words from the journey

Project 31: Thirty One Days in the Book of Proverbs

2011-03-01T21:21:00.000-08:00

New Series for The Element!
Take the Project 31 Challenge

This March at The Element, we will be focusing on the book of Proverbs! Its time to get "in the know" when it comes to the practical guidelines that God gives us for everyday life. This month, we don't want it to just be a series of sermons... we want it to be a month of life-change! We are challenging EVERY Element student to commit to reading a chapter of Proverbs a day for the 31 days of March!

Why Proverbs?

I think the first chapter of the book explains it pretty well:

Proverbs 1:1-4 (Message Translation)
These are the wise sayings of Solomon,
David's son, Israel's king-
Written down so we'll know how to live well and right,
to understand what life means and where it's going;
A manual for living,
for learning what's right and just and fair;
To teach the inexperienced the ropes
and give our young people a grasp on reality.

This month we want The Element to get an idea of how to live well for God, dig into their "manual for living," establish regular Bible reading times in their lives, and anchor themselves in Proverbs 1:7: 7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction...

Latest Element Updates

2010-09-01T09:08:00.000-07:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Element-Update.html?soid=1102390303252&aid=FGZnTgQWPzM

Introducing Fusion

2010-08-25T06:42:00.000-07:00

Launching a new service geared to our 6/7/8th grade crowd:

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Introducing-Fusion-.html?soid=1102390303252&aid=Aac1aeS5VBY

2face-book Series

2010-08-18T12:11:00.001-07:00

We have started a new series at The Element emphasizing the need to live a legit Christian life online... More info to come soon!

Words for your journey.

2009-12-03T09:54:00.000-08:00

This is for my Life church family. We have done life together for more than 4 years. As that comes to a close, I wanted to leave some words with you. Most of this will sound familiar. They are things that I have preached about. They are things that we've talked about in conversation...whether in my office, after service, on a trip, or over a cup of coffee.

Words for your journey...

My heart to yours. Pastor Jared.

Love God. Love People. Let everything else flow out of that.
Make the connection between real life and real faith.
What you do today is forecasting your tomorrow. Your choices matter.
Man up. The buck stops with you.
His grace is enough. He makes all things new.
Be repentant. Be humble.
Be obedient. Obedience produces faithfulness. Faithfulness fuels anointing. Anointing is the fire of Godly passion. Passion fuels calling. Put it all together and you have the life that blows your mind.
Jeremiah 29:11. Write it on your heart.
You’ll never feel more alive or more like Jesus that when you’re helping others.
Spirit vs. flesh - what you feed will win. Feed your spirit.
Live a life that constantly allows God to disrupt your regular lifestyle.
Don’t live to please people. Live to please God.
Don’t make other people’s issues your own. You can’t fix them. Only God can.
Make tithing a priority in your life.
Worship. Read. Pray. Repeat.
Praise your way through...everything...
Worship like no one else is around.
Pray scripture. Speak scripture. Memorize scripture. Live by scripture.
Keep scripture available. Make it digestible.
Pray. And stay around people that do.
Guard your influences. Guard your eyes and ears. Keep the Godly close.
Live heads up. Wise as a serpent, harmless as a dove.
Stay plugged in to church. You need other believers, and they need you.
Sowing wild oats isn’t worth it. Ever. You reap what you sow.
Go. Mission trips, conferences, retreats... get away, let God speak to you.
Be a catalyst for Godly change without becoming cynical. Keep a firm resolve while staying tenderhearted.
Live a life of excellence. Find mentors & learn from them.
Don’t settle for coffeehouse Christianity.
Don’t settle for anything but the best that God has for you. Don’t ever give up. It’s character building.
Ashley and I love you. We believe in you. Can’t wait to see what God does through you........ and when in doubt, always follow the #1 rule!

Barely Blogging Lately...

2009-08-25T07:50:00.000-07:00

Life has been in fast forward... actually I guess I could pose the question, when is it ever not? Lately, I havent taken the time to blog - much less do the things that I want to... like sleep!... Ever feel like that? It seems that at times life gets ruled by the have to's and the need to's, and they end up trumping the want to's!

I've been keeping it to 140 characters lately (Twitter).

This fall, I've narrowed my scope in ministry in an effort to be more streamlined and effective. I'll write about that soon. Its been an incredible, strange, wonderful journey lately... and I wouldn't trade it for anything. God is doing good things.

Constant Connection...the New Disconnection...

2009-04-17T08:53:00.001-07:00

Yesterday evening, our family was out to dinner at a local Mexican restaurant grabbing a bite to eat. I noticed a cute little picture of a table next to us - it was pretty evident that it was a Grandmother and Grandson spending some quality time together eating dinner. As our meal progressed, and Ashley slipped off to the bathroom, as is usual custom to feed our 7 month old son, I began to notice the scene at the Grandmother/Grandson table in a little more detail. I noticed that they were not talking. The grandmother was eating quietly, and the grandson was... are you ready for this??? TEXTING... was I surprised? No, not at all. I've worked with teens long enough to know that texting their friends is something that comes as a no-brainer/must do for a teen with a cell phone today.

The scene that was being played out just made me a little sad though. No personal interaction. No conversation. An occasional short phrased question with a quick one to two word answer... The grandmother continued to eat in silence, and the grandson would give a brief smile and text a response between burrito bites each time his phone would sound the new message alarm.

I love technology, and use it. Texting, twittering, facebooking, etc... But seeing true personal interaction take a backseat to a cell phone really made me want to rethink my communication. It made the desire to display the details of my life on the web, and stay "connected" dry up pretty quick.

No matter how small technology makes the world, and how "connected" it makes the world... it can't replace the personal, raw emotion, and meaning of true face to face conversation. The teen at the table, it seemed, hardly knew how to act with out a phone in his hand...

What really hit home was remembering something that happened the other day when I was at home with my daughter. We were playing in her play room, and I of course, being the "connected" youth pastor that I am, had my phone with me. I received a text and continued to respond to it. That in turn became a series of texts, a quick check of email and a check of twitter updates... Ava, sat patiently, and when I was done, said "Daddy, put your phone down...play with me..." That hit hard. I don't want my daughter to feel like she has to play second fiddle to Daddy's phone because he's a "connected" youth pastor. I don't want my daughter to have to try to play with a Daddy that has his attention split between his little girl and his mobile device.

Constant connection won't be my disconnection from family, friends, and real life in general.

Just some food for thought.

Just another reason you gotta LOVE baseball...

2009-04-14T19:18:00.001-07:00

Check out this pic link! Nothin like a little "chin music" in the
batter's box!

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/gallery/day/flash.htm

To view the gallery, click the link or paste it into your browser.

Sent from my iPhone

The Marathon Season...

2009-04-13T10:53:00.000-07:00

Every year I brace for a season of ministry I refer to as "the marathon." It usually starts in February, preparing for early spring conferences, and ends when school starts again in August... Between now and then there is little stopping... conferences, graduations, camps, retreats, summer events, leadership training, discipleship, community outreaches, mission trips, speaking engagements... sandwiched in is family time and vacation in there somewhere...

This year the marathon kicked off with our Sonfest event in Orlando. It was a great conference for the teens, and an awesome time for everyone in general. Now, the dust is settling from that event, and I am looking at a long list of what is to come. Exciting? Yes. Exhausting? Yes. Worth it? You bet. I'll catch a break in September when the world of youth ministry snuggles back into the groove of fall, school, sports, and the "regular" schedule. Until then, its time to keep pace for whats ahead this spring and summer. I find that this time of year, I can see more growth in the life of a student that at any other time. Whether it be at a youth camp, small group outing, mission trip, back to school retreat, or just hanging at the office because they have nothing better to do with the summer day... its time to capitalize on every opportunity... and rest later.

Those of you in student ministry know what I'm talkin about. Make the most of it!

A thought about communication...

2009-03-24T13:45:00.000-07:00

Here's a thought...
When trying to communicate better with someone, it's probably best that we find out what makes them tick and what ticks them off. Knowing both will keep your communication steered in the right direction.

If you are in a leadership position working with people, this might be a good thought to keep in the back of your mind. Learning what makes people tick will enable you to motivate people, and learning what ticks them off will enable you to choose timing and approach correctly when you need to have "one of those" conversations... :)

Wednesday Night Winding Down

2009-03-04T22:21:00.001-08:00

I'm currently winding down from tonight service. I am chilling out,
kind of half watching Late Night with Jimmy Falon, and missing Conan's
comedic timing. We had a rocking service, and I am amazed at what God
is doing. Seeing teens truly grow in their relationship with God is
an awesome thing. Teens being used in ministry, memorizing scripture,
giving testimonies, inviting friends, asking about ways they can
serve, actively involved in discipleship... It's been great to say the
least. We are seeing fruit from 3+ years of work here in Huntsville,
and I thank God for the opportunity to serve here.

Sent from my iPhone

Seriously, who carries a fake badge...kind of scary

2009-02-27T04:02:00.001-08:00

Cops: Man late for flight claims to be air marshal

http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_7735/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=RVb4QrYA

Sent from my iPhone

M&M's, Beer, a Thrift Mart and Iraq

2009-02-27T03:55:00.001-08:00

Man says veteran status should let him steal candy

http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_7735/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=mdwjcERF

Sent from my iPhone

My early morning view...

2009-02-27T03:44:00.001-08:00

Up early on my day off. Camden is bright eyed and ready to roll at
5:45... Me on the other hand, not so much. No matter how tired or
early though, my little Buddy gets me smiling.

Been awhile...

2009-02-26T12:41:00.001-08:00

Wow. Blogging has totally taken a back seat to family, life, and ministry. I guess its time for updates and such, and continuing to post - Its just one of those super busy seasons in life when you buckle down and just focus on what is MOST important. We've all been there. When pressure is on, priorities rise and take their rightful place in our lives. For Ashley and I, lately, it has been raising our 2 year old, 5 month old, and managing our ministry. Here is a run down of the past couple months:

No sleep.
Changing diapers.
Pacifiers and burp cloths.
Early mornings, late evenings.
Tivo.
Caffeine addiction increase.
Making ends meet.
Trusting God in all things.
Vision casting for ministry.
Building teens in ministry.
Budgeting in life and ministry.
Traveling and speaking.
Building momentum, then rebuilding momentum in ministry.
Trying to stay warm, trying to stay healthy.
Seeking direction.
Ear aches, runny noses, and ER visits.
Gaining perspective.
Re evaluating.
Re caffeinating.
Being shocked by how quick the calendar is moving this year.
Trying to stay a step ahead.

Can you relate to any of this?

Through it all here are the words I've held on to:

Matt 6:33-3433 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Priority first, and all else falls in line.

And over our ministry and life, this is what I've been speaking and praying:

Jer 33:33'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

I'll be the first to admit I don't know it all or have it all together. Thank God that HE does, and is ready and willing to guide us.

Recently...

2008-12-03T09:41:00.000-08:00

Its been awhile since my last blog entry. Much of that has been due to how busy life and ministry has been lately. Crazy seasons come and go don't they? It seems to me that the constant season in life is crazy, and it and how out of whack we feel depends on how much crazier it gets from there. In the middle of it all though, there has been some awesome things going on in my soul. I feel like I am going through some sort of Holy Spirit detox plan. Getting a lot of junk flushed out and re-focusing as a minister... and it feels good. My prayer lately has been "God how would you do student ministry here in Huntsville, AL." I feel like he is getting the tradition, the entertainment mentality, and the church as usual mindset truly out of my system, and replacing it with the urgency of the times and showing me what truly needs to be instilled in the life of teens today with in the church. He has been rocking my boat lately on discipleship and what students are taking with them in life as they filter out of our ministry. Are they truly prepared for life? Do they have a developed prayer life, knowledge of the Word... are they living a lifestyle of worship... do they know who they are in Christ... can they effectively communicate the gospel... I am hit with the need to forsake the model of church that looks to entertain, hope to keep people, and patty cake around with the gospel. People need something deeper than that. They need a changed life, a renewed mind, a purposed and fired up soul... More thoughts on these ramblings to come later...

Stay Disrupted...

2008-11-11T12:57:00.000-08:00

Living a lifestyle of allowing God to continually disrupt our regular lifestyle is one of the best things we can do. It keeps us from getting in a rut.

How do you stay disrupted? Prayer? The Word? Fasting? Accountability in your life? Books you read? Conferences? I'd love to hear about how you stay open to God and allow Him to change your thinking, ways of doing things, etc...

Dwell Deep - Worth Checking Out

2008-10-30T09:25:00.000-07:00

Matt Chandler is an innovative Pastor in the Dallas area. His blog, Dwell Deep, is woth checking out. There is not a large volume of posts, but what is there is very substantial! Check it out!

http://dwelldeep.net/

Have some read worthy blog links? Please share!!!

Back in Bama

2008-10-30T09:06:00.000-07:00

Ashley, the kids and I are currently trying to get over the jet lag. Long flights with kids can take a lot out of you! On one of our flights, I realized that we are the family that no one wants to see coming down the aisle of the plane - a young couple with a newborn and a 2 year old! I could see the fear in people's eyes and could almost hear them saying..."please, not by me. Please don't sit by me!"

Our trip to Seattle was great. It is always awesome to see family! Here are some highlights from our trip:

Celebrating my grandfather's 50 years in full time ministry at one church!
Hanging out in downtown Seattle.
University of WA vs. Notre Dame - the Huskies lost, but it was great to be there!
Walking the path to the game with my dad.
Getting to preach in my grandfather's church on Sunday morning.
Having a big family dinner on Sunday night - brought back great memories of times past.
Watching Ava interact with Grandma, Grandpa and the rest of the family!
Browsing my grandfather's car garage.

I will be posting pictures of our trip soon!

Headed to the Land of Starbucks, Nirvana, and the Space Needle...

2008-10-22T13:58:00.000-07:00

My family and I are flying out to Seattle tomorrow to visit family in the area. It is going to be good to head West. You can take the boy out of the North West, but you can't take the North West out of the boy. Somethings I am looking forward too: Ivar's clam chowder, Husky Stadium, milling around Quest Field, seeing Puget Sound, Pioneer Square, Woodland Park Zoo, fresh salmon, Pike Street Market, being with family and just hanging out, preaching on Sunday in my Grandfather's church... What I'm not looking forward to is the flight from Birmingham to Seattle with a 2 year old and a new born. Ashley and I have our hands full...

Hooked up with Roov

2008-10-21T07:05:00.000-07:00

I am a fan of the Catalyst orginization, and have been for a while. They are committed to growing leaders and getting the church world involved in modern culture to make an impact. You can find out about them at www.catalystspace.com.

Lately, they have partnered with a site called Roov - an online community that is committed to raising awareness about cultural issues.

About Roov: ROOV.com is a place that connects like-minded people of faith within their local communities - connecting people online to get them together off line. Catalyst is partnering with ROOV to create monthly featured gatherings that unite people for social causes. This month, Catalyst leaders across the nation are gathering together to engage and discuss the issue of human trafficking. Join Catalyst and ROOV.com, in monthly initiatives to take action together.

While browsing the comments, I came across this blog that is worth checking out:

http://traffickingsucks.com/

It gives some resources on human trafficking and what it is all about.

As a student pastor, I have committed to make sure that my students are culturally aware. We have a responsibility as the body of Christ to respond to the broken and hurting in the world. I believe it is of utmost importance for student pastors to grow students that have the heart of the Father beating inside of them for the broken, poor, hurting and weak. Check out these sites and explore others!

Quirky Motivation

2008-10-14T12:07:00.001-07:00

We all have different ways to keep ourselves motivated. And truth be
told, we probably all have little quirky things we do that we know
works just for us. Here is one thing I do: keep little quotes in
constant sight. The picture above is a quote i have on my office door.
It is a simple statement that I keep on my door that helps me keep it
all in perspective...especially on the days when I feel like I am
dragging. In ministry it feels like the dragging days come around
pretty frequently. It's those days we need the extra kick in the pants
to stay focused and on target - this little phrase that I see all the time helps me do that.

What are some ways that you keep yourself motivated? I would love to
hear about the different things you do to stay focused!

Fall Fun at Tate Farms

2008-10-12T07:05:00.000-07:00

This weekend our family went an hung out at a place here in Huntsville called Tate Farms. It's been in the area since 1947, and kind of transports you to different day and time. It was some good, country fun! Corn maze, hay ride, pumpkin picking, apple cider... we had a blast! Ava had a great time in their little petting zoo - goats, rabbits, etc... She loved it! It was fun being out doors and feeling fall in the air. I love this time of year!

Words for my day...

2008-10-06T10:14:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 33:3
"...Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know..."

Ever get to that point where you feel like your creativity and innovation is just tapped out? Ever feel like the well is dried up for your ideas for fresh ministry, a teaching series, the next step in planning and vision casting, etc...? Let this verse change your perspective. We serve a God of unlimited resource, and is so willing to work with those who have a heart for Him to do His work. He will show you the next steps, birth new creative things in your heart, show you how to do ministry the best way possible where He has placed you... just ask.

Fasting: What it is, What it's not, and What it does...

2008-10-03T10:32:00.000-07:00

What Fasting is
Simply put, fasting is refraining from something for a spiritual purpose– most traditionally food.
Fasting is worship
Fasting is a spiritual discipline
Fasting is a statement to God

What Fasting is not
A way to manipulate God
A way to appear righteous to others
A weight loss scheme

What Fasting does
Fasting unclutters your spirit with the things of this world, and raises your sensitivity to the things of God.
It re-focuses you, opens your spirit, and can have awesome results in 9 different areas:
Strength to stand against sin (Matt. 17:20,21)
Help in time of problems or threatening situations (Ezra 8:21-23)
Revival in the church and evangelism for the unsaved (1Sam. 7:1-8)
Emotional healing and overcoming destructive habits (1 Kings 19:2-18)
To provide for the needy (1 Kings 17:12)
Health and physical healing (Daniel 1:12-20)
An influential testimony (Matt. 3:4, Luke 1:15)
Protection and deliverance from evil (Esther 4:16)
Insight and decision making (Acts 9:9-19)

Fasting brings breakthrough.
We have all heard this scripture – heard it preached, taught, talked about…we believe this is for the church in the last days…

Joel 2:28
28 "And it will come about after this
That I will pour out My
Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and daughters will prophesy,
Your old men will dream dreams,
Your young men will see visions.

But what brought on the spiritual breakthrough?
What is the “after this?” After what?
Look a few verses back:

Joel 2:12-13
12 "Yet even now," declares the LORD,
"Return to Me with all your heart,
And with fasting, weeping, and mourning;
13 And rend your heart and not your garments.
"Now return to the LORD your God,
For He is gracious and compassionate,
Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness,
And relenting of evil.

Joel 2:15-16
15 Blow a trumpet in Zion,
Consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly,
16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation,

The spiritual breakthrough came as a result of the people humbling themselves and seeking the Lord.

Fasting brings victory.

2 Chron 20:1-4
20:1 Now it came about after this that the sons of Moab and the sons of Ammon, came to make war against Jehoshaphat….And Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the LORD; and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4 So Judah gathered together to seek help from the LORD; they even came from all the cities of Judah to seek the LORD

2 Chron 20:14-19

14 Then in the midst of the assembly the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, …and he said, "Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the LORD to you, 'Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God's. 16'Tomorrow go down against them. …17'You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you. " 18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshiping the LORD. 19 And the Levites… stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel, with a very loud voice.

End result – Lord wiped out the enemy army before they even got there.

Fasting brings spiritual stamina.
Lou Engle from the Call states that he believes that fasting helps us outlast the enemy – that he attacks in seasons only for a period of time – when we extend our fasts, it gives us the power to outlast the enemy.

Types of Fasting
There are many different kinds of fasts – here are the basic 3:

Absolute – Extreme, and should only be done for short periods of time. You take in nothing – no food, no water. Should be called to do it, should be done with supervision.

Normal – No food for any number of days. Drink water and fluids – plenty of it.

Partial – involves giving up a particular food or drink for a time. Most common – the Daniel fast – no meat, no sweets, no strong drink (no caffine)

Suggestions for Fasting
Start small – Don’t start with more than you can handle
Make it mean something, or don’t do it – why are you fasting?
Plan your commitment to the fast – how long, from what, what time devoted to God
Prepare spiritually – pray about it, get in the right frame of mind and spirit
Prepare physically – don’t rush into it, cut back your diet before hand
Expect awesome results – Let God do what He wants to do in you.

Need a good fasting resource? Check out Jentzen Franklin's new book, Fasting.

Four Reasons to Make Fasting Part of Your Lifestyle

2008-10-01T09:50:00.000-07:00

Fasting should be a spiritual discipline that is part of our lifestyle, our typical way of life.

Our Lifestyles matter! They are how we are, how we live, how we react day in and day out. They are the “typical” us!
The way to living a victorious Christian life is by integrating as much Jesus as possible into your lifestyle. The more Jesus there is in your typical way of life, the less room there is for sin and other junk!
we need to strive to make praise a part of our lifestyle
we need to make the Word and memorization of it part of our lifestyle
we need to make prayer part of our lifestyle
we need to make serving others around us part of our lifestyle
we need to make fasting part of our lifestyle.

Transformed lifestyles = transformed lives.
Why? Because our lifestyles are habit based – by building good, Godly habits in our lives, we are enabled to better live out the principals in the Word.

4 ways Fasting can affect our lifestyle.
Fasting is a form of worship – it is one more building block to living a lifestyle of worship
Fasting is a spiritual discipline – it is one more building block to living a lifestyle of spiritual soundness
Fasting is a practice of self denial – it is one more building block to living a lifestyle where you continually crucify your flesh and take up your cross and follow Jesus.
Fasting is a statement to God – it is one more building block to living a lifestyle that is dependant on God, and not dependant on yourself.

4 Reasons Why you should make Fasting part of your lifestyle.
1. It will help you stand against sin
Matt 17:20-21
20 So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."

A demon possessed man was brought to Jesus and the disciples. The disciples tried to cast the demon out – but couldn't. The passage was His reply to them.
He said 1) have faith
2) some only goes out through prayer and fasting

In our lives, it is easy to spot the big problems. For the most part our big mess ups are easy to spot and fix. However, the little problems that have become habits and ingrained in our lifestyles are not so easy to get rid of.
When you weed the flower bed – the big weeds are easy to up root. The little ones you don’t notice are the most troublesome. You have to dig for them, their roots go deep – you have to work a little harder to make sure they don’t come back.
Fasting to help our stand against sin is an act of faith saying “God I can’t do it – But I know you can – I am relying on you, so help me.”
When you fast to stand against sin – God will show you the unnoticed stuff – the stuff that has become habit. The stuff that has become part of your life style.
With out disrupting your normal way of doing things, you won’t get that sin out – you’ll end up right back at it. Fasting is denying yourself, letting God disrupt your normal routine, and allowing Him to show you what needs to be changed and helping you do it.

Living a lifestyle of allowing God to disrupt our regular lifestyle is one of the best things we can do. It keeps us from getting in a rut.

2. It will bring revival
1 Sam 7:3-8
3 Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, "If you return to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines."4 So the children of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only. 5 And Samuel said,"Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you."6 So they gathered together at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out before the LORD. And they fasted that day, and said there,"We have sinned against the LORD." And Samuel judged the children of Israel at Mizpah. 7 Now when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel had gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines.8 So the children of Israel said to Samuel,"Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines."

Revival starts with you and it starts with me.
It starts with the individual. And it always starts with repentance.

2 Chron 7:14-15
14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Where is the idea of fasting in this verse? It’s in humbling yourself. Along with that comes prayer and repentance.
When individuals are stirred to seek revival, then the Church as a whole begins to stir…then look out – God is on the move.
When fasting is part of your lifestyle – it keeps you on your knees, keeps you in check, keeps you seeking God, keeps you humble, keeps you repentant before the Lord, and allows you to live in a state of personal revival.

3. It brings an influential testimony
John the Baptist was a man of influence. People came from all over to hear him speak because the Spirit of the Lord was upon him. Listen to how fasting was a part of his lifestyle:

Luke 1:15-17
15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.17 He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

Matt 3:4-6
4 Now John himself was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

Most of us are not called to never drink anything but water, wear animal skins, or eat locusts and wild honey… But we are called to be people of influence – shining the light of the gospel in the culture we live in.
A lifestyle of fasting keeps you open to God, hungry for Him, and submitted to Him. It helps you hear and recognize the voice of God.
When you recognize the voice of God speaking to your heart – you begin to know the right times to speak the right words to the right people. God stirs you to be His mouth piece to people in your life.
The more you are full of the Spirit of God, the more you can be used for His glory.
Fasting as part of your lifestyle is just another way to keep your life in check, focused on the right things and sensitive to God’s voice.

4. It helps with insight and decision making
Acts 9:3-9
3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" 5 And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads." 6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" Then the Lord said to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." 7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

In this passage, Saul (or Paul as we mostly recognize him) encountered Jesus…and ended up asking Lord what do you want me to do?
There will always be times in your life when you need direction and leading from the Lord. There will always be time when you don’t know how to react or what to do – but you know that God has the answer.
It is those time that fasting should really come into play!
It is away to remove distraction to better hear the voice of God
It is a way to make a statement to God that – yeah, I mean business, I really need your leading on this one!
It is a way to take time to pray, think, and wait on the Lord so you don’t make a quick, foolish decision.
Good thing to remember in life – when you are faced with major decisions – always pray – always involve God. Try to avoid quick, hasty decisions. Seek God first. He knows what is best and wants what is best for you. Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you!

I'm Going With God's Bailout Plan...

2008-09-30T08:34:00.000-07:00

This morning I was watching Good Morning America as I was getting ready. There was heavy reporting on everything going on in the economy and the bail out rejection, and what is going to happen next... The reporter had an almost frantic air about him as he reported and interviewed from Wall Street, and I remember the member of congress that he was interviewing at one point even telling him to calm down...

I think it could be easy for everyone to fall into a state of panic lately...especially when you read articles like these, and realize the uncertainty of things ahead...

BAILOUT PLAN REJECTED, MARKETS PLUNGE

Wall Street Journal

Full Article here: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122270285663785991.html

"...The House of Representatives defeated the White House's historic $700 billion financial-rescue package -- a stunning turn of events that sent the stock market into a tailspin and added to concerns that the U.S. faces a prolonged recession if the legislation isn't revived. The Dow Jones Industrial Average sustained its biggest point drop in history and its biggest closing decline since the day the markets re-opened after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks..."

News reports, articles, debates, politics...lately it's gotten a little overwhelming.

This is what I'm holding to:

Phil 4:19-20 "And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Is the church stepping up from the pulpit with reassurance that we serve a God that provides?

Is the church delivering messages that raise faith?

In times of economic uncertainty and fear, are we reminding people about the incredible God that we serve that is committed to take care of His own?

This video is a thought from Francis Chan. He brings out an awesome principal in the Word as he talks about the prayer that Americans refuse to pray. Check it out here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2oi6y292kE

The safest place that our lives, finances, families, homes, etc... can be is in the hands of God. In this time where our economy is shaky, where is your dependence? Is it in yourself and what you can manage with your own two hands, or is it in Almighty God?

Words for my day...

2008-09-25T11:28:00.001-07:00

The same power that conquered the grave lives in me.
Your love that rescued the earth lives in me.
Lyrics by Hillsong // This is Our God

Lives in me. Wrap your mind around the truth in those lyrics. They've been feeding my soul all day long.

Do you believe that God is who He says He is and can do what He says He can do? When we let our faith rise in the all knowing, all powerful, ever present God we serve it does amazing things for our lives.

It changes the way we minister.
It changes the way we pray.
It changes the way we think.
It changes the way we dream.
It changes our doubtful and negative tendencies.
It changes the way we respond to problems.
It changes the way we respond to people.

We could go on and on about how taking God at His word and taking His promises to heart can change us. Has it changed you?

Great Quote!

2008-09-23T07:32:00.000-07:00

"You can either sweat in preparation or bleed in battle..."
Blaine Bartell

I love this quote. It is one that I come back to time and time again. It helps me fight tendencies to put things off, do it later, or take a passive approach to ministry and life in general. I've "bled in battle" before... I've learned the importance of "sweating in preparation."

Speaking in class at Lee

2008-09-19T08:12:00.000-07:00

Today I had the opportunity to be back at Lee University speaking to
some up and coming student pastors. I was able to resource them,
answer questions, and just pour into them. Awesome experience.

Message Resource - Handling Heart Attacks

2008-09-18T15:20:00.001-07:00

I am beginning to post my messages on my blog for any minister out there to use. Hopefully you will be able to use them, glean from them, or whatever - just please don't publish them. Hopefully this will be a useful resource for all of you in the ministry out there!

Handling Heart Attacks

Text:
Proverbs 12:25: Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad.

Anxiety, fear, worry…is an attack on the heart.
Anxiety attacks in the physical body can have the same symptoms as a real heart attack
Anxiety attacks in the spiritual body can be the same – stopping the core of us – leaving us overwhelmed, inactive, distraught.

1. Anxiety defined

1 a : painful or apprehensive uneasiness of mind usually over an impending or anticipated ill b : fearful concern or interest c : a cause of anxiety2 : an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physiological signs (as sweating, tension, and increased pulse), by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt about one's capacity to cope with it

Synonyms: agitation, anxiousness, apprehension, apprehensiveness, care, concern, disquiet, nervousness, perturbation, solicitude, uneasiness, worry Related Words strain, stress, tension; alarm, anguish, consternation, desperation, desperateness, discomfort, discomposure, dismay, distraction, distress, disturbance, edginess, jitters, jumpiness; fear, fearfulness, torment, upset, vexation; doubt, dread, foreboding, incertitude, misgiving, presentiment, suspense, uncertainty

What causes anxiety
Choices we’ve made,
family,
friends,
relationships,
insecurity,
doubt,
unknowns about the future,
fears,
how you’ve been treated,
the past,
money,
etc…

2. Depression defined

2) : a psychotic disorder marked especially by sadness, inactivity, difficulty in thinking and concentration, a significant increase or decrease in appetite and time spent sleeping, feelings of dejection and hopelessness, and sometimes suicidal tendencies c (1) : a reduction in activity, amount, quality, or force (2) : a lowering of vitality or functional activity

Synonyms: recession, slump Related Words crash, panic; stagnation
Near Antonyms development, growth; advancement, progress

Proverbs 12:25 redefined: Uneasiness, fear, worry, stress, anguish, tension, desperation, etc… and on and on in the heart of man causes sadness, inactivity, hopelessness, etc… and on and on, but a GOOD WORD makes it glad.

Realization:
Allowing yourself to stay in a state of anxiety will steal your joy and cause you harm!

You need joy because
The joy of the Lord is your strength
This strength comes from joy that you can’t find anywhere but God
Joy is the knowing beyond feeling, the trusting beyond circumstances that God has it under control – that’s our strength – knowing that when everything is crazy, there is still God in control.

The enemy knows anxiety will steal your joy and would love to keep you in that state.

A problem focused mind is not a promise focused mind
When we get our minds off of the promises of God - the promises that give hope, reassurance, encouragement… It cripples our outlook on life, and gives the enemy the upper hand.

Anxiety becomes the most dangerous when it shuts out the Word of God in our life.

Matt 13:22
22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.

Are there cares, concerns and worries in your life that are choking the promises in the Word out of your life?

We have to examine our lives to see if there are things choking out the Word of God and its promises.
· So many come to church or other events, receive a bunch of great seed planted into their life that is meant to grow, and bear good fruit in their lives… but they stay unchanged because they fail to take note of the things in life choking out the powerful Word of God that can change everything!

· We are not meant to hear the Word of God and stay the same

The Word of God is life changing, powerful – sharper than a two edged sword
· It is an awesome source of life and direction that changes everything when it is applied!
· The enemy would love, however, to see you stay an anxious mess.

How can I handle an anxious heart?

Re-Direction – go a different route – detours can be a little out of our way, but they are necessary! They can keep us from harm! Detour your life: change your influences, etc…

Re-Direct your thoughts
Col 3:2
2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Shift your focus from the horizontal to the vertical!

Phil 4:8-9
8 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. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

What is your mind feeding on? The things that we dwell on, whether positive or negative affect us!

Re-Direct your memory
The children of Israel battled short term memory loss.
God split the Red Sea, they were delivered from their enemy, then, a few verses later…

Ex 17:1-3
17:1 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 So they quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink."
Moses replied, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?"
3 But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?"

How could they have all of a sudden forgot they serve a God who just split the Red Sea and delivered them?

How many times do we get caught up in worry and forget all the times that God has been there to help us in times past?

How is your memory?
Do you remember what God has done for you?
He’s the same yesterday, today and forever – he’ll take care of you again!
Before you let the anxiety and panic hit your heart – take a step back and remember who your God is!

Re-Direct your point of view
Matt 6:27-34
27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

· God is saying CHILL OUT!
· God is saying put me first!

Doesn't the Word say to "seek first the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you...?"

Re-Direct your prayers

Phil 4:5-7
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Become a person of prayer.
Let their be a prayer revolution in your Life
When fear hits – pray
When doubt hits – pray
When trials come – pray
When you have questions with out answers – pray
When you feel alone – pray
When you feel down, discouraged, powerless – pray

How can I handle an Anxious Heart?

Focus on the “good Word”

“…but a good word makes it glad…”
Remember how a problem focused mind is not a promise focused mind?
Well, a promise focused mind is not a problem focused mind!

When you look to the Word to find those promises, those promises will help you fix your focus, and with a fixed focus, the Word will fuel your joy, and with a fixed focus, and fueled joy, you’ll be able to more effectively fight your battles.

“Good Words” to make the heart glad

Check out these "good words" found in scripture:
Ps 62:5-8
5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.

Ps 46:1-2
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

John 14:26-27
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Deut 31:7-8
7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, "Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the LORD swore to their forefathers to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. 8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

God is the strength of our Life
If God before us, who can be against us
We know that in all these things we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus
My God shall supply all my needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus

"Good words" and promises like these, should bring the joy, gladness, reassurance, and the confidence back to our lives.

*NOTE - I used the song "You Never Let Go" by Matt Redman to go along with the message - it worked great with it.

New Reading List

2008-09-18T15:20:00.000-07:00

This past month, I started back to school. My Master's program has begun. I am prusuing a Master's in Youth and Family Ministry from Lee University. I am wading into it pretty easy though - starting with just one class - Leadership Dynamics and Development, taught by Tom Madden. We have met once already, and I believe that it is going to be an incredible class. I am doing my Master's as a road warrior - traveling once a month to class all day - 8:30 am to 5pm. All my reading and work is done in the in between times. Because of the class, the syllabus reading list has currently trumped all the other books I have been currently digging into. What I am excited aobut, however, is that the reading list for the class is made up of books that I already wanted to read.

If you have read these books, let me know what you thought of them!

Guy Talk // Girl Talk Ministry Resource

2008-09-16T06:42:00.000-07:00

This September, our student ministry started a new series in our small groups. We changed it up a bit and, for our senior high groups, we put guys with guys and girls with girls, and started the Guy Talk, Girl Talk series. So far it has been an awesome resource for us. The lessons are easy for any small group leader to follow - its not overbearing with prep time. It is also loaded with discussion questions and key principals to spur further discussion.

In small groups I always look for that moment when you know the point was driven home - you can feel it. It's almost like you can see the light bulbs go on in student's heads. We've had those moments every week so far. Each group is beginning to bond, and the discussion is starting to get deep.

We had a breakthrough moment last Sunday night when our guys group committed to a lifestyle of "praying on the spot." As discussion unfolded in our lesson, we got onto the subject of what a huge impact it would make if we would just pray on the spot with people. When people come with problems, don't give them the usual "I'll be prayin for ya!" response, but actually doing something about it right then and there.

Small groups are one of my favorite things to be apart of in ministry. We are seeing good things come from them.

Guy Talk, Girl Talk has proved to be good resource for us so far. You might want to check it out. It is yet another great resource from the youth ministry machine known as Simply Youth Ministry.

Find it here: www.simplyyouthministry.com

Topics that the series hits on:

Guys - Being a man, self image, lust, relationships, true strength, responsibility, leading, and more...

Girls - Appearance, friendships, purity, sex, value, worth, gossip, girl politics, and more...

Morning therapy

2008-09-16T06:29:00.001-07:00

Ever since Camden's arrival, the sleep that Ashley and I have been
getting has been really hit and miss. Morning coffee has taken on a
whole new level of importance for us...even on the days when you have
to settle for the office coffee. Our church office is all about some
Maxwell House coffee...and it's just not good...but I'll take it
however I can get it this morning!

Learning to mobile blog

2008-09-13T11:49:00.001-07:00

Technology is so cool. It is so easy now to send and receive
information from anywhere! I just recently picked up the iPhone and
it has totally changed the way I communicate. It has also made life
in the ministry easier - being able to stay connected all the time is
a huge plus. And beyond that, it's just a dope phone. Once you go
Mac, there's no coin back.

Sent from my iPhone

Camden Hart Waldrop

2008-09-10T04:30:00.000-07:00

This past Tuesday, Ashley and I had our second child - our son Camden. It has been a whilrwind lately - fixing the nursery, preparing the house, waiting and waiting and waiting...but now the wait is over and the little guy is here! The miracle of new life and the joy that it brings is always so amazing. Camden came into the world at 7lbs and 19in. I am so thrilled to have my little man - up until now, things have been pretty, pink and girly thanks to our world revolving around our 2 year old daughter, Ava. I am looking forward to the rough and tumble that a boy brings!

Student Ministry Resources

2008-09-08T12:08:00.000-07:00

This is list I have put together of some resources that have helped me in ministry recently! Check them out and share them with others!

Student Ministry Resources
Web Resources
http://www.dare2share.org/ - Dare 2 Share Soul Fuel – Free Small Group or devotional material
http://www.wingclips.com/ – Free movie sermon illustrations – movies that are currently in theaters
http://www.thesource4ym.com/ – free resources
http://www.youthpastor.com/ – free resources
http://www.simplyyouthministry.com/ – total ministry resources – subscribe to Simply Insider for email updates
http://www.uthstuph.com/ – t shirts and apparel
http://www.268gneration.com/ – Passion talk series with Louie Giglio
http://www.catalystspace.com/ – leadership resources
http://www.teameffort.org/ – mission trips
http://www.bluefishtv.com/ – small group, media resources
http://www.pwarchive.com/ – praise and worship chords
http://www.1christian.net/ – praise and worship chords
Spin360 – total praise and worship resource

backstagepassministries.com – Elevator discipleship resource
www.indiecommunity.com – bands, speakers for events
www.syatp,com – resources for See You At the Pole
www.studentlife.org – small group, Sunday school, and teaching resources
www.nooma.com – Nooma videos by Rob Bell – small groups
www.youthworker.com – ministry news letters, resources, articles, etc…
Relevant Magazine – Current pop culture resource with Christian perspective
www.collidemagazine.com – church media resource
www.netprint24.com – bulk publishing
www.clubflyers.com – resource for free bulk publishing
www.istockphoto.com – resource for graphic art
Simply Text – simplyyouthministry.com – text your entire student ministry at once
www.nspiresoftware.com – tracking software for your student ministry

Enjoy the City (Birmingham, AL area) – Fundraiser coupon books - (205) 215-0750
Central Screen Printing – t shirts and apparel 1-800-693-3299

Books
Touch Points for Students – topical Scripture references
Promises for Students – topical Scripture references
Every Teenagers Little Black Book – Blaine Bartel – small group discussion
Would You Rather and More Would You Rather – Simply Youth Ministry – funny discussion starters
A Young Woman After God’s Own Heart – Elizabeth George - young teen study
A Young Man After God’s Own Heart – Jim George - young teen study
The Unquenchable Worshipper – Matt Redman – personal growth, worship teaching resource
Velvet Elvis – Rob Bell – personal growth
Next Generation Leader – Andy Stanley – personal growth, leadership building
Catalyst Groupzine – personal growth, group leadership study
Visioneering – Andy Stanley – personal growth
7 practices of Effective Ministry – Andy Stanley, Lane Jones, Reggie Joiner – personal growth
Barbarian Way – Erwin McManus – personal growth
Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling Youth – Patricia A. Miller/Keith R. Miller – scripture reference on tough subjects
Group’s Youth Leader’s Emergency Response Handbook – scripture reference on tough subjects, staff resource
Crazy Love – Francis Chan – personal growth
Fasting – Jentzen Franklin – personal growth
Wide Awake – Erwin McManus – personal growth

Event Ideas

Underground Church Simulation
Have a service simulating what it would be like to be a Christian in a part of the world where faith is persecuted. How we did it:
No chairs, candle lit room
Students met and gave a password to a guide to lead them to the meeting place
Once everyone was there we read stories of current Christians persecuted worldwide: voiceofthemartyrs.com. Spoke about our “comfortable” American Christianity.
In the middle of the talk, we had guys dressed in black, ski masks, etc… bust into the meeting – it drove the point home that Christianity is persecuted in other countries.
Closed out event with prayer stations – each station represented countries where Christianity is persecuted. We ended by praying for believers in those countries.

Edify
Have an evening that revolves around building the students up concerning their past, present and future. Find encouraging scriptures that deal with each area. Take them through a progression dealing with each area of their life: we split the students into groups and moved them through rooms representing the past, present, and future.
Read scripture in each room that has to do with the room represents (past, present, or future)
Have times of prayer in each room (past issues, present tough times, future worries, etc…)
We had leaders designated to lead in each room. The atmosphere was set with the lighting, candles, and worship music in the background.
Provide each student with the list of scriptures that you read in each room to take home with them.

2 Week Sacrifice
· challenge students to drink only water for 2 weeks and the take money they would spend other drinks to go to a missions organization. We are doing this for the Blood:Water organization – they are committed to build 1000 wells of clean water in 1000 African communities.

Reach Day
· We are taking each of our small groups and challenging them to come up with their own service project within the community. We are taking a Saturday to all go and complete our projects. Each small group will be spread out through the city working on their project. The projects will be thought up by and planned by the students.

See You At the Pole Community Prayer Gathering
Gather in a local park for a community wide, pre See You at the Pole prayer rally. Invite other youth groups, get the word out to campus clubs, and advertise through out the community. Last year we had a worship band lead in worship and involved students from area High Schools leading in prayer.

Party with a Purpose
Check out http://www.tomsshoes.com/. Every pair of shoes bought from the company also buys a pair of shoes for a child in the world with out shoes. The shoes are sent overseas frequently. Website promotes throwing a party where students purchase white Tom’s and decorate the shoes themselves, and celebrate the fact that the shoes they are wearing also provided shoes for a child overseas.

Month Long Emphasis
Octoberfast – month focused on prayer and fasting. Make a fasting calendar for students to use and encourage them to fast something different each week of the month.

30 days of prayer – challenge students to spend time in prayer everyday for the month and keep a prayer journal – focus messages on prayer for the month

31 days of proverbs – students commit to read a chapter of proverbs a day, preach on wisdom and the importance of Godly choices throughout the month

Blood:Water Mission...Getting Students Involved

2008-09-08T10:15:00.000-07:00

I spent a portion of my day today getting ready to promote a cause that our student ministry is supporting. We are making a push to raise money for the blood:water organization. You can find their website at http://www.bloodwatermission.com/ . They are committed to digging 1000 wells of clean water in 1000 African communities. I am so excited about getting our students involved in causes - we don't just take mission trips to get involved, we have causes that we emphasize all through out the year. This month we are challenging our students to do a 2 week sacrifice - Go 2 weeks drinking only water, and take the money that they would have spent on any other soft drink or coffee, etc... and put it towards the cause. I am anticipating awesome results not only in the money raised, but the growth we will see in our students!

We are seeking to make them aware of these issues:
Millions of Africans lack access to clean water, but we have to power to do something about it!
People living with HIV/AIDS are dependent on clean water to survive! $1 provides one year of clean water for an African!

Craig Groeschel's Unusual Time Saving Tips

2008-08-29T08:18:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite blogs to read is Swerve (you can find it in my blog roll). It is an incredible leadership blog. I wanted to second a piece by Craig Groeschel, the senior pastor of LifeChurch.tv, and the driving force behind Swerve's leadership. He posted a series of "unusual time saving tips" - and I loved this one! Partly because I was already doing it! Reading this made me feel pretty good that I looked at lunch in the same light as Craig Groeschel.

Check it out:

Let’s Have Lunch in My Office
Eating out can be a huge time waster. (I’m not saying that having a nice, long lunch isn’t occasionally important, necessary, or enjoyable.) Travel time to many restaurants takes 15 to 30 minutes (or more). Many restaurant meals can take 45 minutes to an hour. A simple lunch can easily eat an hour and a half of your day.
I suggest some other options:
If you don’t have a lunch appointment, consider bringing lunch from home. Not only can you save money but also time. You can eat in a few minutes in your office and continue working.
If you don’t have a lunch appointment and didn’t bring your lunch, you might ask another team member to bring you a sandwich if he or she is going out.
If someone invites you to lunch, you might suggest they join you in your office. If you have an assistant, he or she can grab lunch for you; or you can order-in for delivery. You can spend 45 minutes or an hour of quality time with someone without leaving your office. (If you invite someone to lunch, you’ll probably prefer to honor them and travel to a place that is convenient for them.)

It really does save a lot of time (and money for that matter) through out the week! I also use it as time for personal growth - reading articles, finding new insights and ideas.

The True Heroes

2008-08-25T15:04:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a great weekend. I attend a state wide youth leaders conference here in Alabama, and had a great time re connecting with friends in the ministry that I had not seen in awhile, as well as being able to meet new ones. I always come away from these kinds of events with such a high respect for the part time and volunteer student pastor. I spoke at length with another student pastor who is currently working a church plant situation. He works full time and pours everything else in ministry. Ministry is tough enough at times...putting another job and limited resources on top of that, and you really have your hands full.

To all of the part time and volunteer student pastors out there (which really make up the majority of those in student ministry!), my hat is off to you - you are the true heroes.

I came back with with a new determination to be as much of a resource as possible to other student pastors. Sharing ideas, sermons, web links... More on how I will do that to come later! It seems lately that there is a tide turning in the attitude of ministers everywhere. Ministers are beginning to resource each other like crazy - and I think that is awesome. Getting kingdom minded and helping each other do the job that we have been called to do is where it's at!

Atheist challenges ‘In God We Trust’

2008-08-21T08:21:00.000-07:00

This is an article found on MSNBC's website, published by the Associated Press. It goes to further show the mindset of so many in society today. The outcry against our country's identity with God and Christian standards is continuing. One person is making waves in culture by rising up to be heard. If one person is rising up against Godly standards and morals, how much more can the church be heard if we become active in culture and current issues? I have said it before and will say it again - when the righteous are silent, it gives the mic to the foolish and wicked! Reading this just reiterated the fact that the people of God need to speak up and get involved in today's society. We've hid in the church too long.

Check out the article! I'd love to hear your feedback!

SAN FRANCISCO - An atheist who has spent four years trying to ban the Pledge of Allegiance from being recited in public schools is now challenging the motto printed on U.S. currency because it refers to God.
Michael Newdow seeks to remove “In God We Trust” from U.S. coins and dollar bills, claiming in a federal lawsuit filed Thursday that the motto is an unconstitutional endorsement of religion. Newdow, a Sacramento doctor and lawyer, used a similar argument when he challenged the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools because it contains the words “under God.”

He took his pledge fight to the U.S. Supreme Court, which in 2004 said he lacked standing to bring the case because he did not have custody of the daughter he sued on behalf of. An identical lawsuit later brought by Newdow on behalf of parents with children in three Sacramento-area school districts is pending with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, after a Sacramento federal judge sided with Newdow in September. The judge stayed enforcement of the decision pending appeal, which is expected to reach the Supreme Court. Congress first authorized a reference to God on a two-cent piece in 1864. The action followed a request by the director of the U.S. Mint, who wrote there should be a “distinct and unequivocal national recognition of the divine sovereignty” on the nation’s coins. In 1955, the year after Congress inserted the words “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance, Congress required all currency to carry the motto “In God We Trust.”

“The placement of ‘In God We Trust’ on the coins and currency was clearly done for religious purposes and to have religious effects,” Newdow wrote in the 162-page lawsuit he filed against Congress. Newdow’s latest lawsuit came five days after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected, without comment, a challenge to an inscription of “In God We Trust” on a North Carolina county government building. In doing so, the justices upheld the Richmond, Va.-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that “In God We Trust” appears on the nation’s coins and is a national motto. “In this situation, the reasonable observer must be deemed aware of the patriotic uses, both historical and present, of the phrase ‘In God We Trust,”’ the appeals panel ruled in upholding the inscription’s display.

Along with this article, MSNBC also promoted a live poll to get feed back from Americans on if "In God We Trust" should be removed or not.

Strength in Scripture

2008-08-20T13:32:00.000-07:00

The Word of God is so awesome. There is nothing like it. I am going to start posting blocks of scripture under different categories. Today I am starting with the theme of strength. It says in the Word that the joy of the Lord is our strength. When we read scriptures like these below, they should bring us joy because of the fact that we are reminded about how strong and huge God is, as well as His love, care and concern that He has for us. I think that so many times we under estimate the power of the Word of God in our lives. We don't memorize it enough, speak it enough, think on it enough. Take some strength from these scriptures:

Ps 59:9-10
9 O my Strength, I watch for you;
you, O God, are my fortress, 10 my loving God.

Isa 33:2
2 O LORD, be gracious to us;
we long for you.
Be our strength every morning,
our salvation in time of distress.

Isa 41:10
10 So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Neh 8:10
he joy of the LORD is your strength

1 Cor 10:12-13
13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Ps 84:5
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,

Eph 6:10
be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

Psalms 121:1
I lift up my eyes to the hills--
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip--
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD watches over you--
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will keep you from all harm--
he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your
coming and going
both now and forevermore.

Ps 46:1
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.

Ps 73:26
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

Prov 18:10
10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower;
the righteous run to it and are safe.

Ps 28:7
7 The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.

There are so many scriptures that you can draw strength from. I hope you can use this as a launching pad to dig out more!

Cupcakes and 2 Year Olds...

2008-08-19T14:36:00.000-07:00

Ava is now 2 years old. It dosen't seem possible! Time has flown by, and what's even crazier is the reality of another little one about to be here!

We decided to bring some cupcakes to Ava's daycare class... Cupcakes and 2 year olds are a pretty entertaining thing. There was icing and cake everywhere - but we had some happy kids afterwards. At one point, one little boy was actually massaging the icing into his cheek - bright pink. We throughly thrashed the table and floor with icing, gave the toddlers a sweet sugar buzz, and made all of them a sticky mess - all of this before nap time.

It got me thinking that if I was a daycare teacher, I would totally outlaw the whole cupcake on the birthday thing.

Daddy's Home!

2008-08-06T07:41:00.000-07:00

Last night, as I was walking in the door, I heard my two year old, Ava, yell "Daddy's home!" That was the very first time I've heard her say that, and she said it with such enthusiasm. It was honestly the highlight of my day. There is nothing like getting that kind of a greeting!

Later on Ava and I went outside to wash the cars. She loved the bubbles from the soap, but wasn't to fond of the hose and the water that it took to make the bubbles. When I first turned on the hose, she ran hollering, "I get wet! I get wet!" After awhile, however, curiosity and fun took over - before long, she was soaked and covered in soapy bubbles. We had a blast washing cars.

Little moments like these are worth everything.

Mohawks, Mochas, and Macbooks

2008-08-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

A picture of the Modern Student Pastor?

Mohawk, coffee, and on his way to his favorite social netowking site?

As student pastors, or as ministers in general, we always want to be relevant. Which is always a challenge in a constantly changing culture. There is pressure, especially, on those working with teens. Keeping our personal appearance up to date…having an “engaged” in culture persona…keeping up to date with technology, entertainment, social networks, ministry tools, culture trends… It gets a little exhausting! Visit a city during a major youth conference, and you are sure to find these 3 things - Mohawks, mochas, and macbooks. Enter a Starbucks near a conference site and you’ll see trendy t shirts and hair styles huddled over the glowing apple logo.
I am not downing any one for, or discouraging any one from keeping up with style, culture, etc… I have been known to rock the mohawk myself. Or “chicken hawk” as I call it - it’s for those of us too afraid to shave the sides and go all the way! I drink coffee like a mad man. I was raised in the North West… a love for Starbucks and other coffee shops goes with out saying. And if you are going to get the best possible computer for ministry… who wouldn’t go Mac?
My point is that as student pastors, we need to always be sure that our ministry is going deeper than the image of today’s modern minster. We have to remember the roots of what we are doing. In our quest for relevance, we can’t get so caught up in appearing relevant that we loose the soul of the student pastor. A perception of being relevant or cultured is no substitute for being completely real and genuine. The fact of the matter is, we are never more relevant in the lives of students then when we are that genuine, real, stable, Godly force in their lives. When everything falls apart, a student isn’t going to be worried about if their leader looks cool, is up to date, or whatever… they’re just going to want us to be there.

The Unquenchable Worshipper

2008-08-04T09:31:00.000-07:00

I am currently reading Matt Redman's book the Unquenchable Worshipper. I am also using it to glean from for a current worship series that I am preaching for the month of August. The insight in the books is worth reading.

Last Wednesday we started the series. The message was focused on not letting your worship die down, even though you experience hard times and trials. In the Unquenchable Worshipper, Redman brings out the fact that there are 3 main ways to put out a fire - take away the heat, take away the oxygen, or take away the fuel. He relates this to our worship, and different things in life that can hinder our worship. In our passionate pursuit of God, here are some things that can cause us to "cool" our worship down:

(Taken from The Unquenchable Worshipper, Matt Redman)

Problems can cool our worship down.

The pressures and trials in life can take the heat out of our passionate worship. Its so easy to let tough times get the best of us. Many times we cool down our worship because of what is going on.
Many times wee kid ourselves by thinking, once everything gets better, I’ll start worshipping like I used to.

In the love chapter – in Corinthians, it describes love as always trusting, always hoping, always persevering… That’s the kind of love, not just for each other, but we should have toward God.
The worshipper that always trusts, hopes and perseveres will emerge on the other side of a tough circumstance with more strength, passion, and a heart of worship burning brighter than ever before.

The choice you have to make: Do I focus on all these problems or do I cling to God and choose to worship even when it hurts?

Cutting the oxygen off causes the fire to die.

If your life is not in tune with the Spirit – your worship will suffer.
Our hearts and lives need to be an appropriate dwelling place for Him.
Ephesians 4:30 reminds us that the Holy Spirit can be grieved… and goes on to say get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger…

Are there things in your life that are suffocating your worship?

Take away the fuel, and the fire will burn out.

When there are forest fires, firemen will cut down whole sections of forest so that when the fire reaches that area, it will go out because it has no fuel to burn with, and can’t spread any further…

If you find your worship dried up – you need to check your self for some main fuel components…

The Word of God, communication with God, and fellowship with the people of God.

I think this is the main killer of passionate worshippers… the lack of fuel.
No matter how bright a fire burns, if fuel is not continually added, it WILL die down. Continually adding fuel to your spiritual life will keep the fire of worship burning and will break the cycle of living from spiritual event to spiritual event.

New Orleans Journal Continued...

2008-07-31T09:46:00.000-07:00

New Orleans Day 6

Today was our free day. We headed back to the city to hang out. Our first venture was the ferry to no where. We took a ferry across the Mississippi to Algiers and back. The only thing we found was a statue of Louie Armstrong (which only Erica, Jessie and I really found interesting…) and an opportunity to deface some public property. Yes we left our mark on a bench in the ferry terminal.

After that we hit some shopping centers and a few went to the Aquarium… pretty low key and relaxing.

During the evening festivities, when all the groups come together, all of the leaders took part in a skit for the students… what they didn’t tell us ( and I found out later that they didn’t tell us on purpose to ensure our participation…) was that it was one of those gross you out, pass the food and drink along and everyone share eachother’s spit and stuff kind of skit. I don’t do that. The mere thought of it makes me sick. The only person I would drink after, eat after, etc… would be Ashley my wife or Ava my daughter… and I’m not even too crazy about that! However, I didn’t want to be mister party pooper youth pastor. So with my stomach in knots, I went through with it…luckily there were only two people ahead of me… My students, knowing my germ a phobe tendencies, had a blast watching me go though it. And of course, there is video documentation.

After the “fun stuff,” we had a closing worship service. At the end, they just opened up a time for people to connect with God – sing, pray, whatever. It was a cool time – looking around the room at the different races, denominations, types of people from different geographical locations… there was a great sense of unity. No one was fussing about doctrine, or worship styles, or worried about any sort of differences. They were just focusing on Jesus. That was refreshing.

New Orleans Day 7

Headed home! The trek through Louisiana and no where Mississippi found us back in Huntsville in the early evening. Over all it was a great trip. A memorable one – a lot of laughing, a lot of funny instances, a lot of one liners, and a theme song. I don’t think any of us will ever be able to listen to Coldplay’s Viva la Vida with out reminiscing about our experience together working in New Orleans.

New Orleans Journal Continued...

2008-07-31T09:36:00.000-07:00

New Orleans Day 5

Everyone was moving slow this morning. I’ve got a bunch of tired teens! We headed back to Carol’s house to start priming the outside. We finished the job, and were treated by Carol with some incredible, homemade gumbo. Great stuff!

Team Effort had is set up for all the groups to work half a day today, and have free time for the after noon and evening. After cleaning up, we headed to down town for some sightseeing and hanging out.

On our way to downtown, we stopped in the Ninth Ward to see the levees. It is always an emotional experience. Thinking about the destruction and lives lost... Last year was a feeling of hopelessness and deep sorrow. However, visiting again this year, and seeing little bits of progress, left me with a feeling of hope and restoration for the area. There were houses being worked on, and the progress, however little, was great to see.

That evening we hung out in the French Quarter and took our time browsing through Jackson Square. For dinner we hit the Hard Rock Café. For some weird reason, I have this compulsion to buy a Hard Rock t shirt in every new Hard Rock Café that I go to. I have always done that…. And I’m starting to have a pretty good collection! However, it doesn’t hold a candle to Chelsey’s… She has the same habit, and definitely has me whooped on the number of shirts. We had a great time at the restaurant – I sat with Kenneth, Chris and Devon. Devon drank sweet tea like a camel preparing for a long trip through the Sahara. The waiter finally pointed him in the direction of the tea dispenser and said get it yourself.
After dinner, we spent more time walking around… and found Urban Outfitters… which I liked to never get everyone out of! We probably spent over an hour looking at books, t shirts, etc… We spent time walking along the water front and just chilling out.

Later that evening we hit up Café Du Monde. One of my all time favorite coffee shops – downtown New Orleans, taking in the city atmosphere with coffee and bignets… Can’t beat it.

Back at the church, more UNO.

Quote of the day…maybe the week? “That’s raw.” Kenneth Tillman // all day everyday.

New Orleans Journal Continued...

2008-07-31T09:33:00.000-07:00

New Orleans Day 4

Today it rained. And rained. Luckily we worked inside, and got any work we needed to get done outside finished between rain showers. We worded at a different site today – finishing trim work, moving tile, working on the floor… and then hopped over to another site and prepped the outside of the house for the primer we were going to apply tomorrow.

The rain actually provided us with a nice chance to talk to the homeowners. Carol and her 92 year old father in law were there, and invited us in out of the rain. We squeezed into their little living room and hung out, listened to their stories. They seemed so glad that we were there, and talking with them about life, food, New Orleans culture and more was one of the highlights of my day.

New Orleans Journal Continued...

2008-07-31T09:28:00.000-07:00

New Orleans Day 3

Worked into our schedule is time for small group discussion, reflection, etc… We had our first small group time last night. We had some great discussion and the students came out with some great insight.

One of the things that we discussed is how foolish this venture may seem to people who are not followers of Christ. We’re giving up our own free time, paying around $300 per person, staying in less than ideal conditions, and sweating like it’s the cool thing to do while working for someone else for no pay. Destinee mentioned that her friends didn’t understand why she would want to go on a trip like that.

We live opposite from the rest of the world. Jesus lived the opposite way from the rest of the world and taught his followers to do the same. I’ve asked a lot of students when they feel the most alive and excited about life…and most of them point back to times of serving, giving, mission trips and the like. I think trips like these are so valuable in the lives of teens. Jacob mentioned that he was glad for this trip so he could get away and clear his head… And that is what these trips do – they get us out of the routine, the comfort zone… and put us in a place where we are open to God doing something great in our hearts and lives.

We also discussed the frustration of the owner of the house changing colors on us…and I’m glad we did. Great discussion followed – we talked about the need to check motives and remember the reason we came, and that being to serve. This spurned talk on how blessed we are, how grateful we should be, and the least we can do is make sure she likes the new color of the house after it was ravaged by Katrina.

Its 8am – I am reflecting on last night as breakfast is starting to be served. Now its back to the paint brush. However, my group is no where to be found…

We finished the house today. I am proud of my students – they worked very hard today, and longer than they were supposed to – they had a drive to get the job done, and I loved seeing that!

Tonight after dinner, we took a trip to a local Walmart for some more Gatorade, and a stop at a Starbucks that we found. After that is was devotions, small group time and the longest game of UNO ever! Great bonding time for everyone.

New Orleans Journal Continued...

2008-07-29T14:57:00.000-07:00

New Orleans Day 2

This morning, after a shower and getting ready, the Louisiana humidity slapped me in the face as soon as I stepped out the door. 7:45 am, and it is already suffocating.

The groups are stirring, readying themselves for work. The gym is pretty quiet and calm – perfect for getting my head together for the day. A little Crowder, a little weak coffee, a little quiet time and I’m ready to roll.

One of the cool things about this experience is the diversity of people we are staying with. One of the groups here are Presbyterian Asian Americans from New Jersey. I noticed this morning that everyone from their group was up, dressed, and having some hardcore devotional time on their own. After that, they had group devotion and prayer time. Their disciplined approach to the week is great – I hope my group sees it…J

We are working across the city from where we were last year. We passed the vacant lot on Elysian Fields that we worked at. We are working a neighborhood that groups have been working on all summer, and it is progressing nicely. It is cool to be part of a larger picture like that. Color is coming back to houses, yards are being cleaned up. Up and down the street you see groups busy working on houses around the area. I imagine just the simple act of adding a fresh coat of paint is a nice mental and emotional uplift.
We started, and got a pretty good way into the day, and a good portion of the house painted…and the owner decided she was not happy with the color of the house. I was a little ticked at first to say the least – we had made a lot of progress, and now were about to have to start over. But then the thought occurred to me… this lady lost everything…is it really so much to ask that she truly like the color of her house? Realizing all over again that it wasn’t about us, we worked on.

On the way back to the church, we stopped at a gas station for some needed cold drinks. I am always amazed at the ability my teens have to create a ruckus everywhere they go. Where ever we are, we are ALWAYS the loudest, craziest, messiest and on and on… I guess it’s a reflection of my leadership…J At least there is never a dull moment. I’d rather have a group with ample personality than one with none at all.

Quote of the day: “Someone dropped they pickles…that’s not cool…” Chris James//Lunch Day 2

// a van, a paint brush and a bunch of teenagers

2008-07-29T14:42:00.000-07:00

I have decided to post my journal entries from our New Orleans trip. It was a great week with my students. Times like these always make a deep impression on our lives.

New Orleans Day 1

We met and left at 8:30am. Travel was smooth – we made a stop in Montgomery to pick up 3 more students – cutting short their vacation to sweat with us in New Orleans. I love the fact they were willing to do that. The trip participants this year are Kenneth, Zach, Chris, Jacob, Devon, Jessi, Erica, Chelsey, Tiffany S., Destinee, and Tiffany G. 12 total. Once we hit Mobile, the travel became tiring and tedious. We hit traffic coming home from the 4th of July weekend at the beach. As our trip tradition – we stopped at the state lines for pictures.

Arriving in New Orleans for the second time kind of felt like a missional homecoming for all of us. We were able to reflect on last year, see how things had changed and progressed, and dig up the passion and compassion we have for the people here that was established on our last venture here.

We crossed the ferry @ Algiers, and took roads through neighborhoods to get to Aroura United Methodist (our residence for the week). The district that we are in seems pretty well recovered from the disaster – though not completely put back together, it is in working order. The church we are staying at will make a comfortable home for the week – bunk style beds, hot showers, gym for hang out time, cafeteria style kitchen… We also have 2 other groups housed here with us. There are groups from Indiana and New Jersey. It’s a great element for the teens – meeting others outside their race, cultural zone, and denomination.

After an evening of meetings and setting up – it feels like it is going to be a good week. We start work tomorrow with paint brushes and paint. We will be painting the outside of a house that is part of a whole street undergoing renovation.

One of the notable things that happened today was our dinner experience. We chose Bennigan’s. It ended up being a not so wise choice. Needing to be back for a devotional service at 8pm, we figured we had time to get in and out of the restaurant, and save ourselves yet another fast food meal. The restaurant was pretty much empty, so our plan seemed like it would work great… Yeah, it didn’t. We finally got our drinks after a 45 minute wait, and got our food at ten till 8. We were stuffing what we could down, and putting the rest in to go boxes. This wasn’t good for a group of teens with traditionally weak stomachs. Most were feeling it by the time we got back to the church!

In many ways – that’s just life here. Everything is less convenient and efficient than it once was. In the midst of rebuilding, the people have adapted to a new way of living.

The 7 Types of Camp Counselors

2008-07-24T09:16:00.000-07:00

Being a student pastor, and having spent a good deal of my summer at youth camp, I wanted to pass along this post from Prodigal John on the Stuff Christians Like blog. It is a rundown of the different types of camp counselors out there. And I have to say that I laughed pretty hard at a few of these... and sadly, there were some faces that came to mind!

You can find Prodigal John here: http://stuffchristianslike.blogspot.com/

1. The Joe Cool
Aliases:That guy that all the girls love.
Natural Enemy:Sir No Showers a Lot

Background:I wanted to be this guy. He was the counselor that was so cool he seemed out of place. It was like some land of cool had helicoptered him in on a rope. He listened to music you never heard of, had a tan even if the sun hadn't been out and like the man in the Dos Equis commercial, "his blood smelled like cologne." Best of all, he didn't seem to care about it. This was not something he was manufacturing in his cabin. This was natural. He wasn't shopping at the Chess King or wearing Z-Cavaricci's to look hip (what we did in the early 90s), he was comfortable in an old t-shirt. He was the dude Abercrombie ads try to create in a fake way. He had never surfed, but he could. He had a weird way with animals and set the fastest time in the swim test when no one was looking. My four year old might be this person one day. She had to get six stitches yesterday after a pool incident and waved off the lortab pain medication in favor of calmly reading a Strawberry Shortcake book while the doctor sewed up her chin. That is exactly how the Joe Cool would have handled it. He probably would have even made reading Strawberry Shortcake look cool, he's that good.

2. The Disciple
Aliases:Prayer Warrior, Holy Roller, Hardcore for Heaven
Natural Enemy:The Pastor's Kid

Background:This girl was slightly more holy than Jesus. She is the one that got up each morning at 4 to greet the sun and wave at the sparrows in the woods, what a glorious feeling. She was a champ at Bible competitions but wouldn’t give you any of the answers because like a teacher that forces you to look up a word in the dictionary instead of spelling it for you, she wanted you to learn on your own. If she was in high school, she was heavily involved in the youth group. If she was in college, she attended the "Harvard of Christian colleges," whatever that meant that year. She wasn't judgmental like the Narc, but wasn't afraid to use the word "smite" or correct the special guest speaker the camp brought in if he was not doctrinally sound.

3. Sir No Showers a Lot
Aliases:Stinky, Smelly, Dude bathe already
Natural Enemy:Soap

Background:Something about camp can bring out the smelliest in people. I guess because they're outside and in nature they think they can throw off the shackles of civilization like regularly bathing and deodorant. This guy often lives on the mistaken belief that girls dig guys that are filthy. The worst thing about this counselor is when he tries to tie his "dirt merchant" ways to some sort of holy mission. Some guys all grow goatees together but this guy makes not using water as a cleaning agent some sort of act of sanctity. There's a very good chance that he doesn't wear shoes but has instead allowed a few solid weeks of being barefoot to turn the bottoms of his feet as hard as leather. Avoid this guy at all costs. Don't ever let him help out in the kitchen.

4. The Nicest Person that Ever Lived
Aliases:Sunshine
Natural Enemy:That's not very nice of you to ask.

Background:This is the only counselor that will write you when camp is over. No, scratch that, this is the only person from camp that will write you. And I'm not talking about emails or text messages. I'm talking about real letters, made of paper and stamp and time. Probably on her own personal stationary. She loves camp. She always has and takes feels true joy from helping you enjoy it too. Sometimes this person may be the daughter of the person that owns the camp, although occasionally the kids of camp owners are too close to the camp to see how special it is. It's just where their dad works.

5. The Reformed Rebel
Aliases:The legend
Natural Enemy:The Narc

Background:This is probably my favorite camp counselor. Despite being young, they've been through the wringer a few times already. They used to pull pranks that are still legendary at camp but won't help you pull your own. Not that they are against pranks now but they want you to learn the lessons of this life yourself. They aren't afraid to show you bumps and bruises from the mistakes they've made and if you ever get into a campfire confessional, this is the person you want sitting next to you. They aren't afraid to cry and seem to have a really honest, intimate relationship with Christ. It's less like someone trying to shout up to the heavens and get the attention of a massive deity and more like someone talking with a friend that they really love.

6. The Narc
Aliases:Phariswat Team, Fun Police
Natural Enemy:Everyone, particularly people "making purple."

Background:This is usually a self appointed title. I don't think that camps actually assign or completely endorse this person, but they exist. Their mission for the week or the summer is to make sure everyone is following the rules. They don't see the rules as something to help prevent accidents or injuries. The rules are guideposts to an efficient, effective camp experience and anyone that steps out of line needs to be corrected. Often this person is the only one that has access to the bullhorn which in some scary situations they actually brought from home. If you steal their bullhorn, hypothetically speaking of course, they will magically pull a whistle out of nowhere and use that instead to keep everyone on point.

7. The Rebel
Aliases:The bad seed, the "how did that guy get to be a counselor" guy
Natural Enemy:Whoever finds the contraband he hid in a shallow hole by the ropes course.

Background:This person is pretty rare, which I think is probably a good thing. But sometimes, you'll encounter a counselor that seems to break all the rules he's supposed to be enforcing. He sneaks out at night when the kids are asleep to go into town and mingle with some locals. He wears his ropes course safety helmet backwards and is the only one in recorded history to have actually hit the camp owner with a water balloon. It makes little sense that he works at the camp but there's a theory that he got the job through blackmail. Or his dad is the pastor. Either way, keep an eye on this guy.I haven't gone to camp in years but if I do get to make a cameo someday, expect to find me hanging out with the Reformed Rebel and the Narc's stolen bullhorn.

Words from Crowder

2008-07-15T12:05:00.000-07:00

This is a great piece written by David Crowder. He has an awesome way with words as well as an uncanny ability to take real life and experience and pull spiritual truth out of it. This is a piece that he wrote for Catalyst. It caught my attention, having just come back from New Orleans, encountering the homeless there, and in light of the homeless ministry that our church has recently started. Check it out:

Rid the Yard of Sticks
By David Crowder++ CATALYST MONTHLY EXCLUSIVE ARTICLE

It is a Saturday afternoon in Waco, Texas and I am at home sitting on the couch with my wife. The television is on and it is displaying a golf tournament and we are observing this through half-opened heavy eyelids. It’s rather lovely.

I feel the need to point out that I live in one of the more economically depressed sections of town, as in, seriously, two of our neighbors call themselves the Rockstars because, they sell “rock,” (as in crack cocaine) – they do a brisk business. So, again, this time with context, my wife and I are sitting on our couch on a Saturday afternoon watching the “sport” of golf with lots and lots of Fidelity and Buick commercials.

Abruptly, I am jarred from this, my privileged slumber, as, “David! David!” is yelled at loud volume from somewhere behind me. I now feel the need to point out that we do not have any curtains on our windows. We’ve been in our house 6 years and curtains have held only occasional importance, like now, with, “David! David!” being shouted from the street at the window located directly behind my head, which is again causing me to think, “Seriously, we’ve been here 6 years? We need some curtains.” I turn and peek over the couch. It’s John. I say this to my wife, “Oh, man. It’s John.”

John is an elderly black man who has no home. He is one of Waco’s homeless. He is my neighbor. He comes around and wants to pick up the sticks in my yard. He says, “David, I’ll just get these sticks out of your yard if you can spare a few dollars.” We do this often, rid the yard of sticks. It’s really helpful – you can imagine – the ability to move about your yard without the obstruction of sticks. So, here is John, standing in the street outside of my window, watching us watch golf, when he decides he needs to tell me something. Peering over the couch, my eyes meet with John’s and I am left with no choice outside of meeting John at my back door.
“Hey John.”
“Now, David. I don’t mean to disturb you. I see you and your wife in there just relaxing, watching the TV, the golf I see, my apologies.”
“That’s quite all right. What’s going on John?”
“Well, like I said, I don’t mean to disturb you, I just wanted to say congratulations.”
I pause. I’m not sure what my line is supposed to be. I had all of my lines ready. I had formulated them on my walk from the couch to the door. I have no idea what he’s talking about. I think to myself, John is genius. This is a new angle. I’m trying to anticipate his next move and I’m forming fantastic pieces of discussion that will totally make John get a real job and stop living on the street and asking me if he can pick up my sticks. I respond, “Uh, thanks.”
“Yep. You’re gonna do it. We’ve all talked and we know you’re gonna bring ‘em home. Just like last time. Yep, congratulations. We’re all pulling for you.”
“Uh, OK. Now what might this be regarding?”
“Those Dove awards. You’re gonna win ‘em! We all prayed and we know you’re gonna do it, you’re gonna bring ‘em home you hear me?”

I pause. I have no idea where to put this. John has basically told me that the homeless population near my house is 1) aware that there are such things as “Dove Awards” and 2) that my band and I have been nominated for some, and, 3) seriously? (!) The homeless had some type of meeting, or assembly, or whatever, and are praying we win? What on earth! That is the most ridiculous thing ever, and – what, seriously? Thoughts like this are in my head: David, you make assumptions that are wrong. You need to repent. You are evil.

Social or civil justice issues are incredibly difficult objects to get my head around. It is a given that most of us desire to live in a just society; the awkwardness lies in agreeing upon just how exactly we arrive there. It’s easy to become pessimistic and passive even when attempting to effect change, i.e. after hearing Red Campaign marketing costs, or reports that mosquito nets I sent contributed to a water shortage crisis due to the nets actually working and people surviving malaria. Thus, obviously, it resulted in a rising population and a rise in water consumption, thus resulting in a water shortage, which now those same people are dying from.

To carry the story of God in a way that makes a real, tangible difference to those we live among can be really frustrating at times. I think the only way to not become paralyzed by the task, is, to get close enough to these issues for them to turn into names and faces that walk up to your fence on a Saturday; who lean in and yell your name and give you something that leaves you smiling and tearful and repentant and a little more in love with the people God has made.

I love how Crowder brings out the fact that he had his formulated response to the man shouting his name. It makes me wonder if we keep most of our responses formulated as we respond to the world around us as believers. This article really made me think about how I need to embrace people issue to issue, need to need - and not have a preconceived, arms length way of dealing with them.

//Back to the Big Easy and thoughts at the Vacant Lot.

2008-06-12T13:22:00.000-07:00

Today I spent most of the day getting fundraisers together to get a group of teens back to New Orleans to do more relief work. We were there last summer, and I saw 12 teens have their lives changed as they changed the lives of others. True, the task of rebuilding a city and people's lives is a feat that takes years, decades, and seems impossible. But I am excited about the fact that we can take a week to make life better for one family. I'm ready to go back.

Getting ready for more relief work in New Orleans has had me thinking about the experience that I had last year with our group of students. One of the things that has stuck with me from that week is an experience we had serving a hot meal to a community in the Elysian Fields area of New Orleans. The guy that was over it (his name was Aaron) was in his early 20's. He responded to the need one summer while in college...and decided to just stay. He started his releif effort in a back yard with a charcoal grill - feeding about 25 people at a time. He now leads a team of people, feeding over 800 in the community weekly.The image that has stuck with me: We pull up to a vacant lot. It's just an empty space. Nothing special about it. Within a few minutes though, it is bustling with people setting things up and scurrying around. Before we know it, hundreds of people appear, forming lines and waiting on a hot meal. People are served, kids are playing. There is a lot of conversation and laughter. And then, just as quickly as it came...everything is packed up once again. The crowds head back to their FEMA trailers, the workers pack up and pull away... And before you know it, the scene returns to the empty lot it once was before.We were some of the last to leave. We sat for a few minutes taking it all in. It went back the quiet and stillness it was before. Like something out of a movie, it began to rain... almost like God was adding a little extra dramatic effect for us. Looking at that vacant lot, the thought really hit home that with a little vision and determination...a huge difference can be made. What seemed like an empty and neglected place turned into an active sanctuary for the hurting. It left a big impression. I think many times we look for the perfect time, situation, resource, etc... And all along, God is saying "I'll work with whatever. Just give me what you've got..."

First Post!

2008-06-11T14:57:00.000-07:00

Life is crazy. This is just another way to stay connected with the people I love, learn from others, and share ideas with those who are selling out to their calling as well. This blog is intended to be a chronicle of my journey as well as a place that other student pastors (and anyone for that matter...!) can hopefully find insight and fresh inspiration for life, ministry, etc...Welcome...