate for this holy, spirit-filled playful minset in your new position.
I'm looking forward to seeing the blessing of your ministry in NEOSA, but we'll greatly miss you here at 117.
Steve
PS - For my thoughts on Larry and Janet's farewell see:
http://stevebussey.blogspot.com/2006/05/sad-news-larry-and-janet-ashcraft.html
Larry,
stay a lost boy forever! Pirates don't seem to know how to have fun, and the only time they do it usually ends up in tying someone to a pole, or making them walk the plank. Besides, the lost boys get to wear coon skins and fly and stuff!
May that same vitality and sense of adventure flow into your new position. Grace!
First I want to tell you how much I love this post! It is the FIRST post that I didn't have to read anything twice or even three times to understand!
People should NOT have pirate attitudes. Lets be real, if someone had a pirate attitude like a corps officer. As a young person, or older person, would you really want to open up to that person and build a relationship with them? I wouldn't! Nobody wants a boring leader!
We need people like you! Young at heart people! Energetic, fun-loving people. Who can be mature but can also be fun. People that we (youth) can feel comfortable to joke with but to also have deep conversations with. You fit this perfectly! Your awesome! And I'm sure you will do great in your new appointment!
much love and prayers,
Allison
Lost boys are irresponsible... pirates are dangerous. Find a balance! :-)
For me, becoming a pirate is tempting when I'm tired and the world seems to require far too much energy of me. It's EASIER to be a living fossil, stuck in one's ways.
But God gave me an ear that almost always hears him laughing... at me!
Not to put down all THQs and DHQs, but I think it would be nice to have a few more lost-boys in the offices replacing pirates. The 'adults' sometimes need someone to go to to better understand this culture.
As far as being a leader and being a lost boy. Peter Pan did it. So why not. You can be young and culturally relevant while still being in an authoratative position.
Cheers, long live peter pan.
Peter (Canada)
www.lublink.ca
Can we please keep this in perspective lest Larry get his hopes built up and get the wrong impression. Larry, you’re moving to Cleveland. Cleveland is the place where God would stick the hose if he ever decided to give the world an enema. It sits on the coast of one of the most disease infested lakes on the planet. They frequently have to close it off to swimmers lest the algae and other varmints eat people alive. Other than the Rock ‘n’ Roll hall of fame and Lebron James, Cleveland is void of anything that might be considered “interesting”. And, to top it all off, Cleveland is surrounded by Ohio. Ohio is one of those words used to describe anything that is drab and boring. “Geez, this place sucks.” “I know, it reminds me of Ohio.” In fact, I was just in Holland and, sure enough, found myself saying to the driver, “This looks a lot like Ohio.” And I didn’t mean that in a good way. Look at the name and team colors of their NFL team. “What should our team colors be?” “How ‘bout brown?” “What should we name them?” “How ‘bout the browns?” “Sounds good.” Is there anything more drab than brown? And yet, is there anything that better sums up this city and state? No, not really.
And so Larry, I wish your stay in purgatory a short one. And to the rest of you, if you’re looking for a good gift for Larry over the next few years, you might consider a Blockbuster gift card. Something tells me he’ll be wanting to stay in a lot.
Steelers, 2006 Super Bowl Champions…and go ahead and mark us down for 07 as well!
ouch! That's a little harsh Tim!
Tim,
Leave it to you to give a comment that is not only dripping with untrue statements, but it is like the pot calling the kettle black.
Those of us who have been to Oklahoma know that it is flat, dusty and covered with cow dung. By the way, what bowl did the Sooners go to? Did they really beat anyone? Of course the Buckeyes won another BCS game. Oh and where did the Sooners basketball coach go....Indiana, just to be close to Ohio.
And really what is there to do in Pittsburgh? Maybe you have a football team. Talking about being on disease-infested water, what the heck. Have you actually smelled those rivers?
You are a lost boy!!!!
Oh, I won't even touch the Ohio/Cleveland stuff - we left the East coast 16 years ago and haven't regretted it one bit. So welcome, Larry and Janet. As for the lost boy/pirate issue, you sense the danger, don't you? I've seen it so often - people who are innovative, ever-questioning, and cool come to a point in officership where they seemingly join the other side and surrender to the establishment. What you need to recognize about Cleveland is that we like lost boys! Maturing in faith, Fowler would suggest, means being able to hold the tensions of both/and, acknowledging the paradoxes, etc. And so in a sense, you will probably be both lost boy and pirate, bringing truth to power, finding ways to mediate between what has been and what can be. We're so glad you're coming!
JoAnn,
Thanks for the encouragement. Growing up in Ohio and spending the first few years of our officership there, we know and love the land. Leaving some great relationships and our boys here will be tough. I am glad someone made some sense in their post. I often wonder about my friend Tim
loved this post.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
So I’m at church today and, during the service, our CO is interviewing children to see what they want to be when they grow up. Each child gives the typical answers until, that is, he reaches one small girl who couldn’t have been older than five. David leans down with the microphone and asks, “And what would you like to be when you grow up?” to which the little girl leans into the mic and says, “a teenager”. : ) And I thought, “that’s what I wanted to be when I grew up too!” : ) Guess we made it Larry!
I tried out for the Pirates but didn't make it. I hear there is a lost boy team. Is that true?
Blue,
They are called the Reds.
For all us women in ministry, our choices are this...Wendy or Tinker Bell. LOL!
Great post Larry. Never stop being who you are.
Lost Boy.... haha! I don't know a man of God who knows who he is quite as much as you do Larry McAshcraft! You lost? Hardly! You a boy? You betcha! You are true to the calling of God in your life. I love the the Lost Boy idea, I think it relates to us all, irrespective of our area of ministry; so this one is a wee bit more applicable to you 'cause you ARE the world's oldest teenager; but if we were all truly childlike in our walk then we would be accepting the calling on our lives as the Children of God.
Piracy is the pillaging of another’s wealth. Lost Boys simply “were.” The only time they stepped up to battle was to protect what was rightly theirs. They lived peacefully, they lived just to be with one another, (it would be nice if this was an image of the church?) just to enjoy time with one another, only stepping up to battle when they were being threatened. They were governed by Peter Pan, when He had to leave; Rufio became the “King.” The allegiance of the boys was split, but when the Pan returned, all eventually saw Him as their rightful King, and fell into submission to Him, even Rufio.
Sound a familiar story? (Cheesy I know, but someone taught me to find a deeper meaning in everything…)
And so to Pan, who is Jesus, King of the Lost Boys…and Girls!
Post a Comment
<< Home