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Thursday, 10 July 2008

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We Believe
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Youth Ministry and the Kingdom

Matthew 19:14
"Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
You know, I am not quite sure how old these "little children" were that came to Jesus. From the pictures in Bible story books, they were little toddlers. BUT you never know. ha. All that to say, when I started thinking about what I would like to write about today that verse came to mind.
Cause in youth ministry, I think it's tempting for some (probably more so for those who aren't IN youth ministry and are just on the outside looking in) to think that because the people we are ministering to are young, maybe they are not going to retain everything and things just aren't that important.
But THE KINGDOM BELONGS TO SUCH AS THESE. Speaking as someone who has just recently got out of actually being in the youth group, I know that the times I was impacted the most were the times that my youth pastor didn't "give it to us easy." When he spoke the truth just as if we were mature people who needed to be CHALLENGED I received it much more.
Teenagers enjoy being challenged. They like to prove adults wrong. And sometimes this takes on a negative tone but as Christian teens most of them want someone to challenge them and then to be given the opportunity to rise up to and exceed that challenge.
Some practicals...
Service...challenging them to serve the Church or community or certain individuals in some capacity.
The Word...challenging them to read or meditate on and memorize certain passages of Scripture.
Prayer. Fasting. Giving. Yeah, you can challenge your kids in ANY area and if you show them the vision and who they COULD BE and what they COULD DO then most, if not all, of them will want to arise to that vision and will be willing to put the action in that is necessary to get there.
Any thoughts on challenging teens in your ministry to them?

Monday, 07 July 2008

Intercessory Prayer from the WORD.

So I have been really meditating and praying out on some of the prayers in the New Testament. Particularly 3 of Paul's many that he writes out in his letters. Here are the ones I've been hooked on the past week and encourage you to take some time to look at too...
Prayer for Divine Revelation of the Beauty of Jesus and the Bride's Destiny, unto Transforming Our Hearts
Ephesians 1:17-19-"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spiritof wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,"
Prayer for the Release of Supernatural Strength in the Heart, unto Experiencing God's Emotions
Ephesians 3:16-19-"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
Prayer for God's Love to Abound in Our Heart, Resulting in Discernment and Righteousness
Philippians 1:9-11-"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God."

Praying the WORD never gets old. Because it is living and active and infinitely deep and meaningful. There's always more revelation to receive.
Dive in!

Monday, 30 June 2008

Some thoughts on summer camp.

15 Days and counting.
That's when "EXALT" begins--this year's Teen Mania Extreme Camp. I am going to be a counselor this year. First time ever. I have never been to any Christian summer camp as anything other than a camper, but I'm looking forward to how God will use me in the lives of those I am going to be over for that week.
The Christian summer camps I have frequented in the past have played a pivotal role in inspiring me to seek hard after the Lord. Whether it was the one I attended in elementary school where we played a lot of games and had good times of praise and worship and great speakers and I was able to just be in the presence of the Lord or whether it was a discipleship camp I went to in JH and HS where we had a lot more real Bible study and discussion, I recognize all of it now as times the Lord definitely used to draw me to Himself.
Many teens will go to camp and get the "spiritual high" and then wonder what happened a few weeks later when they don't feel like reading their Bible anymore. I remember this. It was extremely frustrating. BUT I also remember that the more I did study the Word (even in those times right after camp) it drew me into the heart of God and I began to get addicted. I had to keep going back to Him. Again and again. And even when I didn't "feel" like it anymore, I knew I had touched something so much deeper and greater than myself. There was no option but to keep pressing on.
So if you're a youth pastor out there I'd really encourage you to challenge your kids to stick with spending time with the Lord everyday...with the promise that if they seek Him, He will be found by them! (1 Chron. 28:9)
And just for props, EXTREME CAMPS-Exalt 2008 is a really great camp in Garden Valley, Texas. with Teen Mania. Lots of great discipleship, speakers, bands and games...Check out their website
www.extremecamps.org

Any thoughts on summer camps from you guys?

Tuesday, 17 June 2008

Youth Ministry...in or out of the box?

So I am not going to lie...(cause well, that's a sin. =) I'm not a youth pastor. BUT I do work at a youth ministry and even working as a student leader in my high school youth ministry I've realized a few basic things.
Youth Ministry can either be in the box.... The box of ordinary. The box of typical. The box of "normal." The box of what is expected. The box that it's always been in... OR Youth Ministry can be outside of the box. It can be Spirit led instead of man led. It can be full of power instead of complacent. It can be moving forward instead of standing still.
No matter how radical we are, we can still tend to put ourselves, ministry, and even GOD in a box...we begin to think that "this is the way" when in all reality God is wanting to come and do a completely NEW thing.
"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?"-Is. 43:19
Let the new thing, come, Lord! And allow US to perceive it!
When you think of youth ministry as being out of the box...what do you see?

Thursday, 12 June 2008

The Revelation of Jesus Christ.

I want to be like John.
I want to be like a lot of people, really.
But John more as of late.
The one who put his head against Jesus’ chest…
and who is the same one who
fell down on HIS FACE when He saw Jesus in His glory.
The fear of the Lord.
AND the knowledge of God.
[Prov. 2:5]
He dwells with us.
AND brings judgment.
…bringing holiness to completion.
[2 Cor. 6]
The Lion.
AND the Lamb.
To know this One who seems so contradictory. But He is not.
When He acts…ALL OF HIM ACTS.
“To fear God and not be afraid of Him…THIS is the paradox of faith.”-A.W. Tozer
Anyway, those are just some thoughts today. I only have 1 short meeting this evening and I am FREE..for the ENTIRE WEEKEND! Crazy. First time in a long time. I think I’ll spend a whole lot of time in the Word and in prayer, take some naps in the lobby of my dorm and spend lots of chill time with the girls I love in my core. (I’ll explain more about myself later. =)