We have pictures up of this last weekend's activities on facebook. If you don't "like" the youth ministry's facebook page already, go do it now!
Babysitting
Progressive Dinner
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
December Stuff
It is hard to believe that we are now well into the last month of 2010. I hope that as this year winds down, it finishes on a high-note for you and your family.
Here are some things you need to know about for December:
Cell Groups:
We are in the book of Colossians this month. You can find the reading plan online here. If you are on facebook and haven't liked us yet, go do it now! You'll get status updates right in your news feed about things going on. Just one more way to stay in touch. In Colossians, we will be looking at the difference between following rules and putting your sinful nature to death.
There will be no cell-groups on the 22nd or the 29th. We will all meet at the building instead.
Fundraising:
We are trying to raise money for our Mission Trip next summer. This trip will take us to several different locations to witness first hand how God's people are addressing different needs in different communities. This Friday night from 6-9 pm we will be babysitting at the building for donations so that parents can go out and do some Christmas shopping, or just have a night to themselves. You can help us out in two ways:
1) Encourage your child to come help us. Even if they don't think they will be going on the Mission Trip, their service will help others go serve.
2) If you know anyone with small children who maybe could use a few hours away, please pass this along to them. If you were feeling really in the Christmas Spirit, you could offer to drop in the donation for them.
Progressive Dinner:
We are making some changes to the Christmas party this year. On Saturday night, we will all meet up at the church building at 5 pm. We will then load up in the bus and head to 3 different locations for dinner. First stop, the Richardsons' for appetizers and games. Second, the Lesters' for a devotional and the main course. Finally, to the Kirbys' for dessert and the gift swap. The teens are to be picked up at our house between 8:30 and 9 pm. Kids need to bring a $10-or-less gift and they are supposed to "dress to impress". That last part is Brooke Miller and Olivia Cook's rule, not mine :).
Here are some things you need to know about for December:
Cell Groups:
We are in the book of Colossians this month. You can find the reading plan online here. If you are on facebook and haven't liked us yet, go do it now! You'll get status updates right in your news feed about things going on. Just one more way to stay in touch. In Colossians, we will be looking at the difference between following rules and putting your sinful nature to death.
There will be no cell-groups on the 22nd or the 29th. We will all meet at the building instead.
Fundraising:
We are trying to raise money for our Mission Trip next summer. This trip will take us to several different locations to witness first hand how God's people are addressing different needs in different communities. This Friday night from 6-9 pm we will be babysitting at the building for donations so that parents can go out and do some Christmas shopping, or just have a night to themselves. You can help us out in two ways:
1) Encourage your child to come help us. Even if they don't think they will be going on the Mission Trip, their service will help others go serve.
2) If you know anyone with small children who maybe could use a few hours away, please pass this along to them. If you were feeling really in the Christmas Spirit, you could offer to drop in the donation for them.
Progressive Dinner:
We are making some changes to the Christmas party this year. On Saturday night, we will all meet up at the church building at 5 pm. We will then load up in the bus and head to 3 different locations for dinner. First stop, the Richardsons' for appetizers and games. Second, the Lesters' for a devotional and the main course. Finally, to the Kirbys' for dessert and the gift swap. The teens are to be picked up at our house between 8:30 and 9 pm. Kids need to bring a $10-or-less gift and they are supposed to "dress to impress". That last part is Brooke Miller and Olivia Cook's rule, not mine :).
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Canned Food Drive
Tonight and Thursday at 6:30 we need as many helpers as possible to collect canned goods in Briarwood to go into our Thanksgiving baskets.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
November Cell Groups
It's really hard for me to believe that we are already into November. This month brings us to Philippians. If you want to read along with the cell groups, you can download the reading plan here. Last night at Sanctuary, I conducted an experiment on stage and read out-loud tomorrow's reading. It took me all of 27 seconds, so please don't buy the excuse from your kids (or from yourself for that matter) that they (or you) don't have time to read this month.
Reading through Philippians several times over the past month, it was extremely difficult for me to try and break the book down to one, bite-size 20 minute chunk to give to the teens this month. There are so many verses and passages from Philippians that could easily translate into sermons by themselves. Looking at the book as a whole though, I think I discovered somewhat of a thesis statement in 1:9-11 where Paul reveals what his prayer is for the Philippians. He tells them he wants them to abound in love and knowledge so they can determine what God wants from them. He wants this for them so that they can be perfect for the day of judgment and have productive lives in the meantime.
He continues on to tell them how they will be able to accomplish this, or rather how God will accomplish it within them. In Chapter 2 he tells them that they must be like Christ. As Christians, this should not surprise us that in order to be a disciple of Christ, we should in fact, aim to be like Christ. I think the problem is that sometimes we get confused about how we are supposed to be like Christ. Fortunately in Philippians Paul spells it out for us. He doesn't want us to be like Christ in terms of walking on water, or feeding crowds, or healing the sick. Which is good, because I have found that I am not very capable of those things. Instead, he spells out what part of Christ's nature we are supposed to imitate: "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant." We are to imitate his humility as a servant. That is something we all can do. No one needs a master's degree to become a servant. We not only are to be God's servant, but a servant to everyone else as well. This is the overarching, counter intuitive message of Philippians. The more we empty ourselves of power and prestige, the more contentment we will find in Christ. It is the "secret of being content" that he writes of in 4:12. The world around us tells us that contentment comes in our circumstances - our power, our prestige, our wealth, our comfort, our relationships. But the truth is that if our contentment is found in Christ, and not these passing things, then we truly can be content in all situations.
This month we will be focusing on the role of contentment plays in our walk of discipleship with Christ.
The first week the questions will center around what we have received from Christ and how we can pass those blessings along to others.
The second week we examine whether our contentment comes from Christ or from something else.
There will be no third week because the night before Thanksgiving there will be no cell groups.
Reading through Philippians several times over the past month, it was extremely difficult for me to try and break the book down to one, bite-size 20 minute chunk to give to the teens this month. There are so many verses and passages from Philippians that could easily translate into sermons by themselves. Looking at the book as a whole though, I think I discovered somewhat of a thesis statement in 1:9-11 where Paul reveals what his prayer is for the Philippians. He tells them he wants them to abound in love and knowledge so they can determine what God wants from them. He wants this for them so that they can be perfect for the day of judgment and have productive lives in the meantime.
He continues on to tell them how they will be able to accomplish this, or rather how God will accomplish it within them. In Chapter 2 he tells them that they must be like Christ. As Christians, this should not surprise us that in order to be a disciple of Christ, we should in fact, aim to be like Christ. I think the problem is that sometimes we get confused about how we are supposed to be like Christ. Fortunately in Philippians Paul spells it out for us. He doesn't want us to be like Christ in terms of walking on water, or feeding crowds, or healing the sick. Which is good, because I have found that I am not very capable of those things. Instead, he spells out what part of Christ's nature we are supposed to imitate: "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant." We are to imitate his humility as a servant. That is something we all can do. No one needs a master's degree to become a servant. We not only are to be God's servant, but a servant to everyone else as well. This is the overarching, counter intuitive message of Philippians. The more we empty ourselves of power and prestige, the more contentment we will find in Christ. It is the "secret of being content" that he writes of in 4:12. The world around us tells us that contentment comes in our circumstances - our power, our prestige, our wealth, our comfort, our relationships. But the truth is that if our contentment is found in Christ, and not these passing things, then we truly can be content in all situations.
This month we will be focusing on the role of contentment plays in our walk of discipleship with Christ.
The first week the questions will center around what we have received from Christ and how we can pass those blessings along to others.
The second week we examine whether our contentment comes from Christ or from something else.
There will be no third week because the night before Thanksgiving there will be no cell groups.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Babysitting On Saturday
This Saturday we will be babysitting for donations to raise money for our summer mission trip in 2011. We need as many people as we can to come help. Parents are always welcome to help out as well!
Please let me know if you are able to help.
Please let me know if you are able to help.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Cell Groups in October
Ephesians: "Immeasurably More..."
This month, we are taking a look at Paul's letter to the Ephesians in cell groups. What strikes me about this letter is the language that Paul uses in describing God and the life that is offered to us through his Son. The first 3 chapters are full of phrases that attempt to capture the scope and grandeur of God. He writes things like:
He has blessed us in the heavenly realm with every spiritual blessing.
...to the praise of his glorious grace which he has freely given us... that he lavished on us.
...his incomparably great power.
He writes about the glorious, unsearchable riches that God has for his followers.
He writes about his mighty strength and great love that makes us alive.
I think Paul does this because he thinks the Christians in Ephesus need to be shaken awake. In Revelation 2, the messenger Jesus sends to the churches tells the Ephesians pretty good things. He brags on them for their perseverance and for their purity, but then he changes tune and says, "This I have against you, you have forgotten your first love."
This is all a matter of interpretation, but the picture I get of the Ephesians from the Bible is that they were what we would likely call pretty good people. Ephesians is much more positive then many of Paul's other letters. If I were going to receive a letter from Paul, I would much rather get Ephesians than what the Corinthians got. But knowing human nature, knowing the Christians I have worked for and worked with, knowing myself, I know that there is a danger in being "pretty good". I think of myself as a pretty good guy. A good Christian. I don't smoke, don't drink, I'm faithful to my wife, I'm attentive to my kids, I try to be compassionate to the poor, etc. I don't write any of that to brag (more on that later). I write that because I know the inherent danger in it. I have to remind myself on a regular basis that the life Christ offers me is fuller than what I am prone to settle for. My life is good, but it's not "beyond anything I could ask or imagine" as Paul puts it in Ephesians. There is something wider, longer, higher, and deeper than the life I could so easily settle for. The gospel is not about living a pretty good life. The gospel is about part ownership in a Kingdom that is literally limitless in resources and power. It is about an ongoing, vibrant relationship with an all powerful God who sacrificed himself to bring us back to him.
And this gospel is for everyone. One of the things that seems to blow Paul's mind the most is that Jews and Gentiles now had the same access to Jehovah God. He writes in 2:17 that Christ came for those who were "far away" and those who were "near". (I can never read that verse without thinking about this, is that so wrong?) The Gentiles were far away from the One true God. They knew little, if anything about his laws, his demands for sacrifice, his very nature - but through Christ they were welcomed into his love. The Jews were nearer because they knew the Law, but there was that pesky little problem of actually being able to do what it said. Although they were nearer to God in their understanding, they were no less in need of a savior. In our world, I believe some of us are fortunate to be in situations where we are nearer to God. For example, my parents had me in church, ALL the time. They not only taught me a lot about what the Bible said, but also they taught me how to put it to use. More importantly, they have given me a great example of what that looks like. They have loved me and encouraged me in faith. This is why I don't brag about being a pretty good guy as I defined it above - it's because I have had a lot of help along the way. I wish everyone had that experience - but sadly that's not the case. Some people are in situations where they feel far, far away from God. It may be because they have grown up in a family that just doesn't know God, or a family that claims to know God but has fallen so short of what it really means to belong to him that it's made it hard to see God as real. Or it may be because bad decisions that person has made have taken them far away from what a God-honoring life should look like. Whatever the reason, those people are promised a full, glorious life in Christ just the same as those who feel near.
In our world and culture, it would be easy to read the first 3 chapters of Ephesians and get a misconception of what Paul is talking about. When we read about glorious and unsearchable riches, or about mighty power, or about a God who is able to do more that we can ask or imagine, we might be likely to picture a God that will make our lives easy and wallets full. That's not it at all. In fact, Paul starts chapter 4 with a stark reminder of his current station in life - a prisoner of the Roman Empire. The power of the gospel is not in what it can offer us from an earthly perspective. Instead it lies in what it can do in the way we live the lives on Earth that we have. The last 3 chapters of Ephesians tell us what we should do in response to the power of the Gospel described in the first three. Paul instructs them to "live a life worthy of the calling you have received" and goes on to describe what that would look like. He gives them example after example of things that need to be removed from their life and what they should be replaced with. He tells them, for example to stop stealing, but instead to work so that they have something to give to someone else in need. Not only are Christians called to stop sinning, but we are called to be an active positive force in the world around us.
This month in cell groups, the discussion questions will revolve around the following:
Week 1: Have you forgotten your first love?
Week 2: Do you feel like someone who is near God, or far away?
Week 3: What do you need to remove from your life, and what does it need to be replaced with?
This month, we are taking a look at Paul's letter to the Ephesians in cell groups. What strikes me about this letter is the language that Paul uses in describing God and the life that is offered to us through his Son. The first 3 chapters are full of phrases that attempt to capture the scope and grandeur of God. He writes things like:
He has blessed us in the heavenly realm with every spiritual blessing.
...to the praise of his glorious grace which he has freely given us... that he lavished on us.
...his incomparably great power.
He writes about the glorious, unsearchable riches that God has for his followers.
He writes about his mighty strength and great love that makes us alive.
I think Paul does this because he thinks the Christians in Ephesus need to be shaken awake. In Revelation 2, the messenger Jesus sends to the churches tells the Ephesians pretty good things. He brags on them for their perseverance and for their purity, but then he changes tune and says, "This I have against you, you have forgotten your first love."
This is all a matter of interpretation, but the picture I get of the Ephesians from the Bible is that they were what we would likely call pretty good people. Ephesians is much more positive then many of Paul's other letters. If I were going to receive a letter from Paul, I would much rather get Ephesians than what the Corinthians got. But knowing human nature, knowing the Christians I have worked for and worked with, knowing myself, I know that there is a danger in being "pretty good". I think of myself as a pretty good guy. A good Christian. I don't smoke, don't drink, I'm faithful to my wife, I'm attentive to my kids, I try to be compassionate to the poor, etc. I don't write any of that to brag (more on that later). I write that because I know the inherent danger in it. I have to remind myself on a regular basis that the life Christ offers me is fuller than what I am prone to settle for. My life is good, but it's not "beyond anything I could ask or imagine" as Paul puts it in Ephesians. There is something wider, longer, higher, and deeper than the life I could so easily settle for. The gospel is not about living a pretty good life. The gospel is about part ownership in a Kingdom that is literally limitless in resources and power. It is about an ongoing, vibrant relationship with an all powerful God who sacrificed himself to bring us back to him.
And this gospel is for everyone. One of the things that seems to blow Paul's mind the most is that Jews and Gentiles now had the same access to Jehovah God. He writes in 2:17 that Christ came for those who were "far away" and those who were "near". (I can never read that verse without thinking about this, is that so wrong?) The Gentiles were far away from the One true God. They knew little, if anything about his laws, his demands for sacrifice, his very nature - but through Christ they were welcomed into his love. The Jews were nearer because they knew the Law, but there was that pesky little problem of actually being able to do what it said. Although they were nearer to God in their understanding, they were no less in need of a savior. In our world, I believe some of us are fortunate to be in situations where we are nearer to God. For example, my parents had me in church, ALL the time. They not only taught me a lot about what the Bible said, but also they taught me how to put it to use. More importantly, they have given me a great example of what that looks like. They have loved me and encouraged me in faith. This is why I don't brag about being a pretty good guy as I defined it above - it's because I have had a lot of help along the way. I wish everyone had that experience - but sadly that's not the case. Some people are in situations where they feel far, far away from God. It may be because they have grown up in a family that just doesn't know God, or a family that claims to know God but has fallen so short of what it really means to belong to him that it's made it hard to see God as real. Or it may be because bad decisions that person has made have taken them far away from what a God-honoring life should look like. Whatever the reason, those people are promised a full, glorious life in Christ just the same as those who feel near.
In our world and culture, it would be easy to read the first 3 chapters of Ephesians and get a misconception of what Paul is talking about. When we read about glorious and unsearchable riches, or about mighty power, or about a God who is able to do more that we can ask or imagine, we might be likely to picture a God that will make our lives easy and wallets full. That's not it at all. In fact, Paul starts chapter 4 with a stark reminder of his current station in life - a prisoner of the Roman Empire. The power of the gospel is not in what it can offer us from an earthly perspective. Instead it lies in what it can do in the way we live the lives on Earth that we have. The last 3 chapters of Ephesians tell us what we should do in response to the power of the Gospel described in the first three. Paul instructs them to "live a life worthy of the calling you have received" and goes on to describe what that would look like. He gives them example after example of things that need to be removed from their life and what they should be replaced with. He tells them, for example to stop stealing, but instead to work so that they have something to give to someone else in need. Not only are Christians called to stop sinning, but we are called to be an active positive force in the world around us.
This month in cell groups, the discussion questions will revolve around the following:
Week 1: Have you forgotten your first love?
Week 2: Do you feel like someone who is near God, or far away?
Week 3: What do you need to remove from your life, and what does it need to be replaced with?
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
NALOPKT
NALOPKT: Do you have any idea what that means? Don't worry, you're not alone. It is in fact text lingo for "not a lot of people know this." If you don't believe me, you can click here for proof that I didn't make it up. It was also the theme for Restore 2010 this past weekend in Myrtle Beach. The overarching idea of the weekend is that we as Christians have important knowledge that very few people know. As the latest Pew Research poll results have made the rounds on the news, it has become clear that even many professed Christians don't know the real truth behind Jesus. To get a better idea about Jesus, we talked about the 7 statements made by Jesus while he was on the cross, or as David Skidmore, the weekend's speaker put it, "the seven messages made by the man in the middle"
They were:
fthr 4giv them, 4 they don't no what they're doing.
i tell u the truth, 2day u will be w/ me n pradise
wman, bhold ur son, son bhold ur mother
omg, omg, y have u 4saken me?
i thirst
it is finished
fthr, in2 ur hands i commit my spirit
The teens were encouraged to text message these to themselves rather than take traditional notes. On the first night, they also were encouraged to send a text message to a friend who they knew to be struggling with their faith, and to stand up if a response was received. By the time worship ended, there were dozens of students standing as they had text conversations with their friend about what they were doing in Myrtle Beach. The teens were given a scriptural view of our Redeemer in the 7 messages of the cross. A savior who was obedient, even when he didn't understand. A savior who would not return evil for evil. A savior who even in the midst of the worst suffering one could imagine, thought about the well being of others. This, I believe is the Savior the world needs to see in our lives and in the lives of the students in our ministry. It is not always easy to see God at work in our world, but he can be found. At one point, David compared finding God to the art of Chinese artist, Liu Bo Lin (you may have to look closely at some of the pictures to see what I'm talking about). It is possible to see God in the world around us, but some times it takes slowing down enough to look. It is our job as Christians to make God more visible in the world around us. Every act of righteousness, every act of kindness, generosity, love, that we do in the name of Jesus helps us point the world to Creator of the Earth and the heavens.
One of the things I loved about this weekend was the challenge for teens to engage in meaningful conversations not just with the people on the retreat (we had great devotionals in each room every night where we did just that) but also with those who were not on the retreat for whatever reason. I'm not sure what it is about us, but there seems always be a part of us that fears a changing world. We worry about kids having instant access to each other all the time through their phones, and it's a valid concern, but I think we need to have the vision to see the good that can come through new resources. Near the end of the weekend, one of the teens from our group told me that since Friday night she had been engaged in an ongoing conversation with a friend about her friend's doubts about God. While she was telling me about the conversation, she kind of smiled and said, "Greg, I am going to have to really step up how I live my faith if I am going to be the right kind of example for my friend." Such a statement made me so extremely proud and grateful that God let me be a part of what went on in Myrtle Beach last weekend.
They were:
fthr 4giv them, 4 they don't no what they're doing.
i tell u the truth, 2day u will be w/ me n pradise
wman, bhold ur son, son bhold ur mother
omg, omg, y have u 4saken me?
i thirst
it is finished
fthr, in2 ur hands i commit my spirit
The teens were encouraged to text message these to themselves rather than take traditional notes. On the first night, they also were encouraged to send a text message to a friend who they knew to be struggling with their faith, and to stand up if a response was received. By the time worship ended, there were dozens of students standing as they had text conversations with their friend about what they were doing in Myrtle Beach. The teens were given a scriptural view of our Redeemer in the 7 messages of the cross. A savior who was obedient, even when he didn't understand. A savior who would not return evil for evil. A savior who even in the midst of the worst suffering one could imagine, thought about the well being of others. This, I believe is the Savior the world needs to see in our lives and in the lives of the students in our ministry. It is not always easy to see God at work in our world, but he can be found. At one point, David compared finding God to the art of Chinese artist, Liu Bo Lin (you may have to look closely at some of the pictures to see what I'm talking about). It is possible to see God in the world around us, but some times it takes slowing down enough to look. It is our job as Christians to make God more visible in the world around us. Every act of righteousness, every act of kindness, generosity, love, that we do in the name of Jesus helps us point the world to Creator of the Earth and the heavens.
One of the things I loved about this weekend was the challenge for teens to engage in meaningful conversations not just with the people on the retreat (we had great devotionals in each room every night where we did just that) but also with those who were not on the retreat for whatever reason. I'm not sure what it is about us, but there seems always be a part of us that fears a changing world. We worry about kids having instant access to each other all the time through their phones, and it's a valid concern, but I think we need to have the vision to see the good that can come through new resources. Near the end of the weekend, one of the teens from our group told me that since Friday night she had been engaged in an ongoing conversation with a friend about her friend's doubts about God. While she was telling me about the conversation, she kind of smiled and said, "Greg, I am going to have to really step up how I live my faith if I am going to be the right kind of example for my friend." Such a statement made me so extremely proud and grateful that God let me be a part of what went on in Myrtle Beach last weekend.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
September Cell Groups
September - Galatians "Inside Out"
Cell groups have now, finally, officially begun. Last Wednesday, we had our first Sanctuary of the school year. Sanctuary is where all the groups meet to worship together and to make sure we are all more or less on the same page. Starting tomorrow, individual groups will meet together in various places around town. Each month this year, our cell groups will be taking a look at a different epistle from the New Testament.
First up: Galatians (the Roman and Corinthian letters would be too long to try and hit in just a month)
As a disclaimer: Parents, understand that Cell Groups are not "Bible Class" or even "Bible Study". Cell groups' main purpose is to provide teens a community in which to live out their faith. Looking at Galatians, and the other epistles serves to generate a conversation about how the Bible might apply to them and their situations. In order for there to be any genuine discussion about these scriptures, they must be read outside of cell groups. I encourage you to encourage your teens to read the book each month that they will be discussing in cell groups. I also encourage you to read along with them, so you can continue the conversations at home, or have conversations that time won't afford in cell groups. One of our Servantship Team members broke the book of Galatians into a monthly reading plan. It works out to about 5 verses a day - so I don't think it is too huge a time commitment.
Paul was someone who understood transformation. I think most of us are pretty familiar with Paul's conversion experience on the way to Damascus, but I think sometimes that familiarity might cause us to forget just what a monumental transformation it became. Not only did Paul go from killing Christian converts to becoming one himself, and eventually losing his own life for the cause - he went from a Pharisee, a group that taught that their narrow interpretations of the Law were the only way to be right before God, to the "Apostle to the Gentiles" who advocated on their behalf that they did not even have to follow the Law. Paul's message to the Galatians, as I understand it, is that outward symbols and practices are not the key to a transformed life. Near his closing remarks, he tells his readers that he boasts in only in the cross of Jesus Christ (6:14). In the chapter before, he writes to them that the only thing that has value is faith in Christ that expresses itself in love (5:6). The problem in Galatia, as it was in much of first-century Christianity, was that there were people saying that in order to receive Christ, believers had to be circumcised, or in other words, they had to observe an outward symbol on the Old Testament Law. Paul's argument was that this argument was only made to appease outward appearances, so that the Jewish Christians could "boast in the flesh" (6:13) of their gentile converts. What Paul understood, and wanted the Galatian Christians to understand is that transformation doesn't come from practicing a set of "thou shalls" and "thou shall nots". True transformation comes from a life lived in obedience to the Spirit that comes by the grace of Jesus. In chapter 5, he lays out what an untransformed life looks life. It's a life consisting of immorality, greed, selfishness, fighting, etc. (5:13). He then contrasts it to a transformed life, which consists of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self control. Our actions matter. As Paul says in the last chapter "God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows." If we live a life that is all about indulging our selfish desires, there is no reason to suspect that we won't bear the consequences of our selfish behavior. But our actions are more than a means to an end. Our actions are an extension of who we are. If we truly want to live a redeemed, transformed life, then we have to be intentional about changing our spirit.
Week 1 of cell groups will deal with questions on "sowing to please the Spirit." How do we change our spirit, or souls, or hearts, or whatever you want to call it?
Week 2 will deal with questions regarding expressing our faith through love. How do we do good to all people? How can we especially do good to the family of believers? (6:10)
Week 3 will deal with questions regarding our focus. How do we not get distracted from doing good? How do we keep ourselves from forgetting that we aren't saved by our actions, but by our relationship to Christ?
Cell groups have now, finally, officially begun. Last Wednesday, we had our first Sanctuary of the school year. Sanctuary is where all the groups meet to worship together and to make sure we are all more or less on the same page. Starting tomorrow, individual groups will meet together in various places around town. Each month this year, our cell groups will be taking a look at a different epistle from the New Testament.
First up: Galatians (the Roman and Corinthian letters would be too long to try and hit in just a month)
As a disclaimer: Parents, understand that Cell Groups are not "Bible Class" or even "Bible Study". Cell groups' main purpose is to provide teens a community in which to live out their faith. Looking at Galatians, and the other epistles serves to generate a conversation about how the Bible might apply to them and their situations. In order for there to be any genuine discussion about these scriptures, they must be read outside of cell groups. I encourage you to encourage your teens to read the book each month that they will be discussing in cell groups. I also encourage you to read along with them, so you can continue the conversations at home, or have conversations that time won't afford in cell groups. One of our Servantship Team members broke the book of Galatians into a monthly reading plan. It works out to about 5 verses a day - so I don't think it is too huge a time commitment.
Paul was someone who understood transformation. I think most of us are pretty familiar with Paul's conversion experience on the way to Damascus, but I think sometimes that familiarity might cause us to forget just what a monumental transformation it became. Not only did Paul go from killing Christian converts to becoming one himself, and eventually losing his own life for the cause - he went from a Pharisee, a group that taught that their narrow interpretations of the Law were the only way to be right before God, to the "Apostle to the Gentiles" who advocated on their behalf that they did not even have to follow the Law. Paul's message to the Galatians, as I understand it, is that outward symbols and practices are not the key to a transformed life. Near his closing remarks, he tells his readers that he boasts in only in the cross of Jesus Christ (6:14). In the chapter before, he writes to them that the only thing that has value is faith in Christ that expresses itself in love (5:6). The problem in Galatia, as it was in much of first-century Christianity, was that there were people saying that in order to receive Christ, believers had to be circumcised, or in other words, they had to observe an outward symbol on the Old Testament Law. Paul's argument was that this argument was only made to appease outward appearances, so that the Jewish Christians could "boast in the flesh" (6:13) of their gentile converts. What Paul understood, and wanted the Galatian Christians to understand is that transformation doesn't come from practicing a set of "thou shalls" and "thou shall nots". True transformation comes from a life lived in obedience to the Spirit that comes by the grace of Jesus. In chapter 5, he lays out what an untransformed life looks life. It's a life consisting of immorality, greed, selfishness, fighting, etc. (5:13). He then contrasts it to a transformed life, which consists of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self control. Our actions matter. As Paul says in the last chapter "God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows." If we live a life that is all about indulging our selfish desires, there is no reason to suspect that we won't bear the consequences of our selfish behavior. But our actions are more than a means to an end. Our actions are an extension of who we are. If we truly want to live a redeemed, transformed life, then we have to be intentional about changing our spirit.
Week 1 of cell groups will deal with questions on "sowing to please the Spirit." How do we change our spirit, or souls, or hearts, or whatever you want to call it?
Week 2 will deal with questions regarding expressing our faith through love. How do we do good to all people? How can we especially do good to the family of believers? (6:10)
Week 3 will deal with questions regarding our focus. How do we not get distracted from doing good? How do we keep ourselves from forgetting that we aren't saved by our actions, but by our relationship to Christ?
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Cell Group Leaders Kick-Off Tomorrow
Come join your teen and cell group leader in the Youth Room tomorrow night at 7. The evening will be designed to be first and foremost informational. I believe that one of the most important thing that needs to happen in youth ministry is for the parents to be informed and involved - so please make every effort to be there. We will talk about cell groups, but also about other changes (tweaks might be a better word here) made for 2010-2011.
As this is such a largely informational meeting, please leave a comment or contact me if you have any specific questions you would like to be addressed tomorrow night.
I hope to see everyone tomorrow!
As this is such a largely informational meeting, please leave a comment or contact me if you have any specific questions you would like to be addressed tomorrow night.
I hope to see everyone tomorrow!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Cell Group Kick Off
On Wednesday, September 1st we will have our Cell Group Kick Off in the Youth Room at 7 pm. Make sure you come and meet your child's cell group leader. Even if you already know your kid's cell group leader, come anyway so that you can discuss with them where the group will meet and how your child will get there and back each week.
On September 8th we will have our first Sanctuary of the year (where all the teens meet in the Youth Room for a worship service) and on the 15th our cell groups will begin.
On September 8th we will have our first Sanctuary of the year (where all the teens meet in the Youth Room for a worship service) and on the 15th our cell groups will begin.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Restore Information
Restore registration is due on Sunday!
Go here to register online.
Also, my computer died, and it dragged my contacts list of parents for e-mail reminders. If you'd like to receive reminders, send me an email at gregpkirby@gmail.com.
Also, don't forget you can sign up for text message reminders by sending SCOCYM to 41411 in a text message. It's free.
Go here to register online.
Also, my computer died, and it dragged my contacts list of parents for e-mail reminders. If you'd like to receive reminders, send me an email at gregpkirby@gmail.com.
Also, don't forget you can sign up for text message reminders by sending SCOCYM to 41411 in a text message. It's free.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Restore Information
Click on this link to download information about Restore. You don't want to miss this trip. It is always a good time, and more importantly, of great spiritual benefit.
If you have any further questions, or trouble downloading the file, let me know. Also, there are copies of this outside the youth room on the table by the pink box.
If you have any further questions, or trouble downloading the file, let me know. Also, there are copies of this outside the youth room on the table by the pink box.
This week....
is busy. On Monday, for the Jr. High, we have M&M Monday at 11. We will go get lunch and then go see Despicable Me at Oakbrook Cinemas. Tickets at that theater are cheap, so they shouldn't need much money - about 10 bucks for lunch and movie ought to do it (that is, unless they want snacks at the theater, then they probably should bring about $50:)). On Tuesday, as always, we have Beach Day for the Sr. High at 10. For Service Thursday, we are meeting at the church building at 3:00 to go to a nursing home and spend some time with the residents there. On Friday, Chase and Liz are taking whoever wants to go to Carowinds. I don't know much about the Carowinds trip, so if you have questions about it, you can get in touch with Chase or Liz.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
What We Want You To Know
A couple weeks ago, we did a little project on a Wednesday night. In case you didn't know, this summer there is a worship service in the youth room open to everyone from 7th grade to Hilltoppers. One of the reasons we've done this is because I believe very firmly that in order for a church to really be what the Church is supposed to be, it has to be open to all generations and those generations should help each other in the pursuit of bringing about God's kingdom on Earth. One of the challenges to this in the modern age is that each generation is sectioned off in their own little worlds, and there is less and less interaction among those worlds.
I feel that as a church we do a disservice to the young people in our fellowship if we don't make an honest effort to get to know them and understand them. After all, we will never really be able to help them navigate through their world if we don't understand it. In the same way, I think we do the church as a whole as a disservice if we don't involve the younger generations and put their passions and abilities to work.
The project was designed to help bridge the gap between the generations. I asked anyone who was out of high school to write themselves a letter of stuff they wish they had known when they were in high school or middle school. I asked the students to write down things they wished that the older generation knew about them. At the end of the hour, I read several of them out loud and I promised I would post some of them online later. So here I am making good on my promise:
First - letters to a younger self:
- You need to know that no matter how big your problems feel, it could be worse - and for a lot of people, it is much worse. At the same time, don't refuse to let yourself feel your feelings. Acknowledge how situations and words make you feel and examine why you reacted the way you did... you'll learn a lot about yourself
- Even though you heard it a million times, I would plead with you to not care what anybody thinks about you. You have untold potential, learn to be disciplined. THINK about what's important and don't waste time on the things that you know don't matter. Enjoy the time you have with your family. They truly are the greatest blessing you've been given. Be more concerned with others than with yourself and you'll find happiness. Don't be scared to be different, but stand out for the right reasons, not just for the attention. In every situation, find the person who needs help the most, and HELP THEM! Take chances - if you fail, you'll recover, and God will love you no matter what.
- Every decision has consequences, think things through. You still have a lot of growing to do. you are not as prepared for the world as you think you are. I know you think you are mature and ready for life, but you have so much left to learn. Look at all those people who have had a great impact on your life and appreciate what they've done. Don't hero-worship others- they are flawed too and you end up throwing others in the gutter. Be brave. Don't be afraid to stand up for who and what is important to you. A lot of change is coming. Hold onto the important things.
- Value those around you. Love is everything - do you even know how to love? Your relationship with God should affect your whole life and be a constant thing - talk to Him constantly. He can be the best friend you've always wanted. You can love yourself and allow others in - God will use relationships to shape you into Him. Always be thankful because entitlement is the opposite of love.
- Don't let people in your life make feel less than you are. Listen to ALL advice given, even if you think its not important because eventually, you may need to use it with or without realizing it. There is ALWAYS someone who understands, loves, cares and will be there for you. It's okay to be upset with God from time to time because for me, those were the times I really saw myself and understood God's part in my life... my best friend and so much more. God loves you and understands more than anyone, So he understands your upset feelings. He gives you opportunities to let yourself go.
- Dig deep into the world, learn from other cultures. Refuse to indulge all your desires - from food to time spent in lazy selfishness. Appreciate your father. Though an alcoholic, he had so much to offer - don't ignore it because of one fault. Soften your hear to God's purposes and lose yourself in what he wants rather than in what you want. Be vulnerable and trust, even if it means you might be hurt. Spend more time in the Word, in nature and in one on one conversation with the King. Serve others more. There is no greater joy than giving of yourself to others. Understand that God's bizarre economy means "the more you give, the greater your gifts."
- (from someone not raised in church and baptized at 24) Go to church, get involved and receive all the benefits that come from having a spiritual family. Participate in youth group activities, especially service projects.
- Do better in school and work hard in sports. Keep your Christian friends closer and stay away from parties. Listen to your parents with they give you advice.
- Don't do stupid stuff. Remember that following Christ is joyful, not burdensome. Praise God in everything you do. Don't sell people short, especially yourself. You're a child of God - act like it and take confidence in it. Live like Christ because that life truly is fuller than any other type of life. Love mercy and remain with those you find to give it to. Realize that having heart and faith are the best attributes. Pursue God with reckless abandon. You only have one life and to spend it pursuing anything else just wouldn't be enough. Remember there is an epistemic distance between you and God. Respect that and know that you don't, and will never, know everything.
- Don't expect life to go the way you planned it. Take the advice of people you love to heart. Realize that there are people who really suffer in this world. You are lucky and loved. Forgive. Stop spending all your money and save! Go easy on yourself. You will make mistakes, but never stop trying to be the best version of yourself. You can decide to be happy in spite of everything that goes on around you. Take care of yourself. You can't help others if you aren't okay. Never give someone else the control to determine how you feel about yourself. Eat, even if you think you are fat. Listen to your parents, even when you think what they say is unfair. They will have your back when the world turns against you. It might seem like God has deserted you, but he hasn't. Call on him when you feel all alone.
- Though you may plan your life one way, don't expect that it's going to turn out that way. Don't stop going to church when you go to college. Choose your friends wisely. They will shape you in ways you don't realize. Don't worry about what other people think about you, because it won't matter in the long run. Be yourself and always show who you really are. When you have the opportunity to share your faith, always do it, because when you look back, you will wish you had. I know it sounds completely outrageous, but sometimes... you're parents are right. Enjoy being young! In fact, cherish it, you're only young once, so live it up!
- You really need to learn proper study habits!!! Yes, not studying was ok in high school and you may graduate with honors but its not the same in college! Oh yeah, don't worry about that distant relative, she is cooler than you think:). Don't be too hard on yourself when you leave home and choose your paths wisely for they may change your whole life for better or for worse. Try not to be too tough. Be a little sensitive and share your feelings every once in a while. It's good to be the strong one, but not all the time. Realize that just because you don't agree with something someone does, it doesn't mean it's wrong. People come and go out of your life... constantly, even people you love and care for deeply!! They leave for numerous reasons. Pray for them!
----
And next, what the kids wanted you to know:
- I don't know if other generations know this or not, but one of the norms for a lot of teens (depending on their "group") is to be sexually promiscuous.
- I wish people knew when I was mad or sad so they could be there to comfort me.
- I want someone to know how much I love God and how much I care for him. See me differently and know that I do take church and youth trips and everything else seriously. People judge me for not really following God, but people just don't see the other side of me. They only see me when I'm down or mad or tired and they don't see what I'm going through. Stop judging me for who I am on the outside and judge me on my inside.
- One thing I hate that adults do is judge teenagers. They act like teenagers look for excuses to do something wrong when I know I don't. And then when we're going through something they say "we were teens, too." and step in and say "we went through the same thing". Maybe they did, but it really is a little different for us.
-- Most of the teens wrote that they didn't want me to post their letters online, so out of respect for that, I won't. But I will say that almost all of them had the same basic tenor as the last two posted. They all said in some form or fashion - don't group me in with all teenagers. They wanted to be know as unique individuals. They wanted the adults to know that they really do care about their faith, even if they make a lot of mistakes.
So now the questions: If you are an adult - what have you done to really reach out to the younger generation? How have you actively gotten to know your younger brothers and sisters? If you are a teen - what have you done to learn from someone older than you? How teachable are you? Who that is older do you trust to open up to?
I feel that as a church we do a disservice to the young people in our fellowship if we don't make an honest effort to get to know them and understand them. After all, we will never really be able to help them navigate through their world if we don't understand it. In the same way, I think we do the church as a whole as a disservice if we don't involve the younger generations and put their passions and abilities to work.
The project was designed to help bridge the gap between the generations. I asked anyone who was out of high school to write themselves a letter of stuff they wish they had known when they were in high school or middle school. I asked the students to write down things they wished that the older generation knew about them. At the end of the hour, I read several of them out loud and I promised I would post some of them online later. So here I am making good on my promise:
First - letters to a younger self:
- You need to know that no matter how big your problems feel, it could be worse - and for a lot of people, it is much worse. At the same time, don't refuse to let yourself feel your feelings. Acknowledge how situations and words make you feel and examine why you reacted the way you did... you'll learn a lot about yourself
- Even though you heard it a million times, I would plead with you to not care what anybody thinks about you. You have untold potential, learn to be disciplined. THINK about what's important and don't waste time on the things that you know don't matter. Enjoy the time you have with your family. They truly are the greatest blessing you've been given. Be more concerned with others than with yourself and you'll find happiness. Don't be scared to be different, but stand out for the right reasons, not just for the attention. In every situation, find the person who needs help the most, and HELP THEM! Take chances - if you fail, you'll recover, and God will love you no matter what.
- Every decision has consequences, think things through. You still have a lot of growing to do. you are not as prepared for the world as you think you are. I know you think you are mature and ready for life, but you have so much left to learn. Look at all those people who have had a great impact on your life and appreciate what they've done. Don't hero-worship others- they are flawed too and you end up throwing others in the gutter. Be brave. Don't be afraid to stand up for who and what is important to you. A lot of change is coming. Hold onto the important things.
- Value those around you. Love is everything - do you even know how to love? Your relationship with God should affect your whole life and be a constant thing - talk to Him constantly. He can be the best friend you've always wanted. You can love yourself and allow others in - God will use relationships to shape you into Him. Always be thankful because entitlement is the opposite of love.
- Don't let people in your life make feel less than you are. Listen to ALL advice given, even if you think its not important because eventually, you may need to use it with or without realizing it. There is ALWAYS someone who understands, loves, cares and will be there for you. It's okay to be upset with God from time to time because for me, those were the times I really saw myself and understood God's part in my life... my best friend and so much more. God loves you and understands more than anyone, So he understands your upset feelings. He gives you opportunities to let yourself go.
- Dig deep into the world, learn from other cultures. Refuse to indulge all your desires - from food to time spent in lazy selfishness. Appreciate your father. Though an alcoholic, he had so much to offer - don't ignore it because of one fault. Soften your hear to God's purposes and lose yourself in what he wants rather than in what you want. Be vulnerable and trust, even if it means you might be hurt. Spend more time in the Word, in nature and in one on one conversation with the King. Serve others more. There is no greater joy than giving of yourself to others. Understand that God's bizarre economy means "the more you give, the greater your gifts."
- (from someone not raised in church and baptized at 24) Go to church, get involved and receive all the benefits that come from having a spiritual family. Participate in youth group activities, especially service projects.
- Do better in school and work hard in sports. Keep your Christian friends closer and stay away from parties. Listen to your parents with they give you advice.
- Don't do stupid stuff. Remember that following Christ is joyful, not burdensome. Praise God in everything you do. Don't sell people short, especially yourself. You're a child of God - act like it and take confidence in it. Live like Christ because that life truly is fuller than any other type of life. Love mercy and remain with those you find to give it to. Realize that having heart and faith are the best attributes. Pursue God with reckless abandon. You only have one life and to spend it pursuing anything else just wouldn't be enough. Remember there is an epistemic distance between you and God. Respect that and know that you don't, and will never, know everything.
- Don't expect life to go the way you planned it. Take the advice of people you love to heart. Realize that there are people who really suffer in this world. You are lucky and loved. Forgive. Stop spending all your money and save! Go easy on yourself. You will make mistakes, but never stop trying to be the best version of yourself. You can decide to be happy in spite of everything that goes on around you. Take care of yourself. You can't help others if you aren't okay. Never give someone else the control to determine how you feel about yourself. Eat, even if you think you are fat. Listen to your parents, even when you think what they say is unfair. They will have your back when the world turns against you. It might seem like God has deserted you, but he hasn't. Call on him when you feel all alone.
- Though you may plan your life one way, don't expect that it's going to turn out that way. Don't stop going to church when you go to college. Choose your friends wisely. They will shape you in ways you don't realize. Don't worry about what other people think about you, because it won't matter in the long run. Be yourself and always show who you really are. When you have the opportunity to share your faith, always do it, because when you look back, you will wish you had. I know it sounds completely outrageous, but sometimes... you're parents are right. Enjoy being young! In fact, cherish it, you're only young once, so live it up!
- You really need to learn proper study habits!!! Yes, not studying was ok in high school and you may graduate with honors but its not the same in college! Oh yeah, don't worry about that distant relative, she is cooler than you think:). Don't be too hard on yourself when you leave home and choose your paths wisely for they may change your whole life for better or for worse. Try not to be too tough. Be a little sensitive and share your feelings every once in a while. It's good to be the strong one, but not all the time. Realize that just because you don't agree with something someone does, it doesn't mean it's wrong. People come and go out of your life... constantly, even people you love and care for deeply!! They leave for numerous reasons. Pray for them!
----
And next, what the kids wanted you to know:
- I don't know if other generations know this or not, but one of the norms for a lot of teens (depending on their "group") is to be sexually promiscuous.
- I wish people knew when I was mad or sad so they could be there to comfort me.
- I want someone to know how much I love God and how much I care for him. See me differently and know that I do take church and youth trips and everything else seriously. People judge me for not really following God, but people just don't see the other side of me. They only see me when I'm down or mad or tired and they don't see what I'm going through. Stop judging me for who I am on the outside and judge me on my inside.
- One thing I hate that adults do is judge teenagers. They act like teenagers look for excuses to do something wrong when I know I don't. And then when we're going through something they say "we were teens, too." and step in and say "we went through the same thing". Maybe they did, but it really is a little different for us.
-- Most of the teens wrote that they didn't want me to post their letters online, so out of respect for that, I won't. But I will say that almost all of them had the same basic tenor as the last two posted. They all said in some form or fashion - don't group me in with all teenagers. They wanted to be know as unique individuals. They wanted the adults to know that they really do care about their faith, even if they make a lot of mistakes.
So now the questions: If you are an adult - what have you done to really reach out to the younger generation? How have you actively gotten to know your younger brothers and sisters? If you are a teen - what have you done to learn from someone older than you? How teachable are you? Who that is older do you trust to open up to?
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Service Thursday - Food Bank
Tomorrow we will be volunteering at the Low Country Food Bank. We will meet at 12:15 (eat lunch before you come) and head down there as a group. The Food Bank does not allow anyone to work in open toed shoes (so no flip flops or sandals) or tank tops. We will back around 3:45.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Service Thursday
Remember about Service Thursday tomorrow. We're helping Cyndi get ready for VBS. For more details, get in touch with Chase or Liz.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Service Thursdays
The Murphy Mission Trip has been called off - there were simply too many schedule conflicts. Since we want to make sure that we are dedicated to serving others in the name of Christ, we have decided to make every Thursday for the rest of the summer an opportunity to serve someone else. This Thursday, we will serving lunch at the Palmetto House in downtown Summerville. The Palmetto House is a shelter for those who are temporarily homeless. It's goal is to provide basic needs for individuals and families until they can provide for themselves. We will meet at the church building at 11:00 am, serve lunch and eat with the residents, then come back around 2:30. Students will not need any money. I will be en route to Nicaragua, so if you have further questions, contact Liz or Chase.
Once we have a schedule of opportunities for the rest of the summer, I will post it here.
Once we have a schedule of opportunities for the rest of the summer, I will post it here.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Impact Reminder
We are having a blast at Jr. Impact. Please keep praying for us - that God will reveal himself to these students in powerful ways this weekend. He was off to a great start last night. For those going to Sr. Impact, the bus leaves at 7 am on Monday morning. Also, if you want a room key, make sure to bring a $20 deposit (you will get it back at the end of the week as long as you don't lose your key).
Monday, May 31, 2010
Murphy Mission Trip Info
Friday, May 28, 2010
Coffee House Tonight!
Coffee House tonight in the Youth Room. Free live music! Bring a little money for coffee, sodas, cookies, or other treats. All the money raised will go to help fund the Nicaragua Mission Trip. It starts at 7 and lasts until 10. If you can't stay for the whole thing, feel free to stop anytime, even if just long enough to grab something to drink.
Hope to see you tonight!
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Attention Moms
Just a reminder that the mothers of middle and high school girls are invited to join them for class tomorrow with Kim in the Family Life Center. There will be free food!
Friday, April 30, 2010
Spring Retreat
Don't forget that Spring Retreat money and release forms are due on Sunday! Here's a packing list for the weekend:
Bible and Notebook
Clothes (casual and athletic)
Money for lunch on Sunday
Bath Stuff (Soap, Towels, Shampoo, Toothpaste, etc.)
Flashlight
Sleeping Bag/sheets
Clothes that you don’t mind getting wet or dirty
Athletic Shoes
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Upcoming Events
So there are like 400 trillion things coming down the pike in the Youth Ministry right now, give or take a few hundred trillion.
This Saturday, from 9:30 am to 2 pm, we are having what our Servantship Team has called SHARK, which stands for Scavenger Hunt And Random Kindness. The acronym exists for 3 simple reasons. 1. Acronyms are awesome. 2. Sharks are awesome. 3. Sharks plus acronyms are double awesome - just like serving people in kindness and having fun while doing it is double awesome. You didn't think I was going to be able to pull that off, did you? Anyway, don't miss this on Saturday, members of our Servantship Team have been working hard to get it together and it should be a great chance to learn a little about the impact of simply acting out loving kindness in public. After serving in the morning, we'll all eat lunch at CiCi's, then return to the church building for a slide show. All the teens will need to bring is money for lunch.
The Spring Retreat is just around the corner. It is May 7-9th at PBC. For more info, click here. To be signed up, I need a medical release/permission form turned in no later than May 2nd. If you cannot print from your computer, there are copies on the table outside the Youth Room. This trip is open to 7th-12th grades and the registration cost is $35 per person.
Our Vision Retreat this year is June 4-6th. We will be going to my parents' house in Murphy, NC. If your child is on the Servantship Team, they are expected to attend this weekend if at all possible. There is no cost for the trip other than for food.
Impact is in June. Jr. Impact (for grades 6-8) is June 17-21st and Sr. Impact (grades 9-12) is June 21-26. The cost for is $145 for Jr. and $205 for Sr. To sign up, I need a medical release/permission form turned in and an Impact application. Both are due by May 15th and will be available outside the Youth Room.
In July (the 21-25) we will be in Murphy, NC for our summer mission trip. We will be helping the congregation there gain inroads with the community through service to both the community and to individuals. The cost for this trip will be around $150-175 and is open to grades 7-12. The more teens we have attending, the more good we will be able to provide for the Murphy church and community. More information on the sign-up process and cost will be available soon.
This Saturday, from 9:30 am to 2 pm, we are having what our Servantship Team has called SHARK, which stands for Scavenger Hunt And Random Kindness. The acronym exists for 3 simple reasons. 1. Acronyms are awesome. 2. Sharks are awesome. 3. Sharks plus acronyms are double awesome - just like serving people in kindness and having fun while doing it is double awesome. You didn't think I was going to be able to pull that off, did you? Anyway, don't miss this on Saturday, members of our Servantship Team have been working hard to get it together and it should be a great chance to learn a little about the impact of simply acting out loving kindness in public. After serving in the morning, we'll all eat lunch at CiCi's, then return to the church building for a slide show. All the teens will need to bring is money for lunch.
The Spring Retreat is just around the corner. It is May 7-9th at PBC. For more info, click here. To be signed up, I need a medical release/permission form turned in no later than May 2nd. If you cannot print from your computer, there are copies on the table outside the Youth Room. This trip is open to 7th-12th grades and the registration cost is $35 per person.
Our Vision Retreat this year is June 4-6th. We will be going to my parents' house in Murphy, NC. If your child is on the Servantship Team, they are expected to attend this weekend if at all possible. There is no cost for the trip other than for food.
Impact is in June. Jr. Impact (for grades 6-8) is June 17-21st and Sr. Impact (grades 9-12) is June 21-26. The cost for is $145 for Jr. and $205 for Sr. To sign up, I need a medical release/permission form turned in and an Impact application. Both are due by May 15th and will be available outside the Youth Room.
In July (the 21-25) we will be in Murphy, NC for our summer mission trip. We will be helping the congregation there gain inroads with the community through service to both the community and to individuals. The cost for this trip will be around $150-175 and is open to grades 7-12. The more teens we have attending, the more good we will be able to provide for the Murphy church and community. More information on the sign-up process and cost will be available soon.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Parent Letter for Cross Training
We are so glad that your child has shown interest in taking part of our Cross Training for 2006. If your child has never been to Cross Training before, I am sure that you naturally have questions and concerns about an event of this nature. The purpose of this letter is to give you a basic idea of what Cross Training is and how we have addressed many of the common concerns. If you have any questions or concerns that are not covered in this letter, please feel free to contact me at any time.
What is it? – The purpose of Cross Training is to teach students how to be disciplined in their spiritual walk. The students stay at the church building for a week, going about their usual school routine in the mornings and afternoons. In the evening, we focus on the importance of discipline and of practicing habits that will deepen their relationship with God.
Why during school? Wouldn’t this make more sense in the summer? – This is a very legitimate question. I want to personally assure you that we take education very seriously in our youth ministry. The reason we do Cross Training during the school year is because I feel it is most important for these students to learn these habits in a busy season of their life. School can sometimes consume so much of teens’ lives and energies that they feel they have very little left for their spiritual disciplines. This week is designed to teach students to prioritize their time so that they can do well in school and spend time strengthening their relationship with God. Each afternoon will consist of a 2 hour block to work on homework: one hour of mandatory study hall (they must be working on homework or something school related), plus another hour of optional study hall (if they still have homework left, they can still work on it). To the best of my knowledge, in the two years I have been involved with Cross Training, no student’s grades have slipped during this week.
How do they get to school? – If your child ordinarily drives to school, he or she can continue to do so during this week. Otherwise, rides will be provided daily to and from Fort Dorchester and Summerville High School. This will either be in the church vans or with other students. Students will not be allowed to ride with other students unless you as parents have granted permission for them to do so.
What about extra-curricular activities and jobs? – I ask the students to clear as much of the week as they possibly can, but I understand that some things cannot be missed. Students turn in a schedule, signed by the parent, of where they will be and when. The student must either be at the church building or where the schedule specifies at all times. If the student must make a change to this schedule during the week, I will talk to parents to make sure they are aware of the change before the student is permitted to leave. Students must arrange rides for all activities other than school.
Will my child get enough sleep? – Cross Training is not an extended lock-in. Each night the students will have the option of being in bed by 9:30 pm, and they must be in bed by 11 pm. The guys will sleep in the Family Life Center during the week under my supervision, and the girls will sleep in the annex, supervised by adult volunteers.
How much does it cost, and what about meals? – Cross Training is basically free. Dinner is covered each night by different volunteers from the congregation. Students will need to bring food with them for breakfast and snacks during the day.
I hope your child will be joining us for Cross Training this year. It has been one of the most fruitful events that we have done in this ministry. Again, if you have any more questions or concerns, then please feel free to contact me.
If your child plans on attending, make sure they let me know by sending me a message by text, email or facebook.
Thanks,
Greg
What is it? – The purpose of Cross Training is to teach students how to be disciplined in their spiritual walk. The students stay at the church building for a week, going about their usual school routine in the mornings and afternoons. In the evening, we focus on the importance of discipline and of practicing habits that will deepen their relationship with God.
Why during school? Wouldn’t this make more sense in the summer? – This is a very legitimate question. I want to personally assure you that we take education very seriously in our youth ministry. The reason we do Cross Training during the school year is because I feel it is most important for these students to learn these habits in a busy season of their life. School can sometimes consume so much of teens’ lives and energies that they feel they have very little left for their spiritual disciplines. This week is designed to teach students to prioritize their time so that they can do well in school and spend time strengthening their relationship with God. Each afternoon will consist of a 2 hour block to work on homework: one hour of mandatory study hall (they must be working on homework or something school related), plus another hour of optional study hall (if they still have homework left, they can still work on it). To the best of my knowledge, in the two years I have been involved with Cross Training, no student’s grades have slipped during this week.
How do they get to school? – If your child ordinarily drives to school, he or she can continue to do so during this week. Otherwise, rides will be provided daily to and from Fort Dorchester and Summerville High School. This will either be in the church vans or with other students. Students will not be allowed to ride with other students unless you as parents have granted permission for them to do so.
What about extra-curricular activities and jobs? – I ask the students to clear as much of the week as they possibly can, but I understand that some things cannot be missed. Students turn in a schedule, signed by the parent, of where they will be and when. The student must either be at the church building or where the schedule specifies at all times. If the student must make a change to this schedule during the week, I will talk to parents to make sure they are aware of the change before the student is permitted to leave. Students must arrange rides for all activities other than school.
Will my child get enough sleep? – Cross Training is not an extended lock-in. Each night the students will have the option of being in bed by 9:30 pm, and they must be in bed by 11 pm. The guys will sleep in the Family Life Center during the week under my supervision, and the girls will sleep in the annex, supervised by adult volunteers.
How much does it cost, and what about meals? – Cross Training is basically free. Dinner is covered each night by different volunteers from the congregation. Students will need to bring food with them for breakfast and snacks during the day.
I hope your child will be joining us for Cross Training this year. It has been one of the most fruitful events that we have done in this ministry. Again, if you have any more questions or concerns, then please feel free to contact me.
If your child plans on attending, make sure they let me know by sending me a message by text, email or facebook.
Thanks,
Greg
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Cell Groups in March
"Excuse me, sir. Do you have a relationship with Jesus Christ?"
I was so relieved to be able to say, "Why yes I do."
Sadly, I was not so relieved at that particular moment because of the joy and peace found in the grace of Christ, or because of the eternal security that is found in salvation. Instead, at that moment, I was simply relieved because I knew that answer would mean he would leave me alone and let me go into the grocery store in peace while he looked for his next mark.
Something about the "can I talk to you about Jesus?" method of evangelism seems so phony to me. Maybe its just me, but I don't think so. I am a Christian. And by Christian, I don't mean that I have Christian parents, or that I celebrate Christmas instead of a "holiday season", or even that I go to church regularly. No, what I mean by "I am a Christian" is that I believe wholeheartedly that Jesus is the Son of God and that he died, was buried, and raised from the dead to purify mankind of their sins. I believe all that and put the entirety of my hope in it. But even so, I get annoyed when some stranger on the street tries to tell me that. I don't really know why, but I do. If that's the case for me, I wonder about the person who doesn't believe it - or isn't sure if they believe it. My bet is that such an approach would do more harm than good. In his book Unchristian, David Kinnaman, president of the Barna Group, gives the details of an in-depth study of the attitudes that Mosaics (people born between 1984 and 2002) have of Christianity compared to what older generations think. According to their study, one of the biggest complaints among outsiders in the younger generation is that Christians just want nonbelievers to "get saved" with no sincere concern for their actual well-being.
The Church in the book of Acts was committed to growing. They were committed to preaching the good news about Jesus. If we are going to be faithful in our calling as a Church, so should we. However, I do believe that we have to take Jesus' instructions to his disciples in Matthew 10 to heart. In this instance, he sent his disciples out to spread the good news about the arrival of the Kingdom of Heaven. One of the things he told them was that while they were on their mission, they were to be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves. I believe by this he meant that they had to be very savvy, but also keep focused. They needed to use methods of persuasion that would actually work. They needed to speak in a language that could be understood. But also, they needed to stay focused to what their message really was. The message the disciples had for the world was that God loved them and that God was going to redeem them. It was not a message about getting people on the right team by any means necessary. To be as innocent as doves, they needed to remember that Jesus' most important priority was not to convert their neighbor, but that they love their neighbor.
This month, we will be looking at examples in Acts that shows the early Church's commitment to spreading the good news about Jesus. One of the things I love about Acts is the pattern that emerges: Something amazing happens, when people notice, the disciples use the opportunity to speak about Jesus. When the religious leaders notice and get jealous, something bad happens to the disciples. Then something amazing happens again, and the whole thing starts over. I believe that if we live life the way Jesus has commanded us to do (loving our neighbor, returning hate with love, forgiving those who wrong us, having integrity, etc.) then amazing things will happen through us. When the amazing happens, we will have the opportunity to share our faith - whether it be to thousands of people (like Peter at Pentecost in Acts 2) or to one desperate and broken person who has lost hope (like Paul and Silas with their prison guard in Acts 16).
I was so relieved to be able to say, "Why yes I do."
Sadly, I was not so relieved at that particular moment because of the joy and peace found in the grace of Christ, or because of the eternal security that is found in salvation. Instead, at that moment, I was simply relieved because I knew that answer would mean he would leave me alone and let me go into the grocery store in peace while he looked for his next mark.
Something about the "can I talk to you about Jesus?" method of evangelism seems so phony to me. Maybe its just me, but I don't think so. I am a Christian. And by Christian, I don't mean that I have Christian parents, or that I celebrate Christmas instead of a "holiday season", or even that I go to church regularly. No, what I mean by "I am a Christian" is that I believe wholeheartedly that Jesus is the Son of God and that he died, was buried, and raised from the dead to purify mankind of their sins. I believe all that and put the entirety of my hope in it. But even so, I get annoyed when some stranger on the street tries to tell me that. I don't really know why, but I do. If that's the case for me, I wonder about the person who doesn't believe it - or isn't sure if they believe it. My bet is that such an approach would do more harm than good. In his book Unchristian, David Kinnaman, president of the Barna Group, gives the details of an in-depth study of the attitudes that Mosaics (people born between 1984 and 2002) have of Christianity compared to what older generations think. According to their study, one of the biggest complaints among outsiders in the younger generation is that Christians just want nonbelievers to "get saved" with no sincere concern for their actual well-being.
The Church in the book of Acts was committed to growing. They were committed to preaching the good news about Jesus. If we are going to be faithful in our calling as a Church, so should we. However, I do believe that we have to take Jesus' instructions to his disciples in Matthew 10 to heart. In this instance, he sent his disciples out to spread the good news about the arrival of the Kingdom of Heaven. One of the things he told them was that while they were on their mission, they were to be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves. I believe by this he meant that they had to be very savvy, but also keep focused. They needed to use methods of persuasion that would actually work. They needed to speak in a language that could be understood. But also, they needed to stay focused to what their message really was. The message the disciples had for the world was that God loved them and that God was going to redeem them. It was not a message about getting people on the right team by any means necessary. To be as innocent as doves, they needed to remember that Jesus' most important priority was not to convert their neighbor, but that they love their neighbor.
This month, we will be looking at examples in Acts that shows the early Church's commitment to spreading the good news about Jesus. One of the things I love about Acts is the pattern that emerges: Something amazing happens, when people notice, the disciples use the opportunity to speak about Jesus. When the religious leaders notice and get jealous, something bad happens to the disciples. Then something amazing happens again, and the whole thing starts over. I believe that if we live life the way Jesus has commanded us to do (loving our neighbor, returning hate with love, forgiving those who wrong us, having integrity, etc.) then amazing things will happen through us. When the amazing happens, we will have the opportunity to share our faith - whether it be to thousands of people (like Peter at Pentecost in Acts 2) or to one desperate and broken person who has lost hope (like Paul and Silas with their prison guard in Acts 16).
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Useful Website
Keeping up with the world our kids are growing up in is becoming an increasingly difficult task. It was hard enough when it was just TV and radio, but now that the internet has arrived on the scene. It's virtually impossible to know even a small fraction of the messages out there that our kids are seeing and listening to, or at least what their friends at school, or on their soccer team, or even at church are watching and listening to.
The Center for Parent and Youth Understanding is a Christian organization that has been providing useful information to parents and youth workers for 20 years now. Obviously, they can't inform you of everything, but their website is a good resource to see what's most popular.
The Center for Parent and Youth Understanding is a Christian organization that has been providing useful information to parents and youth workers for 20 years now. Obviously, they can't inform you of everything, but their website is a good resource to see what's most popular.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Bonfire Postponed!
Due to soggy conditions, the bonfire that was scheduled for tonight has been postponed. We will get the new date announced soon. Tonight we are meeting in the Youth Room at 6 as usual.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Cell Groups in February
One of the earliest descriptions of the First Century Church that we have in Acts if found in the 14th verse of the first chapter. It says that they "joined together constantly in prayer". Prayer is what we are going to be focused on for this month. Prayer is certainly one of those topics that has so many layers that we could likely talk about it for weeks on end and not exhaust all the complexity.
However, I don't really want us focused on the complexities of prayer this month. Instead, I simply want the different cell groups to focus on praying. I believe we can learn much more about prayer from practicing it, rather than talking and studying about it.
This month, the cell groups are encouraged to be praying for each other - not only when they meet on Wednesday nights, but also during the day to day activities of their weeks. Take the time this month to ask your kids if they've prayed for anyone in their cell group today. Also, take the time to ask yourself how often your family prays together. I hope that some of the exercises practiced this month in cell groups can be the start of a lifestyle that includes Christians constantly praying together.
However, I don't really want us focused on the complexities of prayer this month. Instead, I simply want the different cell groups to focus on praying. I believe we can learn much more about prayer from practicing it, rather than talking and studying about it.
This month, the cell groups are encouraged to be praying for each other - not only when they meet on Wednesday nights, but also during the day to day activities of their weeks. Take the time this month to ask your kids if they've prayed for anyone in their cell group today. Also, take the time to ask yourself how often your family prays together. I hope that some of the exercises practiced this month in cell groups can be the start of a lifestyle that includes Christians constantly praying together.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Interesting New Strategy?
And you thought you'd tried everything to get your kid up and out the door for Sunday school.
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100129/NEWS03/100129005/Pastor+accused+of+threatening+son+at+church+
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100129/NEWS03/100129005/Pastor+accused+of+threatening+son+at+church+
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Cell Groups in January
In the month of January, the discussion topic for Cell Groups is Baptism. As a Church of Christ youth ministry, you might assume that we would talk about baptism right off the bat when discussing the book of Acts. It would not be a horrible assumption to make - I believe baptism is a vitally important part of the Christian experience. I heard a speaker recently say that baptism is the only physical ritual that Churches of Christ really have. I am not sure about the only ritual, but certainly it is our most important. I do agree that it is the only ceremony that you could logically glean from an exclusive reading of the book of Acts. It's a procedure that recurs over and over again. On Wednesday night at Sanctuary, we ran through a lengthy (but not exhaustive) list of instances of people being immersed as an initiation into the way of Jesus. Since baptism (or immersion) is found at the beginning of the new disciples (they weren't called Christians until halfway through Acts) walk with the Christ, it may have seemed logical to discuss this topic way back in September or October. However, I didn't because I first wanted to highlight what the people in Acts were entering into when they chose to be immersed. I wanted to give a thumbnail sketch of a people who were willing to love and serve one another. A people who put the needs of others ahead of themselves. A people committed to accept people from different cultures and backgrounds in the name of Christ. A people who valued the well-being of their neighbors more than they valued their possessions. We finished the evening by taking a look at what Paul believed happened at this moment of immersion. In Romans 6, he lays out how baptism is symbolic of our participation in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Over the course of the month, the goal is for students who have not made this very important step to consider the receiving the new life promised through baptism. For the students who have already been baptized into Christ, the hope is that they will be reminded of the significance - that they died to sin and that sin should no longer have reign over them.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
2010
In the comments, tell me what you hope is the ending to this sentence for you: 2010 was the year that...
Here's some of what I hope history has to say about 2010:
2010 was the year that the bus didn't break down on a youth trip.
... the church basketball team won the championship.
... Anna Grace very quickly figured out the potty thing.
... arguing and complaining magically disappeared. From everywhere.
... it didn't rain at the Spring Retreat.
... the students in our ministry grasped how deeply loved they are by their heavenly father.
... those same students learned how loving their neighbor as themselves is the only appropriate response to that love.
... the families in our church that were struggling learned to lean on God and came out stronger on the other side.
... the kids who were carrying their pain all by themselves finally looked for someone to help them.
... every kid who looked for help with their burdens found a loving, mature disciple of Jesus who sacrificed to help them through.
... Summerville saw the good works of some teens who love Jesus and meet together on Trolley Rd and the Father in Heaven received all the praise.
Some of these I know we have very little power over (if anybody knows a righteous man, ask him start praying about the second weekend in May). But some of these we can work toward, so hopefully together we can work with the power of the Spirit to reach these goals.
Here's some of what I hope history has to say about 2010:
2010 was the year that the bus didn't break down on a youth trip.
... the church basketball team won the championship.
... Anna Grace very quickly figured out the potty thing.
... arguing and complaining magically disappeared. From everywhere.
... it didn't rain at the Spring Retreat.
... the students in our ministry grasped how deeply loved they are by their heavenly father.
... those same students learned how loving their neighbor as themselves is the only appropriate response to that love.
... the families in our church that were struggling learned to lean on God and came out stronger on the other side.
... the kids who were carrying their pain all by themselves finally looked for someone to help them.
... every kid who looked for help with their burdens found a loving, mature disciple of Jesus who sacrificed to help them through.
... Summerville saw the good works of some teens who love Jesus and meet together on Trolley Rd and the Father in Heaven received all the praise.
Some of these I know we have very little power over (if anybody knows a righteous man, ask him start praying about the second weekend in May). But some of these we can work toward, so hopefully together we can work with the power of the Spirit to reach these goals.
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