Just two short days ago Pastor “Bobby Warren Wright” showed up at the church reporting for ministry work and bringing a book to our Children’s Guy Sethand explained that our staff was reading this book and when he was done with it he was to pass it on to the next “fast reader”.  Seth in turn asked “Bobby Warren” how long we had to read the book?  Following the question “Mr. 4.0″ Bobby Warren replied, “Well I just read it last night.”  I was like holy crap, that’s a 300 page book, how did you do that?  Never in my life have I ever read a book in one day.  Unless, of course it is one of Kennedy’s Night Night books or one of those “Skinny Books” you take home in decorated Pringles cans every night while in Kindergarten.

I was blown away and proceeded to let Seth know I am not a “Fast Reader” and to give me the book last because my reading speed is about as fast as AOL Dial-Up Internet runs these days and it would take me at least 3 weeks of reading in four hours increments each day to complete that book. 

I really want to be a reader, I really do, but for some strange reason I usually get to page 83 and then call it quits.  It is like page 83 is my cut off point, I just run into an imaginary ending of the book and call it a day.  I must have a phobia of page 84’s, but of course I let everyone know, “Oh yeah, I read that book before, it’s pretty good, I really enjoyed those first 83 pages, they were delightful.”

Well guess what happened today!?  That’s right, you better believe it!  I read an entirebook from beginning to end and all in one day.  Now, its not the 300 page book we are passing around at the Church Staff, but it is a book I have been wanting to read the last month or two.  It’s longer than 83 pages, not a Kennedy NightyNight book, or in a Pringles can and its not a book for College (because I am finished finally).  It is called Crazy Love by Francis Chan and it is awesome.  Check out the CrazyLove website for more info on it and go out, pick it up and read it.  Trust me, if I can read it (Mr. p83), then pretty much anyone can read it, 1st grade reading level, 4.0 seminary degree level, blind or 20/20 vision, anyone.  Go pick it up and put it in your reading plans for this year. 

And if you don’t like the book, bring it to me and I will frame it and hang it in my office, with a little gold engraved thingy on it that states “The Book That Helped BumpVan Hook III’s Reading Level to 6th Grade”

I feel smart, and tired.

Goodnight Internet, I’m Outie-Five Thousand

Ode to the year 2003.  Two-Thousand & three, the year of completion for my High School career.  2003 the year our family car the wonderful Corey the Toyota Corolla was manufactured and sold.  2003 the year the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Oakland Raiders to become Super Bowl Champions (hope this years is an actual game).  2003 the other Florida team in that other professional sports league, the MLB “Major League Baseball” won the World Series, the Florida Marlins defeated the New York (I steal every one’s good players because theycannot develope their own young talent and theyhave one-gajillion dollars to spend on whatever they want)Yankees 4 games to 2.  Also in 2003 two huge events began, one being the war in Iraq and the other was the beginning of my College career, and strangely enough it looks as though both of those events may be ending in 2009.  Well, even if the war does not end in this coming year of 2009 I do know one thing will for sure be drawing to a close, this third year Senior (me) will finally be graduating from the fine institute known as Johnson (not Johnson’s) but Johnson, Bible College. 

It really hit me this evening while I was crashing in the dorms with my old roomate participating in cerealfest 09′, hanging out with other seniors on the hall who were all freshman in High School during my freshman year of College and freshman in College during my first term as a senior in College and on top of all that, hearing the phrase ”Dang Chuck you are still here?” come out of the mouth of Dave Leg the campus Dorm Daddy for the guys, I knew the end of a prolonged College career had finally come.  It only took my wife four years to graduate the first time, and then just to show me up she completes her Masters Degree in another year, five years total.  Oh yeah and to top it all off she was pregnant and had our beautiful baby girl all during that Masters year.  (there are no hard feelings about this, despite how this may sound.  I am very very proud and honored to be married to a smart Teacher Ed girl) 

Here is to the year 2003 the beginning of a great career, and to 2009 the end of a six year adventure towards a BS (Bachelor of Science) degree in Youth Ministry.  Mom, Dad you guys have got to be so proud. 

Good Night All,

We all have those moments in our lives that we look back on and wonder, What If? What if I didn’t blurt out that 4 letter word when my toenail got broke off by an opening door? What if I didn’t build a 5 foot tall ramp of snow and try to jump it to impress a girl? What if I shut my mouth instead of calling a man of God “Baldhead”? (reference 2 Kings 2:23-25) What if I hadn’t eaten six cheesy double beef burritos twelve minutes after completing a 21 day fast? What If?

Over the past two weeks this “What If?” question has been the focal point of our teaching and discussion with our Jr. High students. Because let’s face it, outside of John McCain and his presidential campaign team I believe Jr. High students today deal with this question more frequently than any other group of people on the planet, besides Sr. High students and College students. So, I guess what I am really saying is that in general, students of all ages deal with “What If?” on a pretty regular basis. Anywho.

Many times though, we focus on the “What Ifs?” in the wrong context. We focus on the “What Ifs?” of our past, placing all the emphasis on questions and circumstances that have come and gone with no chance of reversing the decisions we have made. The “What Ifs?” of our past are exactly that, IN THE PAST! Yes, we can gripe and moan or dwell on our past if we want, or we can accept that Christ’s blood covers those “What Ifs?” and we can turn our attention to the “What Ifs?” of our future. And I’m not talking about all the future “I’m an idiot” what ifs, but instead, we need to look to the “What If Possibilities” out ahead of us.

Over the next few weeks our Jr. High students will be focusing on 1 Timothy 4:12 “Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you teach, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.” This verse is perfect for everyone, especially Jr. High students because it is so jammed pack with “What If Possibilities”. What if I set the example? What if iSpeak? What if iLive? What if iLove? What if iBelieve? What if iPurify? What if I do all these things? What if wii as a Jr. High Student Ministry do these things? Then, wii will become, 412! Then, wii will speak! Then, wii will live! Then, wii will love! Then, wii will believe! Then, we will purify! Then, wii will become The Net, the Kingdom of Heaven, a fishing net thrown into the water gathering fish of EVERY kind.

This is where my Glorious God is taking this ministry, this is His ministry, His students, His leaders, I am His vessel. May all the glory be unto Him, the Great I Am, my God.

Pray us up, these students are hurting, help us cover them.

Lord continue to lead and continue to allow me to follow.

Van Hook III Strikes-n- I’m Out

What’s up blogging world, it is stupendous to be back and return to the swing of things around the Ol’ ministry setting once again. This past Wednesday Night we fired up our S.W.A.T. services for the spring semester and this evening we kicked off our first week of our Jr. High Bible Study called “Word Up!” If you know me very well at all you know the phrases “Word!” or “Word Up!” are of quite frequentuality (this is a made up tense of a combination of the words frequent and frequently AKA the educational part of my blog post today) in my vocabulary. To some, these phrases may seem a tad bit outdated or overused, but, I enjoy them and do not need to seek permission or get an endorsement from anyone to use them, so embrace it and love it.

Any-who, over Christmas break God did some incredible things in my life and has given me some superb insights and direction for our Jr. High ministry here at the Gathering, one of those insights and direction happens to be our “Word Up!” bible study.

It all began with some over dramatic, Jerry Springer-esk reality show moments which consisted of a group of enraged, minorly intoxicated folks shouting, throwing lawn furniture and using brash language followed by long beeps from the family sensors all while being restrained by their “Boys” and dancing to Soulja Boy. The shouting match continued for a few more moments and then ended with the phrase “You need to man up bro!!” being shouted back and forth from one side of the television screen to the other.

That’s when it hit me and God opened my eyes to something. In our culture today we are so quickly encouraged to “man up” or “belly up” to show our authority and prove something when really our culture needs to simply take a moment and, “Word Up!” It blows my mind how little of the Word of God we know these days. Over the past six months I have seen students who are in church every week, two and three times a week who cannot recite a verse of God’s Word. Over this last year our Pastor has been praying we, as a church body, would fall in love with the Word of God, the staff has been praying that we, as a staff, would fall in love with God’s Word, and I have been praying that my family would fall in love with the Word of God. And as a direct result of those prayers, I see a change in myself and how I love the Word, I see a great change in my wife and how she loves the Word, I see the culture in the church body changing to a loving desire of God’s Word. Now, I am ready to sit back and watch my God do a great work in these Jr. High students, I cannot wait to witness these students falling in love with the Word of God right before my own eyes. I pray God continue to allow me to walk with Him and His Word and be an example to these students of a man willing to “Word Up!” and love the Good Book.

For those interested “Word Up!” meets each Saturday night during the 5:00 p.m. service in the little 15×12 foot room across the hall from Mrs. Melissa’s preschool class. We packed it out tonight, let’s keep it rollin’ next week!

Also, “Word Up!” is a Bible Study, we read and Study the Bible, therefore, it would be very intellectual of those participating to bring a Bible, so we can study the Bible and what the Bible says.

God is good, I am blessed, thank you Lord for this privilege.

outie 5

Okay, so today starts a new year, my third year of marriage, my ninth month of fatherhood, and my sixth month of Junior High Ministry. 2009 is going to be an incredible year and this year I am going to make yet another New Year’s Resolution, and this time I should be able to keep it. I truely enjoy writting on this blog, for years I was “that guy” making fun of all the Blogger Geeks and internet nerds who spent their entire days online writting meaningless blogs about thier lives and work. Over the past year blogging and reading other’s blogs has really helped me out with many-a-things in my everyday life, ministry areas as well as with my spiritual walk. Therefore I am really going to strive to make this blog fun and eventful, as well as educational and inspirational. So there is my new New Year’s Resolution, to make this site a constant stop on countless folk’s daily journeys around the internet, to lighten the days of those who are in a funk, shed some spiritual wisdom and some of the little bits of intellect I posses as well as keep open lines of communication with my Jr. High peeps and their parents. Be on the look out for more consistant posts and more crazy stories.
Love you all, thanks for reading this little blog, and remember it is nice to read any comments you all have so please let me have em.

outie 5