A New Online Address

While this blog has never been popular or achieved an avid readership (and probably never will), it is still really important to me. I've been blogging here since 2006 and, as of today, I have written 457 posts. As I say on the sidebar of my the site, I'm trying to figure out how to love God and neighbor well, and the process of blogging has been helpful along the journey. At times I have blogged almost daily, while in other seasons I have been more of a weekly writer.

For quite some time I have thought about acquiring a new domain name for my site. There is just something a little tacky about having to say and type the .blogspot.com name. So today I finally pulled the trigger and bought the domain name jasonbowker.com. It will be better and more succinct to be able to tell people about my website with this new name. I realize this changes nothing for you, and really is probably not interesting to you, but I was excited to finally make this change so I thought I would share the news with you.

A Needed Change of Pace

I've now been back in Montana for about 2 months and my life is really different. I've gone from being a stay-at-home dad to a full-time, working parent overnight. I've gone from volunteer ministry to full-time ministry. And I've gone from having lots of great friends to basically having none.

But one of the greatest changes I am experiencing is a dramatic change in my pace of life. Over the past few months I have been rudely reminded of two truths: 1) people in Montana move at a slower pace than other places in the country and 2) I've developed a rather hurried, rude, and impatient posture toward life.

In regard to the first, we Montanans just seem to move and act at a slightly slower pace than other places (especially big cities like Seattle). This is a not negative thing and I actually really appreciate the slower and more thoughtful rhythm of life that I am once again experiencing. But I'm just having to adjust to this slower pace.

I've become rushed. I'm impatient with other drivers. My fast food just doesn't come fast enough. That slow person in front of me in line at the grocery store just needs to hurry up. It's sick! I need to make an adjustment and learn to slow down, enjoy life, and avoid getting frustrated with others. As it is with the 12-step programs, I'm hopeful that admitting I have a problem is the first step toward recovery.

Hello. My name is Jason and I'm an impatient jerk!

A Different Blog for Lent

Of late I have not exactly been a consistent blogger here on this site, but I will most likely be especially absent from here over the next 40 days. I have started a new blog, with my friend and co-worker Gary, to document our journey through Lent. Gary and I will be reading through all four gospels throughout the 40 days of Lent and will be journaling about our thoughts and questions. Here is the blog:

Our Journey Through Lent

I invite you to frequently visit that site during the next few months as we journey through Lent and await the death and resurrection of Jesus. You can also find a reading guide on that site so that you can join is in this adventure.

A Few Words About My New Job

The Rock Youth Center

I realized recently that, while I have probably informed you about my new job and my family's subsequent move to Bozeman, Montana, I have never really given any details about the nature of my job. What do I do? Where do I work? With whom do I work? How did this job come about? So, here goes...

Ironically, I first heard of this new job on Labor Day. As I was heading to my fantasy football draft I received a phone call from an old friend and colleague named Gary Cook. Gary informed me that he was looking to fill his assistant director position at The Rock Youth Center and was wondering if I would be interested in interviewing for the job. I was initially hesitant. While I knew Gary would be a good boss and the job would assuredly be fun, I was wary about returning to the world of youth ministry. I was presently pursuing the path of ordination and was en route for jobs as a senior pastor.

I told Gary I would think about it, but not to hold his breath. 

As I thought about it more, however, and conversed with Gary again, he began to win me over. He made it clear that the church/youth center would like to fly me, Mandy, and Zoe out to Bozeman for an interview. Mandy and I had begun to sense that this might be the right fit for us, so we agreed to the interview. During the course of our 4 or 5 days in Bozeman, we were convinced that this was the direction that we were meant to take with our lives. We spent time with Gary at The Rock and Pastor Jay Smith at the church and were confident that this was the right decision.

We were moving to Bozeman.

I officially began at The Rock on Monday, January 7, so today marked the beginning of my fourth week of work. I am technically the Associate Pastor for Students and Community at First Baptist Church, but many of my hours are spent doing work as the Assistant Director at The Rock Youth Center. For now, I am concentrating on my work at the youth center, but as times goes on I will have the opportunity to be increasingly involved at the church.

Like any new job, the first few weeks have been a slow process of learning about how things operate at The Rock, getting my work space in order, and taking care of important, yet menial, tasks like signing a contract, doing health insurance paperwork, and getting on the company credit cards. I have also been getting to know the students, our volunteers, the members at the church, and some of the other youth pastors in Bozeman. But now, as I am beginning to settle into my role, my boss, Gary, and I are beginning to dream about the future of The Rock -- the next chapter in its history. In the immediate future, we are planning to host more regular special events at The Rock that might attract a more diverse crowd of students. Our first event will be an Open-Mic Night in a few weeks. On a more long-term level, Gary and I are beginning to discuss the possibility of First Baptist Church finally having its own youth ministry.

It's been so nice to dream again.

As you can imagine, I am incredibly excited and passionate about the job in which I've found myself. Both the church and the youth center are at pivotal points in their histories where they have the opportunity to envision and create new and glorious futures. I'm glad to be along for the ride and a part of the process. I'll keep you informed about how the dreams are unfolding.

I Resolve To...

On this first day of 2013, it seems appropriate to write about my goals and resolutions for the year. Last year I had about 5 or 6 things I was hoping to accomplish, but was relatively unsuccessful at bringing them to completion. Let's hope for a little more resolve this year. So, without further ado, here are the things I hope to be about in the coming 12 months.
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1.  Be creative

Having been away from full-time vocational ministry for while, I am both excited and nervous to jump back in. I can sometimes error too much on the side of practicality, so, as I begin my new job, I want to stay open to the creative process. I don't know my new colleagues that well yet, but it seems like they are dreamers and visionaries, and I am excited to dream with them about how God's beautiful Kingdom might burst forth with good news for the people of Bozeman.

2.  Embed myself in the Bozeman community

I believe strongly in the importance of place, so with Bozeman becoming our new place, I want to invest fully in knowing and loving this new place. I want to participate in its activities, understand its ethos, and love its people.

3.  Buy a house

Mandy and I have been pretty transient over our 8 years of marriage and while its been a fun and exciting journey, we are very ready to plant some roots and stay for a while. We are planning to meet with the bank and a realtor soon and start the daunting task of purchasing a home. So sweet!

4.  Make some good friends

The hardest thing about leaving Seattle was leaving our friends. We made some AMAZING friends during our 5 years there and were so sad to say goodbye. While these friends will never be replaceable, we are hopeful that we will meet some similarly life-giving friends in Bozeman over the next year. Hopefully we will quickly connect with people of all ages, but especially young families who are sharing our current life-stage and have kids that are Zoe's age.

5.  Read 12 books

This was one of my goals from last year that I actually completed, but I wanted to throw it on the list again this year. Many of my books last year were about the birth process or parenting, so I am excited to read more ministry-related books this year.

6.  Develop rhythmic spiritual practices as a family

Zoe is about to reach the age where she would be able to participate in some spiritual activities, so Mandy and I are going to try to develop and commit to an ongoing way of life where Zoe can learn about the way of Jesus and start to be shaped into a follower of the Way.
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I'm sure I'll be writing plenty about these goals throughout the year, so I'll let you know how I'm staying true to my resolutions. Happy new year everyone and here's to a great 2013.

Thoughts on Thirty, Part 3

As you undoubtedly know by now, I recently turned 30 and have been blogging about some thoughts I've had regarding this landmark. My first post was a reflection on the personal changes I've experienced over the past decade, while the second post was an exploration of the nature and function of my 20s and an anticipation of what is to come in my 30s. In the final part of this series, I will further examine my closing statement from the previous post: that I am hoping to continue living a fun, adventurous life as I commit to planting semi-permanent roots with my family, friends, church, neighborhood, and city over the next 10 years.

I never want to be boring.

This was my greatest fear in becoming a parent. Call me selfish for caring about myself, but I don't care. I wasn't overly worried about being a good dad. I wasn't terribly concerned about continuing to be a good husband. Perhaps I'm a bit too self-assured, but I was confident in my parenting and husbanding abilities. But what really freaked me out was the idea that settling down, having a child, working a full-time job again, and buying a house would turn me into a monotonous drone of a human. While all these things are inherently wonderful and mean the world to me, I was worried about 'gaining the world but losing my soul.' Mandy and I had lived an exciting life throughout our twenties and I didn't want to lose that sense of thrill and passion. We had lived well, an abundant life, and I did not want to sacrifice this in the process of raising a child.

Can I find a way to BOTH plant roots AND be adventurous and always-changing?

I'm not totally sure I can answer this question yet. I know the answer is yes, but I'm not sure what the adventure will look like in this new phase of our lives. Ask me in a decade and I should have a better idea. But for now, I know for sure that I am blessed to have had the experiences I've had and I'm so grateful to have had wonderful people alongside of me on the journey. I have the most amazing friends in Montana, South Dakota, and Washington, I have an incredibly supportive family, and most of all, I am married to my best friend and have an unimaginably special daughter. Life is good - and I don't think that is changing anytime soon.

Thoughts on Thirty, Part 2

If you happen to number in my miniscule readership, you know that I both turned 30 years old this past week and am in the midst of a 3-part blog series about this milestone in my life. In the first installment I discussed the idea that the 20-year-old version of myself would probably not recognize the 30-year-old version of myself...and that I'm both okay with that and am hopeful that I continue to change and grow so significantly that the 30-year-old version of myself would not recognize the 40-year-old version.

The second thought I have been pondering for the past week is about the role and nature of the past decade (my 20s) and the future decade (my 30s). As I've reflected, it seems that my 20s were a time of finding my own individual identity. I was finding myself. I was figuring out who I am. I was discovering who is important to me, what I am passionate about, and how I will spend the remainder of my life. I went to school, I found my vocational calling, I fell in love, I went to more school, I traveled a lot, I tried new things, I lived in some cool places. In short, my 20s were an experiment in living.

So if this past decade was an era of exploring my individual identity, it seems like the next decade will be one of exploring my communal identity. As I have come to some conclusions about who I am with myself, I now feel ready to finally search for who I am with others. Who am I with my family (when I see them much more often)? Who am I in a church (when we aren't planning to leave anytime soon)? Who am I in a neighborhood (when we finally own a home and aren't moving each year)? Who am I (especially with others) over the long-haul? Who will I be year-in-and-year-out? The process of moving back to Montana and beginning to finally put down roots is affording me the chance to dive into relationship in a way that I never have before. And I couldn't be more excited.

The experimental decade I have recently departed was full of life and love and adventure, but was not a sustainable lifestyle. The question is will I be able to continue an adventurous life as I transition into this new, sustainable, consistent, and communal way of living? I think the answer to that question is 'yes,' and I'm excited to figure out how.

Thoughts on Thirty, Part 1

Just two days ago I found my way across the invisible threshold from my 20's to my 30's. In anticipating my 30th birthday, I assumed I would feel no different upon reaching this milestone, that this birthday would feel insignificant and common, no more important than any other previous birthday. But I was wrong.

Turning 30 naturally, yet unexpectedly, led me to some deep soul-searching and thoughtful reflection. I found myself pondering the previous decade, reflecting on where life's journey has brought me, and wondering about what the next 10 years have in store. Through this process of reflection, three significant thoughts came to mind, which I will divulge in a 3-part blog series over the next week (hopefully).

The first thing I have been thinking about recently is that I seriously doubt that the 20-year-old version of myself would recognize the 30-year-old version of myself. I've changed. I've grown. I've been transformed. I've lived a world of experiences that I could never have dreamed of 10 years ago. I had no idea I would be living in a big city, generally, or Seattle, specifically. I had no idea I would graduate from one of the more creative and progressive seminaries in the country. I had no idea I would work in so many various denominations, coming to love, appreciate, and need a more ecumenical approach to ministry. I had no idea I would leave Montana, spend time in the Midwest (Sioux Falls, SD), and venture out to the West Coast (Seattle, WA), only to ultimately arrive back at the place I started - an American Baptist Church in Montana. Life is weird and unexpected, but Mandy and I have just tried to keep our eyes peeled for what's next, listen to the Spirit's prompting, and say yes to new adventures.

I'm really proud of the person that I have become in the last 10 years. I love better than I used to. I work for peace in the midst of a violent world. I am a better listener and more caring than I ever was before. I've been transformed into someone who more closely patterns my life after the life of Jesus. But please don't hear me say that I finally have life and the world and faith figured out. I surely don't. I hope that the 30-year-old version of myself wouldn't recognize the 40-year-old version of myself. I hope that I continue to be open to change and transformation. I hope that God continues to poke and prod at my theology and ideology and that I am not too stubborn to listen and be molded and shaped. I hope that at 40 I will still be a work in progress. And I hope that I will be proud of who I have become over the past decade.