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
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
School is in Session
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 :)
*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 :)
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Rethinking Youth Ministry
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/
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/
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
Teaching The Next Generation
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.
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.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Growing Godly Generations and Anniversary
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.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Wash & Dry
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 s
erve 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.
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 s
erve 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.
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