Growing Godly Generations

New Blog

2009-03-30T11:45:00.004-04:00

Blogpost has been good to me. I have always wanted to journal my thoughts because

I believe that writing breeds clarity. However, I have never been really good at doing it. Mostly because I lack consistency. So, when I found blogging and picked it up it has been helpful by giving me a format to write and also to share with others. The hope has been that others will grow spiritually from my spiritual journey as well. Trust me, that is more of a humbling thought than any pride or arrogance.

So, if I will share this online I might as well do it in a format that allows for the spread of greater communication. Therefore, I am transferring blogspot for wordpress. One reason is that it allows for me to post documents that may be helpful in communicating to those in ministry. They will hopefully have a little more access to those types of things. Wordpress also gives a little more flexibility in formatting different tabs or links to express my life, family, ministry and so forth.

All that to say that all blog posts will now be found at http://www.growinggodlygenerations.wordpress.com/

Se7en: Envy (and gluttony)

2009-03-23T10:32:00.009-04:00

Not long ago Verizon named one of its cell phones the enV. It has all the high multimedia features such as video, camera, and of course the QWERTY keyboard for texting. The phone is typical though the name is intriguing. The "enV". Its name is meant to create the desire for all to have. We are all supposed to be envious of those who own this phone and go out to purchase our very own. (Although it's not as cool as this one)

This message is a continuation in our series of the Se7en Deadly Sins. You might of guessed which sin. Envy forms out of the desire for more... and more... and more. Envy is an externally less dirty appearance of lust. The person battling with this sin is never satisfied. They are always searching, craving, yearning for the next big thrill or fix. It may be as simple as cookies from the counter or somebody’s possessions we want to pocket. Envy goes beyond the problem of wrong desires to resentment of others who enjoy certain benefits or pleasures. It asks, “Why does that person have and enjoy _____ and not me?” Ultimately, this sin points to sinful pride believing that our wants and desires should be fulfilled because we demand them to be so. It places ourselves in the role of God; something we are unable to fulfill.

In Proverbs 23:1-5, we see the author warning against envy. Things you see in or with others may appear as “delicacies” but in reality it is “deceptive”. Those things will fade away, or “sprout wings and fly away”. The author’s advice is summed up in verse 4, “Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint.” The point is to not seek fulfillment in others but show self-control and patience in what God provides. In a word, contentment is the answer.

What are some common areas of envy, lacking contentment for teens? See if you find yourself in any of these possible scenarios.

- Envy in position & prominence (Mark 10:35-44).
Are you in a place where you are playing second string on some kind of team or organization? Are you jealous of those who are above you? Do you selfishly desire to unseat those in front of you? Are you seeking your name to be the highlight of every achievement?

Jesus reverses the world’s standard for position and prominence. He says, “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for man" (Mark 10:45).

- Envy of persons (John 21:20-22).
Do you see someone else and want them or what they have? Are you overly competitive in nature? Do you often compare yourself and struggle with measuring up to others?

Jesus reverses the world’s standard for comparison to others. Our focus should be on our own character and calling before God. When we shift this to others we become filled with pride and envy.

- Envy of possessions (Ecclesiastes 5:10-11).
Our country is very materialistic, even in a time of economic depression. Loads of debt overwhelm many families and young people all for the sake of filling our desires to make us happy. This is envy at its finest. We need to discern the difference in every purchase between needs and wants. We also must consider how our possessions can be used for God’s glory rather than our own amassing of objects that rust, fade, wear and collect dust.

Contentment eliminates envy.
In all, the root of envy is finding satisfaction in god-substitutes. The answer is understanding that there is a greater treasure of infinite value – it is knowing and loving Jesus Christ. Therefore, the call for believers is to find their contentment in Christ.

The Christian is to find their greatest joy in Christ. Contentment is a choice to embrace Jesus as the all-sufficient source of joy and provision. It is being able to say, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of contentment – whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11-13). For “godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). It is realizing you can be “satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

When a person can embrace these truths they can eliminate envy. They will not look to position, prominence, people or possessions for fulfillment. They will already have it in the presence of God.

TAKING IT HOME
- Why do people get envious?
- Where do you see envy in society?
- What do you most commonly envy?
- What does the Bible have to say about envy/jealousy (do a search)?
- How does contentment eliminate envy?
- Read Philippians 4:11-13 & Hebrews 13:5. How do they relate to each other?
- What does it mean to be content but not complacent with Jesus?

Se7en: Lust & Greed

2009-03-19T12:35:00.006-04:00

As we continue our series on sin, the impact of lust and greed in our culture is overwhelming. Lust and greed are probably the more prominent sins of our consumer driven, instant gratification society. We have to have what we want with as much as we want and of course when we want it. This is true whether we're at a traffic light waiting for it to turn green, in line at the cashier rushing to get out the store, or at the computer feeding perverted desires.

In Proverbs 6:20-29, the author warns of the dangers of lust and greed. The example is lust for a women but it can easily be replaced with any other object of choice. Lust or greed may promise to please but in the end it fails to fulfill. It’s like the fish who sees the worm dangling for food only to bite and become hooked at the mouth. The actions will not go without consequence.

The problem with lust and greed is when the desire of an object becomes a demand leading to dependence on such object. This is commonly known as addiction. Lust and greed, as any addictions, are god-substitutes and biblically known as idols. We must ask ourselves, “For who or what am I lusting/greedy?” or the biblical question, “Who or what am I worshiping over God?”

TAKING IT HOME
John Owen, in his classic work On The Mortification of Sin in Believers says, “be killing sin or it will be killing you.” In other words, you cannot simply fight lust or greed on your own terms by avoiding it, hoping to wound it and let it go away. You must get to the root and destroy it by fighting with the spiritual weapons God has provided.

SO, how do I kill the sin of lust/greed?
Fight with Saturation
God is to be feared because he is holy. However, this fear is not to make you scared as much as it is meant to increase your intrigue of him. God, the Creator of heaven and earth has created you to saturate yourself in him. Don’t miss this! Therefore, I pray the imaginations of your mind, the affections of your heart and the desires of your heart will be awakened to true and everlasting joy in Christ. This can happen by saturating yourself in the Psalms and cultivating a life of prayer. Time with God, or lack of, will shape your appetite for lust and greed.
Psalm 16:4a,11 “The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
Jonah 2:8 “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.”
Psalm 34:8 “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.”
Psalm 90:14 “Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.”

Fight With Scripture
God gave the Bible so we can know Him and be equipped for life. As mentioned, fighting lust is not just a physical battle but a spiritual one. Therefore, you must use the proper weapons. When Jesus encountered temptation he used Scripture to defend and attack against the pervasiveness of sin.
Psalm 119:9,11 “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I have hidden your word in my heart that I may not sin against you.”
2 Peter 1:3-4 “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”

Fight With Strategy
Addictions must be fought with a hard determined look at reality. Those who struggle with lust can track where, when and how they have failed in order to anticipate when temptation is arriving. We must set and keep boundaries that God has designed for our joy and protection.
Psalm 16:6 “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.”

−Remove and limit your opportunity for lust and greed. If the computer or t.v. is a source of your lust then place it in a highly trafficked area. Don’t use them alone or especially at night when you are physically and emotionally exhausted. Whatever the source of your lust or greed is then seek to diminish your contact with that person or object. Parents need to take the lead in this area, even if it hurts or causes conflict. Your teen will thank you later for it.
Matthew 5:29 “If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.”

−Report to a close friend. Have your friend hold you accountable by asking you pointed questions which you must answer honestly.
Proverbs 27:6 “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.”

−Repent immediately after failure. Sin can drive a wedge between you and God. Youth who are especially emotional may use their sorrow to turn them away from their relationship with God. The key is to ground your emotions and failures in the truth of the gospel. God’s focus is not on personal perfection but in your cross direction; looking unto Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-3). When you confess your sin God forgives and cleanses from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
2 Corinthians 7:10 “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”

−Rest in the gospel, knowing that God forgives and gives mercy. This should not neuter the power of the above principles, yet it should empower you to move forward growing in grace every day.
Titus 2:11-13 “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for our blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ”

Missional Families

2009-03-10T20:47:00.007-04:00

According to a recent survey by Lifeway Research, parents are open to their children attending church if they don't have to be the ones to take them (Scott McConnell, LifeWay Research Insights' Feb. 23 newsletter). The survey found that 76 percent of parents agreed with the statement, "If a neighbor I trusted invited my children to go to church with them, I would let my child go with them." Whereas, only 24 percent of the 1,210 adults surveyed disagreed with the statement.

This finding is somewhat regrettable as a pastor who desires families to know God and worship him together. Yet, it also carries significance for believing families to live missionally. Notice the wording, "... a neighbor I trusted". This is a call for Christians to get into their communities and know their neighbors. It's a reminder that a simple friendship and invite can go a long way in the process for children and families to come to repentance and faith in Christ.

So what can your family do to live missionally, for neighbors to trust you? Here are some ideas:
- Know the names of your neighbors and allow them to know the names of everyone in your family.
- Invite neighbors, co-workers or classmates over for coffee, dessert, dinner or all of the above. This can easily be done by making use of special occasions and holidays.
- Participate in community functions and parties in effort to know people.
- Volunteer with local organizations, get involved with schools, sports teams, clubs, etc.
- Bless your neighbors, office or class with little but special gifts like baked goods, candy, yard work, appreciation notes & cards. It's the simple thoughts that count.

Above all, "as you go" (Matthew 28) and meet people engage in spiritual conversations when appropriate. People are not opposed to talking about spiritual things. They are opposed to you doing it without earning their trust first. You must have a genuine interest and value for people. Do not be afraid to let your friendships go beyond an evangelistic witness encounter. When I look at Jesus I see that he cared very deeply for people, even to the point of weeping on occasion. He loved strangers. I have to admit, I do not share this same compassion as much as I want or should. It's a shame, and worse it's sinful. I'm guilty and need to repent. I'm going to go do that now. What about you?

Se7en intro

2009-03-09T10:31:00.004-04:00

A father named Benjamin Brown had 2 sons, Byron & Bradley. When Benjamin died he left a small house in Baltimore to split between his sons. Byron & Bradley were not very fond of each other. They fought over who would own and live in the house. Byron wanted the house to be used for a book store while Bradley was going to turn it into a bead store for his wife. Yet the two could not agree to any compromise. Therefore, Byron came up with an idea. He told Bradley he could have the house if he could keep just one nail that hung inside it. Bradley never gave it any more thought and took the deal. After Bradley moved in to the house and turned it into a bead store his brother Byron returned to take ownership of that one nail. Byron entered the store with a duffle bag and pulled out a dead skunk. On that one nail hanging in the center of the house he hung the dead skunk. Since it was his nail he could do whatever he wanted. After a couple days Bradley concluded he could not keep the store because of his decision to allow a competing owner rule the inside of his domain.

Likewise, we have a decision. Will we allow a competing owner to rule the inside of our lives or will we submit to the rule and reign of Jesus? This decision is life altering. Once you make it you are deciding you will not allow others to return and take back ownership.

In Luke 11:21-28 Jesus teaches a powerful spiritual truth about man and the ways we deal with our sin. We develop means of coping with our sin (mistakes, wrong choices, failures, etc.) to give us emotional and spiritual security.

Some of these strategies are…
- Rationalization. We rationalize and excuse our sin. Common phrases are “I can stop any time.” “It’s not my fault… so and so made me do it.” Or worse, “It’s not that big of a deal, I’m not that bad.”
- Escape. We escape consequences of sin in many ways. Sometimes through avoiding conflict or perhaps through addiction to alcohol, drugs, lust, manipulation or sex. We indulge our fantasy desires so to avoid feeling conviction or guilt.
- Religion. We make ourselves feel better about our sin by adding religion to life. We develop a system of works that balance out the good and bad, hoping the former outweighs the latter.

The reality is all these are god-substitutes. They all fail to withstand the influence and power of Satan. Satan is the “stronger man” attacking our lives. We may cope or manage our sin for a time and feel good about ourselves. However, it’s a false sense of security because you are no match for Satan. He will overpower you. In all, he’s a lying, scheming false god promising to please but failing to fulfill.

The solution for overcoming our sin is none other than obedience to God. The root of obedience starts with our hearts and works outward to the fruit of our behaviors. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” The only secure and sure way of removing sin is the grace of God in Jesus Christ.

TAKING IT HOME
- Our new series is Se7en. The seven deadly sins are not exactly defined in the Bible. However, they are common and prevalent sins that stand out above others. As stated, every sin is condemning to send a person to hell. The issue at hand is the way we seek to deal with our sin. This series will help us understand common sins and how we attempt to overcome. Ultimately, it will point us to our desperate need for grace and appreciation for the cross of Jesus.

- Who is the “someone[thing] stronger” object in your life? In other words, how do you often attempt to deal with your sin based on the 3 coping strategies presented?

- How does sin get stickier or worse… as the 7 spirits who return to make the person’s life worse than at first? Describe possible situations in your life or observations in others.

- How does obedience help you overcome sin (Luke 11:28, John 15:5-11)?

- How does grace help you overcome sin (Titus 2:11-14)?

- Why is obedience more than external actions but deep to the root of our heart?

The Dip (book)

2009-02-25T08:00:00.001-05:00

A while back I read a book by author Seth Godin titled, "The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When To Quit (And When To Stick)". It was quite interesting and honestly a bit unsettling. According to Godin, the "dip" is the barrier between those who try and those who succeed. The book helps you to think about the long-term consequences of quitting. Certainly there are some things we should never quit and learn the biblical character qualities of patience and perseverance. Things like following and obeying Jesus, family life (marriage & parenting). However, there are some things where we have to consider and ask, "Is _______ worth my time and effort? Should I persevere or quit?" It may be a project, a relationship, a business, a ministry or whatever, we all travel through dips. The point is, for the sake of our life's God-given calling, gifts, talents, resources and purpose we need to carefully decide our priorities and investments.

Here are a few quotes I jotted down from the book. Enjoy,

"Winners quit all the time. They just quit the right stuff at the right time." p.3

The "biggest obstacle to success [and effectiveness] in life... is our inability to quit soon enough." p. 22

"The people who set out to make it through the Dip - the people who invest the time and the energy and the effort to power through the Dip - those are the ones who become the best in the world." p. 23

"A woodpecker can tap 20 times on 1000 trees and get no where, but stay busy. Or he can tap 20,000 times on one tree and get dinner." p. 29

Here are 7 reasons you might fail to become the best:

1) You run out of time and quit.

2) You run out of money and quit.

3) You get scared and quit.

4) You're not serious about it and quit.

5) You lose interest or enthusiasm or settle for being mediocre and quit.

6) You focus on the short term instead of the long and quit when the short term gets too hard.

7) You pick the wrong thing at which to be the best in the world.

Gospel Comes To Life, pt 3

2009-02-24T12:52:00.003-05:00

Mark Driscoll, in summary, gave three helpful applications for the gospel and culture.

1) Some things we must reject outright from culture. These are things that are completely incompatible with God and the Bible. There can be no compromise on these things. Examples may include homosexuality, abortion, porn... these are moral sins that are found in the commands of Scripture.

2) Some things we can receive from culture. These are things that God has given humanity the intelligence and innovation to create and bring about for the common good. God sends rain on the just and unjust (Matthew 5:45). An example is the use of medicine, doctors, etc.

3) Some things we must redeem from culture. There are some things that were morally good or neutral but culture has corrupted. They must be reclaimed for God's purposes. Examples may include certain technology or inventions, sex, gender and relationship views and others.

These 3 categories are helpful in trying to discern how a Christian is to relate to culture without watering down or abandoning the heart of the gospel.

Gospel Comes To Life pt 2

2009-02-24T12:08:00.002-05:00

The gospel of Jesus is powerful. It stands against any other worldview and gives the most comprehensive answer to life’s questions. It gives the answer for why evil exists, how to handle suffering, where to turn for freedom and hope and ultimately gives life a purpose. Yet, Christians often think or act like the gospel is weak and impotent. We live in depression and defeat over the sin in our lives, we fail to share and give a reason for the hope we have (1 Peter 3:15), and we barely understand the difference between Christianity and other competing worldviews. Ultimately, followers of Jesus are called to become infused with the gospel that they are able to engage the surrounding culture with God’s grace, the power to transform lives.

Before Jesus left the earth he prayed, “I have given them your word and the world has hated them for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world” (John 17:14-18).

At this conference, Pastor Mark Driscoll made a few observations about the way Christian interact with the surrounding culture. Here are some of the ways he listed:

Christians are like the Pharisees or Essenes:
They avoid the culture by creating sub cultures. It’s the mindset that church culture is a bomb shelter; huddle up and hide. Christians become innocent but extremely naïve. The problem with this view is that evil not only exists outside of ourselves but inside our hearts. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.” An example he gave was the home school movement. This is not to say that all who home school are wrong. But the motivation for doing so should be evaluated. If all Christians left public school system or sports leagues, stores, or any other public arena, then how will they be a witness for Christ to the world? Jesus said his prayer was not to take us out of the world but have protection from the evil one.

Christians are like the Sadducees:
They accommodate the culture. The church simply mirrors or reflects worldly styles and trends. In this case it becomes difficult to discern the difference between Christians and unbelievers. By default, the love of the world becomes god. The obvious problem with this view is producing god-substitutes rather than a clear difference and reason to become transformed by God’s grace and have devotion to Him alone.

Christians are like the Zealots:
They violently attack the culture for everything wrong that exists. They may be right in doing so but their methods are by far from honoring God or loving toward people. The church becomes known for what it is against and never what it is for or in support. The problem with this view is that it is arrogant and prideful. It forgets the reality that we are all saved by the mercy and grace of God. And it fails to offer the intended purpose of the gospel to transform others.

Christians are like the Disciples:
They seek to influence the culture with the gospel. They understand they are not perfect models but they point to the One that is, Jesus Christ. They have accepted the call to be on mission with God to redeem a lost and dark world without hope if they do not receive the gospel. The church becomes very public and culture shapers while remaining counter cultural. Christians are sent as missionaries just as Jesus was sent into the world (John 17:18).

So which are you and your family? Which category does your church fall into? If you find yourself in one of the first three categories then be honest in your evaluation. Repent of your sin of indifference, compromise or arrogance. Begin to make steps of faith to become more Christ-like. Follow the path and courage of the early disciples that others may take note that we have been captured by the extravagant beauty of God’s grace desiring to reflect that with others (Acts 4:13).

Gospel Comes To Life

2009-02-24T08:00:00.007-05:00

A few weeks ago I attended a conference at Southeastern Seminary (my alma mater). It was called The Gospel Comes To Life. It was a great conference theme showing how the gospel is relevant for any culture and is useful not just for Christians to get saved but a way of thinking and acting in all of life.

I attended a couple break out sessions. Here were some notes from one.

Breakout: Psychology's Gospel and The Gospel's Psychology by Dr. Sam Williams

Biblical counselors must reclaim the cure (salvation) and care (sanctification) for souls. The fundamental problem with humanity is that we are sinners. Every soul is broken and disordered and it traces all the way back to the original fall of mankind (Genesis 3). We cannot manage or cope with this problem with our own solutions. The only cure and freedom is found in the offer of forgiveness in Jesus Christ. Jesus frees souls from a history of messes, mistakes and failures. Even more, the continuing care for our souls is found in repentance, faith and obedience to God and His Word. At the heart of the issue is everyone is a worshiper, therefore every problem we face is a worship problem. The question is who or what are we worshiping and what is it that we are using to find "freedom"? This is the goal of biblical counseling and there is a difference from biblical counseling and "Christian counseling". Christian counseling is often secular counseling cloaked in christianese language. To be clear, if prayer and seeking God's wisdom through the Scriptures is not central to your counseling experience then it's highly unlikely there will be any effective or long-term benefit to your sessions.

Dr. Williams offers this quote from David Fitch (The Great Giveaway):

"...psychology is an intepretive enterprise that shapes the very way we make sense out of our lives and see the world... It is a structure for the interpretation and understanding of self-identity... schools of psychology have as much interpretation in them as any religious history or other sytem of knowledge... As [others have noted], the therapist sits in a position of power over me imposing this pre-structured story line upon how I am recounting my life. The patient is virtually submitting his or her life to be analyzed and re-narrated according to a particular brand of psychology... Christianity and psychology do not necessarily lead to the same truth and experience. Instead, they are two different ways of interpreting our reality, producing two different ways of experiencing and living in the world... Now the all important question for the Christian entering therapy becomes, out of what story will I allow my life to be formed, Jung (or some other theorist) or [Jesus] Christ?"

God's Word on the subject:
Colossians 2:2-8 My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is. So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

Another resource that has been helpful to me and that I am considering further education opportunities with is http://www.ccef.org/ This is probably the leading organization when it comes to restoring Christ and the Scirptures to counseling.

Monday Leftovers...

2009-02-23T10:06:00.003-05:00

PARTNER TOGETHER TO GROW GODLY GENERATIONS (2/22 message notes)

Josh McDowell in his book, The Last Christian Generation (p.60) says, “Parents carry more weight – for good or bad – than they give themselves credit for. How a child thinks and acts is still molded by his or her home life, which means the crumbling foundations of the faith among this generation is as much a parental problem as a church problem, if not more so. If we’re going to reclaim the next generation, then the home and the church must join forces together like never before.”

Teach your child to obey/worship (Eph 6:1-3).
Paul directly addresses children in the Ephesians letter. The presence of children in the congregations where the letter is to be read can be taken for granted.[1] The command is for children to obey parents. This command is repeated either directly or indirectly at least 11X (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16, 22:7; Matthew 15:4, 19:19; Mark 7:10, 10:19; Luke 18:20; Ephesians 6:1-2; Colossians 3:20; 1 Timothy 5:3-8). This is an insurmountable principle hammered throughout the Scriptures and cannot be overlooked. Children honor their parents by obeying them.

The language of obedience is active and ongoing, υπακουετε meaning to listen under, to submit and heed authority. In other words, the command is to keep on obeying your parents. Obedience and honoring one’s parents does not stop at a certain age. However, this does not negate individuals becoming mature, fully independent and responsible adults.

In the Bible, obedience is closely related to the idea of worship; they are almost synonymous. Obedience is to be from the heart, with a desire to please the person. How does all of this relate to parent partnerships to grow godly generations? How can we teach children to obey and worship?

1. By nature, children are worshipers; we all are. They either worship Jesus or they worship an idol or false god; neutrality is not an option. Worshiping anything other than God is a sin and violation of the first and second commandments. For parents, one of the first assignments is to bring out this reality of right and wrong. We cannot obey God in ourselves. That is why we need a Savior. Parents can shepherd their child's heart by pointing them to this reality. And part of this process is discipline and correction.

Proverbs 22:15 “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.”

Much can be said about disciplining a child. I recommend the excellent book by Tedd Tripp, “Shepherding A Child’s Heart”. Its counsel and advice is biblical and God-centered rather than the plethora of worldly goals and techniques offered on parenting today. Any Christian parent should make it their #1 book to read apart from the Bible on parenting.

The point I wish to make is discipline must first start at home. You will notice through the book of Ephesians, 2 main institutions: the home and the church. It is the parents who are commanded with the responsibility to teach children obedience and proper worship. It is not the role of any corporate/social organization (church, school, day care, etc.) to discipline your child. In fact, it is that much more difficult if for such organization to accomplish its mission if home discipline has been negligent.

Correction teaches the reality of consequences. It communicates that obedience is an essential character trait to learn and apply throughout all of life. Even adults must obey authorities, laws and yes even honor parents! Ultimately, correction prepares children for that day when eternal destinies will be fixed. Will your child be ready for this day by the way you have disciplined and corrected your child. To remember, and perhaps most importantly, discipline is a heart issue not behavior modification. You must lovingly point your child to the reality they are a sinner in desperate need of God’s forgiveness and grace in Jesus Christ.[2]

2. Parents can teach children to obey by loving what is good. Worshiping Jesus is the greatest and highest action any person can do. Parents model this through faithful, consistent participation in the corporate worship of God in a local church.

Psalm 84:1-2, 10 “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God… Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

Priorities and repeated behaviors communicate to children what parents value. If you did something 884 times the cumulative message is that “this matters”! Well, that is how many opportunities you have to take your child to Sunday worship until they are age 17. Parents may raise objections to say it is not reasonable because of hectic schedules families face. While there may be some truth, I want to offer some helpful tips for making Sunday worship a priority.

- Discipline your Saturday nights. Get a good night sleep, have clothes picked out, and other items ready to help the morning time contain less stress and conflict. Help your child anticipate and see the worship service as a special.

- Prepare your Sunday mornings. Eat a good breakfast, turn off the t.v. and prepare your heart to corporately worship God. Pray with your family, read Scripture together, listen to praise music.

- Unite your family. This involves sitting together with your children. Try sitting up close where children can see what is taking place in the service. Don’t be afraid to explain what is going on. Help them participate in the worship service by discussing what will take place as you look in the bulletin. Bring a special notebook/crayons/pens, etc. for children to “take notes.” Tell them to write/draw things they enjoy in the service or write questions. Make a list of items for them to draw or words for them to listen for in the music and sermon. Model the process of taking notes and have them watch what you are writing and doing during the service. Remember, you are the living example!

- Summarize your Sunday. Praise and encourage your children when they have worshiped well on Sunday morning. Ask your children what they learned. Move beyond “yes” and “no” questions to seize the opportunity in teaching and nurturing your child. Be creative and do a project that was based on the sermon. Make use of the new Sunday School curriculum pages that are being sent home to enhance discussion during the week.

- Pray for/with your family. It is no coincidence that Paul discusses spiritual warfare following his instructions concerning family relationships in Ephesians 5-6. A battle is being waged against your family and the greatest weapon your family has is prayer. Pray for/with your family- even beyond the family meal.

- Remember your calling. Training a child to love God and enjoy corporate worship is not easy; it’s counter culture. It will take significant time and effort to shepherd your child’s heart over the course of his or her life. The key is to remember your calling before God and trust God for the results. The benefits you will receive far outweigh the challenges you will face in knowing you are investing in the next generation to know and serve the Lord.

- Cultivate your friendships. Make opportunities for your child to talk with the worship leaders and pastors. Invite them to your home or out to eat so that they will feel that the worship leaders and pastors are approachable and friendly.

- Recommended Resource: Parenting in the Pew: Guiding Your Children into the Joy of Worship by Robbie Castleman. See Pastor Dave for study guide to coincide with book.

Teach your child to feed/grow (discipleship) (Eph 6:4)
Paul also commands parents, specifically fathers, to bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Again, the language of the command is continuous (εκτρεφετε) to imply keep on feeding and training your child. It is the same word used in verse 29 of caring for your own body. The goal is for fathers to take an active role in maturing your children to spiritual growth.

I want to make a couple observations on this point and then share some other unique perspectives with you.

- Discipleship starts early.
I cannot emphasize enough the need to expose your child to spiritual truth during their earliest years. George Barna says that a child’s moral, spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional and relational foundations of people’s lives are determined primarily before age 13.[3]

- Discipleship takes intentionality.
Your child will not know or understand spiritual truth by default. In fact the opposite will happen, and perhaps disastrous consequences may occur. As parents, you must set some goals for your child’s spiritual growth. You must also understand how to accomplish such goals. I believe in this area our expectations are too low. We need to be challenged to raise the expectations for our children and as we do I believe our children will rise to the occasion.

- Discipleship happens relationally.
When Jesus wanted to make disciples he called people to “be with” him (Mark 3:14). This is where the partnership with other parents and the church fits in as well. By the family and the church relationally walking alongside each other we can set our sights on raising spiritual champions for Christ and growing godly generations.

Andy Stanley says that we are making our children experience rich but relationally poor.[4] We give our children experiences in school, sports, competition, trips and travel but we cannot forget that our children long to just be with us.

There is one perfect person that we can partner together in our parenting and raising up the next generation. That is the Heavenly Father. God does not want you to do this alone. He wants you to be in relationship with him. Are you in relationship with God? Have you committed your family to journey on the foundation of God and his Word?

TAKING IT HOME
- What makes it difficult to reach today's generation, the Millenials?
- Why does obedience have a negative connotation?
- What can you do to show that joy is a byproduct of obedience?
- Of the 8 helpful tips to prepare your family for Sunday worship, which are the most challenging? Easy?
- Of the 3 observations concerning child discipleship, what stands out to you and why?
- What parenting goals will you begin to establish for your children? How will you implement them?
- What are some ways your family can partner with others through the church to raise godly generations? (The Mattox's spoke of a few... get the recording!)

[1] The Expositors Bible Commentary, Ephesians 6:1.
[2] Again, I refer to Tedd Tripp in Shepherding a Child’s Heart, especially pp. 103-117. Also, Russell Moore’s article, The Eschatology of Parenting found at http://www.russellmoore.com/index.php/2008/12/10/the-eschatology-of-parenting/
[3] Transforming Children into Spiritual Champion, 2003.
[4] Parental Guidance Required, DVD.

HGG, part 2

2009-02-16T14:39:00.002-05:00

This is the last message in our TEXT LOVE series; just as teen relationships fade quickly so too our series comes to an end! This will be part 2 of HGG. As you may remember, a HGG is a Hot Godly Guy or Hot Godly Girl. Becoming a woman of godly character indeed both a rarity and a noble task (Proverbs 31:10). Yet, the society we live in does not promise to be of much assistance.
Where[1]
- 1 million teen girls become pregnant each year in the U.S.
- 1 in 3 girls have had sex by age 16; 2 of 3 by age 18.
- Eating disorders are 3rd most chronic illness among teen girls.
- Almost 35% of high school girls feel sad or hopeless almost every day for at least 2 weeks.
- There are increases in binge drinking among teen girls, who are more likely to consume hard liquor than their beer-inclined male counterparts.
- A young girl named Lyn Fromme sought to wreck her life with alcohol, drugs, rebellious living and attempted murder all for the sake of a guy who “loved” her. When asked why she said, “I decided when I was 17 years old that whoever loved me first could have my life.” If only she had known Jesus loved her first and more!

The place to look for becoming a HGG is none other than the Bible, specifically Proverbs 31. A HGG knows value is in her character.

HGG character means selfless serving.
The Proverbs 31 woman is not idle or lazy in her work ethic. Scripture notes her industrious lifestyle of working “with eager hands” (31:13) to help support and provide for her family and servants (31:15). This type of woman understands that her work is to be done as working for the Lord and to be done with all her might and effort (Col.3:23). An extension of this truth is that the virtuous woman is giving and gracious to others. “She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy” (31:20). Such a woman is not selfish but seeks to benefit and aid others through her hard work and lifestyle. She brings good and not harm to others (31:12).

Teen girls often suffer from low confidence and assurance. They wonder if they can be of use to anyone and if there is an ultimate purpose to their life. The result of these things is depressed, angry, lonely and profoundly vulnerable girls. Jimmie Davis notes that “Girls try to fill the need emotionally… focus[ing] on how they look and feel (consider their obsession with makeup, hair, dress, and nails)… Many girls are willing to do anything to be accepted”[2] and find their sense of worth.

This shows the necessity of showing girls God has a plan and purpose for their life. He uniquely created them (Psalm 139) with gifts, personalities and abilities to be of use to the greatest kingdom of all – that of serving Jesus. Teaching girls to recognize their worth through serving others is immeasurable. Jesus calls us to look beyond ourselves that we may be of benefit to God and others (John 10:24-26). In a me-first culture teens must grasp the awesome calling that God has placed on us all to live for him.

HGG character means wise ways.
The Proverbs 31 woman not to be underestimated in her intellect or capabilities. Her work is not confined to meaningless activity. She is quite industrious and wise in her business dealings. She plans her daily schedule getting up early in order to provide for her family and her servant girls (31:15). Her wisdom is displayed in the arena of real estate, as she considers and purchases land which in turn will be useful for business (31:16). All her trade and work is profitable (31:18). And faithful instruction is on her tongue to speak wise advice to others (31:26).

Most teen girls are smart (Or smarter than boys their age J. This is true even though girls can/will play less smart in fear of intimidating boys or in attempt to earn their acceptance. This in itself shows the intellect of the teen female intellect). They have the intellect to handle life’s situations, but they are lacking the emotional and spiritual maturity to do so. They need the godly example of female role models. The Apostle Paul instructed the church for mature women to train the younger women (Titus 2:3-5). Young girls are in need of receiving wisdom in what it means to be a HGG and how to become all that God intends them to become. Davis says, girls need help in sorting through the unite problems of womanhood. Girls are “searching for answers and, unfortunately, are finding answers based on worldly standards. Girls need someone who understands, and no one understands like another female!”[3]

HGG character means confident charm.
The Proverbs 31 woman has confident charm because she understands real beauty is not found in her external appearance but in her internal character. She is not concerned about unattainable air-brushed, short-lived images the world presents for a female but she seeks to cultivate the character of her heart (1 Peter 3:3-4). A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised (31:30). Her goal is to leave an eternal legacy among her family, that her children and husband will speak well of her (31:28), as well as those who know her in the community (31:31). A spiritual legacy always surpasses an earthly legacy.

TAKING IT HOME
· Why is becoming a HGG important?
· How do you know that society does not offer much help in creating a HGG?
· Is character more important than good looks? Explain.
· Share some specific examples about the difference between someone who is selfish and someone who is not.
· How can the parents and youth leaders help teen girls overcome low confidence and assurance?
· Why is it important for Men to mentor boys and Women to mentor girls?
· What is charm? What is confident charm, according to this message?

[1] The following stats and story are from Girls’ Ministry Handbook: Starting and Growing a Girls’ Ministry in Your Church. Jimmie Davis. p. 8-9.
[2] Ibid. 22.
[3] Ibid. 27.

HGG & INTENTIONAL DATING
Some have asked about the role for Christians and dating. Here are 2 questions to ask before you date. My suggestion is if you say no to either of these questions then you probably should not date but be friends with the person.
1) Are you ready to be married?
2) Could you see yourself married to this person?

HGG and Beyond...

2009-02-12T11:36:00.010-05:00

Well, this Sunday the final message in our TEXT LOVE series… well, sort of. Let me explain.

First, I’m in the process of writing an article on the topic perhaps called “Digital Discipleship”. My goal is to offer a resource for parents and youth leaders alike who really want to understand how to connect and train this new generation of children. We have got to figure out how to communicate the gospel with children and teens in a culture that wants to take them the opposite direction. We cannot let happen what happened in Judges 2:10-11 “After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers [the one’s of Joshua’s day who knew God and saw the miracles of following his ways], another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. Then they did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served [other gods].” Let’s keep praying and focusing on our mission of partnering together to grow godly generations.

Second, I have heard it described before about ministry that leaders must find the waves and keep surfing. When the waves die find new ones. Or perhaps a more familiar way of explaining it that profoundly impacted me and my walk with God was an Experiencing God Bible study that said, “Find where God is working and join him”. So with that being said, I think I’ve found a surfing zone. Or at least an area where God wants to continue probing in my life and in the hearts of our youth ministry. You see, the TEXT LOVE series has simply been about God making you look more like Jesus through the context of relationships. Sanctification (God making you look more like Jesus) and holiness does not happen in isolation of other people. Your holiness is a community project .

For the next few week’s we’ll be surfing on a few more waves but they won’t look the same. But rest assured, they are waves from the same source. Our next series will explore common habits… sins that infect our lives and the way we treat others. It will be called Se7en for the 7 Deadly Sins. YES, I know the Bible does not teach different levels of sin, yet there are one’s that stand out that we can learn how to avoid their influence. In all, this theme was actually a request from a couple of our youth. To somewhat oblige and also to continue riding the wave we will see where God will take us from there.

Until then, surf’s up!

TOP 10 reasons to come feb 14

2009-02-10T16:22:00.006-05:00

Just wanted to remind you the TOP 10 reasons to come this Saturday, February 14 5PM Sweetheart's Night

1. You get to have real conversations (not texting) and hang out with friends along with meeting new ones.

2. You get to see an extreme valentine makeover for our church fellowship hall.

3. You get to enjoy a fantastic dinner... mmm, I can almost taste it now. Dinner starts at 5PM. Youth should be there 4pm to organize dinner & childcare service.

4. The desserts will be off the hook (that means really tasty), as they always are thanks to many of you great bakers out there!

5. You get to invite unbelieving friends to a non-threatening opportunity of hearing the gospel through a solid, family-friendly dramatic comedy movie, Fireproof. If you're not signed up for the dinner or can't make it for some reason the movie starts at 7PM.

6. You get to enrich your marriage by spending TIME with your spouse! Men, we all need a few extra deposits in this bank account :) Even if you're not married you will enrich your future marriage or just get a kick out of watching 45 year old men try to fight back tears while watching a movie.

7. You get to enjoy a meal without children having a food fight at the dinner table.

8. You get see if our church's water pump will continue to work for 2 weeks in a row (jk, it's definitely fixed now... we hope, gulp!)

9. You get to give generously to our youth ministry who work hard at providing quality events for parents, church members and guests.

10. You get to memorialize this historic moment in time with a valentine picture for just $5.

11. I know it's a top 10 but we gotta give you one extra...You get to enter to win 1 of 3 of the super cool door prizes.

TEXT LOVE: HGG part 1

2009-02-02T11:37:00.002-05:00

We’ve been talking about “TEXT LOVE”. Text Love is the current style of teen relationships. It’s superficial and short-lived. It’s quick (started in seconds), easy (the touch of your fingertips), and casual (no long conversations or challenging content). It’s kind of like fast-food, well intentioned but without any substance. These relational qualities sound attractive at first but after deeper understanding one can clearly see its short-comings. Rather than developing authentic personal relationships with the sense of friendship and community we all crave, we have short-changed ourselves redefining love and the purpose of relationships.

To counter these trends teens will have to make some changes, starting with themselves. To find your future mate and true love you must first become someone who is worthy of true love (one person says "dateable"). To put it another way, you must focus on being the right person before finding the right person to date. It starts with you; you becoming a HGG.

HGG is a 2 part ending to our series. We will talk about what it means to become a Hot Godly Guy or Hot Godly Girl.

1 Kings 2-3

A HGG is serious about his walk (2:1-3)
In this passage King David is passing his legacy on to his son, Solomon. David was acclaimed for his military strength and leadership but also for his passionate heart to worship God. The last charge before his death given to his son encouraged Solomon to walk with God. David understood there is no substitute for godliness and integrity. To be a man, Solomon was to remain faithful to God and obey his commands.

Consistent godly character and integrity are lacking among today’s teens. It’s not that there is not evidence of these things. It’s just that teen godliness and discipleship are rare rather than the norm. This is an unfortunate trend and requires immediate attention. I believe it starts with parents and funnels down to the teens. Parents must take back the spiritual responsibility of raising their children they have neatly handed off to the programmatic church. God has given this stewardship to parents and the church is to support and encourage the home. Parents can start by making Jesus and His Word a priority in the home. Reading, discussing and applying Scripture must become part of family routines. However, be careful that this is not a superficial or short-lived act. Teens can easily spot spiritual frauds. Likewise, teens can begin to realize the difficulty of choosing and maintaining priorities. You cannot be, have or do all the things you would like in life. Activities, trips, experiences must be carefully and perhaps strategically selected for intentional purposes. Ask, why am I doing this? How will this benefit my personal/spiritual growth? Some difficult choices may need to be made but with faithful commitments a foundation can be laid for a life time of walking with God.

A HGG is serious about his family (2:4).
Solomon was challenged to remain faithful to God and walk in his ways, keeping the commandments. In doing so, Solomon would continue the legacy of his father. God promised Solomon’s father, David that the royal throne of Israel would not be taken from his descendants. In fact, the promised Messiah would come from David’s line. However, this was dependent on faithfulness to walking with God.

This is overlooked in a society where children often rebel against authority, parents and ultimately God. Parent’s should be mindful to make early and frequent investments in their children so they are able to value carrying the legacy of walking with God. Children should understand that their decisions and actions impact more than their own life. The way a child lives his/her life affects parents, family members and even more, future generations. God told Moses & the Israelites that he would punish “the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation… but show love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments” (Exodus 20:5-6). The point of application is your life and walk is more than being about only yourself; it affects countless others.

A HGG is serious about his influence (3:1-14)
Later, Solomon would take over as Israel’s king. God granted Solomon the opportunity to have his desires fulfilled. Solomon could have requested worldly pleasure but instead chose eternal influence. He asked God for wisdom to govern and discern right and wrong. As king over an entire nation, he needed spiritual wisdom to lead others to following the ways of God. Solomon’s influence was known throughout the whole world (see ch. 10) and has lasted even to modern times.

A HGG is someone who looks at the world around them and sees opportunity to make a difference for Jesus. God has gifted and shaped every person with skills and abilities to help others and glorify God. HGG’s are not content to be spectators but active participants in what God is doing in and through them.

In conclusion, those ladies who are looking for a man should look for one with these characteristics. Seeking one who has prioritized his life around things that matter, eternal essentials (Walk – God); seeking one who is selfless, respectful and honoring to others (Family); and seeking one who is not a crowd follower but a leader and difference maker (Influence). Are you a HGG? Are you looking for a HGG?

TAKING IT HOME
· Describe “TEXT LOVE” in your own words. How does your definition compare to Dave’s? What do you think are possible consequences of this trend in teen relationships?
· Why is becoming a HGG important?
· What does it mean to be serious about your walk with Jesus? What beliefs and behaviors does such a person have?
· Do you think teen discipleship is a rarity rather than a norm? Explain.
· Discuss how your actions can impact other people in your family and perhaps even friends.
· What can our family do to show we are serious about each other and about God?

Why Pro-Life?, 2 videos

2009-01-29T13:07:00.003-05:00

Here are 2 videos to add to the previous post "Why Pro-Life?"

Imagine The Potential...

Be Courageous, Mr. President...

TEXT LOVE: IDC

2009-01-27T08:00:00.002-05:00

Our words matter. This past week, Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States, and the first African American. Perhaps you saw the inauguration when Judge John Roberts quoted the Constitution to swear Obama in. Obama paused during his restatement of the oath which threw Roberts off and he misquoted the proper words. The flub was heard and commented on around the globe. Later that night, Roberts came to Obama in the White House to repeat the oath and properly swear Obama in. The reason: words matter.

This message is meant to show that everything matters; our thoughts, our speech, our actions. Teens must be reminded of this simple principle because a life played out in the context of relationships without this principle is disastrous. The consequences of sin does not escape anyone, including Christians! Even as Christians, we must guard our hearts and minds to not become desensitized to worldly ways. Teens often can often grow cold to Christ and his message and so begins the attitude of IDC: “I Don’t Care”. These words and attitudes are pervasive, and probably so in every new generation.[1] As we examine a few verses, one should consider that caring is of crucial importance as we live in contact with those around us.

Proverbs 18:21-22 "Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. A man who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord."

The author of these proverbs understands things matter. Words matter and friends matter. Our words can hurt and wound or they can heal and inspire. Proverbs goes a step further saying they can give life or death. Wow, that’s powerful! And those who understand this little principle will reap the rewards. Think about it, when is the last time you were wounded by careless, wreckless, idle words? Do you remember how long it took you to get over them? Was it hours, days, months… do you still feel the pain? The things we say and communicate to one another really do matter. At the same time, I know the effect and power words of encouragement can instill. When someone comes along side of you and speaks such words it is like refueling an empty car. You see, everyone needs a friend to speak words of life and hope. This is why God gives friends.

The reason friendship exists is so we are motivated to not give up. God wants us to keep our focus on him and serving others. However, due to the typical life challenges we can easily become discouraged and burned out. We need subtle, if not direct, reminders that what we do matters. This is the power of words and friendships. What kind of friend are you? Are you an IDC friend or one who is willing to break the mold and say, “I DO CARE”?

TAKING IT HOME
· Look for someone in your youth group or school who needs a friend. You can tell who they are because no one sits around them or they are extremely quiet. Go and talk to them with genuine interest. Ask them questions so you’re not doing all the talking. Perhaps God may have a plan for your new friendship.
· Explain the importance and power of words when it comes to relationships.
· Verses in the book of Proverbs are often unrelated. Though, when they are they seem to be powerfully important. What do you think is the connection between Proverbs 18:21 and 18:22?
· Illustrate on paper using Proverbs 18:21-22 and James 3:2-12.
· What are some helps to caution the way you speak toward others?

[1] One reference that is helpful to me in understanding how to communicate with IDC teens is The Journal of Biblical Counseling, Summer of 2005, vol 23, no 3. This specific volume addresses IDC teens in several helpful articles. To name a few, “What is ‘Success’ in Parenting Teens?”, “Why Do Kids Turn Out the Way They Do?”, "Addressing the Problems of Rebellious Children", and my favorite, “Counseling Angry, Unmotivated, Self-Centered, and Spiritually-indifferent Teens”. What a title!?!

Why Pro-Life?

2009-01-26T13:38:00.003-05:00

This can be an intimidating question. In fact one person said it was above his pay grade to answer it. No, that is not a slap at our historic 44th president, but it is an example of the fact that the question sparks debate. I’m not intending for this post to be political. However, the issue I want to propose is why should people, specifically Christians, be pro-life over pro-choice.

God is the Creator of human life (Genesis 1:26-28; Psalm 8:3-4, 103:14).
Both man and woman were created in the image of God. This elevates human life above all other created beings since nothing else is said to be created in God’s image. It gives humanity significance and also stewardship in creation.

Life begins at conception (Psalm 139:13-16; Isaiah 49:1; Jeremiah 1:5; Luke 1:44; Galatians 1:15; Ephesians 1:3-4).
Individual life occurs from the union of the male and female sex parts, thus making a fully capable person with potential for every human capacity. Ultrasounds have literally become eye-opening pictures of the baby moving body parts, responding to external pressures and sound and performing human actions. At eight weeks all the organs are present with the brain functioning, heart pumping, liver and kidneys active. This is none other than the fingerprint of God. And it is reported that virtually all abortions happen after the eight week period.

Murder is wrong (Genesis 9:6, Exodus 20:13).
In every society murder of an innocent being is wrong. Not only is this an innate understanding in society but it is also mandated by the Divine Creator, who alone has the power to give and take life. Unfortunately in the case of the unborn child this is not so in our society. Based on the above beliefs, the unborn child should be protected as any other individual. “A strong argument can in fact be made for this even apart from biblical revelation, for the only differences between babies in utero and babies that are born are: (1) their location; (2) their size; (3) their level of dependence; and (4) their level of development”.[1] Such differences should not allow death for one set of babies (pre-born) and life for another (those born).
Two other coinciding thoughts from pastor-theologian, John Piper are [2]:
1. Existing fetal homicide laws make a man guilty of manslaughter if he kills the baby in a mother's womb (except in the case of abortion).
2. Fetal surgery is performed on babies in the womb to save them while another child the same age is being legally destroyed.

Those who do not have a voice need those who do to speak up; no in fact they need us to rise up. Rise Up to speak of the horrific actions taking the innocent lives of over a million babies each year; Rise Up to educate and inform others on life related issues such as abortion, stem cell research and use and offer the Biblical worldview for life; Rise Up to get involved in sacrificial ways (prayer, crisis pregnancy centers, adoption, rallies, banquets, finances and perhaps even protests when appropriate); and lastly Rise Up to sensitively offer the hope and forgiveness of Jesus Christ who have experienced or encouraged abortion in the past.

Will we Rise Up?

[1] From ESV Study Bible, Biblical Ethics: The Beginning of Life and Abortion, p. 2539.
[2] Fifteen Pro-Life Truths to Speak, found at http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2003/1690_Fifteen_ProLife_Truths_to_Speak/

Moses & Leadership

2009-01-23T15:23:00.004-05:00

On Sunday morning our youth are studying Exodus. It's been fun to recall the story of a little boy floated down the Nile River in a basket, how God used a shepherd to lead the Israelites out of slavery, the plagues... ohhh, the plagues and of course the things Moses learns as a leader of an entire nation.

This week a part of our lesson is in chapter 18. Here are some things I am learning from Moses (and the Holy Spirit!) and trying to apply to our Youth Ministry.

1) God calls every person to play a role in his kingdom. Everyone has a different part and each is meaningful to the whole. This includes every age, gender, personality type and skill level.
2) Leadership is about developing people. This means empowering others to assist in meaningful ways of service. Leaders cannot do it alone.
3) People are more affirming and respectful of leaders who develop than leaders who remain independent. If a leader is not developing and employing people to serve the vision then they will become dissatisfied and feel devalued.
4) Busyness does not equal productivity or effectiveness. Moses was busy but not successful as a leader until he understood the art of developing others. In a word, delegation. Delegation sounds negative but if properly understood it is really helpful to everyone involved.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject. Please post in the comments section below.

AND as a plug for our YM... we're starting YOUTH LEAD. It's a new way of doing ministry but an essential one if we are to be effective in our vision of growing godly generations. If you are wondering how you can fit in YOUTH LEAD I would love to sit and chat over a cherry coke with ya. Hope to hear from ya.

TEXT LOVE: BFF

2009-01-19T15:58:00.003-05:00

There's a new movie out titled, "He's Just Not That In To You". I'm not going to promote the movie by showing the trailer on this blog because I'm not sure it's worth promoting. However, it would appear that one of its themes seems to go right along with our series TEXT LOVE. The idea that relationships become the center of attention yet because of social dysfunction (no personal contact - one of the movie quotes is "stop cyberstalking him" and "myspace is the new [pick-up style]" wording changed due to content) and selfish heart idols, relationships seldom fulfill us. Well, this message is about the value of friendship over dating.

As we discussed last time, TEXT LOVE is a love that is consuming but short-lived. Lots of attention, time and energy is poured into text love. In time, teens turn dating into an idol to be worshiped. Teens should recognize that dating often becomes “disposable” in the sense that text love crushes come and go. The only one lasting relationship you can count on is Jesus Christ. God loves you more than those who say they do and only for a time. God’s love is different because it is unconditional and eternal.

This message will look at TEXT LOVE from the perspective of dating. Should teens be dating? Or even should Christians date? What is the purpose of dating anyway? These are good and interesting questions when it comes to relationships. By examining 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 I believe we can better understand some principles to help us answer some of these questions.

God provides principles for my body.
Paul offers some strong commands in using your body for God’s intended purposes. He questions the Corinthians six different times to challenge their thinking in the way they are living by rhetorically asking, “Do you not know?” His purpose is to show that God does indeed have principles and commands to follow for Christian behavior.

The following questions can help guide you in the way you live your life. For the purpose of our theme TEXT LOVE we answer the questions accordingly.

·Does this action control me?
Paul quotes a popular saying of the day, “Everything is permissible for me”. People were using this quote to exercise their freedoms without self-control. Paul contrasted this in declaring, not everything is helpful nor will I allow myself to be mastered by anything. Paul knew that anything, even good things, can be turned into a selfish idol we worship.

Likewise, we must ask ourselves if dating a certain person is causing me to be controlled by them and separated from God and everything else. For instance, can you spend time with your family or friends apart from the person you are dating? Even more specific, while you are spending time with family and friends are you texting or constantly calling that person. If so, you may be withdrawing from personal contact with others and allowing yourself to be controlled by a single person. God wants you to repent from this and turn your attention toward him and patience in relationships. We should not be controlled by any person or any thing.

· Does this action honor God?
Paul states the purpose of each person’s body is to glorify the Lord. God created the body as a place for him to inhabit. It is not meant for sexual immorality, giving oneself to another without the boundaries of marriage. Even becoming a Christian has the symbolism of marriage, being united to Jesus Christ and him to you. As a Christian your body is the temple of God’s Spirit and would be dishonoring to God if engaged in sexual immorality.

When persons are dating the common question in Christian circles is “How far is too far?” This is the wrong question because its focus is not on honoring God but pleasing selfish desires. This only goes to further prove your body is becoming enslaved or controlled by that other person. If this is happening the best action is to put the brakes on the relationship. Make a commitment to not be alone with the person you are dating. Spend time in groups with other friends. Discover activities and hobbies that you both are interested in to help shift the focus off the physical to the relational. Above all, ask God to help you make wise decisions and actions that will honor him.

·Does this action protect future?
Paul reveals the dangerous nature of sexual sin saying that it is not only a sin against God but a sin against your own body. Meaning, sexual sin carries lasting consequences other sins often do not physically, emotionally and spiritually. Even more, sexual sin involves another being therefore multiplying the consequences. A Christian’s actions should not weaken another’s faith.

When it comes to dating one has to consider the future. Every relationship is moving somewhere. In other words, we must be intentional about dating because eventually dating should lead to marriage where physical, emotional and spiritual union can be affirmed. So, if you are dating someone, is it moving toward this goal? If not, why date?

The point is there is never any danger of being BFF. Friendship is a gift from God meant to encourage each other and exalt God. A friendship with this purpose has the potential to move to more but it does not have the expectation to do so. Therefore, teens should seriously consider the difference and openly discuss it with trusted mentors, parents and others so such relationships do not become a hindrance to honoring God. People who are BFF seldom if at all regret their relationship. However, those who date and/or engage in pre-mature sexual activity often and almost always have regrets.

TAKING IT HOME
· Do you think these 3 questions are helpful when it comes to dating?
· Why is “How far is too far?” the wrong question to be asking?
· How is sexual sin different than other sins? Is it more dangerous or carry greater consequences?
· What does it mean to date intentionally?
· What is the benefit of friendship over dating?

TEXT LOVE: ILYM

2009-01-12T13:59:00.004-05:00

What does the book of Hosea have to do with teens and relationships? Teens often make relationships an idol in competition with God. In reality, every human heart is an idol factory committing spiritual adultery against God. Hosea’s life reflects the nation of Israel. God told Hosea to marry an adulterous wife. Hosea was to model God’s redeeming love for Israel, who was also unfaithful. Throughout the book there are numerous word pictures describing Israel’s spiritual unfaithfulness, like: A promiscuous wife (1:2, 2:2-3); A self-serving mother (2:3-5); A stubborn heifer (4:16); A sick person going to a bad doctor (5:13); A morning mist that disappears (6:4); An ungrateful son (11:1-5); A child lacking wisdom (13:13).

The point is to show how Israel had forgotten and ignored God. Israel was the Lord’s bride but she had whored herself to others. Spiritually speaking this was idolatry. The popular god was Baal. Baal was known as a god of fertility. He was to have power over the weather and agricultural productivity. Baal worship was often characterized sexual conduct, drunkenness, mutilation, human sacrifice and the likes. At such temples, persons could “worship” by selecting a prostitute saying “I beseech the goddess of Astarte to favor you and Baal to favor me”(ESV Study Bible). In other words, as one responds in sexual production so shall the gods give fertile seed and weather for productive crops. Israel was God’s chosen people to dwell among and bless. Yet, they forsook him. Hosea shows that though God will judge sin he also desires reconciliation.

God sees every teen and wants them to know and experience his amazing love. Because teens are highly relational they are often consumed with thinking and acting in ways for the opposite sex. They may go so far as to make the other person the center of their attention and world. YET, there is no one who will love you like Jesus. Jesus is faithful. Jesus is fulfilling. Jesus is forgiving. God told Israel that they would replace the name of this idol with a face to face, intimate relationship with the living God (2:16). Just as Hosea had to see that God’s love is far different than human love, we too must embrace God’s love and place Him above every other love in our life. Teen dating simply does not measure to God’s forever love.
GOD SAYS I LOVE YOU MORE.

TAKING IT HOME
· Do you think that teens “need” to date? How can this become an all consuming trap?
· Why do you think most teen relationships not last?
· What does Dave mean when he says “every human heart is an idol factory committing spiritual adultery against God”?
· How do you know when another person is becoming an idol you worship? Who can you ask to hold you accountable for when you are making this mistake?
· How does Jesus saying “ILYM” impact dating relationships for teens?
· What will you commit to doing to grow in a relationship with God? Seriously, are you really going to do what you say?

TEXT LOVE

2009-01-07T15:26:00.004-05:00

We'll be starting a new series this week at ZERO. It's called TEXT LOVE. We'll discuss many issues teens face in dealing with relationships, sex, friendships, dating, sex, communication (I am noticing teens becoming socially dysfunctional in personal contact even though they are more socially connected through texting, internet, phones, etc. WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS), sex, boundaries, manhood, womanhood and sex. In case you have not heard, it has been said that teen boys think of sex every 7 seconds. Well, it's time the Church start addressing the issue biblically.

Here's a list of the message titles. You can guess what they are or simply just wait til they roll out.

Jan 11 ILYM Hosea 2:14-20
Jan 18 BFF 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Jan 25 IDC Proverbs 18:21-22
Feb 1 HGG 1 Kings 2-3
Feb 15 HGG Genesis 24:16-25

Also, here are some important quotes to consider on the issue. Get ready for an interesting few weeks!

“The Love life of a Christian is a crucial battleground. There, if nowhere else, it will be determined as to who is Lord: the world, the self and the devil, or the Lord Christ.” - Elisabeth Elliot, Passion and Purity

“More than one in 10 (T.V.) shows include scenes in which sexual intercourse is either depicted or strongly implied; among the top 20 shows watched by teens, 70 percent include sexual content, and 45 percent include sexual behavior; in shows that include sexual content, the number of sex scenes is up to an average of five scenes an hour; The total number of sex scenes has almost doubled since 1988, from 1,930 to 3,783; There are 6.7 sex scenes per hour on top ten shows.” - Raleigh News & Observer, (11-05)

“‘Hooking up’ has replaced traditional courtship and dating among today’s college students… It is strictly about user sex. I use you and you use me for mutual pleasure. And liquor is more often than not the lubricant that makes things go.” - Vigen Guroian, “Dorm Brothel: The new debauchery, and the colleges that let it happen.” Christianity Today. Feb. 2005

“Each year in the United States, more than 800,000 girls 19 and younger get pregnant and over 4 million teens contract sexually transmitted diseases like chlamydia and gonorrhea.” - Newsweek, 4-25-05, p.61

“The Christian church is riddled with immorality, among the young and the older, the single and the married, the laity and leadership. Like the frog that boiled to death by degrees, many Christian homes have been gradually desensitized to sexual sin. When we hear that 60 to 80 percent of young people engage in sexual intercourse before marriage, most of us assume our own church young people constitute the other 20 to 40 percent. But any youth counselor in touch with reality will tell you this is often not the case.” - Randy Alcorn, quoted in “War on the Family: The Sex Revolution Continues” (Eternity, Jan. 1989, p. 31).

“Sex is the only form of human behavior viewed as uncontrollable in teenagers. If we taught them about driving the way we do about sex (how to speed and break laws without getting caught or paying the consequences), there would be more accidents and casualties among this age group than there are now.” - Columnist Cal Thomas (in Washington Times, Jun. 10, 2001, pages B3)

“It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.” A guy named Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7

A LETTER FOUND BEHIND THE SANCTUARY

2009-01-05T08:00:00.001-05:00

Dear Fallen Angels,

We at Hell’s Headquarters are not impressed with your work at Southern Calvert Baptist Church. Of course, there are a few dark spots but that is hardly to your credit. By and large, you have failed miserably at squashing the work of God’s Holy Spirit. It is positively revolting to see over three hundred potential slaves of ours adoring Jesus, our enemy. This has got to stop or you will be transferred to some other location where there is less opposition.

Evidently you need to relearn the most important lesson we teach here at Hell’s Headquarters. This is that extended and concentrated prayer must be undermined at all costs. Every one of the Devil’s angels cuts his fallen teeth on the basic manual of prayer obstruction. Have you forgotten such elementary teaching?

Here are some specifics that you must do at once:

Those “Dynamic Prayer Meetings” on Sunday nights at 6pm has got to cease. At all costs do not allow people to get serious about prayer. Much more, do not even think of letting more Christians attend these meetings. For the most part, this has been one of your greater schemes accomplished. Most of those Christians think these meetings are a waste of time or make themselves too busy to even attend. Keep up the malicious lies!

Also, who are these “Joshua Prayer Warriors”? They meet every dreaded Sunday morning during 10:45am worship services. They plead with our Enemy to work His Spirit while those fool pastors (Steve and Dave) preach from that dreaded Bible. You would tremble if you knew how many of our master’s flaming darts have been extinguished by the prayers of these opponents. I shudder to think what would become of us and our few captives it people started to join them. Satan help us if deacons, ministry team leaders, couples, singles and entire families start to pray during worship. If this continues it will cause unimaginable havoc.

Lastly, what is this “next generation” talk all about? Pastor Dave continues to call people to leave a legacy by serving in nursery, children and youth ministry. Destroy him. Attack all of these ministries. What we have found to work in other churches is an indirect approach. Simply, allow apathy to take its course. Allow people to think that serving is tiresome and futile. Cause those with jobs to become overextended and disrupt family life. Allow college students and the retired to bask in the comforts of idleness. We are slowly beginning to lose ground in these areas and cannot afford for these youngsters to catch the gospel message. The cause of Hell rests on the failure of next generation ministries.

You must double and triple your efforts. This is no time to relax. The entire country of America is nearing a fall from Christian ways. We must advance even in the small rural areas such as Calvert and St. Mary’s county. It is our duty.

For the sake of Satan,

Hell’s Headquarters

Letter adapted from Desiring God

2 for the theme

2009-01-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

On occasion when I find an article or resource that is on the theme of the blog title "Growing Godly Generations", I like to pass it on. So here are 2 interesting articles that I recently came across. Hope you enjoy.

The Eschatology of Parenting

Clothing and the Character of the Child

Overcoming Unfulfilled Expectations

2009-01-02T11:19:00.003-05:00

What expectations do you have? What are you dreams? How come these are often not a reality?

“Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he withheld his compassion?” (Psalm 77:7-9)

Perhaps the answer to these questions is because we have turned God into someone he is not. Read Matthew 11:1-15 to see an example of one who had unfulfilled expectations yet through Jesus’ response found fulfillment in God and his word.

In this passage John had unfulfilled expectations of the Messiah and unwanted circumstances being in prison. if we are honest, we have the same tendency John did. We turn Jesus into someone we hope he is: Someone to achieve my dreams, fulfill my desires, satisfy my needs, and meet my expectations. Jesus did not come to perform our purposes but to accomplish his own. We must understand this foundational concept if we are to overcome personal expectations that remain unfulfilled. In other words, we must surrender our dreams and expectations to trusting God and his purposes.

Continuing to read this passage you can find 2 ways to overcome unfulfilled expectations:

You can overcome unfulfilled expectations by focusing on God’s work (Matthew 11:1-5).
There are times when our expectations go unfulfilled that we fail to see God’s hand at work in our life. We become selfish and myopic in our thinking. However, it is most often in times of crisis and unfulfilled expectations that God is diligently working in our life. Many believers who have endured such experiences can confirm this truth.

C.S. Lewis said, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pain. It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”[1]

Psalm 77:17-19 “The clouds poured down water, the skies resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth. Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked. Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen.”

Nahum 1:3b “His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet.”

In other words, evidence that God is present and working in your life is the fact there is change and crisis. God allows such circumstances in order to shape our being and refocus our priorities. We must know that God is not so removed to never know our pain. Remember, Resurrection Sunday never would have come without Crucifixion Friday.

- Write a list of your unfulfilled expectations. Pray over them asking God to reveal his purpose in them.
- List “God-sightings” in your life this past year. Places where you saw God at work in your life and around you. This will serve as a reminder that God is not absent or left you alone. If you cannot think of anything to write then perhaps the reason is because you do not know God. Would you consider asking God to reveal himself to you, even as John did in this passage?

You can overcome unfulfilled expectations by focusing on God’s calling (Matthew 11:6-15).
When God is not meeting our expectations we must first evaluate our faith and trust in God’s sovereignty to bring about his purposes in our life. Next, we must not lose our passion for who we are and where God has called us. There are times when things may not be going our way and things seem like they are stacking against us. During these times we often take on the victim mentality. We excuse behavior based on the actions of others. This mentality becomes our prison of depression and hopelessness. It is wrong because it views our unfulfillments bigger than God. It fails to see God as all powerful and all knowing bringing about all things for his greater purposes. God is working in the midst of trials and he is calling you to not give up. “Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me…”

). In other words, we should expect challenging and difficult times. Too often we can be tempted to give up and pull away right before we reap the benefits. In the face of difficulty or challenge we quit and abandon everyone else. Not only is this a selfish attitude but it denies the group, team or spouse (the body of Christ) the opportunity to support one another and grow from struggles. Besides, when did the road to God’s blessings become paved with ease and comfort?

God is calling you to protect his name and persevere in the situations he has placed you. This may mean getting counseling in your marriage, working through the issues attacking your marriage. It may mean remaining patient for God to clearly open another opportunity of employment. You may have to show some tough love to a loved one because of your commitment to not compromise your integrity. To summarize it in a phrase: be tenacious over God’s calling. Tenacious means “not easily pulled apart, persistent in seeking something valued or desired.”[2] God has called you and is preparing you through various circumstances to glorify Jesus and serve others.

Romans 8:18, 28-29 “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us… And we knot that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son”

2 Corinthians 1:4-5,9b God “comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows… [these circumstances] happen that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.”

- There’s probably someone in your life that knows/thinks you are about to give up on them or step away from a commitment. I encourage you to contact them and tell them you are committed to protecting God’s name and persevering to discover God’s purpose for the situation.

- Realize God cares more about your long-term character than your short-term comfort. It's not about your happiness but your holiness! Choose to view obstacles with this perspective.

Ultimately, the reason why we are able to focus on God’s work and God’s calling is because Jesus did so when he lived on earth. Jesus was never surprised by the circumstances he faced but in his humanity he did face unwanted circumstances; specifically the cross. Yet, he submitted to the Father’s will dying for our sin. Jesus was tenacious about honoring God the Father. Our hope rests on Jesus and the sufficiency he provides.

· Have you personally trusted and received Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for sin in your life?
· John’s unfulfilled expectations led him to seek God. What does yours lead to? Are you allowing them to lead to dishonorable behaviors (victim mentality)?
· Will you submit your expectations (fulfilled or unfulfilled) to honoring God in all things?

[1] C.S. Lewis in his work, The Problem of Pain.
[2] http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tenacious

The Hamburger

2008-12-31T15:29:00.007-05:00

Happy New Year's Eve to those who read this blog. I do have some exciting news to share. We have some alien-like pictures of our new one. Pretty cool...

The first one is looking straight on at the baby. The baby was very active with feet kicking & dancing, little hiccups and arms moving.

The second one is the indicator. For those who do not read sonograms. Apparently, the 3 marks are what is known in the technical world as "the hamburger: 2 buns with a burger in the middle". This is from my wife who is an expert in all things. The summary is, we're having a girl.

We're still deciding on names. Right now we're just thankful for God's blessing to our family.

Bibles & Kids

2008-12-26T14:16:00.004-05:00

I got 2 Bibles for Christmas. One is for reading to my daughter and the other for my own study. The one for my daughter is called "The Big Picture Story Bible". It's exciting because it present the unified "big picture" of the entire Bible concerning God's promise of Jesus. It's wonderfully illustrated on every page for kids to enjoy. Also has short and concise sentences on the pages so you are not endlessly reading with the short attention span of your child. This is the perfect (if there is one) introductory children's Bible.

The other Bible is the English Standard Version (ESV) Study Bible. It has tons of study helps and notes to help you better understand the meaning of the Scriptures. Of course, the notes are not God-inspired but they are written by many of the most respected and leading scholars today.

Here is a video introduction to this Bible if you are interested

God Gives Help - Hebrews 1:3

2008-12-20T10:49:00.002-05:00

This passage emphasizes some of the most significant actions of God. As we have seen, God has spoken all throughout history, calling people to repentance and faith in His Son. God revealed Himself through His exact representation, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the heir of all things, creator and sustainer of the universe. Even more, God gave the world His Son for the purpose of providing help from sin. Jesus purifies people from sin through His death on the cross. All these things identify God actively involved in His creation.

Jesus was not afraid to get His hands dirty. He personally involved himself in mankind’s greatest problem – sin. When Jesus went to the cross, he became sin – the sin that you and I commit. He bore our sin, paying the punishment for the wrongs we committed against God. We deserved to die yet God loved us enough to provide a way out. Jesus is our substitution. This has been labeled the “great exchange” in that “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Other religions show ways mankind tries to purify their own sin and reach God. Christianity shows God intervening himself into the world of mankind in order to reach them. This is the message of Christmas and Easter wrapped into one gift, giving to us directly from God.

Through repentance and faith in Jesus’ substitutionary work on the cross you become Jesus’ righteousness; purified and forever cleansed. In other words, as you look at the history of your experiences with sin and failures, God forgives you. Your record is wiped clean.

After Jesus provided purification for sin, he sat down at the right hand of God. A priest in the OT temple never sat down. In fact, there were no chairs for him to sit. The reason was because a priests work was never finished, continually performing sacrifices for ongoing sins of the people. The writer of Hebrews says, “Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God… because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (10:11-14).

TAKING IT HOME
- What kind of help do teens need today? What are teens greatest needs?
- What is the difference between religion and Christianity?
- How do people try to purify themselves from sin apart from Christ?
- What does it mean to live a life of purity? Is this attainable? How does a Christian live with purity?
- Can you think of another example where a single act has great impact on everything else? How does this relate to Jesus dying on the cross?
- Set aside some time where you can reflect on the words of Jesus saying “It [payment for your sin] is finished.”
- Read the following passages to appreciate and understand Jesus’ death on the cross. Write out any questions or comments you have. Share your questions/thoughts with a friend.
Isaiah 53
Romans 3:21-23; 5:8, 12-19;
2 Corinthians 5:21
Galatians 3:13
Colossians 2:13-15
1 Peter 1:18-19; 3:18
1 John 2:2

God Gives Help, pt 2 & 3

2008-12-18T20:55:00.001-05:00

Parts 2 & 3

God Gives Help, pt 1

2008-12-18T20:43:00.004-05:00

Our Youth Ministry did this skit before this message. It is in three parts:
Pt 1 - video of skit
Pt 2 & 3 - video of message

Merry Christmas from the SCBC staff

2008-12-17T14:40:00.000-05:00

Click Here: http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/7b2reJaNk5Zh6n4iQ7QW

Who do you think is the better dancer?

I know who my vote is... Hit the comments button below and cast your vote :)

Do you have an interruption or crisis? Read Acts 27

2008-12-16T17:45:00.002-05:00

We just finished studying the book of Acts. Personally it was a refreshing study and I think it was for our youth ministry as well. The last two chapters were good and honestly I didn't expect to learn as much as I did in the earlier chapters. Nonetheless, here are a few nuggets from Acts 27 One note of disclaimer: The point of these last two chapters is NOT about life storms. It is ultimately about God's sovereignty in ALL of life circumstances in order to continue the spread of the gospel "boldly and without hindrance". In other words, when reading this text there is not an exact one-to-one correlation and application for every detail. However, a broad reading of these chapters within the context of the book you can better understand and apply the below principles.

When faced with life interruptions or crisis…

1) Evaluate your foundation and find anchors (v.27-29).
Paul’s journey undertook quite a storm and ultimately a shipwreck. His travel mates endured about 2 weeks at sea in the winter months. It was like a scene on Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch”. They feared for their lives and did the only thing they knew for protection – they dropped 4 anchors and prayed.
Likewise, when you are faced with an unwanted interruption in your life the best thing you can do is evaluate the situation around you, drop anchor and pray for God to work things out. Every person needs to anchor their soul to Jesus Christ whether in a life storm or not. Other anchors are staying connected to God’s community of faith to comfort you in times of crisis. God places people in our life to encourage and hold us up during such times. Even more, God orchestrates every person’s life circumstances and uniquely intersects lives so that we can learn, share and grow in character becoming the reflections of grace He wants us to become.
Romans 8:28-29; 2 Corinthians 1:3-11; Hebrews 4:14-16; 6:19-20

2) Determine to face conflict together with others (v.31-32).
The storm was so bad some of the men tried to escape on their own using lifeboats. Paul’s prophetic vision knew all the shipmates would only be saved if they stayed together. So, the soldiers cut the ropes to the lifeboats.
Sometimes we look to avoid interruptions and want to run away from solving problems. Seeing Paul’s example should remind us that escape never fully solves the situation. They had to commit to staying together to see their end destination.

3) Care for your physical well being as much as spiritual (v.33-38).
For 2 weeks the 276 shipmates stayed together but they were doing little to care for their physical health. Paul encouraged them all to eat. They did so until they were full. This is a great reminder that in the middle of interruptions sometimes we can get caught up in solving problems over long periods of time without taking the time to care for our own well being. This is true spiritually as well as physically. They both are necessary if we are to survive crisis and work out effective results.

4) Above all, trust God to bring all things together for his purposes (v.44 – 28:1-31).
Paul’s journey to Rome endured a terrible storm, shipwreck and a long detour to the island of Malta. Several months later they were able to get back on the journey to Rome and reach their destination. Even then, God was not finished leading Paul to other places to bring about his plan and purpose for Paul’s life. God is faithful and we must trust his weaving together of circumstances; even in difficult times.

God Gives Himself - What the incarnation means to you

2008-12-08T11:45:00.000-05:00

GOD GIVES...

2008-12-08T10:14:00.000-05:00

GOD GIVES HIMSELF Hebrews 1:2-3a

This past week I got a new cell phone. I upgraded to the Palm Centro. It was a free upgrade so I couldn’t refuse. Through reading some things this week I found there are over 3 billion cell phones in use today and three-fourths of the U.S. population owns a cell phone.[1] One of the most striking factors of cell use is that people often talk on them while driving. And even more, texting while driving!
“According to Britain’s Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, texting can lead to pain and swelling of the tendons in the thumb and wrist. Call it carpal textal syndrome. The society found that as many as one in six 16- to 24-year olds have suffered ‘discomfort’ while texting (perhaps not too surprising, considering one in three send more than 20 messages a day), and a handful said the discomfort actually radiated farther than the hands, into the shoulders and neck.”
Phsychotherapist Bronwyn Clifford admits, “Texting is a great way to communicate, but mobile phones are not ergonomically designed for excessive texting, and they require repetitive movements to operate them.”[2] Studies show that people who drive while using a cell phone reduce brain function by 30%. In fact, you are four times more likely to have a car accident while talking on a phone and driving.[3]
Are you able to do two things at one time? Doing two things at once is not easy. But what about BEING two things at once? Jesus did it. He was two things at the same time: both God and man. That’s the point of this Christmas season; God incarnating himself through Jesus. Jesus is Immanuel, God with us!

The greatest gift a person can give to another is themselves. The write of Hebrews says that God spoke through the prophets but the greatest way was through his own Son. In fact, the entire book of Hebrews shows how Jesus is greater than every Jewish system of thought. The target audience would have understood the point that God’s message all throughout history has been to point people to Jesus.

Jesus Christ is the final and full revelation of all God’s message. To emphasize this even greater, the writer describes Jesus’ divine nature stating he assisted in creating the universe. Jesus is the exact representation of God’s being. Therefore, Jesus is God.

You may ask why is this important? What does the fact that Jesus is God have to do with my life? This fact relates to you because not only was he 100% God but he was also 100% man. The writer of Hebrews says, Jesus is like us “in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin” (Heb 4:15) therefore making him able to relate to every situation we have and will ever face. The point is that Jesus identifies with all our issues.

Last week’s message was that God gave us history. He spoke through prophets and the message they gave to the people was to return home. Ultimately, the people never fully returned. Their humanity was tainted with sin and the cycle of disobedience kept them from God’s presence. God knowing the problem, solved it not by calling people to return to him but instead by going to them. God gave us Jesus, becoming one of us through the incarnation. He overcame the limitations of all humanity (death) and offers it freely, by grace through faith. His death and resurrection provided payment for sin and power to live eternally. God wants to give you himself. At last we are never alone, Immanuel! Will you receive him?

TAKING IT HOME
·Why is Jesus the greatest gift God has given us?
·What questions do you have about Jesus’ duel nature – divine & human?
·Why is it more difficult to BE more than 2 things than DO more than 2 things?
·What difference does it make to know that God promises to be with you, never alone?

[1] http://www.wirefly.org/news/cell-phone-facts.php
[2] From Youthworker Journal, Nov/Dec 2008, page 11. Found at http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/salem/youthworker_20081112_v3/
[3] Illustration continues from “They Call Him Jesus” p.27 purchased at www.inquest.org

MOPS Adventures

2008-12-03T11:50:00.000-05:00

I had the opportunity to speak at our MOPS ministry. Here is what I shared:

This year’s MOPS theme is “Adventures in Mothering”. No doubt, there are many adventures that a mother could speak about her children. However, if you had to choose just one which one motherhood adventure would you choose to be the greatest?

I’m not a mother, but as a father who observes motherhood I would have to say the greatest motherhood adventure would have to be the delivery; the miracle of childbirth. Indeed, the whole process of conception to delivery is amazing and one of the greatest joys any person can ever experience.

Likewise, several years ago there was a childbirth miracle that has given many of us the adventure of a lifetime. It is the birth of Jesus Christ. If we could speak to his mother, without a doubt she would surely say this was her greatest adventure in motherhood. I mean, who else conceived a child without the help of a man or modern science (I say modern science because of the infamous pregnant man). Mary was not completely without fear but she did enter her motherhood adventure with confidence because of 2 simple principles.

Let’s read Luke 1:26-38 to better understand these principles that I hope will be an encouragement and help to you as a MOP.

God wants to give himself to you in the adventure of motherhood.
The first principle is taken from the text when the angel first greeted Mary with a promise from God. The promise is, “The Lord is with you” (1:28). These simple, short few words probably meant the most to a young teenage girl about to be a mother. At that time in history God’s presence was rarely sustained in a person’s life. God only dwelt among humanity for specific and temporary purposes. This promise made Mary tremble for she knew something big was about to occur, and it was happening in her life!
Today’s moms need a fresh reminder of this promise. Most mother’s tend to feel isolated as if no one understands their situation and they are left alone, or with little help, to accomplish all that a mom has to do. To put it plainly, in my ministry, counseling observations and personal relationships I have found women need reassuring. This does not mean women are inferior, weak, a failure or any less than the person beside them. It simply means that is how they are wired and ultimately there is only One Person who can fill this reassurance role.
As moms seek self-assurance they tend to look in themselves, in their spouses, their children, books and magazines, in their neighborhoods, in their abilities and accomplishments. However, all these things are fleeting. They will only produce a temporary assuring. Only God, a relationship with Jesus Christ can generate full and lasting assurance. God promises to be faithful in all things and he can be eternally trusted. By admitting our weakness, sin and insufficiency and trusting in His provision for forgiving and covering our sin, God enters our life.

Having a relationship with God does not mean all doubt or fear will be removed from your life. It does mean that you can have confidence to know God will be with you, guiding you in every step. For Mary, that meant the provision of the miraculous virgin-birth. It meant the instruction of naming the child Jesus and the promise of the child’s future provision – in a sense, the parents did not have to worry about the child’s education and career choice. The point is, God wants to be in your life to help you and your family.

Will you invite Jesus into your life?

God wants to give community to you in the adventure of motherhood.
The second principle can be found towards the end of this passage when the angel told Mary that someone else would similarly share in this experience. Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth, would also have a child approximately six months before her. This would bring great encouragement to the young Mary as her older cousin shared the joy and difficulty of such a pregnancy. You can read and see the excitement they enjoyed in verses 39-56. Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months.

God knew Mary’s personality, emotions and what she needed to get through this pregnancy. So, he allowed her cousin to share in the experience. They would be forever linked. Likewise, God knows you cannot do it alone. Certainly, God is sufficient. But one of the ways he reveals himself and his provision is through the community of believers. He provides friends and ultimately, the church as a source of strength, support and partnership in being a spouse, a mom and raising a family.

The MOPS group that you participate in is only a start of God’s provision for community. God constructed his church, the people of God to walk alongside of you for you to both give and receive help. You were created to be a part of this forever link.

Will you join our community?

Larry King, the popular CNN interviewer, when asked if he could interview anyone from all history, said, “Jesus Christ.” “And what would you like to ask Him?” King replied, “I would like to ask Him if He was indeed virgin-born. The answer to that question would define history for me.”

What is your faith response to Jesus Christ? Will you receive God’s help of Himself and His community into your life?

GOD GIVES...

2008-12-02T11:00:00.000-05:00

GOD GIVES HISTORY Hebrews 1:1

The history God gives is the revelation of himself. Throughout the ages God has faithfully revealed himself to each generation. God is revealed through creation; this is called general revelation (Psalm 19:1-6; Romans 1:20). God is also revealed through unique divine encounters; this is called special revelation (Psalm 19:7-8).

Specifically, the writer of Hebrews notes God speaking through prophets about Jesus. The prophets were God-appointed people who would speak God’s message to the people. God’s message may have included prophecy, warning or judgment. In all, the fact that God spoke at all was a sign of grace and mercy for God to initiate communication with his creation. If God kept silent there would be none or limited knowledge of him much less an understanding of his intentions or will. The point is, all of history really is His Story; the story of God working together his purposes to redeem a people for himself. God’s revelation is not simply for information but for the purpose of personally knowing a living God. Jesus is the complete revelation of God to communicate divine truth and offer personal contact with God (John 1:14).

Have you heard from God? God is calling and speaking out directly to you. He wants you to trust him in every area of your life. Are you listening?

TAKING IT HOME
· How do you know if God has spoken to you?
· What are some different ways that God speaks (be specific using examples from both general & special revelation)?
· If God kept silent never giving any Scripture or speaking through prophets, how would life be different?
· What do you think God wants to speak to you? If you do not know, how will you find out?

Whatever!

2008-12-01T11:45:00.000-05:00

Has someone said this to you recently? If not then you are probably living in a cocoon somewhere. As a youth pastor I hear this response from teens frequently. Even more, I believe this single catchy phrase captures our culture's worldview. In fact, some sociologists have labeled this generation of young people the "whatever generation". When approached with moral, spiritual, or relational issues, the attitude of many is – Ah, whatever. Do whatever feels right. Say whatever you want to say. Have whatever you want to have. Believe whatever you want to think.

I say we should recapture "whatever" from the world. "Whatever" is OUR word. It is OUR way of life. It is OUR way of thinking about things. Why is it OURS? Because of this: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things" (Philippians 4:8).

So, live the whatever way. Meditate on whatever. Give God whatever. Be willing to be whatever God wants you to be. Have you said "Whatever" to God? Whatever!!!

post adapted from friend Jacques Rancourt e-devotional, 11/30/2008

Thankful Worship (end of series)

2008-11-24T11:38:00.000-05:00

Psalm 100

Thankfulness shouts (100:1-2).
The psalmist calls us to shout for joy and serve with gladness. Worship is an action where one cannot remain silent or idle. The believer has every reason to shout and sing to God, being thankful for the many blessings He has given.
Shouting commands attention. For some strange reason youth enjoy shouting at random times for random reasons. Sometimes it is sincere due to elation at a sports event or positive circumstances. Or it can be due to pain or being upset. Other times it is completely arbitrary to let off steam or simply to get noticed. For most, shouting is a response of emotion. God should be the focus of our shout. I understand that may sound strange but let me explain.
Shouting is usually reserved for sporting events or outdoor celebrations. Just as a person can be emotionally excited over a sports team or a music band (hence a fan – fanatical) we should sense God calling us to be excited over His greatness. Above all things in the earth we should be a fan (fanatical) over God. He alone is worthy of the title ‘greatness’; after all He is LORD – Yahweh, Almighty, God of all gods. Therefore, our shouts should be directed to God, being thankful for who He is and what He does in our life.

Thankfulness knows (100:3).
The psalmist directs us to come before him with joyful songs, knowing God is our Creator and provider. The language is such that we may come before the face of God, looking into his eyes to speak to him. It is a personal, intimate knowledge of God.
Teens crave community. Just look at facebook, myspace, email, cell phones, texting and the like to understand the importance of social networks among students. God invites us to personally know Him. To know that God is our Creator. There is a common bond when we understand we are His people and He is our Shepherd. Knowing these simple truths about God causes our heart and lives to overflow with thankfulness.

Thankfulness enters (100:4-5).
The psalmist invites us to enter into God’s presence. In the Old Testament not every person could enter into God’s presence. There was limited access. Barriers were present between sinful man and a holy God. The temple was divided into 3 successive rooms: The outer room where Gentiles could roam; the next was an inner court with an altar had to be passed after sacrifices given. There were also laver filled with water for ceremonial cleansing. The purpose for these were preparations to enter more closely to God. Sacrifices and cleansing had to be made for the forgiveness of sin in approaching a holy God. Lastly, a veil that was approximately 60’ high and 4” thick stood between the next room, the holy of holies. The holy of holies was where God’s presence dwelt. Only the high priest could enter into God’s presence once a year (Ex 30:10, Heb 9:7). It is said that horses tied to each side of the veil could not tear it apart. However, on the day Jesus died this veil was ripped into two. The symbolism of this event shows God accepting Jesus’ once and for all sacrifice on the cross and inviting all to enter into His presence (Heb 10:19-20).
Again, teens must find unconditional acceptance and community in the family of God. Christian parents, adults and youth workers must cultivate caring, loving gospel environments where teens want to enter. However, this does not come easily. It starts by being real. Just as a person could not waltz through the rooms of the temple as they needed to be vulnerable and transparent confessing their sins to God, so it is today in relational ministry. Adults and teens must be honest, develop trust and two-way communication which can result in lives being transformed to worship God in all things. In this way, we can find that “the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

TAKING IT HOME
·Have a contest for students to create YouTube videos on the topic of “thankfulness”. The guidelines are
1) Be on topic
2) Be creative & original
3) Be respectful.
·Memorize Psalm 100
·Tell 3 people you are thankful for a specific way they have been influential in your life.
·Spend time as a family discussing things for which you are thankful God has done in your family this past year.

Passionate Worship

2008-11-18T11:00:00.000-05:00

In this clip you see “Bud” overwhelmed with the excitement of being a part of Santa’s kingdom and the opportunity to see Santa. Similarly, the believer should have a sense of excitement and enthusiasm that they are participating with God in eternal business. Believers who truly know God will be in awe and wonder that God personally knows them and is with them throughout life, not just for a season in the year. J-E-S-U-S is coming, I KNOW HIM!!!
This lesson will explore the passion and eagerness one should have about God in worship. In Psalm 42 you can see 2 characteristics of worship.

Passionate worship embraces emotion (42:1-3).
The psalmist opens with a heartfelt cry to God. He uses the analogy of a deer panting for water so his soul pants for God. This is a spiritual thirst that cannot be quenched with a mere passing of God. He looks forward to the next encounter with God, knowing only the living God can satisfy his desire for true substance.

Observing the psalmist’s statements one can surely sense the passion in his words. Passion has become a buzz word for many in our world today. People have passions for foods, sports, movies, art, jobs, service opportunities, heritage, relationships, and the list could never end. Being passionate is showing intensity along with focused energy and resources toward an activity, idea, object or person. It involves emotions, the will and behaviors. Other synonyms for being passionate are: avid, ardent, adoring, devoted, dedicated, enthusiastic, eager, fervent, fanatical, fixated, obsessive, lust, zealous. While some antonyms are apathetic, indifferent, bored, lazy, uncaring, unresponsive, uninterested, unconcerned, unmoved, unfeeling.

The point is for you to see the contrast of emotion. True worship invites personal affection but even more gives it an accurate focus. Our bodies are made to desire, even lust, for certain passions yet these things only point the fact that physical passions leave one empty. A passion for the eternal, “living God” is what truly satisfies a human heart.

Consider an illustration on passion.[1] Suppose I bring home a dozen roses to my wife. When she meets me at the door I hand her the roses. She gives me a big hug and a loving kiss in appreciation. Then suppose I shrug her off and say, “Don’t mention it; it’s my duty.” You see, duty to a person (or activity, idea, object, etc.) is good and proper but it lacks meaning if it neglects heartfelt emotion. If I am not moved by a spontaneous affection for her as a person, the duty of giving roses does not completely honor her. In fact, they undervalue her because it shows that she is only worth the physical price of a dozen roses rather than the human expression of true love.

Likewise, our worship duty to God is more than just showing up, perhaps with Bible and offering in hand to display. Our worship duty must include heartfelt emotion and affection toward a personal, loving God who invites warmth and intimacy.

This whole idea has been catching somewhat in younger generations. However, not nearly enough. Students tend to separate feelings from faith. Separation from a dynamic, vibrant, relational faith with a mental/knowledge based assent in God. Many of our teens have failed to connect the two and it is devastating our churches each year as students graduate into cultural oblivion. They say as the psalmist, “how I used to go with the multitude… to the house of God.” The solution to this tragic dichotomy can be found in the remainder of this psalm.

Passionate worship fortifies faith (42:4-11).
The psalmist acknowledges feeling and emotion as legitimate components to a life of faith. However, in the midst of roller-coaster feelings he reminds himself to anchor his life in the foundational truth of God and his character. “Put your hope in God”.

While true worship embraces emotion it is also balanced with foundational theological truth. As Jesus said, “worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). Affections that honor God are rooted in the solid ground of Biblical doctrine. Or else, what is the meaning of Romans 10:2 “For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.”?

Unfortunately, again, student ministries lack this latter element as the hype and buzz attract the crowds yet failing to take them anywhere. Relevance and the likeability factor overshadows a living faith with spiritual depth.

To counteract this trend, we must return to the admonishment of the psalmist. Looking at the waves of the world sweeping over the next generation we must look to God. It is the Lord who gives direction from his Word and the power of prayer. It is the truth of God that strengthens and grounds us during challenging times. Our conclusion can be that of the psalmist, “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”

In other words, as we continue to wrap our minds around what it means to worship God we must understand that it involves our entire being. True worship weds together the heart, the head and the hands. It is about a life with a single passion to know and serve God.

TAKING IT HOME
-How can you tell someone is passionate about something or someone?
-What are your passions? What gets you excited? What motivates you to smile and anticipate its arrival? Do you ever feel this way about God? Why do you think that is?
-What is the perceived difference between feelings and faith?
-Read through the synonyms & antonyms of passion above. Which list describes you? Can you give any specific indicators that could confirm this to be true?
- How would you define spiritual depth? List about 10 characteristics of a spiritually mature person. Share and discuss this list with your family members. Schedule a discussion with your pastor/youth leaders for how they could encourage your family to make goals and implement this list.
- Read Psalm 42. Why are verse 5 and 11 repeated?

[1] Adapted from Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist, John Piper, p. 93.

Retreat Leftovers - When I grow up...

2008-11-16T15:42:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in my last post I asked students what they dream of becoming when they “grow up”. The answers were fascinating. Here’s a few I remember:
- Astronomer
- Politics/President
- Something with environmental science
- Auto mechanic
- Professional sports athlete
- Athletic trainer
- Youth pastor
- Teacher
- Mother

These students have great dreams. I encouraged them all to not give up on any of these. Can you imagine our churches engaging our culture as fully devoted followers of Jesus in each of these areas? Why couldn’t we change our world for Jesus? I, for one, am excited about the potential that exists in our student ministry.

There is one on this list which was repeated about 4-5 times that surprised me. Mother. There were 4 or 5 teen girls who honestly were dreaming of becoming a mom. It surprised me because most teens are looking forward to “freedom” from the experiences of childhood rather than looking how to care for children. Rather than seeing children as an opportunity to invest, train and mold for godly purposes they are often seen as another chore to take care of. So, I applaud these young ladies in this dream. Perhaps they have such a lofty dream and seek to embrace this high calling because they have had the privilege of godly motherhood modeled for them. Of course, perhaps not, but the point is our youth ministries really are equipping the next generation. As parents, youth leaders and pastors we should capture the vision that we are teaching young people what it means to be a godly mom, father, spouse, etc.

On a side note, this made for interesting [grin] discussion when these students were answering question 2 (see previous post). If you don’t get it, then ask me later and we can have that little talk.

Retreat Leftovers - Importance of Discipline

2008-11-16T14:48:00.001-05:00

One of the breakout sessions for the students was how God brings about spiritual change in our lives. I started the session off by asking the students to list what they dream/desire of becoming when they grow up. You would be amazed at some of the dreams these students have (more on that in another post). Then I asked them to list what steps they were planning to help them achieve that dream. This second question is a little bit harder to think about and some of the students had a difficult time explaining the pathway to help them become the person they dream of becoming. As parents, youth leaders and student ministries we need to help equip students to be able to answer this second question. Then we discussed the role discipline plays in fulfilling our dreams and bringing about the needed changes in our life; especially for who God is making us to become.

In all, we realized, the person we desire to be and the influence we dream of having stems from one word – discipline. Desires and dreams are simply not enough to cause movement or change in an individual’s life. Discipline nudges the person toward action and following through. It puts feet to faith. The fact of the matter is we need all three.

Read how one popular person describes the slow process of discipline and spiritual change:
Your nature is a hard thing to change; it takes time… I have heard of people having life-changing, miraculous turnarounds, people set free from addiction after a single prayer, relationships saved where both parties ‘let go, and let God.’ But it was not like that for me. For all that ‘I was lost, I am found,’ it is probably more accurate to say, ‘I was really lost. I’m a little less so at the moment.’ And then a little less and a little less again. That to me is the spiritual life. The slow reworking and rebooting of a computer at regular intervals, reading the small print of the service manual. It has slowly rebuilt me in a better image. It has taken years, though, and it is not over yet.”[1]

Discipline is that slow process God uses to shape and craft us into our created purpose. Its importance cannot be overlooked if you want to mature spiritually. Our student ministry is working on doing a better job at equipping students with these tools for spiritual disciplines. I can't wait to see all these dreams come true!

[1] Cited in The Beautiful Fight by Gary Thomas, 7. Quote from Lead singer Bono, U2 by U2, 2006.

Retreat Leftovers

2008-11-12T23:38:00.000-05:00

Well, obviously we are back from the retreat. Tuesday was a great recovery day of which my other adults did not have the luxury. I feel a little guilty about that but life will move on. I was really grateful to have Clint, Kevin, Tommy and Bonnie “be with” us and investing in the lives of students. It was an awesome weekend. Also, I am thankful for DBC, they have a great group and we were glad to hang out and grow with them. The kingdom of God before our eyes!

Anyways, I plan on posting a couple insights I learned that I think are relevant to youth ministry and my mission Growing Godly Generations. Stay tuned.

Fall Retreat 08

2008-11-06T19:49:00.001-05:00

Several students in our YM are headed up to Skycroft for a weekend retreat. Here is a list of the breakout sessions we'll be giving:

· Basic Metamorphosis: How to grow in your spiritual walk with Jesus
· Basic Assurance: How to really know if you are a Christian
· Basic Temptation: How to stand strong in the face of pressure
· Basic Application: Understand the difference between knowing & doing
· Basic Book: Why should you trust the Bible

Pray for spiritual impact in our students.

Election Day

2008-11-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today is Election Day. Rather than complain about the candidates we should...

1) Be thankful we live in the United States of America. This means FREEDOM and that we have the privilige and opportunity to vote. Whereas millions of others live under political dictatorial oppression, we can VOTE our conscience and religious values. Voting is more than just for a president, it's also for some very real values in our country - defining marriage, life-abortion (over a million aborted babies each year), gambling and many other issues.

2) Pray for wisdom and discernment and research the candidates and issues of your vote.

3) Remember God is our hope. He is in charge not presidents, government bailouts, media hosts, or anyone/thing else. Read Psalm 2 and Daniel 2:21 for this profound reminder and proper perspective of all eternity.

Rewind YM

2008-11-03T13:05:00.001-05:00

If you hit the rewind button on our youth ministry you can see where we've been and how God has worked in our ministry. Here are just a few highlights of our youth ministry over the year...

- At least 5 youth received Jesus Christ as Savior & Lord and followed in baptism this year! In fact, our church has baptized 16 people this year. Sadly, some churches do not baptize a single person each year. This is not to brag on us but is a testament to God using the insignificant for His significance!
- ZERO has averaged 35 students since August, up from an average of 30 six months ago and 26 one year ago. This is a slow progression but we keep nudging forward.

- Our Grow Groups have averaged in the 20's which is those students taking the next step in following Jesus in a Christian growth plan. Students continue to memorize Scripture and have personal devotions, reading Bible books that we have been studying (Kings & Chronicles, 1 John, Acts, Worship topics)

- Over 12 students assist as Leaders In Training through our Awana program.
- 8 students participated in feeding the homeless in D.C. over the summerOver 20 participated in a youth mission trip & conference at MFUGE in Greenville, SC. Students served the city through children’s ministry, outdoor labor, drama and various other ways.

- 8 families (18 people) participated in a mission trip to West Virginia. We served the community through backyard Bible clubs with children, free car washes, door to door canvasing, prayer walking and nightly worship services.

I could keep listing ways our YM is being stretched and taking steps of advancement. The point is not to pat ourselves on the back but to remind us we've come so far let's not turn back. There is so much more room to grow and take back what the enemy has stolen. Think about it, at best our student ministry reaches 50+ students. Yet, there are over 1000 students in the local Middle & High schools surrounding us. We're not even reaching 1% of our community. All that to say, God is at work and we must join him. We cannot let up just because we've seen minimal growth. Let's keep going!

"As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent [us]. Night is coming, when no one can work." John 9:4

Broken Worship

2008-10-22T14:17:00.000-04:00

Psalm 51

This psalm is for the guilty. The author, David, is writing a journal entry after he has forsaken all he knew was right. David acted on his lust and committed adultery with another man’s wife. If that was not enough, he had the husband killed to cover up the fact that he got the woman pregnant. David’s heart had grown cold and desensitized to his wrong doing. Yet, God grabbed his attention causing him to see his destructive pathway. What you read in this psalm is the expression of a person guilty, crushed, and broken.

Brokenness comes from guilt (51:1-5).
David cried for mercy, begging God to wash away his sin. His failures haunted his heart and mind. He understood that his actions offended a holy God, he was guilty.

Most people try to avoid feeling desperate and helpless. Vulnerability is not easy when there are few people you can trust. However, it is at this point in our life when we experience brokenness or can become vulnerable that we can actually achieve the most growth. God waits for us to get to this point because it is at this time when we realize our need for him. God does his greatest work with broken people.

Guilt leads to repentance (51:6-12).
David’s knew where to go after his failure. Many times people allow failure to define their future. David confessed his sin, turned from it and begged for God’s cleansing grace.

Students often experience guilt from actions or attitudes they feel sorry about. However, the next step after guilt is what defines their maturity. People can stuff away guilt or completely ignore it, or they can allow it to lead to repentance; a complete turning away from the wrongs. God wired us this way that we might act on guilt the proper way.

2 Cor 7:10 “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”

Repentance turns to worship (51:13-19).
David’s receiving of forgiveness turned to praise and delight in God. Those who are broken from great sin understand the depth of God’s grace after repentance (Luke 7:47). Following repentance a person is cleansed, forgiven and restored to fellowship. God lifts your head up to remind you that you are still one of his children. He has not forsaken you. This realization can bring tears of relief, joy, and celebration. This is what worship is all about. Praise to a merciful, loving God.

TAKING IT HOME
· Read Psalm 51. What words capture your attention? Why?
· What does it mean to be broken? Have you ever experienced this in your life? When do you feel most broken?
· How can guilt be a good thing?
· Explain Psalm 51:16-17 and why these are key verses.
· What is your typical reaction when you realize you are guilty?
· Who can you talk with about feelings of guilt and brokenness?
· Why is repentance the most important step following guilt?
· Read Luke 7:36-47. How does this story relate to worship?

Making Vision Stick (Andy Stanley)

2008-10-19T00:50:00.000-04:00

The next few days I have some extra time on my hands to listen to some cool podcasts and cd messages. The reason is because my wife & daughter are away at the beach with grandparents. So, tonight I was listening to Andy Stanley speak from Thirsty 2007 conference on making vision stick. All I can say is "wow!". God has really gifted this man when he speaks on the topic of leadership and vision. Below are my notes from listening.

MAKING VISION STICK – ANDY STANLEY
(from Thirsty 2007 Conference)

State it simply.
· Short, carefully-crafted sentences/phrases
· Memorable is portable
· In order to do this some stuff will be left out.

Example: My personal vision has become the title of this blog - "growing godly generations". Casting this vision in my ministry is a work in progress for me.

Cast it convincingly. (see Visioneering)
· Vision must compel people to action.
· Your ministry is an answer to some problem.
o You must define the problem. Your ministry vision is a solution to the problem.
o What would go undone if your ministry ceased to exist? How is your ministry different than others; where they are not meeting some problems?
o Your ministry vision must explain why & why now. What happens if your ministry fails to succeed? Why is urgency needed?
o Until you can answer the problem you should not cast any vision.

Repeat it regularly.
· Vision leaks. It’s like a car out of alignment where there is constant side-ways friction.

Celebrate it systematically.
· Recognize the “win” for your ministry. Pointing out specific wins will define to others what your ministry is about. It paints a clear picture and gives definition to the vision.
· Wins leverage momentum.

Embrace it personally.
· Vision is visible. “Your willingness to embody the vision will have a direct impact on your credibility as a leader.” Leaders should personally model the vision or it’s just another phrase on paper. People need to see your angst when you struggle fulfilling the vision. People need to see your inner delight when you are fulfilling the vision.

Vision Evaluation Gauges
· New projects, programs, products or people have potential to stall the vision. New is exciting but everything must be vision centered.
· Prayer must be centered on the vision not peripheral issues. Listen to the prayers of your ministry members to gauge if the vision is captured. If not, recenter the prayers.
· Complaints should reflect the vision. Listen to the complaints of your ministry members to evaluate how you need to better communicate the vision.

Missionary Movements - Healthy Church

2008-10-16T11:38:00.001-04:00

In our Sunday morning youth Bible study we are going through the book of Acts. We are seeing the church begin, expand and engage its world. It is good to make comparisons and contrasts to today's church from the Book of Acts. Not for the sake of complaining and tearing down the church. We have enough of that! But, for the goal of becoming a more healthy, effective and functioning body of believers that God can use for His glory. I am praying for my church and ministries I'm involved with have a fresh touch by God's Spirit to this end. I know I cannot do it with my own wisdom, skills, strength and definitely not my looks. We are helpless without God's Holy Spirit to work and bring renewal in our life and church.

One author says this, “The Acts has so much to say to our half-hearted and cold blooded Christianity in the western world. It rebukes our preoccupation with buildings and ministerial pedigree, our syncretism and pluralism, our lack of expectancy and vibrant faith. As such it is a book supremely relevant for our time.”[1]

Below are some characteristics I found from Acts 13:1-3 that begin missionary movements and are reflective of healthy churches. I am going to keep these in front of me as ministry and leadership goals.

1. There was foundational discipleship. Antioch was a home base for Christianity, being the first place believers were called Christians (11:26). The church at Antioch was a refuge to persecuted Christians (11:19). It was also a place of faith instruction for new believers, like Saul/Paul (11:26). Even more, the believers at Antioch showed Christian compassion and generosity to those in need by providing famine relief to Jerusalem, hundreds of miles away (11:29), and spreading the gospel through sending missionaries (13:1-3). All of this arose from the congregation as a whole, not hired staff doing the work of ministry. Antioch was a healthy, stable foundation from which effective ministry could be established and advanced.

2. There was developed leadership. At the very least there were 5 leaders who were said to be prophets and teachers. These men were recognized with specific giftings that aided the church to fulfill its mission and vision. The leadership was shared and diverse, representative of the larger Church. Barnabas was from Cyprus, Simeon probably from African regions, Lucius from Cyrene, Manaen was upper class related to the Herods, and Saul from Tarsus. They had varied backgrounds yet God blended them together to accomplish his world-wide mission.

3. There was authentic worship. Vital to the church’s mission was corporate worship. Noted elements in this atmosphere for worship included fasting, suggesting intense focus on God for specific purposes, and prayer which was reciprocal communication as the Holy Spirit spoke to the church. Thirdly, their worship was faith responsive as they acted on the Spirit’s leading, commissioning individuals to service. Antioch gave two of their best leaders for the cause of missions, no less! In all, worship has a broad meaning in the OT & NT but it is interesting to note these three specific elements.

4. There was evangelistic fervor. Antioch was hub for sending missionaries into regions where the gospel was vacant. This church took Jesus’ command to disciple the nations seriously and at all costs (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). Their strategy is important as they started with those who they considered receptive to their message, in Jewish synagogues. However, they also engaged people and places that were hostile to the gospel. Their evangelistic zeal shows how God uses obedience and availability over talent and personality (consider the fact that Saul was once a persecutor of Christians!).

[1] Michael Green, Thirty Years That Changed The World, p.5.

Pure Worship

2008-10-15T09:37:00.000-04:00

Imagine being in heaven and watching people worship Jesus. As you are watching them you realize you cannot hear anything. You cannot hear the melody of the singing, the words to the prayers or the declarations made by anyone. You ask Jesus why the sound is muted and He tells you that the reason the sound is mute is because that is what all heaven hears when a person’s worship is improper. Jesus only hears and accepts the worship that is proper.

In Psalm 24 you will see 3 keys to properly worshiping God.

Proper worship is God-focused (24:1-2).
The Psalmist, David, recognized God’s complete sovereignty over all the earth. God’s sovereignty is his control over all of creation. David specifically mentions those who live in creation (hey, that’s you & I). The point being made is that all of life must be focused on the fact that God is of central importance to the world. In fact, you cannot view creation without thinking about its Creator.

Youth ministry (as many others) has a tendency to create a mentality of crowd faith. What I mean is rather than individual students having personal faith focused in God they limit God to group activities. Students only read the Bible when they are in group study. They do not pray or enter into any kind of discussion because they fear “public speaking”. Yet ironically, they do not do these things privately either. Personal faith has been reduced to attending events, conferences and gatherings. Rather than having a divine encounter with the living God students seek sensory appeal and crowd buzz. God is calling for so much more. He wants students to meet him and know him, even as face to face (v.6). A lifestyle of worship must be radically centered on personally knowing God.

Proper worship is pure (24:3-6).
David continues his focus on God in asking, who can approach Him? The answer is “he who has clean hands and a pure heart”. This is symbolic language to describe someone with pure character. Unfortunately, there is no one who can ascend to this requirement. It’s a hill too large to climb, everyone falls short because by nature everyone is not God-focused. In fact, everyone is a God-substituter. That means that in our hearts we replace God with things that are our own desires. At its core this is what the Bible describes as idolatry. Our hearts are idol factories, creating gods in our own image to suit our own desires.

The simple fact of the matter is purity brings life. Without purity life is tainted. Randy Alcorn, in his little but profound book “The Purity Principle” explains further:
“Those who turn from God to embrace a God-substitute suffer terrible loss. Why? Because they were made to find joy in God, not the substitute. They swap God’s present and future blessing for something they can immediately see, taste, or feel. But that something never satisfies… Christian men and women forfeit future happiness for the sake of temporary sexual stimulation. Like drug addicts, we go from fix to fix, trading the contentment from righteous living for the quick hits that always leave us empty, craving more.” (pp 12-13)

“Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs” Jonah 2:8

Proper worship is responsive (24:7-10).
David closes his Psalm with repeated declarations. He focuses on God, naming him the King of Glory, strong and mighty. It is likely that the psalm would be put to music and tradition states it was sung at the beginning of every week in the Jewish temple.

Worship is a way for you to respond to God. It is to be celebrative, declaring the greatness and goodness of God. When a person realizes who God is they will not be able to refrain from being in complete awe and wonder. The proper response is for you to lift your attention to the Almighty King.

Isaiah 55:6 “Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.”

John 4:23-24 “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is SEEKING such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Once again, imagine being in heaven watching people worship God. This time, you not only can see them worship but you can hear them worship. You hear the rhythmic melody that draws you to sing out loud, you hear prayers being spoken and though you cannot make out what they are all saying you somehow know Jesus can. You also hear shouts of individuals declaring great truths about God. So, you look over to Jesus to observe His reaction and you see tears in His eyes as He smiles with great joy knowing that your worship and that of many others is gladly received.

Taking It Home
· Is my worship being heard and accepted by God? How do you know?
· Is my faith merely a group activity or is it personal?
· Write out a typical schedule for your day. List everything from brushing teeth to going to class to setting your alarm clock just before laying your head on the pillow at night. Where does God fit in your day? Is it the best time?
· What worthless idol am I clinging to?
· Am I merely settling for the appearance of purity?
· Who can I talk to about my purity struggle?
· What is God calling me to do in response to Psalm 24?

Walking Worship

2008-10-07T12:03:00.000-04:00

I have always enjoyed walking. As a teenager growing up and going around the neighborhood to play street football or basketball on a dirt court two miles from my house I took lots of walks. On those walks I would often think about things going on in life with family, friends, school and whatever (Note: The whatever for a teenage boy is not rocket science. It is typically about girls, what's for dinner, girls, sports or girls. Hope that clarifies everything). Later on, as I left for college at times I felt lonely being in a place where I knew no one and was pretty unfamiliar with. I can remember taking many walks around the campus praying and talking to God about life stuff (Note: The stuff for a college guy rarely changes from a teenage boy). Even now as I'm married I enjoy walking in our neighborhood with my girls, my wife and daughter. It seems walking is becoming a way of life for me.

THE BIBLE describes our life as a walk as well. As we continue our series on what is worship note how most specifically the Bible speaks of worship as a way of life. That is what this post is about.

COLOSSIANS 3:12-17

Worship walks with genuineness (3:12).
Paul challenges the Colossians to walk in the ways of God. Those who have been raised with Christ are to set their minds on eternal things (“things above”). They are to be different than those who do not walk in the ways of God (3:5-9). They have genuine compassion & kindness for others rather than negative stereotyping individuals. As God’s people they are marked with His character showing integrity and authenticity (3:12).

Several years ago there was a story showing a lack of genuineness. In 1979, distance runner Rosie Ruiz won the New York Marathon. She set a new record at the time of 2:31:56. A year later she did the same in the Boston Marathon. However, after further inspection it turned out that her time lacked validity as she was cheated in both marathons. In NY she was seen catching a bus for a portion of the race. In Boston, she only ran the last leg of the race appearing as if she ran the entirety. Unfortunately, Ruiz lacked the character and integrity that is often missing in our society.

God calls for his people to be real. Too many people are only Christian in name; in other words they are not genuine in their beliefs or behavior. True worship goes beyond mere assent to God, an event or a style of music. Worship is all of life and reflected in a person’s lifestyle. This can often be evidenced by a person’s character.

“Therefore, I urge you brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” Romans 12:1

Worship walks with grace (3:13).
Another way to walk in the way of God is to be like Him in the area of forgiveness. Paul commands the Colossians to forgive others as God has forgiven them. Rather than seeking revenge, holding grudges or becoming bitter we are to view relationships in view of eternity. In doing so we realize most things we get bent out of shape about do not ultimately matter. Even more, we should ask ourselves if we would want God to use the same standard of forgiveness that we use against others. God’s people are marked with grace.

“if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift… For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 5:23-24, 6:14-15

Worship walks with gratitude (3:14-17).
Above all things, God’s people are to be thankful for His faithfulness, His grace and work in your life. Whatever we do in word or deed should be marked with love and reflect our gratitude for Jesus. Jesus has done so much in giving himself – his sacrifice on the cross, his faithful presence that never abandons, his promise of eternal life – and Christians must look at life with an eternal hope.

TAKING IT HOME

-Read through Colossians 3:1-9. Which character qualities do you struggle with the most?
-Choose one of the godly characteristics in 3:12 and commit to implementing it this week 3 times.

-Why should God forgive you of your sin and wrongs?
-How does your forgiveness relate to God forgiving you?
-Who in your life is waiting for you to forgive them?

-Thankfulness brings peace. Write out 10 things God has given you and for which you are thankful.
-Thankfulness motivates devotion. Do you cherish time in God’s word? Time in corporate worship? Time with other believers?

Away But Not Alone

2008-10-05T00:06:00.000-04:00

My wife has been away at a weekend ministry convention. She will have been gone four days tomorrow. This also meant that I had the pleasure of watching our daughter for a few days. Actually, on Thursday she stayed with a neighbor from our church. Then when I got home we went for a walk around the neighborhood and spent the rest of the evening crawling around the house eating leftovers from the fridge and hanging out. Friday was much of the same and then a youth ministry planning meeting for our upcoming Fall Retreat (which I’m increasingly looking forward to… hope our students are getting pumped). When we got back Alethia had bath time and then was out like a light. Saturday we slept in til about 9:22am (I like to set my alarm for random times rather than plain round times like 9:20. That’s just me). It was good to sleep in since I was up til 2:30 reading and watching a bunch of random things on the television. Anyways, later on in the afternoon I took Alethia up to her grandparents where she’s staying for the night. She was having a ball attempting to ride her tricycle before I left. When I got back to the house I cut the grass while listening to Matt Redman’s “Face Down” album on my ipod. Oh yea, all through this weekend were about 30 text messages back and forth from my wife saying how much we missed and love each other.

I write all that to say this: My wife was away but I was never alone. I appreciate the fact that we have neighbors and church friends who babysit our daughter. I love living close to family to see them and be a part of our routine life. I am thrilled to be a part of weekend ministry planning’s and praying for God to use our ministries to expand His kingdom. Even more, I am overwhelmed that God’s Spirit fills my life and never leaves me alone. God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” What an amazing promise to embrace, recognizing I will never be alone because of my faith in Christ.

The next time your spouse goes away on a trip, or your kids are out for the evening or perhaps you are away from everyone you know feeling alone in a college dorm, remember to cultivate relationships with others. Go out and meet new friends. Even more, spend some time with your Heavenly Father. He longs to be with you and for you to know Him in deeper ways than you can ever imagine. When you have Jesus you really are never alone.

Youth Group Homework

2008-09-30T14:29:00.001-04:00

Last weekend in our small group Bible study our High School students were challenged to write out their salvation testimony. Their assignment has been to write it out and then be ready to share it this coming week. They can share it with others during the week as well. Can you believe that a youth pastor gives homework??? Well, I did and I'm praying the dog doesn't eat it before Sunday. What about you, have you thought how to clearly communicate your salvation testimony?

Here were some questions to help guide their writing and thinking.

ADMISSION – How did I know I needed a Savior?

Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”

BELIEF – Who is Jesus Christ?

Romans 10:9 “if you confess with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

COMMIT – How am I living for God presently?

Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.

Holy Worship

2008-09-30T12:38:00.000-04:00

In 1995 a popular song came out by Joan Osbourne. It was titled "If God Were One of Us". The lyrics are interesting to read considering that the song came from secular pop culture. Here are some of the lyrics:

If God had a name, what would it be
And would you call it to his face
If you were faced with him in all his glory
What would you ask if you had just one question
And yeah yeah God is great yeah yeah God is good yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
What if God was one of us
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Trying to make his way home
If God had a face what would it look like
And would you want to see
If seeing meant that you would have to believe
In things like heaven and in jesus and the saints and all the prophets

Well... what if you were faced with God in all his glory? What would you see and would you even want to see him? In reading Isaiah 6 we can be certain that we will see at least the following three realities.

Worship calls you to see God’s holiness (6:1-4).
Isaiah saw a vision of God. God was seated on an elevated throne where his presence and robe filled the temple room. Hovering around God were seraphim (literally “burning ones”) who though they are burning with brightness they hid their faces & feet from God’s greater and brighter glory. In antiphonal praise the seraphs shout about God’s character. It is significant that they sing of his holiness above other characteristics, as well as the three-fold mention of it; “holy, holy, holy”. In Hebrew, the addition of adjectives multiplies its importance. Isaiah speaks of God’s holiness 59 times throughout his writing. Worship that does not recognize God’s glory and holiness falls short of true worship.

God’s holiness is attractive. Deep inside it is what we all desire. We long for completion, perfection and being whole. We pursue these desires in the wrong places which become idols or God-substitutes. The irony of this reality is once we encounter God’s holiness we cannot remain in his presence. It is so powerful and overwhelming that we get consumed with the weight of its significance.

Worship calls you to see sin’s influence (6:5-7).
Isaiah’s dramatic vision was overpowering. He saw divine holiness and was never the same. It ruined his old ways recognizing the sinfulness of his lips. Even more, he felt the weight of sin’s influence from the people he lived among. Isaiah’s response resulted in guilt and shame due to God’s convicting presence filling the space. However, God removed and atoned for the influence of Isaiah’s sin. The seraphs purified Isaiah’s lips with a coal from the burning altar in the temple.

When you experience guilt or shame it is important to respond appropriately. God gives you these experiences so you may seek him not run from him. He desires you to confess your sin and find forgiveness rather than avoiding the influence of your sin. God removes the influence of sin and its consequences through the atoning power of the cross of Jesus Christ.

Worship calls you to see people’s need (6:8)
Following Isaiah’s cleansing from personal and corporate sin he hears God’s voice. A person cannot hear God’s voice unless they have found atonement for their sin. God called for someone to meet the missionary task of representing God to the people. Isaiah gave the most appropriate and worshipful response he could, “Here I am. Send me”. Worshiping God fills believers that they cannot help but share this glorious, all-satisfying happening with others.

Worshiping God is not confined to a room, a building or any other location. It is without walls, without limits and goes to the center of every lifestyle; it is your life. God sees your worship in the way you interact not only when you are alone but especially when you interact with others. He expects you to represent him to all those around you.

Taking It Home
· What do you think God looks like? Describe him.
· Why is holiness attractive?
· How do worship services you attend recognize God’s holiness?
· Do you view guilt or shame as a gift from God? If not, how could you begin to see it as such?
· Is worship more an individual or corporate action? Explain.
· Respond to: “A person cannot hear God’s voice unless they have found atonement for their sin.”

Visionary Worship

2008-09-29T13:19:00.000-04:00

Psalm 37:3-5 “TRUST in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. DELIGHT yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. COMMIT your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this.”

These few verses describe worship familiar yet distant ways. By observing three words you can gain a fuller picture of what it means to worship God with greater intensity.

TRUST:
The psalmist penned this word to point to God’s complete control over all of life. Since God is sovereign over all things you can trust him in every life circumstance you encounter. God promises to provide and protect those who trust in him. In a world that seldom holds promises and little can be trusted, God calls you to trust in him.

Can you envision trusting someone who is completely faithful?

Hebrews 13:5 “be content with what you have, for he himself said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’.”

DELIGHT:
Many people view a relationship with God as a simple past decision they made, lacking joy and passion. Such a decision minimizes the intimacy and ongoing relationship a believer has with God. Trust in God calls for enjoyment in him as completely satisfying in all of life. Realizing this truth, the believer should intensify his or her pursuit for God. As an athletic fanatic or empty entertainment seeker, a believer should find extreme delight in God.

Commenting on this verse, John Piper says, “The great hindrance to worship is not that we are pleasure-seeking people, but that we are willing to settle for such pitiful pleasures… Being satisfied with all God is for us in Jesus is the essence of the authentic experience of worship.”[1] Worship is the most important thing you will do and we must have the right object of worship rather than satisfying ourselves with things of lesser value than an eternal God.

Can you envision delighting in someone that overflows with satisfaction?

Psalm 16:11 “In your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

COMMIT:
The word literally means to roll in or to lay wallowing. In other words, the psalmist calls you to go all in when it comes to trusting in God. Half-heartedness and lazy discipline are contradictions when it comes to following Jesus. God is looking for passionate, white-hot worshipers.

Can you envision committing to someone that inspires faithfulness without drudgery?

Luke 9:23-24 “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it."

1 John 5:3-4 "This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world."

[1] The Dangerous Duty of Delight, p. 55-56.

Worship

2008-09-24T14:28:00.000-04:00

Worship. There is so much to that single word that we do not know where to begin to try and understand it. But, we’re going to try anyways because God calls, desires, demands us to. On Sunday nights our youth will explore several facets of this life altering word. Certainly this series will increase our knowledge about the subject. Our minds will be challenged and stretched as we reflect upon what it means to worship and how every person is a worshiper by nature. However, I hope that is not all that happens. I pray that our heart affections might be transformed from being contently satisfied with physical and worldly things to having an insatiable thirst and pursuit for the eternal God of the Bible. Only worship of Jesus will fill our lives with meaning and lasting joy.

“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” Psalm 42:1-2

Lessons Learned

2008-09-22T14:43:00.000-04:00

Some lessons parents teach will always stay with their children. I can remember growing up that my parents taught me the lesson of winning and losing with grace. As with most children, the thrill of winning a game gives them great joy. However, when they lose it can be quite an ugly scene. One personal example was when I lost a card game playing against my Aunt Susie. I hated losing so much that I slapped her in the face! I was about 7 years old but that certainly was no excuse and my whooping was the proof. Another lesson I learned was following through in your commitments; don’t be a quitter. As an active child I was involved in several sports from football, basketball, t-ball to even bowling. Before the start of each season my parents reminded me of the commitments involved and if I started something I needed to finish it. They understood the value of perseverance and the satisfaction of a task completed. Indeed, this has been a tremendous value to me through the years of college, young adulthood and in my family life.

As we start another Fall and year of student ministries I pray that we follow my latter lesson, don’t be a quitter. Think about it. As parents and adult leaders we set the example to our children. When we start ministries we need to be tenacious. Yes that’s an odd word but consider its meaning. According to Webster, tenacious means “not easily pulled apart; persistent in seeking something valued or desired.” Too often we can be tempted to give up and pull away right before we reap the benefits. In the face of difficulty or challenge we quit and abandon everyone else. Not only is this a selfish attitude but it denies the group and team (the body of Christ) the opportunity to support one another and grow from struggles. Besides, when did the road to God’s blessings become paved with ease and comfort?

So, to all the new Sunday School teachers, Awana workers, every other ministry leader as well as to every family member, don’t be a quitter! We need to model tenacity to our children and to those in our community who are wondering if the gospel really matters. Trust me, perseverance pays off and will leave a lasting impression on the generations to come.

“Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

Some of the idea for this post was adapted from http://www.childrensministry.com/article.asp?ID=1940

feet to faith

2008-09-16T15:57:00.000-04:00

The role of every Christian is faithfulness to Jesus. That does not require having the best talent or the most money in the world. It simply means being faithful stewards with who you are and what God has given you. God expects you to use your life for his glory and not your own. Are you allowing your faith to inform your actions?

One of the things I try to do in ministry is partner our student ministry and church with opportunities to serve others in the name of Jesus. I want our church to get out of comfort zones, outside the "church building" and engaging the world around us so we can reflect who Jesus is through our actions. I call it putting feet to our faith. We have an opportunity right around the corner on September 27 as we 'Embrace Baltimore' and partner with FBC Dundalk to serve and love others in the name of Jesus. I hope you will consider joining us. For more information email me or our church office.

The apostle John said it like this:
"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? …Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth” 1 John 3:16-18

School is in Session

2008-08-26T13:27:00.000-04:00

School has started back (parents cheer, students sigh). This past Sunday evening our church recognized this phenomenon by a prayer walk experience. Students and adults of all ages traveled to local schools and prayed for the school year. The schools we prayed for were - Dowell Elementary, Patuxent Elementary, Appeal Elementary, Mill Creek Middle, Southern Middle, Patuxent High and Shiloh Christian Academy, which the last is hosted at our church.

*We prayed for student and bus safety during transportation to and from schools.
*We prayed for school faculty and administration to make wise & godly decisions when it comes to discipline, curriculum choices and teaching methods. We prayed they have both patience and passion for the new school year.
*We prayed for students to experience a deeper relational connection to their friends and to people who care about them. Every student has value in the eyes of God and we prayed they became aware of that this year.
*We prayed for Christian students and teachers to take courageous steps of faith and be a faithful witness for Jesus this year.

This was our second year of doing this and each time has been a neat experience as we get out of our comfort zones (church building) and into the culture.

Another interesting tidbit about church attendance and student education can be found here. A part of it can be found below:

Researchers found that church attendance has as much effect on a teen's GPA as whether the parents earned a college degree. Students in grades 7 to 12 who went to church weekly also had lower dropout rates and felt more a part of their schools.
On average, students whose parents received a four-year college degree average a GPA .12 higher than those whose parents completed high school only. Students who attend religious services weekly average a GPA .144 higher than those who never attend services, said Jennifer Glanville, a sociologist at the University of Iowa. The study does not suggest God is smiling on the students, per se. Rather, it identifies several reasons the students do better:
- They have regular contact with adults from various generations who serve as role models.
- Their parents are more likely to communicate with their friends' parents.
- They develop friendships with peers who have similar norms and values.
- They're more likely to participate in extracurricular activities.

Interesting indeed. Hope to see your children at church :)

Rethinking Youth Ministry

2008-08-21T18:48:00.000-04:00

Listen to Steve Wright from his new book: reTHiNK: Is Student Ministry Working?

Is student ministry accomplishing what we think it is? Roughly two-thirds of students leave the church after graduation. Baptisms are down. Student pastors are walking away from ministry at startling rates. It s time to rethink student ministry. This book pairs the most up-to-date research available with an overview of a Biblical framework for ministry. It will arm you with facts, Scripture, and real-life ideas that will help you find new ways to involve parents back into the equation and help you escape the busy, bigger-and-better, number-driven model of student ministry.

Check it out @ http://lastingdivergence.com/

SCBC 2008 Summer Snapshot

2008-08-17T23:33:00.000-04:00

Teaching The Next Generation

2008-08-11T13:05:00.000-04:00

Teaching the next generation is not an easy task. However, it is a calling that the church cannot refuse. The psalmist said, "We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. He established a testimony in Jacon and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments" (78:4-7).

The heart of this passage and other commands to teach the next generation is a call to carefully teach the Scriptures. Unfortunately, many children & youth curriculums fail to do such. Oh, it's not that they do not make an attempt and blatanly disregard the Bible. It's that they reduce the Bible to a moral handbook or ethical code rather than a book that teaches the commands of a holy God flowing from his character. An example is when Jesus feeds the multitudes. This is reduced to a story on sharing because a little boy shared his lunch, rather than fueling faith in an all-sustaining provider God named Jesus, who can perform miracles such as this. In other words, the point of the Bible is to introduce and strengthen faith in God. All the other characters in the Bible stories are subplots in the grand Story. We must be faithful to teach the next generation how to read and apply the Bible accurately (2 Timothy 2:15).

For a deeper look at our church's children's ministry curriculum please check here.

For an interesting article on this topic check here.

Growing Godly Generations and Anniversary

2008-08-01T15:49:00.000-04:00

Many parents feel the weight and responsibility to grow godly generations. For certain, it is an awesome task that only comes by the grace and wisdom of a loving God. Each day we as parents must point to this God - in our faults as in our instruction and discipline. I'm thankful for an incredible wife of 7 years (8/3) to journey this calling. Happy Anniversary, Danielle. I love you.

Also, check out this link for how we can teach our children about God's character and not just his commandments.

Wash & Dry

2008-07-29T13:29:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I know it has been almost 2 months since I last posted to the blog but since I know there are only a couple readers out there I trust you’ll forgive me. [As a matter of fact, if there is a reader out there please feel free to drop me a line by commenting on any of the posts. Just hit comments and in your response click “anonymous” if you do not have your own login name. Looking forward to hearing from you.] For me, it was a slow start for summer in June but July made up for it. I was able to vacation at the end of June and early July. We saw one of my good friends (Tom & Bonnie praying pictured) get married and then slid over to Stone Mt Park, GA. Pretty cool place, especially if you like the southern style of things :)

Then we kicked off July with our church’s Vacation Bible School. We had over 94 enrolled and averaged 65 each night. I’m thankful for all the 51+ volunteers who helped in various ways. You did a tremendous job impacting kids with a positive experience at our church whereas many children view church as boring and irrelevant. Many of you were also a direct part of kids hearing about the unconditional love and grace of Jesus Christ. I hope you pray with me for all the seeds planted that God will reap a harvest and selfishly I pray that our church will be able to see the benefits of that!

After VBS our youth ministry traveled over ten hours to Greenville, SC for MFUGE camp. It was literally a whirlwind week as a tornado hit the campus location.
Check out this video.

Beyond that craziness the week was a huge week of spiritual impact as our students were able to serve all over the city of Greenville doing labor construction, children’s & social ministry and various other service projects. They showed that a living faith in Jesus is active in caring for the needs of others.

This coming week we have over fifteen people from our church, along with several members from a sister church going to Fayetteville, WV for a family mission trip. Again, we’ll be sharing the love of Jesus through visiting nursing homes, backyard Bible clubs in a couple neighborhoods and various other service projects that will enable us to make the gospel visible to the community. I’m excited about this trip for two reasons. The first is because it is a family trip. It’s not often that children get to serve right alongside their parents. Typically, children and youth are separated from their parents in church activities and trips. One of the focuses of this trip is for families to bond together through serving God together. The second reason I’m excited about this trip is for another opportunity to get out of our normal routines and comfort zones in order to share the gospel and serve others. Please pray for us while we’re gone.

What does the title of this blog have to do with what I’ve shared? Well, the point is many Christians can busy themselves with serving God, helping others and become preoccupied with all sorts of things yet neglect a personal relationship with God. I hear this on a regular basis from people in our church. I also experience levels of this in my own life. I call these “wash & dry times” because you know you are spiritually cleansed through salvation in Christ yet you wonder about your connectedness to God through life’s busyness & circumstances. God has forever saved those who He has called and have awakened to repentance of sin and faith in the substitutionary death of Jesus. God will never abandon his own. Dry times are not a result of God’s neglect but our own. It is when we fill our schedules and priorities with god-substitutes rather than God. Performing a task, teaching a lesson, organizing a trip, or simply vegging on more television become temporary idols. I don’t know about you but unfortunately my heart can be too easily satisfied with god-substitutes rather than the real thing – God Himself! And if we are honest with ourselves it is simply spiritual laziness and arrogance that we think we can get by for a few hours, days or even months (or longer) without desperately seeking God and communing with Him. The problem is we are seldom desperate for anything. God wants us to get to the point in our life where we realize we cannot do anything without him (John 15:5). Listen to how this person phrases it in his own life:
“my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1).

SO, here are a few suggestions that are helpful in dry times.
1) Find forgiveness. As I said, dry times are often a result of our spiritual laziness and arrogance. In other words, it is our sin that blocks our fellowship with God. We need to confess this sin and be specific with whatever has become our god-substitute. Do not allow pride keep you from fellowship with God and others (1 John 1:5-10). Understanding that ALL sin is against God, your dry time may not be something that has been directly against God but perhaps it is because of a disruption of fellowship between you and another. Remember, before we can worship and commune with God we must reconcile with our brother and sisters (Matthew 5:23-24).

2) Ground in the gospel. Regardless of how we may feel during these dry times the gospel says we are not loved or accepted based on our actions, thoughts or feelings. God loves me based on His perfect sacrifice on the cross and his unchanging, unconditional grace. He is unwavering in His love for me and you and our identity must stay focused on Him not ourselves. So go ahead, soak in the facts of the gospel that you are accepted, loved and called to a living relationship with the Creator of all things!

3) Peruse the Psalms. The psalms are filled with honesty about personal feelings and how we view God in the midst of trying times. Be encouraged that you are not the only person in history to have these thoughts and attitudes. And these writings come from a person God called “a man after God’s heart.” The psalms call us to see life with the grand view of how big God is. There is nothing that God cannot handle and we can trust in Him. “The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth” (Psalm 97:5).

4) Relentlessly remain. When going through dry times we are not hearing from God or feeling as we should. Our calling is to abide. It is to stay connected to Jesus as a branch is to a vine. This means we are to obey in all the little things as well as the large areas of our life. As we press on and endure the difficult times God will speak to us and remind us that He is there to guide and instruct us further. As one pastor noted, valleys are meant to be walked through, it's a passageway not a permanent mailing address. Every valley is between mountains and God will move you through the valley raising you up to the higher place. Each day and circumstance is preparation for eternity.

She eats what I eat

2008-06-02T13:18:00.000-04:00

I love eating. I’m not sure if it’s because of my religious denominational traditions of church pot-lucks, indulging of my cravings or simply my need to survive but eating food is a wonderful thing to me, especially dessert. And guess what, I’m attempting to pass this habit of eating on to my daughter. On Saturday I had the opportunity to spend the whole day with her without mom. Danielle was on a retreat for MOPS ministry at our church. This meant I was solely responsible for diapers, naps, clean ups, bottles and food, and probably a few other things that I can’t all remember. Anyways, we had a couple instances that I later learned a spiritual lesson. Allow me to share…

The first came at lunch time. She was having some apricot mix from Gerber while I was having a chicken & cheese quesadilla. Halfway thru her baby food she stopped eating. You know, the closed mouth turning head, no way sucka, not now Daddy kinda stop eating. The thing is, she kept reaching for MY quesadilla. So, the tender heart that I am gave her a few bites with my utensil. Then I dipped my utensil into her baby food and fed her and she ate. I think she thought I was still feeding her MY food.

The next came when I was eating a little dessert. Okay, so maybe it was more than a little but it was hot brownies and chocolate chip ice cream. Anyways, as soon as I came in with the bowl here come the little hands reaching up and tongue & mouth tapping away. So, the tender hearted Daddy that I am, I give her a few bites. She loves it of course. She eats what I eat. It really doesn’t matter what I’m eating she just wants it because Daddy has it. She wants to be like Daddy. And that’s where it hit me, children not only follow their parents physical actions but also spiritually as well.

Children learn how to pray by seeing and praying with their parents and other adults. The same is true with attending a local church, Bible reading, living and loving others like Jesus, sharing the gospel, and giving financially to God. They’re like wet cement; whatever falls on them makes an impression. So, we as parents and adults must be intentional about what we are feeding our children.

LOST 5 (end)

2008-05-27T12:28:00.000-04:00

We come to the end of our LOST series. We've learned that the lost are dead in sin, walking away from God and objects of God's wrath. It's a terrible picture of people who do not know Jesus... not just knowing about Jesus but really knowing him in an intimate, dynamic relationship. The thing that gets me is how Jesus related to the LOST. It would seem he does so in a completely different manner than many Christians do today.

Look at Luke 19:1-10. I've found these few more characteristics of LOSTness.

The LOST are outsiders.
Zacchaeus was a tax collector. Tax collectors extorted money from citizens by making a profit off regular taxing. Tax collectors were placed in the same category as prostitutes (Matt 21:32) and other sinners. It is often the case that lost people hide behind labels because it brings them security. But it is a false security that never really fulfills. This is why Zacchaeus is climbing a tree.

The LOST are open to Jesus.
Zacchaeus climbed a tree so he could see Jesus. He was interested in this man. Sinners were attracted to Jesus. In fact, Jesus spent lots of time with sinners. Sinners were different from society but they sensed Jesus was different too. Jesus was different because he really cared about people. He didn’t judge, condemn or label people. He just cared by listening to life stories and then offering acceptance pointing them towards real hope and forgiveness in God.

I also cannot help but think why no one in the crowd tried to speak with Zacchaeus. It would seem that lost people are interested in similar questions that Jesus followers have but Jesus followers are too often caught up with their own concerns than to reach out to others. Are any lost people attracted to you or I like they were to Jesus?

The LOST are one.
Jesus changed Zacchaeus’ life. Zacchaeus experienced so much of Jesus’ forgiveness that he wanted to share it with others. He did so by repaying those from whom he stole.
Zacchaeus was one conversation away from knowing Jesus, one decision from a change in his life to love God and love others. Christians must begin to have Jesus' view for LOST people - "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost" (19:10).

Will you be the one difference in the life of a person that is LOST?

LOST 4

2008-05-20T15:02:00.001-04:00

The last couple weeks we have been discussing what it means to be LOST. This week we will discuss a third element is that a lost person is a child of wrath. To be lost means you are dead in sin, walking away from God and therefore a follower of Satan, and to be an object of God’s wrath (Ephesians 2:3).

But the question is, is God really wrathful? This is a provocative question in today’s society. Some popular Christian personalities have seen the cause of natural disasters or even terrorist acts as actions of God’s wrath. Personally, I do not agree with most of those views. However, I do believe that God’s wrath is a valid quality to his nature and to be seen at some point in time.

Paul says the nature of a lost person is to be a child of wrath. People without Christ live under the future judgment under God’s wrath. They stand condemned (John 3:18) because they are guilty of sin. However, every person has the opportunity to be forgiven and free from judgment by becoming a child of grace. Notice that becoming a child of grace is not any work you do accept believing on the work of God. God has “great love for us”, is “rich in mercy”, “made us alive”, “raised us up” and “seated us with him”. Paul says that if it was by works then we could boast in comparison of how saved we are to others. Yet, it is by grace so that no one can boast. A child of grace is completely dependent upon the Father’s mercy.

Which child are you? Child of wrath or child of grace?

“Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” Psalm 2:12

LOST 3

2008-05-12T10:11:00.000-04:00

On November 17th this past year, Zach Dunlap was riding his ATV with his friends. While popping a wheelie at a very high speed, his ATV raced up behind one of his friends. As he lowered the front of his machine he realized it was too late – he was about to crash into his friend. He swerved to avoid his pal, but the ATV flipped over, and his head and face went smashing into the ground. 911 was called, he was rushed to the hospital, and to the horror of his parents, 21-year-old Zach was pronounced brain-dead. His parents were faced with the decision of when to pull the plug. This is where the story takes a sharp turn. Mike Celizic from the Todayshow.com writes, “Zack Dunlap doesn’t remember much from the day he died, but he does remember hearing a doctor declare him brain-dead. And he remembers being incredibly ticked off. “I’m glad I couldn’t get up and do what I wanted to do,” the strapping Oklahoman said in a soft drawl in an exclusive appearance on Monday on TODAY in New York.1

Wow! Could you imagine hearing yourself being pronounced dead?

Last week we discussed that one of the things it means to be LOST is that you are DEAD in sin. This week we will discuss a further aspect in that a LOST person is a follower of evil. Those who are dead are evil. It sounds too simplistic and quite judgmental but it comes straight from the text. Paul’s point is not to chastise the unbeliever but to emphasize the work God does to those who do believe – God makes alive the dead and to those who are evil God raises up to sit together with Christ. In other words, God completely transforms your destiny

The LOST walk away from God (Ephesians 2:2-3)
At the heart of what it means to be LOST is that the person “walks” [lives] in the opposite direction of God. Paul says they walk according to the course of the world, which is under Satan’s power. Rather than finding fulfillment and identity “in Christ” they find fulfillment in the ways of the world.

The way of the world is lust of flesh. Lust is an insatiable desire for something or someone that controls one’s thinking and actions. Its goal is to conquer, yet ironically once attain it never truly fulfills. Listen to what another person says regarding lust:
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:15-17 Notice that love of the world and lust is fleeting, it passes away while finding fulfillment in God abides forever.

Illustration: If you have been to Washington D.C. before you know it is an extraordinary city with lots to see and do. The monuments and museums are pretty awe inspiring. There is one place in particular that is interesting... it's the Washington Monument. It stands 555' 5 1/8" tall, an enormous feature along the national mall. However, as giant of a statue this is there is a place you can stand 20' away from the monument and not even see it. Yep, that's right just twenty feet away and you'll completely miss it. It's with your back turned away from it! Likewise, you can completely miss God, His unconditional love in Christ and the purpose of your life because you are walking away from Him with your back turned. Christ is calling you to turn around.

Illustration: When two or more persons get in a disagreement if they are unwilling to work it out what typically happens is one of the parties walks away. Likewise, a person who is an unbeliever is walking away from God in their life because they are not in agreement. The key to restoring the relationship is turning around to reconcile. This is called repentance.

The FOUND walk with God (Ephesians 2:4-6).
As mentioned in the last session, being in Christ is relational. Christianity is an invitation to live for AND more importantly, live WITH Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Paul says, God raised us up and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ. A believer is inseparably linked to Jesus, what happens to Him happens to the believer.

Colossians 2:6-7 “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

John 14:17-18 “The world cannot accept [the Spirit of truth], because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”

Illus: One of the most favorite things friends do is taking walks. Sometimes there is a destination while other times there is none. The point is walking together symbolizes a close relationship. Do you walk with God?

· Could you imagine hearing yourself being pronounced dead? How would you respond? What spiritual significance does this have?
· Why is walking away from God equated with walking with Satan?
· What lust do you struggle with? Why is lust equated with love of the world?
· How can you tell when a person is walking with God?

1 Story from an email devotional written by a friend, Jacques Rancourt

LOST 2

2008-05-08T16:23:00.000-04:00

Are you lost?

Most of the time when people are lost they do not even know it, and when they realize it do not want to admit it. This is true especially of the male species. Men hate such admission that they do not know where they are going or where they are. One of the main reasons this is true is because of pride. To admit lostness means to admit fault and some level of personal incompetence. Men like to keep moving and exerting energy regardless if their activity is productive and going the right direction.
A personal story happened when I was in college and a group of friends went on a canoe trip. My roommate Kaleb planned the whole outing. He got the canoes for free from some environmental organization by saying we would collect garbage along the water. The most important part Kaleb did was mapping where one group of our friends would park the cars at the end site so when the group started down the river we could all ride back together. Well, after a couple hours on our canoe journey Kaleb seemed a bit perplexed navigating our direction. We were all so tired that we were forced to stop for directions. As you might guess, we were on the wrong river that was supposed to lead to our end site. Needless to say, it was a canoe trip that we never forgot considering it lasted over 8 hours.

The Bible says that every person is lost. Every person is in need of changing directions and being found by God. This series will explore a few descriptions with what it means to be lost… and found!

One of the foundational teachings of the Bible and Christianity is the doctrine of sin. The effects of sin are far more reaching than many realize. Genesis 3 describes the Fall of humanity and indeed the fall is steep. Sin and the Fall has given us death and this is certainly not a pleasant gift. Death is painful and extremely sad and unfortunately everyone must face it. Paul says each person is “dead in your transgressions and sins” (Ephesians 2:1).

Death is definite to everyone (Eph 2:1-3).
As a result of the Fall, every person will “surely die” (Gen 2:17). It is a reality that cannot be denied. In an odd way, our culture has somewhat of a thirst for death. Horror movies top the list for most popular and watched, violence is celebrated through video games and internet youtube videos. And if these are not enough, the murder of over a million unborn children each year is passionately defended throughout society. Death is a definite reality in our culture. These same physical descriptions are also true in the spiritual world. Every person will physically die and be judged according to their deeds. The problem with this is no person can measure enough good deeds to please God’s standard. The Bible says, “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Rom 3:10). Therefore, the definiteness of death is a dark picture of despair.
Sin and death are inherent in each person from the beginning of their existence.[1] “Just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). Even the Psalmist said, “my sin is always before me… Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me” (51:3, 5). David is overwhelmed by the reality of his sinful nature. He realizes that he needs resuscitation – a new heart/life/spirit (51:10).

What do you do when you are lost?[2]
Despite modern communications and equipment, more people than ever are getting lost in the wilderness. Cellular and satellite phones and global positioning systems (GPSs) make the world seem smaller, but the reality is, there's still a lot of emptiness out there and it can be easy to get lost. Here are a few tips that spiritually relate to becoming found. This will lead to Paul’s answer of linking to Jesus.
1) Stop moving. Rescue crews will find you faster if you stay in one spot. Further, moving without direction is wasted energy.
· Admit your lost and dead in sin. This admission begins the process of becoming saved. Bible calls this repentance.
Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
2) Become visible. Rescue crews will find you easier if you have clear markings of your position.
·Pursue God by making yourself available to Him and His word.
·James 4:8 “Come near to God and he will come near to you.”
3) Find nourishment and protection. It will be hard for your body to maintain proper temperature and energy if you are not staying hydrated, eating and staying protected.
·Spiritually refreshment comes through intentional intake of God’s word, prayer and Christian fellowship.
·Acts 2:42 “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in prayers.”

Life is linking to Jesus (Eph 2:4-7).
Paul transitions from describing the unbeliever to God’s work upon those who believe. The focus is on God’s work and grace rather than man’s believing and doing. God made alive together with Christ. Apart from linking to Jesus there is no life nor grace (no grace = object of wrath 2:3).
The phrase “in Christ” appears over 172 times in the writings of Paul. Paul uses this phrase to describe what it means to be a believer and having eternal life. The union is not to a system but to a Savior, it’s relational.

Students need relationships. We need to show them that living for Jesus is living with Jesus. He calls you to be with him (Mark 3:14) and by being with him comes the transformation in a person’s life, character and behavior.

So, if you are lost stop where you are and get some directions. Might I suggest the way is a relationship with Jesus Christ. He is the way (John 14:6).

· Have you ever been lost? Share the story.
· What does it mean to be lost spiritually?
· Do you think it is fair that all person’s are guilty of Adam’s sin (Romans 5:12)?
· Do you think it is fair that all person’s have opportunity to Jesus’ life (Romans 5:19, 21)?
· Review the steps for “What do you do when you are lost?”. How are these helpful in moving a person from an unbeliever to a believer in Jesus Christ?
· How is linking to Jesus different from other religious systems?
· According to Ephesians 2:4-5, why does God make you alive?
· What stands out to you in reading Ephesians 2:1-5? Discuss.

[1] Other phrases to describe this reality are “Inherited Sin”, “Original Sin/Guilt” and perhaps “Total Depravity”. The point is that sin is not only a choice it is part of your nature. Humans are guilty not only because they sin but because their identity is as a sinner. Some passages to examine: Psalm 51:3,5; Psalm 58:3; Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 2:14-15, 3:9-10, 23, 5:12-21, 7:18; Ephesians 2:1-5, Titus 1:15.
[2] From http://www.ehow.com/how_136351_survive-lost.html

LOST

2008-05-01T16:11:00.000-04:00

LOST - our new series for our Sunday night Youth Ministry. LOST has become one of my "have to" watch television shows each week. For some reason it just has me hooked. Likewise, Christians should become hooked on understanding how God has saved them from being LOST to FOUND IN CHRIST. God offers such a profoundly intriguing exchange of our selfish life destined to Hell to His fulfilling life destined for Heaven. God's graceful exchange brings forgiveness of sin and brings our identity from being lost to found as one of His children (1 John 3:1-3).

Well... I hope you are hooked on this series as much as I am.

DNOW 2008 What A Weekend!

2008-04-29T10:35:00.000-04:00

WOW, what a weekend we had for our annual Disciple Now. For those of you who kept thinking DNOW was some odd acronym Dave made up – that’s what it stood for, praise God for the clarity!

Well, here are just a few things God did over the weekend:

· God opened the eyes of some students to living a new identity, not for self but for Jesus Christ! Here is a quote from one student “This weekend you made me realize that when I accepted Christ when I was 8 I didn't do it because I wanted to but because I saw my friend do it. I would like you to pray for me because i said that prayer at disciple now and accepted him as my Lord and savior…”
· God brought together 3 church youth ministries with over 150 students and over 75 adults (not to mention 1 Canadian from Manassas, VA J). It is a rare thing for churches to partner together. Most of the time churches are territorial and see getting together as competition. There was none of that here and Jesus’ prayer for unity in John 17:21 was lived out this past weekend. Our students need to see the Church at large and understand that God is alive & moving beyond our own church walls.
· God introduced 8 new students to our youth ministry at SCBC. Some of them heard the gospel probably for the first time. Please pray for the seeds that were planted. Thanks to the teens who rose to the challenge Dave gave a month ago to take the risk and invite unsaved friends to our ministry events.
· God was glorified through the selfless service of so many adults and parents who sacrificed sleep, time and energy over the weekend. Honestly, I know that each of the 3 church youth pastors/directors cannot express enough appreciation for your help… so thank you for all you did, God noticed! AND, if I can promote for future events… we could have used several more adults helping with small groups and engaging students with the weekend content as well as a few other areas. So next time, do not just sit on the sidelines, get in the game. It’s worth it!
· God was honored through the creative talents students shared with the group over the weekend. We had a puppet team share a very cool neon black-light skit, three different youth groups led praise and worship through musical abilities. It is powerful to see how God has gifted the next generation with creative skills to praise Him and spread the gospel. I pray God continues to ignite and stir the passion in others.

This is just to name a few things. Every student has a story to share of how God spoke to them and is bringing together circumstances to make himself known in their life and family. I encourage you to walk up to our students and talk with them. You just might be pleasantly surprised to hear what God is up to.

Piper, one more time

2008-04-28T15:50:00.000-04:00

I had to post one more link this week from Piper that speaks of growing godly generations. The value of a senior pastor who is interested, invested and involved in the lives of youth goes a long way to encourage parents and facilitate the partnership between the home & student ministries at church. This is my prayer and what I am working toward at SCBC

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/2008/2726_Let_No_One_Despise_You_for_Your_Youth/

Piper

2008-04-27T19:49:00.000-04:00

One author/preacher I enjoy reading is John Piper. Though honestly, if you've read one Piper book you've read them all in some sense. I appreciate how he tries to focus everything... and I mean everything, on God and His character. Here is an excerpt on a new book he is writing that I thought related to the title of my blog - Growing Godly Generations. His book will be about marriage and in this section on raising children.

http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1202_children_understand_the_universe_before_they_know_there_is_one/

The most fundamental task of a mother and father is to show God to the children. Children know their parents before they know God. This is a huge responsibility and should cause every parent to be desperate for God-like transformation. The children will have years of exposure to what the universe is like before they know there is a universe. They will experience the kind of authority there is in the universe and the kind of justice there is in the universe and the kind of love there is in the universe before they meet the God of authority and justice and love who created and rules of the universe. Children are absorbing from dad his strength and leadership and protection and justice and love; and they are absorbing from mother her care and nurture and warmth and intimacy and justice and love—and, of course, all these overlap.
And all this is happening before the child knows anything about God, but it is profoundly all about God. Will the child be able to recognize God for who he really is in his authority and love and justice because mom and dad have together shown the child what God is like. The chief task of parenting is to know God for who he is in his many attributes, and then to live in such a way with our children that we help them see and know this multi-faceted God. And, of course, that will involve directing them always to the infallible portrait of God in the Bible.

Of course, I can't wait to get the book.

The Be With Factor for kids

2008-04-08T22:52:00.000-04:00

Part of the strategy of discipling students and growing godly generations is "being with" them (Mark 3:14). Here's a link of things to do being with kids

http://www.destroydebt.com/articles/90-low-cost-or-no-cost-activities-to-entertain-your-kids-all-summer-long.html

For fun, here's a pic of my wife with my daughter... sorry, they're just too adorable :)

Revelation's End

2008-04-03T14:38:00.000-04:00

Here is our last lesson on Revelation. I hope you have learned as much as I have. As I said last week, I am growing to fear God more and more because of how incredibly powerful and sovereign He is... but my fear does not distance me from God, it drives me closer to Him. I know that in Him there is protection, love and acceptance. What ultimate reality!

Hell is real, avoid it.
The book of Revelation comes to a close when Jesus returns to earth. At His return, Jesus will conquer those who wage war against Him (Armageddon). At this time there will be a great white throne judgment where the books will be opened and the dead are judged according to their deeds. Files will be read! “Anyone’s name [that] was not found written in the book of life, was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Hell is a real place that is described as eternal darkness (Matthew 25:30). It is filled with unquenchable fire (Matt 25:41) and punishment (Matt 25:46). The torment never rests day or night (Rev 20:10). There are some who believe that unbelievers do not experience such atrocity but they cease to exist; annihilationism. This view seems contradictory to the rest of Scripture, nevertheless the point is to avoid Hell and judgment at all costs.

Paul says Romans 9:2-3 “I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers”

God says Ezekiel 33:11 “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?”

Heaven is real, accept Him.
As much as Hell is a reality for unbelievers so is Heaven a reality for believers. Revelation 20 speaks of a Millennial kingdom that will take place on earth for 1000 years. Jesus will reign with believers having areas of responsibility under Him. After that, Satan is forever defeated and eternity begins. John says a new heaven and a new earth will be created. Our imaginations cannot begin to understand how beautiful these places will be. As it is written, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him – but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10). Heaven is a gift that only a Person can offer, that is Jesus Christ. You must accept Him before you can enter.

·Does knowing the prophecy about future end time events give you confidence or concern? Explain.
·Have you ever thought that there will be a final judgment for all people? Do you look forward or fear this time?
John 5:24 “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”
·What does it mean to store up treasures in heaven? How should this effect the way you live your life?
·When you hear about the realities of Hell, what comes to your mind?
·Read Romans 9:2-3 and Ezekiel 33:11. How do these verses impact your life?
·List some of the major things you have learned through our study in Revelation. How have these things impacted you?

DNOW 2008

2008-03-25T01:41:00.000-04:00

Are you coming to Disciple Now? This year's theme is Identity: Purity On Display. You'll explore the playlist of your life and how it resonates with personal faith. You won't want to miss it, April 24-27.

Check out Jacques our guest speaker this year,

Uncharted - Loving Your Neighbor

2008-03-03T16:17:00.000-05:00

What responsibility does the church have to its community? To pose another question, if the church ceased to exist what would not get done in the community; would it even be missed? Unfortunately, many churches have become so inward focused they forget the world around them. Christians have created their own private world that is without interaction with its surrounding culture and community. Rather than being a light to the world and reaching out the church has too often become preoccupied with itself (its own routines, facilities, needs and people). If the world is to be reached for Jesus Christ and healthy transformation (education, poverty, along with physical/emotional and spiritual health) is to happen in our communities then the church must shift its focus outward.

Luke 10:25-37
Loving others displays your love for God.
As a lawyer came to Jesus asking the requirements for eternal life, Jesus responded that a person should love God and love others. Loving others is a tangible display of our love for God. The Bible is filled with passages describing how the people of God should care and provide for those in need around them.

James 1:27 “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” [see also faith without deeds 2:14-26]

1 John 3:17-18 “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”

Why should we love Baltimore?
Baltimore is a city in desperate need. It ranks 12th as most dangerous, having the highest homicide rate of all US cities, nearly 7 times the national rate. It is one of America's most sinful cities. Addiction, crime, poverty and lack of education are all part of Baltimore’s reputation. These characteristics show the opportunity and need for transformation.
Uncharted has the potential to impact hundreds of lives for the good of the city of Baltimore and beyond. This is not because Uncharted is such a cool conference with just the right musicians, artists or platform guests. It is because students & leaders have the opportunity to take the gospel of Jesus Christ that they have received in their life and explode it incarnationally throughout a city. I cannot tell you how excited I am that our youth ministry has this opportunity. Pray not only that we can impact Baltimore with the gospel but that we catch God's passion for our own community too.

Loving others displays God’s love for you.
This is the most important principle of the two. Jesus commands believers to love others as a sign of our love for him, but it is also a sign of his love for us. Acts of mercy on earth point to the ultimate act of mercy in the Father sacrificing the Son to forgive the sin of the world.

The Pharisee and Levite chose to walk past the man in need. They were more concerned with external religious practices (Pharisees could not touch a corpse due to impurities – even crossing the shadow was thought to make them unclean) rather than displaying the reality of a heart radically transformed by the grace of God. Believers are ones who truly understand that they too were dead in sin yet God made them alive in Christ; therefore we cannot help but share what God has done in our own life.

• Does the church/Christians have a responsibility to its community? If so, what?
• What is the reputation of your church in your community? Is it thankful, annoyed, or ignorant of the church’s existence?
• Should Christians seek to serve more inside or outside the church walls?
• Read & Describe how the following verses may relate to this lesson: Matthew 5:13-16, Luke 6:31-35, Acts 20:35, Romans 12:20-21, Galatians 6:9-10, Ephesians 2:10, 2 Thessalonians 3:13, 1 Timothy 6:17-19, Titus 2:11-14, Titus 3:8, Hebrews 10:24, James 1:27, James 2:14-26, 1 Peter 3:13, 1 John 3:17-18

Sources:
The Church of Irresistible Influence by Robert Lewis
“Should Evangelical Churches Be Involved In Community Ministry and if so, Why?” By JD Greear found at http://www.theresurgence.com/jd_greear_2008-01-31_evangelical_churches_in_community_ministry
Bob Roberts – “Glocal Church Ministry” found at http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/july/30.42.html and “We Aren’t About Weekends” found at http://www.christianvisionproject.com/2007/01/we_arent_about_weekends.html

Lukewarm Disgusting, pt. 8 (end of Revelation series... for now)

2008-03-03T11:28:00.000-05:00

Revelation 3:14-22

Laodicea was a prosperous city, known for being a center of trade and communication between other Roman cities. Much of its wealth came from production of glossy, raven black wool from local sheep (dyed or original unknown) as well as from its school of medicine, known for “Phrygian Powder” used to help cure eye and ear defects. In A.D. 60 an earthquake rocked the city destroying many of the buildings. The extent of the city’s affluence was that it rebuilt on the wealth of its own citizens, without the help of the Roman government.

Jesus is disgusted with lukewarm Christianity.
Laodicea certainly had wealth and prosperity. It had money, technology, power, influence; all the outward signs of productivity and success. Yet, inwardly it was empty and wasting away. With the entire city’s independent wealth it was not as self-sufficient as it might have desired. The city did not have its own water supply and had to pipe water in from 2 closer cities, 6 miles north from Hierapolis which was known for its therapeutic hot springs and 10 miles east from Colosse, which was known for its cold, pure drinking water. By the time the water reached Laodicea it arrived lukewarm. Jesus used this as an illustration for how the Laodicean church was uselessly lukewarm, neither providing healing for the spiritually sick (hot springs) or refreshment for the spiritually weary (cold water). Their lukewarm spirituality made Jesus want to vomit! By continuing to look at Jesus’ criticism against the Laodicean church one can understand the dangers of lukewarm Christianity.

Lukewarm Christianity is useless; so change!
Jesus told the Laodiceans he wished they were either cold or hot but they were neither. They were of no use to him or to others, therefore it required a change. Laodicea had undergone various outward changes yet still leaving them empty. They needed an internal change, inward repentance resulting in total transformation (v.19). Christians were not created to be useless or spectators, they were created to express and demonstrate the beauty and character of God throughout the world.
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
James 2:26 “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.”
John 15:2, 5, 8 “Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit… I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing… By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”
Romans 6:13b “… present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.”

Lukewarm Christianity is self-absorbed; so serve!
Jesus chastised the Laodiceans for allowing their wealth to cloud their desperation for God and service toward those in need. They settled for the complacency of being rich in the world rather than rich in eternity (Matthew 6:19-21, Isaiah 55:2). In reality, Jesus says they were wretched (miserable and utterly hopeless – same word in Romans 7:24; 1 Corinthians 15:19), spiritually bankrupt, blind and without direction and shamefully exposed being naked before a holy God.
In other words, they had grown arrogant and prideful over their achievements without recognizing these as the blessing of a gracious God. As James said, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights” (1:17). Material prosperity does not equate spiritual prosperity. Wealth and riches are given by God to be stewards of those resources for the advancement of the gospel, not personal gain. When a person recognizes God as the source of blessing they cannot help but give back to God and toward the needs of others. Serving others helps a person see beyond selfishness to real needs in the lives of others. In fact, this is why Jesus came saying, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
Likewise, students can be self-absorbed. Reports say teens are responsible for $80 billion and quite materialistic[1]. They can be externally wealthy with loads of material possessions, wearing brand name clothing and perfect eye sight YET emotionally & spiritually bankrupt, morally naked and without sight or direction for life. The best solution to this is allowing students to see reality beyond their own me-centered world.

Lukewarm Christianity is God-absent; so surrender!
Lastly, the Laodicean’s had placed God at arms-length. Jesus is somehow standing outside the church knocking on the door to enter. It is an amazing thought that a church that makes Jesus want to vomit is the same church Jesus is graciously pursuing to associate with. Notice that Jesus is not simply knocking on the door but he appears to be talking (shouting?) from the outside for those inside to hear his voice and open the door. He is doing everything in his power for the Laodiceans to not miss his presence in their life. His rebuke and discipline is for their good in hope they will repent and return to living for Jesus. They must surrender and open the door to allow Jesus to sit on the throne in their life as the Lord.

·What things are not good lukewarm but that would be good if they were cold or hot?
·What does it mean to be spiritually lukewarm? How do the three characteristics describe lukewarm spirituality (put it in your own words)?
·What makes you vomit? (Students may talk about bad food but allow them to discuss what seriously sickens them inwardly. This may open some vulnerable discussion) What actions or attitudes do you think make Jesus want to vomit?
·Describe what it means to be self-absorbed? Do you know anyone or any group like this? Why is this something negative? How does serving others help you to put your own needs in the proper perspective?
·Why does God allow some people to have wealth and others not? What is the purpose of wealth and material blessings?
·How can a church or person continue with all its activity (events, relationships, schedules and deadlines) yet God not be a part of it, being on the outside looking in? How does this happen? How do you know when it happens? What do you do to reverse this happening?

[1] See www.packagedfacts.com “The Teens Market in the US”.

Opportunity Knocks, pt. 7

2008-02-26T12:53:00.000-05:00

Revelation 3:7-13
The Philadelphian church was only the second church of the seven that was not condemned by Jesus but applauded for its work. It was a church that took strategic advantage of opportunities to follow God and reach its city with the gospel. Recognition is given to this church because of its faithfulness. By examining this passage you can better understand how Jesus rewards faithfulness.

Jesus rewards faithfulness with himself.
The opening of the letter to the church in Philadelphia starts with a description about Jesus’ character – he is holy and true. These qualities point to Jesus’ perfect faithfulness which can always be counted on. Further in the passage Jesus promises that he is coming soon (one of the grand themes of the book) to reward the faithful with the identity of God, naming them with his own name. The intimacy between Jesus and his followers cannot be stronger than at his next coming.

This point is important because it shows the greatest reward of eternal life is God himself; not streets of gold, beautiful heavenly scenery, angels, or even reuniting with loved ones – all good things, just not the most satisfying. If this disappoints you then perhaps you may want to evaluate your desire to truly know God. Seeing God face to face and being with him is the ultimate reward of an unseen faith.

Jesus rewards faithfulness with advancement.
The church in Philadelphia was a church that took advantage of opportunities given by Jesus. They kept the commands of Jesus and made the name of Jesus known in its surrounding area. Jesus continues to open doors for this church which no one else can shut. Being confident of Jesus’ presence with them they stepped through each open door advancing the kingdom of God.

Some people think that faithfulness and obedience to God requires him to bless them with personal gain. If I read my bible this week then I’ll get that job I applied for. Since I listened to my parents coming in before curfew then God should make my parents get me my own car. If I put money in the offering plate then God will make that certain girl talk to me or get that raise at my job. We play these sorts of mind games thinking we have developed a formula to receive God’s blessing. Certainly, God answers prayer and cares for his people. However, believers do not obey God for personal gain, they obey because they desire to reflect the character of God and see the kingdom of God advanced. God’s kingdom is advanced when sin is repented and obedience to Jesus is a passion in his followers, when people deny their self and follow Jesus, when broken family relationships are restored, when addicts are healed, when the poor and sick are cared for by those who have received the mercy of Jesus in their own life.

It is also worthy to note that the Philadelphian church was not a large church. They had “little strength” meaning they were small in size but they did not allow their numbers to be an excuse for its success and impact in God’s kingdom. Smaller churches, as well as individual Christians should realize the impact they can have by being faithful in small things.
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” Luke 16:10

Jesus rewards faithfulness with endurance.
One of the specific promises given to the Philadelphian church is ability to persevere in the midst of trials. Jesus promises protection but this does not necessarily mean removal from trials (cf. John 17:15, 2 Peter 2:9). The promise of protection is not the key focus as there is a previous promise coming first, which is revealing to unbelievers the reality of Jesus’ love for those who do believe. The rest of the context points to the believers enduring, holding fast and overcoming which hint at the protection being in the midst of suffering rather than removal from suffering. They key is Jesus’ strength to endure because of their hope in his final coming. His coming will bring eternal endurance outlasting those who did not believe or hold fast.

This promise has great relevance for all who face trials, even if the trials mentioned here are specifically related to end times. Jesus wants you to realize that your faithfulness is not dependent on circumstances. Obedience to God is sometimes carried out even when it is difficult and perhaps seemingly illogical. This calls for men and women to have a courageous faith in a Jesus who is always faithful.

· What does it mean that Jesus is holy and true? Make relevant application to your life.
· What doors has Jesus opened for you to advance his kingdom? Closed?
· Do you think a smaller church or less known Christian can have a greater impact/influence than a larger church or well known Christian?
· How does having eternal life in heaven shape your perspective on life on earth, with its trials and challenges?
· Memorize Luke 16:10. How can you apply this verse to your life?

Reputation: Does it matter? pt. 6

2008-02-20T11:28:00.000-05:00

Revelation 3:1-6
In the sixth century Sardis had a legendary reputation for being a prominent city. Sardis was a city of power as it was situated on Mt. Tmolus with three sides of the mount having a 1500 foot steep slope, nearly impenetrable. Sardis was also a city of wealth as it was the first city to mint gold and silver coins. However, its esteemed reputation became cause for its downfall. The city became careless and inattentive to the details for how it became known for its power and wealth, leaving the city vulnerable towards its enemies. Sardis was conquered twice in the same way of its enemies scaling the steep slopes where they failed to post guards. During the time of this letter Sardis was a desolated town of insignificance. Overconfidence led to negligence and then defeat.
Likewise, many churches and Christians live off past success. The growth and achievement of the past allows them to do just enough in the present to get by. Excellence is abandoned for the sake of ease and effortlessness. Its not that spiritual activity is lacking, it’s simply that all activity is incomplete lacking the quality depth to have any effectiveness. For these, death is subtle but sure without immediate and drastic transformation.

One side question from this study is, does your reputation really matter? People fight to establish and maintain just the right reputation; and especially with just the right people. Behaviors are monitored not according to natural instinct but by carefully guarded actions in effort to please others. So, to answer the question, our reputations do not matter if our aim is securing acceptance from others. If our reputations do not truly match reality in our character and heart then it is all a façade. Abraham Lincoln said, “Character is like a tree and reputation is like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.”[1] Be known for what matters most, integrity of character; all else is a hot air balloon filled with empty pride.

Reputation only matters if you are awakened to authenticity.
Jesus reminds Sardis of his knowledge regarding their deeds; Jesus’ knowledge is complete while their deeds are incomplete and insufficient before God. Their reputation was built on the glory of the past and Jesus was calling them to wake up to the present reality – they’re dead! If life was to return to the church in Sardis the following actions must take place:

1) Strengthen what remains. Jesus commanded Sardis to give its ministry an evaluation. Some of its deeds were lacking, while some are surviving, the latter were to be strengthened. Evaluation does not have to be negative criticism but is a healthy result of being fruitful for God. Identifying strengths is helpful in order to better understand what should be repeated and what should not.[2]

2) Remember and obey. Jesus commanded Sardis to keep the teachings they had previously heard from Jesus and the apostolic teachers. [Note: This is also a subtle affirmation of the accuracy of God’s Word in that the teachings were transferred to each generation. Cross reference 1 Corinthians 15:3] Remembering goes further than simply bringing it to mind; it is a call to put what you know into practice. They were to pursue obedience to God with great passion and in entirety, rather than incompleteness.

3) Repent from sin. Jesus commanded Sardis to repent of sin. Repentance is not just for unbelievers, it is for Christians too. Sardis was suffocating the life of the Church under its sin of complacency. It needed to repent and be refilled with the Spirit of God. If it failed to repent it would receive harsh judgment from Jesus when he came.

Those in Sardis who were not soiled by the sin of spiritual apathy were recognized as walking worthy of the purposes of which Jesus designed for them. They had confidence they were in the book of life.

·Why is a person’s reputation important? How is reputation like money in the bank?
·How long does it take to gain a good reputation? How difficult do you think it is to maintain a good reputation? How easy is it to ruin a good reputation?
·If you had to evaluate your own strengths and weaknesses, what would they be? What about for our church?
·Why does Jesus tell the Sardis church to “wake up”?
·What areas of your life need waking up? What about for our church?
·What commands do you think Jesus wanted the Sardis church to remember?
·What does it mean that Jesus will come like a thief?
·What would you like Jesus to find you doing when he returns?

[1] Quote found at http://thinkexist.com/quotations/reputation/
[2] For a helpful article on evaluating your ministry see “Evaluation Part 1: Giving the Gift of Evaluation to Your Ministry” by Mark Maines, found at www.cyfm.net

A Seduced Church, pt. 5

2008-02-11T17:01:00.000-05:00

Thyatira was an active city. It was very industrious in producing wool, linen, dyes, leather, tanning and bronze work. There were worshipers of God in the city (Acts 16:14) and the church was highly commended by Jesus. However, they were also misled by false teachings and tolerated immoral lifestyles. They were seduced by the ways of the world. Believers can examine this church to understand how to engage the culture with truth rather than succumbing truth to culture.

The church becomes seduced when it fails to worship rightly.
Thyatira, like every other church in Revelation, had problems with idolatry. Worship and idolatry seem like foreign words to the modern hearers; however they are the dominant action of every human heart. Idolatry includes anything that is desired or followed in creation more than the Creator. Jesus opens the letter to Thyatira with a vision of who he is – the Son of God with fire blazing eyes and shining bronze feet. This characterizes Jesus as the Supreme Being worthy of worship.

To worship rightly means viewing God accurately. Many people view God less than he is; as he were in competition with modern gods – money, fame, power, sex, possessions. As the book of Revelation shows, this cannot be farther from the truth. Each letter shows Jesus as greater than all things, as Champion and rightly as the all-powerful Creator. Since Jesus created all things, he alone is worthy to be worshiped.

The church becomes seduced when it fails to teach rightly.
The Thyatiran church allowed the poison of false teaching to occur among its members. Jesus relates the teaching to the OT prophetess “Jezebel”, who led the Israelites to worship Baal and killed the prophets of God. Likewise, the false teaching in the Thyatiran church led people into association with idols and sexual immorality.

The church [student ministries] must take seriously the purpose of teaching and building young believers in the faith. The last command of Jesus is to make disciples by teaching other to obey his commands. Unfortunately, much of the teaching in today’s student ministries have little to do with right doctrine and more to do with entertainment. Students are seduced by smoke shows, glamorous stage lights, comedic presentations and let’s not forget pizza… sad but true. Jesus took this sin so seriously that he promised intense suffering if they did not repent. Wow, Jesus was probably even raising his voice in saying such things! The point is, biblical doctrine is not just for a select class of intelligent Christians but it’s for all believers.

The church becomes seduced when it fails to live rightly.
Behaviors follow beliefs. In other words, because the Thyatiran church tolerated erroneous teaching it resulted in faulty behavior. Believers became influenced by their surrounding culture rather than the reverse.

One popular preacher used to say, “The world is too churchy and the church too worldly that you cannot tell the difference.” When engaging culture with the gospel Christians must realize there are areas that they can never go. For example, Christians can and perhaps should go where sinners are as Jesus did – ghetto neighborhoods, streets, bars and nightclubs, white-collar neighborhoods, athletic events or wherever there are lost people. However, Christians should live differently than the lost world they are trying to reach.

• What areas of Christianity do you see it becoming seduced?
• What idols do you see among your friends?
• How do you know when you have worshiped rightly?
• If you had a short time to teach someone essential Christian doctrine, what would you teach and what would you leave out?
• Do you think people you know want to go deeper in the Christian faith but their churches are not taking them? Why do you think this happens?
• Explain why you agree or disagree with this statement: “Behaviors follow beliefs.”
• How can a Christian witness to a lost friend without becoming influenced by their beliefs and lifestyle?

Satan's Influence, pt. 4

2008-02-04T13:14:00.000-05:00

The next church that Jesus addresses is a church with Satan's influence. It was the church of Pergamum. The Pergamum church was another city filled with emperor and cultic worship. It was an influential city, having a library consisting of over 200K volumes and being known as an intellectual hub for politics, religion and philosophy. The city popularized writing on paper from sheets made with animal skins (parchment comes from root word Pergamum). It was mostly known for its temple worship as the city featured an altar to Zeus measuring a whopping 120’ x 112’. Mostly, this city was like every other city of the 7 Churches – idolatrous and immoral, yet a remnant of God’s people were influencers on its society. From this letter you can two realities of culture.

Beware, Satan’s influence is subtly seated in culture.
Jesus reminded the Pergamum church about his intimate knowledge of their situation. Once again, Jesus wants the church to know he walks among the churches and is not removed or distant from their situation. One of the facts Jesus knows about the city is that it is where Satan has his throne. This could refer to the featured city altar to Zeus, measuring a whopping 120’ x 112’. More specifically, it could refer to some incorrect teaching held at this church (Balaam, Nicolatians). Or it could simply refer to the entire city being a place far from the ways of God. Jesus is making the point that Satan’s influence is always present in the world (Jn 12:31) and it must be resisted.

2 Cor 4:4 “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

Today we can be reminded of this same reality. Satan influences culture through both public and private measures. His hold on people is evidenced through addiction, abuse, and apathy. Two results of Satan’s throne in this city and church were unbiblical teaching and sexual immorality. Unfortunately, these continue to be prevalent in the church today as well. Jesus says the church’s response is simple: repent and fight for him. Repentance is needed in order to show the church’s desperate need for a Savior and Lord. If the church chooses not to repent Jesus will fight against them. So, in some sense Jesus is calling the church to fight for the cause of the gospel or be fought against. We must realize our fighting is not through violence but with the compassion and mercy Jesus showed to a world in need (cf. Eph 6:12; Matt 4:23, 10:6-8).

Behold, Jesus is just judge of culture.
Jesus challenged the Pergamum church to repent and stand against Satan’s influence in the culture. If they did not he would come and fight against it, including those within the church. Jesus’ coming represents justice to the honor of his name. Any church that holds to incorrect teachings or does not characterize the lifestyle of a true Christian will be brought to judgment in Jesus’ coming. Faithful Christians will receive hidden manna and a white stone with a new name written on it. During the time of this book, it was common for people to receive stones inscribed with the emperor’s name as tickets of admission to feasts or games.[1] Jesus invites those who believe in him to come to him with the glory of holding his name as your own.

“For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:31

When sharing this message with a group of students and wanting them to apply it to their lives I asked them, "How would you go about fighting Satan's influence?" The answers I received were somewhat frightening. They ranged from drop kicking Satan in the head to throwing water on him to shooting him with various weapons. None of these ways seemed to take Satan very serious; yet as someone who has worked with youth for over ten years I have seen his influence in very real ways in the lives of young people and their families. Has the church failed to teach students the reality of Satan and evil and much more, given them practical effective strategies to battle against temptation? I'm afraid we must cover our faces in admission of this failure.

SO, to answer my own question about fighting Satan's influence and battling temptation I offer these suggestions.
Prayer. Samuel Chadwick said, “The one concern of our enemy is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work and prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, he mocks at our wisdom, but he trembles when we pray.” The only way to learn how to pray is simply by doing it. The more conversation with God the closer you grow toward him and in being able to sense his power in your life to obey him and reject sin.
Scripture. The psalmist said, "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word... I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you" (119:9,11). Even Jesus used Scripture during his temptation from Satan (Matthew 4). I cannot fathom any of us improving on Jesus' method, there is simply no replacing the internalization of God's word in a person's life to be equipped for life and waging battle against temptation.
Repentance. This one goes hand in glove to the previous two. As mentioned in a previous post, person's do not grow out of love as much as they grow out of repentance. This means that when facing temptation you must be honest with God, yourself and perhaps confessing to others. True repentance is a process of changing the inner desires of your heart from what is against God to what is pleasing God. Do not allow fear or guilt to reign over your life. Jesus' death on the cross paid for your sin in full. Confess and repent of your sin and humbly move forward in grace.
Accountability. I am not as sold on this last one as the previous three. The reason being is because accountability only works as so far the persons allow it. People have become experts at putting up walls and saying the right things that outsiders can never really "know" a person. However, when persons are willing to be vulnerable to another or small group, the impact of personal accountability can be quite an encouragement; even when failure occurs.

This list is not exhaustive, nor is it meant to be a full explanation of each strategy. I have been making it a goal to share these strategies with my small group. What are your personal strategies for battling temptation and Satan's influence? What would you add?

[1] Grant Osbourne, Revelation, Baker Exegetical Commentary series, p.149.

Fearless, pt. 3

2008-01-28T15:54:00.000-05:00

The church at Smyrna is one of two churches in Revelation that are without condemnation from Jesus. This is remarkable considering Smyrna was a center of emperor/idol worship, having won the right (over 11 other cities) to build the first temple in honor of Tiberius. It had famous temples, beautiful architecture and efficient roadways. Smyrna was like every other city filled with images and opportunities to suffocate the spread of Christianity. Yet, this church was fearless and faithful to endure persecution for the gospel cause. The reason they could be fearless and stirred to faithfulness was because they lived for one who defeated death. Jesus is “the First and Last, who died and came to life again.”

You can be fearless in suffering.
The Smyrna Christians faced many challenges. They were persecuted for their faith in Jesus. This persecution likely included physical & emotional abuse, economic hardship and for some martyrdom. Jesus encouraged [commanded] them to be fearless. Notice, Jesus could empathize with the church but his words led to empowering victory over trials rather than grumble in misery.
Following Jesus does not mean a person will escape difficulty, suffering or physical harm. Many people face real pains, and some because of a real faith in God. Jesus “knows your afflictions” and faced many of the same things that grieve you. Ultimately, he invites you to experience victory over any helplessness and overwhelmed feelings you have. He has overcome death, and therefore can handle anything you ever encounter. He offers words of hope and empowerment. We can be reminded that whatever we face in persecution in life or for faith that though it is real so is the power of Jesus. Your confidence rests in his resurrection power rather than your own ability to endure and grind out hope.

You can be fearless in poverty.
The Smyrna Christians experienced poor living conditions probably due to their persecution. However, poverty did not define their entire outcome since they were rich toward Jesus. Their value and worth as a child of God far outweighed any benefit of material possessions.
Today’s world is captured by the ‘next’ latest and greatest fad, that of course carries a hefty price tag. We must realize our value does not stem from material possessions (clothing, cars, gaming stations, houses, jobs, etc.) but from relationships – with other people and ultimately with Jesus. Parents often desire their children to be experience rich while relationally poor.[1] This happens thru desired involvement with sports, martial arts, instrument lessons, academic pursuits, church exposure, etc., all at the expense of real, dynamic and intimate relationships with people (parents, peers, adults, opposite gender – avg age for marriage has lengthened in past 20 years) and of course with Jesus. The Smyrna believers would give their life for Jesus because they sincerely knew and loved him.

You can be fearless in slander.
The Smyrna Christians were slandered by Jews opposed to Jesus and anything from Christianity. Jesus says they ultimately were being servants of Satan rather than true people of God (cf. Rom 2:28-29). The Bible consistently reminds believers that those on pursuit to please God should expect insult and difficulty (2 Tim 3:12). Jesus says their testing will be for a short duration (ten days) in comparison to eternity (Ps 37:1-2).
Likewise, we need to be cautioned in the way we use our words. We can use our words to speak of joy, hope and life in Christ or we can be used by Satan to tear down and destroy others (Eph 4:29).

· What does it mean to be fearless? Do you know anyone who is fearless? Describe such a person. How do you think a person becomes fearless?
· Do Christians face less or more tribulation/suffering than non-Christians? Explain.
· How does Jesus empathize with those who experience pain in life? (Read & Discuss Hebrews 4:14-16)
· How are wealthy vs. middle class vs. lower class people treated differently in society? Do you think this is right? What solutions do you offer?
· How does poverty define millions of people in our world? What can the “rich” do to help minimize, if not eradicate, poverty?
· What does it mean to be “experience rich while relationally poor”? Do you think this describes most teens, some teens or few teens? How about yourself?
· How are Christians viewed by the watching world? Do you think Christians are unfairly slandered? Do you think Christians unfairly slander the world, if so how?
· Have you considered the power of your words to either build up or tear down?

[1] See Andy Stanley Parental Guidance Required DVD

Where's the love?, pt. 2

2008-01-24T12:00:00.000-05:00

John writes to the church in Ephesus. Ephesus was one of the most influential cities in Asia. It was a large city (250K+) and was the center of wealth, trade, politics and religious activity. One of the religious attractions was the Temple of Diana (Artemis). It was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World with more than 100,000 square feet. It had over 127 pillars that were made with marble, gold and jewels. In essence, this became an institutionalized center of worship of false deities (idol gods, emperors, images, etc).

From Jesus’ letter to Ephesus you can learn 2 principles for staying in love with Jesus:

Love for God (or anyone) does not happen on accident.
The Ephesian church was a strong church. The apostle Paul stayed there for three years and Timothy was one of its pastors. Even the apostle John resided there for some time. Apparently the church was not idle or lazy since Jesus knows their deeds, hard work and perseverance. At one time they were known for being a church of great love (Eph 1:15). Yet, their condemnation was that they had forsaken their first love. In other words, they had become so involved with the work of ministry that they lost their motivation and first love.
The question is, is their first love with God or with other people? To answer this question I think one only has to examine John’s other writings. John says, “We love because he first loved us. If anyone says ‘I love God’, yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.” (1 John 4:19-21)
Activity and movement in ministry (church activity programs) can become routine, and in a sense dull and cold. Every day, week, month and year should lead to evaluation of personal mission and purpose according to Jesus’ commands. If a program activity or task does not lead to yourself & others loving Jesus more and serving others then drop it! Don’t waste your life in the endless circle of insanity. Invest in your relationship with God and with others, Jesus did.

People do not fall out of love as much as they fall out of repentance.[1]
Jesus gives the Ephesian church two solutions for renewing their first love. The first is to remember. The command to remember is a call to reflect on the past to reignite the original passions they had for God and people. Jesus said, “do the things you did at first.” Loving Jesus is meant to be simple as any other relationship. The second solution is to repent. Repentance deals seriously and honestly with sin in a person’s life. The reason love grows cold is not because feelings of love have grown cold as much as feelings of selfishness have increased temperature. When decision-making and solutions to problems start with a “what pleases me” attitude, then you know it is time for repentance.

• How does a person become in love with another?
• Which is easier – to love God who you cannot see or to love others whom you can see? (See 1 John 4:19-21)
• Do you think a person can “fall out of love”? Explain.
• What does it mean to repent? Can you give a specific example of how this is done in real life?
• Jesus told the Ephesians to renew their first love by “doing the things you did at first”. What do you think some of those things were?
• What “first things” did you do when you began your relationship with Jesus? Have you stopped any of them?
• What does Jesus mean that he will remove the church’s lampstand? Do you think this is possible for today’s church? How about for your own life?

[1] This line comes from book, Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas.